'Look! What's going on?' said Kim, pointing as they circled to land, 'People all over the place; they seem to be looking for something.'
As the rotors came to a final halt, Mark came dashing out to greet them with a grim expression on his face. 'It's little Barry. He's been missing since early this morning as far as we can tell. I'm organising search parties. Some have already gone out and there are more to go. The best thing you can do is refuel and take the helicopter out for the hour or so while it's still light.'
'Where would you like us to concentrate?' asked Tanya, as Kim and Roger refuelled the machine.
'North, the bush up there. Some people have already gone there, but you could give it a good going over before dark.'
'What are we really looking for?' asked Kim.
'Primarily a child, but also if we see any suspicious movements, especially from an isolated individual,' was Mark's answer.
With Tanya at the controls they raced up to the northern end of the property and systematically, at a low level, skimmed the treetops, surveying the dense bush which had altogether recovered from the planned burn now many years back.
Tanya was using all her considerable skills as a pilot to keep the machine as low as possible. On their second slow traverse, just as Roger was saying, 'It's too dark to see, we should go back … '
Kim yelled, 'Look, over there, there's a figure running … just dived into the bush.' Tanya turned the machine around as quickly as she was able. 'If you can hover just above the ground in the vegetable patch, I can jump out. It's only a few hundred metres from where I saw the person,' said Kim. Tanya did as she was asked and both Roger and Kim clambered onto the runners and dropped onto soft ground.
Tanya landed the machine back at base, just as it was almost too dark to see. She refuelled again ready for first light. Finding Mark, she told him what they'd seen and that Roger and Kim were out in the bush looking.
'It will be easy to hide up there now in the dark,' he said, 'if indeed someone was trying to hide. But now we have a focus. There's no sign of the boy and search parties are returning because of the fading light. We'll start again before dawn.'
Tanya quickly dashed to Chloe's house where she found her very distraught mother-in-law. 'We were both here and Barry was playing outside,' she said tearfully, 'as he has done forever now. He's never wandered off before.' She wept. 'I just couldn't bear it if something has happened to him.' Tanya hugged her and tried unsuccessfully to give comfort.
Susan came in and clung to Chloe. 'Nothing, there is no sign of him and it's dark. He'll be scared. I don't know what to do.'
Tanya glanced at them. She'd known of their close relationship, but she could see Susan was like an only child for Chloe, making up for her loneliness since isolation. Tanya said, 'Susan, come with me in the helicopter in the morning. We can cover more ground that way.'
As she went home Mark found her. 'There's a rumour flying around that one of the Muslim men was seen hovering near Chloe's place earlier today. I personally don't believe that for a minute, maybe it's someone trying to misdirect the search. But with all the heightened emotions, there's a danger someone might try to take the law into their own hands. I've called a meeting at the hall right now. We need to nip this thing in the bud.'
Fifteen minutes later Tanya and Mark stood up on the stage in a packed community hall.
'You speak,' Mark said to Tanya.
She stood up, asking for silence. Right now, she really missed David's calm demeanour. 'We all know little Barry is missing. We don't know yet what has happened to him, but as sure as I'm standing here we'll find out. There are some ugly unfounded rumours circulating. Those rumours do this community no credit at all and whoever started them should be ashamed of themselves. If, as we suspect, those rumours were started maliciously, when we have found Barry, and that is a priority, we will also be looking for the people who started this nonsense and will take action against them. In the past, we have dealt successfully with crises when we have concentrated on the facts and that is what we need now. The search parties will start again at first light, so please be ready. Mark will direct the search, but we now have a focus northward, in the bushland. Thank you.'
Mark spoke individually to the leaders of the search parties and gave them clear directions. 'Please be on the parade ground at five am. We need to be in place at first light.'
At the conclusion of the meeting Kim and Roger appeared, looking tired and bedraggled. 'We've identified the area where we should concentrate the search, but it became too dark to see much beyond that. I'm quite sure I saw a man, but that is all we have to go on,' said Kim.
Tanya returned to Chloe's. She and Susan were still sitting there holding hands and looking helpless. She cooked them a meal and then encouraged them to go to bed. 'I will pick you up at five am,' she told Susan.
