by Simon King
“What? Are you positive? How can he be sure?”
“It was her smiling eyes. And the fact he had seen her a few times before. In the company of other men around town.” My anger suddenly boiled to the surface, my face feeling flushed and hot.
“No, that’s not true. It’s a lie,” I cried out.
“Jim, you have to know. He was driving erratically because,” but she stopped herself.
“WHY? WHY WAS HE DRIVING ERRATICALLY?” I yelled, my heart beat feeling like it was hammering at my temples again.
“He was trying to do his pants up as Alec approached the vehicle. Tami was blushing while the doctor sat grinning at him.” Suddenly, without knowing I was going to, I picked up the glass of water sitting beside me and threw it at the opposite wall. It exploded on impact, the water hitting the wall and ceiling in a spray of liquid as glass shards clinked around the room. I felt confused, unsure of my memories, trying to remember back to when I had seen her, the tears sitting hot in my eyes, almost stinging them as I wiped them away. How could she not tell me? How could she betray me? But she hadn’t. I tried to slow my breathing, taking great gulps, holding them deep. Our chance meeting was still weeks in the future and then, what reason would she have to discuss her past with me. I wasn’t anyone to her then, and he was no one to me when I first saw Levinson, the connections between the three of us still not complete. There was no reason for her to tell me.
The door burst open for a second time, the nurse and officer coming in again. The nurse came at me and immediately began scolding me for my outburst, performing a number of checks on me. I didn’t respond, sinking lower into my bed and closing my eyes. All I wanted to do was be alone and cry. As if reading my thoughts, Steph bent and kissed me on the forehead, wished me a good night and walked out.
5.
It took another two excruciating days for the doctors to allow me to leave the hospital, the Friday dragging slower than any day I had ever endured. Steph didn’t return the next day and I began to wonder whether I didn’t push her completely away with my outburst. But she was simply tied up with work and her own responsibilities. She came back in on the Saturday morning, dressed in casual attire, Judith’s hand held in her own. Jude was holding a bunch of flowers and handed them to me when they walked in. I thanked her and watched her run from the room, excitedly looking for a nurse to find a vase for them.
“How are you feeling?” Steph asked when we were alone.
“Much better, thanks. I’m sorry for my outburst, Steph. I shouldn’t have.” But she shook her head.
“There’s nothing to apologize for. I can’t imagine what you went through. Any news when you can get out of here?” she asked.
“Saw the nurse this morning and she thinks the Doc may let me out today. Just have to wait for him to finish his rounds.” Jude came back in, carrying a large glass vase.
“The nurse asked if you can please refrain from breaking this one,” she said as she handed it to her mum. I laughed out loud, Steph giggling as she filled it with water from the sink.
6.
The Doctor came shortly after Steph and Judith had left, telling me that he needed to consult with another doctor early in the afternoon. He returned a little after 3, telling me I was free to go. I called for a nurse and asked her to contact Steph. She was about to leave the room, when Steph stepped into the room, pushing a wheel chair before her.
“Who’s that for?” I said, pointing at it.
“Hospital policy, Mr. Lawson,” the nurse said, and judging by her tone and steely eyes, I wasn’t going to win the argument.
Ten minutes later, I climbed out of the wheelchair and into the FX which was parked at the hospital entrance. She pushed the wheelchair back in through the doors then returned and climbed into the driver’s seat. We began driving, heading back towards Cider Hill.
Steph?” I asked as she drove. She looked across at me. “Could you take me to Tami’s?” I asked. She frowned a little, but nodded. I watched the scenery flow past the window as we drove along the road. I felt alone. Although we hadn’t been together for so many years, just knowing that she was in Cider Hill, knowing that she was there doing whatever she was doing, gave me some sort of comfort. I know we didn’t have the closest of relationships, but Tami and I had shared something unique and even though it was a nightmare, it had given us a bond that time nor distance could ever take away. Now that she was gone, I felt truly alone for the first time in twenty years.
7.
