The Delta Chain (54 page)

‘You could always
visit.
’

‘Oh we will. No question.
And we
’
ll be around for a little while
yet. When we do go back, Hank and I have agreed we want to stay
together, and foster a couple of the young people from the cult,
those whose real families are no longer around. Help them get
settled with new lives. I believe a local man, Costas Yannous, and
his friend Barbara Cail, are doing the same. I
can
’
t think, for me…of a better legacy to
Kevin
’
s memory.
’

‘I
’
ve quit my job,
’
Kate
said.
‘
I
’
m
staying on here in the town. I
’
m hoping
there are special things I can do here, working with the local
police and the hospitals and with the youth services
people.
’

‘From what
I
’
ve heard about your brother,
’
Jean said,
‘
I
’
d say he
would
’
ve approved of that with all his
heart and soul.
’

Kate
’
s gaze drifted to the sea. In the distance two gulls
–
partners perhaps
–
flew closely together, gliding through the spray just above
the ocean swells.

‘They
’
re playing,
’
Kate said. The two
women watched as the beautiful white birds turned on their mighty
wings toward the sun on the horizon and then, riding the air
currents, they flew on.

It had been a very long time and
he did not expect to feel such familiarity so quickly.

The old house was just as he
remembered it; the layout of the place with its own easy charm; the
timber veranda at the back- a gateway to another time; the
magnificent cedar wood tree with its gnarled trunk and serene
spread of soft green foliage, older than any of them, rich with the
aromas of his childhood.

Adam knew the house was
unused for large portions of the year. It was several months since
its current owners had last holidayed here. The grounds keeper
hadn
’
t been for several weeks so the
grass was long and there was a Brothers Grimm
spider
’
s web across one corner of the
veranda.

Inside, a fine layer of dust and
the mustiness of disuse. Standing in the centre of the large
family/living room he could still feel remnants of the old homely
sense of comfort. The furniture and the floor rugs were different
but it hardly mattered. His passage to the past was complete.

In the nostalgic theatre
of his mind, the room came to life, just like a virtual scenario
takes shape in cyberspace. Family portraits on the mantelpiece. His
mother
’
s cooking, wafting deliciously on
the air from the adjoining kitchen. Gentle words, smiling faces.
The innocent, cheeky exuberance of Alana.

After
they
’
d moved from here, his father had
taken a job in Brisbane, then much further south in Melbourne.
Running. He died soon after that from natural causes.

His mother stayed on in
the town, in a smaller residence. A strong woman with permanently
sad eyes she seemed forever on a fiercely personal and private
quest to reclaim something lost. She
’
d
died just a few years ago.

Now Adam waited for the
others to come and when he heard the cars on the stony gravel
outside, he felt a moment of illogical panic, as though he were
spearheading the invasion of something sacred. What on earth was he
thinking? He didn
’
t really expect
anything to come of this, did he?

He was surprised to see Kate had
also arrived. This was unexpected but he was immediately glad of
her presence, grateful for the reassuring warmth she gave so
freely.

‘As a detective, you learn
that many things are the opposite of what people generally
believe,
’
Adam said to her as they
watched the forensics team go about their work.
‘
Like blood, Kate. It accounts for around ten percent of a
person
’
s total body weight. Once spilt,
most think it could be cleanly washed away.
’

‘It can
’
t?
’

‘No. The liquid weight of
blood is such that its traces can never be totally removed. Even if
it can
’
t be seen by the naked eye,
it
’
s there and it can be detected by
using modern forensic techniques.
’

Kate leaned in past the
doorway to the kitchen, looking at the luminous green patches that
shone across the floor.
‘
And
that
’
s what
’
s
going on here?
’

‘Orthotolidine.
It
’
s a chemical reagent that we spray on
surfaces. Blood stains invisible to the eye are illuminated,
appearing green.
’

‘So
what
’
s this all about, Adam?
’

A look of remembrance in
his eyes.
‘
I remember my Mum scrubbing
bleach like crazy into that timber floor. There was an enormous
amount of blood and Mum was so pleased at how she rubbed it out.
Little did she know that bleach, while making the blood fade from
view, also very effectively stains it into the surface.
’

‘Your Mum ? Adam, when was
this?
’

‘Around twenty years
ago.
’

‘It
’
s your blood?
’

‘My
sister
’
s. One Saturday afternoon I took
it upon myself to cook a meal, reading from Mum
’
s cooking books. Alana helped, holding a plate from
slipping while I sliced a leg of beef on it. The knife slipped,
gashing Alana
’
s arm and, boy, did that
blood gush like an oil slick.
’

‘She was okay?
’

‘Yeah.
’

‘And your Mum cleaned up
the blood. But this…chemical stuff, will show you where it
is.
’

‘Kirby said
he
’
d do anything to help so I took him up
on it. But I still had to twist his and O
’
Malley
’
s arms up over their heads
to pull the favour.
’

‘Right,
’
said Kate,
‘
now the
real question…
’

‘Why?
’
Adam guessed her question and grinned.

Kate waited for his answer.

