Chapter Four
Mike Manning was a tall, athletic looking man with a hatchet face and slightly receding shaggy blonde hair. He wore his usual uniform of jeans and a rugby jersey, and had a weathered complexion. He had blue eyes and high cheek bones and scarred knuckles.
Fifteen years in the Army had given him an air of authority and barely-controlled energy. He worked out regularly and there was nobody in the small greasy spoon that could have taken him. He was aware of the young waitress staring more than she should have. She coolly pretended not to notice as he sized her up.
His coffee mug was almost empty by the time Dan got there, and he waited while his friend ordered.
‘What’s up?’ Dan asked, sliding into the chair opposite him at the corner table.
‘I need some advice.’
‘What’s her name?’
‘What?’ Mike wondered sometimes whether his friend was making fun of him. ‘Who’s name?’
‘Nothing. Carry on.’ Dan tried his coffee. It was hot and bad.
‘I’ve been laid off, mate.’ Mike watched Dan’s eyes widen slightly. ‘Old Terry told me this morning. Just me.’
‘Why?’
‘Can’t afford to keep me he reckons. Only leaves him with eight drivers, and they’ve all been there longer than me.’ He scowled. ‘Don’t work as hard but he must think they’re more trustworthy.’
‘I thought they had heaps of work on?’
‘They do, or I thought so anyway. We were shifting stuff like it was going out of fashion.’ Mike finished his coffee. It was cold and bad. ‘He reckons he’s losing too much stock and so he’s had to lay me off, maybe more as well. Reckons it only started a few months ago, which surprise, surprise, is when I started.’
He shook his head in anger and his fists bunched unconsciously. ‘I just about smacked him, mate.’
‘Probably a good thing you didn’t.’ Dan looked thoughtful. He slid his mug aside. ‘Did he directly accuse you?’
‘No, he hasn’t got the guts. He just said it started a few months ago. He said he could accept a certain level of loss or damage, but this was too much and his insurance wouldn’t cover it.’
‘Hmm.’ Dan stroked his moustache. ‘So you’re looking for work?’
‘Well yeah, but I wanna sort this out first. He’s basically accusing me of stealing from him. I shoulda just decked him.’
‘Let’s go see him.’ Dan pushed his chair out and stood. ‘Maybe we can kill two birds with one stone.’
‘What’re the two birds then?’ Mike followed him from the café. ‘Presumably getting my job back is one of them?’
‘First stone is proving your innocence. That’s without question, so obviously someone else is to blame.’ Dan used the bleeper to unlock the plain silver Holden Vectra at the curb. ‘We find that person, and we both clear your name and maybe even get paid for it.’
‘He’s broke,’ Mike cut in, getting into the passenger’s seat.
‘We can work something out.’ Dan started the engine and turned down the radio. It was tuned to a classic rock station. ‘Secondly, we could maybe get you some work, but it may take a while.’
He caught the flash of excitement in his fiend’s eye and held up a hand of caution.
‘Maybe, it’s only a maybe. Don’t get too excited just yet.’
‘Doing what?’ Mike asked, already knowing the answer.
‘Apprentice investigator.’ Dan grinned reluctantly. ‘I always wanted an apprentice.’
Terry Marcus was a small wiry man with deep set eyes and a permanent worried look. Like Mike he was ex-military and still had the bearing about him, shoulders back and purposeful movements, but he also seemed to be carrying the weight of the world on those shoulders. Dan and Mike stood across the office from him. His desk was a mess of paper. His office was upstairs in the warehouse, looking out over a sea of pallets and workers bustling between them.
The morning dispatch had already gone and the floor staff were preparing for the afternoon shift. More than a few were sitting down or standing outside smoking, Dan noticed.
‘Look, I already told you Mike,’ Marcus was saying, ‘I have to lose someone or I’ll go under. I can’t afford your wages.’
‘But we’re busier than ever,’ Mike retorted hotly, ‘and I’m your best worker. Who does all the extra shifts for you? Me!’
