The Broken Shore Page #4

- Not likely.

Don't often forget faces.

You forgot where to dump the stone.

No, you just forgot how much I charge

to deliver, cuz.

Yeah?

Jesus, been trying to get you

for an hour.

The ute's been sighted in Goulburn,

three occupants.

I don't want any hot pursuit sh*t.

Well, hang on,

if they're heading back here,

technically it'd be Hopgood's job.

Hopgood bullshit. You're in charge.

The Cromarty mob's record's appalling.

I'm gonna send a bloke down, Paul Dove,

Aboriginal, Detective Sergeant.

He'll handle the protocol, capiche?

Yeah, capiche. Whatever that means.

- So how you want it done?

- Look, I'm open to advice.

No, you're the boss. You tell me.

Villani wants them lifted at home

after they've gone to bed.

Fantastic. Going into the Daunt

at night, arresting our native folk.

It's Indian territory.

'Black Hawk down'.'

Alright, we'll set up a roadblock.

Should have taken the pension, mate.

Gone up north, someplace warm.

No, no, no, no.

Court's down the road, champ.

Let him through, Lloydie.

- Detective Sergeant Dove.

- Afternoon, lads.

I'm your coconut.

HARD HOUSE:

Get the gun'. Shoot it'.

That's my ball'.

Dead ball.

And before I run you through this,

let me first acknowledge

the original custodians of this glorious

shithole we're standing in.

- Happy?

- Happy Aborigine.

Alright, the Colac boys

have logged the twin cab,

Tango Juliet Hotel 419,

chock-a-block full

of three Abo-indigenes.

We've placed the car

up on the highway

and they're going to radio through

when they pass.

They're going to head down Anderson.

They're going to continue down Stockard

and then turn right.

Now this is where we're gonna nab 'em,

where it's one lane on the corner

of Stockard and Lamen.

Group one-KD, Lloydie, Steggie

and me-we're in the cruiser -

and Sid and Wobbles,

you'll be driving the block.

But it's not some Green Beret operation.

Nothing happens to these kids.

I've given Inspector Villani

an assurance that seven trained officers

can pick up three kids without

any problems. I hope that's clear.

Loud and clear.

- Code word is 'Vegemite sandwich'.

- It's just 'sandwich', thanks.

I'll give the go. It's my call.

You've got the Falcon.

It's in better nick than it looks.

It'd want to be.

What about the white one?

Blown head gasket.

- Does this bloke know what he's doing?

- Bloody hope so.

- I don't like this rain.

- Sandwich 1 in position.

Sandwich 2, roger that.

Sandwich 2,

keep the motor running.

Blocking vehicle is in position.

Righto.

- You right?

- Yeah, it's just my back playing up.

- You do a lot of these?

- I'm doing it as a favour for Villani.

They're leaning on him

about Bobby Walshe's nephew.

I went to primary school

with Bobby Walshe.

Bobby used to hang out

with my cousin Bern.

They'd beat the sh*t out of anyone,

those two.

- Your cousin Aboriginal?

- Aunty Stella's from the Daunt.

So you're a boong-in-law.

Here we go.

Go, go, go, go, go!

What's he doing?

I haven't called it yet.

- What the f*** is he doing?'.

- Bloody idiot'. He's pulled a gun.

- Go, go, go, go!

- Get that prick'.

Bloody thing's stalled'.

Start, you piece of sh*t'. Go'. F***'.

F*** me.

- Sandwich 2 to Sandwich 1.

- F***'.

- Receiving me, over?

- Abandon'. Tell him call it off.

Sandwich 1, abandon pursuit, abandon.

I say again, abandon, abandon.

Please respond.

Say again. Sandwich 2.

can't hear you.

Abandon'. Abandon'.

Watch it'.

Come on. Come on'.

Come on, get him on his side'.

Get him on his side'. Come on, mate.

- Turn him over gently.

- Put it down.

- Gently'.

- Put it down'.

I said put the firearm down'.

Hold your fire'.

Turn on the f***in' flashlight'.

Get an ambo'. Maximum bloody speed'.

No-one touches a bloody thing'.

Close the road'.

Who the f*** do you think you are, mate?

You're in Cromarty.

Police officers were fired upon

and they responded appropriately.

Can you confirm this was linked

to the murder of Charles Bourgoyne?

We believe it may have been.

Is it true that one of the youths killed

was Luke Walshe,

nephew of the MP Bobby Walshe?

I can't comment at this stage but

I can say every precaution was taken

to minimise the possibility of injury.

The officers involved

had the utmost respect for protocol.

What the bloody hell were you thinking?

None of this would have happened

if you'd done what I told you

and arrested them at home'.

Luke Walshe is a violent

little arsehole.

He would have shot at us anyway.

You were there to observe.

What'd you observe?

A lot of rain and two dead Abos.

Well, my understanding is he sees

two blokes not in uniform

waving guns about and thinks they're

a couple of hoons out to kill him.

And who told you that?

Donny bloody Coulter?

- You save it for the Coroner.

- I might just be a country cop...

..but since when does the presumption

of innocence lie with an arsehole

pulling an unlicensed firearm

on a f***in' police officer?

All officers involved are now on traffic

duty pending an internal investigation'.

No phone calls,

no winks over the supermarket trolley.

The family, the brotherhood,

that sh*t doesn't fly here.

Now get out'.

Dove.

Jesus, Joe.

In hindsight, an error of judgement?

I see most of my life

as an error of judgement.

Dove tells me you made three attempts

to call the operation off.

Apparently, he couldn't hear us.

He made a judgement call.

Did you see the muzzle flash

before or after the shots?

Steve, I couldn't see the nose

in front of my face.

So it's possible the muzzle flash

was Walshe firing after the other shots?

I don't know.

We'd better hope these blokes

did kill Bourgoyne.

There was no watch in the car.

Probably flogged it somewhere else.

Come and stay at my place.

Go and visit Singo.

Now I've got to go and explain

to the Commissioner

how this total cock-up was actually

a well-executed pincer move

by highly trained professionals.

- How do I look?

- Ravishing.

Shock and grief. They are my emotions.

You know, Luke Walshe

is my brother's boy.

He was a bright kid.

Everyone had high hopes for him.

Here you go, Mr Singleton. One of

your old workmates is here to see you.

G'day, boss.

It's Joe.

Villani reckons you should stop

bunging it on, come back to work.

Place is falling apart without you.

.. white or black. that's just a tragedy.

Oh, I'll just turn it down.

I don't know if I'm cut out

for this sh*t.

You used to say you're just a cop.

Say you do your best and you walk away.

How? I get my partner killed

and now I stuffed up again.

Two kids are dead this time.

You want a pen, boss? Here you go.

C-B 83.

- Has Singo ever worked down my way?

- No.

Singo worked for 36 years.

Bought himself a place at Lake Eildon.

Called it Begone Begone.

Then bang, never gets to live in it.

Instead he's dribbling

cream of mushroom soup

down his pyjamas

at an aged-care facility.

- Maybe you're right to get out now.

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