My Island Homicide (25 page)

They sounded like they were directly in front of the unit. I expected this to go on and on and on till they had stumbled out of earshot.

‘
I go maydh yu
,' said the woman.

There was silence. Evidently, there was no comeback.

Chapter 42

The next day the District Court prosecutor running the fraud trial against Dave Garland rang with a bombshell of information. Dave's lawyer was negotiating a plea bargain. In return for a non-custodial sentence, Dave would plead guilty to fraud and provide detailed evidence of other players, such as the district manager of the Torres Strait Education Office and the assistant regional manager in Cairns.

‘Dave and his mates higher up must have been under intense political pressure to improve education in the Torres Strait,' I said.

‘It's looking like the people higher up masterminded the scam and pressured Dave by doubling his salary and promising to protect him. Dave was just the gopher who made it happen on the ground.'

Absolute power corrupts absolutely
.

On Monday morning, the beginning of my last week of work, I downed a couple of Panadeine Forte with a cup of tea for breakfast. Jonah had gone to work early because he was flexing off at three and going fishing. He said the tide was good for mangrove jacks. I sat at the table, holding my hot drink, thinking how exciting it would be to hold a baby instead. I sculled the last of the tea, took a deep breath and set off. A blue backpack lay crumpled on the driveway. One of the back panels had ‘A Ramu' written across it in large black letters. This was bizarre – Alby's belongings ending up on my driveway a second time. I took it to work and asked Lency to ring Robby to collect it.

‘One of the nurses just called,' Lency announced. ‘She was exercising up at Millman Hill and followed her dog to the well, the one you found Melissa in. Someone has dumped heaps of stuff in the water. She thinks it's all stolen because she read something about theft in Crime Stoppers. I've sent Jack up there.'

Sure enough, Jack came back with a sodden pair of Nike Air joggers (male size eleven), secateurs and a GPS. Scattered in the scrub around the well was a red and yellow child's lifejacket with ‘A Ramu' written on it and a thick raincoat. Jack also found a whipper snipper engraved with EQ39738, property of Education Queensland. I called Robby to come and identify the property.

Salome did another doorknock in the area but no-one had seen anything and there were no reports of other theft. By Monday afternoon, my headache was killing me but I had to wait before I could take more of the heavy painkillers. Every bone and muscle ached. By three, I knew I needed sleep, and asked Jack to take me home. At least Jonah was fishing and wouldn't see me in such a pathetic state. As we drove the very short distance to my unit, I put my work mobile and charger in the centre console.

‘You're in charge,' I said. ‘And on call for emergencies. I'll see you tomorrow for the committal.' He went to pull into the driveway, but it was blocked by Jonah's work ute. Seeing his car at home when it wasn't supposed to be there was like being felled by a strong blow.

‘I'll let you out here,' Jack said.

‘Take me back to work,' I said.

‘You just asked me to take you home.'

I reached over and held the horn down. The vibrating hum hammered in my head. This was déjà vu. Jonah was supposed to be fishing, not upstairs in our bed with the QBuild administrative trainee with the
debil
eyes and big
susu
. I could deal with Jonah cheating, but I sure as hell didn't want to find him at it.

‘Are you crazy?' asked Jack.

‘No, I am perfectly sane.' I dragged myself out.

‘I'll come with you.' He got out.

I spun around and had to steady myself. ‘No.'

He nodded reluctantly and got back in the car.

Halfway up the stairs, I spotted Jonah at the top. I lifted my head and gathered enough energy to sound cheerful. ‘Oh, Jonah, hi. Aren't you supposed to be fishing? It's a lovely day for fishing.'

‘You're coming with me. We're going to see the girls.' He brushed past me, down the stairs. If I had the energy, I would have screamed at him and raced upstairs to check the bedroom, but I doubled over to get my breath. ‘Has something happened to them?' I gasped.

‘Something's happened to you.'

‘You're right. Something has happened to me. It's called being up the duff.' I was taking the steps one at a time.

He was at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for me. ‘Do me a favour. Stop asking questions, just once. Do you understand?'

I wanted to point out that I hadn't asked a question, but I felt this wasn't the moment to split hairs.

‘Come on.'

‘I can't go any faster,' I said, without looking at him.

‘I'll help you to the car.'

