Blossoms in the Wind

by Ross Richdale

  "A couple of short questions is all I want," Andy said.

  Richard glanced across at Terri who nodded. "Make it brief," he said.

  Andy turned to Terri. "Why did you have a loaded revolver in your drawer?" he asked in a blunt voice.

  Terri glanced at her lawyer. "It is okay Richard, I'll answer the inspector's question." She turned to Andy. "I was terrified of him," she whispered. "I had kept it loaded after David had turned violent a month or so earlier. He was late and on other occasions when this happened, I knew he'd be drunk. When he was in one of his drunken moods, he'd turn to violence that usually ended in him practically raping me. When I went to bed I loaded the revolver and placed it in the drawer beside my bed."

  "So it was premeditated?" Andy spat.

  "Don't reply to that question," Richard retorted and turned to the detective. "I will not have my client subjected to this approach, Detective Inspector Tullock. I remind you that Terri had a licensed firearm that is legal in New Zealand.

  Andy shrugged. "I withdraw the question but have one final one."

  "Go on," Terri whispered though her face was pale and she appeared close to tears.

  "Why didn't you just leave when he became violent, by your own words, a month earlier."

  "My job, house and everything depended on him. I have nowhere to go and no family except my sister to turn to. She now lives in Australia."

  Richard McCartan stood. "This interview is over. Unless you are about to charge my client now, we shall be leaving this building." He turned to Terri. "You have been very brave coming here but need say no more."

  Andy also stood and stretched his hand out to Terri Cox. "Thank you for coming in, Ms Cox. We shall be in contact with you in due course."

  "All contact will be through myself," Richard McCartan added in a frosty voice.

  "Of course," Andy replied and glanced at Gloria who appeared to be deep in thought.

  "SO WHAT DO YOU THINK, Gloria?" Andy asked when they were back in his office a few moments later.

  "Why the big shot lawyer?" she replied.

  "I believe Ava Sutton has taken Terri Cox under her wing and her step-father has stepped in to help. I actually know Adrian Knight and have great respect for him."

  "So was it murder or self-defence, as they claim?"

  "Perhaps neither," Andy replied.

  "You're thinking of charging her with manslaughter?"

  "As an alternative charge, yes. It is too serious for us to just classify the death as self-defence. We should proceed on the probability of making a manslaughter charge with the possibility of upgrading it to murder. I want you to thoroughly research Terri' Cox's history and also her sister Yolanda Cox who could also be charged with criminally removal of a body after the fact."

  Gloria nodded. "I'll get straight onto it, Andy. Can I keep my team?"

  Andy nodded. "Yes but I want results. We have those other crimes on our plate so get on with it."

  "Right Andy," Gloria replied. "There are already a couple of inconsistencies in her statement I'd like to follow up."

  Andy was glad he had Gloria on the case.

  IT WAS ONE WEEK BEFORE April and the Easter mid-semester break for Ava and Jeff from their studies at Auckland University. Ava had found the change to university from high school quite easy but did miss some of the more structured style of secondary school. Now, many lectures were in an auditorium of over two hundred students and the lecturers ranged from dithery old nutters, as Jeff called them, to young academics, mainly women, who oozed enthusiasm and were more akin to the teachers back at school. Tutorial groups were helpful. Her tutor was an associate professor, Doctor Elaine Forbes who had a liberal outlook on life but wasn't too far out, again Jeff's words. She was one of the few of the academic staff who knew her as a person, not just a name on a student list.

  They were packing up after the final tutor meeting before the Easter break when Elaine came up to Ava and sat beside her. "I believe you know Fluer Ovitus from your old school, Ava."

  "Yes, she was in my class and was dating one of Jeff's friends last year. I haven't seen much of her this year, though. Why?"

  "She's in one of my colleague's tutorial groups and is thinking of dropping out of her courses here."

  "Why? She was a conscientious girl at high school and passed her scholarship exam."

  "I gather it is personal and to do with her family. Did you know them?"

