Chapter Thirty Four
The tail lights of Binda’s police vehicle vanished from sight as it turned a bend in the driveway. Ben dropped into a chair on the verandah. Merinda sat in the cane chair next to him. Susan leaned back on the verandah railing. The two German Shepherds lay at Ben’s feet.
‘I’ve never seen anyone fight like that,’ said Merinda.
‘You can run,’ said Susan. ‘This bloke can fight, although it’s not the usual type of fighting.’
‘I think you may have killed one of those boys,’ said Merinda.
Ben said nothing.
‘Where did you learn to fight like that?’ asked Merinda.
Ben looked out to sea at the rapidly vanishing pink horizon clouds. ‘An old Korean guy in Sydney. He’s a very special man. Didn’t want me to learn Shinobi Ninjutsu. It took me months to change his mind and years to learn the art.’
‘Shinobi Ninjutsu?
Ben looked into Merinda’s eyes. ‘You won’t understand. The art is based on very unconventional fighting in the Ninja style. It incorporates so much more than what you saw today. What happened today was just raw reflex, and I was slow. That’s only a small component of Ninjutsu fighting.’
‘Didn’t look slow to me,’ said Merinda. ‘Those creeps didn’t even have a chance to react. I feel so much safer knowing you can take care of yourself and me with those fighting skills, and you’re just out of hospital!’
‘And I’m impressed with your running,’ said Ben.
‘Will you two stop,’ said Susan, pulling a face at Merinda, ‘I still can’t understand how you can run so fast with tits that big!’
‘Strong training bra.’ Merinda grinned. ‘I never run in a bikini.’
Susan smiled. ‘Same here.’ Both girls dissolved into peals of laughter.
‘That poor kid went through hell,’ said Ben.
‘She would have gone through much worse if we hadn’t stumbled in,’ Merinda said. ‘They are the same guys who came after me. They might have killed her.’
‘I think we might have put them out of business,’ said Ben. ‘The dogs had fun.’
‘Pity help the two that got away. The big guy took a huge chunk out of one of them,’ said Merinda.
‘You don’t have names for the dogs,’ said Ben.
‘I never thought to give them names.’
‘Perhaps it’s time?’
The German Shepherds were looking intently at Ben and then Merinda. They seemed to know they were the subject of the conversation.
A four wheel drive police vehicle approached down the driveway and stopped at the side of the house. Detective Inspector Darryl Keller got out and slammed the door. He approached the steps to the front verandah. ‘Can’t stay out of trouble can you Ben?’
‘Follows me like a shadow,’ Ben said, smiling.
Darryl nodded at the two girls and cast a wary eye on the German Shepherds. Both were watching him intently but they obviously sensed the rapport between Ben and the new arrival. ‘Peter had his guys move very quickly on this one although all the offenders needed hospital treatment and are under heavy guard. We have one with a fractured wind pipe, another with a broken arm and concussion and two with severe dog bites.
‘We let them off lightly,’ said Ben, resting his foot gently on the back of the larger German Shepherd. The dog didn’t flinch.
‘Peter will need statements in the morning from you and Merinda.’
‘No problems,’ said Ben.
‘Ruth is waiting to examine the girl. Her name is Camira Andrews.’
‘I know her,’ said Merinda. ‘Actually, I used to know her Grandmother very well. Everyone calls her “Mother Andrews”. Camira was often around when I visited them at Hopevale. I haven’t seen them for a long time.’
Darryl pulled out his tobacco pouch and cigarette papers. ‘Anyone mind?’
‘I hate cigarette smoke,’ said Susan, but we’re outside and I’ll sit upwind.’
Darryl rolled a cigarette and jammed it in the plastic holder. He climbed the steps onto the verandah and dropped into a cane chair near the railing. ‘This girl’s Grandmother is a very influential member of the Aboriginal community up this way so I’m told,’ he said. ‘She has had a few clashes with the police and local politicians from time to time. Has what we call a “love/hate” relationship with Inspector Martin.’
‘She’s not going to be too happy about her grand daughter being abducted and raped by these four boys,’ said Susan. ‘If the police handle the prosecutions effectively, it might change her mind about Inspector Martin and his crew.’
