Chapter Thirteen #2
Caleb said nothing as he squeezed her nice and close.
Then, together, they left the confines of the police station, the weight of their mission heavy between them.
The drive to William Keller’s house was filled with an uneasy silence, the gravity of their purpose hanging thick in the air.
As they pulled up in front of the modest bungalow, where she could just make out the roof of her mother’s deserted house at the rear of it, she couldn’t shake the feeling of foreboding that settled in the pit of her stomach.
The neatly trimmed lawn and well-maintained flower beds seemed at odds with the dark suspicions clouding her mind.
Could this man, who she used to find so kind at primary school, really be a killer?
Cutting the engine of his Troopy, Caleb flashed her a we-got-this glance, then stepped out.
With a deep breath, she hopped out and followed him up the front path, her heart pounding in anticipation and dread.
The weathered floorboards of the verandah creaked underfoot as they made their way towards the front door.
From the bushlands surrounding the urban block of homes, a symphony of cicadas filled the air, their mating song a wild contrast to the quiet cloaking her.
William answered the door on the second knock, his expression a mask of polite surprise.
‘Oh, Officer Hart, and…’ He eyed Nyah for a few seconds before realisation hit him and his bushy, grey brows rose.
‘Nyah Love, my goodness, you still look oddly the same, but older, of course.’ His voice was smooth, belying the tension that coiled beneath Nyah’s skin.
‘As do you, Mr Keller,’ she replied, a little dryly.
‘May we come in, Mr Keller?’ Caleb’s voice was firm but not unkind, with his gaze unwavering. ‘We won’t take up much of your time.’
‘Yes, of course, of course.’ William stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter. ‘I gather this has something to do with the discovery of bones in Rhonda and Donna’s yard.’ He said it so casually, it was unnerving.
‘You gather correctly.’ Caleb followed William into the lounge room then sat on the double-seater couch, alongside Nyah.
William sat opposite, in a single, worn recliner chair. Beside him was a folding side table, with the television remote, a book and a pair of reading glasses, all lined up perfectly. The interior of the bungalow was neat and orderly, too, a stark contrast to the chaos that plagued Nyah’s thoughts.
Caleb opened the conversation, his voice calm but probing. ‘We were reviewing some old photographs from Skye’s past and came across this one from her birthday party.’ He held it out for William to look at, but didn’t hand it over. ‘As you can see, you and your brother are in the background.’
‘Indeed, we are.’ William sat back and folded his hands in his lap.
Caleb tucked the photograph back into his pocket. ‘Care to explain your connection to the family?’
William’s facade remained unruffled, but Nyah caught a flicker of unease in his eyes before it vanished. ‘As Nyah will tell you, I was their teacher many years ago, as I was yours, too, Caleb.’ He smiled only a little. ‘Skye was a bright student, a joy to have in class.’
‘Yes, I’m aware you taught Skye, Nyah and myself.’ Caleb paused then shrugged. ‘But Nyah mentioned you didn’t really have anything to do with them outside of school, so why would you and Nate be at a family gathering, Skye’s twelfth birthday?’
William’s smile wavered for the briefest moment before returning, though now it seemed forced.
‘Ah, well, you see, I ran into Skye and her parents at the market that day and they kindly invited myself and Nate to join them. It was all very innocent, I assure you,’ he explained smoothly, his words like honey.
‘We were both so happy to be there for Skye’s special day. ’
Remaining silent, Nyah couldn’t shake off the feeling of clawed fingertips creeping up her spine.
‘Okay, fair enough.’ Caleb’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied William. ‘Did you ever visit them at their home, before or after her birthday?’ he inquired with his tone steady.
William hesitated imperceptibly before replying.
‘No, that was the only time Nate and I had the pleasure of spending quality time with the Love family outside of school.’ His expression saddened, and he shook his head.
