The Good Teacher

by Petronella McGovern

  In her mind, he was tainted, black and monstrous. But Luke looked exactly the same as before, in a pair of Nike shorts and a bright blue t-shirt. The same hot bod, the same charming grin.

  ‘I’ve missed you, babe,’ she breathed, throwing herself into his arms, forcing herself to kiss him, properly.

  When they broke away, Luke was grinning, as if he knew she couldn’t live without him. Had he always been so smug?

  ‘Me too.’ He caressed her cheek, ran his fingers through her ponytail. ‘So what’s happening in Wirriga?’

  ‘It’s crazy. Dad was in hospital with chest pains. I got this letter from Border Force about the supplements. I’m freaking out that they’re gonna send me to jail.’

  When she sat down next to him on the bench, his hand splayed out over her thigh, his thumb rubbed a groove down her skin. Just as he’d done on the beach in Avoca. How could he pretend to love someone like this? Maz had to separate herself from her body so that she didn’t recoil. He’d pretended day in, day out—in Allison’s house, at the gym, in Maz’s bedroom. Even naked, Luke had been concealing so much.

  ‘Mmmm. Sounds pretty shit,’ he said. ‘And what about Gracie? Is everyone still upset?’

  Maz understood what he really meant—What about me? What does everyone know about ME?

  ‘They were devastated. But Allison was pretty mad she couldn’t find you in Chicago. She doesn’t believe you’re dead. And she thinks I’m in on it.’

  ‘Ha, doesn’t think I could pull it off by myself?’

  ‘Well, if you did, you’re awesome!’

  She choked on the word—their special word that had bonded them all those months ago.

  ‘’Course I did.’ He squeezed the back of her neck; he couldn’t seem to stop touching her. ‘So what’s Ally been doing? Has she told everyone?’

  ‘No, she’s so embarrassed. She doesn’t want anyone to know. But she’s still trying to figure out if Gracie ever had cancer.’ Maz paused. ‘She’s worried that you made Gracie sick.’

  Maz glanced towards the small playground dotted with kids.

  Where the hell was Gracie?

  46

  ALLISON

  Allison came over the wooden bridge at the back, alongside the river. The playground boasted a big slide, a climbing frame, swings. Not elaborate equipment like the pirate ship further up on the Gold Coast, but every one of her Wirriga Wombats would have loved playing here, Gracie included.

  What had he done with Gracie?

  After leaving the apartment hotel, Allison had picked up the special package from the shop. On the taxi ride to the park, she’d cradled it on her lap.

  ‘It’s a surprise for my granddaughter’s birthday,’ she told the driver. ‘We’re celebrating with a party at the park.’

  With every white lie, she wondered if she were becoming more like Luke. On the plane, Maz told her the package would complicate the ‘meet’, as she was calling it. But Maz didn’t know kids like she did. It was her one weapon against Luke.

  At the thought of seeing him, bile rose in her throat.

  How could he use his own child like that? Make Gracie afraid for her future? Luke had always insisted Gracie was ‘special’. Now Allison could see that Luke had been striving to make her extra-special to everyone. Extra-special meant more money, more attention.

  The river curved along one side of the park, with a strip of white beach. Even though winter had almost arrived, up here the sun was still hot and a group of toddlers dipped in and out, splashing each other. Normal families and their kids having normal fun.

  With her back bent slightly, Allison adjusted her glasses and touched her springy white hair to make sure it was in place. Would Luke see through her disguise?

  Maz was supposed to be meeting Luke on the other side of the playground. At first, Allison worried that Maz couldn’t be trusted. She’d listened to her ridiculous plan, poking holes in it. But finally she’d seen the young woman’s anger.

  ‘It’s his fault that Dad’s sick. I believed his advice. Most of those pills I was selling were his suggestions. He encouraged me.’ Except that Maz had gone gung-ho for it. So young, so brash—thought she knew better than the doctors and the health professionals. Buying strange remedies from overseas. But that confidence had been dented. Allison disagreed with her about the police, though. A streak of confidence was still shining through there. Maz believed she could take Luke down single-handedly. Or perhaps it was less of a belief, more of a vendetta. He’d been intimate with her—taken advantage of her youth, her enthusiasm, her body.

