about the missing phone. Even Sparks, whoever he was, had said in his message that he’d been trying to call Dallas on his mobile phone. Had somebody removed the phone from his body? Wouldn’t be the first time a deceased junkie was robbed by his own kind. But why not take his wallet and watch, even his runners?
I squatted down to search the bedside table. In a drawer with socks and underpants was a reminder letter from the YMCA in Prahran advising Boyd that his gym membership was due to expire. The letter was dated 1 December the previous year, less than three months ago. Clipped to the letter was a map of Surfers Paradise. I spread the map out on the bed and saw that someone had highlighted several streets in orange felt pen. Ella had family in Queensland and I’d been to the Gold Coast a number of times, so I immediately recognised the streets as popular tourist precincts. Cavill Avenue. Tedder Avenue. Orchard Avenue. In the top corner of the map was a name and address, obviously written by somebody with poor literacy skills: Derek Jardine, 4/678 Sunset Cresant, Mermade Worters.
Who was Derek Jardine? And why was the map clipped to the YMCA reminder letter? Anthony worked at the Docklands YMCA and would have access to client names. I made a note to call him, then searched the rest of the room but still failed to find a mobile phone. There was a shoebox under the bed with a collection of blank DVDs inside. The title Die Hard With A Vengeance was scribbled on one of the cases. Underneath it were others like Goodfellas and Scarface. I slid the box of pirated movies back and noticed a photo on a stand by the door. It was Dallas Boyd and a girl about the same age posing at St Kilda beach, white sand contrasting against the blue water and a burning red sunset behind them. The photo appeared recent, possibly taken this summer. Boyd even had on the same red baseball cap he’d been wearing when he died.
Who had taken the picture? I hadn’t found a camera in the apartment anywhere. Maybe the camera belonged to the girl and they’d asked somebody to take it for them. But the photo looked so professional this was unlikely; nor was it likely that the picture had been taken with Dallas Boyd’s missing phone, or any phone for that matter. While I was in rehab I’d bought myself a digital camera and done what I could to learn how to use it properly. It hadn’t been nearly as easy as I’d expected. Whoever took this shot had experience. If taken by an amateur with a mobile phone or with a camera by somebody simply strolling past, the sunset in the background would leave the picture washed out with too much light. Instead the couple had been brought to the foreground by a keen eye and technical know-how.
I let some ideas roll around but nothing jogged. I focused on the girl. She was familiar, attractive but trashy, with a pink bikini top and a Celtic tattoo around her navel. Suddenly I recognised her. Replacing the picture, I locked the front door and ran down the concrete walkway to find the Valiant turning into Barkly Street. I chased after it, but was too late. As the Valiant took the corner, the hooker stared back at me from the passenger seat. The girl in the picture.
7
WHEN I GOT HOME THE PHONE was ringing. I fumbled with the keys, trying to balance my briefcase in one hand and a bag of groceries in the other. Inside, I tripped over Prince and damn near fell over as I snapped up the handset.
‘Yes.’
‘What kind of way is that to answer the phone?’
I smiled. It was Ella.
‘Ah, sorry, just got in and had to rush for it.’
‘Right. Are you decent?’
‘Indeed I am,’ I said. ‘Every week I make a donation of ten dollars to the tips jar at the Stokehouse. They have university students working there. My tips help pay for their study. I’d call that decent.’
‘I’d call it bribery. You’re just paying for quick service on busy nights. No long waits at the bar.’
‘Oh, ye of little faith. You’ll ruin my image, you pessimist.’
‘Realist, more like it. And I won’t ruin your image at all. You do a good enough job of that yourself. I bet at least one item of your clothing has a food or