‘My mother and Claire didn’t see eye to eye, so sadly we didn’t get an opportunity to become, how do I put it, friendly neighbours. ’
‘Interesting.’ Caleb nodded. ‘Why did your mother and Claire not, as you put it, see eye to eye, Mr Keller?’
‘Oh, I don’t know.’ William’s chuckle sounded strangled. ‘Women being women, I guess.’
Nyah’s mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle laid out before her. The parts weren’t fitting quite right, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that William knew exactly why her mother and his didn’t get on. Intuition prickled at her skin—a silent warning that urged her to dig deeper.
Caleb had asked her to remain quiet.
But…
‘Mr Keller, forgive me for butting in, but do you recall anything unusual or out of the ordinary around the time my sister went missing?’ Her voice was steady, but underneath lay a simmering urgency.
William’s composure faltered slightly, a fraction of a second where his poker face slipped before he regained a polite smile. ‘No, I’m afraid not.’ He smiled a little wider. ‘Skye was such a bright and charming young girl, it was such a shame, what happened to her.’
‘What do you mean by what happened to her ?’ Caleb sat bolt upright now, his gaze burning into William’s.
‘Oh, forgive me for jumping to conclusions, Officer Hart, it’s just, I was witness to you uncovering her bones.
’ At Caleb’s lack of response, William shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
‘Given that I live behind Rhonda and Donna’s, with all the commotion going on, I couldn’t help but take a look for myself. ’
Caleb remained quiet a little longer. ‘We don’t know that it was Skye Love’s bones yet, so how do you?’
William’s shrug was overstated. ‘Surmising, I guess, like most of the township would be.’
‘Uh-huh, I see,’ was Caleb’s vigilant response. ‘Thanks for clearing that up.’
Nyah had to try extremely hard to bite her tongue.
There was something in William’s mannerisms, a subtle shift in his gaze whenever Skye’s name was mentioned.
She could tell Caleb was seeing it too. Her instincts screamed at her, pushing her to press further, but she wasn’t going to disrespect Caleb’s invitation to be here any more than she just had.
‘Skye was a beautiful child,’ William remarked nonchalantly, filling the lingering void of silence. ‘A very bright girl,’ he added with closed eyes and a nod, ‘with so much potential for her future.’
‘Yes, Mr Keller.’ Caleb drew in a heavy breath. ‘You’ve said that a few times now.’
‘Indeed, I have.’ William’s smile disappeared, and his regard turned a little icy.
‘Is Nate still working at the mine over on Groote Island?’
‘No, he was made redundant last month. He’s presently looking for other work.’ William’s reply was short and sharp, almost defensive. ‘Tell me, Caleb, is this impromptu visit official police business, or are you here off record?’ Brows rising, he looked smug as he waited for a reply.
‘Just a casual visit, Mr Keller, and we’ll be going now.’ Caleb stood, as did Nyah. ‘Do you mind if I use your toilet, though, before I go?’
‘Not at all.’ William motioned down the hallway with a tip of his head. ‘It’s just down yonder, in the bathroom at the end.’
‘You right to meet me back out at the car, Nyah?’
‘Ahh yes, yup.’ Damn straight I am , she silently screamed, as she made her way back to the front door without even a goodbye, shot outside, and then locked herself in the car.
***
Caleb’s heart hammered against his rib cage as he casually made his way down the hallway, subtly taking in every detail he could along the way.
Needing the toilet was the only excuse he’d been able to come up with to give himself the chance to have a quick look around.
Heading into the salmon pink room with brown and orange cupboards above the sink—the colour scheme right out of the seventies—he smelled the musty scent of earth mingled with the humid air that seeped through the cracks in the wooden walls.
Biding his time, he lifted the lid of the toilet then turned in a circle.
Everything had a place and was in it, except for one thing; the bathroom mat was bunched up, as if kicked into the corner behind the clothes basket.
The tidiness of the rest of the house made this look completely out of place, and Caleb’s copper instincts moved into top gear.