What happens next brings me about as close as I’ve ever been to tossing the whole lot in. If it wasn’t for Gracie and the boy, I’d walk out of here and never look back.
I telephone the inspector in the morning and start telling him about the conversation I’ve had about Father Donnelly. I don’t mention Bernadette by name, or that the girl I’m talking about is Mabelle’s mother.
There’s a long silence at the other end of the line.
‘Inspector? You still there?’
‘Yes, Jack,’ he croaks. ‘What is this nonsense about?’
I start again from the beginning, but he interrupts me.
‘Yes, yes,’ he says, ‘I heard you the first time, but this isn’t our business. It’s a church matter.’
‘I don’t see it that way. Father Donnelly’s subject to the same laws as the rest of us.’
I don’t think you understand…’ he begins.
I continue, ‘I’m thinking that I should bring him in. The way I figure it, the girl was under the age of consent at the time, and he’s committed carnal knowledge, Inspector. That’s a very serious crime.’
‘Yes, Jack, of course it is. But this is a very sensitive matter. We can’t just go arresting a priest on some girl’s say-so. Especially one with doubtful morals.’
I’m startled. I’m not above adding seasoning to the mix. ‘It’s more than just her say-so. He was seen.’ Of course, I’m lying, but I can be pretty convincing. ‘By a parishioner. Someone known to have impeccable morals and a staunch Catholic. A keeper of the law, you might say.’
‘What?’
I can hear the blood draining from his face. There’s a long pause at the other end, so long in fact, that I’m starting to wonder if the inspector’s keeled over.
Finally he says, ‘Listen to me, Jack, you don’t want to get mixed up in these things. I’ll take over from here. You post me what you have, and I’ll make sure it’s dealt with in the proper manner through the proper channels.’
I don’t like being talked down to. ‘We’ve been friends a long time, Inspector, and not once have I doubted you. I’ve always respected you as a mate and as my superior…’
‘You saying you’re doubting me now, Jack? If so, I want to know. I have to know if there’s a problem here.’ He huffs. ‘I know how you’ve always felt about Father Donnelly. It worries me that you’re turning it into your mission to wreak revenge on him. You’ve been a policeman long enough to understand why you should never get involved in the lives of the victims or of the criminals. How do you know that any of what she’s told you is true? And even if it is, there’s a good chance that the girl led him on. They can be shameful little temptresses when they want to be.’
I shake my head to clear the confusion. ‘As you say, I’ve been a policeman a long time, long enough to know not to get involved in the lives of others, but I’ve also been a policeman long enough to recognise when someone’s telling me the truth. Father Donnelly’s a priest and he’s an adult. He needs to be called to account. You can’t blame the child for his misdeeds.’
‘I’ll say this once more, Jack. Let it go. I’ll look into it and then I’ll do whatever needs to be done. You have to let this one go. That’s an order.’
I hang up the phone. I’m seething. If she were my child, I’d go straight over to the presbytery and cut off both of the Father’s knackers. I would have never disowned her and tossed her in the street to fend for herself, as if she was the wrongdoer.
I send the constables off to run errands before I take Bernadette out of the cell. The makeup she was wearing has smeared all over her face, and she looks a mess. I bring her a washcloth and a bowl of water and she tidies herself up until she looks like a decent young woman again.
I lead her outside, open the car door and she climbs in slowly. I can tell from her eyes, she’s frightened. ‘What’s going to happen to me now?’ she asks shakily, as I sit next to her and start the engine.
‘I’m going to drive you to the station and buy you a ticket to Townsville.’
She shivers, even though the sun’s pouring through the windscreen.
I resume, ‘You’ll take the train and, when you get to Townsville, you’re going to ask for directions to the Australian Women’s Army Service. You’re going to go there, tell them you’re eighteen and you’re going to join up.’
‘But…’ She frowns at me.
‘But nothing, Bernadette. You have to promise me that you’ll do exactly as I say, or I’ll take you back inside and charge you with a number of offences, the least of which will be prostitution. You’ll go to gaol for a long time, and that will be the end of you. On the other hand, if you do exactly as I say, you’ll have a chance at a new life. The army will give you a roof over your head, training and a decent wage.’
‘But I don’t have anything: no clothes, no money, nothing. All I’ve got is what I’m standing in.’
‘All you’ll need is what you already have. Here’s your letter of introduction and a couple of shillings to buy yourself a meal and a few odds and ends. Once you sign up, they’ll give you a uniform.’
‘What if they don’t believe me?’
‘Stick to your guns. You say nothing about your past and no one will be any the wiser.’
She’s mulling it over, and there’s a sudden lightness to her that I haven’t seen before.
‘Well?’ I prod, ‘Is it a deal? Do you promise?’
She settles back into her seat and there’s a hint of a smile. ‘You really think it’s not too late for me to start a new life?’
‘Of course not. You and I don’t need to tell anyone anything. Not ever. We’ll sweep this one under the carpet.’
‘Well,’ she says at last, ‘I guess it’s a deal.’