After dropping Jude to Mrs. Wong, Steph drove us back to the lane beside the Railway Hotel. I admit, I had butterflies as we pulled up in front of the flat. Tami’s home looked exactly the same. There was no sign of the horror that took place inside just a few days before. The only thing that was different was a small padlock that secured her front gate. I climbed out of the car as Steph parked by the kerb, gingerly trying to keep the pain in my chest to a minimum. Steph had the key to the padlock as she was the lead officer in the investigation and unlocked it for me so I wouldn’t need to jump the fence, a feat I knew to be near impossible with my injuries.
We walked to the door and she unlocked it, swinging it open. I was standing on the spot where I saw her for the final time. I looked at my feet and saw tiny spots of blood which the rain had failed to wash away, like eternal stains. I could feel the apprehension in my gut. Steph led the way inside and I could smell the dampness in the air. I looked around and took in her home. Steph headed for the hallway, probably checking out a back bedroom. I decided to have a look in the living room, the last place we sat and talked. I lowered myself on to the couch, sitting quietly and closing my eyes, trying desperately to feel her. I didn’t. I opened my eyes and scanned the room for anything that might give me a clue as to who had hurt her. The ceiling plaster had been removed, the exposed beams now staring at me in an almost menacing grin. My eyes fell on her bookshelf and I saw my book again, sitting amongst others up on the top shelf. I stood carefully and shuffled over, standing before the shelf for a moment, looking at the familiar black cover with my name on it. I reached for it, meaning to pull it out and flick through the pages, pages that she had no doubt read.
But just as my fingers brushed the spine of my book, the book sitting to its left suddenly highlighted itself to me, its words hitting me like the metal pipe did a few nights before. It was a book similar in thickness to mine, with a rich red spine. The name of the book was “Splitting Hairs” and the name of the author was Dr. Julius Levinson.
“Steph,” I called as I reached for it, pulling it out from between the others.
“Yeah?” she called back.
“Check this out.” I sensed her shuffling about then heard her footsteps coming down the hallway.
“What did you find?” she asked as she came into the room. I held the book out to her, her eyes growing wider as she read the name of the author. She opened the front cover and saw what I hadn’t yet seen. There was a hand-written note inside the front sleeve. I watched as she read it, her eyes moving slightly from side to side. She held the book out to me when she finished, her eyes lit up.
To my darling Tami,
For being there when I needed you most.
Julius
I was stunned, feeling the urge to sit as my legs felt like they were about to fail me. I turned, book in hand, taking one step toward the couch, then dropping into it. I looked up at Steph, about to ask her for a glass of water, when I noted that she was staring open-mouthed at the blank wall behind me.
“Steph?”
“Something Alec told me when he was telling me about pulling him over with her in the car. He said that Levinson had gotten out of the car and asked her to remain. He had ushered Alec to the back of the vehicle to tell him something.”
“What did he tell him?”
“That these kinds of indiscretions were best kept quiet, if he understood. Then he had held his ring finger up and flicked the wedding band there, indicating to Alec that he was married. He’
s married, Jim.”
“So, was he her sugar daddy or something?”
“I doubt that. He doesn’t strike me as someone that has the time for a marriage and a girlfriend. Sorry.”
“Do you know if she had any friends, Steph?” but she shook her head.
“Could always ask around at the hotel. Maybe there’s someone there she was close to.” But I was already getting to my feet, knowing who to talk to. I indicated to Steph to exit the home. I took a final look around the room then followed her out the door.
8.
“You want Jackie,” the head chef told us, pointing out to the bistro. He was the only friendly face I knew since staying here and had arranged for the beautiful meal I surprised Tami with. “I’m sorry for your loss, Mr Lawson.” I thanked him, shook his hand then headed for the bistro, Steph in tow. There were 4 ladies sitting in the far corner, congregating around a fifth who was sitting in a chair. As we approached, one saw us and threw me a smile. The others saw her and followed suit.
“I was after Jackie,” I said as we neared the group. The others looked at the girl sitting in the chair then turned and left, leaving us alone. “Jackie?” I asked and she nodded. Judging by the swollen red eyes, she looked to have been crying intensely not too long ago.
