Red Hot

by Cheryl Alldis

  ***

  ‘Let’s get back to the station and show this to Moore and Riley. We’ve got plenty here to go over,’ Bennett said to Simpson once they were out in the car.

  ‘You agree with their theory?’ Simpson asked.

  ‘It doesn’t matter if we do or not. We’ve gathered all they asked us to, so now it’s up to Moore and Riley; they’re the ones leading this investigation now,’ Bennett replied.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  After dinner, Eric went to his sleepout, exhausted after his hard day’s work and the grilling from the detectives.

  Des had spent the last part of the day lying on his bed. Attempts by Connie to rouse him had only resulted in him snapping at her.

  Sam stuck his head in the door and called Des for dinner. He too got yelled at to leave.

  After dinner, Sam and Connie decided to sit on the veranda in the cool of the autumn evening. A few more weeks and it would be winter.

  As they chatted, a police car drove up the driveway. Detectives Bennett and Simpson alighted and walked to the veranda.

  ‘Evenin,’ greeted Sam. ‘What brings you back so soon?’

  ‘Evening, Sam, Mrs Mason. Is Eric around?’ Bennett asked.

  ‘Yes, he’s out back. I’ll call him if you like. He’s in the sleep out. He went to bed early,’ Connie answered.

  ‘No need, Mrs Mason. We’ll go and see him there,’ Bennett told her.

  ‘Why do you want to see him again?’ Sam asked, frowning.

  ‘Just routine…’ Bennett answered. He gestured with a tilt of his head for Simpson to follow him. ‘You two wait here,’ he instructed.

  Sam and Connie stayed on the veranda. The attitude of the detectives left them wondering and made them both uneasy. What could they possibly want with Eric, especially at this time of the night?

  Eric opened his door to the two detectives.

  ‘Evening, Eric. May we come in?’ Bennett asked politely, pushing straight past him.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Eric asked in surprise, stepping back to let them enter.

  ‘Mason, we have a warrant to search your room,’ Simpson told him.

  Eric’s mouth fell open in shock. ‘You’ve got what?’

  ‘You heard, mate. Now, let us get on with it.’ Bennett pushed past Eric and began riffling through his things.

  Simpson was busily going through the bottom of Eric’s wardrobe when he suddenly sat back on his haunches. ‘Look here, mate.’ He called Bennett over and produced a box.

  ‘Well! Well! Well! What have we here?’ Bennett turned and looked at Eric.

  ‘What are you doing with these, pal?’ He held up the contents of the box… mosquito coils!

  ‘Those… shit they’re old as the hills. I was usin’ ‘em a few years ago for the bloody mosquitos. I forgot they were even there,’ Eric replied, confused.

  ‘That’s what you say. We’d like to discuss this further,’ Bennett said. He nodded to Simpson.

  ‘Eric Mason, we’d like you to accompany us to the Albury Police Station for further questioning.’ Simpson placed a firm hand on Eric’s shoulder.

  ‘Am I under arrest?’ Eric asked, in shock.

  ‘Not at this stage. Come along.’

  Sam and Connie were completely stunned. They couldn’t believe what they saw as they watched Eric, seated in the back of the police car, being driven off to the police station.

  After they left, Sam turned to Connie. ‘This’s bullshit! Grab a cardigan, Con. We’ll go down to Kia-Ora and tell them what’s happened.’

  How could they possibly think that Eric was the firebug?

  It took them only few minutes to walk the short distance to Kia-Ora.

  Hazel answered the door. ‘Hello Connie, Sam. Lovely to see you, nice evening for a stroll.’ She smiled and ushered them into the lounge room.

  ‘Well hello you two. This is an unexpected pleasure. Sit down. Hazel, would you bring extra cups please?’ Emmie said brightly.

  Sam and Connie sat uneasily. This wasn’t going to be easy. Eric was the apple of Emmie’s eye.

  ‘Look, there’s no easy way to say what I have to tell you,’ Sam said sullenly.

  Everyone stared at him, waiting for him to continue. He stood up and ran his hand nervously through his hair.

  ‘Well, Sam, get on with it!’ Karl said impatiently.

  ‘The detectives came back again tonight. They wanted to talk to Eric again.’

  ‘Why?’ Emmie sat forward on her chair.

  ‘They had a search warrant. They searched his room and found a box with mosquito coils in it that he’d kept from when he used them…’ Sam paused.

