The door opened and I saw a quick flash of an arm in navy blue before I got on the phone. I needed to talk to Leo. Urgently.
The person you’ve called is not available.
I looked up at the person standing by my bed. Six foot one of distraction that, frankly, I wasn’t in the mood for.
‘Mum, how are you?’ Dean reached out for my hand, his face creased with anxiety.
‘Been better.’ I waved at the TV.
‘The TV’s too loud for you?’
‘It’s Leo. There’s been a bus crash.’ My voice wobbled.
Look, I wasn’t blubbing, just to be clear. They pump a lot of drugs into you when you’re in hospital, everybody knows that. Those chemicals do all kinds of things to a person, especially to their eyes.
‘Mum, you’re crying. Hey, hey, here, take this.’ Dean held out a grimy hanky.
‘Jesus, did you change a tyre on the way here?’ No way I was touching that.
‘My best hanky. Use it for all my favourite oil spills. Can’t believe you’d reject it.’ He smiled. Sat down, took off his cap.
‘Leo was on the bus, I’m sure of it.’ God, I was responsible for Leo’s death. If only I hadn’t allowed myself to get so annoyed with him he wouldn’t have been on that bus, to get on that flight, to come and see me. For one evening. And in any case, I wasn’t even going to be there, given my current state of health.
More wet stuff around my eyes. I grabbed a tissue from the box on my bedside table and blew my nose.
‘What bus?’ said Dean.
I explained.
‘Mum, listen to me. Leo won’t have been anywhere near there. I mean who in their right mind travels on something called Death Road?’
I nodded, unconvinced. Leo might well do anything if he thought it was the fastest way to the airport. To me. I tried not to think about that. Tried not to think about Leo lying there in tiny smashed-up bits in a pile of mud at the bottom of a ravine. I grabbed another tissue.
‘Let’s check with the airline. You’ll feel better once you’ve heard Leo boarded the plane,’ said Dean, his voice gentle.
Good idea. What the hell was Leo’s flight number, though? ‘He was flying with Avianca to Bogotá, I think. Then LA to Melbourne.’
‘Let me check Avianca’s website.’
It was good to have Dean there, I’ll admit. His kind voice, gentle face. I watched him as he googled on his phone. Surprising to find Dean did gentle, actually. Right now, he reminded me of Piero. Before Piero died and it turned out he was just a lying treacherous bastard anyway.
Dean scrolled through his phone. ‘Hmm.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘Well, it says all flights from La Paz have been suspended due to weather conditions.’
‘Right.’
‘Leo will be fine, Mum.’
‘Yeah.’ I cleared my throat.
‘I’ll call DFAT in the morning.’
‘Thanks, son.’ I suddenly realised he was in uniform. ‘So you’ve been reinstated, then?’
‘Yeah, I was going to tell you about that. I’ve been transferred to Hustle. Temporarily. Since Paula’s been moved onto Ice.’
‘Well, you always liked Hustle. Could be a good move for you.’
‘Not really. I’m on Traffic. Manning Jensen fucken Corner.’
Ah. ‘Well, a lot of people get killed on that corner. You’ll be able to do some top quality preventative policing.’
A person might have fifteen stitches in her back, severe nausea, and crippling anxiety about whether her partner is alive, but you don’t ever give up on the parental pep talk.
‘I’m worried about the girls. They’re with Melissa. And she says no way she’s leaving Mildura, or her job, so the shared parenting isn’t looking good. Eva needs stability. She needs her father nearby, not a million miles away.’
‘You think Stephens arranged that deliberately?’
‘Probably.’
‘Oh shit, Dean.’
‘Yeah. Still, we’ll be fine. It’ll work out. Don’t you worry.’ He patted my hand. Dean looked far from fine. His cheeks had a hollowed-out look.
‘You know Vern’s been arrested?’ I said.
‘Stephens had no choice there.’ Dean looked like it hurt to say it. ‘They found Vivian Bentley’s jewellery at Vern’s place. In his freezer. A gold chain necklace with a dolphin pendant, very distinctive.’
‘What?’ I tried to sit up, without much success. Another wave of nausea.
Dean shot forward. ‘You want me to call the nurse? You need painkillers?’
‘I’m fine. What’s her necklace doing in Vern’s freezer?’
‘Someone put it there, obviously.’
‘Not Vern; I’d put money on that.’
‘Vern was seen arguing with Vivian Bentley the day before she was killed.’
‘Really? Who says?’
‘An anonymous tip-off. Phoned in.’
‘To you?’
‘No. This was while I was on “leave”.’
‘All this is crazy. Why would Vern argue with her? He didn’t even know her.’
‘He knew of her through…’ Dean fiddled with his watch strap. ‘Vern and Joanne are…err, he’s told you, hasn’t he?’
‘They’re lovers, yes, I know all that.’
A softening in Dean’s brown-black eyes. Sympathy?
‘Listen, Vern and I never actually…’ I trailed off.
‘Course.’ He patted my hand.
‘Anyway.’ I took my hand back. ‘Let’s focus on what matters here. Vern might have spoken to Vivian on the phone, but he didn’t actually know her. He had no reason to argue with her.’
‘But you know how loyal he is. And she terminated Joanne’s employment, quite suddenly. They weren’t on good terms. Vern could have…’
‘What? Killed Vivian because she sacked Joanne? Don’t be ridiculous. He didn’t even know Joanne when that happened. He’s clearly been set up.’
‘By who?’
‘By whoever killed Vivian Bentley. Nic bloody Peluso, probably. Who I seriously suspect had something to do with my mugging.’
‘Do you remember much about the attacker? You get a look at him?’
I shook my head. Gently, given the nausea situation. ‘Just a shadow in a room full of them. Although he did cry out when I kicked him.’
I’m not a sadist, I hope, but reflecting on that memory was quite satisfying.
I told Dean about the ute and 4WD Vern had seen by the oval.
Dean nodded; jotted it all down in his notebook.
After Dean left, I lay back on my pillows, pondering. How the hell to prove Vern hadn’t put that necklace in his freezer; didn’t kill Vivian Bentley? I mean, it was obvious, surely? Maybe not, if you didn’t know Vern. And were keen for a fast conviction for Vivian’s Bentley’s murder. And allowed yourself to be taken in by planted evidence.
So who had done the planting?