Temple’s Job: Chapter Five

Joe’s girlfriend has transformed her fears. Meanwhile…. The unexpectedly violent pair continue their search for evidence of the whereabouts of the murder suspect..

Wigram and Temple moved around the office, trying to imagine where someone like Robert Green would keep his important documents.

Both of them were ready for the outcome of discovering that all the keys were fakes.

The old-school file cabinet near Robert Green’s desk was top of their list. The first key was obviously for some sort of door lock. They tried the next, smaller key. It fitted perfectly.

They should have been a little more wary. As the drawer opened they heard something click and shatter. A small glass jar of napalm had been activated inside the drawer. Joe was unable to stop the flames from burning his eyebrows as the thick smoke started to fill the room.

Ian wrapped his arm around Joe’s body and violently pulled him backward.

“There’s something else in there, in the back of the drawer” said Joe.

Then he watched, bemused, as Ian removed his belt. He tied one end to the handle on the drawer. Moving back from the cabinet, he yanked hard on the belt. The drawer slid right out, landing on the floor near Ian’s feet.

“Let’s see what Mr Green has to protect in a booby-trapped file cabinet.”

He reached down, more carefully than usual and picked up a red manilla folder. The file must have been reasonably full, judging by the weight.

The file had two sections. The first was a series of recipes for meth-based drugs and sources for the basic ingredients.

The second, far more disquieting part, was Robert Greens’ personal list of potential couriers.

The girl at the top of the list could now be crossed off. It was Angela Redheart a successful but unpopular high schooler. She’d intended to study medicine, and would have needed all the money she could get. Robert Green’s offer of a small but well paying job, would have seemed irresistible.

Joe looked across at Ian, who was staring intently at the second name on the list “Lisa Temple”

Another poor girl who needed cash?” inquired Joe.

“I wouldn’t know, You should ask my BROTHER” said Ian, shouting the last word, and punching Joe in the abdomen with a great amount of force.

Joe collapsed on the floor and tried to think of an apology. He didn’t care enough so he just muttered the obvious “Oh, she’s your niece, right”. It took another minute to realise what a stupid thing that was to say.

“So, shall we burn this list? We could stop girls like your niece from getting hurt”

“She’s not that stupid” Ian said. Suddenly he remembered the fashion design course Lisa wanted to enrol in. Unimpressed her parents had refused to fund this. And wanting her to have “a sensible career in IT” they’d also withheld information about scholarships.

If Lisa was asked to transport a package across town for a large sum of money. She’d definitely agree.

.Angela must have seen something that was incriminating for Mr Green and had to be killed before word got out.

There must be something in the office that connected Robert Green with the murderer and their theory that Dr Alvin Taylor was the killer.

“We need real evidence that he is a murderer,” said Ian, remembering the flimsy and false evidence that took away ten years of his life. Recalling his part in that joke of a trial and Temple’s conviction made Joe feel like throwing up and an intense feeling of guilt.

“No point in bringing up past mistakes just now”, Ian” Joe said carefully.

“Just remember that you have a violent side to your personality, bad enough to match Robert Green or his hired killer”

“You’ve got a point.” Ian replied in a softer voice.

“But I’ve never butchered anyone” (he pictured the crime scene photo in his mind and shivered).

“We need to find a connection between Robert Green and Dr. Alvin Taylor. Assuming that Dr. Taylor is the man we want.” said Joe.

“The crime scene was too distinctive to think otherwise” said Ian disgust in his voice. “Only one man would do what he did, and then be proud of it.”

“I hear your reasoning, but it is so obvious that it could be wrong, and seeing the wrong man behind bars would be the last thing I would want. “

“Really? I would think the last thing we would want to see is another girl dead.”

“Yes, and potentially your niece.”

“Don’t talk about her that way! As long as I live, Lisa will be safe”

It was just as well Ian had handed the gun to Joe Wigram, or right now he could easily have blown a hole through Joe’s head. Unaware of Ian’s emotions Joe continued speaking calmly.

“We need to finish searching this office for any document mentioning Dr Alvin Taylor.”

Out of the corner of his eye Joe saw Ian taking the list over to the old empty fireplace. A lighter lay on the dark stained tiles.

“I know what you’re doing Ian. Burning that document may give you some satisfaction, but we need it to prosecute Taylor”

“I just can’t bear seeing Lisa’s name on that thing. She was always close to me. I can’t bear to think that she could be involved in this thing.”

Joe took the piece of paper from Ian hand, folded it and slid it into his pocket.

Joe saw a labelled file box. It reminded him of one of those most people stored under a bed and tried to avoid. Alphabetized sections and on the front – BILLS.

He tried flicking through some sections. The regular ones were there. Power bills under P. Bank statements under B. It made Robert Green seem more like an ordinary man… much like himself. Then he had a idea and checked under M for medical.

There were a few ordinary medical bills from his regular doctor. Then there was one with the words “pay immediately” on the top. The name at the bottom of the bill was “Doctor Alvin Taylor” and he was asking for $5000

There was a letter stapled to the bill.

What does the letter disclose. Does it support their theory that Alvin Taylor is a vicious murderer….to be continued. Episode 6 publishes on the first Saturday of November.

Nick Scott Nick Scott has a B.A from The University of Waikato where he studied film under Sam Edwards. Nick has retained a keen interest in cinema. He studied Te Reo Maori at Te Wananga O Aotearoa part-time for 3 years and then from 2014 to 2016 Nick collaborated in writing “The Traveller’s guide to Maori Place Names”. Nick is a regular Film Reviewer on ARTbop.