Echoes of the Past

by TJ Hamilton

  ‘The detectives don’t have these photos.’ She indicated the photos of the white Audi at the old mines. ‘I took them when I went for a run the other day.’

  Hayden looked at her.

  ‘I’ve got to go into the city and get Brayden,’ he said. ‘My brother won’t stop until the kid is balls-deep in this shit-fight. I can’t let Jayden destroy my brother’s future.’

  ‘What shit-fight? Did you know what Jayden was doing?’

  Hayden stuck the photo back onto the wall. ‘I’ve tried to stop this from happening for a long time, but you know what Jayden’s like. I’m going to put a stop to it for good, like I should’ve done from the start. I’m not going to let drugs and crime ruin what’s left of my family.’

  ‘Then you should have gone to the police. They have Jayden locked up anyway, so who cares what you tell them to keep him there. He obviously has little regard for the system if it hasn’t slowed the operation after him being locked up.’

  ‘You think going to the cops would’ve stopped him? Nothing would stop Jayden. He was just born bad, and metal bars won’t stop him from being just that. I’m paying my brother a visit and then I’m getting Brayden and bringing him back home. I’m not having this anymore.’

  Leila offered a slight smile to Hayden. She’d made the right decision. He’d reacted exactly how she’d hoped he would. She knew he would pull Brayden out, and they could begin the rest of their lives. Once Hayden had his own family’s problems sorted, Leila knew she wouldn’t have to adjust her moral compass again. Her dedication to the job was too much to ever risk this type of behaviour, but considering her ties to the Terrances, this just felt right.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Hayden pushed the car beyond the speed limit as he raced towards the city, desperate to find his baby brother and stop the dictatorship of his older brother once and for all. The sun rose from the edge of the horizon, the road to the city vast and flat with barely a tree in sight. You could almost make out the curvature of the earth, it was so desolate and bare for as far as the eye could see. Then a dramatic change as the mountains grew higher and the road travelled up towards the clouds. It was a punishing drive through the ranges until the road reached the other side and flattened out once more.

  Eight hours later, and an hour before the prison’s visiting hours started, Hayden arrived in the city. He pulled into a truck stop and showered to freshen up. He didn’t want to give any reason for the wardens to deny him access to his brother, and presentation was one way they would try to stop him.

  Arriving at Silverwater Correctional Complex with half an hour to spare before visiting hours began, Hayden made his way to reception to enter in the details for his request.

  After an hour’s wait and the usual screening processes, Hayden was let in to a no-contact room. It was just as well because Hayden didn’t trust what he would do to his brother with the amount of uncontrollable rage coursing through his body.

  As soon as he saw the shadow of his brother approaching with the distinctive swagger, Hayden stood up, showing his towering size to his shorter, older, menacing brother. Jayden smirked when he saw Hayden standing.

  ‘You leave Brayden the fuck alone, or else I’ll go to the dogs and have you stay in here forever!’ Hayden shouted at the window.

  Jayden didn’t sit, but the warden next to him commanded he take a seat or else the visit was over. No longer in control of his life inside these walls, Jayden sat without challenging the demand. His top lip curled into a snarl at Hayden.

  ‘So your little girly’s already got an influence over you, has she? Brett said she’s still a hot piece of ass. He reckons it’s no wonder you bailed on me.’

  Hayden’s blood boiled in his ears and he beat against the toughened Perspex barrier with both fists. ‘IF YOU COME NEAR HER, I WILL GUT YOU!’ he roared.

  Two guards immediately opened the door behind Hayden, physically restraining him either side.

  ‘YOU GO NEAR ANY OF MY FAMILY AND YOUR LIFE WON’T BE WORTH LIVING, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!’ Hayden continued to bellow as the guards dragged him from the room. ‘I HOPE YOU ROT IN HERE!’

  The prison’s chief governor insisted on speaking to Hayden once he’d calmed down, summoning him to his office. Hayden obliged, knowing full well this would be his official ban from visiting the prison. Entering the modest grey-blue office, Hayden took a seat as directed.