Darryl lit his cigarette and drew in smoke. He turned his head away from the others and blew it out. ‘I gather she was intent on attacking the hospital with murder on her mind when she was told what had happened to Camira. Ruth will have had her hands full with a rape victim to treat and a strong minded grandmother in another part of the building trying to lynch the offenders.’
‘Ruth is a tough woman,’ said Ben. ‘She’ll handle them OK.’
‘And back up from 5 uniformed police Peter stationed there an hour ago,’ Darryl said, tapping ash from the end of his cigarette into the garden. ‘We need a chat tomorrow after you’ve given your statement.’
Ben nodded. ‘Anything on the island?’
Darryl glanced at Merinda. ‘Not yet. Police are stationed there but the local Commander is not being helpful. Has Lupton been in contact with you Merinda?’
‘No. I don’t know where he is.’
‘We’ve got surveillance on his house but there is no movement there,’ said Darryl. ‘We’ll go in tomorrow.’ He squashed out the cigarette and put the butt and holder in his shirt pocket with the tobacco pouch. He let out a long sigh.
‘This case seems to be really getting to you Darryl,’ said Susan. ‘Are the Premier and Commissioner giving you a hard time?’
‘I expected that to happen with something as nasty as this,’ said Darryl. ‘They want to bring in a task force from Brisbane but I’ve convinced them to hold off on that for a while. To make matters worse, I’ve got the bride up here with me now just to add to the pain and it’s going to be a bloody rough night I think. Sorry ladies. Marriage problems. Ben knows about it.’
Both girls looked at Ben. Ben shrugged his shoulders slightly.
‘Why don’t you bring your wife back here this evening for one of Ben’s amazing home cooked meals?’ Merinda suggested. ‘Then after dinner you guys can have your chat and Sue and I will entertain your wife.’
‘She’s been entertained in the Cooktown Resort Spa for over two hours this afternoon at my expense,’ said Darryl, reaching for his tobacco pouch again. ‘I’m totally over trying to entertain and please my bloody unfaithful wife.’ Darryl knew he had said too much. He slipped the tobacco pouch back into his shirt pocket.
‘Well she’s here,’ said Ben. ‘You told me she likes to socialise. Merinda is the resident socialite of Cooktown and this is an amazing place. I’ll have dinner on around eight. We’ll expect you at seven for drinks.’
Darryl was quiet for a few moments. He stood and walked down onto the lawn. ‘She’s allergic to prawns. Can you cook up lots of prawns?’
‘Darryl!’ Merinda looked shocked.
‘Sorry. I didn’t mean that. I just thought you should know,’ said Darryl, looking wretched.
‘Does she like red meat?’ asked Ben.
‘Obviously,’ Darryl said. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean that either. Yeah, she loves red meat, medium rare. We used to have Bar B Q’s all the time….’ His voice trailed off.
‘Seven then,’ said Ben. ‘I’ll do red meat but I won’t Bar B Q tonight. There are huge corned silversides out there in the freezer just begging to be worked with magic.’
‘Corned silverside?’
‘Huge cuts of meat,’ said Ben.
‘But what the hell is corned silverside?’ asked Darryl.
‘Beef.’
‘Never heard of it.’
‘You’ll love it,’ said Ben.
Darryl turned his attention to Susan and Merinda. ‘My wife is a piece of work. I’m just warning you,’
‘I think we can handle her,’ said Susan.
The storm blew in quite unexpectedly. Window shutters rattled as gusts of wind attacked the house, followed by sheets of rain, driven wildly horizontally. Lightning flashed over the ocean and thunder rumbled. The sun was gone and night was inky black. The still unnamed German Shepherds settled comfortably in a corner of the foyer, quietly ecstatic at their current surroundings, close to people. They had been fed by Ben and were full and relaxed. Both knew the enclosure would be their final destination for the night but they were content for the moment.
Merinda perched on a bar stool at one end of the preparation bench in the kitchen. Ben fussed over a huge pot of boiling salted water containing corned silverside, bay leaves, cloves, brown sugar and a healthy dose of balsamic vinegar. He had a large bamboo steamer loaded with baby potatoes, kumara and carrot. Fresh chopped Bok Choy soaked in a light broth of chicken stock and spice in a large stainless steel bowl.
‘He never cooked that,’ she said.
Ben looked up. ‘Corned silverside?’
