Saturday, April 10th
Rosary Parish Orphanage, 10:30 am
Neil was sitting with Amy in the play-study room of the orphanage after the volleyball training. The other children were helping the sisters to prepare lunch in the kitchen.
Amy was calm, and she was showing Neil her Maths homework. Neil noticed that she was really good and very precise. Sister Nancy came into the room and said softly, as if she was afraid of disturbing:
“Neil, would you like to stop for lunch?”
“No, thanks, I am having lunch at Billy’s, and then I am leaving for Fredericton, because I have to talk to the children at the orphanage.”
“Oh, yes, sister Frances told me that she had asked you… What a wonderful idea! I think the children will be happy to meet you, Neil…”
“Yes, I hope so! I used to talk to the children in my orphanage when I became a policeman. They were usually interested in my life experience and in my job…”
Sister Nancy nodded, went to the kitchen and closed the door behind her.
Neil turned to Amy, who was silently looking at him. He gently caressed her cheek, and he told her tentatively:
“Amy, I met your teachers last Sunday after the mass.” Amy didn’t show any reaction, and he went on: “I think that the idea of writing what you remember is not bad…”
Amy shook her head slowly, and she turned to the last page of her English textbook. She took out a photo in black and white, and she handed it to Neil. He looked at it, trying not to show his surprise: what he was looking at was exactly the same bench where Amy had been found. He didn’t know why, but he felt a sense of impending danger. How could Ms May be so precise in choosing exactly the same spot? What did she want to obtain?
He looked at Amy, and he asked her: “They told me that you refused to write… Do you remember something about this place?”
Amy shook her head, she took Neil’s hand, and for a few moments she seemed to be lost in her thoughts. Then she said slowly:
“I know I did a bad thing, because I didn’t do my classwork, but …” Neil squeezed her hand tighter, but he waited for her to go on. He felt that it had not simply been a matter of refusing to do something.
Amy always said only short sentences, and, when she spoke, it was as if it cost her an enormous effort. Neil had got used to it, and he never urged her to go on, he knew that she needed time. “Neil”, she looked into the eyes of the policeman, “I wanted to write something about the station, but Teacher Rosetta … She asked me to write about the moment I was found at the station!”
Neil felt his sense of alarm increase. Ms May had not simply given a photo to describe, she had expressly asked her to write about her past life.
He tried to sound calm, when he asked the child:
“But does this photo remind you of something?”
“No, I don’t remember this place, but I remember the policeman who asked me questions and showed me photos. I remember that I was taken to a doctor…” She buried her face in her hands, and Neil put an arm around her shoulders and drew her close to him. She remained there for a few minutes, and he felt tears coming to his eyes at the thought of all the violence Amy had experienced and of her instinctive attempt at suppressing the memory. How could he help her without hurting her, without making her suffer? What would be her reaction when she removed that barrier and she could feel the weight of her terrible past?
He gently raised her face to look at him, and he said, choosing his words carefully:
“Amy, you don’t have to write about what you remember if it frightens you.” Then he asked impulsively: “What did Teacher Rosetta say when you refused to write?”
“She was not too angry. She shrugged, and she said that she wanted to help me. I was sorry because she looked hurt.” She looked at Neil and added: “But I don’t want to hurt anybody. I simply can’t… I can’t … I am trying to remember, I am trying but I can’t…” Tears started to roll down her cheeks, and Neil took her in his arms.
“Amy”, he said after he had been able to calm her down, “you mustn’t try so hard… Eventually you will remember, I am sure. Try to think of Mathematics and Science and all the beautiful things they are teaching you at school.”
“But I have to remember why they want to hurt you! And who!”
“Amy, you mustn’t worry. I am a policeman, and I am used to defending myself.” He smiled at her and added: “And do you think that Billy will let someone hurt me?”
Amy seemed to relax, and she said:
“Billy loves you very much… I am sure that he will protect you!”
Neil said on an impulse:
“Would you like to go for a walk with me? Just to the park?”
Amy looked frightened and shook her head vigorously. Neil was startled by her reaction, and he hastened to say:
“Why are you afraid, Amy?” After a few moments, he asked:
“And if Billy comes with us? Would you like it?”
Amy nodded, convinced, and she said: “Really! Can Billy come with us? Billy will not allow anyone to hurt you!”
Neil noticed that Amy, after just a few days, had perceived the strong bond between him and Billy. She trusted Billy to protect Neil, she knew that Billy would always defend his friend. Maybe it was because she had seen Billy prevent that woman from hurting Neil, when they had rescued Amy at the end of their first investigation.
“I will ask Sister Theresa and Sister Nancy, but I don’t think there will be any problems.” It was difficult to see if Amy was eager to do something, because she didn’t show emotions, apart from fear and anguish, but Neil was sure that she liked the idea of going out with him and Billy.
He led her to the kitchen, where the children were busy. He said goodbye to his volleyball players, and the sisters accompanied him to the front door.
When he was alone with them, he said, trying to sound reassuring:
“Amy showed me the photo she refused to describe.”
