Man at the Window

by Robert Jeffreys

  The big man stood up and walked to the doorway then turned around and faced Carmody. Carmody and Mohr stood up. The boy stood up. The big man was shaking his head again. Finally, he stepped forward with an outstretched hand. Carmody and then Mohr stepped forward and shook it. The big man held his hand out to the boy. The boy dropped the frozen splash in his pocket and reached his hand out and watched it disappear as the big man shook it and let it go so the boy saw it again. He felt the big man’s big flat hand on his head and heard, ‘You’re a good man, Harper.’

  The boy looked up into the lost streetlights, small lines gathered at the side of them, the lines knew each other, maybe they can help the eyes. The boy thought they would.

  The big man walked to the passageway and called, ‘Paul.’

  Mr Leggett and Mrs Leggett shook hands with the big man and then the young man. The big man said to the boy. ‘This young fella is Harper. Harper, this is my son, Paul.’ Harper smiled and shook hands with Paul. Paul smiled back. Paul was a big open doorway shining out into the night like Carmody.

  ‘You listen to Carmody. You promise me that,’ the big man said. The big man had eyes now that could stop a train.

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  The boy had to say yes, but he wanted to.

  Fifty-four

  Day 20

  To Kilkenny Road

  10.10 p.m. Friday, 13th November 1965

  The car lights picked out the edges of the over-hanging branches. It appeared as if Cardilini and Paul were driving through a tunnel of foliage. Neither had spoken.

  ‘I don’t quite understand what happened, Dad.’

  ‘I’m not sure I do, either.’

  ‘You didn’t arrest Leggett.’

  ‘I didn’t believe him for an instant.’

  ‘But he confessed.’

  The pool of light before them weaved effortlessly with the curves of the road. They could have been alone on the planet, or on another planet, following a pool of moving light.

  ‘Did you believe him?’ Cardilini asked.

  ‘Have we missed the main road turn off?’ Paul asked.

  ‘Don’t think so. Did you believe him?’ Cardilini repeated.

  ‘No. And I don’t think he cared if he was believed or not,’ Paul eventually said.

  ‘I think you’re right.’

  ‘So, you’re not going to find Edmund’s killer?’

  Cardilini felt they had been released from the real world, left to meander through a tunnel of trees until the end of time, or until Betty joined them.

  ‘Did you take the bullet Harper found?’ Paul asked hesitantly.

  ‘No.’

  Insects, struck by the car lights, glittered.

  ‘Do you think I’ve done the wrong thing?’ Cardilini asked Paul, and Betty.

  ‘Why didn’t you take it?’

  ‘Leggett was correct in everything he said about what would happen.’

  ‘You can’t know that. Things have surely changed since he was practising law.’

  ‘You’d like to think so but people’s attitudes haven’t changed. No, I believe the conclusions the school reached would just be reinforced.’

  ‘That’s terrible.’

  ‘Yesterday I went to the farm where the shot is thought to have come from.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘One hundred per cent possible that the shot came from there,’ Cardilini said and received a nod of approval from Betty.

  ‘The bullet would have proved it, you should’ve taken it.’

  ‘If it was the actual bullet? We don’t know that, and never really will. Maybe Harper just wanted to boost his popularity. He’s a cadet, maybe he picked it up from a rifle range after target shooting.’ He felt like he was lying to Paul even though what he was saying was plausible.

  Paul considered this as they watched the tunnel disappear over their heads.

  ‘We haven’t done this in a while. Maybe we should do a trip away,’ Cardilini said.

  ‘Aunty Roslyn might like that.’

  ‘Yes, she would. Let’s do it around Christmas.’

  ‘We’re having a staff party at the drive-in on the twenty-third.’

  ‘After Christmas then?’

  ‘They’re going to give me more work.’

  ‘As long as it doesn’t interfere with the academy.’

  ‘So, I’m definitely going to the academy?’ Paul asked.

  ‘I think Leggett is as mad as a cut snake but I believe him. So, yes,’ Cardilini said with some relief.

