Burn Patterns (38 page)

Paul hadn't given up many of his secrets in the hospital basement, although other records gave more later. His mother died in December. It had been logged as an accidental death while smoking in bed. They never discovered the significance of the Passiona can. They found some things in his files, other things they'd never know. He had been good at hiding.

Iris went back to work for the Arson Squad as a special consultant, with Mathew's blessing. She also worked with James to slowly uncover his childhood hurt. He'd been molested by an ‘uncle', a boyfriend of his mother's, and he found a way to drift off and imagine himself somewhere else, on another planet, while he was abused. Many years later, James saw the uncle on
television, famous for something else. It triggered a breakdown and a suicide attempt by fire. Some things don't heal on their own. They lie dormant waiting to metastasise, exactly like latent cancer.

Exactly like crimes against children. Most victims of child abuse suffered and struggled alone. They needed to be supported. They could be helped. Just not by Iris. She was not particularly good at curing, she'd found. She was a mildly messed-up person who'd been through some things she was trying to get over. Her life continued to be a work in progress. There were always people who visited their damage on others. If the damage involved fire, Iris would keep trying to put them out.

A good deal of research has gone into
Burn Patterns
, not least into fire investigation, narrative therapy and other psychological methods and post-traumatic stress. Yet no amount of secondary research can match the firsthand experiences and language of those working in the field.

I would like to give special thanks to Rick Curtis, a professional firefighter and fire investigator, for his close reading of the manuscript and his detailed terminology suggestions.

I'd also like to thank Judy Griffiths for her insights into the practices and philosophies of those working in the psychological health fields. The fiction of
Burn Patterns
has been strengthened by the ‘reality checks'.

Any misunderstandings, manglings and mistakes are all my own.

It is wonderful to be working with Fremantle Press and the dedicated staff there. Cheers to Zoe Barnard, who has given valuable feedback.

Georgia Richter has been my editor once again and it continues to be a wonderful relationship, from my side, anyway. I thank Georgia for her sensitivity, artistry and massive patience. I continue to commit crimes against grammar.

Finally as ever, my reading family: Michelle, Jill, Les, Samantha and Frances who are subjected to early drafts. Also Bill and Lee for fruitful (and fruit-filled) discussions of my work. And Vivienne, Leonie, Meredith, Callum, Karin, Christian, Arna and David, for continued tolerance and occasional cheerleading.

Ron Elliott is a scriptwriter, film and television director and academic. He is the author of the novel
Spinner
and the fiction collection
Now Showing
, as well as ‘The Lake Story', which was a finalist in the Carmel Bird Award for long short stories. Ron lives in Perth, Western Australia.

More great crime from Fremantle Press

available from
fremantlepress.com.au
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First published 2016 by

FREMANTLE PRESS

25 Quarry Street, Fremantle 6160

(PO Box 158, North Fremantle 6159)

Western Australia

www.fremantlepress.com.au

Copyright © Ron Elliott, 2016

The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be made to the publisher.

Consultant editor Georgia Richter

Cover design Nada Backovic

Cover photograph © Jarek Blaminsky, Arcangel Images Ltd

Printed by Everbest Printing Company, China

National Library of Australia

Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

Elliott, Ron, 1958-, author

Burn Patterns / Ron Elliott.

ISBN: 9781925163476 (epub)

Detective and mystery stories.

Fire investigation
—
Fiction. Pyromania
—
Fiction. Post-traumatic stress disorder
—
Fiction. Mental health
—
Fiction. Dewey number: A823.4

Fremantle Press is supported by the State Government through the Department of Culture and the Arts.