Mel’s minivan had come up on the list of car numberplates outside the church the previous night. And Caruso had discovered it was registered to this property. They still hadn’t found the other shoe. Was it hidden in another location to incriminate someone else? He hadn’t picked Mel as the abductor; she’d been jumpy during the interviews but all the mums were nervous. Later, he’d berate himself and go over every interaction, but right now he needed to find her—and Bella. And while the assumption was that Bella would be alive, they’d prepared themselves for another possibility. Were Deirdre or Mel likely to use the guns? It depended on their level of desperation. The Intel officer had given him a quick overview of Deirdre’s DV case and the outcome—the wife in a critical condition and one dead husband.
On Caruso’s call, the team spread out across the garden and proceeded towards the circular driveway in front of the house. The white ute they’d seen from the air had disappeared and only Marty’s car and Mel’s minivan remained. Of course, they’d had time to flee—a helicopter approach was hardly subtle.
Over the howl of the wind, Caruso could hear revving and shouting. He indicated for two of the team to check the house and the other two—Suze and Hassan—to continue up the driveway with him. Using the trees for cover, they advanced beside the track. As they rounded a corner, they saw the Toyota HiLux trying to manoeuvre through a gap between a car parked in the middle of the track and the trees along its edge. A small child was screaming and metal crunched against metal.
‘POLICE!’ Caruso yelled. ‘Stop the car.’
The whine of the engine subsided but no-one exited the vehicle. Caruso nodded to Suze. Drawing her gun, she positioned herself with a line of sight to the driver.
‘Get out of the car.’
Now the child was bawling. Caruso prayed it was Bella in the back of the cab.
Slowly, slowly, the passenger door opened and Mel stepped out. She whipped her head from side to side, trying to identify the police in the trees. Finally, her eyes settled on Caruso.
‘Sergeant Caruso.’ Mel gave him a brittle smile. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Please ask everyone to get out of the car. Is Bella in there?’
‘No, no, I don’t know where she is,’ Mel gabbled. ‘It’s just my aunt and my son here.’
Deirdre appeared from the driver’s side and helped Sammy down from the high ute.
‘Hands on the side of the car,’ Caruso ordered. ‘Get them up where I can see them.’
Sammy stared at the three police officers and burst into tears.
‘I want Bella. Mummy, you said she’d be my sister.’
‘Be quiet, Sammy,’ Mel hissed.
‘Where’s Bella?’ Caruso asked as he handcuffed her. ‘Where are Dr and Mrs Parker?’
‘Some doctor.’ Mel spat into the dirt. ‘He doesn’t save lives.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘He killed my baby and he killed his own.’ Her voice was shrill. ‘He’ll kill Bella if you don’t lock him up. We were trying to save her!’
Caruso listened to Mel closely; she clearly believed what she was saying. He’d read the report into the deaths under Dr Parker’s care. It noted that Marty had followed procedure every time. Mel Wainwright was not named in the report.
‘Which baby did he kill?’
‘My daughter, Sarah Hayden.’
‘You weren’t listed as the mother, Mel.’
‘I wanted to keep her but they said I was too young. My perfect older sister took her because she couldn’t have kids.’ Tears leaked down Mel’s face. ‘They made me disappear with a plane ticket to India. I didn’t even know when Sarah died! It was Marty’s fault.’
Deirdre had been silent since she’d got out of the car.
‘Lexie insisted that Dr Parker wasn’t violent,’ Deirdre said, eyeing her niece. ‘What if I saw it wrong? Maybe Bella did climb that tree by herself. I should have been watching. I was in the bloody garden.’
‘He is dangerous,’ Mel shouted across the bonnet. ‘You know that.’
The older woman shook her head. ‘I’m not so sure.’
‘Where are they?’ Suze demanded.
‘Don’t tell them,’ Mel roared.
Deirdre spoke at the same time: ‘I think they’re in the chapel.’
