Farewell to the Dancing Man Ch. 30-32

Just after Nigel left grafted to some flimsy little blonde, I heard his car start, do a three point turn, bouncing off the curb and another car, before accelerating rapidly down the road. I heard squeals coming from his companion and wondered if he had at last found a soul mate.

After the last guest had left, Mother and Father faced off. "How could you?" Mother hurled at him through still clenched teeth.

"I don't think that this is the time or place to be discussing this." His eyes flicked in my direction, his voice calm in contrast to hers.

"You've made me a laughing stock!"

"No, you made yourself a laughing stock. You are the one who was carrying on in front of all the others, you are the one who invited them all here, you are the one who went swimming in the nude with your friend. If anyone should be aggrieved by your behaviour, it's Cynthia and me."

"Ooooooh you're impossible!" She stormed off. We could hear her clattering about in the bathroom as we cleaned up and washed the glasses and platters.

"I think it'll be safe for me to go in now." Silence had descended on the house at last. Daddy and I were sitting in the living room, doing and saying nothing, just feeling close to each other, sorry for each other. "I think it's time that I plucked up the courage to go to bed. Thank you for your support, you don't know how much that means to me."

The sun burst into the morning in stark contrast to the fragility that I was feeling. I hadn't had all that much to drink last night, or had I? I seemed to remember that one Coke that Nigel got me tasted funny. But fragile as I felt, it had nothing on Mother who surfaced late and slowly. Daddy looked much better, I suspected that he'd had little to drink and little sleep, he was subdued. "Did you two have words?" I asked him as I made him a cup of coffee.

"You might say that. She said a lot, I said little. She apologised for her actions and I made the mistake of pointing out that we'd had this particular conversation before, many times, so she apologised harder. She kissed me and promised that it would never happen again. She snuggled up to me and we had sex of sorts in a desultory manner which she thought would solve the problem. I haven't told her otherwise, but I find it difficult to bother anymore."

"Then why bother?"

"Because, despite her behaviour, I still love her. We have had a good life together, we have combined to produce you. I'm sad that there couldn't be any more children but that's finished. In her own way I know that she loves me, I think that she has needs that she feels that I can't fulfil. The excitement has gone out of our relationship for her and she thinks that she needs the stimulation of an affair. I guess that she needs to be reminded by someone other than me that she is still an attractive woman."

"Why doesn't she divorce you?"

"She needs the safety net of her marriage in case something goes wrong with her affair."

"Then why don't you divorce her?"

"For the same reason, she needs the safety of her marriage to retreat to. I love her enough to maintain that."

Three days later, while we were at the dinner table, Mother made the announcement that was to change our lives. "I have decided that I want to go to England to visit relatives.":

"Why now?" I asked.

"It seems as good a time as any."

"When do you plan to leave?" Daddy asked.

"In ten days. I've booked to fly out in ten days."

"How long do you intend to stay there?"

"I don't know. I have an open ended return ticket. I might not like the place and come straight home, then again, I might like it and stay for months."

"Oh." Daddy said quietly.

"Don't worry I've used my own money for the fare, I don't want you to think that I would ask you for it."

"Money doesn't enter into this at all. You know that you would have only to ask and I would have given it to you."

"I know, but like I said, it was my money I used."

"What about clothes, will you have enough to buy warm clothes?"

"I thought that I might buy myself some over there rather than carry heavy clothes with me on the plane."

"But you still have to bring them back." Daddy let the statement drift off into the unheard.

Little was said over the intervening days. At least little was said publicly, but I got the impression that some behind the scenes negotiations were taking place. Daddy tried to carry on as if nothing had happened, but I could tell that he was deeply hurt by her leaving, even if it was only for a short time.

Mother spent most of her time running around the countryside getting everything organised.