  ‘You want to tell me what that was all about? We take threats to our inmates very seriously in this facility, so you might want to start explaining the reasons for the outburst before you’re charged with menacing behaviour.’

  Hayden stared at the governor, unfazed by the threat of legal action. It had been worth it to Hayden. He’d seen the moment of fear pass across his brother’s face. Jayden knew Hayden’s capabilities; he wouldn’t be taking the threat lightly. Evil ran in their family, whether Hayden liked it or not. With every Terrance, there was always something bubbling just below the surface, waiting to break out with the right provocation, and Jayden would know it was in Hayden too.

  ‘How surprising. You don’t want to talk? Well let me just say this, young man. You may not be a customer of mine, but by the sounds of your recent conversations with your brother, I’d say you’re a bee’s dick away from getting to know me a whole lot better.’

  Hayden’s rage was still teetering close to the edge, but he controlled it enough to reply with, ‘Is that all? Unless you’re going to charge me, I would like to go, thanks.’

  ‘Oh, and before I leave, you might want to confiscate the phone I have in the locker. I think you’ll find everything you need on that.’

  Hayden was crossing a line they said never to cross, but what choice did he have?

  ‘You will have an indefinite suspension, prohibiting you from coming back to this facility, Mr Terrance. Please gather your property from the front desk and never return, am I understood?’

  Hayden nodded. ‘Loud and clear,’ he replied, and left the office to be escorted out of the building.

  He heard the governor pick up the phone before he was even out of earshot.

  ‘Seize the phone from the Terrance kid immediately.’

  Hayden jumped back into the car and turned on his other, everyday phone. A message instantly pinged from Leila. Brayden is home. I’m at your mum’s house now. He’s not leaving my sight.

  Hayden smiled at the welcome news. He was so grateful for Leila. What if this kid was really becoming more trouble than he was worth? He shook the thought; if he wanted to start helping the other kids in town like Brayden, he needed to stop thinking like this. Of course they were all worth it.

  He replied back with a message to Leila: Thanks for being there. I’ll see be seeing Jayden in an hour then I’ll head back home. Love you xx

  He felt a twinge of guilt about lying to her, but what he was about to do had to be his secret from her forever.

  If he was to keep the city bikies out of town, he needed to pay them a personal visit. It was a risk he was willing to take to protect everyone he loved.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Leila sat with Sue in her kitchen while Brayden slept off wherever he’d been. Leila attempted to explain her extra interest in Brayden as something happening in the mentoring program, but she knew Sue wasn’t buying it.

  ‘So how about you cut the crap about this justice program and you tell me exactly what’s going on with Brayden.’ Sue took a sip of her tea.

  Leila avoided direct eye contact.

  Sue pushed further. ‘Is it because he went to the city? Is he in trouble with the cops? Is that why you can’t tell me?’

  Leila’s eyes flashed to Sue’s. ‘No, he’s not in trouble … yet. But he’s going to be if we don’t keep an eye on him. We can’t let him out of our sight, okay? I won’t be able to help him if the cops find out what he’s been up to.’

  Tears threatened. Brayden’s welfare was important to her, but the position he’d put her in was excruciating. Sue del
icately placed her palm over Leila’s bandaged hand resting on the table.

  ‘Thank you, Leila,’ she said. ‘I don’t think you understand how grateful I am that you’re in our life.’

  A tear slipped down Leila’s cheek. Being seen within the community as something positive was all she’d ever wanted. But doubt tugged at the back of her neck. At what cost did she earn this understanding? She was pushing against her own ethics to keep Brayden out of trouble, and it would cost her career if anyone found out what she knew but hadn’t disclosed to her superiors.

  Sue pulled Leila into an embrace when her tears kept coming. She stroked the back of her hair and Leila’s tears fell freely without a sound.

  ‘Thank you for not acting on whatever information you have. I can’t imagine how you must be feeling. I’m just sorry my boy is the one doing this.’

  ‘If it wasn’t your son, I wouldn’t be feeling like this,’ Leila replied.

  ‘I know, love. You are one special kid.’