‘I don’t know about corned silverside, but Jacob never did anything like you’re doing. I’ve never smelled anything so amazing. You’ll be driving Sue wild up there in her bath.’
Thunder rumbled again. The rain was easing.
‘Why did you get divorced?’ asked Merinda.
Ben gave the simmering roast a gentle stir. ‘I guess we both stopped caring about each other,’ he said.
‘What about love?’
Ben poked at the roast with a wooden spoon. ‘I’m not sure what love is Merinda. I think caring for each other and taking care of each other in lots of ways is love. Perhaps I’m wrong.’
‘I don’t think you are,’ she said softly. ‘I’ve just never heard it put as simply as that.’
‘She stopped caring about me or how I felt. I’d come home from a bad night on the streets as a cop and she would be as cold as ice. So then I stopped caring about her.’
‘That’s what Jacob did to me, except he was the one coming home cold and evasive and when I came onto him, he’d reject me.’
‘Silly bugger,’ said Ben with a smile. ‘Didn’t know what he was missing.’
Merinda pushed her fingers through her thick black ringlets. ‘Other men reaped the benefit of his lack of attention for me.’
‘I’m sure they did,’ said Ben, immediately regretting his choice of words. ‘What I mean is…’
‘No, they did,’ said Merinda. ‘I didn’t always enjoy it, but I had needs. I had very strong needs.’
Ben looked at her. She held his gaze. ‘Last night was different,’ she said. ‘Last night you lit a fire inside me that no-one else ever did. Today when those thugs confronted us and you took them on and rescued that poor darling girl, you fanned that fire even more.’
Ben poked at the simmering roast again. ‘Can I suggest chilled soda water and a twist of lemon?’
‘Are you listening to me?’
‘Now you listen to me Merinda. I’m paid to guard you.’
‘I want you to guard me closer.’
Ben looked up. Their eyes met. ‘I can’t, said Ben. ‘I need to remain professional about this.’
‘Don’t you like what you see?’
‘I like what I see very much,’ Ben replied. ‘I just need to stay back a little and I need you to respect that.’
‘Yana said you’d play hard to get. You keep her at arms length too.’
‘Yana talks too much,’ said Ben. ‘I’ll have to remind her of that next time we chat.’
‘I don’t want her to get into trouble,’ said Merinda. ‘I’m sorry I mentioned her.’
‘Can you peel those potatoes for me?’ asked Ben.
‘I don’t know how to peel potatoes.’
‘Time you learned. Get around here.
Merinda smiled as she slid off the bar stool.
Darryl lit the cigarette and jammed the holder between his teeth. ‘Well you’ve won her over, that’s for bloody certain,’ he said, taking a deep puff of smoke into his lungs. ‘An amazing dinner and the two girls with their chatter. I haven’t seen her so relaxed in years.’
‘I told you they would take good care of her,’ said Ben, stretching back on the cane chair. The storm had passed and the tropical night air had cooled slightly. The two German Shepherds stretched out on the verandah beside his chair.
‘Those bloody flood lights did the job,’ said Darryl, blowing smoke away from his face. ‘Lit the gardens up like daylight as we came down the driveway.’
‘They did a good job with the installation,’ said Ben. ‘They are in four zones around the house, with each zone independent of the other. Your arrival set off the side and front sensors which activated three big halogens on the driveway side and three more at the front. The other side and rear of the house have the same arrangement.’
‘Should stop whoever is sneaking around,’ said Darryl. He sucked again at the cigarette holder. ‘I tried to get you a gun today but Peter wouldn’t allow it. I can only get one through him as the Divisional Commander.’
‘That’s OK. Binda wanted to loan me hers.’
Darryl laughed. ‘Now that’s some lady. She’s not like any Aboriginal girl I’ve ever met. Stood right up to me from the moment we met and there is no getting her to back down. She’s good value as a cop, that’s for sure.’
‘You tell her that?’
‘No way! It would go straight to her head.’
‘Probably wouldn’t hurt to give her some encouragement.’
‘Bugger that.’ Darryl stubbed out his cigarette on the verandah railing and put the butt and holder in his pocket. ‘That bug sweeper still operational?’
‘Yep, said Ben. ‘It’s well hidden but it will trip a pager I carry the second it detects any kind of transmission leaving this house, other than our mobile phones.’
