She has made me French toast for ‘brunch’, which I guess is kind of breakfast and lunch combined. I am not hungry, but I will eat it because she is a very caring person and she made it for me.
A tui just landed on a branch on the tree right outside my window. He is singing a happy little tune. I am glad to see him. Tui bring good luck.
Jack is home. He is walking around quite stiffly. I am not sure if this is because of his injury or because of the horrible neck brace that he has to wear. It is made of plastic and goes around his neck like a collar, but it is much bigger and fits under his chin so he can’t really turn his head much. If he wants to look at something to the side, he has to turn his whole body.
The neck brace is green.
Lauren rescued his bunny from the pond, and put it through the washing machine because it was muddy and scummy.
That was nice of her, but Jack won’t touch it now. Put it in front of him and he just stares at it. It doesn’t smell right.
My father came home in the afternoon. He was still sorry about Jack, but as soon as Jack saw him he started snarling and trying to snap at him. My father said he didn’t want him in the house and eventually I had to take him out the front and tie him to the water pump. My father hasn’t yet fixed the hole under the fence in the back yard.
I tied him up, not because I was worried about him biting my father, but because I was worried that he might hurt himself trying to do it. Or that my father might hurt him again.
After that I went back to my room and locked the door because my father and Lauren were shouting at each other. About me, or my dog. Or something.
I don’t really care.
My father has gone out again. Lauren is in their bedroom. I think I can hear her crying. I went to see if she was okay. I knocked on the door, but she said to go away.
It is dinner time and I am getting a bit hungry. Usually Lauren makes dinner but she has not come out of her room. I might go and make something and see if she wants anything.
Lauren doesn’t want anything to eat. She told me to go away.
I had some fruit for dinner.
I heard Lauren’s car start up outside, so I ran down-stairs to see what was going on. She was circling around the pond and heading back out to the road. I called out to her.
She braked in a hurry, sliding to a stop on the gravel. She tooted her car horn and waved at me to come over.
When I did, she wound the window down and handed me an envelope. It was thick and heavy. It wasn’t sealed and I could see that it was full of money.
“What’s this?” I asked.
I saw she had dried blood below her nostrils.
“Egan, I know I promised not to read those stories I copied, but I did. And they opened my eyes. And I even read a bit of your diary, and I am so sorry for doing that. But you know what struck me the most? One of your rules. ‘Don’t complain, act.’ I’m acting, Egan, right now. I’m getting out.”
“Lauren—” I stared to say.
“Get out,” she said. “Get away from him. Now. Before it’s too late. Go back to your hut or wherever you were hiding. There’s plenty of money there.” Her eyes flicked to the envelope. “Just get away.”
“They were just stories,” I said. “I don’t even know if they were true.”
“I didn’t fall over in the kitchen, Egan.”
“I know,” I said. “I figured that out.”
“Egan, I’m quite sure everything your mother told you was true. In fact, she probably held a lot back. I’m leaving. Right now. I’ve packed up as much stuff as I can. When he finds out, he’s going to go mental. You don’t want to be around. And you don’t want to be around after I’m gone. I was the only thing holding him together. Get out. Now. Goodbye, Egan.”
With that she wound the window up and was gone in a cloud of dust up the driveway.
If she was so worried about me, I wondered why she didn’t offer to give me a lift. I guess she was just in such a hurry to get away that she couldn’t wait.
I heard a telephone ringing inside the house and when I went inside I saw Lauren’s phone sitting on the dining table. There was a missed call from my father on the screen. At first I thought she had forgotten the phone, but then I realised that it was so my father couldn’t find out where she was. I turned it onto silent and put it in a drawer. If my father saw it, it might make him angrier.
And I took her warning very seriously.
I went straight to my room and packed my stuff into my rucksack. Not that there was much of it.
I was just about at the front door when I saw my father’s car turn into the driveway.
No wonder Lauren had been in such a hurry.
I thought about grabbing Jack and making a run for it, but he’d see me as soon as I went out the front door.
I went back upstairs and put my rucksack in the wardrobe where he wouldn’t see it and ask questions.
Then I went down to face him. He smelled of alcohol.
“What you been up to today,” he asked.
“Writing,” I said. It was true. “I’ve been working on a new story.”
“Okay,” he said. He went to the fridge and took out a beer, spinning off the top with his thumb.
“Do you want to know what it’s about?” I asked.
“Okay,” he said. “Where’s Lauren?”
“I don’t know,” I said, truthfully.
“Didn’t she say anything?” he asked.
“She said goodbye,” I said. That was also true. She had said that, among other things.
“That’s all she said?” my father asked, and his voice was dangerously quiet.
Rule number four: ‘Never tell a lie.’ But I could sense steam building up inside my father, like a volcano getting close to an eruption. If I said that she had left him he would explode. It would be bad for her and bad for me.
“She said she was going shopping,” I said.
And there it was. The first time in my life that I had knowingly told a lie. At least that I could remember.
I looked at him, hoping that the guilt wasn’t showing on my face.