Dan shot him a look to cool it and he bit his tongue, feeling his anger bubbling away, threatening to boil over.
‘You know why,’ Marcus told him, shaking his head with despair and sitting down. ‘My stock loss and damage is going through the roof, and it’s only happened in the last few months.’
He shrugged helplessly.
‘And that’s where I come in,’ Dan interrupted. ‘Mr Marcus, I understand Mike’s out of his probation period, correct?’
‘I don’t see what-’
‘That’s right, he is. So he’s a permanent employee now.’
He had Marcus’ attention.
‘Has there been any consultation about this redundancy?’
‘I told him this morning.’
‘That’s right, so a first and final decision was given without any consultation and he was escorted off the premises immediately.’
‘Well-’
‘I understand there’s been no investigation into these allegations of theft and property damage, is that right?’
Marcus didn’t answer.
‘No disciplinary action has been taken against anyone for it, but suddenly one employee out of what, fifteen, twenty? One employee is summarily let go, effectively fired, and no action is taken against anyone else. Is that it in a nutshell?’
Marcus shook his head exasperatedly.
‘Look fella, I know what you’re trying to do, okay? I can’t pay you out, so you’ll have to take me to court.’
‘Don’t worry Mr Marcus, it doesn’t have to come to that.’ Dan paused, letting him nibble at that thought for a moment. ‘What we’ve got here is a classic case of constructive and unjustified dismissal. That could cost you thousands and potentially close your business.’
‘That may happen anyway!’
‘So let me help you. You have two big problems here.’ He ticked off his fingers. ‘One, a potentially fatal employment case. Two, a potentially fatal employee theft case. One can eliminate the other.’
Marcus stared at him, waiting. Dan gazed back at him calmly. In control.
‘So?’ Marcus prodded him.
‘So, we can stop your losses and save you the embarrassment and cost of a court case.’
Marcus wasn’t the quickest rabbit in the paddock.
‘So what’s in it for me?’
Dan rolled his eyes at Mike, who now looked slightly amused. Dan planted his hands on Marcus’ desk and leaned down so there could be no mistaking what he said.
‘You hire me to investigate and stop your losses, and he-’ he jerked a thumb over his shoulder at Mike ‘-won’t take you to the cleaners for sacking him. Get it?’
He straightened up and waited patiently while Marcus mulled it over.
‘But I can’t afford to pay you.’
‘Not right now, no. But we stop your losses, your profit margin comes back up to where it should be, and you pay my invoice. Right?’
‘What’s it going to cost me?’
‘Less than a tribunal. I’ll get a contract emailed over to you right away, you sign it and we’re in business.’ He shrugged modestly. ‘And saving yours.’
Marcus nodded slowly.
‘And if I don’t?’
Dan just shook his head silently, and Marcus nodded again.
‘Right.’
‘I need a stock list of what’s gone missing and I need a staff list with all their contact details. I imagine you have an electronic copy?’
Ten minutes later Dan and Mike walked out of there with a signed contract, copies of the lists they wanted, and more than one pair of eyes watching them go. They crossed t
he yard and were almost to the car when Dan spotted a trio of workers standing by a shipping container against the fence, smoking and watching them.
‘Who’re they?’ he asked as they got in the car.
Mike eyed them briefly.
‘Hooch, Gabe and Luther,’ he replied, ‘why?’
‘Hooch Hooper?’ Dan started the car.
‘I think so, why?’
‘There’s your problem right there.’ He swung a tight circle and headed for the gate. ‘He’s a gangster from way back. Surprised he’s even got a driver’s license.’
‘He hasn’t. He works on the floor.’
‘And those two are his little buddies? Gabe and Luther?’
‘Yep. Always hanging out together. All work in the warehouse. Luther does some driving.’
Dan slowed at the end of the road for a Give Way. He looked at Mike.
‘Hooch Hooper’s a murderer and a dangerous piece of scum. If he’s not involved in this I’ll eat my hat.’