From Nemesis Island

by Christine Mustchin

  19

  They arrived at the convent a little before midnight. Richard was ambivalent about reaching their destination. He was keen to repeat the intimacy of just a few hours earlier and thought the convent a most unlikely place to achieve this. At Kia’s suggestion he held back as she approached the heavy main gate. Minutes passed before the grill slid back and a nun’s face appeared. Richard was surprised to hear Kia speak in Latin. He understood the greeting but little else. The grill closed and Kia came back to him.

  ‘What did they say?’

  ‘We are to go round to the back of the convent. It will be possible for us both to be allowed in that way.’

  ‘I didn’t know you were familiar with Latin.’

  ‘I know it’s not a spoken language, not even for most of the Catholic Church these days, but it was the only way I could think of to communicate. Nuns often speak only their own dialect if they are a closed order. They will all know Latin though.’

  The Mother Superior herself came to the back entrance.

  ‘Welcome. So you are Kia and Richard.’

  Richard was pleased to hear that she spoke in tentative but comprehensible English but he left the talking to Kia.

  ‘I am afraid Richard will be unable to enter the convent. He is not a priest or other man of God. However, in the courtyard there is an outbuilding that is warm and dry. There is a makeshift bed which passing pilgrims sometime use.’

  ‘Thank you, Mother. We are grateful.’

  As they entered the courtyard Richard was surprised to see his hire car.

  ‘My car!’

  The Mother Superior smiled.

  ‘Father Piontius said you would be coming to collect it. I’ll bring you the keys tomorrow.’

  The nun showed Richard into a dingy room and apologised that the only light was by means of candles. Richard was thankful he had brought a torch. He watched the two women cross the courtyard and enter the convent.

  It was not the most uncomfortable night that he had spent, but he was restless, waking intermittently in a sweat, with images of Kia still vivid in his mind. He was glad to see the sun rise. Kia came to him shortly afterwards. She brought him coffee and bread. She looked tired and pale.

  ‘That’s very welcome. What about you?’

  ‘I had breakfast with the nuns after early morning prayers.’

  ‘Where are you sleeping?’

  ‘In one of the cells. It’s quiet and peaceful and the sisters are very kind to me.’

  Richard stretched out his limbs, suddenly conscious that he had not washed for two days.

  ‘I could do with a wash.’

  ‘I can show you a washroom in the courtyard. Cold water only, I’m afraid.’

  ‘Better than nothing. I guess shaving will have to wait.’

  He smiled but Kia lowered her eyes and did not reciprocate.

  ‘Richard, I have some bad news.’ She paused. ‘The confession and codicil have gone.’

  ‘What do you mean, gone?’

  ‘They’re no longer here.’

  ‘But they must be.’

  ‘I’m sorry but it’s true.’

  ‘What? How come?’

  ‘I talked for a long time with the Mother Superior after I left you. She told me that a man came and took them away.’

  ‘But she was supposed to wait until we came to collect them or Father Piontius.’

  ‘I know but the man was dressed as a monk and said that there had been a change of plan and that he had Father Piontius’ authority to take them away. He showed them the ring that the father wears. It was a signet ring with his initials. The Mother Superior recognised it.’

  Richard could not immediately find words to reply. He sat stunned by the unexpected news.

  ‘It’s true Richard.’

  ‘You say this man was dressed as a monk. Do you mean he wasn’t a monk?’

  ‘I can’t be sure but I asked them to describe him….’

  ‘And?’

  She took a long deep breath.

  ‘I think it was Jalbis. The sisters were not to know. They acted in good faith. I couldn’t say anything to them about it.’

  Suddenly she began to beat her fists against the wall.

  ‘Father Piontius must have told him.’

  ‘No, Kia. You must have faith in him. Please. He had to suffer enough in the end.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I mean Father Piontius is dead and he died in a horrible way. I found his body yesterday when I was looking for something for us to lie on.’

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me then?’

  ‘I didn’t want you rushing off to see it. It was awful. He’d been crucified.’

  Kia’s eyes filled and silent tears escaped from them.

  ‘If he died like that, then I know he said nothing. Where is he? I should like to pay my respects to him.’

  In her voice there was pain and acceptance as though bonded to him now by a faith beyond human reason.

  ‘I had to leave him. I lay the cross down and covered it as best I could. I thought we could ask for help once we arrived here.’

  Kia stood up.

  ‘Leave it to me, Richard. I’ll see to it.’

  ‘What about the documents?’

  ‘There’s nothing we can do about them. They will have been destroyed by now.’

  Richard watched her return to the convent. He stood up angrily and followed her example, beating his fists against the hard wall. He sat down on the bed and stared across the courtyard, utterly deflated.

  20

  The sisters had worked hard to maintain and nurture the kitchen garden of the convent. As he walked through it beside Kia, Richard tried to regain a sense of equilibrium.

  ‘What are you going to do now?’ she asked.