“You lying little shit,” he said, very, very quietly. “She’s left me, hasn’t she? I saw her car on the highway and she’s not answering her phone. She’s gone – and she got you to lie for her.”
He picked up his phone and pressed a number.
He waited a few moments then put the phone down.
“She’s not answering,” he said.
I couldn’t help the guilty look on my face.
For the first time in my life I was genuinely terrified for my own safety. There was no sign of sense or sanity in my father’s eyes. He lashed out, slapping me open-handed across the face. It was enough to send me flying into the kitchen table, which went skidding across the room and I dropped to the floor.
I was up on my feet like a cat, and made a run for the pond where Jack was tied up.
I was much faster than my father, but it took me a few seconds to untie the rope and it had just come loose when I felt a hand on the back of my neck. I wriggled around, kicking and scratching, and I heard Jack snarling and barking.
My father kicked out and I heard Jack yelp. It was a kind of winded yelp as if he had just had the air knocked out of him.
Then I was thrown to the ground and watched in horror as Jack took another kick, this time to one of his rear legs. He tried to turn around and bite, but couldn’t because of the neck brace and he got another kick across the muzzle, then another.
I was on my feet by this time and throwing myself at my father. He got one more kick in, which left Jack lying half in and half out of the pond, limp, breathing rapidly, then my father just lifted me right off the ground with one arm and held me at arm’s length while he slapped me on both sides of the face.
I tr
ied to fight back but he put a heavy boot on Jack’s head and pressed down.
“Stop it, or I’ll crush him like a bug,” he said.
I stopped fighting. He put me down.
“Stand there, or I’ll kill him,” he said. He tied Jack back up to the water pump while I watched helplessly.
“Now get inside the house,” he said.
Inside, he held out my phone. “Ring Lauren,” he said. “Tell her that I came here but left again, and I was really mad and you need her to pick you up.”
She’d never believe that, I thought. And even if she would, I wasn’t going to do that. And even if I did, her phone was in the drawer!
“I’m not going to lie for you,” I said.
“But you were okay to lie for her!” he raged, and I got another backhanded slap.
“Not going to do it,” I said. I spun around and sprinted up the stairs to my room. I locked the door and pushed furniture against it.
I should have made a grab for the phone. Then I could have called J.T.
I am in the room now.
My father came up and banged on the door a few times, but it’s a pretty solid door and I don’t think he wants to kick it in. I am sure he could, if he wanted to. I thought if I could wait a while, he might calm down.
Then I started writing this diary entry.
I am really scared of him at the moment, and I want to put all this down on paper, just in case. I guess if he found it he’d just destroy it, but I might try and hide it somewhere. Just in case. I know that sounds melodramatic, but you haven’t seen my father when he is like this.
He has been banging around downstairs for ages. I have no idea what he is doing. I heard the fridge open and shut a few times.
I have been watching Jack out of the window to make sure my father doesn’t go near him.
Thought for the day:
I am scared, but I am happy at the same time.
My mother wasn’t a mental case. My life was not a lie.
Things I am afraid of:
My father.
Update: 9:30 pm. I think he is leaving. I heard his car start up and saw it going up the driveway. I will wait for a bit in case he comes back, but I don’t want to wait too long. I don’t know where he’s gone, or how long he will be there.
I am going to call J.T. on the downstairs phone, then get Jack and go hide somewhere till he gets here.
J.T. will sort everything out.
police video analysis
Date: 28 March 2016
Start Time: 10:00 pm
End Time: 10:30 pm
Location: House belonging to Raymond Keith Tucker, Coatesville/Riverhead Highway, Auckland.
Camera type: Daylight mode and Night mode (Infra-red)
Reviewing officer: Detective-Constable Stephen Antunovich
10:03 pm
[REVIEWING FOOTAGE FROM CAMERA 1, AT THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, INFRA-RED MODE]
Egan Ray Tucker, of Coatesville, is seen exiting the house through the front door. He has a rucksack on his shoulders. It appears to be full, and heavy.
A knife is clearly visible in a sheath on his belt, and he is carrying a crossbow.
10:04 pm
Egan moves towards a dog, lying next to a water pump by a small pond in the courtyard of the house.
10:05 pm
Lights come on, on a car that has been parked, in darkness, on the driveway.
The security cameras, previously operating in infra-red mode, now switch to daylight mode.
Egan is seen in silhouette as he proceeds rapidly towards the dog.
A person exits the vehicle. This person is also seen only in silhouette due to the car headlights behind, but matches the general physical description of Raymond Keith Tucker, also of Coatesville. The second person is seen to intercept Egan before he can reach the dog.
10:06 pm
A scuffle breaks out between the two people. Egan is seen to aim the crossbow at the other person. It is not possible from the footage to determine whether the crossbow is loaded. The two appear to be shouting at each other, but the security system does not record audio.
10:07 pm
Light from the car headlights allows a positive identification of the second person as Raymond Keith Tucker, of Coatesville.
Mr Tucker moves close to Egan.
