by Anni Taylor
The wind collected his hair and blew it back from his face.
I saw him properly.
I saw Tommy.
His full, rounded cheeks, stung pink by the cold. His large, expressive eyes and dark eyelashes. His tiny, naturally pouting mouth.
Sinking to my knees, I knelt heavily on the sand. I didn’t know anything right now except that this boy was my son.
He stepped towards me, an uncertain look on his face now. Raising his small chin, he looked beyond me.
I turned. Pria had stepped from the cottage.
Tommy bolted straight for her.
Pria scooped him up, hugging him.
I loped across the sand, my mind caught in a storm.
A nervous smile appeared on her face. “Luke, I can finally tell you!” Her smile faltered at the edges.
Words refused to come. I held out my arms, demanding Tommy. She delivered him to me, and I held him up, staring into his face—the face I hadn’t seen for so long.
Becoming shy, he dropped his forehead down to mine. I cradled his small body, and he nestled in tight against my shoulder, coyly tapping my neck with his finger.
“How? How is it that he’s here?” Inside, my mind was roaring, but my voice pushed out low and broken.
“We brought him to the island, Luke.”
“We what?”
“He was on the yacht. He slept the whole way. There’s a lot I need to tell you. Let’s go for a walk.” She glanced towards Jessie’s still figure on the beach. “Jessie will be fine.”
“No. Pria, you need to tell me now. Because I have all kinds of things running through my head. And none of them are good.”
Tears made her eyes wet and shining. “I don’t even know how to tell you. But you have to know. I found Tommy, just a day ago.”
“What? You found him? Where? Where?”
“Please, walk with me, and I’ll tell you everything.”
I could scarcely breathe, as if my lungs had grown rigid.
We walked along the top of the hill, higher and higher. Until Jessie was a tiny figure on the beach, sitting and watching the ocean.
Tommy burrowed into me, clinging. He fell asleep the way he always used to do, in an instant. I had the irrational urge to shake him, force him to wake and open his eyes and assure me that he was alive.
Pria stopped and turned her tearstained face to me. “This is what I know. I’ve been noticing Phoebe coming in and out of a certain house on our street for a few weeks now. Sometimes with a strange man. Sometimes on her own. At first, I just thought she was having an affair. But then, after the fourth letter, I was terrified, knowing what she’d done. I decided to look for myself. Luke, you know the house. Number 29.”
“That’s where you found Tommy?”
“Yes. He was there. She had him locked in one of the rooms. There were toys. And some food and water. But . . .” Her voice caught in her throat. “It was cold, and he wasn’t wearing much. Just a little summer top and a nappy. He was dirty, and the room itself just stank of mildew.”
“Fuck. She was keeping him there? Like that?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Why didn’t you call the—?”
“I did. I mean, that was my intention. I took Tommy from that horrible room, and I went downstairs. I was about to call the police when Phoebe burst into the house.”
Pria gently brushed a lock of Tommy’s hair from his cheek. “Luke, she was frightening. She demanded I give Tommy back to her. When I refused, she grabbed a knife from inside her jacket and waved it at me. I lied and told her that I’d already called the police. She backed off then, telling me that the police would end up giving Tommy to her, because she was the mother and she’d been suffering a mental illness. And you know, she’s right. They would. They have little choice. They’d keep her away from him for a while, and she’d go into a facility while she recovers. But eventually, she’d get him back.”
I kissed Tommy’s forehead. His skin warm under my lips. My thoughts dark. “No judge in the land would give Tommy back to her after what she did.”
“But she didn’t murder Tommy. She didn’t kidnap him either. You can’t kidnap a child you have custody of. There are a few things she could be charged and jailed for—including serious neglect of Tommy and concocting the whole kidnapping drama. But there’s a strong possibility she could get off those charges. I’ve witnessed the court proceedings for quite a few cases of child neglect. If the mother has a mental illness, they can’t hold it against her. You and I know that it wasn’t just an episode of mental illness though. It’s Phoebe. Something about her is very wrong. She never wanted Tommy, but she couldn’t give him up either.”
