After Ariel: It started as a game

by Diana Hockley

  ‘The camera! That’s what the creep was trying to steal when he hit me over the head and I know it was him watching my place the other day. Those cops reckoned I could have been mistaken, but I’m not that stupid.’

  Anthony put his hands on my shoulders. ‘Now, calm down. Try and remember what you did when you came home today?’

  How could I tell him I was so excited to be with him that all I could do when I got home after his text was dance around the kitchen squeaking “Yes, yes, yes!” and punching the air? I closed my eyes and leaned in against him, breathing in his gorgeous smell, his aftershave. He wrapped his arms around me, but true to the cop he is, refused to be side-tracked. ‘Think about it. You came through the door and what’s the first thing you did? Something you probably always do?’

  ‘Put my handbag down, take off my coat and –’ I pulled back and went to the small side table by the front door. ‘The camera’s missing! It was here. I dropped the bag of groceries on the table and my handbag, and then went to hang up my coat. I had the camera strap over my shoulder so I had to take that off first. I know I put it here!’

  ‘Is there anything else missing that you can tell?’ he asked, taking his mobile out of its pouch.

  I walked slowly around the room checking the books, pictures, ornaments, a money box of small change – it rattled satisfactorily in spite of me robbing it on a regular basis – and the stereo and television were present and correct. My piano looked untouched. ‘I’ll look upstairs, see if everything’s there!’

  Anthony, who was talking on the phone, paused. ‘Don’t touch anything!’

  I smiled shakily and drew out a pair of surgical gloves from the box on the shelf under the sink. He grinned as I drew them on. With a wave I headed back upstairs.

  Knowing enough from watching CSI not to walk on the evidence, I skirted along the wall to the bed and opened the bedside drawers, trying not to look at the indent in the pillow and the mussed bedspread. Nothing appeared to be missing. The new box of 24 assorted condoms lurking blatantly in one of the drawers made me blush. Bloody hell! Knowing a forensic team would be in here, I whipped them out of the drawer and opened the wardrobe door, intending to stow them at the back of the top shelf.

  All hell broke loose!

  A squawk as I went down in an avalanche of handbags, boxes of shoes, spare coat-hangers and “stuff” landing on my bum, the contents of the box of condoms showering me. Mercifully my collection of forty-two handbags were obscuring some of the foil packets. Before I could sweep them up and stuff them under the mattress, down my bra or even in my knickers, the object of my lustful intentions burst into the room and threw himself on his knees beside me.

  ‘What’s happened? Are you hurt?’

  ‘I’m fine! Just give me a minute!’ I muttered, but he was too chivalrous for that, sweeping aside bags and brushing me down. His eyes widened as condoms sprayed around us. ‘What on earth...?’

  ‘Er...I was trying to...er...’ The blush started around my waist and elevated rapidly until I just knew my face was bright red.

  Then he got the message. Grinning, he started gathering them up, counting diligently. ‘Where’s the box?’

  Sheepishly, I scrabbled around and produced it from under the bedside table.

  ‘Coloured and flavoured! Were you planning on using them with anyone in particular?’

  ‘Um, well...you never know.’

  He started laughing. ‘Oh Pam, if you could see your face! Were you trying to hide them from Forensics?’

  I nodded, avoiding eye contact. He roared with laughter. ‘You can never hide anything from that lot! They’d have found them wherever you put them.’ He placed his hand under my chin and gently tilted my face up to his. ‘I’ll be only too happy to help you use them – when your cousin’s case is solved! Now, let’s see what we can do to lessen the damage.’

  He kissed me quickly, then grabbed a handful of the wretched things and stuffed them into the inside pockets of his jacket. ‘Leave a couple in the box and put the rest in your bra,’ he advised, as the sound of sirens, which had actually registered somewhere in the dim recesses of my mind, came closer. ‘The troops’ll be here any minute. I’ll go down and let them in. Leave the handbags and stuff where they are.’ His lips curled down. ‘And don’t touch the bed. There’ll be DNA on that pillow.’

