Chapters (61)
- Cover
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Acknowledgements
- About the author
The boy nodded.
At the dining hall he forced himself to stand where Brain-Box stood and not go and stand alone at the back. Brain-Box talked and talked until another boy told him to ‘shut his fat gob’. After that, Brain-Box continued in a whisper. The boy looked at the boy who said that and felt a stirring of anger and wondered why he had no anger when he was called a creep. ‘You have nothing to fear anymore, you’re a good boy,’ Carmody had said. He looked for Carmody. He was standing on the steps waiting for all the kids to arrive and stand quietly. I’ve nothing to fear anymore, the boy repeated to himself as Brain-Box whispered into his ear.
Thirty-Three
THIRTY-THREE
Day 13
East Perth Police Department
7.50 a.m. Friday, 6th November 1965
The breakfast Cardilini swallowed wanted to return to his mouth. He’d arrived early at East Perth and sat smoking at his desk. He recalled some of the nervous characters he had grilled in the interview rooms. With ten minutes to go he went up to the third level where the internal investigation interview was to take place.
‘You okay, Detective Sergeant Cardilini?’ his union representative, Mrs Burns, asked as they sat in the corridor. She was a dowdily dressed, middle-aged woman with poorly-bleached hair clutching a large cloth bag to her lap like a security cushion. Her arrival surprised Cardilini, not just because of her appearance but because union reps weren’t a usual addition to the East Perth station. Any station for that matter. Most employees saw their allegiance to their colleagues and the department before the union. Even being seen with a union rep could be considered an act of betrayal.
‘Fine,’ Cardilini replied.
Two uniformed police walked past with curious glances to Cardilini and Mrs Burns.
‘You won’t be able to smoke inside,’ Mrs Burns informed Cardilini.
‘Since when?’
‘You need to appear a little concerned,’ she cautioned.
‘I’m concerned. Why do you think I’m smoking?’
‘I think you should put it out before we go in,’ she instructed warmly.
Cardilini shrugged.
‘Did you know Mossop is coming to the station?’ Mrs Burns asked.
‘No. Why?’
‘They might want to verify your comments.’
‘How can he verify my comments? He’s made the whole thing up.’
‘I’m just saying.’
‘So why are you here?’
‘We were asked to come. Maybe they’re taking it seriously this time,’ Mrs Burns said with a tinge of moral indignation.
‘Great.’
‘It’s part of a new look.’
‘Wonderful. So what’re you going to do?’
‘As I said, we aren’t usually invited.’ Mrs Burns smiled comfortingly. ‘Hopefully, you’ll be believed.’
‘Hopefully?’ Cardilini burst. He wasn’t comforted and lit a second cigarette from the first.
‘If I was a detective,’ Mrs Burns smiled again, ‘I would think you’re looking nervous.’
‘If you were a detective, you’d be right.’
*