‘I’ll see you when you get back to Granddad’s place.’
I fought to choke back the tears.
Amelia ‘I’ll be okay, love, don’t worry. Where’s Granddad and Uncle Edward?’
Vivian ‘Just outside on the patio.’
Amelia ‘Can I just say goodbye to Dad please?’
Norm ‘Sure.’
Dad put his arms around me and whispered into my ear that everything was going to be alright, and not to worry about a thing.
He kissed me on the cheek and gave me another hug. As he withdrew his arm, I noticed tears filling his sky-blue eyes.
I thought to myself, Poor Dad, he should be enjoying his retirement, instead of having all this worry heaped onto his lap. I wish I could undo all the heartache I’ve caused him.
‘See you tonight, Amelia, and don’t worry too much, ring us if you need us.’ He hugged me reassuringly and walked down the stairs behind Edward and his two oldest granddaughters. Claire was perched on Edward’s shoulders.
As he sat down on the lounge chair
Keith Fletcher ‘What a day.’
Amelia ‘It hasn’t been a very Happy Christmas for any of us has it? You two look as if you’ve missed your Christmas lunch completely.’
Keith Fletcher ‘No we’re right, we had just come on duty when you rang. But we’d better finish this report or you’ll miss out on your Christmas tea. Just tell us in your own words what happened.’
I took a deep breath and began, ‘I’d better go back to last night.’
I told them of the hair rising drive home and how Frank had demanded to be driven to the pub, then the fight that had ensued when we arrived home.
Keith ‘What time did he get back?’
Amelia ‘I’m not too sure, about nine-thirty, I think. The kids were in bed asleep and I ran and got into bed as soon as I heard the car. I didn’t want him to know that I was awake, so I pretended to be asleep. I heard him making a hell of a din in the kitchen. It seemed like an eternity. Then he eventually came into the bedroom and told me to get up. He wanted me to put the kid’s presents under the tree. And as soon as I came out he began to argue about this that and the other and I just said, ‘Look, Frank, if you want a blue go back to the pub because I don’t want any more fighting ever. I was pretty tired and I had a stinking headache where he’d belted me. He eventually went to bed and flaked. I was very thankful of that, but I was feeling sick and sorry for myself and I sat out watching TV. They were singing Christmas Carols and I couldn’t cop that garbage, so I turned the set off and made my bed here on the lounge. I couldn’t get to sleep though until about four o’clock. The kids got up at five and woke me then they went in and woke Frank. I sat up until about eight o’clock until I thought I was going to keel over. I went into the bedroom but I couldn’t get to sleep for ages. I just lay there crying. I had tried to get him in a good mood but he wouldn’t even speak to me without snarling. While I was lying on the bed, I kept on arguing with myself whether I should take the full bottle of Nembutals that I had on my dressing room table. I must have cried myself to sleep because the next thing I remember it was eleven o’clock. When I came out here, the kids were playing on the floor and Frank was laying on the lounge. I asked him if he would drive us down to my parent’s place, but he refused. I didn’t really want him to, because he and Dad don’t get on, in fact they haven’t spoken to each other for two years. But I didn’t want him to stay here, because I thought he had some grog hidden.’
Norm Kennedy interrupted with, ‘How do you mean, hidden?’
Amelia ‘For some unknown reason Frank hasn’t had a drink in front of me for nearly two years.’
Keith Fletcher , ‘Do you know why?’
Amelia ‘I think he was too embarrassed and ashamed to. He had gone into a clinic to sober up a couple of years ago and after he came out of the clinic, he’s never drank in front of me. I can’t think of any other reason.’
Norm Kennedy ‘Where did he hide his booze, do you know?’
Amelia ‘Oh. I found a couple of his hiding places, but as soon as he discovered I had pinched them, the bottles I mean, he’d find another hiding place. For all I know there could be a dozen bottles hidden all over the place right now. Once when we lived in another house, there was a bottle of vodka in a glass cabinet. I used to keep an eye on it to make sure it was still there. Until one day I noticed that the seal had been broken, he’d obviously had drunk the vodka and filled the bottle with water. He’s a cunning bugger, but then I can be a bit thick at times.’
They both shook their heads at me, I’d like to think that they were thinking that I wasn’t thick but they could’ve been thinking God how thick can you get?
Keith ‘Do you drink Amelia?’
Amelia ‘No, very rarely I might have an occasional Gin Squash, but generally I don’t. I don’t like the taste of most alcoholic drinks especially beer, it’s too sour.’
Both Detectives laughed
Amelia ‘Obviously you pair don’t share my opinion.’
Norm nodded
Keith ‘You’re not far from wrong there.
Amelia ‘Anyhow, I went around to Mum’s place with the kids and I was only away about an hour, when I got back, Frank was as blind as a bat.’
Norm ‘Was he staggering drunk?’
Amelia ‘No not quite, but not far from it.’
Norm ‘How many beers do you think he would have had?’
Amelia ‘Your guess would be as good as mine for all I know, he could have mixed his drinks. I know for a fact that he’s had Vodka with beer on occasions, and I’m almost certain he’s had a go at metho as well.’
Both Detectives nodded
Norm ‘What happened then?’
Amelia ‘Well when I saw that he was half shot, I told the kids to behave themselves and I started to prepare the table. I got the ham out and asked Frank to cut it for me. I’m pretty useless with a knife. I usually cut myself if I attempt to slice meat up. Anyhow, he cut it up and I distributed the slices out on the plates. Whilst I was dishing out, he went to the fridge and brought out a bottle of beer. I was surprised at that.
Keith ‘Did he say anything to you when he took the bottle out?’
Amelia ‘Oh he had been bitching whilst he was cutting the ham, and he said something about going around to his boss’s home, because there was a party going on there. He was trying to get me to bite, but I didn’t answer