'I will be on horseback,' said Chloe, 'with a few others.'
'Take dogs,' said Tanya, 'one never knows what they might turn up.'
Groups started to gather before five am and were directed by Mark to various parts of the property. He was able to provide transport for a few people. Two groups of twenty cantered off north, one under Chloe and one led by Roger.
As soon as it was light enough to see, Tanya, with Susan and Kim aboard, flew the helicopter to the area where Kim and Roger were dropped off the previous evening. With hand signals Kim was able to direct two groups of twenty to the area where she had seen the apparent fugitive.
'There are enough people involved in that,' said Tanya. 'We should continue to do as we did yesterday and fly backwards and forwards over the area at low altitude to see if we are able to flush anyone out.'
'If there was someone here, maybe they managed to get back to the village under cover of darkness,' said Susan.
'Mark and some of his Academy people visited every house in the village to check. If anyone was missing, we'll soon know.'
By midday there was no progress. On one of her refuelling stops, Tanya asked Mark, 'Did you manage to account for all the residents last night?'
'More or less. However, there were a couple of people we didn't actually see as we were told they were in the bath or something. I'm trying to follow up.'
As people were becoming despondent, Roger, searching near the site where they saw the fleeing man, came across a dog barking frantically at a pile of recently-disturbed leaves. 'Keep right away,' he told his group. He took a spade and carefully scraped the leaves aside, soon uncovering a small leg and then the rest of a small boy; it was Barry. He appeared to be asleep despite the leaves, but his little body was cold. 'Get Tanya, quickly please, and all of you stay away, we don't want to contaminate the area.'
Within thirty minutes, Tanya had landed the helicopter, with difficulty, in the nearby vegetable patch and, holding Susan by the hand, she walked through the bush to where Roger was standing, 'I don't know what they've found,' Tanya said to Susan gently, 'but you may need to prepare yourself for the worst.'
Susan just held Tanya's hand tightly.
As they came into the clearing, Susan ran over to where Roger was standing and with an animal-like wail of anguish fell on top of her little boy. It took Tanya five minutes to prise Susan away from the body, which was placed on a stretcher and taken to the machine. Roger almost carried Susan to the helicopter and she clung to him as they took off and then landed minutes later on the parade ground.
The body was rushed to the hospital.
'We have DNA samples from every member of the community here, including all our visitors. If there is any evidence of abuse it will only take a day or two to find a match. It is not possible that anyone outside the community could be responsible for this,' said the doctor on duty.
'DNA?' questioned Tanya. 'I thought that was high tech science. Do we really have the capacity to analyse and match everyone's DNA?'
'Oh yes, we were originally given some testing kits from one of the Sydney hospitals and Roger has been able to provide more of them in his re-supply expeditions. The original science was a real breakthrough, but now the analytical process is quite simple.'
'You have done these tests here?'
'Yes, a few people were concerned about the paternity of a baby. We just dealt with it here in confidence.'
The search parties returned over the next two hours and, as with the previous night, everyone was asked to attend a meeting in the community centre.
There was an immediate hush as Tanya walked onto the stage. 'I'm sure you've all heard the news that we found Barry's body in a shallow grave earlier this afternoon. There's nothing I can say that sufficiently expresses all our feelings, but I'm sure I can pass on the deepest condolences from all of us to Susan and Chloe. As you all know, we have DNA samples from everyone in the community resident here today, so we will find the person who did this and whoever it is will face justice here in this very place. Again I urge you not to listen to rumours and let the justice system we've set up take its course.'
'How long will this process take?'
'Full analysis and matching will take about a week, I'm told. Then it will depend on what we find as to how long the rest of the process takes.'
'So you mean there is a child molester and murderer among us, without anything being done,' said an anxious voice.
Tanya looked grim, 'We're working as fast as we possibly can to identify the perpetrator. But we do need to clearly identify the person concerned, I'm sure you understand that. If you're concerned about safety, lock your doors. It won't be for long.'
