Two of the three additions to his detective team, Paxton and Whiteman, had been colleagues in Perth, good thorough detectives. He didn’t know the third detective, a younger man, Ryan Gartrell. It was an hour since the discovery of the computer and all were assembled in the Major Crime area of the station. Introductions had been made so, setting aside the increasingly nagging but still distant throb of his tooth, Clement wasted no time.
‘No need to explain we are in a shit-storm, two homicides and a possible third, at the very least an abduction.’
Risely emerged from his office ushering a young woman in a sharp suit. ‘This is Chelsea Verschuer, she’s our media liaison person.’
Clement shook her hand and introduced himself. She was attractive, well groomed, her hair freshly shampooed. He guessed she had it cut frequently at an expensive salon.
‘However I can help you, I’m here.’
‘Thank you, Chelsea. The first thing I want you to do is put out some press release asking all landlords to check any vacant properties.’ He looked to Risely. ‘And we need all our spare uniforms checking too.’
Risely made a note. ‘Got it.’
Chelsea Verschuer had her own checklist. ‘Has a recent photo of Gerd Osterlund been sent to media?’
‘Yes, they should all have it and Manners, I believe, has texted a copy to all our phones so we have that at our disposal at all times. Gerd Osterlund is the immediate priority.’
Clement indicated Shepherd. ‘Shep interviewed a witness who saw Osterlund on the beach this morning, probably not long before he was abducted.’
He recounted what Shepherd had told him immediately before the Perth detectives had arrived. The witness, twenty-eight year old Jed Steven, had been running with his dog and passed Osterlund about halfway on Osterlund’s walk south. Osterlund had looked anxiously at him and Steven, guessing the guy might have a problem with dogs, ran wide. From the position Steven described and what they had later found it seemed that the abduction must have happened within minutes of this encounter. Steven remembered only a few other people on the beach at that time, a couple mid-twenties jogging to the south and a fisherman to the north, close to where he passed Osterlund.
‘Obviously identifying this fisherman and the jogging couple is a high priority. If not suspects, they could be witnesses. Mal, could you call all our uniforms in the area and get them to specifically ask anybody who lives near there or is on the beach if they might know who these people are?’
Mal got right onto it.
Chelsea Verschuer held up a hand. ‘I’ll get the media to highlight it unless there’s a problem?’
‘No, that would be useful.’
Whiteman spoke. ‘This witness, Steven, no bells?’
Shepherd shook his head. ‘No, he was open, his car was right there, an old hatchback, not the sort of vehicle you’d take someone in. He pretty much called in right away. Unfortunately he parked in the lay-by to the south of the one where we think Osterlund was taken. He didn’t see any other cars in the area at the time.’
‘Did he give descriptions of the couple and the fisherman?’
‘The couple are late twenties. The girl “cute, dark hair, neat body”, the guy “balding, hairy, fit”. The fisherman he saw only from the back. Couldn’t give an age and was “pretty sure” he was a he.’ Shepherd used his fingers as quote marks.
Clement said, ‘There’s got to be some association between Osterlund, Lee and Schaffer but it’s unclear at this stage what.’ His tooth suddenly kicked in again, much worse this time. ‘So far we haven’t found a connection between Schaffer and Osterlund other than they were Germans living here who were in touch. Osterlund has been here the last three years. Prior to that, he lived in Bali for three years and before that Frankfurt for six years. Anything earlier is unknown. Graeme spoke to his accountant who has been working for him the last twelve years. He says before marrying, Osterlund was a dedicated businessman involved in IT who he knew slightly socially. He’s given us some business associates to follow up. We’re onto all drug enforcement agencies to see if he rings a bell. We’ve checked phone records of all three and there’s no link we can see but the framing of this photo sent to Osterlund is curious.’
Clement ran them briefly through the potential significance of Hamburg 1979 as it related to Dieter Schaffer’s police career.
‘It may be some incredible long shot that this guy,’ Clement held up the photo of Kurt Donen, ‘crossed paths here with Dieter Schaffer and that Osterlund became aware of the fact or didn’t realise he knew something important, but we have to consider it. Could Osterlund have been abducted to see if he’d told anybody anything? It may be remote but we have to consider that too. Graeme is checking on all Germans in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions but I want you paying particular attention to anybody of German or Austrian origin who surfaces in your quadrant of the investigation. Questions and suggestions?’
Paxton raised the question of CCTV cameras.
‘We’re collating all CCTV footage for the town between five and seven this morning. There’s very little anywhere else in this area. If the abductor used the coast road and circumvented town there’s basically nothing except servos where we might get something. Shep, you have some vehicle sightings from residents around six a.m.?’
‘A dark blue van, probably ten years old, maybe a Suzuki. Also a grey sedan, described as old, make unknown. Both of these vehicles were seen heading south along the coast road. Also two different, later model Mazdas: one white, one blue.’
‘Packo, you help Shep on this. Obviously the van sounds the most promising. I want you to check these vehicles against any owned by Dingos or their associates. Also anybody on Dieter Schaffer’s list of clients, or the contacts we have for Osterlund from his phone and computer. And ask Mrs Osterlund if any of those vehicles sounds familiar. Ryan, I’d like you to help Sarge on any intel on bikers who might have wanted to move into the territory. Whitey, I’d like you to work out of here as fresh eyes on anything we might have missed. Start with Schaffer, then Lee, then Osterlund. Graeme, you’re on the German angle. That’s it for now.’
‘Do you want me to put anything out about these vehicles?’ Verschuer’s exaggerated red lips were oddly distracting.
‘Not yet, just a general appeal for information on people out walking or driving at the time and what vehicles they saw on the road. Okay, people, let’s get to it.’
Chelsea Verschuer approached him. ‘The networks are screaming for a briefing.’
It was the last thing Clement wanted. ‘It’s a critical time in this investigation.’ He tried to sound apologetic though he wasn’t in the least.
‘Stan Le Testa and Sharon Nistrom say they’ve liaised with you before.’
They were Perth television journalists, crime reporters. Neither had taken the trouble to send him so much as a farewell text when he’d left town. Obviously they believed they’d not be needing him in the future. Thank God he’d changed his mobile number when he’d left, they would have bombarded him.
Chelsea pulled her most appealing face. ‘It wouldn’t be more than ten minutes.’
‘Not right now, Chelsea. Got a murderer to track down.’