"An Esterhaz is certainly nothing to sniff at." The lieutenant nods. "But if you compare the feature sets, I would say they're more-or-less equivalent."
The movie stars are still smiling from the walls. There's a radio transmitter in the front and a pull-out toolbox tucked under the driver's seat. Some tools lie scattered near the pedals.
The movie stars are still smiling from the walls... But there's something strange about the passenger seat. The radio transmitter sits on the centre console and the pull-out toolbox lies hidden under the driver's seat. Some tools lie scattered near the pedals.
The movie stars are still smiling from the walls... But there's a rectangular shadow where the radio used to be and something strange about the passenger seat. The pull-out toolbox lies hidden under the driver's seat. Some tools have been left scattered near the pedals.
The movie stars are still smiling from the walls... But there's a rectangular shadow where the radio used to be. The pull-out toolbox lies hidden under the driver's seat. Some tools have been left scattered near the pedals.
It's about the size of a small paving stone, and nearly as heavy. Now that you're looking at it more closely, you realise the various dials and meters make it look vaguely like a face. A distinctive triangular logo forms the nose.
That's the marque of Esterhaz Elektronika, one of the major manufacturers of advanced radio equipment.
Not just any face... it reminds you of the grotesque carvings sometimes found in prehistoric caves.
"You've surprised me more than once during the course of our investigation, but I have to say it still seems like a remote scenario." He shrugs.
"To be perfectly frank, I have my reservations about this whole antenna scheme. But who knows? We may yet be surprised."
"I wouldn't like to guess. Your performance so far doesn't exactly inspire confidence, but all sorts of things are possible..."
"You could reach the Coalition and have your talk about la responsabilité... I could grow 10 centimetres and become a flanker for the Stormers."
"The lady driver used this same radio to evade Coalition authorities, and now you're using it to contact them directly. It's just ironic, that's all."
"Oh, I didn't mean that. It's just ironic that you're using the lady driver's radio to contact the very authorities she was so keen to evade."
"Great, I think we got everything. A word, detective?" He steps away from the lorry. "Before we return to Joyce."
"We definitely need to return some time later." He nods at the lorry. "We didn't get enough."
You wedge yourself under the steering-wheel to get a better look. Seems like the few tools lying around here -- a hammer, a pair of pliers, a rusty wrench -- have been casually thrown there by the disorganized driver.
But one odd detail does catch your eye: A piece of sandpaper has been glued to the throttle.
This particular lorry is a FALN A-Z 'Tempo', a model infamous for its irritating design mistake: the slippery-smooth throttles.
"Looks like the driver has glued a piece of sandpaper to the throttle to offer some extra grip."
"One of the footprints at the crime scene had an aberration -- one sole was smoother than the other."
"Which means that the missing lady driver was present at the lynching." The lieutenant's eyes light up behind his prescription lens.
"Now we know for certain who's the missing eighth person at the lynching. Do you think that Hardie and his boys could also be involved in the drug operation?"
"This looks like proof the missing eighth person at the lynching was Ruby... Do you think that Hardie and his 'boys' could also be involved in the drug operation?"
"We should see what Titus has got to say on the matter." He writes something down into his little notebook. "Are we finished with the lorry?"
The movie stars are still smiling from the walls... the radio transmitter sits on the centre console and a faint smell of perfume is in the air.
"Not necessarily. Ruby could have kept the drug trade a secret."
"You're right. But we should still go and see what Titus has got to say on the matter." He writes something down into his little notebook. "Are we finished with the lorry?"
"I think the entire Union is involved. Maybe even all of Martinaise..." (Look around suspiciously.)
"We should talk with Titus, see what he's got to say on the matter." He writes something down into his little notebook. "Are we finished with the lorry?"
"Understood. We should still go and see what Titus has got to say on the matter." He writes something down into his little notebook. "Are we finished with the lorry?"
"We've identified one of the footprints, but there are still seven to go..." He writes something in his little blue notebook.
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