  Sunday lunchtime, the playground was filled with children clambering and swinging, while families picnicked on the grass. Good, it gave them more cover. The detective had promised that Maz—and Luke—wouldn’t be able to spot them. He was right. None of the happy families looked like police officers. They’d better be here, though.

  Allison examined the faces of the children nearby, checking their features quickly to see if she recognised one in particular. In class and in the playground, it was a skill—identifying one child among the many others. But here, none of the faces were familiar.

  ‘Awww, so cute!’

  A curly-haired boy had come running over to her and was now kneeling on the ground, patting the special package—a cavoodle.

  The most popular dog breed. Twelve weeks old. Tiny, irresistible, with a red bow around his neck. The sort Gracie wanted. Golden and fluffy with floppy ears and black button eyes, this new puppy was more teddy bear than dog.

  Enjoying the attention, the puppy wriggled and wagged its tail. When it started licking the boy’s face, he giggled.

  The mum had followed her son over.

  ‘I’m looking for my granddaughter.’ Allison began in her usual teacher’s voice, then made it slower and croakier. ‘It’s her birthday present.’

  Three more children rushed to see the puppy, squatting down, running their hands over the soft fur. Allison knelt with them, hoping she didn’t appear too flexible for a grandmother.

  ‘Please be gentle with him,’ she instructed the kids. ‘Pat him on the back, not around the head.’

  That was just what she needed—a child’s hand in the puppy’s mouth. Bite marks. Screaming. When she’d imagined this moment, it had been simple. Allison took her eyes off the besotted toddlers for a moment and squinted to see beyond the slippery slide. No five-year-old girl with a bald head.

  Not bald. Shaved. It must be. No chemo. Luke had kept shaving it. And his own hair.

  ‘Where’s your granddaughter?’ the mum asked. ‘She’s going to love this puppy!’

  The kindness of strangers. Or was this mum the undercover policewoman?

  ‘She’s … umm … she’s …’ Enlist the help of strangers, it was what Luke himself had done. ‘She’s here with my son-in-law. He won’t let me talk to her. My daughter—she died—and he won’t let us see our grandchild.’

  The tears came suddenly, unexpectedly, trickling down her cheeks. This lie was easier than the truth. He has been living in my house, pretending his wife died and his daughter has cancer, stealing love and money from all of us. No-one would believe it.

  ‘I’m so sorry.’ The mum patted her shoulder, just like the children were patting the puppy. ‘Are you sure she’s here?’

  Allison wobbled her head, yes and no. The mum pulled her up from her knees and they walked towards the climbing frame. A grandmother, a puppy, a young mum and her toddler. A family. Hopefully, Luke wouldn’t take a second glance at them. When they reached the enclosed slide, Allison leant against it, the blue plastic curling up above her head. Ten metres away, towards the car park, she saw Maz with a man. Sitting on a bench, their legs touching, his arm around her. A couple in love.

  At the sight of Luke, goosebumps tingled across her skin. She had to fight the urge to flee.

  Next to her, kids were shooting down the enclosed slide. Like one of those big waterslides, they’d disappear into the opening at the top, whizz down
the tunnel and pop out at the bottom.

  Luke was looking her way, his eyes trained on the top of the slide. For a moment, Allison thought he’d recognised her. But his gaze skipped over the grandmother with the dog; a grandmother in a green cardigan and brown slacks, wire-rimmed glasses and a white bob. She was invisible to him.

  Gracie must be here; Luke wouldn’t choose a playground otherwise. Or had he hurt her? Was Gracie actually dead, as he’d told everyone?

  ‘Can you see your granddaughter?’ the mum was asking.

  A child popped out of the bottom of the slide. Laughing. Jumping up to do it again. A girl with blonde hair. In a pink dress dotted with strawberries. Pink sandals. As she ran back around to the ladder, she saw the dog.

  ‘Aww, puppy!’

  Crouching down, the girl cuddled the dog without glancing up at the adults.

  ‘What’s his name?’

  ‘Marma …’ Allison had to stop and breathe. ‘Marmalade.’

  47

  ‘Marmalade,’ the girl repeated. ‘I always wanted a puppy called Marmalade!’

  Staring at the blonde wig, Allison whispered softly, ‘Gracie?’