Kim ran up on stage and whispered to Tanya, 'Donald Weatherspoon has left the village and, according to his wife, had plans to visit St. Andrews. She also said she hadn't seen him for several days. She's very upset.'
'Oh, shit,' mouthed Tanya. Quietly she said, 'I'll call David, but we need to try to intercept him as soon as possible in the morning. Does she think he was responsible?'
'I didn't ask.'
The crowd in the hall watched with interest.
'Any developments?' asked a voice.
'We asked everyone in the village to remain here until our investigations were complete,' she said reluctantly. 'I've now been told one person left on horseback this afternoon. As soon as I have confirmed the person's identity, I'll let you all know. Now please try to get on with your own responsibilities, we'll inform you of any developments. I realise this is important to the community as a whole, but I don't want to go off half cock on this issue.'
As the hall emptied, one person sidled up to Tanya and asked, 'Was it one of our Muslim brethren who left this afternoon?'
'No, it wasn't,' she said evenly. 'I will let you know who it is as soon as I'm certain.' Stupid fucker, she thought angrily. Stupid blind prejudice.
She walked over to see Chloe and Susan, and found Patricia there. 'The doctor gave them both a sedative and they're now asleep. I'll stay here the night and look after them for as long as needs be. I hear that someone left the property today.'
Anticipating the question, Tanya shook her head saying, 'I can't tell you who yet. I'm sure you understand the reason.'
Tanya phoned David to keep him up-to-date with developments.
'Donald?' said David. 'He's pretty harmless. Maybe I should try to find him and talk to him.'
'David,' Tanya almost shouted down the phone, 'don't go anywhere near him. He may be unbalanced and very dangerous. Please just leave it to us.'
Tanya then visited the team working on the DNA identification.
'The child will have Susan and Chloe's DNA all over him, so I must eliminate that,' said the doctor in charge. 'I can tell you he was strangled, so we have some fingerprints, and also sexually abused, poor little mite.'
Tanya took a deep breath before she said, 'Donald Weatherspoon was the person who left this afternoon. Maybe you should focus on him to start with, even if it's only to eliminate him as a suspect. Please don't reveal that information. One way or another we're going to have to make an announcement tomorrow or, at the very latest, the next day. I don't want people coming to their own conclusions and then acting on them.'
'We'll do our best. What you've told us is helpful.' Tanya didn't notice the sharp look the doctor gave her as she left.
At first light, Tanya, Kim, Jason, and Roger set out in the helicopter to find Donald. Jason and Roger had been equipped with harnesses so they were able to abseil down to the ground if needed. They traversed the known route from the eastern gate, but there was no visible sign of Donald or anyone else. Tanya flew north and then south of the regulation path to The Bandstand. They saw nothing in the acres of bushland and were just wondering what they should try next, when Roger pointed.
'There, under that tree, a man and a horse standing perfectly still, in the shade.' It took the others a few minutes to see what Roger was looking at.
'I'm going in,' said Tanya. 'You will have to be ready to abseil and quickly. Kim, be ready with that 30.06, I want the bastard alive, but not at the expense of one of ours.'
As Tanya hovered fifty feet above the tree, Roger and Jason abseiled down to the ground in a flash. Donald was quite unprepared, having thought he was safe with the helicopter hovering above. He didn't realise the crew had a method of reaching him in dense bushland. He made a grab for a pistol in his waistband, but too late, as he was suddenly dragged off the horse, his arms pinned behind him.
'Hey!' he yelled.
Jason ignored him, tying his hands and feet together and strapping him into a harness. Within twenty minutes of sighting him he was being trussed like a chicken into one of the seats in the helicopter.
'See that he has no other weapons,' Tanya yelled at Kim over the noise of the engine and the rattle of the rotors.
'I'm innocent, I didn't kill him,' yelled Donald.
'How did you know he was dead?' yelled Tanya. 'Gag him. I've heard about as much as I can stomach.'
Roger was then winched into the machine. 'Jason drew the short straw. He'll ride home.'
'I'm not sure who got the best bargain,' said Kim, hopping into the seat next to Tanya. 'Sitting next to that piece of dingo turd, even for only twenty minutes, doesn't sound like much fun to me.'
