Read The Memory of Eva Ryker Online
Authors: Donald Stanwood
McFarland focused on the water droplets beading his glass. “He owned a shoe store in Brighton.” A shrug. “Anyway, I ran out of money in twenty-three, so I signed up with Cunard.”
“What did you do immediately after the sinking? It was another two years before the war broke out.”
“Oh, I don't know. Lazed about. Odd jobs and all.”
“You never told me why you came here.”
“I had friends aboard the
Mary
who talked nothing but Australia. The open frontier and so forth. One of them mentioned the fortune in opals to be made out here. Coober Pedy and Andamookaâthat's about three hundred miles to the southeastâmine about two million pounds a year,” He laughed, slapping his stomach. “I was still strong then, enough muscle left to handle a jackhammer, and I thought what the hell. I bought land just north of here. And slaved for two ball-busting years. I hit my first seam early in fifty-one.” McFarland lifted his palms. “The rest was downhill. I hit again in fifty-seven. I've been coasting on that ever since.” He finished off his glass. “Mind if I ask you a question, Norm?”
“Ask away.”
“Why'd you come to me? Just to talk about the
Titanic?
”
“Mainly.”
“There must be other old bastards left from the ship.”
“Probably. But I got onto your name from Fred and Mima Heinley, a couple who live in St. Petersburg, Florida.”
“Never heard of them.”
“You haven't met. But they were close friends of a young couple who you must've served on the
Titanic
. Albert and Martha Klein.”
McFarland's eyes focused into space. “Klein. Klein.” His lips pursed. “Albert and Martha, you said?”
“That's right. They were newlyweds.”
Slowly, then rapidly, he shook his head. “No, can't say that I do.”
“They were very young,” I persisted. “Early twenties.”
McFarland kept shaking his head. “Sorry ⦔
“Very good-looking.”
“I really can't ⦔ he drawled regretfully.
“Both blond.”
His face was an empty smiling mold. “Wish I could help you. But I had a lot of people on B deck portside. More than I can remember.”
“You're sure.”
“Sure!” He stood and ambled for the kitchen. “You know, Norm, I'd offer you another drink but I'm running sort of late. I've got company for dinner. You know how it is.”
Yes, I knew. With a sigh I got to my feet and headed for the door. McFarland was pouring himself a double.
“Well, John, thanks very much. If you have anything else to tell me, I'm staying at Jack Forrester's place.”
“I'll surely do that!” He pumped my hand. “Let me lead the way up.”
After unlatching the big double doors, he gave me a hand up the stairs.
“Glad we had our little chat, Norm.” He patted my shoulder. “See you around. I might even read one of your books.”
“You might try
The Death Watch Beetle
.”
“I'll do that! What's it about?”
“Deceit, mostly.”
“Sounds great.”
“Yes, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.” I wiped my brow with a forearm. “Well, take it easy.”
I started off down the trail, then turned around. “You know, John, it's rather odd you don't remember the Kleins.”
“Why's that, Norm?”
“Well,” I said, shoulders shrugging, “they remembered you.”
8
January 22, 1962
They missed me at Coober Pedy. And during the Cessna's return trip to Adelaide. Not to mention my room at the Ansett Hotel.
They didn't actually catch up with me until Monday morning, when I was sitting in a first-class seat of a Qantas 707 headed for American Samoa, Honolulu, and Los Angeles.
When the plane stopped in the middle of the tarmac, I didn't pay much attention. Some traffic control problem, I supposed. People across the aisle said an unmarked car was pulling up to the hatch. Maybe a medical emergency. Or customs men. I resumed reading the Adelaide
Times
.
“Are you Mr. Norman Hall?”
A flashing brass badge. A stern, jowly face towering overhead.
“Yes. Yes, I am.”
“Come with me, Mr. Hall.” A hand on my arm. “Right this way, please.”
We marched down the aisle. Past gaping faces and turning heads. Down the gangway and into the car. Another man kept me company in the back seat.
“What's all this about anyway?”
“You'll have to speak with Detective-Inspector Vivian, Mr. Hall. He'll explain anything you need to know.”