All too quickly the day arrived when Mother was to leave. The dawn broke clear and bright, shattering the dreams of many aided by the clatter of those birds that use it as an alarm clock. Daddy went quietly about his task of making sure that everything was packed and that Mother's suitcase was stowed in the car. She spent much of her time making sure that her make-up was perfect and there was not a hair out of place. She looked crisp and business-like, in contrast to Daddy who was casually dressed in slacks, an open necked sports shirt and sports jacket. I wore a simple dress designed to unobtrusively show off my figure, after all you never know who you might meet at an airport.

Neither of them spoke as we drove to Mascot. I tried on a couple of occasions to start a conversation but gave it up in the end as a failure. Mother said nothing to me until we got to the departure lounge. "Look after your Father for me won't you? Don't let him go to the pub every night getting drunk."

Around mid-day four days later, I heard Daddy speaking to someone on the phone. "Yes Paul, I would appreciate it if you would come over this evening. Will eight o'clock be suitable? Good, I'm looking forward to seeing you then."

"Why are you inviting him over?"

"I just need to discuss something with him. Nothing more."

"I hope that you haven't got anything silly planned."

"Don't worry Darling. I know what I have to do and everything's under control."

Paul arrived promptly at eight. "Come in won't you."

Daddy Stepped back to allow Paul to come through the front door. "You know Cynthia don't you? How silly of me, of course you do, how could I forget all the valuable coaching you gave her."

I got the distinct feeling that he was up to something. He poured out drinks for both of them and a glass of fruit juice for me. "Why don't we have our drinks by the pool. It will be much cooler out there." He led the way to the poolside table. "How's your business? I hear that Citroen are bringing out a new model soon, and from what I hear it is something out of the ordinary."

"Why yes it is. Are you interested in cars?"

"As a form of transport only. I can't see the point in going into raptures over something that is essentially used to get from point A to point B."

"But you see this new ID Citroen is like nothing else produced anywhere else in the world. It has a suspension system that raises and lowers the car at the push of a lever."

"What use is that to me? I drive to and from work and occasionally to the beach, why would I bother about having a car that goes up and down like an elevator?"

"It will be the thing of the future. I can see the day when all cars will have something similar in suspensions."

"Surely that system will be complicated?"

"Not really. I'm going over to France tomorrow to learn more about it."

"I know." Daddy said quietly.

"What!" Paul was incredulous.

"I said 'I know'."

"But how, why?"

"The how was easy. I rang all the airlines to confirm your booking until I found the flight that you are booked on. The 'why' should be obvious to you. I know that you are planning to meet Judy in London." Paul's face started to take on a look of fear. "I also know that you have no intention of staying in London despite what you've promised her."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do! Admit it, you've been planning this for months. The two of you applied for your visas on the same day, your tickets were bought on the same day but for different flights and with different airlines. The difference is that Judy has an open ended return ticket while you have your return booked. You did have an open return as well, but changed it didn't you? The booking was changed yesterday."

"You think that you're smart don't you. Doing your Sherlock Holmes bit?"

"No. It took no great intelligence to piece together the clues and reach the conclusion."

"If you're so smart, how long have I been fucking your wife?"

"She, Judy that is, has been fucked, to use your expression, by you or someone else for many years. You don't honestly think that you can upset me with your crude statement do you? You weren't the first and you probably won't be the last."

"What about Cynthia? I had her as well."

"If I were you I wouldn't be too proud about having seduced an impressionable young girl."

"You knew?" Paul was now shocked. "How?"

"Cynthia told me. I can't say that it came as any great surprise, given your reputation. It only confirmed the impression that I already had of your morals, or lack of them."

"Now I understand why Judy wants to leave you. You think that you are so smart and all the while people have been laughing at you behind your back."

"I feel sorry for you, you are so wrapped up in your own selfish little world that you had no time to consider how many lives you have ruined, just as long as you get what you want. Do you remember when you were stationed in New Guinea during World War II and how close you came to being court martialled for cowardice? Who do you think pulled the file, stopping the proceedings and saving your worthless hide?"

"You?"

"Yes me. I was 2IC of the supply regiment you were attached to. Do you want to know why I did it?"

"I suppose that you're going to tell me whether I want to hear it or not."

