Seven

Day 2

St Nicholas College

12.30 p.m. Monday, 26th October 1965

As the students emerged for lunch, Salt had completed his drawing and was standing by the assigned tree. Boys, staring in open curiosity, slowly walked past. Salt tried to maintain a professional manner and pose but couldn’t convince himself of the logic of Cardilini’s instruction. The tree, obviously, wasn’t going anywhere. Four younger boys, not content with a passing observation, stood directly facing Salt. Salt watched them. After a while they sat down so as to stare while eating their lunch.

Another, and then another, knot of young boys paused and started eating their lunch while staring at Salt. Soon, three older boys sauntered over and stood watching the gathering in disdain.

‘Which one of you little durrs is eating pork? Because I can smell pig,’ one of the older boys said. This received guffaws and laughter from his mates. The younger boys turned their heads passively to observe the older boys before looking back to Salt. Salt reddened with the insult but stood still.

‘Oink. Oink,’ one of the older boys said under his breath to the delight of his two colleagues. Salt reddened further.

The ‘oinks’ continued. Some of the smaller boys began fighting among themselves and rolling on the grass. Salt stood stricken.

‘Get off that grass,’ the command whipped at the group of boys. Salt jumped. Standing on the paving were two boys in grey suits, sixth form students. The younger boys jumped up and ran off along the path. The three older boys, also startled, stepped onto the path.

‘Darnley,’ called one of the sixth form boys sharply. Darnley, who’d mentioned ‘pig’, stopped and turned towards the caller.

‘Yes.’

‘Don’t think your behaviour goes unobserved.’ Darnley stood looking at him, unimpressed. ‘Do you have something to say?’ the older boy pressed.

Darnley smiled and nodded to his mates and the three of them casually walked away. The sixth form boys scrutinised Salt for awhile then turned their attention to glaring at passing students who hurried along, eyes averted. Soon, no students walked by. One of the sixth form boys walked closer and stood assessing Salt.

With deliberation the boy said, ‘The shot came from across the river. They shoot kangaroos in the scrub by the river there.’ He waited for Salt’s reply.

Salt’s eyes shifted to a young sandy-haired teacher in a well-worn suit walking towards them.

‘Excuse me, Carmody,’ the teacher called. The boy kept his eyes on Salt, ignoring the teacher.

‘You’re not wanted here,’ Carmody said to Salt.

‘Carmody, excuse me. Can I assist you?’ The teacher spoke again.

‘No. You can’t,’ Carmody said without turning. A look of helplessness filled the teacher’s eyes.

‘I will need to cite you for walking on the grass unless you come onto the path,’ the teacher said to Carmody.

‘That would be brave of you,’ Carmody said and turned from Salt to join his friend on the path. They both walked off without further reference to the teacher or Salt.

‘I hope they weren’t annoying you. The sixth form boys like to exercise authority at times, particularly that one – Carmody. He’s the unofficial leader of the boarders. There’s a boarders’ captain but everyone knows Carmody is in charge, even the principal. He should’ve been made head boy, that’s why he’s a little difficult.’

‘Why wasn’t he?’

The teacher seemed to consider this before ignoring the question and saying, ‘The younger boys who were eating their lunch are day boys, even though they come from quite a distance.’

‘Are you a teacher?’

‘Yes. Though not on the permanent staff. Not an old boy, see. They’ll keep me just until one of their own is available. That’s a joke. God, don’t repeat that, please.’

‘I won’t.’

‘So, you’re a policeman?’

Salt glanced down at his constable’s uniform before replying, ‘Yes’. The teacher nodded firmly in affirmation as if to reassure Salt that he was indeed a policeman.