  ‘And… Sam, tell us…’ Win said anxiously.

  ‘They’ve taken him in for questioning!’ Sam blurted.

  ‘They’ve what?!’ they all said at once.

  ‘That’s right. He’s had to go into Albury Police Station to be questioned,’ Connie told them.

  ‘That’s preposterous!’ Emmie gasped. ‘Surely they can’t think he’s the firebug?’

  ‘They haven’t actually arrested him, have they?’ Digger asked, a deep frown creasing his forehead.

  ‘No. Not yet, anyway,’ Sam replied. ‘They said it was just for questioning but it doesn’t sound too good to me!’

  ‘Now he’s in there, those jokers won’t let up on him! Fancy wastin’ time takin’ Eric in! The stupid bastards should be out there tryin’ to find the real mongrel!’ Karl shouted. ‘We’ll have to tell Dawn. She’s goin to be bloody frantic about this. Damn the bloody fools! Eric of all people! They’ve gone bloody crazy!’ Karl stood up, clenching his fists.

  ‘They’re desperate to pin it on someone! They’ve been runnin’ ‘round the valley like idiots for friggin’ months, gettin’ nowhere. So ‘course they’re desperate!’ Digger said furiously.

  ‘Those bloody city cops’ve been here five friggin’ minutes an’ now they haul our Eric in. You tell me what evidence they have on him. He’s the last person they should be lookin’ at!’ Sam rubbed his unshaven chin in dismay, adding, ‘I don’t trust those bastards. They’d do anythin’ to make ‘emselves look good! Eric doesn’t even fit the bloody description. Somethin’s not right about this!’ He paced the floor in agitation, his voice rose louder and louder.

  ‘They can’t lay charges on an innocent man. They’ll have to let him go.’ Emmie was visibly shaking. Ellie and Win glanced at each other, concern in their eyes.

  ‘It’ll be alright, Mum. They can’t charge Eric without sufficient proof. We all know he’s innocent.’ Ellie was grateful for the supportive murmurs in the room. ‘Hazel, would you be kind enough to get Mum a small brandy?’ she asked.

  Win placed a light blanket over Emmie’s trembling knees. ‘There, Mum, everything will be fine.’

  Karl went with Sam and Connie to break the news to Dawn and Jeff.

  Dawn was frantic, just as Karl had predicted. She immediately rang the police station. They told her that Eric was not able to come to the phone. He was in the interrogation room.

  ‘This is all a nightmare!’ she cried. ‘They can’t lay the blame on him. He’s not the damn firebug!’ she sobbed. ‘Have you all stopped and thought what this could really mean?’ she choked, looking at them with desperation in her eyes. ‘If they think he’s the firebug, then they’ll say that he made those phone calls and Lord help us… he’d be held responsible for Harry’s murder!’ Dawn collapsed into a chair and covered her face with shaking hands, sobbing her heart out.

  Everyone glanced at each other. No one had thought that far yet. Connie tried to calm Dawn the best she could. She placed a cup of tea in front of her but it was left untouched.

  ‘Shit!’ Sam said suddenly. ‘We didn’t tell Des. He wouldn’t have heard the cops. If he’s woken up and found us all missing, he’ll wonder what the hell is goin’ on,’ Sam said.

  ‘Well, if you’d like to stay here with Dawn til Jeff gets back, I’ll drop in and tell him,’ Karl offered.


  ‘Thanks mate,’ Sam said. ‘Jeff’s gonna hit the roof about this. He’s out on patrol lookin’ for the real bastard, meanwhile the cops are interrogatin’ an innocent bloke… Fuckin’ idiots!’

  Des had heard the detectives take Eric in. He was deeply distressed about it. He had also seen Sam and Connie leave. He knew they would be worried sick. He was on his bed deep in thought. He was in the same position with his arm shielding his face when Karl poked his head around the door.

  Karl sensed he was not sleeping. ‘You heard what happened, mate?’ Karl asked.

  ‘Yeah, I saw ‘em take him. The bastards are wrong!’ Des shouted and leapt from the bed, kicking a boot across the room.

  ‘Fuck Karl! We have to do somethin’.’ Des ran his fingers through his hair. ‘Why pin it on Eric? Why? What evidence could they possibly have? Hell, there isn’t any! Eric’s not the friggin firebug!’

  Karl spoke gently to Des. He was distraught. He stayed with him until he calmed down.