Egan continues to aim the crossbow at Mr Tucker, and there is further shouting, however Egan does not fire the crossbow.
Mr Tucker pulls the crossbow out of Egan’s hands. Egan runs towards the corner of the house. He appears to be looking back at, and talking to, the dog.
10:08 pm
[REVIEWING VIDEO FROM CAMERA 3, AT THE REAR OF THE HOUSE, INFRA-RED MODE]
Egan appears around the corner of the house. He goes to a gate in a fence at the rear of the property. He appears to have difficulty opening it.
10:09 pm
Mr Tucker appears on the video, from the same corner of the house.
10:10 pm
Egan opens the gate and crosses a bridge over a small river. He proceeds rapidly towards a large bush area, designated as the Coatesville Scenic Reserve. For no obvious reason, he falls to the ground.
10:11 pm
Egan can be seen struggling to his feet. He pulls an object, presumed to be a crossbow bolt, from his left leg. He then proceeds into the bush, dragging his left leg.
10:12 pm
Mr Tucker picks up an object, again presumed to be a crossbow bolt, from the vicinity where Egan had fallen. He then proceeds into the same area of bush.
10:23 pm
[REVIEWING FOOTAGE FROM CAMERA 1, AT THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, DAYLIGHT MODE]
A vehicle is seen to proceed down the gravel driveway leading to the house. It stops close to the first vehicle which still has its lights on.
A person emerges and proceeds rapidly inside the house.
10:24 pm
[REVIEWING FOOTAGE FROM CAMERA 2, INSIDE THE HOUSE, DAYLIGHT MODE]
The person can be positively identified as Jeffery Thomas Hunter, of Avondale.
Mr Hunter appears to be searching the house, calling out as he does so.
10:25 pm
[REVIEWING FOOTAGE FROM CAMERA 1, AT THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, DAYLIGHT MODE]
Mr Hunter proceeds towards his vehicle and extracts a flashlight.
Mr Hunter proceeds towards the dog and unties it from the pump.
Mr Hunter and the dog then proceed rapidly around the corner of the house.
10:26 pm
[REVIEWING VIDEO FROM CAMERA 3, AT THE REAR OF THE HOUSE, INFRA-RED MODE]
The dog stops and sniffs the ground at the entrance to the track. Mr Hunter is seen to examine the ground in the light of his flashlight.
Mr Hunter can be seen to use a mobile telephone. This matches the 111 call received by the Albany Police Watchhouse at the same time. While still speaking on the phone, Mr Hunter follows the dog into the area of bush where Egan and Mr Tucker entered the reserve.
No further activity appears on the camera until the first police units arrive at 10:41 pm.
Transcript of 111 Call
Received by Albany Police Watchhouse
Date: March 28th 2016 Time: 22:27 HOURS
111 OPERATOR: Police, fire or ambulance?
CALLER: Police, please. Hurry.
POLICE OPERATOR: Police operator, what is your emergency?
CALLER: Domestic assault. The address is 1025 Rivermouth Road. There’s blood bloody everywhere. Tell your units to come to the rear of the house, there is a small track that leads into the reserve.
POLICE OPERATOR: What is your name?
CALLER: Just tell your guys to hurry. I gotta go.
POLICE OPERATOR: Please stay on the line, I need …
CALLER: I can’t.
[CALL ENDS 22:28 HOURS]
Court Transcript
IN THE HIGH COURT OF NEW ZEALAND
HC 7/2016 [2016] NZHC Trans 10
Hearing: 19 July 2016
Court: Slaydon J
Appearances: E J Lacy for the Appellant
F E Milton and W C Johnson for the Defendant
CRIMINAL PROSECUTION
MR LACY
What time did you arrive at Egan’s house?
WITNESS
Around 22:30 hours, sir.
MR LACY
How does 10:23 pm sound?
WITNESS
I believe that sounds about right.
MR LACY
What did you see first?
WITNESS
There was a car in the driveway with its door open and its lights on, but nobody was inside.
MR LACY
What did you make of this?
WITNESS
It made me more worried than I already was.
MR LACY
Why were you already worried?
WITNESS
Because Egan said that his father had hit him and kicked the dog.
MR LACY
Did you see the dog?
WITNESS
Yes. Jack was tied up by the water pump. He looked bloodied and bruised. He was in a neck brace … Jesus, what kind of man would do that to a dog?
MR MILTON
Move to strike. Opinion and inflammatory.
JUDGE SLAYDON
Sustained. Mr Hunter, please confine yourself to facts.
WITNESS
Yes, Your Honour.
MR LACY
What did you do next?
WITNESS
I ran inside and checked around to see if Egan was there, but he wasn’t. So I got a flashlight out of my truck and ran back to get Jack, to see if he could track Egan for me.
MR LACY
And could he?
WITNESS
Yes. He took off like a bullet. Neck brace and all.
MR LACY
Where did he lead you?
WITNESS
Around the side of the house to a place near a small track into the bush. There was a large bloodstain there. At that point I called the police.
Shooting Stars Page 20
