Free The Tattooed Man by Alex Palmer

want us to know. Someone wants us to see a connection between the killings at Pittwater and Mike’s murder. Killers usually keep things secret. These people want this out there.’
    ‘Then it’s also a message for Cassatt’s killers, whoever they are. Someone’s on to them.’
    The third photograph showed Cassatt in this same grave in the mummified state he’d been in at the table at Pittwater. The narrow confines cradled him like a child.
    ‘Before and after,’ Harrigan said. ‘We saw you bury him and now we’ve dug him up and taken him to Sydney for a meal with the dead. Who are these people?’
    ‘Twisted,’ Grace said. ‘You’d have to be. I’m going to have a shower. I need to wash seeing that away.’
    Harrigan opened the other two emails. Each was identical to the first. The commissioner’s came with the concise message: Please phone. His son had written: Isn’t this where you went yesterday, Dad? These pix are everywhere, they’ve been posted all over the place. People are putting them up on their own websites. Sicko.
    Thanks, mate, Harrigan typed in return. Sorry about yesterday, see you today if I possibly can.
    He picked up the phone and made his call.
    ‘Paul,’ the commissioner said, dispensing with greetings. ‘Have you seen the email?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘It’s gone to every media outlet in the country. Some newspapers have managed to get those pictures out on the street already. That’s bad enough. But if you check the Sydney Morning Herald online, you’ll find there’s media speculation this investigation may already be compromised as a result of Cassatt’s body being found at the scene.’
    ‘How is that possible?’
    ‘According to them, the Ice Cream Man may have had evidence implicating a serving senior police officer in the Edward Lee murder. This senior officer may wish to protect himself by impeding the investigation.’
    ‘Is this alleged senior serving police officer named?’
    ‘Of course not. The paper isn’t planning on being sued. The journalist is very clearly referring to the various rumours connecting you to Cassatt—’
    ‘There is no truth whatsoever in those rumours,’ Harrigan snapped, wondering why fate had to do this to him.
    ‘I didn’t say there was. But I won’t have it said that, under my command, this service is subject to the same degree of corruption that existed with Cassatt.’
    ‘I’m not aware anyone is saying that.’
    ‘I don’t intend to give them the chance. I discussed the matter with the special assistant commissioner. Marvin advises that you should stand down from your position as commander during this investigation. However…’ The commissioner drew breath. Harrigan, awaiting the axe, sensed areprieve. ‘Senator Edwards phoned a short while ago. He wants to meet with the senior officers managing this investigation, including you. You impressed him yesterday. He was very insistent that you be involved. Can you be here in an hour?’
    Harrigan smiled mordantly to consider that, purely by circumstance, he’d managed to avoid one of Marvin’s more outrageous gambits.
    ‘I’ll be there,’ he replied. ‘Are you asking me to break my leave?’
    ‘Not as such. I’m asking you to make yourself available as needed. I would expect that from all my executive officers. You will be conducting yourself as though you have nothing to hide.’
    ‘I have no reason to do otherwise, Commissioner.’
    There was a pause. ‘There’s something else you need to know. I received an anonymous parcel this morning. It contains a dossier that appears to be from an intelligence-gathering organisation. It’s relevant to this case.’
    ‘Someone sent this to you?’
    ‘With a note that says: Read this and it will explain who Jerome Beck is. I’ve discussed it with Marvin. He thinks it’s a hoax. I don’t share that opinion. It appears the senator also received a copy of this same dossier but a day sooner than we did. That’s what he wants to