‘I’d like to think you and the girls would just hang around the house for a while until we solve this thing, but I expect that’s not going to be the case. I’ve got a team of 2 detectives and an analyst working around the clock and you’ve come up with more than them in a fraction of the time. God help us if the Commissioner sends in more police. They’ll be tripping over each other.’
‘So Lupton is the main suspect?’ asked Ben.
‘At this stage. He’s gone missing and won’t answer his mobile phone. There’s no movement at his house and he seems to be tied in with two of the murder victims and also the disappearance of Jacob Jerome. We also know he drives a Nissan Patrol and about 6 months ago bought Bridgestone Dueler A/T D694 tyres from a dealer in Cairns.’
‘Can Wal match the tires to any of the crime scenes?’
‘Not with any degree of certainty. If we can find Lupton and his vehicle, we’ll give it a damn good go. Our District Commander drives the same kind of vehicle with the same brand of tyres as well.’
‘How well do you know Peter?’ said Ben with a grin.
‘Yeah, he’s already a bit sensitive about that,’ said Darryl. He pulled out his note book. ‘I’ll just summarise what our guys and girl have turned up so far.’
‘What girl?’
‘Our analyst from Cairns. Senior Constable Bre Kehoe. Watch out for her. She’s got a temper and a hair trigger to match. Problem is, she’s damn good at her job. Mind like a steel trap. Misses nothing.’
‘Good to have her on board by the sound of things,’ said Ben.
‘Lupton and Jerome are both known to police. Minor fraud offences in Queensland going back 10 years or so but have been clean for over 5 years. They ran a few scams together. Lupton has a conviction for assault 4 years ago. He’s a big bloke and likes to throw his weight around.’
‘So you thinking he’s the killer, or now that he’s missing, perhaps the killer got him.’
‘It’s all pointing to him. Who would want to kill him?’ asked Darryl.
‘Someone who thinks he knows too much.’
‘You’re pointing the finger at Jacob Jerome again.’
‘I’m not convinced he’s dead Darryl. Something involving him is currently happening on Misima Island. Lots of money is regularly going that way from an account he and Merinda have. He had a serious falling out with Lupton over something. You get anything on those long range tanks?’
Darryl turned some pages in his notebook. He deliberately took his time. ‘The inquiries with the former owner of his Cessna gave evidence of a standard built plane when he sold it to Jerome around 3 years ago. That was the evidence given to the Coroner at Jerome’s inquest. Based on that, they calculated a maximum range of just less than 800 kilometres on full tanks from a departure point at Cooktown.’
‘Departure date was?’
‘19th June, 2009.’
‘Did he buy any fuel on that day?’
‘Around 15 litres.’
‘That’s not much.’
‘Your guess paid off Ben. On the 14th of June, 2009, Jacob Jerome flew to Cairns and with assistance from Brad Core, Aviation Engineering in Cairns, had his aircraft fitted with long range fuel tanks. He paid in cash. He also had those tanks filled with Aviation fuel on the 17th of June, 2009, just prior to his departure to Cooktown.’
‘And then topped the tanks up on the day he disappeared.’
‘You’ve got it.’
‘Did you find out what range those tanks would have given him?’ asked Ben, leaning forward on his chair.
‘Almost 1,300 kilometres.’
‘So the bastard flew direct to Misima and let everyone think he was dead.’
‘Don’t know that yet. The Police Commander on Misima has gone from being vague and unhelpful, to stony silent. We can’t get him on the phone and he won’t return calls. We even contacted someone in charge at the local airport on the island and got the same cold shoulder treatment. If Jerome’s plane is there, they aren’t talking.’
‘What are you going to do?’ asked Ben, reaching down to pat each of the dogs.
‘The Commissioner is in touch with top police brass in Port Moresby. We are trying to get permission to pay an official visit to the island.’
‘Things are moving then,’ said Ben.
‘I’ve got more,’ Darryl said, tapping the notebook against his knee. ‘The death of Terrence Hart and the theft of his bones from the grave have been a bit of a worry. Young Bre got hold of all the records and put together a summary. It would appear that on the afternoon of the day he was run down, he got into a fairly serious fight with…… have a guess?’
‘No idea.’