  ‘What about the boy, Mossop?’

  ‘I believe that’s all over now, too.’

  The car rose and fell over the depressions in the road’s surface, and then the road veered to the right, away from the river. Up ahead on the main road into the city they could see streetlights.

  ‘Why did you say you didn’t believe Leggett did it?’ Paul asked.

  The car bounced up onto the main road. No other traffic was in sight and they travelled from streetlight to streetlight, the glow of each filling the interior of the car for a flash. Cardilini became conscious of Paul watching him and he worked his lips wanting to say something so as to appear more human than the granite rock he felt himself to be. As a passing street lamp cast a yellow hue across his face he turned to Paul with a question in his eyes.

  ‘What is it, Dad?’

  ‘Do you think, as a policeman, I am obliged to follow the law regardless of the consequences?’

  ‘I think I would, or how would you know when to stop?’

  Cardilini concentrated on the road. He didn’t have an answer.

  Fifty-five

  Mid-morning a few days later.

  The boy stood in the alcove opposite Darnley outside the principal’s offices.

  ‘You got any smokes?’ Darnley asked with a smile.

  ‘No.’

  ‘I hear you took the skin off Binder?’

  The boy smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

  ‘Mention my name to Binder, I don’t think he’ll mess with you.’

  The boy nodded his gratitude.

  ‘Talkative little prick, aren’t you?’

  The boy shrugged.

  ‘Okay, in you come,’ the head boy, Burnside, said. The boy and Darnley followed behind. Miss Reynolds rolled her eyes and shook her head at Darnley who smiled in return.

  Braun was standing behind his chair. Carmody and the sixth form boy, Platmore, who’d said Darnley hit the boy, were standing to his right. Mr Abbott was standing to the left. Burnside joined Carmody and Platmore and pointed to a spot in front of Braun’s desk. The two younger boys stepped up to it and stood. Darnley had a defiant look on his face, the boy looked to the sixth formers, then to Principal Braun.

  ‘You’re skating on thin ice, Darnley,’ Braun said.

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘You know I was about to start proceedings to have you expelled?’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘But it appears we have been too hasty this time.’

  Darnley gave a slight shrug.

  Braun continued, ‘Mr Abbott said he has already caned you for striking Harper.’

  Darnley nodded.

  ‘Well, you can count that as one towards the things we haven’t caught you for,’ Braun said dismissively.

  Darnley shrugged.

  ‘So, Harper, did Darnley hit you?’ Braun asked.

  ‘He hadn’t hit me before it all went black.’

  ‘That’s not much good,’ Braun announced.

  ‘Platmore, did you see Darnley hit Harper?’

  ‘I saw him beside Harper who was on the floor. I naturally assumed Darnley hit him.’

  ‘Quite so. You see the reputation you have created for yourself, Darnley?’ Braun asked.

&nbs
p; ‘Yes, sir,’ Darnley hid a smile.

  ‘Think yourself lucky. If Carmody hadn’t put it all together you’d be getting your marching orders,’ Braun said.

  ‘Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.’

  ‘You’re a bad influence, Darnley. I will expel you if I get half an opportunity. I think you’re a thug. I think no good will come of you,’ Braun said.

  ‘Yes, sir. Thank you, sir,’ Darnley replied.

  ‘Ridiculous. Out you go, both of you,’ Braun commanded.

  Darnley and the boy walked from the principal’s office.

  When they were outside, Darnley asked. ‘Hey, how come you didn’t get into trouble for belting Binder?’

  The boy shrugged.

  ‘Ridiculous,’ Darnley said, imitating Braun and walked off.

  The boy smiled. He’d started a brew of ginger beer with Brain-Box yesterday and knew where the ginger beer gang would be hanging out. He ran from the principal’s alcove.

  ‘Stop running, boy!’ was yelled. He stopped then did his fast walking; he knew he was really fast at walking.

  Fifty-six

  It was 11 p.m. several days after he and Paul had driven back from Leggett’s house. Cardilini had heard nothing from the department. He drove his car into the airport car park. He knew he was taking a risk but wanted to speak to Williamson before he left for Sydney and Vietnam.