Tanya rapidly gained height and they landed just before noon.
'Remember this man is innocent until proven guilty,' said Tanya as they untied Donald and placed him in Mark's custody. 'He will obviously remain locked up until we have a case and then a trial. Nothing is to be said until this evening,' she added to anyone within earshot.
Another meeting was called for that evening. There was an air of anticipation in the audience and Tanya had to hold up a hand for silence. 'I promised I would tell you of any developments relating to the murder of Susan's child, Barry. Today, we apprehended Donald Weatherspoon and he is in custody.' There was an immediate hum of chatter, which subsided as Tanya held up her hand again. 'He left here yesterday afternoon and was found on a path south of the regular path to The Bandstand. When we have proper evidence, he will be brought to trial. We must all remember that he is innocent until proven guilty. So again I entreat you, do not take the law into your own hands as it will greatly damage this community should you do so.'
'If he'd been at The Vikings he would have been dead by now,' yelled a voice from the back.
'I don't think that has any relevance here,' said Tanya acidly. 'As I've said, do not take the law into your own hands; if you do, it will be you in the dock here facing the music.'
Earlier Tanya had spent time with Susan and Chloe, but both were still under sedation. 'We will have a proper funeral when all the DNA tests have been completed and the doctor is satisfied he can be released,' she told them. 'There will then be time for proper grieving and we'll do all we can to help you both face the future again.'
She had also phoned David, who said, 'Jason will tell you when he arrives that I found him half an hour or so after you had taken Donald into custody. But, I'm surprised. I always thought of Donald as a benign sort of person. Despite your advice, I was going to ask him to return voluntarily.'
Tanya bit her tongue and then replied quietly, 'He almost certainly would have shot you. But, we are still waiting on DNA evidence, so he's still technically innocent.'
'You think that he would have shot me?' asked David in surprise. 'We had developed a good working relationship.'
'He would have shot you!' said an exasperated Tanya. 'I'll phone when we have the DNA tests.' She cut the contact, something she'd never done before to David.
Three days later, a distressed hospital doctor came to see Tanya. Before she could utter a word he said, almost in a whisper, 'It's a perfect match; the semen on Barry's body matches Donald's DNA exactly. I have had the results checked independently, twice. That is why we've taken so long.' He looked down. 'I was part of his church group and would've done anything for another result. I thought he was a good man. He has let many people in this community down.'
David too, thought Tanya, looking at the doctor. 'Are you prepared to testify and confirm your findings in court?' she asked.
'Yes.'
'Mark, as head of security, will collect all the evidence we have and hand it over to the prosecutor. There is now enough evidence to charge him formally.'
The trial process within the community was well established, if used infrequently. The judge had retired from the New South Wales bench prior to becoming a resident and there were a number of experienced lawyers, also resident, prepared to act as prosecutor. Tanya had managed to persuade a woman from Amazonia, who had some experience, to act as defence counsel. Tanya had decided that, due to the personal connections, none of the Bower fraternity should be involved in any way with the trial, except as possible witnesses.
Roger, as second in command of security, formally charged Donald.
Lasting only two days, Donald's trial was unusually short and swift. He pleaded not guilty to abduction, sexual abuse of a child, and murder.
The prosecution presented evidence of Donald's flight; the DNA evidence; and two witnesses who had seen Donald hovering near Chloe's cottage.
Donald had insisted, against counsel advice, to take the stand.
'This whole exercise is a Bower family conspiracy against me personally. I'm going to expose them totally in that court,' protested Donald to his lawyer.
'You need to think about the evidence against you and deal with it. If you claim not to have been anywhere near the scene of the crime, you need to be able to put doubt in the mind of the jury that you are telling the truth. If you take the stand, in my opinion, you will almost certainly not be able to do that,' said Maureen, his defence counsel.
Donald shrugged.
'Donald, please tell the court where you were on the afternoon of the day in question, the day of the little boy's murder,' asked the defence counsel.
'In church. The church that I built, despite all the roadblocks put in my way by David Bower and his family.'
'Do you have any evidence of that?'
