The Defendant

by Chris Taylor

  He knew darn well laughter and even the thought of it had well and truly disappeared from his life. Probably for good, but he wanted to think Jason might find his way back there again.

  The pain from his stomach subsided, but he let the counselor hand him over to the school nurse. The adults spoke in muted tones, but he understood the gist of their conversation. The concerned looks the two of them turned on him with predictable regularity said it all.

  He’d only been back at school two days and already he didn’t know how he was going to cope. The few friends he’d had before the nightmare started had slowly drifted away. They wanted to stick by him, he could tell, but it really was just too hard. Most kids now kept their distance; some of them were even scared of him.

  His lawyer had warned him that even if the matter wasn’t committed for trial, it could be weeks before he was sentenced. More psychiatric reports and assessments would be ordered and more statements would be prepared. Incarcerating a child wasn’t done lightly, his lawyer assured him and the court wanted to make sure the punishment fit the crime. Until he came back to the court for sentencing, if that was how things panned out, he’d remain on bail and try to carry on as usual and forget about it.

  Daniel scoffed quietly and shook his head. Forget about it. As if. There was as much likelihood of that happening as there was of his mother rising from the dead.

  * * *

  Josie finished typing up the notes on her last patient and saved the file. As they had done with predictable regularity since the night he’d arrived on his Fireblade, her thoughts drifted to Chase. They’d spent both nights since, catching up on old times and on things that had happened while they’d been apart. He’d cooked steaks on the barbeque at his place one night and last night, they’d eaten in at hers. The evenings and the nights spent with him had become the time she looked forward to most and she couldn’t wait until one or the other of them didn’t have to leave to go back home.

  Home.

  Home was where Chase was, wherever that might be. As much as she loved her cottage, she’d only taken a short-term lease. She wondered whether the owner would be willing to listen to an offer to purchase the place. She wondered what Chase would think.

  His two-bedroom condo rubbed shoulders with a dozen other units housed together in a stark, red brick building reminiscent of apartment blocks that had been built in the early seventies. Whilst his unit had been comfortably decorated inside with modern pieces and bold splashes of color, the exterior of the building left a lot to be desired.

  It was an understatement to say that style hadn’t been at the top of the architect’s list during the design brief. To add insult to injury, a garden made up mostly of weeds bordered the sidewalk that fronted a busy road. It couldn’t compare to the peace and tranquillity of her little rural cottage.

  The thought of putting in an offer on the place took root and began to grow. The surrounding acres could be put to good use. She’d always dreamed of a veggie patch and space for a few animals. A dog or two, maybe even a couple of sheep. And chickens. It would be fun to collect the eggs.

  She smiled wryly at her wayward thoughts but couldn’t quite get the idea out of her mind. She’d talk to Chase about it. Sound him out. Hopefully he wasn’t too attached to his place.

  The phone at her elbow rang and she picked it up. “Josie Munro.”

  “Josie,” Moira replied. “I have Belinda Murphy from Family Services on the line.”

  Josie’s heart skipped a beat and then she silently calmed herself. The Logan boys were fine. Why wouldn’t they be?

  “Thank you, Moira. Put her through.” Josie took a deep breath and eased it out.

  “Josie, it’s Belinda. The Logan children are fine, but I-I’m afraid I need your help again.”

  “Really? What’s happened?”

  “Nothing to be worried about. Well, nothing directly affecting the boys. It’s their aunt. Her elderly mother’s taken quite ill. She’s had a stroke and is in the hospital. It’s rather serious, from what I can gather. Their aunt needs to return home immediately.”

  “Can’t the boys go with her? I assume you’re talking about their grandmother?”

  “You’re right, but from what I’ve been able to gather, the children have never met her. Kelly Logan was somewhat estranged from her family. I haven’t had time to find out why. Besides, the children’s aunt is going to be rather busy with her mother and has asked if the boys can stay here. We’re hoping Trevor Logan might be released from the hospital soon but it’s not going to be today.”

