29. Sam
Sam
I hang around the hospital for several more hours, hoping to speak to more children, but Nurse Rachel shoos me out of the ward at five pm, insisting that all the patients would now be resting.
I need to get some rest too but there is absolutely no way I’ll sleep knowing Iris is out there still. She’s an incredible woman, so strong and capable, but who knows what condition she’s in, and if she’s able to fight back or keep herself safe.
I pull up outside Mum’s place. I’d do anything to keep the kids’ lives as normal and routine as possible, but a little holiday at Nanny’s will have to do.
Mum said Billy’s already asking questions about where his mum is and telling him that she’s gone to visit her friends in Melbourne for a few days is only going to work for so long.
The kids greet me at the door, throwing themselves at me.
The twins cover me with kisses while Billy starts firing questions about when we’re going home.
Why is it that a four-year-old can barely string a sentence together when asked about their day at kinder but can give the third degree to an adult when it suits them?
‘Trying to leave already, Billy boy,’ my mum says, ruffling his hair as the three kids peel themselves off me.
Billy squirms under the touch of her hand. ‘I want my toys from home,’ he says, pouting out his lip. Good to know his brain is consumed with entertainment, rather than the whereabouts of his mum.
I crouch down in front of him. ‘How about I stay for dinner and you can tell which toy you’d like me to pick up from home.’
The last thing I want to do is stay for dinner. I want to be doing something productive, something that will get me closer to finding Iris. But I also know this is exactly where she’d want me to be. I need to put on a brave face for thirty minutes. Then I can fall apart when I leave.
He grins widely. ‘Deal!’
I glance at Mum, hoping there’s enough food for me.
She reads my mind. ‘I always make extra in case. Come on, I’m dishing up.’
After a quick dinner and trying, but failing, to convince Mum I’m okay, I head home.
I toss and turn in bed for hours, constantly searching for Iris’ warm body on her side of the bed. At midnight, I give up.
I make myself a cup of tea, open my laptop and read over everything we’ve collected about the organisation. When my original alarm goes off at six, I feel no closer to finding Iris. I slam the laptop closed and drop my head back. This can’t be happening.
In the shower, I turn the water to scolding and cry. I haven’t cried like this since I was a child. Big, heavy, shoulder heaving sobs and one thought on my mind—I have to find her.
When I get to the hospital a little after nine, the place is a buzz. A group of reporters have set up out the front where security is not giving them an inch, which I’m pleased about. The last thing these families need after what they’ve been through is to be harassed by the media.
Inside is also busy and I’m a little shaken to see Alan standing by the nurse reception desk.
He sees me approach and gives me a nod. I still feel terrible about doubting him. I’m going to have to work hard to mend our friendship.
I hold out my hand to shake and he takes it. ‘I’m sorry, mate.’
‘It’s forgotten,’ he says.
‘How’s it going here?’
Alan glances around. ‘Lots happening as you can see. We’ve tracked down two more families and a lot of the parents we’d already contacted arrived late yesterday and this morning.’
I’m suddenly overwhelmed by the thought that Iris made this happen, and a lump forms in my throat. ‘That’s great,’ I choke out.
Alan puts a hand on my shoulder. ‘How are you holding up? Heard you were off the case.’
I shrug and can’t bring myself to speak. I’m afraid that if I open my mouth, I’ll cry again, and I need to keep a level head. Iris is relying on me.
Alan nods. ‘We’ll find her, Sam.’
I wish I shared his confidence.
***
Rachel is at the desk when I come back fifteen minutes later with a coffee and a cupcake from the hospital cafeteria.
‘For you,’ I say, placing it on the counter in front of her.
She narrows her eyes. ‘You can’t bribe me, officer. You’ll only see the kids if and when I say so.’ She grabs the cake and coffee, taking a long sip from the takeaway cup. ‘But I will take these.’
‘Who can I see first?’ I ask.
‘There’s a young boy, Taj, who’s happy to talk. He’s ten, he was held for a long time and his parents arrived late last night.’
‘Can you take me to him, please?’
She rounds the desk and starts leading the way. We stop outside a room and Rachel turns to me. ‘I don’t need to remind you that you must be gentle with him.’
‘You don’t.’
‘But I will anyway.’ She opens the door to Taj’s hospital room.
Taj is in a hospital bed with tubes of fluid connected to his arm, but he’s sitting up and has a huge smile on his face. On either side of him is a man and a woman, both tightly squeezing a hand each, as though if they let go, he might disappear again.
‘Taj, love, this is Sam. He’s one of the officers who found you.’
Taj nods. ‘I remember. It’s your wife isn’t it? The woman who saved us.’
I nod, taking a deep breath to fight back the emotion that threatens to completely unravel me. ‘How are you feeling?’
‘Best I’ve felt in months.’ Taj’s grin is wide and childish but I worry about when all that’s happened finally hits him.
‘I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.’
Taj’s mum immediately stiffens, stepping even closer to her son’s side.
I put up my hands. ‘Only if you’re up to it of course.’
She relaxes slightly and Taj nods. ‘I want to help.’
After speaking with Taj, it becomes apparent he’d spent the most time being held and had the most face-to-face moments with the woman. Two hours later, I’m back in Taj’s room with a sketch artist from the station.
When the sketch artist shows me the final product I’m shocked but it makes sense. The sketch looks exactly like Eva. She fooled us. She fooled Iris and took advantage of her kindness. Now, I’m even more pissed.
I also feel sick about the fact Billy had played in their home. What was their son’s name again? Archie? They have a child and still do this to people. I hate to think of what sort of life that poor boy is living.
I set up my laptop in one of the family waiting rooms. During our investigations we’d done some digging on Matteas but never about his family.
I open up the LEAP database and type in Eva Bishop.
There’s not a single mark against her name, not even a parking ticket.
I bring up another database and find her marriage to Matteas.
My breath catches when I see the next item. Eva gave birth four years ago to a little boy, Archer James Bishop. He was born not breathing. If that child didn’t survive, who the hell is the little boy, Archie, in Billy’s class?