9. Iris
Iris
S am and I have barely spoken since our coffee date a few mornings ago.
He’s been working a lot and I’ve been preparing for this evening’s trivia night but it’s not only the lack of time together.
There’s definitely a hole in our relationship right now and I know what I need to do to repair it, but I can’t.
This investigation is no longer a choice for me.
It has taken over every fibre of my being, even more so now that I think I’ve made a small breakthrough with Brent.
I want to find who else is doing this. I want to find the children who are missing and get them home to their families.
When I look at Billy, Sadie and Lara, I’m terrified.
What if they are taken next? My moments in public with the kids have declined in the last week and my overall anxiety has increased, just like it did two years ago.
It’s interfering with my marriage, but the alternative risk outweighs it all. I can’t lose my children. I can’t have one of my babies taken away. I can’t bear to read one more article about a missing child.
I’m yet to hear back from Tina. She’s usually pretty prompt but she’s a working mum of four these days so her priorities are elsewhere. But I had hoped Ryan would have come good with some information on Brent Dawson.
I refresh my emails, like I have done far too often lately.
I have three hours before kinder pickup and then Sam will look after the kids while I set up and help run the trivia night.
It’s not the best look that he won’t be there to support me tonight, but at the same time, I’m relieved he’ll be looking after the kids.
Nothing appears in my inbox and my shoulders sag. There must be something I’m missing.
I bring up the transcript of a recorded phone conversation I had with my friend whose child was taken in Rosewood. I scan the transcript until I’m almost at the end.
IRIS: What happened when the car pulled up?
CJ: You know this stuff, Iris.
IRIS: Yes, but I want to record it so I get it right.
CJ: I swear you listen to too many podcasts. The car came to a stop and we were told to stand back.
IRIS: Then what happened?
CJ: I didn’t want to stand back obviously. My baby was in that car. I’ll never forget his face, calmly telling me to stand back like it was no big deal.
IRIS: Who was that?
CJ: The male cop. Dawson his name was. Anyway, I was physically held back.
IRIS: Who approached the car?
CJ: There were two police officers. Um, maybe three. The woman was the one who went to my girl. The paramedics checked her and then she was in my arms.
IRIS: What happened to the driver?
CJ: They were taken into the house next door.
IRIS: Who took them?
CJ: The police. The one who told me to stand back and some other guy.
I reread the transcript again. A Rosewood officer named Dawson was at the scene that night.
It had to have been Brent. Surely. Sam could confirm it for me in an instant, if I had the guts to ask him.
If Brent Dawson was at the scene that night and now he’s been photographed and overheard discussing illegal activities—that asshole has definitely turned dirty.
***
‘Make sure Billy brushes his teeth,’ I say to Sam as I do a final check of everything I need to take to the kinder.
‘I know how to parent, Iris.’ His tone is harsh and it’s clear I’m still in the bad books.
I flinch. ‘I know, just reminding you. Sorry.’
‘Hope tonight goes well,’ he says flatly, but I take the well wishes as a good sign. He doesn’t completely hate me—yet.
I nod and rush out the door, both arms loaded with bags of prize donations.
At the kinder, most of the tables have already been set up by other committee members and I help with some decorations and getting the host set up.
He’s a local trivia event host I found online—hopefully he entertains the group enough that the drinks are flowing, the raffle is buzzing and we can get some money for the place.
The kindergarten’s playground desperately needs an upgrade.
I change into my dress about ten minutes before the doors open. It’s nothing fancy. I don’t think I own anything fancy these days. If it’s comfortable and can somewhat hide a food stain, it’s a wardrobe staple in my opinion.
Kinder parents begin filing in, all ready for a big night.
I vividly remember school trivia nights when I was a kid.
My parents would go nuts for them while my grandma would look after my siblings and I.
It’s like an unspoken agreement that everyone leaves their kids with a babysitter, and we all need to take full advantage and go wild.
As the parents make a beeline for the makeshift bar, I can see the unspoken agreement has been passed on to our generation.
‘Iris,’ a woman says from behind me and I turn to see Juliet. Alan, Sam’s colleague, joins her. My cheeks redden, knowing I’d made accusations about him to Sam. But I remind myself he doesn’t know that.
‘Iris, nice to see you again,’ he says. ‘Did the boss make it too?’ he asks, glancing around.
‘No, he’s on kid duty.’ They nod in understanding. ‘Thank you for the lovely meal the other night. Sorry I got carried away with my… uh, conversation.’
Alan’s lip twitches before he breaks into a smile. ‘Don’t be silly. We all want the same outcome.’
Do we? I wonder.
‘Anyway,’ Juliet says, changing the subject. ‘We’d love to have you both over again soon.’
