He was surprised at the redness, the intense colour of the fresh blood. It flowed quickly, spreading across the polished timber floor trying to escape from the rough-edged gash in Harry Morgan’s head. Nick hadn’t killed before. He was in over his head this time. Violence for his ilk was a part of existence. He was a petty criminal, and now a murderer. The skin on Nick’s face tightened under the ski mask and his teeth clenched. The older man was no conquest. A punch to his soft face and his head cracked against the bottom step. It was over. Killing him was part of the instructions. It made no difference to Nick. He would be well paid and out of the country. The spreading blood was slowing its movement. He stepped around the dead man, pleased that his pleading eyes were closed.
He climbed the stairs two by two, the adrenalin driving him. Nick wanted to get the thing and get out. The house was in a private bushland location but he was not going to take unnecessary risks. The huge bedroom window view out to the mountains caught his eye. He pulled the curtain, swivelled and looked around the room. Rose was specific, go to the safe in the walk in robe. The safe door will be open. This was too easy – not even locked. The object was wrapped in a soft black velvet cloth. He removed it carefully. The gold sceptre was inlaid with precious stones with one dominating purple sapphire. It seemed to flicker as if alive. Nick rolled it back in the cloth, gripping it tightly. He darted out of the room and down the stairs. His car was parked nearby and he smiled as he got in. He placed the object with his ski mask and gloves in the back seat. This was his ticket to a new life. Lie low for a while then meet up with Rose as planned.
Leo was relieved to hear from Tony from Sun Country Insurance. He’d had no investigative work since the missing person case – and he was trying to forget that one. Tony had emailed through an information request for his services and Leo was going through the details in his home office. Much of the Insurance work he’d had was routine but this one was heavy duty and already had police involvement. Leo skimmed through the details. It appeared that a house robbery had gone badly and the property owner – a Mr Harry Morgan - had been murdered. His wife Meg was making a claim for the only stolen item, a golden sceptre known as ‘The Deli Purple Sapphire’. The item belonged to the family from English ancestors. The claim was for – Leo’s jaw dropped - $535,000.00.
“Holy shit,” Leo said out loud and looked at Andre, who was curled up in the top tier of Leo’s inwards tray. “I can understand why someone might kill for that.”
Leo liked to talk to Andre. It clarified his thoughts to speak them out loud. Andre rarely responded other than to give a look of disdain, or perhaps disinterest, with his clear golden Burmese eyes.
“This sapphire has a name. Let’s see what we can find Andre.”
Leo typed ‘Deli Purple Sapphire’ into his laptop internet search and hit enter. Leo leaned back and rolled his eyes.
“Oh, I should have known. The Sapphire is cursed.”
All the fist page headings were related to the curse of ‘The Deli Purple Sapphire”. Leo wasn’t into the supernatural and was always amazed at how often, apparently intelligent, educated people could believe, without a shred of verifiable evidence, in magic, curses, miracles, voodoo, and the like. For the next twenty minutes, Leo took notes from the some the web sites. The legend started in 1857 when the sceptre was looted from the Indian Temple of Indra in Cawnpore by an English Bengal Calveryman Colonel Ferris. He took it back to England. The misfortune, sickness and financial ruin for him and his family struck soon after. The unfortunate events continued when the sceptre was given to a friend of Ferris who subsequently committed suicide. In 1890 the sapphire was in the possession of Edward Heron-Allen, a respected scholar and scientist. The curse should have ended with this supposedly rational man. However, Heron-Allen became convinced that the sceptre was the cause of misfortune and also the appearance of a Hindu Yogi apparition in his family home – searching for the sapphire he believed. The sceptre was stored away in the British Natural History Museum for some time until recently brought to Australia by the Morgan family.
Well, Harry Morgan certainly had some bad luck, Leo thought, as he flicked back to the email from Tony and scanned the details.
Why, apart from the value of the cover, of course, was Sun Country Insurance concerned about this policy? Leo wondered.
“The Morgans only purchased the policy a month ago,” Leo whispered as he peered at the email. “I also need to confirm that there was a working security system and the sceptre was kept in a safe at the residence.”
This claim had set off the alarm bells at Sun Country as a potential fraud case and hence the service request to Leo. He checked his diary and decided to contact Meg Morgan for an interview.