“Hey,” she said. I offered her my hand and she shook it.
“I’m Jim.”
“I know. Tami told me about you.”
“Jackie, were you and Tami close?” I asked. She nodded. She looked past me for a moment, then back at me. When she didn’t answer, I continued. “Did she ever tell you about a man she was seeing?” Her face grew dark and her eyes darted back behind me for a second time as if looking for someone. I turned to look but only saw the front door. “Jackie?”
“You mean other than you?”
“Yes, other than me.” Her eyes kept looking past me and I was about to ask her another question when Steph spoke from beside me.
“Jackie, would you like to go somewhere more private?” She was on her feet in an instant and waved at us to follow. She turned down a hallway then into a room at the far end. It was a vacant guest’s room, a curtain hiding its lone window. Once we were all inside, she closed the door, then locked it with the chain. I looked at Steph and she shot me a wink. We were about to find out something we weren’t expecting and she knew it. Or, she already knew and wanted me to find out for myself. In any case, Jackie was about to let loose. Jackie went to the bed and sat down. Her lip was quivering in a familiar fashion and I wasn’t surprised when she began to cry. Steph went and sat beside her then put an arm around her. Jackie sobbed into her hands then began to regain control, wiping her eyes with a hanky she pulled from her pocket.
“She loved you, Jim. I just want you to know that. She hadn’t seen anyone since she saw you. No-one. She even stopped doing it.”
“Doing what?” I asked. She frowned, looked at Steph then back at me.
“This town has everything one could want. Everything one could ever need. Everything except,” she paused.
“Everything except what?” I asked, unsure of where she was headed. She looked at Steph again and I knew that Steph already knew what she was about to say.
“Everything except somewhere for the lonely man to go and, you know.”
“And?”
“Well, Tami was, well, she had been seeing a couple of men over the past couple of years. There’s a few of us that do it. She asked me about it one day and I, I took her to meet with,” she paused again and for a moment I wasn’t sure she was going to continue. Then she did. “With Mrs. McNorton.” I choked on my own spit, began to cough, the pain in my chest exploding with each rasp. Steph looked at me alarmingly then came and began clapping me on the back. Jackie went to the sink and got me a glass of water. When I had managed to breathe again, I looked at her in stunned silence.
“Sweet Mrs. McNorton runs a brothel?” I asked in total disbelief. Jackie nodded.
“There’s some pretty high up people that use her services, Jim. Tami had seen a couple of them, but then she began to see that doctor that goes up to the prison a lot. And at first things were going really well. He was treating her like a princess. Bought her some pretty expensive jewellery and stuff. But then she fell pregnant.” I looked at her, completely stunned a second time.
“Pregnant?”
“She didn’t tell you?”
“You mean to tell me she was pregnant when she died?” I asked, my heart feeling heavy as it sank into the pit of my stomach. Steph squeezed my shoulder then turned to Jackie.
“How many girls does Mrs. McNorton have doing this?” she asked her.
“Seven. Well, six now. She’s a lovely lady, always making sure we’re OK. She doesn’t advertise her girls to just anybody, you know? She deals with some pretty well-off clientele, if you know what I mean.”
“Like who?” Steph asked.
“Married men mostly, the ones that can afford it, anyway. Mr. Jacobs the Commonwealth Bank manager, Mr. Sutton the Supermarket owner, Chief Rademeyer-”
“Wait. The Chief?” Steph interrupted, her face showing what I was feeling. Jackie just nodded.
“Yeah, he was really nice. I spent some time with him. He was so gentle. Also Dr. Levinson, Dr. Gibbs, Chief Richards-”
“Richards?” I asked, interrupting her this time.
“Yup, he’s been seeing girls for longer than anyone else.”
“Where do you go?” I suddenly asked, curious.
“Go? Oh, you mean where do we take them? They come to us. At the Railway.” For a moment I didn’t comprehend her words, then as they suddenly sank in, began to understand.