  Nothing else needed to be said. Leila’s allegiance to her family would always be stronger than her job. Were her bosses right all along? Would people like Leila never fit the mould?

  ‘Hayden said you have a statue of Kaylee in the backyard. Can you show me?’

  Sue pulled back.

  Leila, now uncomfortable, shrugged. ‘It’s funny how you can miss someone who you didn’t even know.’

  Sue’s chin quivered, tears welling in the bottom of her eyes.

  ‘We all think about her every day. We think about you too.’ Sue sniffed and blinked the tears. ‘But I feel better knowing Mick would be looking after her up there.’

  Leila didn’t necessarily buy into heaven, but she was really sure Mick and Kaylee would be in the same place if there was one.

  ‘Come on, I’ll show you my beautiful granddaughter,’ Sue said as she pulled Leila up from her seat, leading her to the back door.

  The yard was lush with green tropical plants lining the back deck, and the grass beyond the deck looked fluffy and inviting. It had never looked nice when she was a kid. The harsh outback sun and lack of rain meant things got brown and crusty pretty quickly. But Sue’s backyard now looked like the houses on the other end of town, where people could afford to pay for the council’s high water rates.

  ‘Wow, Aunt Sue, this looks beautiful out here.’

  Sue looked back and smiled. ‘This is my happy place since my Mick left, and I stopped with the booze. With the boys always off busy, and your mum, well—’ Sue didn’t continue talking about Cath Mayne, and Leila was happier for it. ‘I just find I’m really enjoying coming out here and seeing the new life around me.’

  ‘Well you’ve certainly turned this place around. I can’t believe how beautiful it all looks.’

  Sue pointed to a garden bench under the towering gum tree in the far corner of the yard. Next to it sat a beautiful little garden statue of an angel, wheeling a barrow full of flowers. The angel was childlike with her hair falling in ringlets around her shoulders and plump cheeks. Her feathered wings draped behind her like a cape and she wore a crown of flowers around her head. For a statue she was perfect and Leila beamed. Sue watched Leila carefully.

  ‘I like to think of her helping me out here when I’m gardening. I can feel her and Mick around me whenever I’m out here. I talk to them a lot. I tell them everything that’s going on. That’s Mick over there.’ Sue pointed to a statue of an eagle perched on top of a set of sculpted rocks at the opposite side of the garden bench.

  The eagle’s neck was stretched high, its wings also stretched behind like the wings of an angel, but slightly held out from its body, as if it were ready to take flight at any moment. He watched out across the garden like a protector, regal and powerful. It was everything her Uncle Mick had been and more. Both statues were perfect, as if commissioned especially by Sue.

  ‘I can’t believe you didn’t show me sooner. I love them,’ Leila said.

  Sue shrugged. ‘Love, I don’t think you’ve been ready to come and see them until this very moment.’

  She took Leila’s hand. ‘But I’m glad you’re here now.’

  They took a seat on the bench together and looked out over the garden Sue had worked hard to produce.

  ‘You know you could make a business out of this. If you can turn this old dust bowl into an oasis, imagine what you could do to all the backyards in this street.’

  Sue laughed. ‘Thanks, love. But do you know how much hard work and money this takes? I don’t think the people on this street would have that kind of money to spend. Plus, I can’t even get your mum to water the cactus and succulents I bought her.’

  Leila sighed. All she’d ever wanted was her parents to be a bit more like Sue. Exhaustion washed over her.

  Sue watched her for a moment.

  ‘Why don’t you go home and have a good sleep, love?’

  Leila squinted out of one eye.

  ‘I’ll watch him. Trust me. That kid won’t move from there for at least another twelve hours. You know how that boy can sleep.’

  Leila’s four good hours of sleep after Hayden left to drive back to the city still hadn’t made up for the sleep she’d missed out on the night before.

  ‘I’m really glad to see you and Hayden back together again,’ Sue said, interrupting Leila’s wicked thoughts.

  How did she know so much already? Did Hayden tell her everything? Did her face give everything away?

  Sue read the shock in Leila’s face.

