Matronly Duties (16 page)

PS: Yes, the name you mentioned does mean something to me. It is the name of Mark’s girlfriend. Should I assume that she’s the pregnant woman you mentioned? If so, we tried to get her to Mark, but she had a security tail on her. It would have risked too many people at the time to help her. If you speak to her, tell her she is still in our thoughts.

Something about the way Howard signed the letter makes a place deep inside me tingle a little. Ignoring the feeling, I turn my attention to my amazing gift.

After putting the three pieces together, I try a tune I remember from my childhood. I am surprised to hear the recorder is pitch perfect. I make a mental note to acquire a book of recorder music from somewhere
.

There’s a knock on the door followed by April’s head poking around the corner, bringing me back to reality.

“I have some good news,” she says. By the size of the smile on her face I am guessing it is extremely good news.

I switch on the scrambler in my drawer and wave her in.  “Well, don’t keep it to yourself.”

“I found Matron Rachel Smith, and she is still alive. She’s living as a resident of Eastern Wing Aged Care Facility.”

When I hear the name of the facility, I realise that I have more than likely spoken to her on a previous visit. I’m excited for my next visit but my hopes drop when I remember I’m not allowed to do any public appearances.

“April,” I say as it dawns on me what I have to do. “Can you call Mr Denham for me and tell him I wish to meet with him as soon as he can arrange it?”

April scowls, understanding exactly what my plan is.

“It is the only way I am likely to get out of here,” I clarify.

With a quick nod, she disappears to her desk. I am not surprised when she comes back a few minutes later and advises me he will be here in half an hour.

While I wait for Mr Denham to arrive, I check my office to make sure there is nothing visible that I don’t want him seeing.

Before I know it, he is knocking on my door.

“You wanted to see me?” he says, looking pleased with himself.

“Yes.” I stand and gesture for him to take a seat. “I have an answer to your proposition.”

“I’m listening.”

“I will support you as you’ve asked, but I have one condition.”

“Oh, and what might that be?”

“I want to resume public engagements. It doesn’t have to be as often as before, but at the very least I would like to start visiting the elderly and the schools again.”

He looks me over, head to toe, his gaze almost gleeful like all his Christmases have come at once. “I think that can be arranged. So we have a deal?”

“That we do.”

He stands and offers me his hand, and we shake on it.

“You should have your privacy reinstated by this evening. And I would think we can have you out and about doing public engagements within the week.”

“That will be great, thanks.”

With nothing left to say, he exits my office. He is only gone a minute before April and Red pop their heads in to see what happened.

“So?” they both say at the same time.

“I’ve agreed to his proposal. He’s agreed to letting me get back to visiting schools and the elderly.”

“That’s good, right? You’d be able to visit Matron Smith,” April says.

“Yes, exactly. And hopefully he’ll leave my parents alone now as well.”

“Just promise me you will be careful.” Red’s worried look concerns me. “He is up to no good. I’m sure of it.”

“Believe me, Red. I trust him about as far as I can throw him. But I promise I will be careful.”

April pulls me into a hug and then Red does the same.

Once they depart, I rest my head on my desk, taking deep breaths until I’m composed. With my thoughts gathered, I begin my reply to Howard’s letter.

August 18, 2220

My Dearest Howard,

Thank you so much for the beautiful recorder. It is now my most prized possession. I am very impressed by the craftsmanship and will treasure it always. It has been a long time since anyone has given me a gift, especially something I truly wanted. I was very happy that I was able to play something from my childhood from memory, and the moment made me smile more than I have for a long time.

I do have to admit the thought of you waltzing did make me chuckle a little, but the more I thought about it, I actually found the idea quite appealing. I look forward to the opportunity to waltz with you.

