Cry Blue Murder
Page 7
School sent home a letter saying we’re not allowed to talk to the press unless we go through the school media liaison officer. I’m glad they spelt that bit out, because Mum might have used it as a photo op to promote her pasta.
Let me know if you hear anything else.
Love CC x
From: Celia Beasley CeeceeB@gmail.com
Saturday 28 May 8:30 PM
Hi Alice
It was great to speak to you, even if we did get cut off. You sounded quite different from what I expected – quieter or something. If Dad’s business ever gets better he might loosen up and take the bar off the phone or top up my credit so we can chat as long as we like. Sorry for screaming, but Jaime wanted the phone and punched me really hard. I can understand you thinking it was brotherly-type behavior but does that mean you’ve been thinking Jaime was a boy all this time? Alice, she goes to ASHBOURNE!
After you called, Cleo and I wanted to get a choc top. Mum drove us and then tried to boss me into getting popcorn. I hate the way she does that. She always says she doesn’t want anything and then has ‘just one bite’ until whatever I ordered is gone.
Driving there was strange. Now the posters of Hallie that are still up are being covered by posters of Adeline in an ugly game of snap. Unlike the Knights, the Tarantos aren’t going on TV, but the police are everywhere. Mum said the Tarantos are spending most of the time with their priest praying for Adeline’s safe return. They’re pinning a lot on Hallie being found and ignoring the bit about the fact that she was left for dead.
Stay safe, Alice.
CCB x
From: Alice King Alicekingofthejungle@gmail.com
Sunday 29 May 7:35 AM
CC,
It was fab talking to you too and of course I know Jaime’s a girl – I don’t know why I said that. SOZ. I was being quiet ’cause I was hiding in the alcove, which is pretty close to Sister Catherine’s room – say no more! And sorry about running out of credit.
Anyway, when I got back to my dorm, mousy ol’ Daniele was REALLY annoying me with her silence MORE THAN EVER – I guess ’cause I’d just been chatting with you about your haircut and all.
So, while she was sitting there on her bed reading, I tied my ponytail into a long plait and then said, ‘Hey, Daniele, check this out’. I had the scissors ready and the moment she looked up I hacked my plait clean off. But apart from her eyes growing wide and her mouth dropping open, she didn’t make a sound. Nothing. She could at least have fainted!
Then I started laughing and couldn’t stop. I felt completely insane. Laughing like a hyena with no hair. But seriously, if people can justify shaving their heads to support leukemia, then I can justify cutting off my ponytail to support you.
I’m sorry I’m no good for Adeline news. I know it’s really intense for you down there, being at the centre of this awful stuff. I was woken early this morning by crows in the trees outside and it creeped me out ’cause you know how the collective name for a flock of crows is a murder? I can’t get it out of my head. Now, every time I hear those crows I think of MURDER. And I really thought when Hallie was found it would be the end of it. Can’t she provide enough clues to get that sicko arrested? I mean, WHY can’t she? Poor Adeline Taranto. Her poor family.
Any other news I’ve got, like nuns or focaccia wars, feels trivial by comparison.
Plus, to be completely honest, the stuff that’s happening with my mum is starting to make me sadder and sadder. What if she simply dies from grief?
Alice xxx
From: Celia Beasley CeeceeB@gmail.com
Sunday 29 May 4:13 PM
Hey Alice
I’m sorry to hear about your mum. She won’t really die, will she? My mum’s not sick (well, not officially), but with Dad about to go away, she’s taken security to a new level and had grates installed on most of the downstairs windows. They do make me feel safe though, welded on.
Mum says I’m highly strung at the moment and that if I don’t stop jiggling, she’s going to take me to Dr Reid. To be honest, I’m not sleeping. Apart from worrying about being labelled a loser chicken, things are creepy and, I don’t know, everything’s so miserable and soggy with all this rain. We used to get so scared of a bogeyman who wasn’t any more real than an imaginary friend and now he’s actually here, right here, with a name. At times like this, I just want to be with family, even Jaime, so it must be hard for you to be stuck up there in Mildura. Please keep writing though, Alice. I love your emails.
