My Island Homicide (27 page)

‘Thea, what the fuck are you doing?' Jack was next to the microphone and his voice was broadcast throughout the courtroom.

I checked Franz. His dark, sad eyes met mine. I nodded to him. His mouth quivered, not a smile, but as good as. He knew I finally understood what he had been trying to tell me for months: Robby murdered Melissa. Franz had probably been roaming around that night and followed Robby when he went to dump Melissa's body in the well.

‘Senior-Sergeant,' said the magistrate, ‘what on earth do you mean?'

Jack snatched the microphone from me. I snatched it back. ‘Jack, not now. Your Honour, the prosecution is withdrawing the charge of murder against the accused.'

‘My dear, I have 33 years' experience in the law. I know what a NETO is. What I don't understand is why you are doing this now, at such an advanced stage?'

Jack was tugging at my arm.

‘Sorry, Your Honour.' I turned to Jack and said, ‘I know who killed Melissa.'

Gregory Crane and Dave Garland stared at me as if I had started lap dancing for Jack. It's not every day that a committal proceeding disintegrates into theatrical chaos.

‘Senior-Sergeant, I don't have all day,' said the magistrate.

‘Thea, you're making a huge mistake,' said Jack. ‘You've been sick. You can't do this.'

I got in Jack's ear. ‘Robby did it. Franz saw him do it or watched him dump the body. He stole those things from Robby and put them by the well and on my driveway to tell me he'd seen it. Franz knew the dog, so he could get into the house without the dog barking. Franz cut his face in sympathy with Melissa.'

Jack rolled his eyes. ‘Thea, this is ridiculous.'

The magistrate was slapping the bench. ‘Senior-Sergeant!'

‘Robby knew about the affair and the pregnancy, which he thought was Dave's. He killed Melissa and framed Dave, who he knew was in the shit for fraud. Robby probably never told Melissa about the fraud so she wouldn't have known. She was a mess, snorting, screwed up, sneaking around. Dave was the perfect scapegoat for murder. Plus Robby wanted to get revenge for being framed all those years ago. Leilani was right. Dave's corrupt, but he's not a killer. I missed it all.' I grabbed Jack's arm. ‘Detain Robby, go to his house, go through everything, get the evidence. He keeps papers, receipts, you name it, all filed in date order. He told me. Don't stop looking till you find what we need.'

The magistrate barked my name. Franz screamed. Robby was shaking his head and walking towards the rear door. Jack pleaded with me to stop.

‘Jack, shut up. Go and detain Robby and search his house. The evidence is there.' I spun around and pointed to Robby. ‘Robby Ramu. You are now detained while police officers conduct a search of your residence. If they wish to question you, you don't have to say anything but if you do it will be recorded and may be used against you in a court of law.'

‘Thea,' said Robby, ‘you're making a mistake. And you're not well. You can't let this simple mute dictate—'

‘Jack!' I screamed. ‘Handcuff him. And remember what I told you.'

‘I'm sorry,
bala
,' said Jack as Robby turned and put his wrists behind his back. ‘It's just a job.' Jack turned to me. ‘I hope you're right, Thea. You do need evidence, you know. Remember, the 729 sections of the Queensland Criminal Code?'

The metallic click of each cuff filled the deathly silent court.

‘Very well,' said the magistrate. ‘Mr Garland, the charge of murder has been withdrawn and you are free to leave the court.'

Chapter 45

That's when things started to fall apart, well, fall further apart.

I am sure the ground moved from under me because I grabbed at the chair to stop myself collapsing. I caught sight of Leilani and the well-dressed man sneering at me. I don't know if it was coincidence, but at that precise moment, I felt like a knife cut through my gut. My pelvic floor muscles did, indeed, give way and a warm oily liquid flowed down my legs. I panicked, thinking that at 32 weeks pregnant, it was too early for my waters to be breaking and if they were, they shouldn't be the colour of fresh blood. The room turned. The coat of arms proclaimed, ‘My God and My Right' over and over. The wiry bottle-green carpet rushed up to meet me.

‘No. Thea, Thea,' said Jonah, who was immediately at my side. ‘She needs an ambulance. Someone, call an ambulance.'

Uncle placed a hand on my forehead. In his other hand were the Rosary beads, which he trailed across my face as he muttered ‘Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death'. The reference to death worried me when I lifted my wet hand and saw it was covered in blood. I patted the floor around me and it seemed I was lying in a pool of my own blood. I would have freaked out about bleeding so much and losing the baby I never expected to have in the first place, except I couldn't move and I was thirsty and icy cold and I couldn't stop shivering.

