Maceration by Brian Briscoe

Chapter Two
     
     
    Inspector Maxine Lake’s 'iPhone'
sang as the field in the first race at Victoria Park rounded the
sweeping final bend and powered as one into the home straight. She
raised an eyebrow and read the message from Superintendant
Faraday,“ Body found. Felix Winery. Attend immediately!”
    She knew she’d better go. She
watched as her investment lost by a short half head and shrugged.
Her day at the races would have to wait. The pathologist would be
waiting and she’d learnt not to keep Dr Van Hoffman waiting.
    Maxine reached the Adelaide
Hills winery within the hour. It was perched atop a picture perfect
knoll on the Hahndorf to Oakbank Road: Hans Heyson country.
Impressive ghost gums, sweeping paddocks and fat Jersey cows. Rows
of grapes galleried the gravel driveway that lead to the cellar
door of the Grand Estate Felix. She parked her Citroen next to Van
Hoffman’s Ford Territory and a local hills zone police car. Police
tape cordoned off the vast cellar entrance indicating the probable
crime location.
    Feeling underdressed in her
Dunlop Volleys, Jag jeans and casual short-cut top she walked
through the large wooden cellar door entry into the winery itself.
She looked around the vast dark space to see Van standing on a
platform straddling a large grape crusher. The pathologist fitted
snugly into his white overalls. Her mind wandered.
    “ I do admire a
man in uniform,” she called.
    “ Do you? I’m
pleased. Nice to see you dressed for the occasion,” he
replied.
    “ Oh I always
do for you. Haven’t you noticed?”
    Van smiled his cheeky smile and
beckoned with a cursory wave. “ We’ve got a tricky one here Maxine.
Better suit up.”
    The Inspector clambered into the
plastic garb and climbed the scaffold surrounding the vat. She was
accustomed to death but always steeled herself for the moment. The
sight that greeted her was not pleasant and as normal for her she
struggled to control her nausea. Being a police inspector didn't
qualify the bearer to, as a matter of course, possess a steel
constitution.
    A gangly middle-aged man had
been mangled, right arm and face first, into the Archimedes screw
which spanned the width of the crusher. His arm was inserted up to
his elbow and the screw's blades had slashed his face. This left
one side that gazed disconcertingly at Maxine. His exposed body
parts had been stained purple, giving him an alien appearance and
he looked oddly like he was reaching into the giant screw trying to
retrieve something he’d lost. Massive slashes appearing like plough
furrows circled half of his body. The Archimedes Screw had only
failed when his body could be screwed no further. It was made for
grape crushing after all.
    “ Who he is
Van?” Maxine said, moving to study the body with greater care. It
reminded her of a twisted crash-test dummy.
    “ Peter
Felix.”
    “ One of the
Felix brothers? Oh that’s a shame. Makes a great pinot.”
    “ I’ve heard.
He’s been macerated dear Maxine. Archimedes would not be pleased.
He seems to have marks on his neck, which I’ll examine under
laboratory conditions later, and cuts to his knees, but I can’t
really tell you much more until we get him back to Adelaide. I’m
waiting on my team to help move him. We’re going to have to
dismantle the whole crusher. That lot over there are not
pleased.”
    “ Who are
they?” questioned Maxine, staring at a worried clump of people
standing beside an enormous basket press.
    Van whispered,“ The rest of the
Felix clan. Watch out for the big bugger he’s a first class
bastard! Must have passed bastard school with honours first class!
Know the type?”
    Maxine tipped her head and
winked. " Meet one a week in my job Van. See you later."
     
     

Chapter Three
     
     
    “ Inspector
Maxine Lake. I’m truly sorry for your loss,” consoled Maxine,
extending her hand. She received a thin sweaty palm in
reply.
    “ Thank you
Inspector Lake. I’m Len Felix; this is my brother Robin, and