CC xx
STATEMENT
Name:Susan Frances ROWE
STATES:
My full name is Susan Frances ROWE. I am 46 years old. I have been the manager of Bakers Delight in Malvern Central Shopping Centre for two years. Three months ago I employed Adeline Marie TARANTO as a casual. She works about one or two shifts a week, usually on the weekend but sometimes after school.
On the afternoon of Wednesday 25th May Adeline was rostered to start at 4.00pm. It is unusual for Adeline to be late and she has never missed a shift before. She is a very hard-working, reliable girl. I tried her mobile phone a number of times but by 4.30pm, when we still had not heard from her, I called her mother.
Apart from helping herself to bread from the sample box, I have never had to reprimand Adeline. I am not aware of anything suspicious concerning Adeline. Her mum and sister are the only visitors she has had in the shop. Adeline is quite shy and very private, but always polite. She has not spoken of a boyfriend.
I hereby acknowledge that this statement is true and correct and I make it in the belief that a person making a false statement in the circumstances is liable to the penalties of perjury.
Susan Frances ROWE
Acknowledgement made and signature witnessed by me at 5.43pm on 26th May at St Kilda Road Police Station, Melbourne.
PJ DAVIS
Acting Detective Sergeant 29902
STATEMENT
Name:Anoushka Broncia LECH
STATES:
My name is Anoushka Broncia LECH and this is my second statement to police made by me with my mother Broncia LECH present on this the 18th day of May. In my previous statement I denied knowing Terrence BARNES personally and said that I was at my friend Alberta Jane BYRON’s house on the night of Sunday 1st May. Both these statements are false.
The truth is I was at Bertie’s house that night, but we snuck out after her parents were asleep. We went to a nightclub in Glenferrie Road called Casey’s. While we were there we saw Terry, who we already knew from Bertie getting a fake ID. Terry shouted us quite a lot of drinks. At about 1am the club closed and Terry asked us back to his place. It wasn’t too far away, so Bertie and I decided to go. At one stage Bertie and a bloke called Jason Jeremy STREET went out to get cigarettes. Terry and I just hung out watching TV and eating Fireballs. At about 5.30am Bertie came back inside, all stressed because of the time, so we jumped in a cab and arrived back at Bertie’s just before 6.00am. At about 7.45am her mother drove us both to school.
I hereby acknowledge that this statement is true and correct and I make it in the belief that a person making a false statement in the circumstances is liable to the penalties of perjury.
Broncia LECH as guardian for Anoushka Broncia LECH
Acknowledgement made and signature witnessed by me at 4.54pm on 18th May at St Kilda Road Police Station.
PJ DAVIS
Acting Detective Sergeant 29902
THIS IS A VIDEO-RECORDED INTERVIEW BETWEEN DETECTIVE SENIOR CONSTABLE MAURICE BELL AND AJAY MEHTA OF THOMASTOWN CONDUCTED AT THE ST KILDA ROAD POLICE STATION ON THURSDAY 12th MAY. OTHER PERSONS PRESENT, MY CORROBORATOR, ACTING DETECTIVE SERGEANT PETER DAVIS.
Q1Ajay, do you agree that the time by my watch is now 12.34pm?
AYes, sir.
Q2As you are aware, we inte
rviewed you yesterday on Wednesday 11th May.
AYes, sir.
Q3All right. Ajay, we’ve now made further enquiries and intend to interview you in relation to your whereabouts on the evening of Sunday 1st May. I understand that you have further information you also wish to provide to police. Is that correct?
AYes, sir.
Q4And could you tell me, Ajay, what you were doing on the evening of Sunday 1st May?
AI took my van and drove to Thomastown.
Q5Your van with registration number JKM 439?
AYes, sir.
Q6At what time?