The
naigai
, doldrums, had taken hold of the tiny island and by mid-afternoon each day, the ground was burning like a
kapmauri,
earth oven. I paused at the base of Yenah's stairs to get my breath. The air was thick with the smell of burnt vegetation. The charred remains of Greenhill rose behind the house in a shimmering haze. Heat radiated from the earth in relentless waves and the afternoon sun burnt into my back. Buzarr and Sissy rushed to the front door when they heard Jonah's hello.

‘What are they doing here?' I asked.

‘I bring them here for company during the day because you're so exhausted you can't walk them. At least they play with Gapu and Chief.'

And probably the cats and the bloody turtle.

The atmosphere inside was funereal, made worse by the burning mosquito coil, which choked the air with rancid smoke. The girls faced each other at the table, both wearing
sweaters
wrapped around their heads, turban style, and both had flat, almost angry expressions. Mum was a different person now that she wore island dresses and spoke more Broken English with Yenah.

‘I go make tea,' said Yenah, rising.

Jonah said I should sit down. I said I was happy to stand.

‘Sit down.'

I sat. ‘Well, here we are,' I said. ‘What's the occasion?' I raised my eyebrows at my mother.

‘Ebithea,' she said sternly and paused.
Oh, shit
, I thought.
Here we go.
‘You know how you've been sick and the doctors can't find any reason for your symptoms?'

‘Well, that's not strictly true, Mum. The doctor told me that during pregnancy, some women feel fantastic and glow, most feel normal, and some women feel crappy and struggle. I happen to be one of the struggling ones.'

Jonah snorted. Yenah was shaking her head. Mum reached across the table and placed her thin elegant hands over mine, her long nails grazing my skin. Despite Mum's age, the skin of her hands was smooth, as if dusted with cocoa powder. ‘Ebithea, would you listen? For once.'

‘Mum, seriously . . .'

Jonah snorted again. ‘Your mother is trying to say something and you are interrupting her. Would you stop talking?'

Jonah and Mum looked at each other. Yenah was standing behind Mum with her hands on Mum's shoulders, frowning at me. The silence was torturous.

‘Someone been
maydh
you
,
my
gel
,' said Yenah.

Chapter 43

‘L
ook, I just don't believe in
maydh
—'

‘Thea, listen,' said Jonah.

Mum explained that while I was brought up down south and lived like a
kole
woman, European, I was still, in the heart, an Islander. I opened my mouth to talk but Jonah told me again to stop talking. This was an unwinnable battle from my point of view. Three against one did not support the premise of fair play.

‘Okay, why would anyone
maydh
me?'

‘You've pissed someone off,' said Jonah.

‘Gee, as a police officer, pissing people off is actually part of the job description.'

‘You been wrong one
ilan
man.' Yenah walked to the kettle and turned it on for the second time.

‘Ebithea,' said Mum, ‘the doctors won't find anything because there is nothing wrong other than general symptoms of dis-ease, as in, not feeling at ease. This is how
maydh
works. Initially.' The ‘initially' was loaded with a prediction of horror. ‘Nothing will show in tests and these symptoms will continue. By the time the symptoms show in an X-ray or a blood test or scan, it will be too late. The
kole
doctors won't be able to do anything then.' Fancy my mother suddenly becoming an expert on sorcery over 40 years after she left the Torres Strait.

‘Next it's the baby,' said Jonah.

‘My boy, don't talk
themkind. Yu
go make
em akan
,' said Yenah.

‘Well, she should be scared, very scared. If she's not scared, she won't listen. Next she'll want scientific proof, but the only proof she'll get is more sickness and a dead baby.'

And a rush of fear washed over me. A vision appeared: a shark circling a school of fish. As if sensing my fear, the baby inside me gave a great kick and turned like a slimy eel. Something strange was happening. I wasn't ready to buy this sorcery business, but Mum was right. I didn't know the culture. I was a turtle without a shell.

‘You don't have to believe us,' said Mum. ‘Just listen and do what we say.'

‘For the baby,' said Jonah, placing a hand on my belly. I was carrying his baby, too.

‘I go check the kettle,' said Yenah.

‘You go burn the water,' said Mum, flicking her
sweater
at Yenah as they both screeched with laughter.

‘Mum has spoken with Uncle from Saibai,' said Jonah. ‘He's arriving on the four o'clock flight today. We'll go to the wharf and pick him up soon.'

‘What will I do?' I asked.

‘Just trust Uncle. He's a medicine man, the good type. He'll deal with it. It's about trusting him.'

‘Will he be able to—'

‘Ebithea,' said Mum, ‘stop asking questions and trust. Lily started suspecting
pouri pouri
when the doctor gave you the all-clear last week. She rang Uncle and he says there is time to save you and the baby.'