“No, she never wanted him,” I repeated. There hadn’t been anyone in the past that I could tell that to. Her unhappiness at being a mother had been my burden to bear alone. It was a relief to finally say it. In the last months of the year before, she’d started heading out with damned Saskia, nightclubbing and who knew what else? I was the sucker at home with Tommy while she was leading the single life again.
Pria was sobbing now. “That’s right.” She wiped her face with her hands. “I hope you can find a way to understand. As a mother, I couldn’t allow it. I couldn’t let her have him back. Ever. I told her I was taking Tommy to the police, and I left. I put him in my car, and I drove away. In desperation, I came up with the plan to head to the island. Where Tommy would be safe. I knew you’d go straight to the police. I just wanted to give you time to think. So that you didn’t make a decision you’d regret later.”
I stared down at Tommy, still expecting him to be a mirage and vanish from my arms. “How could a little boy live in that house and no one knew? How could no one hear him?”
“He was drugged when I found him.”
“Drugged?”
“I’m sorry. Yes, he was lethargic and floppy. But I don’t know if she kept him there the whole time. I think she had help. I mean, someone must have been helping her, right? That phone call when Tommy disappeared? Someone had to take him from the playground. She must have paid someone well.”
“Hell. I’ll kill her with my bare hands when I see her again. Her and whoever else was involved in this. Fuck, why didn’t I know? Her sleepwalking thing—that was probably just a cover for her going out at night to look in on Tommy. What was she hoping to achieve with this? Attention?”
“I think so. She wanted to rid herself of the responsibility of caring for Tommy, and she wanted the spotlight back for herself. So she came up with a plan in which Tommy would be snatched. She would receive enormous public attention and sympathy, and she could use her acting skills to play the part. Months later, when the attention began dying off, she started sending herself the letters. More attention on Phoebe.”
“Well, she got what she damned wanted.”
Every muscle in my body started shaking, and I couldn’t gain control of it.
Gently, Pria took Tommy from me. “It’s a reaction to the news. When people get news that overwhelms them, this can happen. You need time. Just sit, Luke. I’ll sit with you. It’s okay. Tommy’s here. He’s not going anywhere now. He’s safe with us.”
Not taking my eyes from Tommy for a moment, I did as she said. She was the one who’d brought my son back to me. I sat on the stringy, rough grass. “How did you even manage to smuggle Tommy here without me knowing?”
“He was among my bundles of things. And he slept in the cabin with Jessie. Anyway, he’s here now. You’ve got him back.”
“I appreciate what you’ve done. We’ll stay overnight. But we’ve got to head back tomorrow. You know that we can’t do this.”
She looked alarmed, but then she wriggled down beside me, taking care not to wake Tommy. “We already have done this. Sometimes you have to do desperate things to keep your children safe. I know all of this is going to take a long while to sink in. You’re in shock right now. For the past six months, everything has been about the police finding Tommy. Well, Tommy has been found.
The police can’t help you now. The only thing that would happen if the police get involved is Tommy getting back in Phoebe’s hands.”
“Pria, you’re getting yourself in up to your neck doing this. Tommy’s not your kid.”
“How could I not? I love you, Luke. And I love Tommy. I want what’s best for you both.”
She hadn’t said I love you before. If she’d said it an hour ago, it would have surprised me. Now, I was just numb.
Down on the beach, Jessie pulled herself to her feet and turned and watched us for a moment. Then she headed towards the house.
50.
PHOEBE
PRESENT TIME
Thursday morning
AN OFFICER ESCORTED ME FROM THE cell back into the interview room. It had been a long, drawn-out night, sleeping on a hard bed. And an even longer day. It was now midday. The wheels were turning too slowly. Far, far too slowly.
“It’s called Whale Rest.” Detective Yarris slapped a photocopied map onto the table.