  ‘Daddy says I’m Macy now.’ The girl sighed, world-weary. Stroking the dog without looking up. ‘Macy with a M. Like Movie World. That starts with M too. We went three times.’

  The girl stopped suddenly, as if realising she’d said too much. She peeked up, smiled briefly, then turned her attention back to Marmalade.

  ‘I wish you were mine,’ she said, rubbing the dog’s ears.

  ‘He is yours,’ Allison murmured, squatting down next to her. ‘I bought him for you. Gracie, it’s me. Lally.’

  Shrieking, Gracie wrapped her arms around Allison’s neck. Marmalade, excited by the noise, jumped between them.

  ‘Why’re you so old?’ She touched Allison’s glasses. ‘Why’s your hair white? Daddy said you’re sick. That’s why we had to go.’

  ‘I’m not sick now.’ Allison squeezed her tightly, the small body familiar against her own. ‘Are you sick?’

  ‘Daddy says I’m all better and I didn’t even go to America.’

  So trusting. Of course you trust your father—you grow up assuming he’s telling the truth. One day, ten years from now as a teenager, twenty years from now as a wife, thirty years from now as a mother, Gracie would fully understand what her father had done and her heart would splinter into a million pieces. Allison prayed she’d be there to help put the pieces back together.

  Marmalade had crept underneath them and was licking Gracie’s shin. The little girl giggled, a gorgeous tinkling that Allison had thought she’d never hear again. Gracie leant down to kiss the puppy’s neck. From the corner of her eye, Allison could see the friendly mum pushing her son on the swing, watching their reunion. Was Luke watching also?

  A shadow fell over Gracie’s blonde head.

  ‘Honey, what’re you doing? Please don’t play with other people’s dogs. They may be dangerous.’

  He sounded rational, caring—a proper dad who looked after his daughter. Before Gracie could speak, Allison stood up tall and faced him, creating a barrier in front of the girl and the dog.

  ‘You’re far more dangerous than any dog,’ she spoke loudly.

  ‘I beg your pardon.’ Luke frowned at her. ‘I have to keep my daughter safe.’

  Luke grinned at the young mum nearby, a grin that said: Crazy old lady. What can you do?

  Despite being a metre away, he didn’t recognise her. Had the grandmother outfit made her non-existent in his world? Was he so cocky that he couldn’t imagine Allison turning the tables on him? They all spoke at once.

  ‘Daddy, it’s—’

  ‘I’m watching you,’ warned the young mum.

  ‘Luke.’

  When Allison said his name, his eyes widened. He lunged towards Gracie.

  ‘Daddy, it’s Lally.’ Gracie finished her sentence. ‘She’s not sick anymore!’

  Luke flicked a glance at Maz, now standing at the edge of the playground with her arms crossed.

  ‘God, Ally, it’s been a nightmare. Such a bizarre story that you’ll think I’ve gone insane. I’ve been set up but I don’t know why. When we got to the airport, our passports had been blocked. We couldn’t leave Australia. At first, I thought it was Tony, in retaliation for us living in your house. But then I worked out that it had something to do with Dr Rawson and the drug trial. No-one wanted Gracie on the trial. I think someone paid double to take her place. We’ve been hiding out up here while I’ve been trying to get Gracie on another trial. I’m so scared for her. I couldn’t ring you—I thought you might be part of it …’

  She stared at him in horror.

  ‘Stop lying, Luke. There is no drug trial. Gracie was never sick. You have no idea how many people you’ve hurt with your lies. And the little person you’ve hurt the most.’

  Gracie stroked the puppy’s fur; Allison hoped she wasn’t following their conversation.

  Luke took a step closer to her, into the sand of the playground. His face still wore a charming smile but his voice was low. ‘You needed me, Ally. You were lost and I gave your life meaning. You should be thanking me.’

  Allison felt the sting of his words, blinked away the tears. She didn’t want him to see her weak.

  ‘But it wasn’t just me. A whole school, a whole community. All those children, their families, your friends at the gym …’

  ‘You all wanted to feel like you were doing good.’ He grinned again. But now she could see through the white smiling teeth to the salesman underneath. ‘I gave you all that.’

