The report on the Brisbane address being real and that an actual arrest warrant did become possible greatly relieved a lot of the pressure on Inspector Cohan. It let him carry himself with a lot more confidence and review things with other local Alice Springs inspectors on their cases when they were looking for any ideas on how to proceed. This was more a professional curtesy than anything else and wasn't explicitly required, but it could be quite possible if someone ran into trouble. Of course, among the Alice Springs officers, Inspector Cohan's presence with this was a reminder of where some cases could run into odd turns. The mystery gold nugget and then the tracking of the suspect that left it behind was one of those cases where a lot of things could be complicated and moved slowly, the fact that it soon expanded from a local investigation to adding in Australia's Federal Police added to those issues. It had been a complicated case, and something Inspector Cohan had largely betrayed his frustration and everyone in the Alice Springs PD had picked up on that.
"I must say I'm pleased with the things you've gotten done in the past few days," his superior said to him as he finished the update on where the case for the mystery gold nugget suspect had made.
"To a great degree, sir, I can't take too much credit," Inspector Cohan answered, "that was more the Federal Police and their far wider reach than what we have here. And they'll be the ones making the arrest."
"Yes, but we still wouldn't have gotten this far without you taking the right steps and posting the image that that rancher's security camera had caught for all to see," his superior told him, "That got it rolling, which is all pretty simple. The rest is all just jurisdiction would of course involve the Federal Police in order to make the arrest and likely smooth things over to set up the trial and if our suspect can be brought here. So, that's all-good work. Has Inspector Harold reported on when they'll be doing the arrest?"
"Not yet though, I think they're still ironing out the plan and making sure they can catch the guy at home," Inspector Cohan responded.
His superior nodded, as some of that fit in with the complexities of the case. It was probable that the gold nugget suspect had some grand plan for Archibald Walters' ranch, or for the Animalians in Alice Springs, but they had no way of proving that beyond actions that would amount only to trespassing and light vandalism. They were crimes that were rather slight, and with a good lawyer, the prospect of jail time would be light, and given so many of the other things that Inspector Cohan had reported as he'd carried out his investigation, it would be probable that his suspect would have good lawyers. As despite an appearance that would betray someone from a far lower part of society, most of nearly all the other identifiers indicated someone from the upper class, in that he'd have the cash to pay for things in a way that might have left an earlier paper trail that would have led to both a real name and the Brisbane address earlier. All of that betrayed something that was more than just a common crook, but they didn't have enough to prove that.
"Well, I'm also sure that there will be a chance to figure all those things out," his superior then told him, "After all the work you put in to just starting this investigation, I'm sure the Federal Police will be wanting to make sure that this guy can't get away or do anything else..."
"I think they might be more interested in him because of all the aliases that they have for him," Inspector Cohan commented, "or at least an explanation as to how there are so many different men, with different names, all unrelated if we go by their names, that yet look like they're all the same man... It's where they have suspicions similar to ours and it is where our case with the gold nugget just happens to line up with other questions they have."
"All the same... it would appear that we have some good fortune coming in, finally," his superior gave a confident smile, "Good work. Dismissed."
Inspector Cohan nodded and then departed his superior's office, as there wasn't too much more he had available to do beside wait, as the gold nugget case was the one that had consumed the bulk of his time. He quietly walked along until he came to the breakroom, largely hoping to get a cup of coffee as there wasn't much more that could be done until news came in from how the Federal Police did with their arrest of the suspect. To his surprise, he found the officer the Federal Police had sent to Alice Springs, or at least sent to him, to work with him on the case as things had expanded beyond his immediate jurisdiction, Inspector Rebecca Harold seated at one of the round tables in the break room and setting up a laptop.
"Ah, Inspector Cohan, you may wish to see this," Inspector Rebecca Harold commented, "as I did get a call that they have things ready for the arrest in Brisbane."
"Really?" Inspector Cohan asked as he collected a Styrofoam cup and placed it under the spot where the coffee would come out of the coffee pot that was there. It bubbled and gurgled as the dark brown liquid filled the cup.
"Yes," Inspector Rebecca Harold answered, "and they will have the arrest filmed, just to make sure there is something that all of us can take away from this... correct possible mistakes and make sure no one goes overboard. We'll have a live feed."
"And you're watching it here?" Inspector Cohan asked.
"There is more room here than your office, and it's less cluttered," Inspector Rebecca Harold gave a knowing smile.