Caruso left the women in the custody of Suze and Hassan and ran back down the track. Even though the hospital inquiry was supposed to be confidential, it had been leaked to the papers. As a result, more than a hundred parents had written in to commend Dr Parker for his excellent treatment. Two families who’d lost their children said he was the best doctor they’d ever had. All the letters had the same theme—Dr Parker really cared for his patients. But it seemed no amount of proof had convinced Mel.
And evidently she’d convinced her aunt that Dr Parker was to blame for the babies’ deaths. The gardener had been at the shops the morning Bella had disappeared. How had Deirdre and Mel managed to abduct Bella from playgroup without being seen? Unbelievable. They’d been lucky that day. No child or mum had wandered near the sandpit, no-one had walked past the playgroup, no grandparent had watched from their window in the nursing home. Or maybe they had and simply not noticed. A playgroup was always full of kids playing and mums chatting. Perhaps they hadn’t realised what they’d seen?
The stone chapel came into view at the edge of the garden and Caruso kept sprinting. Had Mel harmed the family?
Under the portico, Caruso banged on the wooden door and announced himself.
‘You’re safe,’ he called out. ‘We’ve taken Mel and Deirdre into custody.’
A lock turned and the door opened. Lexie stood in the archway with a child in her arms.
Up to this point, Caruso had only ever seen photos of Bella.
And now here she was: the little girl who had inhabited his every waking hour. Glancing up at the cross at the far end of the chapel, he quickly gave his thanks to the Lord. Then his eyes sought Bella again, assessing her for injuries. Superficially she seemed fine; he prayed that none of the atrocities from his nightmares had been inflicted on her.
‘Hello, Bella,’ he said, offering his hand. ‘My name’s Gabe Caruso and it’s great to see you. We’ve been looking for you to bring you back home.’
The girl giggled at his handshake but took his big hand in hers.
‘I missed home but we had a party,’ she said. ‘With Mel and Deedee. Sammy came later. But Mummy couldn’t find the party.’
Caruso arranged for the helicopter to take the Parkers to hospital. The doctors would check Bella over while Marty’s wound was being treated. Later, when he took Marty’s statement, he would explain that Brendan Parrish had been arrested—not for child abduction, but for drug dealing.
Eight-year-old Fox Hensley had been located, helping out her Uncle Ray in a vast clandestine drug lab on the South Coast. So far, police had seized almost half a tonne of MDMA, drug boilers, pill-pressing machines and tablets. The multi-agency operation had charged nineteen people across three states and territories.
Over the past year, Fox’s library bag hadn’t been used for reading but to supply ecstasy tablets to Parrish and his network. The teacher had been caught up in one of Australia’s biggest drug busts.
Clearly Dr Parker had seen the guilt written across Parrish’s face but he’d misread it. Parrish had been trying to hide his own illegal activities: his interactions with Victoria and other youths. The teacher’s approach was to offer a free sample and get them hooked at a young age. High-school kids, university students, rugby players, snowboarders, skaters. His side income wasn’t really photography but drug-dealing. And it had nothing to do with Bella.
As Bella was handed into the chopper, she waved back to Caruso. Grinning, he returned the wave, brushed a single tear from his cheek and pulled out his radio. All he wanted to do was call his sister and share the news. But first he had to speak to the superintendent, then the road response group, get back to Suze and charge the women. Merr
igang and the whole Canberra community would sleep well tonight.
THE CANBERRA TIMES ONLINE EDITION
FRIDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER, 6 PM
Bella’s birthday party at home!
The Canberra community celebrated today as Bella Parker turned four years old. Police and SES officers, local volunteers from the school and the playgroup, and journalists joined the birthday party. ACT Policing Superintendent John Milson presented Bella with a collectible bear, the Constable Kenny Koala mascot.
‘We were going to have a small family party,’ explained Bella’s mother, Lexie Parker. ‘But we wanted to thank everyone for their help in finding our daughter. We’re very grateful to live in such a fantastic community.’
54
LEXIE
THE PARTY WAS A TRUE CELEBRATION OF BELLA’S HOMECOMING. WE opened our house to friends, neighbours, police, hospital staff and strangers. Detective Sergeant Caruso brought his sister and her four kids who appointed themselves Bella’s best friends and bodyguards. Mr Whitlaw promised that Bella could choose a pup when Napoleon’s mother had her litter next month.