‘Out of the way!'

‘We'll take it from here.'

I needed to check out for a while.

And when I came to, I had no idea where I was. It occurred to me I might be dead, except there was a dull ache in my pelvis and I couldn't move, except my tongue. My mouth was dry and my lips stuck together. I must have fallen asleep.

‘How are you travelling, Jonah?' asked Carla from behind me.

‘She's still asleep,' said Jonah. ‘Why won't she wake up?'

‘She'll be fine. She's lost a lot of blood, but she should come around soon.'

I was fitting the pieces together, remembering how I got here. I was at court. I must have fainted. So I wasn't dead.

‘I'm around,' I said but it came out like a croak.

Jonah leaned over and kissed my cheek. Through the window, the sky was swirls of pink and purple.

‘I feel like I've been drugged,' I moaned.

Carla laughed. ‘You have been, actually. Since about ten this morning.'

‘Well, what about gutted?'

‘That too,' said Jonah.

‘I have? You mean I've had the baby?' I raised my arm, which felt weighted with lead, and touched my belly. Sure enough, most of it was gone. ‘The baby? Where's my baby?' I tried to sit up and only managed to lift my head a fraction.

‘I'll get Dorothy to bring him in soon,' said Carla. ‘She's in the labour ward at the moment.'

‘I have a baby boy?'

‘I've held him. He's perfect,' said Jonah, teary-eyed. ‘But he has to stay warm.'

‘What happened?' I asked.

‘You haemorrhaged,' said Carla.

‘What caused it?'

‘Placental abruption. The placenta had pulled away from the uterus. Do you remember being in pain?'

‘Yes, but it was more panic than pain.'

‘Well, you were almost on a medivac down south, but you pulled through. Hang on.' She dashed out.

Jonah and I looked at each other and he gripped my hand. He bit his lip and I thought he was going to cry.

Then Carla was back. ‘I found this embedded in the placenta.' She held out a specimen jar, which contained a small grey thing, like a claw.

‘What is it?' Jonah took it and rolled the thing around in his fingers as a fleeting expression of fear crossed his face. He took a deep breath and gave me a heavy look.

‘It's a fetolith. In medical terms, it is ossified fetal tissue from a past unviable pregnancy. Which is a fancy way of saying it's a miscarried foetus that remained in the uterus and turned into bone over time.' She beamed. ‘It's the first one I've ever seen. I remember studying fetoliths at uni. We were told that we'd never see one in our careers. It really looks like a bird's claw, don't you think?'

‘So, you're saying that this is actually the bony remains of a baby I was pregnant with in the past?'

‘Yes.'

‘But I've never been pregnant.'

‘You must have been, but didn't know. It's not unusual for a woman to fall pregnant, not know, and miscarry, thinking it was a heavy period.'

‘Can we keep it?' asked Jonah. ‘As a souvenir, sort of.'

‘Of course. It's yours. Funny you say that, though. On one part of the Burmese border, fetoliths are not uncommon. It is the only part of the world where they are not as rare as hen's teeth. Parents keep the fetolith because they think it has spiritual significance.' She paused. ‘I've taken some photos. Would you mind if I write an article about it?'

‘I'm sorry, Carla,' I said. ‘Write the article, it doesn't matter. But right now I need to see my baby.'

‘I'll chase up Dorothy,' said Carla and she hurried out of the room.

‘I thought you were gone,' said Jonah, burying his head into my shoulder. ‘I saw you lying in all that blood and you were grey. I really thought I'd lost you.'

‘You didn't lose me. Stop thinking about it.'

‘Uncle wasn't talking, just praying and sweating. That really worried me, that he couldn't stop what was happening.'

‘I'm sure Uncle had it all under control. Have you told him and the girls?'

‘Yeah, they're waiting for you to wake up. Mum's made gallons of
zura.
She reckons it's good for your milk.' He kissed me and I knew everything was going to be all right . . . except for the
zura.

‘Knock, knock,' said Dorothy. ‘There's someone to see you.' She was holding out a small bundle of blue to Jonah.

‘Let me help you up first,' she said to me.

‘He's so perfect,' said Jonah, gazing at our baby. Dorothy raised the top half of the bed so I was sitting up. Jonah passed me our son. ‘Be careful, yes, yes, like that. Isn't he perfect?'