  “What do you need me to do, Belinda?”

  “I was wondering… That is, would you mind having the boys again for a day or two? I promise it won’t be any longer than that. I spoke to the doctor treating their father only an hour ago. He’s happy with Trevor’s progress and expects to discharge him very soon. The boys will then be allowed to return home with him.”

  “Of course, I’m happy to help and don’t worry about how long it takes for Trevor to return. I’m happy to have the boys for as long as they need me.”

  “Oh, thank you, Josie,” the woman gushed with relief. “You’re a real lifesaver. Again. You really should think about registering to be a foster carer.”

  Josie let the idea settle in her mind. It could be something she’d look into. Right now, she had to look after the Logans. “Maybe one day, I will,” she answered and then added, “Where are the boys now?”

  “They’re still in school. Do you need directions?”

  “No, I’m good, thanks. I collected them from there the other day.”

  “Of course you did. Well, if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I’m here to help.”

  Josie bit back a smile. “Thank you, Belinda. I will. Oh, have you called the schools? Do they need to be told I’ll be collecting the boys?”

  “I haven’t yet. I wanted to check with you first. But I’m happy to call them now and let them know you’ll be stopping by. I’ll leave it up to them to tell Daniel and Jason.”

  “Okay, well, I guess I’ll talk to you later.”

  “As soon as I know when Trevor’s being released, I’ll let you know.”

  “That would be great. The boys must be elated to know that their dad will soon be home.”

  “Actually, I haven’t had a chance to tell them. I only spoke to the doctor an hour ago. The boys have been in school all day.”

  “Of course. Do you want me to mention it to them?” Josie asked.

  “If you want to. It might lift their spirits to know things will soon be back to normal.”

  Josie refrained from commenting. She was sure when Belinda had a chance to think about what she’d said, she’d realize things would never be normal for the Logan family again.

  After bidding each other farewell, Josie ended the call and then sat back in her chair with a sigh. Her last patient was due shortly. With a bit of luck, she’d be finished in time to collect the boys. She was filled with anticipation at the thought of spending a little more time with them, even for just a couple of nights.

  * * *

  Josie made the all-too-familiar walk to the principal’s office of Watervale High School and waited for Daniel to appear. She’d finished with her client and had only minutes to spare to get to the school on time. She could have called Chase to see if he could collect the boys, but she didn’t want to frighten them unnecessarily by having a police officer arrive at the school.

  A few minutes later, Daniel came out of the principal’s office and offered her a tiny smile and an even smaller wave.

  “Hi, Daniel. I’m sorry to hear about your grandmother. I hope you don’t mind coming home with me?”

  He shrugged, but then said, “I don’t even know her. She and Mom weren’t close. Besides, I don’t mind coming home with you. Thanks for coming to get me.”

  Josie offered to take his school bag and when he handed it over, she slung it over her shoulder.

  “We’re goi
ng to have to hurry so we can get to Jason’s school before the bell. I don’t want him to have to wait for us.”

  Daniel nodded and followed her out of the office. She was parked a short distance away in her father’s Mustang.

  “You own a really cool car,” Daniel murmured and there was a ghost of a smile on his lips.

  Josie smiled back at him. “You like it, huh? It belongs to my dad. He restored it from little more than a chassis. It took him like…forever.” She rolled her eyes. “Men and their cars.”

  His grin widened and her heart flooded with gratitude. She was so thankful to see him smiling—even if it was only over a lame joke about her dad’s car. It was a start and she hoped she’d helped to take his mind off the fact that the judge’s decision was being handed down the next day.

  Jason was already waiting for her just inside the primary school’s front gate. He gave a ghost of a smile when he spotted them and Josie waved. She got out of the Mustang and flipped the seat forward so that he could climb into the back then tossed his school bag in after him.

  “Would you like to go for an ice cream? We could go to McDonalds.”