Inspector Cohan finished filling his coffee up and then moved to sit down next to the Federal Police inspector. He then looked to the screen that showed a black screen for a moment. The laptop was on, and a viewing window was on, but the window was presently just an all-black window. When he noticed that, he turned to his partner.
"We still have a minute or two before the feed comes in," Inspector Rebecca Harold answered, "wouldn't want to watch them all ride from the station to the address."
They sat and watched to when the screen then changed, and Inspector Cohan could see the front of the inside of a car. There were some muffled sounds that were undoubtedly the traffic nearby. It was all a black and white image, but that was often to be expected from these sorts of footage, just as the security footage that Archibald Walters sent the Alice Springs Police was in black and white. They continued to watch as the camera looked over some things in the area before it turned toward the building, they were near. They were clearly in a sort of suburban type of neighborhood, but one that was also very upscale. The dwelling that came into view wasn't gated, but it was large, at least three stories and seemed to be more than twice the length of a standard family home.
"Swanky place," Inspector Cohan commented noting the carved kangaroos in the outside paneling around the windows and even the front doorway. Inspector Rebecca Harold shushed him and they continued to watch.
Whoever was wearing the camera approached the door and then rang a doorbell that was placed beside the front door. They waited quietly as bell was audible on the camera. It sounded like it played "Waltzing Matilda." They didn't have to wait too long before the door opened, and to Inspector Cohan's surprise, the suspect was the one who answered the door. His face was still round and worn and the diagonal scar was there through one eyebrow. the big difference from the footage that Archibald Walters sent was that the man was wearing a red polo with khaki pants.
"Officers... what can I do for you?" the man spoke with a lot of charm evident in his voice, indicating he didn't know this was an arrest or that he did know and was playing at something different.
"I'm afraid, sir, that we have a warrant for your arrest," came the answer.
"You don't say, on what charge?" came the suspect's response.
"Largely in relation to trespassing charges in Alice Springs along with petty vandalism and using a false name, Tall E Ban," was the response.
"You've come a mighty long way over things that are rather trivial," the suspect answered, "I could easily forward damages payments to Alice Springs, if that is the main concern."
"They have questions they'd like to ask you that relate to these matters," was the response, "particularly as the ranchers don't like being involved in the prank you've played on them."
"I see," the suspect spoke, "and I take it I will be expected to go to Alice Springs with you?"
"That would be our preference, though there will your rights..." the officer spoke.
"And I'll gladly take them, but if I may be given a few moments to get some things in order before you go about our work?" the suspect spoke, "you wouldn't want anything to catch fire or go bad do you? You can of course come along to make sure I don't try to escape..."
The officers hesitantly accepted, and then followed the suspect as he lead them through the elaborate house that he had. He turned off a television and unplugged a coffee maker and went through a series of things that one might expect from a person getting ready for a vacation and not being arrested, but he did remain polite and rather cooperative with the officers. There were no threats and no swearing. Eventually after about ten minutes of this sort of work, the suspect lead them back to the door that they had rung the doorbell at and then closed it behind them.
Once outside he turned to the officers, "thank you, sirs. Now, you may go about your work, as I'm sure this will be a long drive to Alice Springs."
There followed the appropriate reading of rights and procedures that were followed, and the man was placed in cuffs before he was lead to the car that the officers had been in earlier. He was placed in the backseat and the backdoor to the car was then locked.
"He was far more cooperative than I expected," Inspector Cohan spoke, "I mean... something that's brought in more than just local police..."
"True, but the only charges that would land are relatively minor," Inspector Rebecca Harold answered, "we can ask questions on our suspicions, as they would relate to some of the things uncovered on this case... but they'd be separate from the actual charges and legally, he won't have to answer them and those answers if he does give them can't be used for proving guilt. It might give us a window into seeing if our guy may be a veteran of some variety..."
"Like what that kid suspected because of looking at the jacket and thinking it was a historical one?" Inspector Cohan questioned.
"Even if he hasn't stolen a historical jacket... or that the patch wasn't a historical one, that wouldn't necessarily mean that he didn't serve at some point," Inspector Rebecca Harold commented, "and that regardless of his success in life, he could still have suffered in ways that may give him trouble. It could be a route that we could offer him help. Maybe see to it that if there is some grander plan, it's never put into motion."
Inspector Cohan didn't think all that would work, but that was all something that would have to wait.