It had been two weeks since the job, and Nick was heading to the agreed meeting place. About two hours out of Brisbane city and Nick checked the car GPS - Old Coach Road at the bridge Rose had said. Not far now, he pulled onto a long straight dirt road edged by gums and low bush. He picked up speed and could see the dust swirling away behind his Toyota Camry in the rearview mirror. The sceptre was in the back seat wrapped in the velvet cloth. A 9mm Glock G19 handgun was on the front passenger seat.
No one is likely to see us out here, Nick thought with a thin smile.
Nick could see the bridge ahead in the distance and a vehicle was parked nearby. Suddenly a figure appeared from nowhere. Standing in the middle of the road, wearing bright orange robes. Nick screamed as he hit the brakes and pulled the steering wheel violently. The image of the wild grey beard and hair and weathered face with a bright red dot between his eyebrows overwhelmed him as he slammed into the tree.
Friday afternoon and Leo parked his yellow Suzuki in the Morgan’s driveway. The house was an average looking two level brick place situated on a large bushy block of land in the outer Brisbane western suburbs. He was expecting the house to be a little more ostentatious. For some reason, he thought the owners of such an exotic item as the sceptre would be well off. Meg Morgan opened the front door. She was an attractive woman, in her forties Leo estimated. She had a slim build, short styled blond hair, an elfin face and she spoke with an unusually low sultry tone that reminded Leo of Stevie Nicks.
“So Mr Budge, as you should understand, this has been very distressing for me. It’s only been two weeks since Harry’s murder. What exactly do you want to know that I haven’t already put into the claim?” Meg asked as she made herself comfortable in the lounge chair.
Leo sat in the two-seater adjacent to Meg. “Please call me Leo,” he said, wanting the conversation to be as relaxed as possible. “I certainly understand… and I am so sorry for your loss.”
Leo wanted to ask if she believed the curse on ‘The Deli Purple Sapphire’, but decided, given the tragic circumstances, it would be insensitive to bring it up.
“There are just a few issues that I need to clarify with you. I also know that you have spoken with the police and I apologise in advance if I cover some of the same issues.” Leo smiled, hoping he didn’t look insincere.
“Firstly, you say that there is a security system here in the house, was it working at the time of the robbery?” Leo had his notebook and pen ready.
“Yes, the police have all the footage from our cameras. He wore a facemask you know – the man that killed poor Harry.” Meg looked down and brought her hands up to her face.
“I know this is difficult for you Meg,” Leo watched her intently.
“It’s okay.” She lifted her head and gave Leo a sad look.
“So security was all good… and the sceptre was kept in your home safe. Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“Who knows the combination for it?” Leo asked and looked directly at Meg.
Meg hesitated. “Only Harry and me,” she replied. “Why are you asking that?” Meg straightened in her chair.
“I’m just assessing the possibility of the intruder knowing the combination. The police report said the safe was left open. No apparent force used to crack it. Sometimes combinations can be known to other family members or left written down someplace.”
“That couldn’t have happened. He either forced Harry to open it or he worked it out himself,” Meg said with a stern look.
“Yes, you’re probably right,” Leo said, deciding not to push the issue and thinking that Meg’s demeanour had changed remarkably.
“One more thing… you have had the sapphire here for some years but decided to take out the insurance cover only about a month ago,” Leo paused. “Was there something specific that prompted you to do it?” Leo asked.
“Yes, we had it appraised and realized it was more valuable than we thought. So we insured it.” Meg said abruptly. “Look, Leo, I have other things to do. Can we wrap this up?”
Leo knew that sceptre was appraised at the request of Sun Country Insurance to enable the policy, not by the Morgans. “That’s all I need. Thank you so much for your time, Meg.” Leo stood up and headed for the door.
It was obvious to Leo that Meg had become defensive and was acting strangely. Certainly requiring further investigation and justifying Leo placing the listening device under the front of the two-seater lounge that he’d been sitting on. The item that Leo had found on AliExpress was perfect for his needs. Fitted with a sim card the small device was sensitive and relayed nearby sounds and recorded to his mobile phone whenever he activated it.
