A Pathway of Adversity

Chapter 23

Constable Watson and Sergeant Charlie Buckton watched as the ambulance pulled away, transporting the body of the dead woman to hospital for a Post-Mortem. Both woman looked pale and were only too happy to allow the other officers present to arrange the site and make arrangements for the forensics investigators to attend.

Watson blew her nose quietly and Charlie twinkled away a tear which was running slowly down her cheek. She blinked rapidly, in the hope that her watery eyes would not be detected by the lower ranking officers who were flitting about.

"What do we do now?" Watson asked quietly; immediately clearing her croaky-throat.

"I dunno." Charlie answered truthfully. "I suppose I shall have to contact her next of kin."

"Does she have any?"

Charlie shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess there's someone, somewhere. I'll ring the station and get some details."

"I can't believe I only spoke to her on the phone yesterday when she confirmed Colleen's alibi!"

"How did she sound?" Charlie asked, quietly.

Watson thought for a few moments.

"Well, now you mention it, she didn't sound too good. I'd have sworn she'd been drinking if I'm honest, but... I'd go as far as to say she sounded frightened!"

Charlie frowned.

"She didn't stand a chance, did she... poor bitch." Watson remarked, and walked away.

Charlie watched until the ambulance was out of sight. She sniffed and sighed. This news would surely rock Summer Bay.

Joey shuffled some papers on her desk into a neat pile and grimaced as a sharp paper-edge cut her finger.

"Shit!" She cursed and sucked at the tiny speck of blood which accompanied the wound.

Suddenly, a knock at her door made her look up, still sucking at the offending digit.

"Come in!" She mumbled.

"Hey, Joey!" Diane said as she entered the office. "Any ideas where Hugo Austen is today? I've been trying to get hold of him as I need a second signature for the payroll run."

"Have you tried Irene?" Joey suggested. "She'll be able to counter-sign it!"

"Yes, but there's no answer."

"Well, maybe Mr. Austen has taken her out to lunch!" Joey suggested with a grin.

"Yeah, right... And pigs might fly!" Diane exclaimed. "When are they gonna put you on the bank mandate, Jo?" The Payroll Clerk asked.

"When hell freezes over! Hugo Austen ain't about to let that happen any time soon!" Joey laughed.

Suddenly, Joey's telephone rang.

Sergeant Charlie Buckton walked a few paces away from the scene of the crime. She looked pale and felt a little shaky. She watched as the forensic investigators clad in white coats, began to carry away bags of potential evidence from the fisherman's hut and surrounding area. She had asked particularly to be allowed to see certain items which related to her investigation of The Summer Bay Fish and Crab Company, which she was told, would be available for her perusal the following afternoon.

She had already contacted some distant relatives of the deceased but now had the much harder task of contacting someone who was very close to the victim, and to break the news of her death. She took out her phone and pressed a button.

"Joey... It's me... I'm afraid I have something to tell you which is..."

Joey's face went pale. She knew by Charlie's tone that something awful was about to happen.

"Charlie... what is this? Are you... Are you going to dump me?" She asked, worriedly.

"Good Heavens, no sweetheart! I'm so sorry to have to break this news to you like this; I'd really prefer to be with you but I can't get away yet, but I'm scared if I don't tell you now, that you'll hear gossip and..."

"Charlie, you're beginning to frighten me... What on earth is wrong?" Joey cried.

Charlie swallowed.

"Honey, we've found a body... and it's..."

Charlie hesitated. She knew only too well how this news would affect her girlfriend. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to break the younger woman's heart.

Colleen Smart stood at her bungalow window; her face, emotionless. Her ample bosom moved up and down as she breathed in and out and her eyes stared only at the blue horizon in front of her. The telephone rang, disturbing her thoughts. Answering, a flicker of recognition appeared in her cold eyes and something like warmth, filled her heart. She listened to what the caller had to say and a small smile crept over her lips.

"Well, my dear..." She said with pride. "Your empire is secured!"

