The Second Stage of Grief by Katherine Hayton

Author:Katherine Hayton [Hayton, Katherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Katherine Hayton

Deb parked opposite the probation office, outside Work and Income. There was plenty more parking there than in the dingy yellow cream building set back on the other side of the street. It looked like it had been poured out in one large concrete slab and then had a door cut in the side. Still, government departments didn’t need to look great to function. Just as well, really.

There was a pile of cigarette butts stamped out along the front wall. No overhang protected smokers from the cold or the rain, but there was a tree that looked resigned to its place in life. The tobacco must leech into the ground and get down to its roots. The leaves were tinged with yellow, like nicotine stains.

Inside, the lighting was on full even though it was daytime. Deb turned in a half circle, an automatic survey whenever she entered strange premises, but she couldn’t see more than one window. Closed office doors contributed to the gloom. The reception desk faced a small alcove with three chairs and a large sign stating, “You MUST sign into reception,” and another, “MAKE YOUR VISIT COUNT,” above a plastic container holding course pamphlets.

“Can I help you?” asked a bored woman at the front desk. There was a bell in front of her with the presser taped flat against the body.

“We’re looking for Anita Robson,” Deb said. “It’s in connection with one of her clients.”

There was a smirk at that terminology, then the woman pressed on the old-fashioned push-button phone and held the handle up to her ear. “Two cops for you,” she announced, then put the receiver back down without waiting for a response.

Deb heard a door opening farther down the corridor and a woman who looked like she’d be at home with twenty cats, a pile of grand kids, and a lap full of knitting wandered down, her ample belly rolling with each step.

“Heya,” she said in greeting. “What do you want?”

Redding stepped in front of Deb, making her grit her teeth, and held out his hand. “Detective Redding and this is Detective Weedon.”

The woman looked over his shoulder at Deb and gave her a nod of solidarity. “What are you after?” she asked again. “Who’s done what, this time?”

“It’s in connection with Robert Helu,” Redding began, and Anita interrupted him with a sigh.

“Been out peeping again, has he?” She shook her head and started the trek back along the corridor, a quick jerk of her hand the only invitation to follow. “Thought he was going to stay out of trouble, that one. Got a nasty shock when he was inside.”

“We heard,” Deb said. “But we heard it was a bit more than a shock.”

“Yeah. It’s not a good place to be for a boy like that.”

She entered a room halfway down and held the door open while Deb and Doug walked through. There were files stacked all over her desk, some in imminent danger of acquainting themselves with the floor.

“Thought everything was on computers, these days?” Redding said, nodding at the mess.

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