Marty was still healing and on bed rest. He blamed himself for bringing Mel into our lives, but apparently she’d been pretty determined. Not long after we’d moved here, Deirdre had been at the hospital for her annual check-up when she’d recognised Marty and passed the news on to Mel. Just two weeks later, Mel had packed up her life in Byron Bay and arrived in Canberra. And while Mel had been the one tracking down Marty, I had to take responsibility for the moment that had set off her terrifying plan—Bella’s broken wrist.
That conversation about Archie was the most honest Marty and I had been with each other in years. And slowly, his reassurances were seeping into my soul. You’re a wonderful mother. Stop blaming yourself. Together, we were accepting that some things were outside a parent’s control. And a doctor’s. With the ticking time bomb of Archie’s damaged organs, our son was always going to be wrenched away from us. And that was why I’d held on so tightly to Bella.
We were being kind to each other. Marty had even suggested seeing a bereavement counsellor together, and going to visit Archie’s grave. Maybe, just maybe, we could work through our grief and guilt and emerge with our marriage stronger than before.
My fingers were shaking so much that I could barely pull up the child lock on the gate.
I hadn’t wanted to come back here but Imogen—and Bella—had insisted.
My daughter squeezed past me, hopping up and down, waiting for me to hurry up. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to playgroup: the room danced with colour, balloons bouncing on the floor, streamers hanging from the ceiling. Bella shrieked and ran into the centre, sending the balloons flying into the air. I gazed around, searching for evidence of the police command post. Puzzles dotted the small tables instead of maps. No radio chatter, only the magical sound of our children laughing.
I’d explained to Bella that Sammy wouldn’t be at playgroup. He was living with Mel’s brother—not the sister. And they were taking him in to see Mel and Deirdre each weekend. It wouldn’t be like last time when the family hadn’t let Mel near Sarah.
‘Welcome back!’ yelled Zoe and Morgan.
Bella was already at the dress-up box, wrapping the purple cloak around her shoulders and waving the wizard’s wand.
It was as though we’d come home.
Imogen made cups of tea. Julia cut up fruit and said that she’d enrolled Morgan in the Merrigang pre-school.
‘Have you filled in the forms yet?’ she asked me. ‘Will Bella go to Merrigang?’
‘Only if the twins are going too.’ I grinned at Imogen.
Tara sat in the comfy chair near the kitchenette, breastfeeding Daisy. When she’d arrived early to help with Bella’s big party, she had apologised for the TV interview and begged to be allowed to stay in playgroup. I was working on forgiveness—of myself, of Marty. I’d try to forgive her, too. Tara had been rocked by Mel’s behaviour as much as we had.
‘You know Mel tried to incriminate us,’ Tara had told me. ‘She put Bella’s shoe in our garbage bin. I had terrible thoughts about Josh. I can’t believe Mel was calling herself a guardian angel! More like an avenging demon. Was she gonna take Zoe away next because I swear and spend too much time on Facebook? How dare she judge us?’
Mel had played us all. Not just me and Marty, but the other playgroup mums too. Sergeant Caruso told us that Sammy’s father wasn’t a violent, stalking ex-boyfriend. The happily married bloke was living in Scotland and barely remembered his backpacker week partying in Byron Bay with Mel four and a half years ago. He didn’t even know he had a son. Mel had concocted the story of a violent ex to persuade Deirdre to help her. However, the long list of Mel’s lies didn’t include Sarah. Like me, she had lost a baby. Mel was a late, unexpected addition for her parents, ten years younger than her brother, difficult and rebellious. Pregnant at sixteen, she’d been forced to hand her baby to her older sister. Her aunt Deirdre had taken Mel in after she’d been banished from her family.
When I’d first joined playgroup, I’d been too scared to trust anyone after my experience in Manchester, but maybe if I’d opened up sooner about my own grief it might have helped Mel. The hospital would have offered counselling to Sally and David Hayden but not to Mel, the teenage mother who had lost her baby twice over. Mel was a good mum to Sammy; I could see that at playgroup each week. And the others had said their kids loved going to day care at her house. But her pain about Sarah had made her irrational.