  "Sort of," Ava replied. "They have a huge house on North Shore and her father is a big businessman in town. They were quite strict on her at school. There was trouble at our senior dance last year..." Ava gave a brief summary of about Ryan taking Fluer home that night.

  "It seems that they're continuing to hold a tight reign over her, hence the present problem."

  "And that is?"

  "She's still living at home but is wanting to leave."

  "So why doesn't she?"

  "I'm not sure but Laura, that's Doctor Laura Penrose, her tutor, said she was in tears earlier today but wouldn't say what was wrong. When asked if there was anybody she would like to talk to, she gave your name."

  "Do you know why?'

  "Laura thinks it is something to do with her home life. They seem to have some sort of hold over her."

  "Could be religious," Ava said. "Her family belongs an evangelical church and I know she had misgivings about it at school. Ryan, that's Jeff's friend who was dating her, tried to help but I think he gave up. Again, I don't really know what's happened to her this year."

  "That could be it," Elaine said. "Will you speak to her or would rather give it a miss?" She smiled. "She is an adult now so don't be pressurised into just saying yes because I have asked you."

  Ava smiled. "Thanks Elaine," she said. "I guess a lot of your junior students find it hard to cope with the university environment. I know Jeff said that many of his old friends have gone wild and just drink and party all the time."

  "It happens," Elaine replied. "So you want me to tell Laura you don't want to become involved with Fluer?"

  "Not at all," Ava replied. "I'll chat to Fluer but don't know if I can help. I'm not into religious stuff, if that's her problem. When would Laura like me to meet her?"

  "By what she said, can it be sooner rather than later, Ava?"

  "Sure. Tell me how to contact her and I'll get onto it."

  AVA HAD ALREADY TOLD Jeff to disappear for a couple of hours so she was home alone when a new white Honda Jazz pulled into the kerb. She recognised Fluer straight away when she climbed out of the car and the lights flickered to show it had been locked. It was her face that appeared different. The smiling eyes she remembered were replaced by haunting dark ringed ones. She also appeared nervous.

  Fluer gave Ava a slight smile then appeared to freeze on the roadside. Ava took the initiative, stepped over and gave the girl a hug. Fluer sort of clung to her before stepping back and again appeared to be hesitant.

  "Come inside," Ava said. "There's nobody home. Jeff has gone out to look at some new car release. Apart from computers that's all he seems to take an interest in."

  She escorted her companion inside and invited her into the living area. "It's a bit untidy, I'm afraid," she said. "Would you like a coffee or perhaps a wine?"

  Fluer relaxed a little. "Wine, please. What a lovely place. Is it yours?"

  "Jeff's actually. There was a family trust that was dissolved and this was part of his inheritance." The small talk continued for a few moments before Ava guided Fluer over the couch, offered her a second wine and sat beside her.

  "So what would you like help with?" she asked.

  Fluer stared at the carpet. "I can't talk to my parents about anything and I couldn't even tell Laura, my tutor." She glanced up. "When she asked if I could name anyone I would talk to, your name came to me... oh I know we weren't really close friends at school but you have always been so confident about everything and..." She talked quickly perhaps to hide her nervousness.

  Ava reached out
and squeezed her arm. "Anything you tell me will go no further, that's a promise."

  Fluer sighed and blew her nose on a tissue. "I thought it would solve the problem but it hasn't. I just feel so useless and guilty. My father would call me a murderous sinner if he ever found out. Mum's slightly more tolerant but has been under his thumb for so many years she just goes along with his ranting."

  "Jeff's father was violent for years. Jeff finally hit back and ... well I guess you know what happened. Is your father violent towards your mother or yourself?"

  "No, it's his narrow religious views."

  "Hence that bit you said about him calling you a murderous sinner if he found out." Ava caught Fluer's gaze. "What is it that would cause him to think this way?"

  Fluer reached for her wine glass and gulped down the contents. "I had an abortion," she whispered "Ten days ago. It was relatively easy once the regulations were sorted. I had these pills and later what appeared to be a heavy period. That was it, more or less!"