'Yes, there are several witnesses who will testify they saw me there.'
'Step down please.'
Three people were individually called to the stand.
The judge reminded each of them that they'd taken an oath to, 'Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth'. They were also reminded that perjury was an offence and could result in prosecution.
Two of the three withdrew their testimony.
The third man took the stand and testified he'd been in the church with Donald all day.
'It's the same man that has kept trying to direct the blame towards the Muslim community,' Tanya whispered to Mark. 'I don't like this, not at all.'
They need not have worried.
A triumphant Donald was asked to take the stand again. Maureen felt she had a least put doubt in the mind of the jury regarding Donald's whereabouts on the day of the murder. 'No more questions,' she said.
The prosecution then asked, 'How do you account for your semen being found on the boy's body?'
'It's just a Bower conspiracy.'
'All three of the medical staff here have testified there's a million to one chance that the samples they found are not yours, none of them are members of the Bower family and two are members of your church,' thundered the prosecution counsel.
'It's a Bower conspiracy,' Donald repeated mechanically.
'Why did you leave here in such a hurry?'
'I had many things to do at St. Andrews. The search had been completed and the boy's body found. I could make no further contribution, so I left.'
'You had supplies for two weeks. Why would you need so much for a four or five day ride to St. Andrews? You also had maps relating to territories far beyond St Andrews.'
'All that was planted on me. All of this,' Donald waved his arms about the court, 'is a Bower conspiracy to get rid of me.'
He was asked to step down and Roger was called to the stand.
'Roger, you were one of three people who apprehended the defendant.'
'Yes,'
'Are you a member of the Bower family?'
'No.'
'Please describe how the defendant was apprehended.'
'With Tanya flying the helicopter, Jason and I abseiled down to where the defendant was trying to conceal himself under a tree. We then apprehended him.'
'Was that difficult?'
'Not particularly, although he tried to pull a loaded pistol on us. We surprised him.'
'Did you have any supplies with you in the helicopter that could've been added to his load as he claims?'
'No, with the three of us, plus Tanya, and the abseiling equipment, there wasn't much room for anything else.' Roger was genuinely upset that he could be considered part of such an underhand arrangement.
'Did you place some maps in the defendant's luggage?'
'No,' Roger almost shouted.
Isaac from St. Andrews was called to the stand.
'Were you aware that the defendant was on his way to St. Andrews?' asked the prosecution counsel.
'No, we had agreed he would come and try to finalise arrangements for him to move to St. Andrews, but we weren't expecting him for at least another month.'
'No more questions.'
During a break, there was a flurry of activity and some whispered conversations.
'I call Mrs Weatherspoon to the stand.'
There was a look of fury and consternation on Donald's face.
'Mrs Weatherspoon, can you tell the jury where you were on the day of the murder?'
'I spent all day in the church, cleaning it and arranging flowers as I do on a regular basis.'
'Who was with you?'
'I was on my own.'
'Was the defendant with you?'
'No, I didn't see him all day. In fact I haven't seen him for several days now.'
'So he wasn't with you in the church?'
'No.'
'Could you confirm who else you saw in the church on the day in question?'
'I saw no one else. I told you I was on my own. That is quite normal I usually do everything on my own.'
Three others were then called to the stand. All testified that the man who'd said he was in church with Donald was actually with them, all day, dosing cattle.
The prosecution summarised. 'The DNA evidence is unequivocal. Three separate analyses were conducted and all came up with the same result, that the semen found on the body belonged to the defendant. When the defendant heard the boy's body had been found, he tried to escape. This was a well-planned exercise; he had supplies and maps that would have taken him beyond the jurisdiction of this community. The contention that he had some urgent business at St Andrews is pure fiction. The defendant claims he was in church at the time of the murder, but all the evidence relating to this claim has either been withdrawn or discredited. The defendant keeps stating that prosecuting him for this dastardly act has something to do with a Bower family conspiracy to get rid of him. Again, this is pure fiction. Members of the jury, I submit that it's your duty to find the defendant guilty on all counts and that the maximum penalty should be applied.'