‘Well, I’m on duty. Can’t linger. It’s just strange seeing some­one standing on the grass. Grass areas are out of bounds to all per­sonnel. That’s a school rule. The thinking is that the students roll about in an unhealthy manner when allowed on the grass. Even when watching sports, students aren’t allowed to lie down together. It’s unmanly. They’re required to sit in a chair or stand. I’m sure that’s half the reason the boys don’t readily watch the sports. Well, I’ve got to go.’ The teacher remained standing where he was, then asked, ‘So, may I ask why you’re standing there? It seems very curious.’

Salt hesitated until he saw Cardilini marching straight across the quadrangle grass towards him, creating a stir among the students. The teacher turned to where Salt was looking and took an involuntary step back.

‘Clear off,’ Cardilini barked at the teacher, who turned on his heel and smartly walked away. ‘Salt. Watch and listen closely and take every detail down in your notebook.’ Cardilini pushed Salt aside and stood examining the tree closely, ‘Now, observe that branch. There, that one. What do you see?’

Salt studied it closely for some time then turned back to Cardilini. ‘Sorry. I don’t see anything,’ he said.

Cardilini exhaled heavily. ‘What should we be looking for?’ he demanded.

Salt considered for a moment, but then shook his head in the negative.

‘Okay. You’re Edmund, right? Standing in the window. The open one with the curtains closed. Surveying your little kingdom, stuffed to the brim with how important you are, then bam half your head flies off and you get thrown back into the room to land flat on your back. Right?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Now. From where you were standing the bullet struck you, there,’ Cardilini pushed his right index finger onto Salt’s forehead, the force of it pushing Salt back, ‘then the bullet spread but kept on the same trajectory until it blew off the top of your skull. And its exit was roughly there.’ Cardilini pushed his other index finger on the rear of Salt’s skull. His fingers now held Salt’s head as if in a vice. ‘And you’re looking out the window, right? So what are we looking for down here?’ He took his fingers from Salt and stepped back. Salt turned to the window.

‘The shot was made from down here somewhere?’ Salt asked amazed.

‘Go to the top of the class. Now impress me,’ Cardilini said. Salt began to move around the area.

‘There are a lot of foot marks around this tree.’

‘Beside yours and mine?’ Cardilini asked.

‘Yes. And no one walks on the lawn.’

‘Passable.’

‘This tree could fit the angle of a bullet’s flight,’ Salt proposed, ‘But that would also be possible if the bullet came from across the river.’ They turned in that direction. From the top of the embankment they could see across the limestone wall to the river 200 yards away and beyond the river to low scrubland and open pasture. Cardilini dismissed the notion and turned his demanding gaze on Salt.

‘Are we looking for signs of the shot being fired from here?’ Salt asked.

‘Clever boy. Yes.’

Salt began examining the tree.

Cardilini suggested, ‘High possibility it was a .303 bullet that did the damage.’ Then asked, ‘Ever fire a .303 rifle, Salt?’

‘No, sir.’

‘Trust me then. The rebound pounds the stock of the rifle into your shoulder.’

‘Yes, sir, I’ve heard that.’

‘Right, it jumps back sharply. Now look at the branch.’

Salt stared closely at a branch chest high.

‘Okay. Now look at me,’ Cardilini said, ‘We don’t want to draw attention to that branch but a casual glance will show you where the bark’s bruised and slightly lifted. It tells me someone used that branch to anchor the shaft of the rifle. And there are two more curious marks on branches further up. And on the trunk, someone’s foot slipped when trying to climb the tree. You see these?’

‘Now I do.’

‘Okay. Commit this to memory and when you get a chance write it up in your notebook and draw pictures. I’ve got a feeling the photo boys are going to find themselves too busy to come out here. Did you get a good sketch of what was immediately over the wall?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘That’s good. How would you like some night-time investigation?’

‘Um.’

‘Good. Now can you remember what you’ve seen here?’ Cardilini asked, gesturing to the tree.

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Let’s get out of this heat. I know where we can get a good counter lunch.’

‘Yes, sir. Are we returning to the school?’ Salt asked, but Cardilini was already walking away.