‘Graham Lupton.’
‘Jesus!’
‘Young Terry came off second best but they both ended up at the police station. The fight was over something sexual that went on between Lupton, Jacob Jerome and Oola Burton. They think Oola’s daughter was involved also. Terrence Hart apparently had the hots for Oola and it got nasty when he found out Lupton may have been having it off with her and the daughter as well.’
‘So he picked Lupton?’
‘Yep and back at the police station, Jacob Jerome’s name was mentioned as perhaps having a piece of the mother daughter action as well. Terry threatened to get even and when he was released from the police station later that night he hitched a ride with a guy who dropped him off at the intersection of the southern highway and Shiptons Flat Road.’
‘I don’t follow. Lupton has a house in Cooktown.’
‘Terry didn’t know that. He thought he still lived with his parents on the family farm at Rossville, just south of Black Mountain. The Lupton family have lived on a huge property there for generations.’
‘So Terrence Hart was on foot to the Lupton property to cause trouble and someone deliberately run him down.’
‘You’ve got it.’
‘And someone dug him up again recently and deposited his bones at the same spot where he was killed over a year and a half before.’
‘Weird eh?’ said Darryl, rolling another cigarette.
‘Did the police interview Oola and her daughter about this situation?’
‘Apparently not. The tribal elders got involved and it was agreed that the issue of the fight between Hart and Lupton and Hart’s subsequent death, had nothing to do with any alleged immoral behaviour involving Oola Burton. Lupton also provided a solid alibi for the night Hart was run down.’
Ben sat back and stretched his legs. ‘Anything else?’
‘Two things. Dr. Dunn was killed by the injection of Blue Ringed octopus venom into the back of his neck.’ Darryl consulted his notebook again. ‘Tetrodotoxin is the component of the venom that does the damage, so Ruth tells me. Causes motor paralysis and respiratory arrest with a minute. No oxygen going in, with cardiac arrest the end result. The killer probably held him down for a few minutes until till he died. It’s highly likely the venom came from stock stored in Jerome’s garage.’
‘Even Merinda didn’t have keys to that area. We’re back to either Jacob Jerome or Graham Lupton,’ said Ben.
‘And the last one is going to rock you,’ said Darryl. ‘The DNA of the two foetuses’ from Oola and her daughter have the Mother’s in common, but not the Father’s DNA. We don’t have a match for the Father in the DNA of young Koorine Burton’s foetus, but we do for Oola’s.’
‘Well, don’t keep me in suspense,’ Ben said, leaning forward again.
‘Les Watson.’
‘Merinda’s gardener?’
‘Our headless victim,’ said Darryl, lighting his second cigarette. ‘Looks like Les pissed off someone fairly badly and now I think we may know why.’
Ben leaned back again. The cane chair cracked with the movement. Both dogs looked up. ‘It’s beginning to look like a very messy sexual game involving Oola Burton, her daughter and Lord knows who else, has been going on for quite a while.’
‘There’s more to it than that,’ said Darryl, ‘but I think we’re on the right track. The fact that our killer is totally deranged is not helping.’
Ben nodded.
Darryl smoked quietly. He was about to say something when Susan materialised at his side. Darryl looked up at her. ‘Are you getting on OK with Sharon?’
‘Fine. The three of us had a long chat.’
‘I’m sure you did.’
‘She’s going to stay here with us tonight Darryl. It would be best.’
Ash fell from the cigarette into his lap. He brushed it away. ‘Why?’
‘She’s a bit upset.’
‘What, the spa treatment and massage wasn’t to her liking? Perhaps Ben’s dinner masterpiece upset her.’
‘You know that’s not true. It’s the pregnancy.’
Darryl sucked hard at what was left of his glowing cigarette. ‘Oh right, the pregnancy. I’d forgotten about that.’
‘She wants to have an abortion.’
Darryl almost choked. ‘Abortion?’
‘She doesn’t want the baby and the relationship is finished.’
‘With me, or the Father of the baby?’
‘She wants you. The other relationship is finished.’
Darryl stubbed out the remains of the cigarette on the railing. The butt and holder went back into his shirt pocket. ‘Sounds like you girls had a nice little chat,’ he said sarcastically.
‘We’ll take care of her tonight. You go back to the hotel. You will need to work this out with her, but not just now.’
