MacIntyre banged his gavel. Steadily the room calmed. “My sincere apologies, Chief Inspector, you are correct in all you say.This town does indeed owe you a debt of gratitude, and on its behalf may I thank you for your service and your candor today.Please accept our best wishes to yourself and your family. A safe journey back to the coast. You may step down.”
“Surely not!”
The smile slid from Noone’s face; half-risen, he lowered himself into his chair, and together with Magistrate MacIntyre glaredat Henry Wells. He’d palmed the table as he said it; now he used that same hand to push himself to his feet.
“Sir, surely you cannot be about to swallow such a load of old claptrap and dismiss this witness without a proper cross-examinationon the facts?”
“I have interrogated the witness, Mr. Wells. Take your seat.”
“You have done no such thing. But please, if you have indeed exhausted your examination, allow me to conduct one of my own.”
“Nonsense. This is my courtroom. I will decide who—”
“There are reporters here from Brisbane,” Henry protested, flinging out an arm. “The colonial secretary will hear of thissham, as will the whole of Queensland. For my part, I will see to it that there is an appeal, or a judicial review, or bywhatever other means ensure the proper scrutiny of the law is brought to bear on this matter, and on the conduct of this court.I will not be deterred, Magistrate MacIntyre. That much I can guarantee.”
The magistrate seethed in the silence, Noone benignly watching on. Henry’s hand was trembling; he clutched it firmly withthe other, hoping they hadn’t seen.
“I’ve a good mind to report you myself,” MacIntyre snarled. “I don’t know how they run the law courts back in Brisbane butthis is not the kind of shitshow we are used to out here. Your superiors will hear of the disruption you have caused today.”
“I hope so, sir. Then they’ll hear my side of things too.”
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing, son? Have you lost your mind?”
“I am simply carrying out the duty entrusted to me. Assuming I am allowed.”
Noone leaned in the witness box and said quietly to the magistrate, “Last thing any of us needs is another hearing. Why notlet the boy say his piece?”
“I’m about to excuse you, Edmund.”
“Ah, let’s give him the rope to hang himself. What harm can it do?”
The two men stared at each other intently then MacIntyre shrugged and flapped a hand. “Fine, suit yourself, but don’t sayI didn’t warn you. On you go then, Mr. Wells. But make sure you keep it brief.”
Startled, Henry nodded. “Right, yes, well, thank you, sir. And to you, Mr. Noone, for the opportunity to clear up just a coupleof minor things.”
“All that fuss for a couple of minor things?” Noone asked him, smiling pleasantly. “And it’s Chief Inspector Noone, if you’dbe so kind.”
Henry glanced down at his papers, shuffled them a little, spreading out the pages containing his copy of Reverend Bean’s testimony and the notes he had been taking while listening to Noone’s version of events. He hadn’t prepared a full cross-examination. That ought to have been MacIntyre’s task. He’d taken himself aback by the force of his interruption, would normally never have dared threaten a judge like that. But he’d been here before: the Clarence murder trial, all those years ago, still the only one he had lost. He knew what Noone was, and what he’d done, and, after everything, could not stand to watch another blatant cover-up unfold before his eyes. Besides, how many times had he rehearsed this? How many times, as he read the dusty police reports, or the records of failed inquests, had he wished to get just one of these lying bastards before him on the stand?
He cleared his throat and looked up at the witness, his gray eyes staring playfully down. “Yes, of course, Chief Inspector—forhow many years now?”
“Seven.”
“And that’s . . . in Brisbane? In Southport, isn’t it?”
“As you well know, Mr. Wells. Or do you not recall visiting my police house just before this all began, and like some gumshoedetective attempting to deceive me into thinking you just happened to stop by? Tell me, have you bought that property in Southportyet, on the bluff overlooking the sea?”
Henry reddened uncontrollably. MacIntyre’s feathery brows rose. “Not yet,” Henry mumbled, before steadying himself. “All told,then, Chief Inspector, how long have you served in the Queensland Police Force?”
“Twenty-five years, give or take.”
“And of those twenty-five years, how many were spent in the Native Police?”
“Perhaps mathematics isn’t your strong suit: that would make eighteen.”
“Ah, yes, my apologies. Still, that’s quite some length of service.”
“It’s been my career, Mr. Wells.”
“What I mean is, rarely do Native Police officers stick it for so long.”
“Much like yourself, I am not so easily deterred.”
“No, and you have certainly done rather well out of it. A house in Hampton, by the river, wasn’t that what you told me?”
A quick laugh. “Are we here to discuss real estate now?”
“It just strikes me as curious—there can’t be too many police officers living in Hampton, surely? How on earth do you supplementyour wage?”
Noone turned to MacIntyre. “I didn’t realize my personal affairs were on trial here, Spencer. I fear I’ve misjudged the boy.We’re wasting our time.”
“Forgive me, sir,” Henry said. “Chief Inspector—”
“Because if they are,” Noone interrupted, “perhaps I should be asking a few personal questions of my own. Such as, why woulda respectable lawyer with a family in Spring Hill spend so much time visiting a male-only boardinghouse in the city? Why wouldhe be seen wandering the sly-grog shops, opium dens, and brothels of the Frog’s Hollow slums? Why, indeed, would he have gainedfor himself the reputation of one who preferred the company of men of a—how can I put this—more flowery bent?”
Uproar in the gallery. Great guffaws from the crowd. Henry shriveled at the unmasking: shoulders stooped, head bent low. Hethought of the man from
