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“Man phones police to report his involvement in a death by drowning eighteen years ago, and requests a lift to lock-up. I’d say that’s unusual, Max. Bloody unusual. And who’d have guessed the same man had very recently been arrested on charges of murder? Of course that was in China, and he was declared innocent, but still, makes you think doesn’t it?”
Will looked from beefy Max to tall Trent. Bastards were enjoying this.
“Might say the man was very arrogant,” said Max.
Talking about him in the third person was getting boring. “I’d agree with that, gentlemen.”
“You would?”
“I would.”
“Perhaps you’d like to tell us what happened?” said Trent.
Will grinned. Now they were getting down to it. He noticed they weren’t going to ask if he wanted a lawyer. They’d noticed his suit was probably worth a couple of mortgage payments, it was all quite fair really.
He started at the beginning, with Margaret Dunn’s death, and Robert Dunn palming him off on Norman Vessy as a labourer and childminder. He got to the part where he drove himself and Pete, without a licence, to the hospital, might as well lay it all out there, when the door opened. He said, “You’re late,” as Pete came in.
Pete breathed irritation. “You couldn’t wait ten minutes?” He turned to the two detectives and put his hand out, his blue-faced Harry Winston flashing, ‘hello, seriously expensive lawyers watch’ as his suit coat and cuff shifted with the extension of his arm. “I’m Peter Parker, representing Will Parker.”
“You’d be the former Peter Vessy,” said Max, consulting a folder in front of him before he stood to shake Pete’s hand. Trent followed h
im, Pete saying over the top of the handshake, “Where are we up to?”
“Your client, your adopted brother, admitted to watching your father, Norman Vessy, drown, in what was probably no bigger than a bathtub in your backyard.”
Pete dragged his chair out and sat, deliberately elbowing Will in the process. “Did you say the creek was a bathtub?”
“No.”
Peter sighed with great fanfare and focused on Max and Trent. “For the record detectives, it was a waterhole, fed by a creek. The size of your average backyard swimming pool in which plenty of people drown every year. In fact, around three hundred people drown every year in Australia. Nearly forty percent of that total are fatalities in creeks, rivers and streams.
“I assume Will made you aware of the circumstances: his age, the fact that I was beaten, and he was protecting me, that he was badly burned, the long-term threat and provocation and Norman’s drinking. I’m sure you’ll recognise this as a clear case of self-defence even without considering Will was a minor under severe mental strain.”
“So you’re a criminal lawyer licensed to practice in Australia, Peter?” asked Trent.
Pete smiled his master deal negotiator smile. “No. I’m a corporate lawyer, but I have back-up outside in case we need it. And I have evidence.”
“Evidence. What evidence?” Will’s chair leg barked on the floor as he shifted to look at Pete.
“Shut up, Will. And I mean that in a legal sense. I have statutory declarations in support of Will’s and my injuries at the hands of Norman Vessy. I have declarations attesting to mental abuse, as well as Norman’s violence and his history as a suspect in cases of grievous bodily harm, theft, and fraud in two states.”
“Fuck, Pete, where’s this stuff coming from?”
Pete didn’t even turn his head. “We were two kids living with the town drunk in a shipping container. You don’t think people noticed what was going on?” He continued addressing the two cops, the exasperation disappearing from his tone, as his lawyer mode kicked in. “Furthermore, I have autopsy evidence, so there can be no suspicion of foul play.”
Will was on his feet. “You dug him up!”
“Excuse me, detectives, just a moment if you would, while I confer with my client, and tell my brother to shut up.”
“This is why you were always broke.” Pete might as well have slogged him in the face. Will was stunned. “You told me you needed money for extra fees and living expenses. One time you told me you had a big heating bill. You were coming to Tara and playing lawyer and you dug fucking Norman up.”
“Are you finished?”
“No. I’m not finished.”
“Sit down, Will. Unless you want to be arrested for real.” Pete didn’t even look at him. He sat down, more from the sheer shock of what Pete had done than from any desire to be co-operative.
Pete was focused on the cops again. “You’ll see the evidence is in order. Not that it should be necessary in any case, but we do like to be thorough, us Parker brothers. You know, with great power comes great responsibility.”