  Thoughts ran through Ava's mind. My God, Fluer! If it was Deanna sitting beside her confessing to having an abortion she would understand but Fluer was so prim and proper. But she was obviously distressed so she must show her nothing but empathy. She swallowed and took a sip of her own wine.

  "You think I'm a slut, don't you?" Fluer whispered.

  "No, of course not. You must have been under much stress to come to the decision to have one. Did you make up your mind yourself or seek help?"

  "I told nobody. God, Ava my parents would disown me if they even knew I wasn't a virgin any more, let alone becoming pregnant."

  "Were you raped?"

  "No, just careless, I guess."

  "And the boy?"

  Fluer shrugged. "I don't know. It could be any of three guys."

  Ava hopefully hid her emotions. Oh hell, Fluer was sleeping around! She had heard of this happening to girls and guys too who came from conservative families who broke out when they left the restraints of the home and school environment. Only yesterday, Jeff told her about a couple of guys who had gone wild after they began flatting.

  Fluer suddenly began talking in a rush of words. Apparently she lost her virginity to Ryan but later split with him and had several boyfriends in the last few months. She'd had sex with most of them but the recent encounters were after parties where she admitted she drank too much. There were two parties over two weekends that ended up as orgies, not a great deal different from that Easter dance when Ryan took her home

  "But you didn't drink, if I remember," Ava interrupted.

  "Yeah. Alcohol is banned at our place... another sin my father would say. I managed to hide my drinking from my parents but what began as a little wine like we're having now, ended up with more and more."

  "So the pill never worked?"

  "I wasn't on the pill. I just trusted the guys to wear condoms. I still live at home and the thought of Mum finding the pill in my room put me off."

  "And at these parties no guys bothered?"

  "That's about it." Fluer sighed. "I liked it, Ava. Is that a sin, too?"

  Ava grimaced. "Nothing is a sin, Fluer. That is an old superstition. Something can be criminal, immoral, unethical or whatever but of course I am not religious so I guess that is easy for me to say."

  "So you don't believe that everything we do is monitored by some higher authority and I'd be subjected to eternal damnation because I had this abortion." Fluer swallowed. "That's what my father will say when he finds out."

  "So don't tell him."

  "But he'll find out?"

  "How? Doctors and nurses cannot divulge confidential information about their patients. You said you have told nobody else except me and I made a promise to you to tell nobody. And I won't...ever!"

  Fluer nodded. "You know, my father flew into a rage because I refused to attend church twice on Sundays. As a kid I would go to church twice on Sunday as well as Sunday School in the afternoon. As well, we went on Wednesday evenings to confront our sins. I remember I made up sins to beg forgiveness for." She grinned. "That of course was a sin in itself so the following Wednesday I had a real sin to be forgiven."

  "It must have been awful."

  "I knew nothing else until I went to high school and began to think for myself but it's hard. I need to leave home for I've decided to leave my parent's church. If they disown me as they have threatened, what the hell!"

  Ava smiled. "Well that part's easy. Come and stay with Jeff and me. We've been thinking of getting someone in to help with expenses; rates; water, power, insurance and so forth."

  Fluer smiled. "What about Jeff?"

  "No problem. You'll have to get used to us sinners sharing a bedroom, though."

  Fluer chuckled. "Compared with what I've done you're both saints."

  "Well we aren't at high school any longer, are we?"

  "No but I miss it at times. Security I guess."

  "There's one other thing," Ava said.

  Fluer frowned. "And that is?"

  "Don't drop out of university. Stick with it at least for the remainder of this year."

  Fluer flushed. "I wasn't really going to but had to give Laura a reason I was so down. It was the first thing that came to my mind." She laughed. "Another sin, I guess."

  "Another wine?'" Ava asked and reached across to the half empty bottle.

  Or perhaps it was half full.