  ‘Oh … oh … if something has happened, I can assure you, I didn’t know you were together together. I just thought you were back talking.’

  Leila started giggling and shook her head in amusement. ‘It feels like no time has passed at all. I know that sounds clichéd, but I forgot there was ever a time apart, the moment we were together together again.’

  Sue couldn’t wipe the joy from her face.

  Life suddenly felt as vibrant as the garden in front of her, as if her own happiness had made it blossom. Leila yawned again and rested her head on Sue’s shoulder. Sue put her arms around Leila’s face and patted her cheek.

  ‘Go home and get some rest. I’ve got the day off, so I’m not going anywhere. That boy is getting a good talking to whenever he decides to get up.’

  ‘I don’t think he realises just how close he was to losing everything he’s worked so hard for in the past few months. Go easy on him. He’s just a kid that’s been influenced by the wrong kind of people.’ And with a sliver of reluctance, Leila went home to wait for Hayden to get back from the city.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  It took Leila longer than normal to settle. Her body ached from the additional physical activity she had been getting in the past couple of days. Something strummed in the back of her mind but she blew it off. She rolled her eyes and finally settled into a position where she was comfortable enough to fall asleep.

  It felt like no time had passed at all when Leila woke up to Hayden’s face in front of her, his eyes wide.

  ‘Hey,’ she said, rubbing her eyes. ‘What time is it? I feel like I’ve just fallen asleep.’

  ‘It’s just past four. Mum’s been trying to call you. She’s frantic, and driving all over town.’

  Leila’s heart thumped hard. ‘What? Why? Where’s Brayden?’

  Hayden shrugged. Disappointment was awash across his face and Leila was overcome with anger at herself for leaving Sue’s place.

  ‘Mum went to check on him when he hadn’t woken, and he wasn’t there. We think the little shit climbed out the window.’ Hayden shook his head in frustration.

  Leila climbed out of bed quickly. ‘Well, let’s go look for him then.’

  ‘I think I know where he will be,’ Hayden replied.

  Leila pulled on some shorts and threw a shirt over her singlet. She slid into her Doc Martens, not bothering to lace them up, and rushed out to Hayden’s car, which was openly parked in her driveway. At this point Leila didn’t care who saw it there.
She knew the superintendent would understand, given the circumstances.

  They hit the dirt road towards Bulls’ Run when Leila’s phone rang. It was the superintendent.

  ‘Hi, Leila. I need you to come on duty to man the station. I know you’re restricted, but everyone’s been called in. There’s been an explosion at the old mines on Jacinta Buchanan’s property. We have no idea of casualties or anything yet. I’m on my way out there now. Sergeant Cooper and the detectives are already out there with the firies. Our suspicions are that it was a clandestine lab, but we’ll go over that at the debrief. All I need you to do is head into the station to manage it for me.’

  The blood drained from Leila’s face. ‘Brayden.’ Her throat clenched when she tried to talk.

  ‘Leila. Leila! Are you there?’ The superintendent’s voice was breaking up as the phone slipped from Leila’s hand.

  There was a plume of smoke in the distance. ‘What’s that?’

  ‘Drive, Hayden! Brayden’s in there,’ she screamed.

  Hayden flattened his foot to the accelerator and they sped closer to the scene, Leila nearly hyperventilating in the passenger seat. Why couldn’t they go faster?

  ‘What’s happened, Leila?’ Hayden asked, but they both knew the answer.

  Through the trees, she saw the flashing lights of the fire, ambulance and police cars surrounding the entrance to the mine. They rounded the corner and came to a screeching halt. Leila couldn’t feel her legs hit the ground. The white Audi was mixed in with the emergency vehicles. Her whole body trembled.

  Toby Grimshaw stepped out in his full yellow fire-retardant suit and helmet, and caught Leila as she ran towards the site. ‘Leila, what are you doing? You can’t go in there. It’s unstable! We can’t get near it yet.’

  ‘BUT BRAYDEN’S IN THERE!’ she screamed again.

  ‘How do you know that?’ Toby looked confused.