  Des and Eric grew up together in the valley and were more like brothers than cousins. They did most things together from an early age. They were buggers when they were young boys. They’d play jokes on other family members and roll around with laughter together when their pranks were discovered. They both got push bikes at the same time and would ride flat out up and down Centaur Road dropping in on the ‘rellies’ to say g’day. It was no surprise to see Des so terribly upset at Eric being in strife; they always had each other’s backs.

  Down at Kia-Ora, Ellie and Win had coaxed Emmie to bed. Knowing that she would be awake all night thinking about Eric, they had given her a mild sleeping pill.

  ‘What next, damn it! As if we haven’t had enough without this to contend with. The firebug’s caused more damage than ever. This will send Eric over the edge,’ Ellie said, worried.

  ‘We’ll give him as much support as we possibly can. The poor kid must be distraught. I hate the thought of him being in there tonight with them grilling him. They’ll give him a rough time of it, you can be sure,’ Win replied. ‘You know there’ll be some people in the valley who’ll believe he’s guilty. There’s a few nasty ones who’ll take great delight in hearing a Mason is in trouble!’

  ***

  Eric had been left alone in the interrogation room. He sat with his head in his hands, very close to tears, but he was determined not to crack. The bastards weren’t going to pin this on him. He was innocent and he would prove it!

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  The gravel crunched under the tyres of the police car as it drew up Sam’s driveway with Eric exhausted and very solemn in the back seat beside Detective Simpson. This time they were accompanied by Senior Detectives Riley and Moore.

  Sam and Des heard the car arrive and went out to meet it.

  As Eric stepped from the car, Sam went to him.

  ‘Eric, are you alright mate? They’ve kept you all bloody night…’

  ‘Don’t I know. They grilled me all blasted night, too. They really believe I’m the firebug!’ Eric’s voice rose then cracked as he swallowed back tears.

  ‘Don’t let them see you upset, mate.’ Sam placed a comforting hand on Eric’s shoulder. ‘Anyway, what evidence have they got?’ he asked.

  ‘Those blasted coils in my cupboard! They’ve been there for I dunno how bloody long. Anyway, I’m not the only bloke in the valley to use the bloody things, and, wait for this one, that fuckin’ Gelding bitch seriously reckons it was me who set fire to her haystack! I wish I hadn’t tried to help the stupid old cow!’

  Detective Bennett approached them. ‘Come on, son. We have a search to conduct.’ He took Eric by the arm and steered him toward the back of Sam’s house. The two city detectives strode off in front of them.

  ‘Dad, this isn’t bloody right. We have to do somethin’,’ Des scowled.

  ‘Don’t worry, son. I’ve got Buckley comin’ in an hour. He’ll sort it out. He’s the best solicitor in town,’ Sam said reassuringly.

  ‘Bennett, Simmo, you keep our pal here company while Detective Riley and I search the tank shed,’ Detective Moore instructed.

  ‘He won’t be going anywhere,’ Simpson replied.

  ‘What’re you looking for in there?’ Eric asked, bewildered.

  ‘We’ll tell you when we find it,’ Simpson answered curtly.

  It wasn’t long before Detective Riley shouted ‘Bingo!’ He came out through the old wooden door of the tank shed and indicated for the other detectives to look inside.

  ‘Look here!’ he smirked.

  Eric moved forward, craning his neck to see what they had found. On the floor under an old rickety shelf was a box marked Mosquito Coils!

  ‘Did you know these were here?’ Bennett asked, looking directly at Eric.

  ‘No, I did not, and I don’t believe they were in there until today!’ Eric snapped at him in complete surprise.

  ‘You watch what you say, Mason. Come on, bring those Simmo. Bennett, take our mate here back to the car.’ Detective Riley barked his orders.

  ‘You blokes are wrong! I’ve never lit any fires and I’ll prove it,’ Eric protested, jerking his arm from Bennett’s grasp. The detective immediately grabbed his arm again and twisted it up behind his back.

  ‘Don’t cause me any trouble, son,’ he said quietly in Eric’s ear.

  As he was hauled back to the car, Eric thought about the coils. The box looked new, not at all as though it had been there for any length of time. There wasn’t any dust on it at all. The old shed was filthy. The box of coils the cops say they ‘found’ was definitely new!

  ‘It had to be a plant!’

  Sam and Des were waiting at the back steps of the house.