Sister Theresa shook her head and commented:
“I went to talk to the director, because Amy kept on looking at the photo all afternoon. She evidently wanted to write, but she simply couldn’t! I don’t understand why the teacher didn’t give her another photo immediately, when she saw her reaction.” Neil was listening intently, and the sister went on:
“The director called her and she insisted on the fact that she wanted to help Amy. She even suggested we should take her to a psychologist or psychiatrist. She said that she knows a good one, that she could take her.”
Sister Nancy intervened:
“And Theresa told me that she had the impression that Ms May wanted to show us what we should do with the child… But when she moved from Fredericton, Sister Frances let us talk to the psychiatrist who visited Amy, and he said that, in his opinion, the best thing for Amy was to find a person she trusted, and only in that case she would open up!”
“And when we saw that she is not afraid of you, we started to hope that maybe …” Sister Theresa added, “maybe it just takes time…”
Neil smiled, and Sister Nancy said:
“I can understand that a teacher’s job is to take care of the children, but I believe that Ms May is overstepping the mark. What do you think, Neil?”
Neil chose his words carefully:
“Please, don’t take her to the psychologist Ms May suggests. If she insists, tell her that you have found a psychiatrist, and that you are going to take Amy there. I hope that she will be more careful from now on. Maybe she wants to help, but Amy’s situation is delicate, because we don’t know anything about her past…” the sisters were silently listening to him. He smiled at them and left. He was feeling strangely agitated. He was sure that Amy was starting to remember, and there was something in Ms May’s interest that he didn’t like.
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***
Billy and Bob’s home, 1 pm
Bob and Billy lived in a little bungalow, not far from Neil. In reality, all the policemen who had arrived a few weeks before in Rosary lived in the same neighborhood, not far from the motorway that led to the training center. The houses they had chosen were all one-storey bungalows with two bedrooms, a garage and a small porch in front of the house. Bob and Billy had decided to live together, at least at the beginning.
The three friends had just finished a light lunch, and Billy was washing up. Bob and Neil were sitting at the table and checking messages on their mobile phones.
Neil’s mobile phone vibrated, he looked at the caller ID and called out: “Billy!” His friend came into the dining-sitting room, while Neil was putting the phone on speaker and placing it on the table.
“Hello, Daisy! How are you doing?”
At the other end of the line the voice was anguished: “Hi, Neil! Why did you tell my dad what happened last Sunday?”
Neil and his friends exchanged a glance, and Neil answered calmly:
“Daisy, last Sunday you were scared, and we wanted your father to realize that you live in constant fear…”
“But why did you tell him that I asked you to talk to him? It is not true…”
Now the three policemen were really startled. Billy answered:
“Daisy, I was next to Neil when he called your father. He didn’t say that you asked us to call him. Your dad was very rude to Neil, and he simply told him to mind his own business.”
A sigh at the other end of the line, testifying to the state of mind of the poor girl.
Neil waited for a few moments, and then he said:
“Daisy, I am sorry if our phone call has made your father angry…” He decided not to involve Louise and not to mention his conversation with her. “It was far from my intention, but we are really worried about you…”
“I wanted to talk to my dad today and to clarify things with him, but now he has stormed out… Please, don’t do anything until I have been able to talk to him. He is having problems at work, evidently. He is not usually rude, I can assure you…”
Neil and his friends remained silent, and Daisy went on: “You have nothing to worry about. I have a father who cares for me. I am sure we will settle this thing one way or the other… I don’t need your help!” The phone call was abruptly interrupted.
Billy took out his mobile phone and dialed a number. He put the phone on speaker. After a few rings a cheerful voice answered:
“Hello, Billy!”
“Hi, Lisa. I am sorry to disturb you, but Daisy has just called us. Have you talked to her about what happened last Sunday?”
Lisa answered immediately:
“Denise is here with me.” In the background they heard a “Hello”, and then Lisa went on:
“Last Thursday we talked about her kidnapping, because she admitted that it was a kidnapping. She was determined to talk to her father, she even called him, but he was at dinner with friends. Yesterday morning, while we were having breakfast, he called her. He did most of the talking, she tried to say something, but he was evidently angry. When she ended the phone call, she was on the verge of tears, and she implored us to forget what she had told us the previous night, that the memory of that incident (it was no more a kidnapping in her words) was very vague, but that she was sure she had got lost…”
Denise intervened: “We wanted to call you, but we really don’t know what to do. Maybe it is better to leave things as they are, because the more we try to help her, the more we seem to put her in trouble…”
Neil waited for a few moments, then he intervened:
“Denise, Lisa, hello. I am here with Bob and Billy. Unfortunately last Tuesday I called Daisy’s father. I wanted to hear what he would say when I told him what had happened last Sunday. He got angry and he was very rude. Maybe you are right, Denise, because it is really difficult to help Daisy, at least until she is under the influence of her father. Do you know if her dad is always at home?”
Denise answered:
“Hi, Neil, hi, Bob. Daisy’s father is always at home for what we know. He works in a company at the outskirts of the town. Sometimes he goes out to dinner with friends on the weekend, and his manager sends him to a branch of the company that is … I think it is in Amherst. For the rest of the time he is at home every evening… And he even comes to Moncton from time to time to meet Daisy… Why do you ask, Neil?”
