New Zealand Herald:
PRICELESS ARTIFACT STOLEN FROM TE PAPA
The New Zealand Police are appealing for information from the public to help retrieve a museum piece stolen yesterday from the capital’s museum.
The item is believed to be one of Captain James Cook’s severed hands, salted and preserved after his death in 1779 when he was executed by Hawaiian natives.
On loan from the United Kingdom, the hand is a rare and irreplaceable piece of history, and is part of a twelve-month display of artifacts for the 250th anniversary of Cook’s landing in New Zealand.
Paintings by John Weber and John Cleverly, depicting Cook’s final battle and part of the display, were not taken, according to museum curator Safua Akeli Amaama.
The display was due to open this Saturday.
The hand is in a sealed, clear Perspex jar and has a distinctive label declaring it property of the Museum of London.
Police say the piece went missing sometime after closing on Wednesday evening and are following up several leads. They are asking the public for help to locate a person of interest, 27-year-old Gary Harwick, a museum janitor who has not turned up for work since the disappearance.
Faith followed Anna through the crowds of people aboard the ferry, probably off for a weekend away from the capital. Near a large window, a group of women had commandeered two rows of seats. In fact, all the window seats were taken and Anna led her to a row near the front and flopped down. A man a few seats down glanced over at them with disinterest, flipped the page of his newspaper over and then went back to reading. Through the large window at the front Faith could see the wind had picked up, the water was choppy. The engines thrummed through the floor beneath them. She’d never been the best sailor and avoided boats whenever she could. A romantic weekend cruise Daniel had planned for their second wedding anniversary had ended up being a disaster when she spent the entire time heaving her guts out. She’d partly blamed that on the fact that she was pregnant with Rebecca at the time but hadn’t been keen to repeat the experience since. She’d never crossed on the ferry before, even though she’d grown up in the South Island. Her parents had never taken her or her brother and sisters outside of their small, conservative community.
“So, what’s in Invercargill?” Anna asked.
“My brother lives there. It’s his birthday next week and his partner is planning a surprise party to coincide with the opening of their new business.” She gazed out the front window and the boat let out a long moaning toot as it started to pull out. “I haven’t seen Isaac for years.”
“Really? Are you not close then?”
Faith didn’t answer for a beat. “We talk, sometimes, on the phone, but no, I guess not. We had a bit of an unconventional childhood, I suppose. I think we’re both still coming to terms with that.”
Anna turned to face Faith fully. “Sounds interesting. Unconventional how?”
It wasn’t something Faith talked about much, and especially with someone she had only just met, but she was going to be spending time with Anna in a small van and their children were flatting together. “Have you heard of the Servants of Christ?”
“Those nutcase Bible-bashers down south? Who don’t cut their hair or show any skin above the ankles?”
“Yeah, them. That’s where I grew up.” Her face quirked into a smile when she saw Anna’s mouth drop open.
“Oh God, sorry, that was really insensitive of me … but, your hair … it’s, like, shoulder length. And, are you allowed to wear jeans?”
“It’s okay, I left a long time ago, thank goodness,” Faith laughed. “I went to Christchurch to study nursing but I think I was a bit shell-shocked. I did the first year — that’s when I met Daniel — we got married, moved up north and had the girls. It wasn’t until our youngest, Rebecca, was at school that I went back and studied social work. I think my studies were probably what helped me come to terms with everything in the end. It was kind of cathartic. That and having counselling myself.”
“Jesus, I can’t imagine what that must have been like,” Anna muttered. Then, “God, sorry, can I say ‘Jesus’ in front of you?”
Faith laughed. “It’s fine. I don’t belong to the community any more. I’m fully immersed in modern society these days.”
“Thank Christ for that, and now I’m going to get us a glass of wine and then you can tell me more.”
Anna stood up before Faith could protest. She still felt a bit seedy from the night before, not used to drinking so much.
Faith took the opportunity to call her husband, Daniel, while Anna was gone. He wasn’t long home from school, having dropped Rebecca off at volleyball, and was peeling potatoes to make chips for dinner — just a regular Friday night in the Coleman household. He barked out a laugh when Faith told him about the van.
“Ah, that explains things. Rachel was messaging Becky after school and all Becky could say was ‘Oh, my God, Dad, I think Mum’s having a mid-life crisis. Should we go down there and rescue her?’ I couldn’t make out what was going on with all the histrionics.”
“What did you say?”
“That it sounded to me like she was trying to get out of doing her biology assignment and she muttered something about the downfalls of having a dad who was a teacher at her school.”
“Well, you can reassure her that I’m perfectly fine. I think. It was a moment of drunken madness but it looks like it’s all going to work out in the end. Actually, maybe don’t mention the drunken madness.”
“I won’t. I’ll tell her you’re rediscovering your adventurous side. Actually, I kind of wish I was there to see that for myself. I’m glad you’ve got someone to travel with though.”
“Yeah, I just hope we’re not too different. She’s very classy. Lots of money. We might not have much other than the kids in common.”
“Well, you’re great with all types, love, so I’m sure you’ll get along fine.”
Faith hoped so.
When Anna came back she had an entire bottle of wine, two glasses and a large bowl of loaded wedges.
“I got a Merlot. They didn’t have a Malbec, or a Shiraz.”
“Oh, I know nothing about wine. If it’s red and cheapish, I’ll drink it,” Faith told her, feeling a little embarrassed at her lack of refinement.
“Well, here’s to new friendships,” Anna said as she handed Faith a glass.
“So, what about you?” Faith asked, when Anna had sat down and placed the wedges on an empty seat between them. “You have three kids?”
“Yep, the twins are twenty-one this year, both graduating, though I think Niamh is going to go on and do her masters. She’s studying business. I’m just glad they’re doing what they want to do and are actually going to finish their studies. Unlike me.”