When I took hold of my baby, it was like I had been waiting all my life for the moment. He was asleep and I kissed his wrinkled face and inhaled the warm, earthy scent of his new skin. Jonah pulled out his phone, took some photos and then called the girls and Uncle.

‘Would you like to give him a feed?' asked Dorothy. ‘He needs it.'

As soon as Dorothy positioned his face near my nipple, he opened his mouth, as if biting the air. A hot rush of emotion engulfed me as my baby took to my breast like a fish to water. Dorothy said she'd be back later to put him in the humidicrib. My baby sucked and when sated, fell asleep, a thin stream of colostrum running from his open mouth.

Chapter 46

The three old folk rushed in. Mum and Yenah each carried an enamel bowl and Uncle his alligator case. They cooed as they huddled around the baby. Yenah reckoned
bubba
had Jonah's nose and Mum thought he had my eyes, even though he was fast asleep.

‘We need a name,' said Jonah.

Uncle took the baby from me and spoke to him in traditional language for a few minutes and looked to the heavens. I heard ‘
Zesus Krais
' and ‘angel
blong
heaven.' Other than that, I had no idea what he was saying.

‘Karrmoi,' Uncle announced and then turned to me. ‘
Karrmoi
is a mangrove fish with a bad sting. Same like
kibbim
but
karrmoi
more worser
.
Make you
nathakind
dizzy
.
'

So, it was Karrmoi, son of Kibbim, son of Kaigus, son of Geigi.

Dorothy wheeled in the humidicrib and placed Karrmoi inside to sleep in the warmth. My heart was exploding with love, exponential love, love that could fill the hearts of all the people on the island, in the world. My face hurt from smiling each time I looked at my baby. What I really wanted was to be alone with Jonah and Karrmoi, my little family.

‘My
gel, kai kai
that
zura
,' said Yenah, thrusting a fried scone into my hands.

‘I'm not that hungry.'

As I turned to look again at Karrmoi, I saw the discreet nod Uncle gave to Jonah. I put my scone on the bedside table.

‘You remember what happened in court?' Uncle asked me, just as Jack and Jenny came in, squealing with delight.

‘Oh, sorry,' said Jenny when she saw Uncle and the girls, silent and serious.

‘Come, my
gel
,' said Uncle. ‘Come, my boy. Ah, you boy
blong
Abel Lakoko?'

‘Yes, Uncle.'

Jack and Jenny gave me a box of chocolates and a present wrapped in pale blue paper. We chatted for a bit but I could tell from Jack's and Jenny's Cheshire Cat-style smiles that something major had happened.

‘So, Jack, spill the beans.' I offered him a chocolate from the box. He studied the description sheet carefully, popped one choccy in his mouth, took a second, swapped it for another, and then grabbed a third.

‘Life is short, Jack,' said Jenny. ‘Fine. I'll tell her.' She smiled and shook her head. ‘You were right, Thea. We searched Robby's house and found boxes of paperwork, all in date order, receipts, letters, documents, you name it.'

‘He doesn't throw anything away,' said Jack with a full mouth. ‘We found a copy of a letter Melissa wrote to Robby in late February saying she had tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen so she was writing instead. She was two months pregnant and she didn't know whose baby it was. She was sick of Robby trying to control her and she was leaving with Alby to stay with her father at the end of April when she'd submitted her assignments.'

‘So,' said Jenny, ‘when Robby discovered the potential for a fraud case against Dave, he took the opportunity to kill Melissa for cheating and frame Dave.'

‘To get back at Dave for framing him years ago,' I said.

‘With Melissa's letter was the best find – a receipt for a Victorinox kitchen knife purchased on his VISA card.'

‘Well, he'd need that receipt to claim a refund,' I said, ‘if she'd survived and he was charged with attempted murder.'

Jack said Robby would be stuck in the watch house for a couple of days before being flown to Cairns.

‘How could he do it?' I asked. ‘Terrible. So terrible.'

‘Just think,' said Mum, ‘you don't have to worry about any of this. Put it behind you.'

‘And we go help you, my
gel
,' said Yenah. ‘You go get your strength back and me and Sissy here, we go take
bubba
for you.'

I smiled, thinking they'd probably discussed how to get lots of grandson time. Karrmoi stirred in his sleep and made the strangest face, pushing his lips far out. He was so beautiful. I wanted to hold him again.

‘I'm not sure about Robby's dog,' said Jack, choosing another two chocolates. ‘I was going to take Bear to my place, but he's a bit wild. I don't know what to do with him.'

