Chapter 37

Back in the small ‘Women Police’ Office on the far side of the car park, Sergeant Tess Gallagher had her own problems – Senior Sergeant Draper had left Teresa Annette Gallagher with paperwork to do. And. ‘The Black Widow’ had given Tess a strict timeline to finish the report that Chief Superintendent Margaret McVeigh required. Catherine Margaret McVeigh was a no-nonsense hard-bitten career cop, who would be looking for the file – she wouldn’t tolerate a late report and Tess knew it. No longer the ‘In Charge’ of the Flemington ‘Women Police’ Division, the thirty year old Divorcee was now little more than a clerk, or so it seemed to Tess. And so, she was too pre-occupied in the ‘Women Police’ Office to concern herself with the drama playing out in the nearby ‘Uniform Branch’ – Tess had been told by Cassandra Nicholson that the three ‘General Duties’ policewomen were up to something, but there was nothing she could do...?

She knew about Lady Rhonda ‘The Cunt’ Hamilton-Baillieu. But, how did Cassandra know?

Tess tried to focus on the paperwork, but she couldn’t help but ponder just what Cassandra Nicholson’s real motive was...?

Along with Senior Constable Rosemary ‘Rosie’ Egan, both Constable Joanna Parrish and Constable Maggie Doyle were attending the Melbourne Children’s Court. Tess was on her own. ‘Monica was out. And, Senior Constable Robyn Taylor was at the Moonee Ponds’ Magistrates Court. With the ‘Divisional Inspector’ with Senior Sergeant Barry McKnight, Sergeant Tess Gallagher dare not try to speak with ‘Probationary’ Constable Kelly O’Rourke, ‘Probationary’ Constable Deirdre ‘Dash’ McKinley or ‘Probationary’ Constable Susie Raynor. All she could do for the moment was concentrate on the job at hand. With luck, Joanna and Maggie would deal with the three ‘General Duties’ policewomen and ‘The Cunt’ if necessary. Teresa Annette Gallagher had enough to do...

Kelly stepped out the rear door.

Pausing, she adjusted her baseball-style uniform cap and carefully tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ears – it was warm; a little over thirty degrees Celsius again, but ‘Probationary’ Constable Kelly O’Rourke didn’t seem to notice. She glanced across at the small ‘Women Police’ Office. Kelly had thought of dropping by to say ‘Hi’ to Tess. She had seen the other policewomen leave earlier – Kelly Maree O’Rourke nonetheless, thought better of it. She had a ‘Foot Patrol’ of the Racecourse Road ‘Shopping Precinct’ to conduct. Kelly Maree O’Rourke tugged at her shirtsleeve.

There was no breeze. And though, she could hear the continuous rumble of traffic along Racecourse Road, Kelly could no longer discern the chaos inside the Flemington Police Station. The rear door to the building was still open, but no voices filtered out to where she stood. Hesitating another moment, she tugged again at the sleeve of her tight pale-blue uniform shirt. Just visible in the ‘Women Police’ Office, Sergeant Tess Gallagher had her back to the fresh-faced young blonde policewoman. Kelly breathed a sigh of relief. Away from Sergeant ‘Bluey’ Wilson, Senior Sergeant Barry McKnight and Inspector Maree D’Constanzo, she felt a sense of relief – Kelly Maree O’Rourke felt guilty at leaving her two girlfriends, but there was little she could do. ‘Probationary’ Constable Deirdre ‘Dash’ McKinley was working the Watchouse and ‘Probationary’ Constable Susie Raynor destined to perform fatigues.

Kelly didn’t envy Susie. She knew what a mess the Property Store was...