“You mean the Railway Hotel is a brothel?”
“No, well, maybe, kind of, I guess. Mrs. McNorton says that as long as she rents more beds out for sleeping than she rents out for, you know, the other stuff then it’s fine.”
“Wait, what do you mean if ‘she rents out more rooms’? Does she own the hotel?” Jackie was nodding again, as the surprises continued to explode before me. I had been boarding at a brothel, had been eating food prepared by a madame and been infatuated with a pregnant whore. My skin broke out into gooseflesh as I thought about Tami with Levinson, then hated myself for thinking of her as a whore.
“Jackie, how long have you been working for Mrs. McNorton?” Steph asked.
“About 4 years now.”
“And Tami?” I asked.
“About 2.” I was gutted, gob-smacked, in total disbelief. The ramifications of what had been happening in this town, the leads that would need to be followed up following this conversation were going to take a lot of effort. And Steph and I were going to have to walk on very fine egg shells. There was no way that we could even discuss this conversation with the new Chief, especially if he was involved with the town whorehouse.
“Jackie, did Tami say anything to you about Levinson? I mean, did she say that he was threatening her, or anyone else threatening her for that matter?” She shook her head.
“She did give me an envelope. Asked me to give it to the cops if anything should ever happen to her.”
“Did you?” Steph asked.
“No. If I ever had to, I was planning to give it to Frank, but then he got himself killed and, I was scared. The new Chief isn’t as nice as Franky was.”
“Do you still have the envelope?” I asked.
“Yeah, it’s upstairs.” She stood and began walking to the door, unlocked it, then checked to make sure we were following. We did, and once we reached the room where her things were stored, followed her inside. The room had a row of lockers down one wall and a door that led to a bathroom. A bench ran the length of the opposite wall, resembling one I remembered from the gym’s locker room back in high school. Jackie went to one of the lockers and opened it. After rummaging through some clothes, she pulled out a brown jacket and reached into one of its pockets, pulling from it, a small rectangular envelope. She handed it to me and I took it, putting it in my own po
cket.
“Thank you, Jackie,” Steph said as I shook her hand.
“We really appreciate your help. Thank you,” I said and she shot me a smile.
“She loved you, you know? She wouldn’t stop talking about you. Drove me crazy.”
“Thanks again,” I said and left the room, Steph following me. We didn’t say a word until we were sitting back in her car.
9.
“Holy shit,” Steph yelled when we were safely back in her car and driving away from the hotel. She switched the windscreen wipers on, the weather turning murky as the first spots of rain began to fall. I wasn’t sure where she was taking us but made sure the windows were rolled up tightly. We couldn’t risk anyone overhearing our conversation. “Holy shit,” she repeated.
“That is some serious information. Like fucken hell. What the hell! Old sweet Mrs. McNorton is a madam? What the fuck is that about?” I still couldn’t believe it, my mind now a frazzle of names and places, all inter-mingling in a labyrinth of material.
“We need to go somewhere, Jim. Somewhere away from here, for a couple of hours, at least. Go through this shit. And the envelope,” she said, pointing a finger at my pocket. I pulled it out and looked at it for a moment. I lifted it, holding it in front of my face. It was sealed, the front and back blank. I slid a finger along the seal and ripped it open, reached in and pulled out three sheets of paper, all folded twice over. The first was a hand-written letter. I recognized Tami’s handwriting immediately and noted that it was addressed to no-one specifically.
Should anything happen to me, I want it known that I have been in the company of Doctor Julius Levinson for almost 8 months now. I’m currently pregnant with his child. I have been threatened by this man on a number of occasions, namely trying to force me to abort my baby. He has also offered me money to relocate me to Queensland, which I have refused. I have discovered that Dr. Levinson has been conducting experiments on prisoners at Crab Apple prison and have enclosed some papers that I discovered while looking through his desk for anything that I can use to guarantee the safety of my baby and me. The rest of the diary has been hidden by me in case this letter should also fall into the wrong hands. I pray this nightmare will end soon.