  Brushing at her eyes, Allison tried and failed to stop the tears. He had no idea of the grief he’d caused. The betrayal that would make adults, and children, wary about helping others in the future. And she was furious on behalf of Gracie—he’d made a little girl believe she was sick. No, it wasn’t weak to show her tears, she decided; it was human.

  ‘Don’t cry, Lally,’ Gracie piped up from below. ‘We got to see you.’

  ‘Yep, you should be happy,’ Luke said. ‘She’s all better. You weren’t expecting that.’

  Something was seriously wrong with him. An essential part of him—the part that made him human—was missing.

  He checked his watch, then glared at Maz. She was still standing on the edge of the playground. Luke didn’t shout at her for the deception, simply shook his head.

  ‘It could’ve worked, Maz. You’ll never know what you missed.’ He turned to Gracie. ‘Time to go, honey.’

  ‘No, I’m going to Lally’s.’ Gracie was stroking the puppy. ‘She bought me Marmalade!’

  Distract, distract. That was her plan.

  ‘Oops—Marmalade needs a poo,’ she said. ‘Gracie, can you help take him to the grass?’

  Wrapping the dog’s lead around Gracie’s hand, Allison guided her to the grassed area, telling her how they had to pick up the poo in a plastic bag. Luke had taken Gracie’s other hand, walking in rhythm with them. They had walked this way so many times before in Wirriga and Manly. Along the beach, at playgrounds. Together.

  Would Luke pull his daughter away? What if Allison pulled her other arm? A tug-of-war with a child as the prize.

  The familiar melody of ‘Greensleeves’ filled the air. An ice-cream van had arrived in the car park.

  ‘Can we get one, Lally?’ Gracie asked. ‘Daddy says I can have sugar now.’

  They looked towards the van and Luke reacted, seconds before Allison.

  He snatched his daughter up into his arms and held her, despite the dog’s lead still tangled around Gracie’s wrist.

  ‘I wanna ice-cream,’ Gracie yelled. ‘I want Marmalade.’

  The dog was being jerked around, half lifted off the ground. Squealing and yelping. Allison reached out to grab the girl’s flailing arm.

  ‘Put her down, Luke!’

  ‘I’m calling the police!’ shouted the young mum with her little boy.

  And then Allison realised that th
e police were already running towards them—a man and a woman in exercise gear. It was their rapid movement that had made Luke grab his daughter. Moments before, they’d been stretching their legs against one of the benches, their push bikes next to them. As Allison gripped Gracie’s arm, the two police officers charged across the grass, closing the gap. Five seconds. Allison just had to hang on to Gracie for five seconds until they arrived.

  Suddenly she found herself falling backwards, Gracie on top of her. Luke had dropped his daughter and was sprinting through the playground, across the bridge and into the trees. Maz bolted after him.

  Gracie’s elbow dug into her stomach and Marmalade licked her neck.

  Allison tried to keep Luke in sight.

  A shadow moving in the trees and then he disappeared.

  48

  MAZ

  Maz pumped her legs harder. Luke had led them into the darkest part of the forest, the high trees blocking out the sun. But she’d studied the map—if he ran straight ahead, he’d hit the river and have nowhere to go unless he decided to swim across a tidal current. His only option was to double back onto the road, otherwise he’d be caught in a series of meandering river canals blocking each direction. Did he know that too? At this rate, Maz would be able to keep up with him for five minutes, but after that, he’d win on stamina. All that training together, the beach jogs, the half marathon—he’d always been faster than her. Bigger quads, stronger calves.

  Maz could hear the two others panting behind her.

  ‘Stop! Police!’

  That made Luke sprint faster.

  Fear and adrenaline surged through her. She pushed herself even harder. No pain, no gain. If you think you can do it, you can. The distance between them was decreasing: three metres, two metres … Maz was almost close enough to touch him. They came to a slight rise and Luke arched away from her. And then they were bursting through the trees and onto the shore by the river. Luke stumbled in the soft sand and Maz pitched forward, thrusting her palms against his shoulders. Off balance, he rolled to the ground.

  As the police cuffed him, Maz was grateful that Allison had ignored her request. Thank God the coppers had been there. Like the whole supplements fiasco, she hadn’t quite thought through all the possibilities of trying to ensnare Luke.