  I gathered up the rest of the damned condoms, shoved most of them into my bra, cringing with disgust at the idea that someone had been on my bed, doing God knows what. I put the box with a couple left into the bottom of my chest of drawers. Now it was empty, the techs’d think they had a female sex maniac on their hands. The sound of voices came from the kitchen and lounge room level so, being careful to skirt the faint trail of earth, I ripped off my surgical gloves and walked down to join them, trying to keep calm.

  To say I was shocked was an understatement. Standing in the front row, was Susan Prescott’s side-kick, Evan Taylor, and another young cop, grinning like fools. Anthony, looking pink about the gills, came to stand beside me.

  ‘This is Detective Constable Jacob Coops. Well, well, what have we here? I understand you’ve had a break-in, Pam?’

  Evan’s eyes twinkled. He was enjoying every minute of our embarrassment. Please God, if you have any mercy left in you for idiot me, don’t let the condoms fall out of my bra...

  ‘Yes, we were at dinner,’ Anthony took over, ‘and Pam discovered evidence to suggest that someone came in while we were out. Her iPad, laptop, iPod are all here. Apart from having a good scout around, it appears the only thing missing is Pam’s camera, the one which she was lent by Marigold Humphries. Looks like he entered through the balcony doors.’

  Instantly, their faces sobered. Evan nodded slowly. ‘Was it the same camera your attacker tried to steal from you at Roma Street Parklands?’

  ‘Yes. It only has photos of the Parklands on it though. Why would he want that?’

  The three cops exchanged glances and Evan appeared to come to a decision. ‘Because it’s possible that the murder of Ariel Maxwell and your cousin, Goldie, are connected. Now you’ve had a break-in and the camera’s been stolen, but until you’ve had a good look around, it appears nothing else. It’s not rocket science, love. The bed was incidental, I’d say.’ I knew from TV that the forensic team would be testing everything, including my underwear drawer. I would never touch any of my knickers and bras again.

  ‘I can’t see anything valuable missing, but as you say, when I’ve had a good look...’

  A commotion outside the front door heralded the arrival of two people carrying what I now recognised as forensic kits. The Body Corporate wouldn’t be best pleased. I could see neighbours from my floor clustered behind the technicians. The looks on their faces said it all; I would be well and truly persona non grata in the building now. It was only a matter of time before the media landed on us as well.

  A uniformed officer arrived, talked briefly to Evan and then stationed himself outside the door after herding the neighbours back into their units. The techs moved in and suddenly there was no place for me there. My confusion must have shown, because Anthony and Evan took me aside. ‘You’ll need to go somewhere else tonight, Pam. Any ideas?’

  ‘Well, I can’t go to Goldie’s or to Aunt Fiona’s because of you know who.’ Anthony nodded. ‘I could give Ally Mochrie a ring. Perhaps Brie’s mum and dad mightn’t mind if I camp there because they’ve got a big house. Can I take anything from here? I do need my flute and my handbag.’

  Anthony took me to the Mochrie’s huge house in Kenmore where I was met with so much love that I cried my eyes out. It was all getting too much, culminating in the violation of the break-in after such a lovely evening with Anthony and the fact that I was worried about getting enough practice before the next concert in four days time. There was still Goldie’s funeral to get through and what about Aunt Fiona and the trouble with Alex? They – well he – would demand entry – had already been in there – and oh dear, when they fou
nd the locks had been changed, my uncle’s reaction didn’t bear thinking about. I decided to hide behind Mr Sytch. After all he did advise me to do it. Sweet little man that he is, I was sure he was more than capable of dealing with Alex. I fell gratefully into being cosseted by the Mochries parents and thanked God the twins were asleep.

  CHAPTER 38

  Heartbreak

  Pam

  Wednesday, 8AM

  Something tickled my face. I threw myself on my tummy and ducked my head under the pillow, refusing to face the morning. Perhaps if I played sick I wouldn’t have to get up and face the day, or the twins, or the cops, or statements, or the Humphries – anything in fact.

  Giggling alerted me to the identities of the little skellums who were disturbing my precious sleep.