EPILOGUE

Hank had collected enough
information to fill a book, maybe two. He was the only newsman
granted permission, along with Jean, to accompany the youth worker
as she escorted Daniel and Elizabeth to the Cail home. The two of
them had accepted the offer to live with Barbara and Joey, with
Costas as part of the arrangement.

‘Hey, mon, wel-com to our
hom,
’
Joey said to Daniel in rapper
style,
‘
you remember I showed you how to
give me five.
’

‘Yeah.
’
Daniel raised his palm to connect with
Joey
’
s outstretched hand. Then they
turned, encouraging Elizabeth to join in.

With the co-operation of
Superintendent O
’
Malley, Hank
–
with Adam
–
ensured
that the oxygen-carrying capability in Elizabeth
’
s blood was to be kept hidden from the Feds.

It was essential that
Elizabeth didn
’
t become a scientific
curiosity, that she was left in peace to start her new
life.

Hank introduced Jean to
Costas and Barbara.
‘
Been looking forward
to chatting with you,
’
Hank said to
Costas.
‘
I
’
m
planning to write the story of everything that happened here. And
you
’
ve been a vital player.
’

‘I have?
’

‘You found the drowning
victim that ultimately led to the Task Force being formed. You and
Joey were the ones who encountered Daniel and took him
in.
’

Costas shrugged, as though
it was nothing.
‘
I hear that you and Jean
have quite a story of your own.
’

Barbara made refreshments
and she, Costas, Hank and Jean wandered out to the back patio.
Before they were seated, and while Hank was commiserating with
Barbara over the loss of her sister Melanie, Jean touched Costas
lightly on the arm.
‘
I believe
you
’
re a man of faith. This sort of
thing, this cult, must be even more disturbing to you…
’

‘Yes.
’

‘These children have to
“unlearn” everything that
’
s been fed to
them from a young age. I can
’
t imagine
how anyone could…cope…with that. So many people
haven
’
t experienced anything as damaging
as this, and
they
don
’
t know what to
believe.
’

‘In a way, Jean, the
future of all those kids will be the real story. How they cope, as
you put it. What they come to make of the real world. What they
ultimately come to believe. It will be a challenge. For them…and
for us.
’

‘I hope you will let us
call on you for your help, with the kids we
’
re taking in. I hope the youth services keep on seeking
your advice. If anyone can help these kids through the minefield,
Costas, then it
’
s someone like
you…
’

‘Thank you, Jean.
’
He felt himself blushing a little.
‘
I expect it to be very much a case of one step
at a time. It will be a long journey for me, and for Barbara of
course, with Daniel and Elizabeth, just as it will be for all the
others. I have to keep reminding myself that my faith is just like
anyone else
’
s. It
’
s vulnerable.
’
Jean saw sorrow
pass behind his eyes. He had been deeply disturbed by the details
uncovered about the Keepers Of The Faith. He
’
d been wounded by the fates that the drowning victims had
suffered.
‘
Faith is like a flame. It only
takes a wind to make it falter. And the wind blows every day, Jean.
Every day.
’

A young woman of twenty six,
fair hair, gentle features, soft blue eyes. She had a shy smile
that broke free every now and then from a vacant stare, a blankness
symbolising the shock and confusion she felt.

Adam entered the room in
the regional office of the Youth and Community Services. He
searched the face of the young woman for something familiar and he
saw it there, in the smile. The Youth counsellor, Dianne Jarvis,
was sitting with the girl. She rose, introducing the girl to Adam
as “Anna”.
‘
I
’
m
going to leave the two of you alone for a few minutes, to chat. You
okay with that, Anna?
’

‘Yes.
’

She left the room, joining
Kate in the waiting area outside. Kate had barely left
Adam
’
s side for the past two days,
mesmerised by the story he told her, supporting him in his
suspicions, and on his doubts.

The news, received just the
night before, had stunned them both.

Adam sensed the girl was
nervous and wondered if she could detect the same in him.
‘
You don
’
t remember
me, do you?
’
he asked.

‘No…
’

Adam waited, sensing there was
more she wanted to say.

‘…
You’
re my
brother…aren
’
t you?
’

‘Yes.
’

‘Are you sure?
’

‘Your DNA matches a blood
stain in the house where we lived as kids…
’
Adam checked himself, realising he was coming across cold
and professional and technical
–
the
detective in him. DNA could sometimes be derived from aged blood
stains, and in this case the process had worked. But he needed to
relate on a personal level.
‘
Sorry.
I
’
m sounding like a cop, not a brother.
Do you know what DNA is?
’

‘No.
’

‘We can talk about that
later. All you need to know is that the blood test was
conclusive.
’

‘Do you remember
me?
’

‘Oh yes…
’
His voice broke and he paused for a moment. He
wanted to reach out, hug her close, but he knew it was too soon for
that. There was a long road stretching out ahead of them. He
wished, more than he
’
d ever be able to
express, that his parents could have been here for this, that they
could have been a family just one last time.

‘When I was
little,
’
she said,
‘
I used to have a dream, over and over. I was playing in a
forest with a boy, we were singing about hiding.
’
A far away look in her eyes.
‘
But it used to frighten me. It wasn
’
t really like a dream…
’