From the corner of my eye, I saw Jonah handing the fetolith to Uncle, who held it up to the light. They were in quiet conversation. I was half-listening to Jack and trying to watch Uncle and Jonah.

‘Bring him around to meet Gapu and Chief,' said my mother. ‘They might get along, might calm him down.'

‘
Aberray
,' said Jack.

‘But, Rosie,' said Yenah, ‘we got all them guinea pigs coming
blong
to the prep teacher who's leaving for the Christmas holidays.'

Prep! I remembered Alby. How could I have forgotten him? ‘What about Alby?' I asked. ‘Where is he?'

‘He's with a teacher couple,' said Jenny. ‘Melissa's father is flying up tomorrow morning.'

Jonah and Uncle were still whispering, heads close. Uncle was shaking the fetolith as if he was angry with it. Jack took another chocolate and Jenny replaced the lid.

‘Come on, Jack,' she said. ‘We'll be able to get a feed from the Railway if we hurry.' She leaned over and hugged me. ‘Well done. He's gorgeous.'

‘
Yawo
, goodnight, konichiwa.' Jack waved to us and turned to Jenny as they walked out. ‘Nah, I
beliful
now. Chocolate's really filling, you know?'

‘Well, why would you go and eat crap when you . . .' Jenny's voice faded into the corridor.

‘Lily,
em mina kind
handsome, that sergeant,' said Mum and the two of them giggled.

I looked at Uncle. ‘It was Leilani and that man wearing the red
lava lava
, wasn't it?'

‘The man, my
gel
, it was the man. Did one of them touch you
,
soft
wat
?'

I told him about Leilani and the man coming to my office, Leilani grabbing my arm and the man, calming me, then leaving feathers in my office.

‘What sort of feathers?'

‘I don't know.'

‘
Kuzi
feathers, that's what,' said Uncle. ‘Feather
blong
to the sea eagle.'

‘Why didn't you tell me about this?' asked Jonah, stunned.

‘I didn't know he put a spell on me. Police get assaulted all the time in the line of duty.'

‘Now you
sabe
maydh
,' said Yenah.

‘My
gel
, you almost been killed in the line of duty.' Uncle held out the claw. ‘Do you know what this is?'

‘The doctor said it was a fetolith, an—'

‘No. It's the claw
blong
to the
kuzi.
Them feto . . . feta . . . feta
, wanem
that one, my boy?'

‘Fetolith,' said Jonah, winking at me.

‘It's not that. It's the claw
blong
to the
kuzi.
Them feto-thing, the doctor never been seen one before. I been see this one plenty time, in kidney, in heart. Maybe barb
blong
stingray or tooth
blong
shark.
It's
maydh
.'

I had a flashback to the evening Jonah and I celebrated my pregnancy surprise, and the mutilated sea eagle on Greenhill. A shiver ran through me.

‘So Leilani got the man to put the claw in my belly to make me so sick I'd get off the case. She thought that might be the end of things against Dave.'

‘The wrong use of
maydh
,' said Uncle.

‘It's just as well you listened to us, darling,' said Mum, giving me a serious look.

On the one hand, I thought rationally, like a
kole
person the way I'd been raised. Pregnant women often haemorrhage and go into premature labour requiring emergency caesareans. And often, there is no medical explanation. When Carla found the fetolith, she needed to have a rational explanation for it.

Then I thought like an Islander, the person I felt I was becoming. The well-dressed man was hired by Leilani to make
maydh
for me. He killed a
kuzi
and lodged the claw inside me when he visited me at the station. Very slowly, the claw worked my body into a state of dis-ease. Who knows what would have happened if it weren't for Uncle.

‘How did you save us, Uncle?' I wasn't sure he'd answer that question.

‘With prayers to our good Lord Jesus Christ.' He winked at me and I couldn't tell if he was serious or not. I should have known Uncle would never disclose the lore of
maydh
. I smiled and let the tide of the day's events wash over me.

‘Okay,
mipla
go go now,' said Uncle.

We said goodnight and the girls promised to bring more
zura
for my breakfast.

When we were finally alone, Jonah said with a big smile, ‘Well, what a day.'

I small heart jump when I be look Jonah.
He was so handsome he made my heart miss a beat.

I smiled, realising I had just thought in Broken English for the first time. ‘I
matha
go sleep,' I said.

Jonah lowered the head of the bed so I was lying flat and he pulled the lounge chair close. He picked up Karrmoi and leaned in to kiss me.

‘I love you,' he said.

‘I love you, too,' I whispered and reached out to touch our nut-brown baby.