  “Okay,” Jason murmured from the back seat.

  Josie glanced toward Daniel beside her. “How about you, Daniel? Would you like to go to McDonalds?”

  He shrugged. “I guess so.”

  Josie noted their reluctance but forced a smile. “Good. McDonalds it is then.”

  While the boys were enjoying ice creams, Josie called Chase and quietly brought him up to speed.

  “Thanks for letting me know. I actually called the hospital earlier. I wanted to find out the likelihood of Trevor Logan being discharged in time to be at the court house with Daniel tomorrow. I think Daniel would appreciate having his father there. Thankfully, the doctors are pleased with his progress. He should be discharged in the morning.”

  Josie nodded and swallowed the lump that had lodged itself in her throat. “You’re a good man, Chase Barrington. Don’t ever let anyone tell you different.”

  He muttered a response that Josie didn’t hear, but she could tell that he was pleased. He promised to stop by later. She ended the call with a soft smile on her face and then called out to the boys.

  “There’s something I want to tell you both. It’s about your dad.”

  Their faces immediately sobered and she hastened to reassure them that everything was all right.

  “In fact, your dad’s doing great. The doctor’s hoping he’ll be well enough to come home tomorrow. That will be great, won’t it?”

  Both boys nodded solemnly and then Jason broke out in a grin. It had been so long since she’d seen him smile, she was a little taken aback.

  “Dad’s coming home? Is it true?” he asked with more life in his eyes than she’d seen all afternoon.

  Josie nodded. “Yes, hopefully he’ll be discharged from the hospital in the morning.”

  “I have to be back in court in the morning,” Daniel stated flatly.

  “Yes,” Josie said carefully. “And Detective Barrington and I are hoping your dad will be there with you.”

  A tiny light of hope glinted deep within Daniel’s eyes. “Dad will be there? At the court house? He’ll be there when the judge makes his decision?”

  “Yes, sweetheart, I believe he will.”

  “So, he’s all better? He’s well enough to come home?”

  Josie’s heart filled with sadness at the anguish and hope that warred on Daniel’s young face. He’d been through more than most adults and he was only twelve years old.

  “Yes, darling. I believe the doctors have agreed that he’s well enough to come home. I’m sure he’s eager to see you again.”

  Daniel nodded and bit his lip and Josie could see he was trying hard to hold back tears. Unable to help herself, she stood and put her arms around both boys and hugged them close. Daniel sniffed and then the tears began to fall: big, quiet tears that slid soundlessly down his cheeks. Jason buried his face in her clothes and clung to her.

  After a little while, both boys pulled away. Daniel swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. Jason’s expression remained sober. Josie almost wished the younger boy would break down, too. Bottling up his emotions wasn’t healthy. She made a mental note to speak with his school counselor about it.

  “Let’s go home,” she suggested softly and was rewarded with nods from both of them. Gathering her handbag and keys, they left the restaurant and headed toward the car.

  * * *

  Scott Jones floored the accelerator pedal. The cheap second-hand car fishtailed down the highway and he shouted with jubilation. He was finally free of the shithole that had taken six years of his life. The guards had processed him early and he was making good time. He calculated he’d arrive in Watervale late in the afternoon, with plenty of time to scope out the town and locate Doctor Josie Munro.

  He’d been fortunate the photographs of her in the newspapers had been of good quality. Her image was seared into his brain. He was sure someone would know her and would tell him where he could find her, particularly when he told them he was a friend of the family and needed to contact her urgently. The ruse had worked for him in the past. There was no reason to suspect it wouldn’t work again.

  Most people only saw what they wanted to see. He’d tidied himself up a bit; bought some cheap, new clothes. No one would ever know that less than twelve hours earlier he’d been an inmate in Sydney’s notorious Long Bay jail. No one would connect him with Neil. From what he’d been able to gather from the newspaper articles, Neil had been murdered before he’d even entered the town limits.