She slowly replaced the handset. Once again, she focused on the horizon, but this time, her eyes were bright and her heart was bursting with love and pride.

Charlie bit her lip anxiously. She could imagine Joey's beautiful features, now contorted with anguish and misery. Her heart ached to be with her and to apply the balm which Joey needed to comfort her in her bereavement. Tears filled her eyes as she longed to be with her love; holding her tightly and sharing the pain of loss which Joey was undoubtedly feeling. She glanced at her watch and then back at the busy officers, swarming the crime scene like bees around a honey-pot.

Constable Watson took out her mobile phone and scrolled down the list of contacts until she reached Angelo Rosetta's name. Pressing the button, she waited for him to answer.

Joey sat for the best part of an hour just staring at a paper knife on her desk. She felt empty and cold but most of all, bemused as to why, once again, someone so close to her heart had been taken away forever, leaving her alone and bereft; to face her life without them, deprived of their love and strength.

Tears would not come; she felt numb and helpless. A cold hand gripped her heart, chilling her to the bone. Why was it always like this? Why was she never allowed to love anyone without them being torn away?

She picked up the telephone and dialled an internal number.

"Alf..." She said, shakily. "I need to speak to you immediately."

She replaced the handset and stood. She was unsteady and gripped the edge of the desk. She felt a little nauseous and her head spun. Closing her eyes, she stood for a few moments, trying to find her equilibrium before making her way to Alf Stewart's office.

Receptionist, Marilyn Fisher, picked up an internal call, made from Alf Stewart's private phone.

"Reception!" She chirped happily.

"Marilyn, Its Joey Collins. I think you'd better take Alf home. He's feeling under the weather."

"Oh my goodness!" Marilyn shrieked. "I'll be right there!"

By eight o'clock that evening, the Police team had virtually finished their work at the fisherman's hut in the woods, where the body of one of the most popular and best loved figures of Summer Bay, Irene Roberts, had been found, brutally murdered. Still picturing her smashed skull, Charlie closed her eyes briefly, as if trying to obliterate the memory from her brain, but when she opened her eyes again, she could only see Irene's blue eyes, staring back at her.

"Boss, I'm going to meet Rosetta for a drink and to discuss..." Watson's voice faded away. "I thought now might be a good time to see if he knows anything." She suggested, quietly.

Charlie nodded her head silently.

"You don't wanna come, I suppose?" Watson asked, hopefully.

"No... I have to go and find Joey Collins. She was very close to Irene. I want to make sure she's alright."

"I didn't realise, you two were such good friends!" Watson said, in a surprised tone.

"Yeah, we are very good friends. I can honestly say she is one of my closed friends." Charlie replied absently. "Can I leave you to finish off here? I'd like to get going."

"Yeah, no worries, Charlie. I hope Joey is okay."

"Thanks, Georgie." Charlie replied.

Georgie Watson watched as Charlie walked slowly away.

After calling in at Joey's house and finding her absent, Charlie checked-out all Joey's regular haunts, but was anxious not to find her at any of them. She drove along the coast road as night was just falling and spotted a lone figure on the beach walking along the shoreline. Charlie knew by instinct that it was Joey. She parked her car and jumping out, hasty made her way down onto the sand and down towards the walker in the twilight.

Joey walked aimlessly; not even caring when the gentle waves, lapping about her feet, soaked her shoes. Suddenly, a soft voice spoke her name and as she turned around, her sad eyes met with those of Charlie's, and immediately, the pain which had manifested in her heart hours before, dissolved into hot tears, and ran sobbing into Charlie's loving-arms. Charlie held her tight, as Joey's delayed tears of grief, soaked her work shirt. Charlie had never felt so needed or wanted and though the circumstances surrounding Joey's grief were appalling, for the first time in her life, Charlie understood what complete love was and thanked God for her good fortune. She would have gladly taken Joey's grief from her heart if it had been at all possible, and take it upon her own shoulders, but she could only hold her lover tightly and stroke her hair and kiss her tears away.