|
Lethal dilemma
can someone pease review and comment
My mouth tastes like an ashtray…The first thoughts that go through Neal’s aching mind as he pulls himself out of bed. There’s a pool of vomit at its foot and several cigarette buts are crushed into an ashtray on the bedside table.
On the kitchen bench there is a large bottle, below the peeling Jim Beam sticker sits inch of clear brown liquid.
On opening the fridge Neal felt sick. There’s no way I’m gonna be eating this morning.
Neal collapsed into a well-worn chair kicking his feet up and closing his eyes.
He could hear David Koch’s voice from the television in the next apartment. Obnoxious prick, he thought.
Looking around this tiny apartment there were countless photographs on the walls.
Most of them from his son’s birthday parties. Those were the days, a photograph pictured Ryan laughing as Neal dressed in a clown suit was blowing up balloons.
Neal felt an aching from deep in his chest, which he knew wasn’t part of the hangover.
After washing down two Aspirin with the rest of the bourbon Neal stumbled outside to retrieve the paper. Maybe there’ll be more news on the kidnapping. Unrolling it out on the bench the first thing that hits Neil is the headline Police Commander Killed In Arson. Stephen was supposed to be driving down to Dee Why last night to question that witness.
In a smaller box at the pages bottom corner is picture of what looks like an industrial construction site followed by the text Abducted girl found dead.
Flicking through the first few pages there is nothing but stories on the two murders. A picture shows a suburban neighbourhood with a house and car that looks as if someone had attacked them with a flamethrower. More photographs show blurred out images of a naked girl laying face down in a black gravel pit. Surprised I haven’t been called in yet.
Stepping into a barbarically hot shower Neal could still taste cigarettes and bourbon a lovely combination. The shower was so hot that it made his skin turn red. Yet he gritted his teeth you brought this upon yourself your nothing but a lousy drunk, you couldn’t even hold down your own wife. And Ryan you love him, what means more to you, your son or the bottle. That’s it I’m gonna give it up. Neal knew he was lying to himself as he had said the same thing to himself so many times before.
Neal’s thoughts are broken by the blaring ring of his phone Where the hell did I leave it he thought.
Stumbling through the flat back to the bedroom he pulled a pair of jeans from under the bed taking the vibrating phone from their pocket.
“Hello”
“Neal”
Bloody Luis,
“Yeah, speaking”
“You sound like shit”
Your observational skills are amazing“Have you heard about Stephen?”
“Yeah, I just read the papers”
“Looks like I’m moving up in the world. As of last night I’m the new Northern Beaches commander ”
Good for you, you selfish bastard“So what are you calling about?”
“You’ve heard about the girl”
“ahuh”
“Well I want you to pick up on her case where Stephen was at, I know we’ve lost our main witness but we still have all his work here. First of all though, I want you to drive down to Five Dock. That’s where they found her. I’ll be waiting for you on the pubs corner, it’s only five minutes or so from there”
“Alright I’ll see you when?”
“At about nine-thirty”
Neal hangs up before there’s any chance of getting into conversation.
[/i]
__________________
"We Shall dive down through this black abyss"
|