The defence claimed that the defendant had been in church at the time of the murder and that somehow the DNA analyses were flawed. 'The defendant has done much good here. He is innocent and should be released immediately back into the community.'
The jury spent a day considering the evidence. To a packed courtroom the judge asked the jury foreman, 'Have you come to a unanimous conclusion on all counts?'
'We have m'lud'
'On the charge of unlawful abduction of a child?'
'Guilty.'
'Unlawful sexual abuse?'
'Guilty.'
'Murder?'
'Guilty.'
The judge waited for the gallery to subside.
'Mr Donald Paul Weatherspoon, stand up please.'
A shaken Donald stood.
'You have been found guilty on all counts. Sentence will be passed when the court convenes at ten am tomorrow.'
Every possible seat had been taken when the court convened the next day.
'Before I pass sentence, I ask if either the prosecution or defence counsel has anything to say. Prosecution?'
'The defendant has been found guilty on all counts by a jury of his peers and in a legitimately constituted court. I ask that the maximum penalty of death by firing squad be applied on all counts. There is no room for mitigation, the defendant is evil and the community needs protection from such a person.'
'Defence?'
'I question the validity of this court, the proposed sentence does not comply with Australian Law, and the proposed sentence will constitute murder.'
'Will the defendant please stand?'
Unsteadily Donald rose to his feet.
'Donald Paul Weatherspoon, you have been found guilty of the foulest deeds by this legally constituted court. Your behaviour during these proceedings has been nothing short of disgraceful. Do you have anything to say before I pass sentence?'
Donald shook his head.
'On the count of abduction, you will be expelled from the community and all your assets held in the community will be forfeited. On the count of sexual abuse of a child you will be expelled from the community and all your assets held in the community will be forfeited. You will also be executed by firing squad and your body will lie in an unmarked grave outside the boundaries of this community. On the count of murder, you will be expelled from the community and all your assets held in the community will be forfeited. You will also be executed by firing squad and your body will lie in an unmarked grave outside the boundaries of this community. There will be no right of appeal and sentences will be imposed within one week.'
He banged his gavel. The courtroom cleared almost silently, Donald was returned to the lock up.
People were genuinely shocked. All were aware of the law, but had never really envisaged it would ever have to be imposed.
Tanya said to Mark, 'You will have to organise the firing squad, but no Bower family member is to be present in any way. Roger or Rachel will have to be in charge. Also, I'm not going to repossess Donald's house as the court directed. Mrs Weatherspoon has not been tried for anything. I am going to ask the hospital doctor, who knew the Weatherspoons well, to inform her she can stay in the house and continue to be a part of the community if she wishes. We will have the right to review the situation every five years.'
'I think that is fair and prevents the Bower family from gaining anything. Frankly, I don't have the stomach for imposing death sentences. I hope Roger and Rachel will be able to deal with it,' replied Mark. 'I have charged that bastard with perjury, by the way.' Referring to the man who said he was in the church all day with Donald. 'I'm going to throw the book at him.'
Tanya nodded.
Tanya told Kim she could now get on with planning the takeover of the warehouse in Newcastle. 'Take fifty of our best people, including as many of our technical people as can be afforded, including Joe, and plenty of supplies. Secure the area. I will be over there within two weeks. I have spoken to Joe and he thinks Susan can be left in charge of the technical stuff here at The Settlement. It might help to get her mind off the ghastly experience she has gone through.'
'How do you deal with all this?' asked Kim, 'I'm like a wobbly jelly, I don't know what to do with myself. I almost feel sorry for Donald.'
'It's the same for me,' answered Tanya. 'The only way I've coped is to try to get on with our plans and think ahead. In time, the scars in the community will heal. We also need to think of a little boy whose life was cut short. And Susan and Chloe's lives will never be the same without Barry, whatever they do. '
Mark gathered all the members of The Academy together, with the exception of those absent and the fifty who were now planning for a sojourn in Newcastle.
'There will be a ballot for eight people who will make up the firing squad. If your name comes up in the ballot you will have no choice but to participate. Roger will be in charge. The board has decreed that, as with the trial, no Bower family member will be part of the execution party. There is to be no possible thought that any of this is linked to personal issues such as revenge. Any questions?'