"It was to save the feelings of that nurse you were leading on. She was an extremely competent and valuable member of the Nursing Corps and it was easier for us to quietly ship you back home following your self-inflicted injury than have her go through the pain of seeing you brought before a military court, we couldn't afford to lose her, you were expendable."

"If you know so much about me, why didn't you try to stop Judy from seeing me?"

"I could not, nor would I try, to stop her from having her little flings."

"What are you going to do about it?" He was putting on a brave front, but I could see that what Daddy was saying to him was worrying him. "Are you going to the police? I'll just deny everything and it will be my word against yours and I have some very powerful friends in the police force."

"I'm sure you do. But why would I go to the police? You haven't actually broken any laws, have you. I have something planned for you that will be much more fitting."

"You can't hurt me! Nothing that you can say or do will have any affect. You can even tell my wife for all that I care!"

"I don't think that your wife would take any notice of anything that I told her, and even if she did, I think she has given up on you. Have you not noticed the hurt on her face at the Tennis Club? Of course you haven't, you are too interested in satisfying the carnal needs of Paul Thomas to let the feelings of others to intrude into your private little world." Daddy rose from his chair. "Come with me." It was more an order than a request. He led the way into his room under the house, we followed, puzzled. He moved to the work bench and opening the drawer, took from it a huge pistol. "I believe that you know what this is. It's a US Service Colt 45. Here, I'm giving you the opportunity to either finish off the family that you have already destroyed, or do the honourable thing and take your own life."

Paul took the gun and pointed it Daddy's head. "You're mad you know, do you honestly think that I would kill myself?" He pulled the trigger. As the hammer fell on the empty chamber Daddy hurled the contents of a jar at Paul's face. "Good-bye Paul. I hope that when you return in a later life you are on the receiving end of a selfish relationship."

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

"Atrax Robusta, more commonly known as the Sydney Funnel Web spider. Fascinating creature this." Cynthia and her father sat looking at the now still form of Paul Thomas, the agony of his death showing in the distortion of his face and body. "One bite like that would kill a couple of Paul Thomas's. He deserved everything that he got."

"What will you do now? Are you going to go to the police?"

"No."

"Then what? How are you going to dispose of the body without anyone taking any notice?"

"I have a plan."

"Won't he be missed?"

"No. He has told his wife that he's leaving her, he has told his colleagues that he could be gone for at least a month. By the time anyone gets around to missing him the trail will be cold. Even if the body is found, the cause of death can never be established." He picked up the jar that once more contained the spider, and held it close to his face. "Beautiful. He has done his job well. By the way, if you ever need to handle one of these be sure to catch it the way that I did, don't ever put the jar over it and attempt to flick it over, you'll be most likely to end up with an angry spider on your hand. This is a male and despite what it is said about the female spider being more deadly, the male funnel web seems to be much more aggressive than the female and they certainly inject more venom." To illustrate this point, he shook the jar and the spider immediately reared up onto its rear legs and into its attack pose, with its two needle sharp fangs pointing forward and venom spurting from their tips."

"How can you tell the difference between the male and the female?"

"The females tend to be bigger than the males and if you look closely at this one you will see it has a spur on each of the second pair of legs. It uses these to hold the female's fangs when it is mating. Now go inside while I take care of things down here. It will probably be better if you go to bed and to not take any notice of any noises around."

Atrax Robusta. More commonly known as the Sydney Funnel Web. It's venom is extremely potent and usually fatal and there is no antidote for it"

Brownlow looked at Cynthia through pain dimmed eyes. "So that's how you did it."

"I didn't, as you put it, do it. The most that you would ever have been able to charge me with would be as an accessory although I had no part in his death or disposal of the body, How does it feel to have the knowledge but be unable to do anything with it?"

Cynthia left him for a while and then went inside to call the police. "Hello, my name is Cynthia Swain and I have to report an accident involving one of your people, I fear that he's been bitten by a funnel web spider."