  Scott licked his dry lips and scrubbed a scarred hand over his stubbled chin. What he wouldn’t give for a shot of whiskey—or even a cheap bottle of gin. It had been six long years since he’d tasted alcohol and the thought of being able to pull into a bar and order a drink had him salivating.

  He spied the indistinct shapes of the houses of another town a little bit up ahead and thought longingly of doing just that, but then he remembered the reason he was driving like a man possessed, straight through the middle of nowhere, and he bit down hard on the urge. He was on a mission to avenge the only man who’d ever shown him kindness.

  Over the course of Scott’s twenty-five years, he’d spent more time in prison than out. His latest stint had been drug-related—just like the majority of prisoners doing time. He’d barely been nineteen when he’d been convicted and sentenced to a non-parole period of six years.

  He’d been stunned at the severity of the sentence. Fuck, it had only been marijuana. So what if he’d been growing his own crop? So what if he’d been supplying towns up and down the coast? It wasn’t like he was dealing in cocaine or crystal meth. They were the hard-core drugs.

  His first night in Long Bay had been a nightmare. He’d been bashed while taking a shower. It was kind of a traditional way of saying hello to the newcomers, so he learned later. The pricks would probably have raped him too, if it hadn’t been for Neil.

  At the time, he had no idea why Neil Whitcomb befriended him. He only found out months later that he reminded Neil of his brother. The truth of it was, Scott didn’t give a fuck about the reason: Neil Whitcomb had been his savior.

  From that very first time in the shower, Scott stayed close to Neil’s side. It didn’t take him long to realize he couldn’t have found a better buddy to look out for him.

  Neil was an old hand and had spent more years in prison than out. There was no one in the system who didn’t know him—inmate and guard alike. Neil had power in the prison that Scott hadn’t even known existed and it was only the very brave or stupid who took Scott’s protector on.

  Occasionally, it happened and that’s when Scott got to earn his keep. He might have been young, but he was fit and strong and the years of his childhood spent living on the streets had taught him how to fight. He was only too happy to show the idiots a lesson. Anyone who threatened Neil found out the hard way that it wasn’t a good idea
.

  He’d put one bloke in the infirmary for the best part of a fortnight. He’d been a little stressed the asshole might die. But then, the fucker had pulled through and had returned to the cells, silent and suitably chastened.

  The beatings served as a warning to others and for most of the time, he and Neil were left alone. It helped the time pass tolerably and until Neil had been paroled early, Scott’s stint in Long Bay had been done in relative ease.

  And then Weasel had brought him the news. Weasel had told him that the man who’d been brother and father to him had been murdered by some stupid kid.

  He shook his head again at the memory and cursed aloud at the injustice. Neil had done his time; he’d repaid his debt to society and look how he’d been treated? Shot dead with a bullet to the back of the head. The kid had been too gutless to face him. It was an ignoble end to a warrior and Scott was determined to set things right.

  Or die trying.

  * * *

  Josie parked the Mustang outside the gate that led to the front door and climbed out. The boys had left the clothes she’d bought earlier in the week in the spare room, so there was little to bring inside, apart from their school bags. Jason had also taken the news of his grandmother’s illness with surprising calm and seemed content to spend another night or two with Josie. Once again, she worried about his resilience and vowed silently to make time to talk to him.

  As soon as they got inside, Daniel disappeared down the hall and Jason asked if he could watch TV. Josie nodded and walked into the kitchen. With a little sigh, she went about gathering supplies for dinner from of the pantry. She didn’t know if Chase would stay and eat with them, but she hoped he might. Over the past few days, she’d gotten used to sharing the evening meal with him and now she made provision for him at the table.

  After putting together a tossed green salad and setting out steaks to thaw, she remembered she still hadn’t called the plumber and tugged her phone out of her handbag. She scrolled through her contacts and found the number and dialed. To her relief, it was answered on the third ring.