‘Yes, I think Carmel got that from me. What do you want to ask me, Mr Hardy?’
‘You know that the police idea, that Carmel was involved in a pornographic racket, is bunk?’
‘You’re too modest. You’ve shown that. We’re grateful. I couldn’t see the point when Leo said he was going to hire someone, but something good has come of it. All that video girl rubbish, it was.. awful.’
Her voice was low-pitched, educated Sydney, without affectation. She didn’t seem like a strong woman though, more one who held up well when the going was good and not so well at other times. She was going to be hard to talk to if there was anything she wanted to hide. It felt as if she’d crack if dropped. ‘Do you know why Leo wants me to persist, Mrs Wise?’
‘Not exactly.’
‘I think he wants to have a good memory of Carmel. To understand what happened. To be rid of doubts.’
She smiled. ‘Oh, that’s Leo all right. He doesn’t like doubts.’ She drew a deep breath. ‘No doubt he’s right. Oh, a pun, of sorts.’
I nodded, drew a breath myself, and plunged in. ‘I’ve talked to lots of people who knew Carmel. They all liked her, all thought she was a great artist. I’ve seen her film and I agree. It was a fine piece of work.’
‘Thank you.’
‘There was only one person who expressed anything but dismay and loss at Carmel being killed.”
‘And who is that?’
‘If you and Carmel were close, if you talked together and shared things, I think you know who it would be.’
‘Barbara de Vries.’
‘That’s right, Mrs Wise.’
‘What does she have to do with this?’
‘Please tell me about Dr de Vries and Carmel, then I’ll answer your question. Leo thought Carmel had never had a serious relationship, but this thing with de Vries was serious, wasn’t it?’
‘Yes. Very.’
‘Why didn’t Leo know?’
She made fists of her hands and rubbed them together. ‘Carmel asked me not to tell him.’
‘Why?’
‘He was so unsuitable-married, a radical…’
‘You should see his house in Lane Cove. His lifestyle is about as radical as Marcos’.’
‘I see. Still, I couldn’t see any future in it for Carmel. Neither could she.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘They fought all the time. It was on and off, on and off. Carmel used to get very upset.’
‘What did they fight about? Did she want him to leave his wife?’
‘No, no. Carmel is… was… was always an unconventional girl. No. They fought about the work they were doing.’
It suddenly seemed warm in the room. There was a slight draught from somewhere lifting the covers of the magazine I’d looked at, but it wasn’t enough. I felt hot. I was sure I was getting close to the heart of it. ‘What work were they doing, Mrs Wise?’
‘I’m not really sure. I didn’t see Carmel all that often, about once a week, sometimes not.’
‘But you talked when you did?’
‘Oh, yes. we talked. You’ll have seen that we were alike, physically?’
I nodded.
‘Emotionally too, I think. We could always understand each other.. sympathise…’ She was close to tears now; her head was bent and she was fighting for control. I sat very still and sweated. After a minute she got the control. Her head came up and she was dry-eyed. ‘That’s why it’s so terrible. I miss her so badly, you see. As you might miss a friend. But more than a friend. Do you have any children, Mr Hardy?’
‘No.’
‘Don’t.’
This is a bad break for Leo, I thought. But I didn’t want it to turn out like that. This woman deserved better luck. I felt like a blackjack dealer, slipping out the cards. ‘I have to know about the work, Mrs Wise. It’s important.’
‘To whom?’
I went out on a limb. ‘Don’t you think Carmel would want you to understand what happened? Why she died? Why?’
She took a long time to answer, as if she was checking back over her daughter’s twenty or so years of life, day by day, before deciding. The deep brown eyes opened wide as she looked at me. ‘Yes, I believe she would.’
‘Then tell me two things-first, about the work.’
‘It was political. They were compiling dossiers, on film, on people they… disliked.’
‘People like Marjorie Legge and… who’s that husband of hers?’
‘Monty Porter,’ she said automatically.
‘Right, and Phil Broadhead?’
‘I don’t know actual names, but, yes, I think.. people like that. Politicians too.’
‘God,’ I said. ‘That’s dangerous. Leo didn’t know about this?’
‘No.’
‘So you must have suspected… you must have thought her death was connected to this work?’
‘No.’
‘No?’
‘She was a filmmaker. She might have got something embarrassing on these people, but to kill her?’
‘All right, all right. Yes, sure. Now, Carmel and de Vries fought about this. What sorts of fights?’
‘He was more radical than her, in every way. That’s all I know. Surely you could have found out some of this from him.’
‘He’s disappeared.’
‘What? Why?’
‘His wife thought he had run off with Carmel.’
‘That’s ridiculous.’ She realised what she’d said and a hesitant look appeared on her face. Her hands had unclenched as we’d talked but they turned back into fists again.
‘Mrs Wise, do you know where Carmel and de Vries went to work and conduct their affair?’
Again a long silence. She was yielding up her knowledge and interpretation of her daughter piece by piece, and it was painful. ‘Yes,’ she whispered. ‘I know.’
‘Where? You must tell me.’
‘They had a sort of studio in a house in Balmain. On the top floor.’
‘Do you know the address?’
‘It’s 3A Grafton Street, near the water.’
I thought I knew the street and tried to picture it. Container wharf, fashionable terraces, townhouse development. ‘You’ve been there?’
‘No, Carmel told me.’
‘Thank you. You have met Jan de Vries?’
‘Yes.’
‘What did you think of him?’
‘Charming, but I didn’t like him. I doubt if he’ll tell you the truth.’
We got up simultaneously and she showed me out. I didn’t see Leo. We didn’t speak again except to say goodnight. Then she went back into the big, empty house.
20
