Chapter 6

Tess hesitated.

Much of ‘The Midsumma’ Festival had moved away from the Catani Gardens and The Esplanade.

There was still no traffic along The Esplanade. And both Fitzroy Street and the intersecting Acland Street were still crowded – Kylie Minogue had left, and Sergeant Tess Gallagher could hear ‘Dannii’ Minogue singing the last of her songs for the day.

Some fifteen minutes before, she had seen Senior Constable Sonya Galloway – the ‘Lead Singer’ of the renowned ‘Code One’ Showband had been dancing with a drunken Constable Jane Bell and Senior Constable Margaret Stewart near Dimmatina’s Café. It had almost been a pagan ritual. Several of the crowd had been encouraging the three policewomen by openly masturbating, but there was little that Tess could do. Chief Commissioner Veronica Marshall had ordered that there be no arrests – that would not be politically acceptable. And, there had already been several threats of Legal Action against the Victoria Police for alleged Prejudice and Discrimination, by the government-funded ‘Melbourne City Legal Services’ Office – nasty Left Wing lawyers looking to claim several female ‘Pigs’ as scalps.

Senior Sergeant Monica Draper had reminded Sergeant Tess Gallagher of that, as they’d watched the impromptu show just five minutes before. Not that Tess really minded. If anything, it was a nothing more than a celebration. A wild display of lesbian debauchery that taken them all by surprise.

And, the thirty year old blonde policewoman had already caught Senior Constable Diana Webster with a prostitute. Tess had checked Dimmatina’s Café an hour or so, earlier – she had watched the kinky prostitute ‘fuck’ the hapless policewoman on the bed that had been placed in the store room at the back of the notorious café.

She could see ‘Probationary’ Constable Deirdre ‘Dash’ McKinley with a Nurse on the far side of The Esplanade – they were kissing. And now, so were Constable Jane Bell and Senior Constable Margaret Stewart too,

“Kelly O’Rourke...?”

“Susie Raynor...?” Tess wondered aloud – she had seen Senior Constable Maggie Doyle an hour earlier, but could not recall seeing ‘Probationary’ Constable Kelly O’Rourke or ‘Probationary’ Constable Susie Raynor for some time...?

And, what of Lindy – where was ‘Acting’ Sergeant Lindy Schroeder too...?

She slipped between two Carmelite Nuns – that was something Tess hadn’t expected.

Nuns...?

She had seen Nurses and Businesswomen as usual.

And, there had been a number of Stewardesses and Toorak Socialites as well.

‘Strippers’ and Prostitutes – Girl Guides and ‘St. John’s Ambulance’ Cadets in uniform too.

Sergeant Tess Gallagher had also seen ‘off duty’ policewomen, Prison Officers and quite a few members of the Women’s Royal Australian Army Corps - there had been at least three Politicians at ‘The Midsumma’ Festival, but that had been expected. Politics and ‘Sex’ were common bedfellows.

Her uniform shirt was now loose and unbuttoned – her firm breasts jutted arrogantly from beneath the crisp pale-blue fabric as she moved along the footpath. With her issue handbag in one hand, and a bottle of Johnny Walker ‘Blue Label’ in her other, she was looking for Kelly and Susie.

She’d not yet savoured a mouthful of Scotch, but was more concerned with her two inexperienced blondes – even though she was only nineteen years of age, Deirdre Elaine McKinley was somewhat wiser in the ways of ‘The Midsumma’ than the twenty-two year old, Kelly Maree O’Rourke.

Tess just didn’t trust Susie enough, to be confident that she hadn’t done anything particularly foolish.

And, that was certainly saying something with everything that was going on at ‘The Midsumma’ at this late hour. Nevertheless, Susie could take chances. And, more than once, ‘Probationary’ Constable Susie Raynor had ‘fucked’ her way into trouble – that was now what Tess was most worried about.

Much to her surprise, Tess came upon another Nun. She hesitated.

Sister Carmella D’Agostino - the thirty year old policewoman unsure whether she was a Carmelite or not...?

An unbuttoned short-sleeved white shirt and dark-blue skirt and matching veil that did little to hide the attractive twenty-eight year old’s cropped brown hair,

“You looking for something, Sergeant?” asked the Nun.

Tess paused. She’d never been propositioned by a Nun before.

“What I am looking for are my policewomen, if you should know...?” hissed an exasperated Tess,

“Aren’t we all...?” Sister Carmella D’Agostino teased.

She took Tess by the arm...

“I really don’t have time for this?” the policewoman protested – there was more than a hint of reluctance in her voice, for she had long harboured a secret desire to have ‘sex’ with a Nun,

“I’m not sure what the Vatican would say?”

Nonetheless, Tess did nothing as the Nun pulled her closer.

“Jesus Christ...?” she gasped, unable to do anything with her handbag in one hand and the ‘Blue :Label’ in the other,

“Don’t worry,” sneered the Nun, “I will confess all later, Sergeant Gallagher?”

Sister Carmella D’Agostino had read her issue nametag – jealousy and envy were never very far away at ‘The Midsumma’ Festival, and Tess felt at hand grasp at her. She had no idea who it was...?

Suddenly, the Nun disappeared – she was pulled away from the policewoman by an anonymous woman. Hesitating, Tess breathed a sigh of relief.

She watched Sister Carmella D’Agostino and the blonde kiss.