  ‘What’ve you got there?’ Sam enquired.

  The detectives told them of their find.

  ‘What’s that got to do with Eric?’ Des asked.

  ‘We have an eye witness who says he saw Eric enter the shed on Christmas Eve, not long before the hills went up.’ Detective Moore eyed Eric as he spoke.

  ‘Bullshit! I never went near that shed. I haven’t been in it for ages!’ Eric shouted in indignation at the false accusation.

  ‘That’s enough. You’ll get your say in court,’ Bennett said as he hustled Eric to the car.

  ‘Don’t worry, Eric.’ Sam followed and touched him reassuringly on the shoulder. ‘Mr Buckley will be in to see you very soon.’

  The car drove off, leaving a very worried and bewildered Sam and Des in its dust.

  ***

  ‘What are you telling me, Sam?’ Dawn was wringing her hands in agitation.

  Sam was desperately sorry to have to bring her the bad news.

  ‘I’m sorry, Dawn, but it looks as though they’re goin’ to charge Eric!’

  He also told her what Ivy Gelding said to the cops.

  ‘Sam, that Gelding woman’s a liar! She was damn lucky he was there to help. My God, what an ungrateful bitch she is!’ Dawn paced back and forth in her kitchen.

  ‘What’ll happen now?’ Eileen asked angrily. She was trembling and very scared for her brother. She was furious at Ivy Gelding for accusing him after he so desperately tried to save her property.

  ‘There’ll be a brief hearin’. I’d say Buckley will try and make it for later on today. He’ll try ta get him bailed as soon as possible. The first thing is to get Eric outta there.’ Sam’s voice was tense with worry.

  ‘I’d like to choke that bloody lyin’ old bitch! I’ve a good mind to go an’ tell her just what I think of her!’ Eileen said furiously, dabbing at her tears.

  ‘That wouldn’t be a wise thing ta do; it’d only cause more trouble,’ Jeff told her. ‘Does the rest of the family know about this?’ he asked Sam.

  ‘Not yet. We’ll head down shortly an’ tell ‘em. Eileen, Jeff’s right, stay away from Ivy Gelding,’ Sam replied wearily.

  Dawn spoke huskily as tears streamed down her face. ‘I’m going to change then I want you to take me straight to the police station, Jeff.�
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  ‘I’m coming too!’ Eileen said.

  ‘Look, the best thing you can do for now is wait until we hear from Buckley. If you go stormin’ into the station, it could do more harm than good,’ Sam told her.

  ‘I wanna do more than storm the friggin’ station. I’d like ta get me hands on those city mongrels. They’re the ones who caused all this!’ Jeff leant on his hands and stared out the kitchen window.

  ‘I reckon ya right, mate. Those coils weren’t in that shed. We’ve never had coils in there, ever. They were planted there,’ Sam said, coming to stand beside him. ‘Were gonna have a battle on our hands now. Eric’s gonna have to be strong til this’s all over. We all have to be.’

  ‘Well, I’m not standin’ here doin’ nothin’.’ Jeff spun around and stormed out. ‘I’m goin’ to that cop station an’ tell ‘em just what I think!’

  ‘Well, I’m coming with you,’ Dawn called after him.

  ‘No, you stay with Eileen,’ Sam told her. ‘I’ll go with Jeff,’ he said, having a change of heart. ‘There’s a few things I wanna say to ‘em as well!’

  ***

  Emmie was heartbroken. She thought of her dear Dave. This would have upset him dreadfully. In a way, she was pleased her husband didn’t have to go through the worry. The old man had idolized young Eric and this would have broken his heart.

  ‘We have to pray that the truth comes out and soon,’ she whispered.

  ‘How can people honestly think its Eric?’ Kathy asked, bewildered.

  ‘Well, Kath, they’re desperate to have someone to blame. It’s all been goin’ on for so damn long people are sick and tired of livin’ in fear. The cops haven’t been able to catch him, we haven’t got anywhere with our stakeouts, so all it takes is for one nasty person to make an accusation and the rest is history!’ Karl was buckling his belt as he spoke. ‘This evidence the cops say they found in the tank shed is false! That was planted! Eric’s innocent and now we have to prove it!’

  ‘Where’re you off to?’ Digger asked.

  ‘I’m going up to Dawn’s to see if there’s anythin’ I can do. She wouldn’t be copin’ with this at all.’