Free She Walks the Line by Ray Clift Page A

One?’
    Suzie took the advice and thought about a lot in the home until she was released.
    â€˜Number Two, this is Number One calling after a nine-month break. I have some reservations about all of this, actually. I think I’m coming unglued. What do you think, Number Two?’
    â€˜Number One, that’s bullshit and you know it. Let’s go home and have a drink. You’re out and in the clear. Stop worrying.’
    Suzie set two glasses of white wine out. Number Two’s glass had not been raised.
    â€˜Number Two, please respond. You haven’t drunk yours.’
    There was total silence.
    Suzie woke up during the night and saw that Number Two’s glass was still untouched. She knew then what she had to do. She dialled the number of a therapist she knew. He was James Morris, the retired federal consultant, who was a friend of Martin.
    â€˜James, I need help,’ and then, as an afterthought, she dialled Johnno’s number.
    Detective Stan Harris sat in the cheaper coffee shop close to the station because he was scraping every dollar together since his pretty model wife, the Golden Goddess, had left. When she wasnaked she stood like a marble statue, even a blue heron, while he humped away without much love. It was always the knee trembler because she hated getting her hair in a mess by lying down. He figured she was after more gold than he could supply so he let her go.
    The naked figure of Suzie Smith standing there nine months ago with the dead intruder and singing the national anthem urging them to sing along and conducting with two barbecue tongs was not only funny but sexy. He felt the rising in his loins whenever he thought about her. But she’d been sent to the funny farm.
    â€˜Hey, Stan, it’s me, Johnno.’
    â€˜How’s the new job, Johnno?’
    Johnno came over and pulled out his wallet, which bulged with money. ‘Good. Lots more money. Private is the way to go.’
    Stan remembered the last job at the flat before Johnno left and also the great body of the fifty-five-year-old naked Suzie once again. She was haunting his dreams.
    â€˜Hey, Stan, remember Suzie Smith who killed the intruder in her flat?’
    â€˜How could I forget? Naked and all of us singing the national anthem. In the funny farm.’ Stan wondered how strange it was when he was just thinking about the gorgeous woman and his erection was still rising under the table, hopefully out of sight of nosey Johnno.
    â€˜Nup, she’s out. I forgot to tell you before. She rabbit punched him. She kicked him in the nuts and the rabbit punch followed afterwards.’
    Stan sat up with a question. ‘So how did you catch up with her, Johnno?’
    â€˜Bloody hell, Stan, she was sitting on a stool in Two Dogs bar and I hear a voice. “Hi, Johnno,” she says. “Still breaking necks, Suzie?” I says. “Only my Dad and Martin called me Suzie, God restthem,” she says. “How’s the dementia?” I says. “What dementia?” she says.’
    Stan thought for a while and then the penny dropped. And he stroked his chin beard and started to giggle about how clever she had been. ‘Well, I call that justice, mate. How often do we see that now? Christ, what a woman. So she planned it all. I remember there were reports of a man stalking her.’
    â€˜There’s more. She’s back on stage back on her country and western gigs. In fact, she gave me two tickets for Saturday.’
    â€˜Shit, can you get me one?’
    â€˜Piss off, Stan.’