  ‘Nam, Nam!’ Something landed with all four feet on my back. I was well and truly sprung. The feet disappeared as I rolled over and came face to face with the Mochrie twins, a right pair of scallywags. Their grandmother’s cat, which they had hauled into the room and dumped on my back, bolted out of the room. The boys rolled around the bed, shrieking with laughter and punching each other.

  Bright and incredibly advanced for their age, although I love them dearly, a little of their company can go a long way. Ally and Brie are fairly strict parents, thank goodness, but their grandparents on both sides indulged Rory and Rulf – yes, I know – abominably. I cuddled them for awhile before Ally called them for their breakfast. Promising to play later, I crawled reluctantly out of bed. So much to do; so much to face. Another statement at the police station, see Mum as soon as I could and I had to pick up my dress at the shop.

  When I got out to the kitchen, Angela – Brie’s mother – had taken a message from Fiona. ‘She was quite surprised when the police told her you were here, Pam. Apparently they went around to Goldie’s house this morning to get some things and couldn’t get in. Apparently Alex wasn’t best pleased.’ Looks like the shit’s about to hit the fan.

  ‘The solicitor, told me to change the locks. Since someone had already gotten in, he said I had to do it for insurance.’ Angela threw me a sympathetic look. ‘Well, she asked me to tell you the funeral’s on Friday, 2pm at the Cemetery at Mt Gravatt. A graveside service.’ I was surprised that the solicitor hadn’t insisted on a cremation, but figured that as the Executor, he could countermand Goldie’s wishes if her parents kicked up enough fuss. I knew she hadn’t specified it in the will, but verbally expressed her preference. I pulled out my phone and scrolled through the text messages. Sure enough, there was one from him and about a million from everyone else. The one I really wanted to see, Anthony’s, asked me to ring him when I got up. He’d added a string of x’s at the end.

  Ally and her mother-in-law came into the room with the twins in tow, so we didn’t have an opportunity to talk properly until they ran outside to play with the dog. ‘So how’re you feeling, Pammie? We thought you could do with a lie-in.’

  I sipped my coffee and thought about it. ‘Actually, not too bad now I’m here with you. Thank you so much for taking me in last night. I was a mess! I feel dirty knowing someone’s been in my unit – and lying on my bed...’

  ‘It’s only natural you feel like that. Of course we would take you in, Darling.’ Angela patted my hand. Ally reached over and hugged me. ‘And don’t worry, Brie and I are coming to the funeral with you. After all, we knew Goldie too and we’re going to support you anyway.’

  ‘John’s coming with me too. I’ll ring him after I’ve finished this.’ I waved my coffee cup. ‘Then I have to get going. Stacks to do and the concert on Saturday as well. Sometimes I even forget about that and I’ve only had three hours practice since my big concert. Fortunately, it’s with the Classical Musos.’

  We’d played together many times so a run through of the program would be all that was necessary. I’d ring them and see if we could set that up for Thursday morning. Insurance wouldn’t be an issue with the unit. After all, I’d left the doors unlocked so it wouldn’t pay out even if anything was missing. The camera wasn’t important in the scheme of things, the police would have locked up and Anthony would have the keys.

  The Mochrie women headed for the city to shop, the Mochrie men escaped to the golf course and the Mochrie menaces had been taken to Daycare, much to the relief, no doubt, of the resident cat and dog.

  Just then, my mobile rang. ‘Hey Pam! How are you this morning?’

  ‘Er...Dingo?’ I giggled. ‘Fine thanks.’ I smiled. Even last night’s break-in couldn’t dim my happiness at the prospect of being with Anthony later.

  ‘Want to meet for coffee at ten-thirty?’ His tone suddenly sounded grave. ‘I really have to talk to you, mate. Can you please meet me at the coffee shop across from Silver’s?’

  Hesitating, I thought for a moment. Even something as innocuous as coffee with another man had no interest for me now that I had Anthony in my life.

  ‘Please?’

  Something in the tone of his voice concerned me. ‘Okay, but just for a quick cup, okay?’

  He thanked me profusely and rang off. Damn, I didn’t really want to do that.

