O, Fortuna

Chapter 5

His father's admission of having been with June while she was out walking, at first, seemed innocent enough, a blessing even, that June had not been alone when she died but Thomas sighed, finished a fourth glass of rum before declaring that Liam did not understand.

Liam poured himself a glass when he did cotton on to what it was his father was trying to say - that he had been with June intimately at the time – because it suddenly forced his elder's state of mind for the last week into sharp focus. He sipped his rum and enquired if his father had explained that to the police, who had come to the property in the shadow of the ambulance that had attended and returned since to advise that an autopsy would be performed, given the circumstances of June's demise. Thomas nodded silently in response and his son exhaled slowly, glad the old man had had presence of mind enough to be straight with the police on the matter. A considerable amount of media attention had been raised by June's death and had the autopsy revealed evidence of recent sexual activity without Thomas' statement, a lot more interest would have undoubtedly been generated as the police further investigated the matter.

If Liam had any concern during that midday drink with his father, it was whether Rosa or Deanna knew of the more specific details but Thomas was quick to assure him he had said nothing to them, he was too terrified, too ashamed, of the situation as it stood, with the autopsy still to be completed. Nodding, Liam had then sat back in his chair and observed his father a long while, remembering what Deanna had inferred all those years ago about Thomas and June, wondering aloud if it had been true then or only after his mother had left Faridah.

Thomas had glared back, wounded by his son’s question and Liam immediately experienced regret at being so bloody insensitive, a feeling he did not readily recognise in himself, any more than he was used to apologising for his bluntness but he did so. Again, his father did not have a verbal response and Liam finished his drink, a little shamefaced.

Three days later, they received another visit, this time from a police senior detective who advised them that there would be no further investigation - the autopsy had revealed June had suffered a brain aneurysm - there was nothing that Thomas had done or could have done to cause or prevent June's death, according to pathologist. While this news should have brought Thomas some comfort, Liam could see that it did not. Thomas had been in a relationship with June, in some form or another, for nearly 40 years. Her loss meant a good deal more to him than perhaps losing his livelihood or his home. What Thomas was going through was different to what Rosa was experiencing and Liam was not entirely sure how to help, found himself almost pleased when he was offered a second interview in town the following day.

The phone call to Faridah from John Campbell announcing that Grace Davidson would be bestowing her presence on the household before the week ended put Liam on something of a battle footing. He had nothing to lose or gain if she did not take a shining to him but for his father and Rosa's sake he was, for the first time in his life, prepared to kiss arse, if that was what it took to ensure their future on the property. Liam did not expect to be very convincing in that role but he decided to look back on the past behaviour of an expert in the field of brown-nosing.

John Campbell had been coming to the property more than fifteen years and during every one of the occasions that Liam had been forced into the company of the solicitor, all Liam really wanted to do was shove the man's head into a brick wall. Mercifully, there were no brick walls within Faridah and that June had recognised Liam's uncharacteristic antagonism and questioned him accordingly. More than once he had seen Campbell's sycophantic behaviour in June's presence swiftly turn to dogmatic and disparaging with her household staff when she left the room, especially where Rosa were concerned. A respectable gentleman and a trusted solicitor to June for many years though his father had been, John Campbell was a two-faced, condescending prick, more interested in prominent clientele, the influence they wielded and the attention they brought him than any glorious pursuit of justice.