AAt about 2.15am, sir. On the Monday morning.
Q7And what were you doing there?
AI am so sorry, sir, to have caused this trouble. I deliver pamphlets to make money to support myself. When I enrolled at the university, they stated they would provide accommodation and public transport and all sorts of things, and they gave us none of it. Anyway, in order to support myself, I took a number of jobs and, like I said, my exams are imminent and I have been studying very hard and working very long hours and the course is costing my family so much money, sir, so much money and we are not a wealthy family, sir, just middle class and I cannot afford to fail. My parents have mortgaged their house for this education, sir. Anyway, I did not have time to deliver the pamphlets, sir, not on the Saturday and I tried to explain it to my boss and asked whether I could have time off, as I have exams. He said he would fire me and so, sir, I am ashamed, I drove to the warehouses and dumped the pamphlets in a bin at night. So I wouldn’t have to take the time to deliver them, I wrapped them up in an old rug and dumped them.
Q8In the skip?
AYes, sir. At Watts Paper warehouse in Maquarie Drive, in Thomastown, sir. I waited until everyone was asleep in the flats and I had finished studying.
Q9And was there anything in the skip at the time?
AI don’t think so, sir. The pamphlets made quite a loud noise.
Q10And you didn’t see anyone else?
ANo, sir, nobody. I am so ashamed. I chose the skip because I thought it would be private and I was alone and it was quite dark. There was nobody around. And that’s why I lied, sir.
Q11And, apart from dumping the brochures, you were at home?
AAt home, sir. Studying, or in the library, or at work. That’s all I do, sir, work.
Q12No holidays?
ANo, sir.
Q13Well, I have one witness who places you at the skip on the night in which a schoolgirl was dumped in it – the very same skip, Ajay, on the very same night. A schoolgirl who was most likely abducted by a man wanted for the murder of a number of other schoolgirls. I also have another witness who states that you disappear for long periods, Ajay. For days at a time, including the very same weekend Hallie Gabrielle KNIGHT disappeared. How do you explain your disappearances, Mr MEHTA, if you are, as you state, always studying?
STATEMENT
Name:
Wayne NEWBURY
Occupation:
Acting Detective Sergeant 27111
Address:
Homicide Squad
Level 9/412 St Kilda Road, Melbourne 3004
STATES:
1.My name is Wayne NEWBURY and I am an Acting Detective Sergeant attached to the Homicide Squad.
2.At approximately 9.15am on Friday 13th May I attended St Kilda Road Police Station and was briefed by DSC Maurice BELL as to the circumstances known to date in relation to Operation Blue.
3.At 9.57am a search warrant was executed on Unit 14, 4 Lowham Drive, Thomastown under section 465 of the Crimes Act.
4.At 10.44am I attended at Unit 14, 4 Lowham Drive, Thomastown with DS Ben NEWMAN. I knocked on the door. It was answered by a woman who identified herself as Priya PATEL, a friend of Mr MEHTA. The warrant was served on Ms PATEL.
5.At 10.53am we gained entry to the premises. I conducted a search of the premises with DS NEWMAN. We located a number of items which I photographed. All items were seized.
Photograph 1 shows the front of Unit 14, 4 Lowham Drive, Thomastown.
Photograph 2 shows four pictures of a blue man – perhaps an idol.
Photograph 3 shows a postcard of a child painted blue.
Photograph 4 shows a blue man statue with incense in a shrine.
Photograph 5 shows a computer monitor and screen, Dell brand, model XPS 420.
Photograph 6 shows a blue idol on a postcard attached to a computer.
Photograph 7 shows six orange syringes.
Photograph 8 shows an opened medicine cabinet where syringes were found.
Photograph 9 shows three newspapers at the front door dated 7th, 8th and 9th May.
6.I placed these items in individual bags. At 11.30am, I then returned to the St Kilda Road Police Station and did a handover of property to DSC M BELL.