  An easterly had blown all day, the hot air swept along the bitumen whipping at his trouser legs and fanning the heat onto his face. His cigarette glowed brightly with each gust of wind. Taxi drivers and passengers moved with lassitude as if the heat had a weight of its own.

  Cardilini pushed through the doors and was immediately hit by cool air, he marvelled at it. Inside, the people moved normally. Passengers and well-wishers were surrounded by a sense of the surreal. Interstate travel by air was an adventure. He remembered the flight to Sydney he, Betty and Paul had taken – the anticipation, the wonder, the anxiety. The hostesses appeared as Hollywood actresses, beautifully made up, gracious and unreasonably generous. They said they would go again the following year. He couldn’t remember why they hadn’t.

  He looked for the black swans as he walked to the stairs up to the bar. They were huddled to the left of their enclosure and he wondered if they also had the benefits of the air conditioning.

  Most drinkers sat in an orderly and composed manner. The soldiers and their visitors were rowdily gathered towards the glass overlooking the runways. He saw Williamson in the thick of the gathering, smiling, yelling, and backslapping. He walked in his direction.

  Williamson caught sight of Cardilini and shook his head in disbelief. Cardilini gestured with his head towards the bar, where he went and ordered a lemon lime and bitters.

  Williamson clapped his pint glass onto the counter beside Cardilini and asked, ‘You come to wish me well?’

  ‘Yep. I do wish you well and was hoping you would tell me what happened the night Edmund was shot.’

  Williamson shook his head from side to side again in disbelief. ‘We had this conversation.’

  ‘You didn’t tell me.’

  ‘I told you I was on a train,’ Williamson said.

  Cardilini caught and held Williamson’s eyes as he said, ‘I think Doney and Sheppard picked you up in South Australia, drove through to Perth. All in plenty of time for you to make the shot that killed Edmund on the night of the twenty-fifth of October.’

  Williamson sighed and asked, ‘What’re you drinking?’

  ‘Bitters.’

  ‘Let me buy you a real drink.’

  ‘No, you’d be doing me a favour not to offer. I have a drinking problem,’ Cardilini said.

  ‘Don’t we all? Can’t get enough of the stuff.’

  ‘I’m right, aren’t I? That’s how you did it. I’m sure I could find a witness to say they didn’t see you after Adelaide.’

  ‘I’m sure you could find plenty. I was asleep in my cabin with the door locked,’ Williamson said.

  Cardilini shook his head.

  ‘You’ve got a one-track mind, Cardilini. However, I’m happy to be your target.’ Williamson smiled as he looked over Cardilini’s shoulder. ‘Hey, lads, what the hell are you doing here?’ Williamson walked away from Cardilini.

  Cardilini turned and saw Carmody and Burnside being pushed and punched playfully by Williamson. Cardilini finished his drink and started to the door.

  ‘Cardilini,’ Williamson flung his arm over his shoulder. ‘You protect your family, you protect your mates, you protect those who can’t protect themselves. Isn’t that what you did in the war?’

  Cardilini looked back past Williamson to Carmody and Burnside. ‘Don’t visit your war on those boys.’

  ‘I won’t need to, the dates for conscription are about to be announced, either one or both could be in Vietnam in twelve months. What about your boy?’

  ‘He missed out.’

  Williamson nodded and walked back to Carmody and Burnside.

  In the car Cardilini confirmed to himself the Royal Corp Australian Infantry badge he’d seen on Doney’s sideboard was identical to the one on Williamson’s hat.

  Fifty-seven

  Midday Cardilini was at home when he received a phone call from Robinson.

  ‘Braun has been in touch with the deputy commissioner and it seems Mossop has had a change of heart,’ Robinson said.

  ‘Fancy that.’

  ‘Yes, he’d got some wild notion in his head to save the school. Obviously, seriously misguided and very harmful.’

  ‘What’s going to happen to him?’ Cardilini asked.

  ‘Yet to be decided. Thought I might have a chat to you about it.’