“Because the only way to talk to Daisy is when her father is away. He wants to control her, and I believe that now he is afraid of losing that control, so he will be even more present in the next few days … We have to wait now, because I am afraid that any interference could make things worse for Daisy, as Denise has just said.” He thought for a few moments and then added: “But I will ask Anna to keep an eye on Daisy, and you must promise to keep in constant touch with her. Ask her how she is doing, about her cooking experience… Don’t mention her father or what happened six years ago, but call her frequently, please!” Neil’s voice was calm as usual, but the two girls perceived his concern.
Lisa asked:
“What worries you, Neil?”
“ I think that Mr Brown is too nervous. What is he afraid of? Even if Daisy told us that she was kidnapped, what would be the consequence? It is difficult to find the kidnappers after six years… What scares him so much? I have to learn something more about this man. For the time being it is better to leave him alone, for the sake of Daisy, at least…”
“Ok,” said Lisa, “we will call her everyday, I promise. And let’s hope that tomorrow she will be able to come with us after lunch…”
When the call ended, the three policemen looked at each other for a few minutes. They were evidently worried. Bob was the first to say:
“I don’t know what to think, Neil. I don’t believe he is reflecting on his actions, because his behavior attracts even more attention.”
“This is exactly what worries me. When a man like Luke Brown is so scared that he tells a lot of lies and is so out of control, I fear he can do something reckless. That’s why I need to know something more about him.”
Neil stood up and said:
“Now I have to go to Fredericton, guys, but next week I will investigate further, because I want to help Daisy, but I don’t know which is the best way…”
Bob and Billy nodded, and Neil went to take his car.
***
Fredericton Parish Orphanage, 5 p.m.
“Children, thank Neil for his visit today, and for what he has told us!” Sister Frances said after an hour of a pleasant meeting between the orphans and Neil. The children cheered and clapped enthusiastically, while Neil was shaking hands with some of the people who worked in the institution.
In the parish orphanage there were more or less thirty boys and girls aged from seven to fourteen.
When they had seen the tall policeman enter into the small auditorium, they had watched him with evident admiration. They had prepared a big poster with a photo of Neil receiving the award from the governor, and the policeman tried to avoid looking at it, because it made him feel embarrassed. After Sister Frances’s introduction, he had talked briefly about his experience in the orphanage where he had grown up and about his decision to become a policeman and to join the ERT. The youth workers were amazed, because all the children listened in silence. They were used to sitting next to the most lively or the ones they thought would be easily distracted, but the handsome inspector had been able to capture the attention of all the children.
When Neil had asked them if they had questions, at first he had thought that there would be just a few, but after the first timid interventions, he had been literally bombarded with questions. He had expertly avoided the most personal ones, and he had tried to satisfy the curiosity of the children.
Now they all stood up to leave the auditorium and go to the canteen, where the sisters and the volunteers had prepared some refreshments. A little girl approached Neil and pulled his shirt sleeve to attract his attention.
He turned to her and said kindly:
“Hello! What’s your name?”
“I am Tracy, sir!”
Neil said:
“Call me Neil, Tracy.”
She looked timidly at the policeman, and Sister Frances encouraged her:
“Tracy, what would you like to ask Neil?”
“I wanted to know if Amy is alright…”
Sister Frances explained immediately:
“Tracy was Amy’s roommate while she was here with us.”
Tracy had become less shy, and she said:
“Does she still have those terrible nightmares?”
Neil was taken aback, and he looked at Sister Frances. The nun smiled and said:
“I think two or three times Tracy called us during the night, because Amy was trembling in bed. After a few minutes she calmed down and went back to sleep. But maybe now she doesn’t have this problem, because sister Theresa has never mentioned anything of this kind.”
Neil thought that Sister Theresa or Sister Nancy would have told him, if it had happened. Neil smiled at the little girl and answered softly:
“Amy is ok, Tracy. She is still timid, but she is better, I think…” He didn’t know what to say, because in reality he thought that Amy was still so fragile, so scared.
Tracy gave him an envelope. There was a big heart drawn on it and underneath the words in block letters: FOR AMY.
“Can you give this to Amy, please?”
Neil took the envelope and said:
“I will certainly do, Tracy, thanks.”
“I hope she still remembers me.” The child said in a sad voice.
He reassured her:
“She certainly remembers you…” At least he hoped so.
The girl joined her friends, and Neil talked with the workers, while they were eating a snack.
When he was preparing to leave, Sister Frances invited him to her parlor. She closed the door and went to take an envelope from the desk.
She told Neil:
“I hope these photos can help you to shed light on Amy’s life before she was found at the station. I circled that man for you with a marker.”
“Thanks, Sister! I hope to be able to find out something and to help her to remember…”
“Thanks for your kindness today. I think the children appreciated your testimony, and I hope they will listen to your advice…”
He smiled at the Sister and left. While he was starting his car, he reflected that so many things had happened in his life since the time he was the same age as those boys and girls. He hoped they would be able to find their way into the world, and they would have someone like Father Thomas to guide them.
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and then Add to home screen.