When Leo got back home he activated the listening device to give it a test. He could hear kitchen noises, water being turned on at the sink, clinking cutlery, but no voices – Meg must have been alone. He could hear all this from the device in the lounge room. Leo was impressed. Then it happened. He couldn’t believe his luck. Someone had arrived. Leo pressed his phone to his ear and listened intently.
“Meg… Meg… it’s me.” A muffled voice - must be at the front door Leo thought.
“Tommy, what are you doing here? Meg said.
“It’s okay, there’s no one around. I’ve been watching the place,” Tommy replied.
Leo heard light footsteps and the click of a door opening and closing – then a soft sucking sound.
Oh, they’re kissing, Meg’s having an affair, Leo knew this was a critical revelation.
“Did you pay him? Have you got the sapphire?” Meg asked excitedly.
“Bit of a story with that.” Tommy paused. “I was at the agreed meeting place this afternoon.” His voice got louder on Leo’s phone. They must have moved into the lounge.
“I was at the agreed meeting place at Old Coach Road, waiting for Nick when I saw his car coming down the road towards me. All of sudden, he veers off the road and into a bloody tree.”
“What?”
“Yeah, when I got to the car, it was badly smashed up.”
“What about Nick?” Meg asked.
“The poor bugger was dead. But get this, he was dead because the sceptre was stuck in the back of his head. It must have flown from the back seat into his head like a missile when he hit the tree. It was not pleasant extracting it I can tell you.”
“You’re kidding… but why did he go off the road?”
“I’ve got no idea, but I’m starting to wonder about this bloody curse,” Tommy said.
“No that’s rubbish. It’s just bad luck for Nick… and good luck for us. We keep the money and the sapphire.” Meg paused. “ Where is it by the way?” Meg asked.
“It’s safe at my place,” he replied.
“I think we should bring our travel plans forward. I had an insurance investigator here today asking some awkward questions.” Meg said.
“Like what?”
“Why did we buy a policy only recently and how did the safe get opened so easily,” Meg said.
“Well, nothing incriminating can be proved. There’s nothing to indicate that we planned the whole thing or that you were the one who left the safe open for Nick. Just relax, I’m going back home to pack up and work out how we can leave without too much suspicion.”
Leo heard more sucking noises and smiled, clutching his mobile to his ear. You guys are so busted, he thought.
Leo had been in touch with his contact in the Queensland Police, Detective Sergeant Darcy O’Malley, and given him the full details of what he had uncovered on Meg Morgan and Tommy. It was still unknown who Tommy actually was, but Leo was sure that Darcy would question Meg and quickly track him down. Leo knew that his recording from the listening device was illegal and wouldn’t be admissible in a court but when Tommy was apprehended with the sceptre it wouldn’t matter.
Leo was binge watching his favourite show ‘Midsomer Murders’ when Darcy rang. Leo paused the show and answered the phone.
“Leo…Hi, you’ll never guess,” Darcy said.
“What?”
“There was a fire at an apartment block. Seems a ground floor restaurant had a gas leak that ignited. The apartment upstairs was damaged badly by smoke and fire and the occupant died from the fumes.” Darcy hesitated for dramatic effect.
“It turns out that his name was Thomas Rose and he was Meg’s accomplice… Tommy. We also found the ‘The Deli Purple Sapphire’ in his burnt-out apartment”
“Shit, really,” Leo said
“And… the body of part-time criminal Nick Scallini was discovered in a car smashed into a tree at Old Coach Road. Ski-mask, gloves and a gun were in the car. We have confirmed that he was the murderer of Harry Morgan.”
“Good work Darc, looks like you’ve got the case all tied up,” Leo said, thinking that it was really himself who had done all the good work.
“You know, there might be something in this curse story Leo. There’s been a lot of bad stuff happened to people.”
“C’mon mate, thought you were smarter than that. Suppose you believe in Santa Claus too.” Leo said with a tone of derision.
“Okay, okay, anyway thanks for your work on this one and we should catch up for a drink soon.”
“Yeah, no problem, see you mate.” Leo hung up and chuckled to himself. He was amazed at people getting sucked into this curse fantasy.
He was, however, a little surprised when he read in the paper that the location of the fire that caused Tommy’s death was ‘The Deli Temple’ Indian restaurant.