Susan glanced at Ben, turned and walked back inside the house. The two men sat in silence. Darryl finally put the notebook back in his trouser pocket and pushed out of his chair. He walked down the stairs to the lawn. The entire front garden down to the ocean was instantly bathed in brilliant white light. ‘Can’t live with them and can’t live without them,’ he said, squinting at the flood lights. ‘You’ve heard that one?’
‘Yep,’ said Ben.
‘You’re divorced?’
‘Yep,’ said Ben. ‘Last year.’
‘She couldn’t handle the scandal of you with that young American movie star in Port Douglas?’
‘It wasn’t a scandal, and my marriage was over long before that. We both kind of let go of each other. I used to blame the Police Department and all the shit hours and dealing with scumbags and people in pain. Then later I figured I should have made the extra effort.’
Darryl turned to face him. ‘I’m not sure how to handle this situation with Sharon.’
‘Don’t write her off too quickly. That would be my advice. If it’s positively over in your mind, then it’s over. If you’re not sure, just step back, assess carefully, take time, and then decide.’
Darryl nodded. He fished the car keys from his pocket. ‘I don’t want her caught up in the cross fire between you and our killer.’
‘He’s not getting even remotely close to us here,’ said Ben. ‘I’ve got more security triggers in place than just a few flood lights and passive infrared motion detectors.’
Darryl took a few steps towards the four wheel police vehicle. He stopped again and turned to face Ben. ‘You want to come on the raid of Lupton’s house tomorrow? Strictly as an observer.’
‘I’m flattered that you would invite me.’
‘I need your expertise. I need a second pair of independent eyes over every shred of evidence.’
‘OK, where do I meet you?’
‘I’ll have Binda pick you up at 5.00 am. We move in at 5.30.’ A second team led by our visiting detectives is hitting the Lupton farm in Rossmore at the same time.’
‘I’ll be ready.’
‘Sharon will be OK?
Ben rose and walked to the verandah railing. ‘She’s in the best hands in Cooktown.’
‘Alright. See you in the morning.’
‘Go back to the resort and have a couple of drinks.’
‘Yeah, I’m going to ring Pete. He’s having marriage problems too. Nice dinner by the way. Best I’ve had in a long time. You have a bit of a talent there Ben.’
‘Cooking is a diversion. Perhaps you should try.’
‘Yeah, right.’ Darryl walked to the police vehicle. ‘I’ve scheduled an all staff briefing at the police station for 10.00 am tomorrow. You’re invited to that as well. Then you and Merinda can give your statements over the rape of that Aboriginal girl.’
‘Should I dress casual?’
‘You can come in your underpants if you like,’ said Darryl. ‘Almost everyone thinks you are a bit of a publicity seeking hot shot anyway, so why let them down?’
‘Would red daks be OK? I’ve got blue but it clashes with my eye colour.’
‘Did you know Ian Sutcliffe?’ said Darryl as he climbed into the police vehicle. ‘That poor bugger would have got on well with you.’
Ben grinned and waved at Darryl’s vehicle as he gunned it up the gravel driveway towards the sealed road. The sensors at the driveway side of the house, activated and brilliant light exploded through the coconut palms and gardens which fringed the gravel road and thick jungle beyond. Ben walked down onto the wet lawn. He patted his right thigh. The German Shepherds came to him instantly. ‘Bed time for you guys,’ he said softly. ‘Just don’t let him get me again.’
The dogs walked close to Ben’s right side as they moved to the wire enclosure. He opened the gate and they scurried inside to their kennels. Their eyes never left him for a second as he closed the gate and walked back to the house.
In the lounge room, Ben found Merinda sitting next to Sharon with an arm around her shoulder. Sharon was sobbing softly. Susan sat opposite in a single plush recliner with her legs crossed underneath her. Ben dropped into a lounge chair next to Susan. Sharon looked up and dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. She sniffled and blew her nose. ‘I’d almost given up believing in angels,’ she said softly. ‘Darryl told me we were coming here for dinner and I told him to go fuck himself. He insisted and I figured if I didn’t come I’d probably just slit my wrists back in the hotel by myself. Then I meet you guys.’ She looked at Ben. ‘You’re not like any of his other mates,’
‘I didn’t know I was his mate,’ Ben said.