Smiling to herself, Kelly walked to the gate into Wellington Street. There was little traffic passing along the leafy side street as she left the environs of the Flemington Police Station at last. Alone with her thoughts,, she headed towards Norwood Street – the same route she walked, most days after work, as she made her way to the nearby Newmarket Railway Station. There was an alleyway off Norwood Street that accessed the rear of the shopping precinct – the very same urban thoroughfare that both ‘Charlotte the Harlot’ McNamara and ‘Juicy Lucy’ Cunningham liked to frequent. She would check it. And then, she’d move on to Pin Oak Crescent and Racecourse Road. Her intention was to end up at ‘The Paragon’ Café in a little over an hour. Eastwood Street, Brock Way and then Lollipop Lane. A few parking infringement notices. A chat with some of the shopkeepers. And just maybe, something a little more interesting, for she was still yet to make an arrest since arriving at the Flemington ‘Uniform Branch’ on transfer...?

In her mind however, ‘Probationary’ Constable Kelly O’Rourke still pictured the two prostitutes in her mind – Charlotte ‘eating’ Susie as ‘Juicy Lucy’ did the same to Deirdre in Plessey Lane at midnight...

After crossing Wellington Street, Kelly headed into Norwood Street. Her mind continued to recall what had happened the night before in Plessey Lane – prostitute kissing policewoman; street prostitute then ‘tongue fucking’ policewoman in the darkened alleyway behind the ‘Fantasia’ Massage Parlour. In the distance, an electric suburban train was leaving Newmarket Railway Station. The fresh-faced blonde had really not expected to see either ‘Charlotte the Harlot’ McNamara or ‘Juicy L:ucy’ Cunningham this early – the last that she’d seen of the two prostitute was when she’d left the ‘Fantasia’ with ‘Mistress Rebecca’ Campbell and Sandra ‘The Countess’ Murdoch a little after three o’clock that morning. Kelly had not expected to see Deirdre or Susie either. She had left her two colleagues with the prostitutes at the ‘Fantasia’ – her last fleeting glimpse of both ‘Probationary’ Constable Deirdre ‘Dash’ McKinley and ‘Probationary’ Constable Susie Raynor, being the two policewomen locked in a tight ‘sixty niner’ amidst the naked bodies of ‘Charlotte the Harlot’ McNamara, ‘Juicy Lucy’ Cunningham and the disgraced’ former policewoman, Hanna Eloise Monaghan. In fact, she’d only recognised Deirdre and Susie, because they still wore their uniform shirts. ‘Mistress Rebecca’ and ‘The Countess’ had ‘fucked’ Kelly upon their return to the young policewoman’s bungalow, so it was just as much a surprise to Deirdre and Susie that Kelly had shown up for her shift too. Kelly however, felt fresh. Less than two hours sleep and three cups of coffee, the twenty-two year policewoman also felt happier than she ever had before. And, she was away from all the chaos at the Flemington Police Station - free to do whatever she wanted on ‘Foot Patrol’ on her own, for she doubted that Sergeant ‘Kev’ Wainwright would come looking for her as he had threatened. Lady Rhonda Hamilton-Baillieu almost guaranteed that. Sarah Garde-Wilson and ‘The Cunt’ would keep Kevin ‘Kev’ Wainwright far too pre-occupied for him to be concerned with Kelly. And just maybe, she’d make her first arrest – there was always that hope...

’Probationary’ Constable Joss Peroni and Constable Adam Cooper were working the ‘Divisional Van’ – they were perhaps, the closest she had to friends amongst her male ‘Uniform Branch’ colleagues, for she’d worked with them both at the Melbourne District ‘Traffic & Patrol’ Division. Joss was twenty-two. And, he had refused to assist in the vendetta conducted by their ‘Officer in Charge’ against Kelly at the Melbourne District ‘Traffic & Patrol’ Division – that had led him to applying for the Flemington ‘Uniform Branch’ a month before ‘Probationary’ Constable Kelly O’Rourke. Cheeky and self-assured, he’d also supported the policewomen in their struggle with Senior Sergeant Barry McKnight. Nonetheless, Joss was still liked by most of the other male police officers at Flemington, for his family had a large financial stake in the nearby ‘Doutta Galla’ Hotel. And so, they tolerated his liberal attitudes towards Kelly and the other policewoman – some thought he was ‘fucking’ Kelly even though that was not the case at all.