The Holden swung away from the airport and tore through graceful tree-lined boulevards.
“What about my luggage?”
“All that's been taken care of.”
He hung a left on North Terrace, honking through traffic by the Parliament House and State Library. Then a sharp right down a driveway underneath a blank concrete monolith with little squinting windows. The Holden weaved through the parking garage labyrinth and slid into a space.
“This way, Mr. Hall.”
Steel elevator doors opened. My two companions silently flanked my left and right as I watched the floor numbers light up and then die.
2 ⦠3 ⦠4
Down a neon corridor smelling of Lysol. Two doors hissed open at our approach.
“Here he is, sir.”
The room was large, but I saw only the man in it.
“Mr. Hall, I'm Detective-Inspector Vivian.” Neither hand rose in greeting. “I'd like you to see something.”
He walked to the wall and pulled out a shining steel drawer. I stared into one of the cautious gray eyes of John McFarland. The remaining pieces of his face and head were wrapped in surgical catgut.
“Oh, Jesus.” I felt my knees going. “Where can I sit down?”
Detective-Inspector Vivian led me to a straight-back chair in the corner of the morgue.
“Could I have some ⦠water please?”
One of Vivian's men handed me a paper cup, then joined his companion by the door.
Vivian stood over me as I sipped the water. “You seem to be taking this very hard, Mr. Hall.”
I crushed the cup in my hand. “How did it happen?”
“Neighbors found the body in the bathtub Sunday morning. A Mauser Model 1906 fired at point blank range into the mastoid behind the left ear. We have the bullet. A 7.63 millimeter. It took a bit of digging to find.”
I sighted a trash can in the corner and tossed the paper cup. It missed. “Do you have any leads?”
Vivian walked to the door where his assistants stood, moving with bearish unease. A big wrestler's body chafing within his dark flannel suit. “Would you come with me, Mr. Hall?”
He led the way, the other men staying close behind. We went up one floor in the elevator, then down a passageway filled with hustling secretaries. Unlocking a door, Vivian crooked a finger at me.
My luggage sat on a desk in the outer office. Shirts and pants lay sprawled in erotic positions on the floor. The silk lining of the two-suiter and the weekend case had been efficiently slit.
I should have played it smart but I was scared and fuming.
“What the hell is this, Vivian!”
“I think you know, Mr. Hall.” He prodded my clothes with one shoe. “If we had found a Mauser in your bags, it would have solved a lot of problems.”
I stared open-mouthed for several seconds before I could speak.
“You know, Vivian, in my country there's a popular stereotype that all stupid cops live in the Deep South. It's reassuring to find that Australia has its share.”
His jaw stubble flushed to a pink marble hue as he gave a sidelong glance to his men. “You were the last person to see John McFarland alive.”
“Except for the murderer. McFarland was healthy and well on his way to getting drunk when I left him.”
“Nobody remembered anyone but you visiting McFarland's house.”
“Why don't you try using your head instead of cracking walnuts with your ass. The dust tracks that serve as roads in Coober Pedy wouldn't hold tread marks for five minutes. You don't have a single damn way of knowing who went to McFarland's place.”
“You were the only stranger there.”
“So what! Who's to say one of his fellow desert cronies didn't blow open his skull over a crooked game of cards. Besides, the killer could've driven in from anywhere. Andamooka, Mabel Creekâany of those pestholes.”
“We've considered that.”
“Then what the hell am I doing here! I never met John McFarland before Saturday. Until last week, I'd never heard of him. You can talk with Proctor World Publishing if you don't believe me. Or Commissioner Bramel at Scotland Yard.”
“Big-time connections aren't going to help you. You chartered a plane to Coober Pedy. You spent the afternoon with McFarland. No one else was seen with him. You shot him when he turned around, dumped the body in the bathtub, and cleaned up the blood. Then you tossed the Mauser out in the desert.” Vivian restlessly shifted on his feet. “The motives are your own. But one way or another, you're the one who'll pay.”