  ‘He’s come clean. No harm done.’

  ‘The deputy commissioner is severely embarrassed,’ Robinson said.

  ‘Poor chap.’

  ‘He should have stuck by you. He’s quite apologetic.’

  ‘Okay.’

  ‘You could kick up a fuss.’

  ‘Am I off suspension? Is Paul’s spot still happening?’ Cardilini asked.

  ‘Paul’s spot was never in jeopardy and you’re off suspension.’

  ‘Good to hear. Is that it?’ Cardilini sighed deeply.

  ‘Deputy Commissioner Warren wants some feedback on Mossop. We could get the parents and the school in for a formal apology,’ Robinson said.

  ‘What about the other boys?’

  ‘Led astray by Mossop.’

  ‘Let it rest, that’s my request,’ Cardilini said, suddenly feeling tired.

  ‘Warren will appreciate that.’

  ‘I’m not doing it for him.’

  ‘I didn’t think for a moment you were.’

  ‘Anything else?’ Cardilini asked.

  ‘You tell me. Is this going to blow up in our faces at some point in the future?’

  ‘How?’

  ‘When you were in the toilet, did you put pressure on him to change his story?’

  ‘No,’ Cardilini said emphatically.

  ‘You sure?’ Robinson asked.

  ‘Yes. But what will it matter if he changes his story again?’

  ‘Exactly. Stay clear of anything to do with St Nicholas.’

  ‘Shall do.’

  ‘So you’ve accepted the coroner’s verdict?’

  Cardilini looked down the passageway to the front yard. Paul was standing idly watering the lawn. He had his finger on the end of the hose causing the water to fan, just as Betty used to do, just as he’d be able to do for the rest of the summer without a care in the world and with a future to look forward to.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Don’t take it hard. You behaved like the real thing, Cardilini, not many coppers would do that.’

  Cardilini laughed out loud. Paul turned around with a quizzical look, C
ardilini nodded and smiled to him.

  ‘I’m serious, keep doing that and you can have Bishop’s job. Don’t say anything but he’s talking about retirement.’

  Cardilini laughed again.

  ‘What’s so funny?’

  ‘Nothing. Is the school going to address any of the complaints about Edmund?’

  ‘Oh, yeah. Braun has been instructed to offer Lockheed reinstatement and give a proper hearing to any boys who feel unjustly treated. But the school still won’t accept any accusations against Edmund, naturally enough, without Edmund being able to defend them. We’re all learning from this, Cardilini, so don’t get on your high horse about it.’

  ‘If you ever see me on a high horse, give me a kick up the backside.’

  ‘With pleasure. Drop by the station today to sign this off so the deputy commissioner can sleep peacefully.’

  Cardilini hung up and walked to the front flyscreen door. Paul had moved to the right side of the lawn. Cardilini pushed through the flyscreen door and let it clatter shut behind him.

  ‘How’s it going?’ Cardilini asked.

  ‘Nearly finished.’

  ‘There’s a sprinkler, you know.’

  ‘I know. You laughed, can’t remember the last time you laughed,’ Paul said turning to his father.

  ‘Yep, me either, you working tonight?’

  ‘I told you I was.’

  ‘That’s right, and I’m cooking bangers and mash.’

  ‘And some greens, Dad.’

  ‘And some greens. I’m back at work tomorrow.’

  ‘Fantastic. Finally, Dad, we’re both on track. Mum would be proud.’

  Cardilini nodded and picked up the two cups from the boundary wall.

  ***

  Approaching the East Perth police station Cardilini saw Salt standing on the steps watching him.

  ‘Salt,’ Cardilini said as he went up the steps.

  ‘Sir, I know everything that happened and …’

  ‘That doesn’t surprise me.’

  ‘… everyone, Leggett, Carmody, everyone owes you and have told me so.’

  Cardilini stopped walking and, looking doubtful, turned to Salt. He started to speak then changed his mind, sighed and shook his head before walking on. ‘The police work could have been better on that one, Salt,’ he said.