And that was why we needed playgroup—to share our heartache, our secrets and our joy with other mums.
With Bella back in my arms, I’d accepted Tara’s apology, but I was still wary. And then, two days ago, she’d sent an email to all of us mums, as dramatic as she was in person:
I’ve been banging on about Lexie not telling the truth but I haven’t been completely honest. Part of the reason I did the interview was MONEY. We are soooooo in debt, you wouldn’t believe! I was sorting it out but Josh decided he could ‘earn’ some money by gambling. He’s been going to the Canberra casino at lunchtimes and he spent a whole night in the casino in Adelaide. He lost $10,000. Fuuuuccckkkk!!!! Going back to work will help but it’s gonna be a long road. Don’t let me go shopping for new work clothes! And I’m gonna have six months off social media. Can we have lots of playdates? I know I’ll have withdrawal symptoms! Or maybe I should start a blog on ‘How to Get Out of Debt Fast’—will you help me, Imogen?
I watched Bella and Zoe giggling as they put on animal masks. Should I give Tara a second chance? Like me, she needed support. Since her email, she seemed more settled and I hadn’t heard a complaint or swear word yet.
‘Tara, do you want to bring Zoe over for a playdate next week?’
‘Great.’ She held my gaze for a second longer than usual. ‘Zoe would love that.’
As Julia lowered herself into a chair, I could see her belly was even rounder and larger than before.
‘May I?’ I held out my hand tentatively.
She nodded and I placed my palm on her ‘bowling ball’. Tight and taut. Unexpectedly, the baby moved. Gliding towards my touch.
Julia put her hand over mine, both of us feeling the fluttery kicks.
‘Lordy, in six weeks I’ll be turning up to playgroup with a new bub.’
Thank God the baby hadn’t come early because of me. It kicked again. With friends around me, I could hold my fear in check and focus on the excitement of new life for Julia.
Tara was bustling about in the kitchenette. Julia told all the children to sit up at the little table, ready for a surprise. Imogen switched off the light.
‘Here’s to you, Bella!’
Tara placed a chocolate cake dotted with smarties in front of Bella. On top, four candles flickered.
‘Mummy, is it my birfday again?’
‘Yes, Tinker Bell, it’s your birthday again!’ I walked over and kissed the top of her head.
Bella clapped he
r hands together and stared at the mountain of chocolate. Her favourite.
‘Thanks for baking an amazing cake, Tara,’ I whispered.
Tara snorted. ‘Are you kidding? I didn’t bake it! I just bought it and threw lollies on top.’
Next year, I would make sure that Marty, Bella and I acknowledged Archie’s birthday with a cake, even if it came from a shop.
‘One, two, three, let’s sing,’ shouted Tara.
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday, dear Bella,
Happy birthday to you!
The other children watched Bella expectantly, grinning.
I kissed her again, breathing in the scent of my precious little girl.
‘You can blow out the candles, Bella.’
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
WHEN I HAD MY FIRST BABY, I JOINED A MOTHERS’ GROUP WHICH turned into a playgroup. We shared our worries, our difficult moments and lots of fun. Sixteen years later, we’re still together. Thank you for your friendship, inspiration and encouragement: Caz, Donna, Kate, Kath, Jo, Linda, Louise, Nicky, Sarah and Teresa.
To my wonderful writers’ group—Frances Chapman, Catherine Hanrahan, Margaret Morgan and Katy Pike—thank you for reading numerous drafts. Thanks to Pamela Freeman and the Australian Writers’ Centre for bringing us together.
I appreciate those people who gave their valuable time to assist with my research, particularly on police, medical and educational matters: Ian, Rod, Beth, Gary, Toni, Yoland, Fiona and Louise.
Special thanks to my friends who provided advice on the manuscript: Christina Chipman, Ber Carroll, Liane Moriarty, Marisa Colonna, Nicole Davis and Madeleine Watson. And for those who gave such great support: Tash, Rachel, Louise, Joanna Galbraith, the Curtin mums and my book clubs.
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