Yenah put three enamel mugs of milky tea on the table.

I rested my arms around my belly and realised with a sudden fear I could do nothing to protect the baby from
maydh
except perhaps leave the Torres Strait. ‘Okay, I won't go to work tomorrow. Jack can take over. I'll fly to Cairns.'

‘
Uncle go mekem
,' said Yenah.

‘Leaving won't help, darling,' said Mum. ‘Like Lily says, Uncle will make everything right.

‘Why would anyone
maydh
me?'

‘The thing, Thea,' said Mum, ‘is that you won't know the how or the why. Uncle will sort it for you.'

‘I've taken tomorrow off to be with you,' said Jonah, pulling out his phone. ‘I know you'll worry. Let me ring the airport now to make sure the flight is on time.'

I finished the tea and thought about this thing that was happening to me. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to be with Uncle, whoever he was and whatever he did.

‘Flight landed half an hour ago,' said Jonah, slipping his phone back in his pocket. ‘Uncle must be about to board the ferry. Let's go.' He turned to me and saw my terror. ‘Would you rather stay?'

‘No,' I said, rubbing my throbbing temples. I thought about taking another Panadeine Forte but realised I had to wait another two hours. Shit.

On the drive there, I thought about Uncle and what he, a medicine man, would look like. I decided on tall and strong, like Jonah since they were related, and he would definitely be physically intimidating. He would also have penetrating eyes, full of wisdom, and of course, be mentally strong. But there would have to be something unusual about the way he dressed, like wearing a
lava lava
, or having a totem of some kind.

As we pulled into the car park at the wharf, the ferry was tying up. Jonah and I started to walk down to where the passengers disembarked. The only people onboard were two massive women in billowing island dresses, an AQIS officer in a khaki uniform, a couple of teenage girls laughing, a skinny youth in a shiny basketball singlet and high-top sneakers, and a stooped man with milk-bottle glasses who seemed to be sniffing the air.

‘He missed the ferry,' I said to Jonah, more panicked by this than by learning I was the subject of a cultural hex.

‘Uncle!' Jonah threw up an arm and strode off towards the melee.

The stooped, bespectacled man limped down the gangplank in grey flannel trousers belted almost to his armpits, which were exposed by a Jackie Howe singlet. He carried a faux alligator skin suitcase, exactly like one my grandfather Athe Willy had, except that one handle had been replaced with blue and white rope. He squinted through the milky lenses of his glasses, like a rodent. When he saw Jonah, his face broke into a huge smile, front teeth missing.

My heart sank. Here was my saviour. He had my life and my baby's life in his gnarled hands. Or, perhaps, our lives were in the faux alligator skin case. I hoped to hell it contained some trinkets with arcane powers. Oh, Thea, great cynical one!
Breathe
, I told myself as my lungs seemed to shrivel in my chest.
Breathe, breathe
.

Uncle hugged Jonah like a long lost son, the old man's sinewy arms reaching just around Jonah's torso. Jonah introduced me and I had to bend to kiss his cheek.

‘Uncle,' said Jonah, ‘what happened to your front teeth?'

‘Stopped using them false ones.' He waved the air in dismissal. ‘No need for impress all them
gamma
. Leave the women for Bala Jimmy.'

‘Uncle Jimmy's an old drunk with no legs and all teeth missing,' said Jonah to me,
gussor
with laughter. ‘
And matha narung smell
.'

The reference to rank body odour sent the two men into paroxysms of laughter. I couldn't help laughing, not at the joke, but at the two grown men playing around like small boys. Jonah carried Uncle's overnight bag, a small red, white and blue striped rice bag. Uncle shuffled ahead of me and I felt a wave of fondness when I spied his footwear: reef sandals and grey socks. He hugged the aged alligator case to his chest like it contained the crown jewels.

He turned as if to check on me. ‘Come, my
gel
, we got plenty work for do.'

‘What would you like me to do?' I asked.

He elbowed Jonah. ‘You leave the black magic to the black man.' The two men were
gussor
for laugh, again.

Then it hit me. My ears weren't ringing. My head was light and clear. There were no aches and pains. No burning in my chest. I remembered wanting to take a Panadeine Forte but having to wait. Now I felt the best I had in weeks, no, months.

The girls shrieked with glass-shattering intensity when Uncle shuffled through the front door. I put my hands to my ears. Poor Uncle. They almost squeezed the life out of him.