  I put Ally’s nightie into the laundry for washing and answered my messages. As I put my mobile into my bag, my hand encountered something unusual inside the lining. I felt around and got it out through a small slit in the fabric. Goldie’s USB stick, the one she lent me on Saturday. I’d forgotten all about it, but remembered she’d left it in the fruit bowl on the kitchen counter, me fishing it out and throwing it into my bag. Curious, I fingered it, wondering if there was anything on it. Just then I caught sight of Ally’s laptop on the coffee table.

  I picked up my mobile; she answered almost straightaway. ‘Of course you can use the laptop, Pam. The password’s Dandelion88. Oh, I forgot to tell you that Angela’s changed the place for the house key. It’s now in an artificial rock next to the third pot plant to the left of the front door on the verandah!’

  ‘Got it! See you later and thanks again.’ It was the work of a moment to fire up the laptop and put the USB into the port. Leaning back, my thoughts were well and truly away with the fairies – namely, a certain huge gorgeous, scrumptious, heavenly cop – when the last photos on the stick came up on the screen.

  I couldn’t believe it.

  Ariel Maxwell, laughing as she danced, a tiny sprite tripping through the grass against a backdrop of trees and the river! Goldie was a superb photographer. In spite of the soft dawn light, there was no mistaking the face which had been all over the news in the last two days, but it was the identity of her companion which left me gasping. A memory arose from yesterday’s lunch of a bandaid over his finger...

  Numb with shock, I fumbled for my mobile. ‘Anthony! I’ve found the photos! The ones Goldie took at the river!’ My voice rose shrilly.

  ‘Calm down, Pam. Just settle down, take a few deep breaths. You say you found some photos of Goldie’s that were taken in the park by the river?’

  I took deep shuddering breaths and tried to control my trembling lips. Tears welled and poured down my cheeks. Now I remembered seeing the girl at the airport when I got back from Sydney. ‘Yes. Goldie lent me a USB stick last Saturday afternoon.’ I went on to explain how I found it and apologised for forgetting it.

  ‘You mean it was there all the time?’

  ‘Must have been. Ariel Maxwell, you know, the young girl is on it, posing and dancing and you’ll never guess who else!’

  I told him and explained that we were meeting for coffee and when.

  ‘Can you email the photos to me?’

  ‘Yes. I’m still at the Mochries and I’m looking at them on Ally’s laptop. What’s your email addy?’

  He gave it to me and I zapped the photos through,

  ‘Hang on the phone, Pam.’

  A few minutes later, he came back on the line. ‘Got them! Don’t go and meet him, and don’t speak to him on the phone again whatever you do because he’ll hear in your voice that you know about him. Where a
re you now?’

  I gave him the address. ‘Should I text him and cancel?’

  ‘No! We’ll pick him up when he gets to the coffee shop, but you keep away. A patrol car will be over in a few minutes for the USB. We’ll deal with it.’

  ‘Can I go back to my unit then?’

  ‘Yes, we’ve finished with your place now. No fingerprints, but they found a skerrick of surgical glove on the lounge room floor. Should be able to get DNA from it and they got some from the pillow. I’ve left your keys with the reception desk downstairs. Talk to you later. Take care.’

  I sat down, shaking all over. Of all the people I would never have guessed. Grief and disappointment that someone I knew, liked and admired for his brilliance could do something so terrible not once, but twice – for I had no doubt he had killed my cousin as well – overcame me. Heartbroken, I put my face in my hands and wept.

  It wasn’t more than ten minutes later there came a knock on the door. I wiped my eyes, blew my nose and peered out of the window. A uniformed police officer was standing outside, so I opened up and handed over the USB, after which I sat for a few minutes, silently trying to get my thoughts in order. You’ve not only murdered two women but you’ve ruined the lives of those people and our family, hurt me beyond belief and destroyed your own. How could you? My family and that of the young girl would never recover from the loss of our loved ones.

  I called a taxi to take me back to my unit to collect the car and change my clothes. After that, I’d see mum, then go and collect my altered dress. It wasn’t far from the coffee shop, but I figured far enough away to not be seen, especially if I raced in and out before...Dingo...arrived to meet me.