  ‘Go back I suppose. There’s no point in staying here any longer. If your supposition is right, as I suspect it is, there’s no way of getting our hands on the documents now.’

  ‘It would be very dangerous for you even to think about it.’

  ‘I know but it’s very frustrating.’

  ‘You can still write your story though. You have the testimony of three people and your own involvement too.’

  ‘One of the witnesses is dead and another missing and I have no documentary proof.’

  ‘That shouldn’t stop you writing your story.’

  ‘Yes, but will it have any impact? It’s hardly going to put Jalbis Zachion behind bars.’

  ‘It must have some effect.’

  ‘Oh, it will raise a bit of moral indignation in the readers for a day or so and then it will be forgotten. It’s not something that will be seen to have any direct relevance in the UK.’

  ‘You’re very cynical.’

  ‘Just realistic. I’m a journalist, remember.’

  They walked on in silence for a while and then Richard broached the question that would, at least, produce one satisfactory outcome to the whole affair.

  ‘What do you plan to do, Kia?’

  ‘Stay here.’

  ‘What, in the convent?’

  ‘Yes. Even if the island is lost I can still learn to be a teacher.’

  ‘You mean you’d become a nun?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Have you thought this through, Kia? If you stay here Jalbis is bound to hear of it sooner or later. Do you think he’ll leave you alone to be a teacher or a nun? You could be in real danger if you stay.’

  ‘As a nun I would put my trust in God.’

  ‘What, just like Father Piontius did?’

  ‘I have an obligation to fulfil.’

  ‘And what about us?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Not so long ago you were acting very much as though I mattered to you.’

  ‘Oh, you mean in the cave.’

  ‘Exactly.’

  ‘Just what did that mean to you, Richard?’

  ‘It meant that I want to take you back to England with me. It means that I have
strong feelings for you and that we could have a good future together.’

  ‘Let’s not talk of feelings now, Richard, I have obligations here.’

  ‘You’ve said that once already. Obligations to whom; God, yourself or that wretched Joseph?’

  ‘Please don’t speak badly of Joseph, I loved him.’

  ‘From what I can see he didn’t treat you very well.’

  ‘That may have been so in the beginning but people change as he did. In any case, you love someone despite their faults not because they are perfect or as you wish them to be.’

  ‘So what did making love to me mean to you? Was it just a prostitute’s fuck? I thought they never kissed on the lips. Or were you just being kind to me?’

  ‘I’m sorry you’re so upset. I’m fond of you, Richard, but I loved Joseph and my life is here, whatever it may be.’

  They walked back in silence. When they reached the courtyard Richard had decided.

  ‘Will you get the car keys for me. I’m leaving.’

  ‘I’ll bring them to you after prayers. I’ll give your thanks to the nuns for their hospitality.’

  Richard waited for her in the dingy room. He would head straight for the airport. He knew there was an evening flight. It was unlikely to be full. He sat gloomily on the bed checking his passport and wallet. He pulled out a few notes and threw them on the bed: for services rendered, or she could give them to the nuns.

  When she returned she was wearing the habit of a novice nun. She handed him the keys. She also handed him a large bulky envelope.

  ‘This shows another part of island life. I came to know of it just before Joseph died. It’s the work of Jalbis Zachion. It’s not something that I want to talk about. I hope it will help you with your story.’

  Richard looked inside the envelope. He saw an unmarked DVD.

  ‘God be with you Richard,’ said Kia gently and turned away.

  21

  The sights and sounds of the river were all that remained of Richard’s enthusiasm for his studio apartment. He closed the window and turned his back on the view. The room seemed small and dull. He couldn’t face the little unpacking to be done and instead took out his laptop. He would catch up on his emails. It was the best way of getting himself back in touch with the real world. He couldn’t see the adventures of the last few weeks as anything other than a parenthesis in his life, however unpleasant. There was a story to tell but he felt it was incomplete and insubstantial with the documents gone and no concrete evidence against Jalbis Zachion.

  Richard sighed in frustration and opened his mailbox to an interminable list of spam, unsolicited adverts, business communications and personal mail. He started to work through them. Don had repeatedly tried to make contact. He sent him a message immediately, promising to see him later that day. He rapidly deleted all the adverts and spam and picked out some personal emails, to cheer himself up. Dougie was okay – puzzled by his friend’s lack of response to his many emails but on a high since arriving in Oz. Richard deferred the pleasure of replying till later. There was one from Fi – not an habitual correspondent. She usually only wrote to arrange social functions. Sure enough it was an invitation to her engagement party tomorrow night. What a turn up. He had had no idea. How long had she been seeing someone? He sent back an acceptance. He would be glad of the distraction.

