The Gilded Madonna, Garrick Jones [best fiction novels txt] 📗

Remember me telling you about my mysterious wealthy friend who managed to get the information about Dennis and his time in the home at Mudgee?”

“The one who’s involved in your Crown commission?”

I nodded. “Well, here’s something I didn’t tell you. That same man spent nearly fourteen years in Petersham Boys’ Home. He left before you arrived, but he was one of the unlucky ones, loaned out to older men, forced to have sex with them.”

“And …?”

“Well, as I said, he’s wealthy. He has a huge property in the Southern Highlands. Big house, horses, a swimming pool. He’s offered to take you in while you mend and be there for you when and if you need to talk. He’s been through the same sort of thing you have, Mark. There aren’t a lot of people who’d really understand, you know? He’s a kind man, and—”

“And he’s waiting outside.”

“Yes, you don’t have to meet him if you don’t want to, but he’s been an amazing help to our investigation. To be honest, I think his offer of a shoulder to cry on is just as much for him as it is for you. You don’t have to say yes right now, but how about I invite him in and you two can chat, okay?”

“He knew Greyson and my grandfather?”

“He suffered at the hands of Greyson, more times than either of us would like to think of. As for your grandfather, he was never beaten by him, but he did know what went on.”

“Poor bastard.”

“That’s exactly what he said about you, Mark.”

I leaned over the bed and ruffled his hair.

“All right. I’ll talk. But, Clyde, don’t forget …”

“Forget what?”

“Buddies in private, foes in public.”

I laughed. “All right, shithead. Just wait a moment and I’ll call him in.”

“Wait, Clyde, before you go …”

“What is it?”

“The dog. Was it Kemeny’s?”

“Yes. I heard that it howled a lot at first, but it’s one of those dogs who’s everyone’s friend. Mary’s looking after it—seems to have settled down with lots of affection and being spoiled rotten.”

“Mary? Harry’s mum? She’s a keeper that woman.”

“So’s her son,” I said. “Anyway, the dog’s going to a good home.”

“Where’s that?”

“With the man who’s coming in to say hello to you. Ready?”

He gave me a nervous smile and nodded and then sat up in bed, smoothed the sheets over his thighs, and finally adjusted his sling.

I put my head outside the door of his room. Harry and Howard were chatting and turned to look at me when I whistled softly and beckoned Howard to come.

“Go do your thing, Howard,” I said outside the door, patting his shoulder, “but he’s fragile.”

“So are you, Clyde. Now stop being such a bloke and go cry in your man’s arms.”

I chuckled. “That’s the second thing I’ll do in his arms, but okay.”

“Mark Dioli, this is Howard Farrell,” I said, introducing them, and then closed the door behind me as I joined Harry in the corridor.

*****

“Vince wants you to call him at midday,” Harry said as I leaned next to him, my shoulder against the wall. I so desperately wanted to kiss him right then and there.

“Get a room, you two,” Warwick said, passing by us with a busy look on his face and holding a clipboard.

I gave him a two–finger salute, to which he grinned over his shoulder and wiggled his arse as he sped off down the corridor.

“Did he say what it was about?”

“The message came to Tom, who asked me to tell you that Vince is interviewing Mrs. Hancock this morning. She’s been screaming her head off about having had ‘her children’ taken away.”

“You know, Harry, after what I’ve been through the past few days, I wish we were back in the early days of my policing where you could slap people about and tell them to get a grip and toe the line, otherwise they’d end up sore and sorry.”

“I’m sure it still goes on.”

I sighed. “I think you’re right. When your mother and I arrived at the hospital in Lithgow, the children were desperate. Susan’s old enough to have realised what was going on, and she protected David by telling him that their parents had gone away on a ship to visit relatives and they’d be back soon. Can you imagine having that much presence of mind at her age?”

“But the Hancocks treated them well, you said?”

“Yes, too well. Spoiled them. I just feel dreadful about the whole thing. What abuse can do to people. When I think of Mark, and Dennis Kemeny, and—”

“Shh!” he said, placing his finger on my lips.

“Sorry.”

“No need to be sorry, Clyde. Tell me what you want to do for the rest of the day.”

“First of all, it’s Saturday, but there’s a mountain of work to do. Tom’s ‘no case too big or too small’, has become a headache. There’s enough work already for three people.”

“I have an idea.”

“I saw you smile, so I guessed you did.”

“Your mate, Steve Davidovic.”

“What about him?”

“Listen, Clyde, I’ve had so many enquiries, I could do an adventure tour every weekend for the rest of the year. Ten to fifteen young people at a fiver each, that’s fifty to seventy–five quid every week, plus what I get for the abseiling lessons and the survival courses I hold on Wednesday nights. If, as you said, you’ve got enough work to keep three busy, why don’t we think of hiring Steve? You said you’d already tested the water with him and he didn’t seem averse to the idea. Tom is better spent looking after both of us, and doing his ‘find your Mrs. Forgetfuls’ cats’ jobs at fifteen shillings a pop on top of his weekly wage. Give Steve a call and find out whether he’s really interested, see how much he’s earning now and ask if he wants a change of career.”

“Are you sure?”

“No, Smith. I just decided on the moment to throw out some random idea; pulled it out of my arse just like that.”

I laughed very loudly. He was not given