My shoulders relax. ‘We’d like that.’
The host makes an announcement and I excuse myself.
The place is a buzz with chatter, laughter, glasses clinking and people shuffling around looking for their designated table.
I’d offered to be put wherever there was a gap and find myself sitting with a group of people I don’t really know. There are only five of us, as opposed to most of the tables with ten. One of the other committee mums told me there was a late RSVP, so they had to make an additional small table.
I smile as I take my seat. ‘Hi, I’m Iris, Billy’s mum. He’s in the Ladybug room.’
It’s then that I properly take note of who I’m sitting with.
‘Eva!’ I say, perhaps a little too over-excited, but I’m pleased to be sitting with the parents of Billy’s friend. ‘I thought you couldn’t make it?’
Eva is about to speak when she’s cut off by the man next to her. He holds out a hand for me to shake and the gold of his watch sparkles in the overhead lighting.
‘I’m Matteas and you’ve obviously met my wife, Eva.’ His eyes narrow at his wife when he says it, and she forces a smile with a little too much teeth. ‘We were a late addition.’
If Eva looked good the other day at drop-off, today she looks stunning.
In designer jeans and a tight-fitting top, and blonde curls cascading down her back, she could be a supermodel.
And Matteas’ suit is probably worth more than this fundraiser could possibly make.
They both seem out of place at the Cobal Gully Kinder trivia night.
The other couple speak up after Matteas.
‘I’m Lexi and this is Tim,’ the woman says, pointing to the man next to her. She has bright pink hair and stick on jewels scattered on her face. Tim is tall and thin, with round-rimmed glasses. He says nothing. ‘Our daughter, Serenity, is in the Butterfly room,’ Lexi says.
Matteas clears his throat and I almost burst into laughter. I stop myself because I’m sure Lexi—and little Serenity—are absolute sweethearts.
Half an hour later, I’ve had two glasses of champagne and have had my palms read by Lexi.
Apparently, I’m in grave danger and if I’m not careful, I could meet an untimely end.
I excuse myself politely and move closer to Eva.
She and her husband have barely spoken a word to one another, let alone anyone else.
The host starts and our conversation centres purely around the questions being asked.
Turns out Matteas has found his voice and is rather demanding with his answers.
Even when I’m certain that India overtook China with the largest population recently, he demands we write down China.
And when I insist Tim write down India, he steals the paper from Tim’s long pointy fingers and takes over as scribe. We lose that point.
Eva sits there the entire time saying nothing, quietly sipping glass after glass of wine.
After the second round, Matteas heads to the bar and I watch him closely.
He stops at another table to speak to someone.
I’m surprised he knows someone else. Why sit with strangers if you have friends here?
Then I notice it’s Alan and I wonder what on earth they have in common.
Maybe Sam knows him too. I wish he was here.
By the end of the third round, I’ve stopped contributing. I turn to Eva. ‘Who’s looking after Archie tonight?’
She glances at her husband, who is in a heated conversation with Tim about football statistics, before answering quietly. ‘A friend.’
I smile, but on the inside I’m thinking of the distinct lack of connections I’ve made since moving here.
I often wonder if the move was the right choice for our family.
The underlying motivator to get me away from the scene of the kidnapping seems moot now that Sam and I aren’t talking over that exact issue.
‘You and Archie should come over one day for a play date. Billy would love that.’
Eva flinches and Matteas is no longer looking at Tim, he’s watching us and his hand grips firmly around Eva’s shoulder.
‘That sounds nice,’ he says, and as he removes his hand from her shoulder, there are red fingerprints where he has squeezed too hard. I immediately think of the bruise I’d seen on Eva’s face the other day. Was he the cause of it?
Eva half smiles. ‘Yes, lovely. We’ll work something out.’
We talk quietly for a little while longer and I can’t help but notice how softly and carefully she lets out each word. As though every sentence must be perfectly put together.
At the end of the round, Matteas stands up and announces they’re leaving.
‘There are still two more rounds,’ I say at the same time as Tim high-fives Lexi.
Eva wobbles on her feet as she stands, grasping at the back of the chair to keep steady.
‘How much did you drink?’ Matteas snaps, grabbing her by the upper arm with such force she squeals.
‘Hey,’ I say. ‘Be careful, you’re hurting her.’
Matteas glares at me, his pupils burning into mine.
‘I’m okay,’ Eva says, her lips pulled into a pained smile. ‘Nice to meet you all.’
Once they’re gone, Lexi and Tim talk about how they’re ready for a comeback, but I can’t help worrying about Eva. There was definitely something off there. The desire to go home and tell Sam is strong but I can’t stand the thought of another lecture about minding my own business.
I guess I’m in it alone again.