‘
Esso
,
my sissies,' he said when they finally released him. ‘You no got wrinkle. You like them green trees. Leaf no fall down yet.'

The girls needed some time to catch up with Uncle. Now was a good time to visit Franz and let him know that Melissa's matter was starting tomorrow. The three senior citizens didn't notice us leave.

Jonah grumbled in frustration when I asked him to drive me round to Izzy's. ‘Fine, but you know you're not supposed to be working.'

Izzy's house was more lopsided than it was the first time I visited nearly seven months earlier. I braced myself for the barking dog and another litter of puppies. There was nothing. I took a tentative step on the staircase, the rail of which was wobbling, and I expected Izzy to appear at the door, broom in hand.

‘
Aka
,' said Jonah, referring to me as grandmother. He brushed past me, two steps at a time. ‘Izzy!' Jonah leaned down to kiss Izzy, who was sitting in a recliner on the verandah. They broke into animated conversation, which I found hard to understand. The dog was sleeping in the doorway, which sported a new and unpainted door.

‘Which way, Thea?' asked Izzy, leaning forward.

‘Same way.' There was a hot, bitter smell, like boiling vinegar, emanating from inside.

Jonah turned to me. ‘My sister, Flora, was Izzy's best friend, young days,
wat.
I wanted to play with them but they wouldn't let me. They were so cruel.'

‘Little shit you were, flicking us with spit balls and rubber bands.' She threw her head back and laughed, her generous bosom vibrating under her island dress. ‘You want Franz,
uh
?
Em
there
lor
room.'

I knew where to go and left Jonah and Izzy to talk. I stepped around the dog into the lounge room. The polished floor was a giant mirror for the late-afternoon sun and the reflection jarred my eyes. I found Franz in his room, cross-legged on the bed, silhouetted against the window. My eyes were drawn to the small tortoiseshell-framed photo of Melissa on the bedside table. I hadn't seen that photo when Jenny and I were here in April. Poor kid, he was grieving the loss of the one person who treated him with any sort of respect.

Franz had wasted away. On his cheeks the three brown scars, a finger's thickness, contrasted with the dull yellow of his skin and the dark rings under his eyes. I sat next to him and traced my fingers over the raised swirls on the bedspread.

‘
Yu sabe
Dave Garland
?
He's in court tomorrow, Tuesday.' He didn't turn away from me. I reached over and picked up the photo of Melissa and held it out. ‘If you know something, speak me. Come look me tomorrow.' I was a fool. He couldn't speak even if he could understand my appalling Broken English. I replaced the photo. ‘I need your help. Nine o'clock tomorrow there
lor
courthouse.
Yawo
, Franz.' I remembered his belongings. ‘We'll get Melissa's gifts back to you this week.'

He gave me a knowing stare, or rather, I wanted it to be a knowing stare.

Izzy was stirring a cauldron on the stove, chatting to Jonah, who leaned against the bench. She looked at me. ‘Dunno why you bother. You won't get nothing out of him.'

‘Izzy gave us some dugong.' Jonah held a plastic Chinese takeaway container close to his chest, like it contained something precious. ‘Let's go. I hungry.'

To my complete surprise, Izzy followed us to the front door and waved us goodbye.

After parking the ute at home, we walked to Yenah's place where she and Mum were serving supper. They whooped when they saw the dugong. Yenah insisted on putting it into a stencilled enamel bowl before placing it on the table.

‘
E
gor
rain soon,' said Uncle as he tucked into the dugong and rice.

‘Look out, Uncle,' said Jonah. ‘My missus go question you, wanna know how come.'

‘No, I won't, Uncle. I believe you.'

‘She is starting to act like an Islander,' said Mum.

‘And no more ask question,' said Yenah.

‘Praise the Lord,' said Uncle, making the sign of the cross.

Jonah and I offered to clear the table and wash up, but the girls refused all help so we walked home. As we showered, I told him I wished Uncle had come earlier. ‘I feel the best I have in weeks. Do you really think that could be Uncle?'

‘Don't spoil it trying to rash . . . to work it out . . . what's that word?'

‘Rationalise.'

‘Yes, don't rationa . . . rationalise it.' He turned off the tap and flicked his ringlets. The spray of water hit me like a thousand kisses.

‘I'm trying not to.' I followed him out of the bathroom.

‘How about a cup of that red tea in bed?' he asked.

But we slipped into bed without tea.