  FLUER SETTLED INTO the Mount Albert home easily and proved to be good company as well as contributing so many little things. She kept the place tidy without being too fussy, mowed the lawns and enjoyed doing the gardens. Jeff's worry that she would have boys visiting all the time didn't eventuate. As far as Ava could see, Fluer had stopped dating guys altogether but the subject wasn't mentioned. At university, she worked hard and in the two subjects Ava shared with her, they often pooled their research and helped each other.

  "How do you do it?" Jeff grumbled one night. "I work my butt off and get a C while you two breeze through and get As or a B+."

  "Breeze through!" Ava exclaimed. "How much time did you spent on that last assignment compared with Fluer here?"

  "That's girls," Jeff retorted. "You have to have everything just perfect."

  "It's Ava who gets the As," Fluer said. "I mainly get Bs."

  "But you got a higher mark than me last time," Ava said.

  "Pure luck," Fluer replied.

  "Yeah, twittered your eyes at that young guy who's your lecturer, I'd say," Jeff teased.

  Ava frowned and gave him a dig. Keeping to her promise, she had never told him about Fluer's abortion but suspected that he guessed that something had happened to her. It was something he just called girls' problems and left it at that.

  Fluer, though, just grinned and changed the topic.

  A mobile phone rang.

  "Mine," Fluer said and answered her mobile. "You what!" she snapped into it after listening to the caller for a few moments and pressed the mute button. "It's Mum," she said. "She wants to visit us. Is that okay?"

  "Whatever you want," Ava replied. "This is your place now, remember."

  "But use me as an excuse if you don't want to see her," Jeff added.

  In the month since Fluer's arrival, Ava knew that there had been no contact with Fluer's parents. In fact Chloe had almost become like another mother to Fluer who often accompanied them on visits home and was delighted in helping with Shona whenever she could.

  Fluer grimaced and turned the mute off. "Hello Mum. Come on over tomorrow after two. I've finished lectures for the day by then but Ava will also be here. Okay?"

  She continued the conversation before clicking off and turned to Ava. "You don't mind being here, do you? It's just that..." She stopped mid-sentence and sucked on her bottom lip.

  "Of course not," Ava said.

  "Want me here?" Jeff added. "I'm free tomorrow afternoon, too."

  Ava frowned at him but he just grinned and ignored her.

  "Why not?" Fluer replied. "If Mum doesn't like my s
ituation here, that's her problem, not mine."

  "Good on you," Ava replied and turned to Jeff. "Just be polite and not too blunt when Fluer's mum is here."

  "Me!" Jeff replied. "Didn't I tell you they call me Mr Diplomacy at our student conferences."

  "Yeah sure," Ava answered. "And pigs might fly."

  CHAPTER 16

  Fluer stared out her bedroom window that face the street and gasped. It was just after two in the afternoon with them all waiting for her mother to arrive. However, it was her father who stepped out of the Mercedes that had pulled into the kerb.

  She turned to Ava who was beside her as her stomach churned over. "It's Dad," she said. "Why has he come?"

  "I have no idea," Ava replied. "Probably found our your mother was visiting and decided to come instead."

  Fluer felt terrible. "I can't see him," she whispered. "I will not talk to him."

  Jeff who appeared at her bedroom door, watched as the man walked along the street as if was looking for the correct place. "Do you want me to speak to him?"

  "Please," Fluer gasped. "He only wants to get me to go home." She felt like she was fourteen again after that almighty row about not going to church so often.

  There was a knock on the front door.

  "Shut the bedroom door and stay here," Ava said and glanced at Jeff. "Don't get into an argument, we'll see what he wants and if necessary tell him Flier hasn't arrived home yet."

  "He'll know I'm here," Fluer whispered. "My Jazz is in the driveway."

  "Just stay here," Ava hissed. "I'll come and get you if he seems to be reasonable."

  "Oh he'll charm you but don't be fooled."

  She watched as her friends left and shut the bedroom door before she stood behind the door and listened, again like she did as a junior high student when she wanted to avoid being in trouble.

  She heard voices, both male and both recognisable. Jeff was speaking to Dad, the tone sounded amiable but she couldn't hear what was actually said. Footsteps were heard walking along the hall to the living area at the rear of the house.