“What is?” I glanced from her to Trent Gilroy, confused.
“Phoebe,” said Trent, “did you know Pria bought an island?”
“I—No. A whole island?”
“Yes,” he said. “Within the last couple of weeks, in the name of her deceased father’s company. It’s located in the Bass Strait. She might have renamed it. Which might be where the name Ab ovo comes in.”
“Oh God.” I waited for him to say more.
“We checked Luke’s yacht at the mooring. It’s gone. We spoke to Luke’s father to ensure that he hadn’t taken it out. He told us that he wasn’t aware that his son was going out on a sailing trip.”
“Can you find out where he went?” I asked.
“We’re on it right now,” Trent told me. “We have a team making calls and trying to track the yacht. We’ve also been making other enquiries. We’ve found out that Pria contracted a building company to soundproof the walls and floor of the upstairs playroom in November of last year.” He took a breath. “We spoke with your friend Saskia a bit earlier. She contacted us when she heard you’d been brought in. She corroborated everything you and Bernice said, including what Pria’s daughter told her about the dog.”
“And I went to your toy shop,” Annabelle said, taking over. “Yes, there was a sale in January under the name of Kitty. It was bought with cash. No paper trail. But, when I showed him photographs of six different women, including Pria, he picked Pria out straight away. And we have the camera. It showed exactly what you said it did.”
“And one more thing,” said Detective Gilroy. “Forensics went over Pria’s house and the playroom with a fine-tooth comb. The handprint was too smeared, but they did find a hair. And it appears to belong to Tommy.”
I nodded, swallowing. I’d given them a lock of his baby hair when he’d first gone missing. “What’s next?”
“I promise you this,” he said. “We’re moving on this as fast as we can. We don’t have all the pieces, but we’re not waiting for them before we act. As I said, we’re making enquiries to see if we can locate Luke’s yacht. We’re also trying to find out if either Luke or Pria is on board and if Jessie’s with them. We’re getting two helicopters readied. If we get an affirmative, we’ll be on our way.”
I lowered my eyes. They weren’t looking for Tommy. The chase was all about finding out what happened to Tommy. The after.
As if they knew what I was thinking, a lull came over the room. No one spoke.
It also wasn’t lost on me that he’d said either Luke or Pria. The police still didn’t know whose blood had been spilled in that bathtub.
It was moments later that a call came through on Detective Gilroy’s phone. The yacht had been sighted at Refuge Cove. Early yesterday morning. A young couple and a girl of about ten on board.
“Hang on,” said Annabelle. “So, all three of them? Alive and well?”
“Yep.” Trent gave half a shake of his head, exhaling a stream of air. “This gets stranger.”
They rose from the table together.
“Phoebe,” Trent said, softening his tone. “We apologise for doubting you in the beginning. And for—Well, there’s going to be a lot of conversations between us to come. But right now, we need to leave. Are you ready?”
“Yes, ready. Can I ask two things?”
“Name them,” he said.
“Could you call Nan? Tell her I’m okay.”
He nodded. “Sure thing.”
“And the second thing is, I want Bernice to come with me.”
“Bernice?” He looked puzzled.
“She didn’t have to do what she did for me tonight. She had every reason not to. But she did. And if I find out the worst, I want someone there who actually loved Tommy. Nan can’t make the trip. Sass can’t either. And Kate—well—she abandoned me. Please.”
He held me in his gaze for a moment then nodded at Annabelle. “The chopper can take five passengers. Three police. Phoebe and Bernice. We’ve got backup from Victorian police. We’re good.”
It took another hour from that point until we were seated in the helicopter, listening to the general emergency procedures.
Bernice’s face somehow retained that look of disbelief from when the police had first taken me to her cell to ask if she’d come. As if the surprise had imprinted on her so deeply that it had worn through all her layers.
Like a scene from some TV police drama, the helicopter swept past the patchwork of towns and fields below. While I’d been in Greensthorne, Luke and Pria had been travelling all this way.