Now, as for these questions you asked me. My favourite colour is red, though I do like purple as well. Unlike you, I love music and my favourite is folk or reel music. There are a few tunes I remember that I can play on my new recorder, and I’d love to have the chance to play them for you. For food, I love chicken omelette or roast lamb and potatoes. Lastly, picking a favourite book is extremely hard, so I have picked a book series. I love the ancestral classics,
The Hobbit
and
The Lord of the Rings
trilogy. And may I say you have me entirely curious about the book you mentioned? It sounds very intriguing.

On to more serious matters, I’ve had to make a deal with Peter Denham. He’s agreed to reinstate my privacy and to let me go to public engagements again in exchange for my support when he tries to overthrow the chief minister. Yes, I know it sounds bad, but please trust that it was necessary. Red and April are looking after me and keeping an ever-watchful eye over me. And I promise I am not taking any unnecessary risks.

Thank you for confirming my suspicions about Estell. When Red told me that the father of her baby was a high-ranking Trad named Mark Chapel, I suspected the woman I met and the couple you spoke of were one and the same. I am still extremely troubled by her situation, and I want to do something to help her. Unfortunately, I’ve hit nothing but brick walls through official government channels. I am going to see if I can find out where they are holding her, though.

Hope this finds you safe and happy. I’m thinking of you every day.

Your Beth

Chapter 14

When I arrive home, I can’t help smiling when I enter my bedroom and only Susan follows me in.

“No security tonight, Ma’am?” she asks.

“Nope. They are no longer allowed past the doorway unless I invite them in.”

Which means I might finally get a decent night’s sleep. Even after Red replaced Mr Creepy with a female guard, I still didn’t feel comfortable slumbering while being watched.

I place my briefcase inside the door, then take off my shoes and leave them next to it. I can’t help but straighten the right shoe when it doesn’t sit neatly next to the left. It’s a habit I picked up from my mother and have never been able to shake.

“You are just like your mother,” Susan mumbles almost inaudibly.

I whip around so fast I almost topple over. Susan has her back to me as she folds down my bed covers. “Excuse me, what did you say?”

She turns towards me with a wide-eyed expression. “I didn’t say anything, Ma’am.”

“No, I heard you. You said I was just like my mother. Do you know my parents?”

Her shoulders slump in defeat. “Sorry, Ma’am, I wasn’t supposed to say anything. Yes, I know your parents. Selina and I have been best friends since childhood. I was there when she decided to have you.”

“What do you mean you weren’t supposed to tell me?”

“Well, for one, you have a lot on your plate and I knew you didn’t need anything more to worry about. And two, I didn’t want what happened to them to happen to me.”

“More to worry about!” I take a couple of deep breaths to calm down. Yelling at Susan will not get me the answers I need. “What happened to them?”

“I’m not sure exactly, but your mother and father disappeared a few weeks after Christmas, and I have no idea where they went. I’d hoped you knew what had happened to them.”

The hopes I’d held that my parents were fine and just unable to contact me vanish. I’m now certain that they’re missing, and that no one has seen them in months. A sick feeling settles in the pit of my stomach. What if they didn’t disappear but had an “unfortunate accident”?

“When was the last time you saw them?”

“Your parents and I, along with a couple of other friends, had a regular Friday night card game. The last time we saw Selina and David was at the end of January. At first, I didn’t think much of their absence because not everyone comes every week. But after three weeks had passed without a word from them, I knew something was up. I went to their house to see if they were home, and after ringing the doorbell and getting no answer, I had a quick peek in a window. Everything was gone except the furniture.”

I pace between the wardrobe and the bed. Susan’s story confirms what my subconscious has been warring with for months. Something happened. The fact that everything is gone from the house tells me that they packed their stuff before they left. I can’t imagine kidnappers taking the time to remove all their belongings from the house. The big question is, where did they go and why didn’t they tell anyone?

“Thank you for letting me know, Susan.”

Flopping down on the bed, I put my head in my hands and allow the tears to fall. I’m afraid that my parents’ disappearance has something to do with me, and it’s yet another thing I feel guilty for. How much more stress and worry can I bear before I buckle under the weight?

