The Cross

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

I groaned inwardly and slumped back in my seat. Just what I didn’t need: complications before I’d even started.

Janet fidgeted in her seat. “My parents are not happy about you being here, Jack. They’re very upset with me for enlisting your services to re-open the investigation.”

“Why?”

Janet appeared torn.

“They’re still in mourning. They don’t want more trouble. They just want to be left in peace to try to come to grips with losing Carol. I think they might be unhelpful towards you. I insisted they meet with you and help in any way they can, but…”

“So they don’t share your view on there being more to this than what’s been reported?”

“No. They’ve accepted the event occurred as the detectives reported. They believe there’s nothing that will bring Carol back to them.”

I pondered on how I should handle the parents. I peered out the window and up at the house.

Janet put a hand on my arm. “Jack, I must find out the truth, or I will never be able to live with myself. I need this out of respect for my younger sister.”

I put my notebook away. “It’s okay, Janet. I understand. Leave it with me. It’ll be fine, trust me. Let’s just go in.”

*

We made our way up to the front door where Bob and Mary cordially greeted me into their home. They were both polite but appeared distant. Bob was a slightly built man with pushed-back greying hair, and a small face with thick-framed glasses and piercing blue eyes. I remembered he had an injury from the First World War that made him walk with a limp. The limp was a lot worse now. Mary looked frail. Her hair was shorter than I’d remembered and pushed to one side with a small fringe. I could see she had lost weight and was dressed in black from head to toe. They had both aged considerably since the last time I’d met them. We all moved into the dining room and sat down for Sunday lunch.

The culinary fare was shoulder of lamb with rosemary, roast potatoes, pumpkin and peas, all topped off with a rich brown gravy. I could see the table was set with the best linen and shiny silver cutlery. Small talk was sparse and the mood solemn. Janet looked tense and sat upright in her chair as if she was waiting for something to drop or break. I kept up a gentle stream of niceties but was unsure how to broach the subject I needed to discuss.

After lunch, Mary and Janet served a dessert of rice custard pudding with stewed fruit, but as we had coffee, Bob looked at me with an intense stare and began to speak.

“Mister Dallas, you were a close friend of his, weren’t you?”

“Of Brodie? You could say that, Mister Saunders.” I put my coffee down. “He saved my life and the lives of most the men I fought with during the war.”

“Well, sir, I know my elder daughter here has some foolish, headstrong idea that the taking of our Carol was not Brodie’s doing and you here, sir, a private detective and all, can somehow shed light to this fact. Well, can you?” demanded Bob, as he raised his voice and looked directly into my eyes.

I took a gulp from my coffee cup and looked back at Bob, then Mary, intently. I took a deep breath. “Look, Mister Saunders, with all due respect and if I can be downright honest, I don’t know what I can do…for you, or Missus Saunders, or Janet.”

I waited a moment.

“But let me tell you one thing I do know. Ever since I found out about Brodie and Carol’s tragedy, there’s been a small, niggling voice in the back of my head telling me something doesn’t quite add up.”

I noticed something in Bob’s eyes. I felt as if it might be a slight acknowledgment. I continued. “I grant you Janet was probably foolhardy to send for me out here on a hunch, but now that I’m here I’m getting a sense that all of us who knew Brodie and Carol feel there could be more to what the investigating authorities have concluded.”

Bob looked up at Mary and then Janet as they both stood at the dining table. Bob turned to me. “Mister Dallas, my family is distraught over our Carol’s passing. We are all shell-shocked. We are numb with pain, sir. Our feelings will now be inflamed again by your bringing up the events of that dreadful day. Whatever you do, whatever you discover, it will not bring our Carol back to us!”

I could understand his feelings but I knew I had to keep trying. I turned and looked at Mary. She had started to clear the coffee cups from the table. She began to sob quietly as she walked into the kitchen. Janet followed her mother.

I took out a smoke while Bob packed his pipe. We shared a light and sat in sober reflection for a while as hushed crying echoed from the kitchen through the afternoon air.

After a period of time, I turned to Bob. “Mister Saunders, my line of work has given me an insight to human nature. I’ve seen a great deal of bad in people, and all the good in others. I’ve seen bizarre situations of deceit and manipulation. I’ve seen rich people, I’ve seen poor people, white people, coloured people, pious people and sinful scum do all sorts of crazy things that people can do to each other.”

Bob listened and quietly nodded.

“I’ve seen it all, sir, but the one thing it’s given me is a great instinct for right and wrong, and the more thought I give this tragedy, the more I feel things are wrong.”

“Mister Dallas, you appear to be a man of honour – a loyal man. Deep down inside, I as a man and the father of my Carol, I too would like to understand the truth in this event, but Mother…you see she is fragile and heartbroken, and to re-open this whole episode may tear her apart,” Bob replied solemnly.

“I know, Mister Saunders, I know, but the right thing to do is the right thing, when things appear wrong. Do you understand what I mean?” I commented.

“I understand, Mister Dallas.”

Bob stared at me for a while then stood up. “Let me talk to Mother, please.”

Bob shuffled off to the kitchen. I sat and watched him go. I could see he was torn, but I also felt he was beginning to understand. Moments later, Janet came out and joined me at the table as I stubbed out my smoke.

“How’s your mother?” I asked.

Janet sighed and said, “She’s upset, Jack. I hope Father can help.”

I thought on how death affects people. I started to think of all the death I’d seen in my lifetime. I shook my head. I needed to focus on the task at hand.

“Look, Janet, my first step will be to get a meeting with the cops – these CIB detectives. I want to find out who ran the investigation and what facts were uncovered,” I said as a plan began to formulate in my mind.

Janet sat up. “I believe we could make an appointment and get an interview with the main detective, Senior-Sergeant Williams. He’s the one who ran the inquiry. But we would need Father to call the detective and arrange the meeting.”

I just hoped her parents would come on board and help out with my investigation. This was going to be a hell of a lot harder if I couldn’t get them to help me.

I lit up another cigarette and waited.