"Atrax Robusta." Dr Benjamin Simpson looked at the jar in his hand. He shook it and the spider inside reared into its distinctive attack pose, venom spurting from its fangs. "A fine specimen this, a large male, its venom is extremely toxic and unfortunately, although we have been trying for several years, we are no closer to finding an antidote than we were when we started." Dr Simpson was a research scientist with the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories and had been called in as an expert witness at the Coronial Enquiry into Brownlow's death.

"Can you explain how the spider could have been around during the day, I was under the impression that they were largely a nocturnal beast."

"It's habitat had most likely been disturbed by the sewer connection, we find that they are more prevalent as a result of earthworks like that. One of our best sources of spiders is from plumbers digging trenches. Some of them consider that a regular supply of spiders could lead to the breakthrough we need to find the antidote that may just save their lives. We had one plumber who caught twenty seven spiders in six feet of trench only a couple of streets from the Swain house."

"You seemed to be interested in the sex of this spider, can you explain why?"

"The research we have conducted up until now would suggest that, unlike other spider species, the male funnel web is more aggressive than the female, particularly during the mating season. This one is certainly more aggressive than most of the spiders we see. A particularly fine specimen."

"Out of curiosity, having seen several of these creatures in my garden, how do you determine its sex?"

"If you look closely at this one you'll notice a spur on the second pair of legs, he uses these to keep her fangs out of the way during copulation."

"Is there any difference in toxicity between the male and female spider or is it just the amount injected?"

"That's something we haven't been able to ascertain, you see, the traditional method of obtaining antibodies that we can use to produce an antidote just don't work, so we have no way of measuring the actual toxicity of the venom. The venom gives every sign of breaking down within minutes of injection so the standard method of first aid in the case of funnel web bites is to immobilise and sedate. The reasoning is that it will give the venom a better chance to break down and dissipate."

"So most spider bites prove fatal?"

"That's another mystery, not all funnel web bites are fatal but we can't understand why."

"What are the symptoms of funnel web envenomation?"

"The venom seems to be a neurotoxin which we suspect attacks the central nervous system. There is a great deal of pain centred around the bight area and the victim trembles uncontrollably. I have explained the standard treatment, this is designed to slow the metabolism and blood flow to allow the toxin to dissipate. Timing is important, and to be effective treatment must begin immediately."

The police Pathologist, Dr Richard Pressman gave evidence that confirmed that Brownlow had indeed been bitten by a funnel web. "We had the statement from Mrs Swain and the spider that she had caught that indicated strongly that Sergeant Brownlow had indeed been bitten by a funnel web spider. Under microscopic examination of the body we confirmed the location of the bite, and because it was so close to the spine and brain, it would have meant that he basically had no chance of survival, the affects of the venom would have been instantaneous. Nothing that Mrs Swain did could have saved him. The location of the bite also confirms Mrs Swain's assertion that the spider had probably sought refuge inside the umbrella after its habitat had been disturbed by the earthworks, and when the umbrella was opened the spider dropped down onto Sergeant Brownlow's neck, where it bit him. Sergeant Brownlow was doomed from that moment."

The cicadas droned fitfully in the noon closeness. The black and white magpies ventured briefly from the trees to seek lunch in the garden. Cynthia looked up as the female peewee swooped aggressively over the magpies, protecting its chicks that looked on from the safety of the nest.

Five people sat around the table by the pool, their closeness matching that of the humid air, but they were subdued nonetheless despite their reason for being there. It was a celebration of sorts.

"Well that's over then. In the matter of Brownlow's death the Coroner has brought down a verdict of accidental death. As for the case of the death of Paul Thomas, because the Coroner in that case has brought down a verdict of 'murder by person or persons unknown' the police have decided that because there has been no evidence of motive or of cause of death established, the file will bve left open and, according to the police, that's where it will remain." Jason was bringing them up to date. "Another thing, I've spoken to Samantha's aunt who has told me that she will have no objection to your offer to foster Samantha for the time being while Welfare decides what to do. Now that the excitement is over we can all go back to our dull and boring existences."