***

It’s funny how there are times you don’t think about something for a long time, and then someone mentions it and it’s all you can think about.

Until Susan told me my parents were missing, I hadn’t worried much about them. It wasn’t the first time since I moved to MITI that I had gone months without hearing from them. Now that I know they are unaccounted for, though, I can’t stop wondering what happened. Did they know they were being threatened? Are they in hiding? In jail?
Dead?

It is the last possibility that makes me panicked and ashamed. I have to choke back a sob every time I think that my parents might not be alive, that I might never get to say goodbye or tell them how much I love them. But if I break down now, I might never recover.

A knock at my bedroom door breaks me from my thoughts.

“Come in.”

Susan pops her head inside. “Red is waiting for you out front, Ma’am.”

“Thank you.”

Outside, Red opens the cart door for me and I take my seat. Once we are settled for the morning ride to parliament, I take a deep breath.

“Red, I need your help.”

He looks at me in the rearview mirror. “Ma’am?” he asks, sounding concerned.

“My mum and dad are missing. No one has heard from them since the end of January. I’m hoping you might have some ideas on how I can find out what happened to them.”

He looks back to the road and takes a minute before answering. “Of course. I will look into it right away. It was Selina Mitchell and David Greene, right?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Ma’am.”

Red keeps his attention on his driving, and I notice he is holding the steering wheel rather tightly.

“Are you all right?”

He shakes his head but doesn’t speak straight away. “I have some news, Ma’am.”

“Is it good news?” I ask, because I could really use some.

“Sorry, Ma’am. Estell was found guilty yesterday.”

Damn it!
I always knew it was a matter of when, not
if
,
she was found guilty. But still, I had held out hope for a different outcome.

“Is there anything we can do?”

“I don’t think so, Ma’am.”

I know he’s right. Even if I weren’t powerless, the courts fall under their own authority. Besides, if they didn’t listen to me following my kidnapping, why would they listen to me now?

When I arrive at my office, I have April and Red join me.

“Okay, April, Red has informed me that Estell Babbish was found guilty yesterday.” April gasps but doesn’t say anything. “You’re both aware of my interest in her case. I need to do something to help, and I think the first thing we have to do is find out where they are keeping her. Any ideas?”

Red and April look at each other, then back to me. Red is the first to speak up. “Sorry, Ma’am. I would love to say yes, but I am always blindfolded when they take me in for my annual checkup.”

“Well then, we are going to have to find out another way.”

“The details we need should be in Central Records somewhere,” April says.

“Yeah, but I doubt I can get in,” I reply. “I imagine I’ll have to have all my appearances cleared with Denham for a while, if not indefinitely.”

“Well, maybe no one has to know you’re there. Central Records is close to Matron House. You pass it every day.”

“But I can’t just walk in the door and ask for Estell’s location. And look how well sneaking in somewhere went for me last time.”

“We could arrange for your cart to break down in front of the building,” Red says. “Flat batteries happen all the time, and it would be too much of a security risk to have you out on the street. I’d have no choice but to make you wait in the nearest secured facility.”

“Okay, but that would only get us into reception. How would I actually gain access to the records area?”

“What if someone provides a distraction?” April asks.

“That could work, but who?”

“I can do it,” April replies.

“Are you sure? You could be putting yourself in harm’s way if we are caught.”

She nods in response.

Okay, so April can distract the front desk clerk while I sneak inside.

Red pipes up. “You’re not going in alone, Ma’am.”

“Crap, did I say that aloud?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Okay, so I take it that means you want to come as well.”

“Most definitely.”

“Fine, well, I guess we better start by looking at my schedule.”

We talk for a while longer, and by the time Red and April leave, we have the outline of a plan. It’s going to be risky, but it might be the only way to get the information.

I just hope I’ve put my faith in the right people. More than my own future is at stake.

***

A few days later, we put our plan into action. Red seems to think sooner rather than later is better.

