Page 27 of The Island

“That’s not much. Not much for a life. What does she do?”

“Massage therapist, she says,” Jacko said.

“Jesus. One step up from whore,” Ma said. “When does Danny get back?”

“Not until after six, maybe seven,” Matt said.

“Who else did you bastards let onto my island today?” Ma said, scowling at Ivan.

“It wasn’t my fault, Ma. Jacko and Matt—” Ivan protested.

“Enough! I’m surprised at you, Matthew,” Ma said, shaking her head.

“I’m sorry, Ma.”

“You let another vehicle on, didn’t you?” Ma said.

“Yes, Ma, couple of Krauts,” Ivan said.

“And where are they now?”

“Probably waiting at the ferry,” Ivan said.

“Well, somebody bloody find them and bring them here!” Ma growled.

Jacko nodded at a kid, who ran outside.

“Look, I’m very sorry about this,” Tom said. “She came right out of nowhere. I honked the horn and the woman didn’t hear me—”

“She’s deaf!” one of the children said.

“Deaf?” Tom said.

“Yeah, Ellen was deaf,” Ma said.

“I couldn’t help it. I went straight into the back of her. It all happened so fast. I mean, obviously we will cooperate fully with the authorities.”

“What will you do, Dr. Baxter?” Jacko asked, sneering through Tom’s title.

“It’s, um, Tom. Um, look, I’ll admit full responsibility. And—and I’m sure my insurance company will pay out accordingly,” Tom said.

“Insurance companies don’t always pay out, do they?” Ma said.

“They will. I’m admitting fault.”

“Where are you going to do this admitting of fault?” Ma asked.

“Here, and of course back in Melbourne. I’ll make sure I cooperate fully with the police investigation and even postpone our flight back if necessary.”

“Nah,” Ma said. “No Melbourne. No flight back.”

Murmurs in the room and then silence again.

The melancholy ticking clock. The fire crackling. Mosquitoes buzzing. Dog whining. At the back of the room, Heather saw the man who had sold them the sausage sizzles. When the Dutch couple were rounded up, everyone who knew about them coming over here would be in this house under Ma’s control.

“You tried to hide the body. You did a hit-and-run. That’s a crime. That’s a crime on Dutch Island and in Victoria and in America,” Ma said.

“That, um, that was my fault. Tom had hit his head. That was my idea,” Heather said. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I was scared. I wanted us to get over to the mainland first before we called the police.”