Most people felt the arrangements for Mrs Weatherspoon were fair, but there were one or two voices who said, 'It's a payoff for her testimony.'
'You can't win,' said Tanya angrily, when Mark mentioned the conversation he'd overheard.
An hour before dawn, on the appointed day of the execution, the party consisting of Donald, manacled and mounted on a horse led by Roger, the eight people who made up the firing party, three witnesses, the judge, and a doctor from the hospital, left The Settlement on foot by the occasionally-used western gate.
Two hours later, deep in the forest, Roger halted the party. 'There is a newly-dug grave just over there,' he pointed.
'Judge, will you read out the sentence.'
The judge asked Donald, who was still mounted, 'Do you understand the sentence, Mr Weatherspoon?'
Donald nodded.
'Do you have anything to say, perhaps to the victim's family?'
Donald shook his head.
The detail then made Donald dismount and escorted him through the trees and tied him to a stout post situated next to the grave. He was blindfolded. The rest of the party followed silently.
Roger had already briefed the firing party. 'Each rifle has one round in the breech, some of the rounds are blanks and some are solid. Under no circumstances are you to open the breech of your rifle either before or after the shot has been fired. This is to protect you, so at no stage will you as individuals be identified as having fired the fatal shot. I will personally collect all the weapons afterwards and clean them. I have already given you your instructions. Aim for the heart. You will only be ten metres away.'
The party came to a halt and stood still for a minute, with the firing squad ten metres in front of Donald. Roger, standing to the side, lifted his right hand and said, leaving a second between each order, 'Safety off. Aim. Steady. Fire.'
All eight shots were fired simultaneously and Donald slumped against his bonds.
'Safety on. Doctor will you please certify that Mr Weatherspoon is dead.'
The doctor spent a minute in front of the bloody corpse, checking for any sign of a pulse, 'I can certify that Mr Weatherspoon is dead.'
Without further word, the detail untied Donald's bonds and lowered the body into the grave, which was rapidly filled in and covered in branches. When the grave was dug, Mark had instructed Roger to plant ten saplings around the grave site. 'I don't think anyone will ever find this place, but when these trees grow it will be impossible to walk through here anyway.'
Not one word was spoken on the return. A notice of execution was pinned on the outside of the community hall, signed by the judge, the doctor, and the three witnesses.
A very upset Roger reported to Mark, and then Tanya, 'I have done many things for this community,' he said quietly. 'Don't ever ask me to do anything like that again.'
David had kept away during the whole process, but Tanya had kept him informed of progress. Once the execution had been completed and formalised, Tanya phoned him again and asked for his advice. 'Do you think there should be another community meeting, just to put all this to bed?'
David thought for a moment. 'Probably not. Some people will see it as an attempt at self-justification or even gloating over the outcome. Make certain there is a full factual account of the whole process, right from the murder to a mention of the execution, in the paper. People will make what they will of it all for themselves. I'm sure that for parents of young children especially, there'll be a sense of relief.'
'Okay, that makes sense.'
'I do have an apology to make to you though,' said David.
'Oh, what?'
'You warned me many times about Donald, but I thought I knew better. I'm sorry.'
'Not necessary, but thank you. If you hadn't been on such a slow horse the day we apprehended him, you wouldn't be around to make this apology. Frankly, I would miss you. I'm getting all bloody sentimental now.' She put the phone down and wiped away a tear.
Days after the execution, Susan and Chloe arranged a funeral service and burial for Barry. The service was held on the parade ground and everyone in the community who was able attended the emotion-charged event. David was persuaded by Tanya to attend and was asked to say a few words.
'This is the celebration of a life cut short before its prime. Barry will never go to school; he will not have the opportunity to attend The Academy; he will never marry. We will all remember him as a sweet, cheerful little boy. Most importantly, we need to understand the loss that Susan and Chloe have suffered. We must also remember that justice has been done and the scourge that we found in the midst of our society has been removed.'
The whole community accompanied the little coffin to the top end of the property, where it joined the few other graves already there.