saying something about his drinking and also I think it was his way of saying, what do you think about that?
Norm ‘Did you say anything?’
Amelia ‘Well I guess I looked surprised, but I can’t remember if I said anything. I’m sure if I had, there would have been a blue then. He poured a beer and drank it fairly quickly, and then he went into the bedroom. I continued to dish out the rest of the food and I called the kids and Frank when it was ready. Frank came out and he had changed his clothes. He was wearing one of the shirts I had given him for Christmas. I looked up and said ‘Are you going out?’ and he replied, ‘Yep. I told ya, I’m going to a party.’ I got really annoyed about that, because the kids had practically begged me to stay down at my parent’s home for the day, but I thought to keep the peace, it would be better for us to come home and try to have a family Christmas with Frank.’
Keith ‘What happened then did the argument start then?’
Amelia ‘Argument it was more like World War Three. I said, ‘Christ, if I had’ve known you were going out, I would have stayed down at Mum and Dad’s place and had Christmas there.’ Well. That was enough fuel for his fire and it was on for young and old. One thing led to another and he even had the audacity to tell me not to raise my voice to him. Mind you, he was screaming top note himself. Anyhow, he came over and grabbed me by my throat and he clouted me across the head. I fell on the floor and was crying and the kids started screaming. I told them to get out of the room and they ran into the living room. Frank picked me up by the hair and started to thump me about.
Somehow, I managed to get away and I went into the bedroom to get a tissue to wipe my face. When I came back out, he was standing between the doorway of the kitchen and the living room. I walked out and sat in the lounge and I was crying. Frank ordered me to shut up, and I told him that I couldn’t. I just couldn’t stop sobbing. He took a flying dive at me and knocked me down onto the floor and he just kept hitting me and hitting me and hitting me.
As I was telling them what had happened, I was crying almost uncontrollably as I remembered my ordeal.
Norm ‘Would you like a glass of water?’
Amelia ‘Yes thank you.’
I attempted to stand up and Keith jumped to his feet,
Keith ‘I’ll get it for you, you just sit there.’
As he walked away
Amelia ‘I’m sorry for being so silly I don’t usually carry on like this. I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much in my life before, as I have in the past twenty-four hours.’
Norm ‘No, you’re alright. You’ve done very well so far.’
Keith returned handing me a glass of cold water.
Keith ‘There you are.’
Amelia ‘Oh thanks.’
After taking a mouthful and swallowing it gasping
Amelia ‘That’s better, my throat was as dry as a bone, come to think of it I haven’t had a thing to eat all day.’
Keith ‘Do you want something to eat?’
Embarrassed,
Amelia ‘Oh no thanks. I couldn’t stomach a thing after what’s happened, I just remembered that I never did get around to eating, that’s all. I can’t even remember if the kids ate either for that matter. Poor little buggers.’
As I took another sip of water,
Norm ‘Do you feel up to continuing?’
Amelia ‘Yes, I’m right, now, where was I?’
Norm looked at his notebook. I hadn’t noticed until then that he had a notebook. And I wondered if he had written everything, I had said into it. He looked up and smiled
Norm ‘I’m flat out reading my own writing.’
He seemed to realise that I had just noticed the notebook and he added, ‘Oh, I’m just jotting a few things down every so often, for when I write out my report.’
I nodded, but not really understanding, I couldn’t help wondering what his report would say.
Norm ‘Frank kept hitting you. What happened then?’
Taking a deep breath
Amelia ‘Claire came over and was pleading with him to stop and Frank was like a maniac. He picked her up by her arm and leg and flung her across the room and she landed on the lounge and bounced off. I screamed, “You fucking bastard, you could’ve killed her.”
I thought he had broken her back because she was lying there screaming and not moving. As soon as I called him that, he kicked me in the tailbone and I rolled onto my stomach. Christ it hurt.’ Then I heard Vivian yelling and I looked up and Frank had pushed her onto the ground and he punched her in the face and kicked out at her. I threw myself onto her to protect her, and Frank punched me again. Vivian got up and I told her to get Heather and Claire and run for it, meaning out the front door. They were too frightened to move. I got to my knees and crawled over to the lounge and Frank went to Claire and screamed at her to shut up. Then he started to walk towards the kitchen. I stood up and tried to carry Claire to the front door but Frank ran through the room and blocked us from going out. He ordered them to go back and sit on the lounge, and they did. Then he turned on me again, I begged him to stop. I just couldn’t take any more and he laughed and said, ‘That’s right bitch, you beg, because I’m your master.’ I was completely exhausted and practically fell on the ground and crawled over to the lounge. Frank went back to the kitchen and poured himself another beer. I wanted to run, but I knew that I couldn’t. I just sat there trying to think out a plan to get out, as soon as I could get my strength, if I ever got it.’
Norm ‘How did you get the knife?’
Amelia ‘Frank had ordered me not to move so I sat there for oh about five minutes while he abused me my hands were sopping with sweat just as they are now.’ Showing both detectives the palms of my hands my palms were bright red and the perspiration was oozing out of the pores. Without hesitating I blew my breath on my hands whilst I wriggled my fingers. And as I’ve done on numerous occasions, I wiped my hands down the side of my shorts.
Amelia ‘Believe it or not they often get worse than this. They were worse when I was sitting here with Frank abusing me. The only way I can really ease it a bit is to run them under cold running water. I asked him if I could wash my hands and he said, ‘Okay, providing you don’t get out of my sight.’ So, I went past him and went to the sink. I washed my hands and I looked around for the tea towel. It was over on the bench near the stove. When I picked it up and wiped my hands, I saw the knife had been underneath it. Frank was pouring himself another beer and as I dropped the tea towel down, I picked up the knife….
Norm Kennedy sat forward in his chair.
Norm ‘Right, now I want you to think carefully, Amelia, what were you thinking at that