  The thought of a bit of socialising gave him enough energy to unpack and it was at the bottom of the case that he found the DVD. Kia had said it was short and would show him what Jalbis Zachion was up to on the island before the chief died. He couldn’t see why she hadn’t told him about it. Best see it before he met Don, anyway. He watched it on the flat screen TV and wished he hadn’t. Every detail and nuance was highlighted by the clarity of the large digital image. He was too numb with horror to stop the film and watched it without moving a muscle until its vile conclusion. As the screen went blank he knew he was going to succumb to the same reaction he had had when he discovered Father Piontius on the cross. He leant forward clutching his stomach and breathing deeply, only with difficulty controlling his nausea. After a few minutes he went into the bathroom and splashed copious handfuls of cold water onto his face. A large brandy completed his recovery and he sat on the divan scarcely able to believe what he had seen. The girl was beautiful but obviously drugged into a stupor. To treat her as a disobedient dog on a leash was a travesty of human values. He could still hear the sound of the whip as she crawled naked on all fours. He struggled to put out of his mind the image of her death: choked by the collar at the moment of her tormentor’s climax: her body going limp as the man withdrew. Richard drank a second brandy. The DVD had awakened in him a deep anger and he shouted obscenities into the air. His outburst had the desired cathartic effect. He found a large white envelope and placed the DVD inside it. Thank God he had packed it in his hold luggage on the way back. He’d had to suffer a prolonged personal search at security on the way back of his person and his hand baggage.

  Don was keen to hear his story. He’d been anxious at the lack of contact. He sat back in his chair as Richard outlined events and their conclusions. Talking about the island was no problem; he was distilling the words and experiences of others. Condensing and explaining his own part in the picture proved more difficult. Though distance helped, not enough time had elapsed for him to invest his emotional involvement with a requisite objectivity. When he had finished, it was clear that Don had grasped his dilemma.

  ‘Got a bit involved in the action, eh! No matter. Let me try and summarise it.’

  He proceeded to make a very good job of it and Richard felt that he was listening to someone else’s story.

  ‘Okay,’ he concluded. ‘So here’s where we’re at now as I see it. You’ve found out that these inspection trips to the island are a fraud and the island’s real business is trafficking girls for prostitution. They are educated to increase their marketability as high-class merchandise. The chap who ran it all found his conscience and then died. His will bequeathed the island to the church but was stolen, and probably destroyed. His confession and a codicil to the will indicting his brother have also disappeared. You’ve got the testimony of three eyewitnesses but one of them has disappeared and another is dead. The remaining one is in a convent. It’s a good story, Richard and needs to be told, incredible though it all seems.’

  ‘But it’s just a story.’

  ‘What more were you hoping for?’

  ‘To try and stop what’s going on. The chief’s brother will take over without a doubt, but, without any evidence against him, there’s nothing that can be done now. None of the events I’ve described can be directly linked to him, but he’s an evil man.’ Richard paused. ‘He deserves a bullet through his head.’

  ‘Summary justice! That’s not like you.’

  ‘You don’t know the worst of it.’

  ‘There’s more?’

  ‘There’s this.’

  Richard produced the DVD and placed it on the desk.

  ‘Quite simply it’s revolting, disturbing and shocking. In fact I can’t think of strong enough language to describe it. It gets to you physically.’

  ‘What the hell is it?’

  ‘They used to be called snuff videos before DVD took over.’

  ‘You’re kidding.’

  ‘No. I wish I were. Take a look.’

  The editor slotted it into his PC. After a few minutes viewing he was quite pale. He stopped the DVD.

  ‘Aren’t you going to watch it to the end?’

  ‘I’d like to hold on to my stomach contents. I’ll try again later.’

  ‘What do you think?’

  ‘Where did you get it?’

  ‘Kia gave it to me. She took it from the island. It’s an example of Jalbis Zachion’s business interests there. He produces them.’

  ‘What an evil piece of shit.’

  ‘You said it.’

  Don looked thoughtful.

  ‘There’s nothing to actually link this piece o
f excrement to him then?’

  ‘There would be if Kia would talk.’

  ‘Good point. I’ll contact the police.’

  ‘No please, Don. Not yet. I need to speak to Kia first. If she didn’t tell me about this I’m not sure whether she’ll want to speak about it to anyone. Remember she’s now in a convent. There could be repercussions.’

  ‘I don’t know, Richard. Being in possession of a thing like this is risky.’

  ‘Please, Don. If you keep it in your safe here then there should be no problem. We can afford to wait a few days, surely?’

  ‘Very well, but no more than a week and then I’m going to the police.’

  22

  ‘Hi Fi. Congratulations.’

  ‘Thanks Dick. Come in. It’s good to see you.’

  She led the way into a large and expensively furnished apartment.

  ‘Wow. Some pad you’ve got.’

  ‘Haven’t you been here before?’

  ‘Nope. Thanks very much for the invite by the way.’

  ‘It’s a pleasure. I’m glad you could make it.’

  ‘This is for you.’

  He handed her a wrapped parcel.

  ‘Thank you. That’s very kind. Now come in and help yourself. There’s plenty to eat and drink.’