“You ready, Ma’am?” he asks, standing in my office doorway.

“Yes, I am. Let’s get this show on the road.”

As I walk out of my office, Jason and Darren, the guards Red chose to replace Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, are waiting to accompany us. Apparently, they are men he trusts not to reveal our activities. I guess I’ll find out when we make our bid to get into Central Records. April joins us and we make our way to the cart.

It only takes a few minutes for us to arrive at Central Records. And exactly as planned, when we pass the building, the cart loses power and splutters to a stop.

Red, April, and I hop out of the cart, leaving Jason and Darren behind to await the repair crew.

As we enter the building, I clench my hands to stop them from shaking. I have no idea whether it’s nerves or all the adrenaline pumping through my system, but I can’t keep my hands still.

The reception clerk looks up as we walk inside.

“Can I help you?” he asks.

“Yes,” Red replies. “The Matron’s cart has broken down out front. I’d like to borrow a phone to call for assistance.”

“Oh, yes, by all means. It’s back here in the office. Follow me.”

Red looks at the reception clerk then at me, then April, and back again. “I cannot leave Matron Greene unprotected. Is it all right if her secretary accompanies you to make the call?”

“Of course.”

April steps forward and follows the young gentleman into the office behind the reception desk.

Once they are out of sight, Red indicates for me to wait while he looks through the glass door to the storage area to see if it’s clear for us to enter.

“What if they notice we’re missing?” I whisper.

“We’ll tell them you needed to use the toilet.”

Red carefully ushers me inside and leads me down a corridor, keeping next to the wall. I can feel my pulse thumping wildly with every step I take. I don’t think I have ever been so scared, yet hopeful, in all my life. If we pull this off, it will be the first time I’ve ever truly done something that I wanted to do to help someone.

We come close to getting caught a couple of times, but I am ecstatic when we finally make it into the warehouse-sized records room.

Looking around at the vast number of aisles, I’m glad April was able to procure the section and cabinet number we are looking for. It would have taken an extremely long time to find the information we need if we didn’t know where to start.

After grabbing the piece of paper out of my pocket, we head to the right and find row E. Now we just have to find cabinet 103-H. When I see that the cabinets in the row start at one, I realise that it’s going to be a long way down. Red and I start walking as quickly as we can, knowing we don’t have an unlimited time frame.

It takes a few minutes, but eventually we find 103. A quick survey reveals drawer H. Opening it, I start looking through the files. Each one is labelled with a woman’s name, and it scares me to see how many there are in this drawer alone. I frantically flick through them, and at first I can’t find one with Estell’s name on it. Trying not to panic, I flick through them again and let out a relieved sigh when I finally find her name. I pull out the folder and nearly jump for joy when I spot the information I’m looking for on the top page. I quickly write down the address of the facility, her room number, and her due date, thankful for the government’s meticulous record keeping.

After putting the file back, I look at my watch. It’s only been six minutes since we went through the door, but it seems longer. Realising we need to hurry up or risk being caught, Red and I hightail it out of there.

Just as we get to the end of row E, footsteps echo from around the corner and we halt immediately. Indicating for me to stay put, Red moves up to the end of the row. He points to his eyes and then towards where the noise is coming from. My heart, which had calmed down, is beating a mile a minute again.

Please, don’t let us get caught!
I don’t know whom exactly I am asking for help, but I am hoping that someone out there is on our side and wants us to be successful in our mission.

With every second that ticks by, I fear we are one moment closer to getting caught. Suddenly Red grabs my hand and pulls me towards the exit. I almost screech in shock but catch myself before I do. Thankfully, we don’t see anyone on the way, though the clicking of heels can still be clearly heard.

When we are on the other side of the door, I have to stop a second to catch my breath. Red double-checks that April still has the clerk distracted.

“Are you okay?” Red asks.

“Yes, fine. Come on. Let’s retrieve April and get out of here.”