I hereby acknowledge that this statement is true and correct and I make it in the belief that a person making a false statement in the circumstances is liable to the penalties of perjury.
Wayne NEWBURY
Acting Detective Sergeant 27111
Peter DAVIS
Acting Detective Sergeant 29902
Acknowledgement made and signature witnessed by me at 3.35pm on 13th May at St Kilda Road Police Station, Melbourne.
From: Celia Beasley CeeceeB@gmail.com
Monday 30 May 6:18 PM
Hi Alice
Have you heard that the police are questioning suspects? Dad said they grilled an overseas student but he doesn’t think it makes sense. He said the police are about as sophisticated as Constable Plod and they’re clutching at straws because the pressure’s on and just typical to scapegoat poor Indian students again. Dad said the killer probably looks like a normal dad in cargo shorts and boat shoes – well-spoken with a wife, golf clubs and kids, just like him.
There was hardly any mention of Adeline today. We sang ‘Morning Has Broken’ to wish her a safe return home in assembly but no one really knew what to do next. Carmella came for the morning because her mum thought the routine might help, but really nothing helps. She looked as sad as a brown Christmas tree lying out on the footpath.
Hope all’s well with you and especially with your mum.
CCB x
PS Another day, another poem.
Truths
We all remember the time the grandfather clock fell on Jaime.
Dad remembers the crack as the glass shattered and his father’s tears even though the clock was the only casualty;
Mum remembers her relief when the clock’s face missed Jaime’s own;
Jaime remembers her trip to the hospital and the fistful of jellybeans she was awarded for bravery;
Grandma remembers Jaime’s wail which struck deep in her chest and the way she found shards of glass between the floorboards,
under the rug,
in the gap between the credenza and the wall
for weeks;
Cleo remembers the tiny iron hooks Grandpa put on the repaired clock to fix it to the wall;
I remember missing Jaime as she’d always been there.
One incident so many versions.
And the truth lies in none
but in all.
From: Alice King Alicekingofthejungle@gmail.com
Monday 30 May 9:47 PM
Hi CC
Thanks for the poem, although it’s sad and made me think of Johnny. I hate to be a downer and all, but sometimes people don’t come back. I don’t think Adeline will come back. I think she’s gone forever. Sorry, but her disappearance has the exact sa
me feeling of forever about it that Johnny’s had, and so far, that has been very much Forever. I don’t even bother checking the news anymore. Do you mind if we lay off the Adeline stuff for a while? I know it’s all you can think about but I just need a break – a couple of days. I need to stay positive. I sent you a package in the mail – I hope you like it.
From: Celia Beasley CeeceeB@gmail.com
Tuesday 31 May 3:56 PM
Dear Alice
You are HILARIOUS. Strange, sure, but hilarious. The ponytail arrived this afternoon and I have stuck it up on my pin board. Not what I was expecting (a box of fortune cookies or a photo of a honeycomb choc top) but it’s nice to have something of you. Sort of old-fashioned – like Granny has a curl of her dad’s baby hair in a little silver locket.
Today, Andrew and his girlfriend, Nici, came with us to the park after school, which was quite nice really. They walked about 20 paces behind so we could keep turning around to check they were there when we got nervous. I think Mum’s worried that if we don’t get some exercise we’ll podge up and out of the catalogues.
On our walk, I passed a picture of Adeline glued to a power pole and it was weird. Usually, I try not to look Adeline in the eyes because, when I do, I feel like she’s pleading, sending me some sort of message. But today I looked at the poster and then at the sloppy sneakers strung on the wire above it and I was halfway through wondering who puts the shoes there and how many shots it takes to get them to hang and whether the people who do it risk electrocution and whether that’s why they do it in the first place and then, then I realised something. I realised I had just looked at Adeline’s poster and not felt ANYTHING. Somehow her picture has become part of the landscape, even though nothing’s actually changed and she’s as gone as she was when it was first pasted up there. I think this means I’m a bad person.