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
‘I couldn’t tell. But then there’s no need for me to tell, you’ll have a bullet to find the matching rifle.’
‘How did you get into the armoury?’
‘Idle tongues unintentionally told me where the keys were kept,’ Leggett glanced at Carmody and Mohr.
‘But you still couldn’t make the shot,’ Cardilini insisted.
‘I think when put to the test I’ll be accurate enough, but some practice wouldn’t go astray.’
Cardilini sat back in his chair. Carmody and Mohr had sat speechless throughout.
‘But, sir . . .’ Carmody started.
Leggett held up his hand. ‘Don’t say anything, please, Carmody.’
‘I still don’t believe you,’ Cardilini said.
Leggett looked steadily at Cardilini. ‘Knowing what that man was doing any given night of the week. I had to act.’
‘But you didn’t know. You and the board didn’t believe it to be true,’ Cardilini stated.
Leggett looked sheepishly at Carmody and Mohr. ‘That’s true. Carmody convinced me otherwise.’
Mohr shot a puzzled look at Carmody, who gave a brief shrug.
‘Right. Without further ado, let’s get that brave little man in here.’ Leggett walked to the door then turned. ‘He’s got the bullet that will take me to trial. My lawyers will call on him and the other abused to tell their sordid stories in court to reduce my sentence. I obviously haven’t many years left so they’ll go as hard as they can. Difficult to say how the public display will harm them or their families.’
Carmody stood aghast. ‘You can’t. We promised, no one would know.’
‘I’m afraid I’ll have to,’ Leggett replied, opening the door.
‘Dad,’ Paul said in alarm.
‘You’re bluffing,’ Cardilini stated.
‘No,’ Leggett replied and looked each of them squarely in the eye. ‘At the moment the boys Carmody has spoken to feel some relief, feel they have another chance, feel that a type of justice has been done. Is that right Carmody?’
A confused Carmody turned to Cardilini. ‘We’ve spoken to six boys including Harper and Lockheed. Yes, that’s still the case.’
Leggett smiled at Cardilini. ‘Here’s your chance; you’ve got a confession, everything’s in your hands now, Cardilini.’ Leggett paused, then added. ‘Carmody and Mohr will deal with the Mossop matter as we agreed.’
‘Yes, sir,’ Carmody and Mohr replied.
‘Tell Detective Cardilini,’ Leggett instructed.
Carmody turned to Cardilini, ‘Mossop will withdraw his allegation.’ He turned to Paul, ‘Sorry, we just wanted to protect the other boys. We were never going to let your father lose his job.’
Leggett motioned to Paul and asked, ‘Can we have a chat?’ Paul stood and looked to his father, who nodded. ‘I’ll send Harper in.’ He left and Paul followed.
‘The old bastard. You know he’s lying,’ Cardilini said and stood to pace the room.
‘Would he really go ahead with it?’ Mohr asked.