Faith was quiet as she waited for Anna to go on.
“I was studying to be a chef when I met Greg. I loved it but he swept me off my feet I guess, at first. It wasn’t until we were married that I realised what an arse he was. Wish I’d stayed to finish that final year now, though I wouldn’t wish away my kids for anything.”
“Do you still love cooking?”
“Absolutely, but now it’s just family meals and dinners for Greg’s business colleagues. And working part time in our business, that’s me.” The smile she gave Faith seemed forced.
“So we both feel like we might have missed out a bit then? Perhaps we can have some fun on this trip to make up for it.” Faith raised her glass and clinked it against Anna’s. “Here’s to an amazing adventure.”
“Here’s to us. By the way, you don’t snore, do you?”
“No, do you?”
“No, I don’t think so. But if we’re going to share a hotel room tonight, I guess you’ll find out.”
The ferry gave a sudden lurch and Faith sloshed wine over her jeans. It rolled back and she clutched the seat in front to steady herself. Anna reached over for the discarded newspaper the man who had been sitting near them had left behind.
“May as well make ourselves comfy, it could be a bit of a rough trip.”
Faith quickly took a couple of wedges, hoping they’d help quell the already queasy feeling she had. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to Becky, wishing her a good game and asking how her day at school had been. Becky replied straight away with a sunglasses face emoji and Faith tucked her phone into her pocket, glad Becky was clearly too busy to ask about the road trip. Daniel could explain that one to her later. She really felt quite sick from the rocking to and fro. She sipped her wine as Anna read the paper, humming to herself. Anna stopped suddenly.
“Bloody hell, listen to this. Someone’s stolen Captain Cook’s hand from Te Papa. Who would want something like that? What would you even do with it?”
“His hand?”
“Yeah, it was part of a display due to open at Te Papa. Sounds like it was quite valuable.”
“They must have been hoping to sell it. Don’t know how you’d find a buyer for something like that. I wonder what it even looks like?” She let out a shudder. Anna shoved the newspaper in front of her.
“It’s pickled. Look, here’s a photo.”
Faith looked. She couldn’t not. The hand was in a clear tube, swimming in liquid. It was withered, the skin wrinkled, the fingers claw-like. Absolutely gruesome — like something that would reach out to grab you in your worst nightmare. Her stomach lurched. She quickly shoved her glass of wine at Anna, clapped her hand over her mouth and stumbled to the outside door as quickly as she could.
Anna looked at her sympathetically when she returned. “I got you some water,” she said, handing Faith a bottle. “The guy at the till says it’s those southwesterlies that cause the swell but luckily they don’t get that many of them. Well, unlucky for us, I guess, that we got one today. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Distract me?” Faith suggested, twisting off the top and taking a large mouthful.
“So where do you live? I can’t remember whether you’ve said.”
“We’re in the Hawke’s Bay, quite near where Daniel grew up. His parents have been an amazing support to both of us over the years and they adore the girls.”
“Rachel looks nothing like you. Does she take after your husband?”
“Daniel. Yeah, she does. Rebecca is more like me. We’re all shorties in my family.” She pulled up a photo on her phone and turned it to show Anna. Daniel was lounging on a hammock in their backyard, asleep, with a book over his chest. His sunglasses were skewed, one hand rested on the slight paunch of his stomach and his feet were bare, hanging over the edge. Rebecca sat on the grass nearby, hair the same dark brown as Faith’s, her round face split into a wide grin.
“Do you have any photos? Ben looks very much like you, I think.”
“Here, this was Greg and me at an awards dinner last year.”
Faith peered at the photo showing a very glamorous couple. Greg was a dark-haired man wearing a well-fitting charcoal suit, an expensive-looking watch peeking out from the perfectly turned cuff. He was good-looking in a bland, unremarkable way, looking directly into the camera with an unreadable smirk on his face. Next to him, Anna looked poised and elegant in a long silver dress with a plunging neckline, one hand placed demurely across her cleavage. Her blonde hair was swept up into a neat chignon and her makeup looked flawless.
“Oh wow, you look stunning. I couldn’t even imagine pulling off something like that.”
Anna giggled. “Want to hear a funny story? I spent all night trying to stop my boobs from popping out of the neckline. I just felt so self-conscious the whole time. It wasn’t until we got home that I realised I’d put the dress on the wrong way. The plunge was meant to be at the back.”
Faith snorted. “Well, you’d never know it to look at you. You ooze confidence.”
“I’m just glad Greg didn’t win the bloody award. Every year he gets nominated and he’s convinced each time that this is going to be the year he’s going to win. Of course, I’d have had to go up with him to accept it like his little show pony. Imagine how mortified I’d have been afterwards when I’d realised.”
The ferry rose suddenly and then dropped and Faith felt her stomach roll in response. She grimaced, and handed her glass to Anna again as she stood. “Sorry,” she muttered as she pushed her way to the bathroom.
“That has to be one of the worst sailings I’ve had in all the years I’ve worked here,” Janice told Faith as she handed her another paper towel in the ladies before they disembarked. “Sometimes those rough sailings just come out of the blue.”
Anna had seemed mostly unaffected by the swells, but Faith had spent a large amount of the journey in the stall and had gotten to know Janice quite well as they sailed. As Janice bagged up yet another bin of rubbish, another woman emerged from the far stall looking as green as Faith felt.
“I think I’ve lost about five kgs in the last two hours,” the woman said.
“Hopefully the trip back will be better,” Janice said cheerfully, and Faith shuddered at the thought.
“Right, well, thanks for your help, Janice, and good luck with the surgery,” she said.
“Enjoy your road trip, love, I’m sure you’ll have a great time.”
Faith hoped so. Getting off the ferry would make a great start.