Abacus

Georgie G, enlighten us, tell us the Tony Briggs story.”
    “Well , I have spent the last two days at the university dealing with the future of this great nation, and let me say it is frightening. We got about four background statements from fellow students and close friends of the victim. One of those friends, Lloyd Willis, claimed to have seen the victim in a heated argument with another student, Michael McCabe. Apparently the argument was over McCabe’s ex, Belinda Mena, who is also a student. The victim had been talking to her regularly and McCabe took exception to it. There was push and shove in the corridor of the university about four weeks ago but nothing since.
    “ From what we could gather, the victim was involved in a bit of cannabis use, but no connection to heavier drugs or drug dealing. He was a social drinker and liked a beer at the local hotels in Randwick. Aside from chasing Belinda Mena, he was a single guy who did his best most weekends chasing the ladies. He was not an aggressive guy at all. We asked his uni friends whether he talked about his previous girlfriend Karen Cheung, however, they knew nothing of her. It appeared that he had well and truly moved on with his life.
    “ One friend, Laurie Daley, told us the victim had a serious gambling problem, however, no one else knew. Daley claimed the victim would gamble in secret on the horses and on the internet. The victim had confided in Daley as he, too, was a big gambler. Daley stated that he thought his other close friends were not aware of his problem.”
    Hobbs interrupted. “Georgie, did he do business through a book maker?”
    “At this stage it looked as though he had a TAB account and bet through the internet. Simon was unaware of any bookie , but it is a possibility.”
    Jess e turned and scribbled on the whiteboard: Bookie/gambling follow up .
    “Is that it from you?” Randall asked.
    “That’s it for me , boss,” Georgie G said, flicking his notebook closed.
    Jess e pointed at Leanne. “Okay, Leanne, what do we know about Ms Cheung?”
    Leanne stood from her seated position and read from her notepad. “We have spoken to some close relatives and friends of the victim who were in regular contact with him when he was in a relationship with Ms Cheung. Much of what we learned is pretty much what his family already told us. We learnt that they had a pretty fiery short relationship. As already mentioned, Cheung worked in a psychiatric ward and met the victim when he was admitted as a patient after having had a mental breakdown. They started a relationship and he moved into her small one bedroom unit she was renting, which is at unit sixteen of number twelve King Street, Newtown. The unit is on the third floor and is in a complex of about eighteen units. We went for a drive past and saw that the whole area is pretty densely populated with the whole street containing blocks of units.”
    “Was there a history of domestics at the unit during their stay?” Georgie G asked with pen behind his ear.
    “I have made a location inquiry on the COPS system , and during their month there, there were no reports of domestics or the like.”
    “We ll, what makes the family say the relationship was fiery?” Georgie G asked to further clarify.
    “Well , the family had seen them have a number of arguments, where she would storm off and leave. The arguments were not deemed to be too serious, just the usual lovers’ tiffs. You know, the kind of arguments you men start. That sort of thing.”
    Georgie G smiled and nodded. “ Yeah sure, I know what you mean.”
    “Now , George, if I can go on?” Leanne asked.
    “Sure, sure , go ahead, I don’t want to be the cause of one of those arguments you speak of.”
    Leanne continued. “As far as we can tell after their split, she stayed on in the unit for a short time. All the witnesses we spoke with were not aware of what she is up to now.”
    Michael raised his hand , and in his quiet, awkward voice said, “Perhaps I may be to help there. Surveillance has confirmed that she is still working at Gladesville Psychiatric Hospital and that she has a new man. She lives with this guy at one hundred and ninety Enmore Road, Enmore. The house is a single storey Californian bungalow freestanding home. I’ve run checks on the registration plate for the new guy and it has come back as a Peter Hoskings. On the system his employment is as a plumber with no criminal history or intelligence. What is interesting