“No court this side of the Iron Curtain could work with the crap you've laid out. You admit you have no motive. No weapon's turned up. A dozen witnesses can testify about my interest in John McFarland. A fiasco like this will bust you off the force.”
“I'll look after myself, if you don't mind.” He looked at the officer standing behind me. “Buckley, this man's under arrest. Suspicion of murder.”
I felt a prickly tremor at the back of my neck. “I assume I can make a phone call.”
“Down the hall.” Vivian's eyes had no more expression than two camera lenses.
It took five minutes of hassling with long distance to get my home number. One ring. Two, Four. Seven. God, I thought, what time was it in Paris â¦
“Hello.” Jan had risen from the dead.
“It's Norman.”
“Christ, of all the times to call ⦔
“Shut up, dear. We've got troubles. Call Frank Aylmer right away.”
“In London? He won't be up.”
“He will be once you call. It's time he did more important things than divvying up divorce spoils. You should also phone Geoffrey and Tom. The American consul wouldn't hurt either.”
Silence. “Norman, are we being sued again?”
“Worse.”
They freed me early Tuesday morning. As I said, they had no case.
I spent the night with an amiable red-veined wino who snored and snuffled in an upper bunk. The cell smelled equally of cockroach spray, human hair, and stale sweat.
Sergeant Buckley came to get me at eight
A.M.
His mouth smiled anxiously as the guard jingled with the keys.
“Good morning, Mr. Hall. I hope you weren't too uncomfortable.”
“I've had better nights. Have you come with the wine list for my last meal?”
“Nothing like that, sir.” He held the jail door open. “Commissioner Harkless would like to see you.”
The Commissioner wore a polished variant of Buckley's expression. Smile. Smile. Honed by constant practice.
“Please sit down, Mr. Hall.” We shook hands and he waved at the red leather chair facing his desk. “This won't take long.”
Harkless squinted at the sunlight flooding his beige office walls as he chose each careful word.
“We found an abandoned Land Rover just outside Coober Pedy. It had been stolen from Mabel Creek Saturday night. There are no tracks left unfortunately. A sandstorm from up north destroyed any traces.”
“I don't suppose you found a Mauser tucked under the seat.”
“Hardly, Mr. Hall. We didn't expect anything so ⦠fortuitous.” He peeked out warily from under his eyebrows. “Needless to say, you are no longer under suspicion.”
I didn't answer. Harkless fidgeted in the silence. “I hope you weren't too upset by Detective-Inspector Vivian's rather forthright methods.”
“Frankly, Commissioner, he scared the shit out of me. How many other people has he railroaded through that star-chamber court of his?”
“Vivian has been very successful for over twenty years. His success causes him to be ⦠excessive at times. He's retiring soon. As a matter of fact, after this particular case, Vivian may be retiring earlier than he expected.”
Harkless sat back in his chair, his have-we-made-amends face securely in place.
“You can relax, Commissioner. A false arrest suit wouldn't fit into my agenda. But you could do me a favor.”
“Certainly!” He unraveled both hands, folding them serenely on the desk. “Anything within reason.”
“I'd like to see any information on John McFarland.”
“We don't have very much. My men tried to obtain prints from the stolen Land Rover but haven't had any luck. Our leads have reached an ⦠impasse, as it were.”
“I'm more interested in McFarland's early background. Such as immigration papers.”
“Yes, I have those here.” Harkless searched through his top drawer, then pulled out a slender file.
“Could I have a copy?”
“Of course.”
I glanced through the forms, then raised my head. “It says he was born May 15, 1882 in Manchester. Is there anything here about McFarland's parents?”
Harkless craned his head across the desk, reaching out to turn a page. “There, I think.”
My fingers ran across the entry. “âParents Charles and Emily McFarland. Killed in a Manchester-Liverpool train accident, August 26, 1907.'”
“A pity.” Harkless nodded staunchly. “A fellow losing his parents at such a young age.”
“John McFarland told me his father owned a shoestore in Brighton and left him an inheritance shortly after the armistice.”
“Well, then.” His eyes were bland. “He must've lied, wouldn't you say?”
9
January 23, 1962