‘He seems to think you are. He thinks highly of you.’
‘I’m flattered,’ said Ben.
‘You cook wonderfully. Thank you.’
‘My pleasure.’
Sharon turned her head towards Merinda. ‘And you…..’ She looked across at Susan. ‘And you. I’m not used to pouring my soul out to perfect strangers. Are you girls into witchcraft or something?’
Merinda hugged her closer. ‘You were in lots of pain and we just listened.’
A large tear rolled down Sharon’s right cheek. ‘I feel for once in a long time that I have a plan. I’ve got some kind of positive direction and people who actually care what happens to me.’ She started to cry again.
Ben ran his fingers through his short cropped, greying hair. ‘I know you’ve got serious stuff to get through Sharon. Darryl has too. He’s got a lot happening in his life right now with this serial killer on the loose. I lost my wife because of the kind of shit he’s dealing with now. By the time I realised what was happening, she had just gone. There is still a thread attached between you guys I think.’
‘Bloody slender thread,’ said Sharon, wiping her eyes again with the tissue. ‘I’m pregnant with someone else’s baby. Harry will never forgive me for that.’
‘Who’s Harry?’ asked Susan.
‘Some of the family and close friends call Darryl ‘Harry’.’
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Sharon.
‘What’s this about abortion?’ asked Ben. ‘Have you run that past Darryl?’
Sharon glanced at Susan. ‘You told him?’
‘He needs to know how you are thinking.’
‘I had a one night stand,’ said Sharon. ‘I won’t be seeing this guy again. Harry won’t accept the baby or me.’
‘I wouldn’t write him off so quickly,’ said Ben. ‘Let’s take things one day at a time.’
‘That’s what Merinda said.’ Sharon dabbed the tissue at her slightly red and swollen eyes.
Ben rose and walked to Sharon. He bent down and kissed her upturned face. ‘OK lady. First thing is to relax and enjoy Merinda’s hospitality. It’s the finest in the far north Queensland. Second, I’ll work with Darryl and the girls will work with you. We’ll get this situation between you, Darryl and the baby, sorted. Got that?’
Sharon nodded vigorously. Ben straightened up. ‘I’ll be accompanying Darryl on an early morning raid.’ He looked at Merinda. ‘We’re doing Graham Lupton’s house in Cooktown and another team will visit his parent’s farm in Rossville at the same time.’
‘I’ve never been to the farm,’ said Merinda. ‘I’ve never even met his parents. I’m finding it very difficult to believe that he would kill someone.’
‘The police have tried to get his location from his mobile phone,’ said Ben. ‘It hasn’t been on for over a week. His four wheel drive vehicle hasn’t been spotted by any police patrol within a thousand kilometres. He’s either dead, or he’s gone to ground.’
‘Well wherever he is, he can’t get his hands on any of my money,’ said Merinda. I’ve closed down access to the business and the joint account. I’m the only one who can access those accounts now.’
‘You should have spoken to me about that first,’ Ben said, lines of concern appearing on his forehead.
‘Why. They’re my accounts.’
‘I don’t know this for certain, but if I was the detective in charge of this investigation, I’d have got a warrant and been monitoring the use of those accounts as a tracking tool.’
‘Oh God,’ said Merinda. ‘I never thought of that. I’m so sorry.’
‘I’ll have to phone Darryl. It’s too late to reverse the bank access now but cutting off their access to cash may flush something or someone out into the open. It could also make things more dangerous for you.’ Ben looked across at Susan. She nodded slowly.
Ben looked towards Sharon. ‘There is a lot to be done to identify and catch the killer. It’s huge pressure on Darryl. You are also under enormous pressure. Can you take a few steps back and work with us and your husband? Darryl needs his mind very clear just now.’
Sharon nodded. ‘Of course I will.’
‘Thanks,’ said Ben. ‘I’ll phone Darryl and then I’m off to bed.’
‘Need tucking in?’ asked Merinda with a wicked smile.
‘I’ll tuck myself in thank you,’ said Ben as he hurried from the room.
Sharon turned to face Merinda. ‘Are you after him?’
‘I think she’s already got him,’ said Susan.
‘No-one’s got him,’ said Merinda. ‘No-one.’
“****”