After three hours, the ride in the helicopter became increasingly bumpy.
The pilot twisted around to face Detective Gilroy. “Weather’s turned foul. Going to have to land.”
Trent leaned forward. “Now?”
“Yeah,” the pilot confirmed. “Sorry, mate. We can take it to Refuge Cove. I’m not heading out to sea.” He radioed a message while the helicopter continued to bump and drop.
Below, the land spread out wild and green, with open-space camping areas. We landed high above the bay, next to an old sandstone lighthouse. A sign said Wilson’s Promontory.
Bernice stood blinking in the bright sunlight, peering down at the curved bay. A large police boat cut a white line through the water.
51.
LUKE
PRESENT TIME
Thursday
PRIA STIRRED SOUP ON THE COOKTOP while Jessie and I bathed Tommy in a small tub in front of the fire. I’d found the tub outside this morning, and I’d scrubbed it spotless.
I poured warm water over Tommy’s slippery, naked little body. He giggled, splashing water back at me. Last night, he’d slept in between Pria and me, holding onto my arm. I kept waking, thinking I’d dreamed him, then finding him curled up tight beside me. In the morning, the sunrise had exposed a dark sky, signalling an oncoming storm. I wasn’t going to sail out in that. We’d stay another day. I was beginning to wish we could just stay. Life here on the island could be so damned simple. All the struggle and push to make money seemed unimportant now.
But we couldn’t stay.
Tomorrow we’d leave—this afternoon if the storm came and blew over quickly.
The smell of bread piped through the house. Pria was making her own in the oven, to go with the soup.
“Hang on,” said Jessie. She ran into Tommy’s bedroom and returned with a plastic toy. His yacht. She sailed it in the water, Tommy grabbing for it.
I raised my eyes to Pria, confused. Tommy had that yacht with him when he vanished.
But Pria nodded, smiling as though she’d anticipated my question. “I found that. You know where. Knowing it was his favourite toy, I made sure we brought it along.”
Returning her smile, I turned back to my son.
The situation I was in was insane. No man should be asked to deal with this. But right now, to hell with it, I was going to be happy. I had everything I wanted right here. Jessie seemed a little more relaxed in some ways, tickling Tommy
’s feet as she slipped his socks on, but even more tense in others. She’d glance from her mother to me and then turn her head away fast.
I dried and dressed Tommy by the fire, in the new clothes Pria had run out and bought for him when she’d first found him—everything with the tickets still on them.
Pria laid out the soup and bread on the table.
Hungrily, I ate it all and had seconds. Tommy dipped his bread in his soup and ate that. I couldn’t stop watching him. Every one of his little gestures and movements seemed a miracle.
“Oh, look,” Pria crooned, as his eyes started fluttering downward. “I think our little man is tired out from his bath.”
I laughed. “He’s battling hard to stay awake, though. Typical Tommy.”
Jessie left the table abruptly, heading out the door. The wind outside made the door slam hard.
“Damn,” I said, indicating towards Tommy. “I think we’re paying too much attention to a certain someone.”
“She’s being silly. Tommy’s just a little boy, and she shouldn’t be jealous of him. She needs to understand how things are right now.”
“I’ll go after her.”
“No. Let her go and cool off.”
“I guess you know your daughter best.” Gathering my drooping son up, I took him into his room and tucked him into bed. I was amazed to see a large nightlight on the dresser beside Tommy’s bed. It was exactly the same nightlight that Tommy used to have—the one that Phoebe destroyed. Pria must have run out and bought it the day she went to buy him the clothes. She’d thought of everything.
Taking advantage of Tommy’s sleep time, I headed out to chop wood in the shed. It’d be another chilly night tonight. Pria had returned to cleaning the house of dust and dead insects.
I noticed Jessie down on the beach. She was kneeling on the sand, making a sandcastle. That was exactly what kids her age should be doing. Instead of all their electronic games. I’d explore the island with her later. Try and get a relationship started.