Free Dirty Chick by Antonia Murphy Page A

“I thought maybe the children could go out and visit them.”
    â€œ
No!
” Peter yelled, then coughed when everyone looked concerned. “I mean, we thought it might not be safe.”
    â€œIt’s just . . .” I stammered. “I think they want to eat people’s brains.”
    Amanda looked as though she had something to say about this revelation, but she stopped short, as Sophia had just arrived with her boyfriend, Bill, in a silver Mercedes. She stepped out of the passenger seat dressed entirely in snowy white linen. Bill, an older businessman from Auckland, parked the car and took her arm. The silver cufflinks on his crisp white dress shirt glinted in the sun.
    â€œThank you, you sweet thing,” Sophia said as she took a glass of peach wine from Peter. “I’m simply gasping.”
    â€œYou’re not serious about the alpacas,” Amanda said, nudging me. “Look at them! They’re such gentle animals!”
    I shrugged. “We can go out there, if you want. But I wouldn’t take the kids if I were you. Alpacas are highly unpredictable.”
    â€œI had the most ghastly week,” Sophia volunteered, wilting onto a deck chair.
    Abi plopped down beside her. “Oh, no! What happened?”
    â€œDuncan,” Sophia said ruefully, then took a sip of her wine.
    Amanda’s voice turned serious. “But Michiko’s on holiday. Was he up at the school?”
    â€œHe made an appearance. I had to do a lockdown procedure with the children. I shut them in the classroom and made them hide under their desks whilst I got him off the property.”
    â€œWait,” I interjected, alarmed. “What? At Purua School?”
    â€œIt’s Michiko’s husband,” Autumn explained. “His name’s Duncan. He’s—what is he, Sophia? Manic-depressive?”
    â€œThe guy’s nuts,” Bill interrupted. “He’s nuts, and I keep telling her she should call the cops.”
    â€œHe’s . . . rather unstable,” Sophia smoothed. “And he’s fine when he’s on his medication, but when he goes off, he’s very unpredictable, and he makes these awful threats against Michiko. Then he comes to the school and rants at the children.”
    This gave me pause. I hadn’t anticipated mental illness or lockdown procedures in the Shire. “He’s not dangerous, is he?”
    Sophia shook her head. “He’d never strike the children. He just can’t modulate his behavior. He uses inappropriate language—”
    â€œTold one student to fuck off, as I recall,” Amanda interjected.
    â€œâ€”or he yells, just acts erratic. And the children are entirely my responsibility when I’m out there. I can’t be too careful.”
    â€œSo call the cops,” Bill repeated irritably. “That’s what they’re there for.”
    â€œBut Michiko seems like such a gentle lady,” I protested. “I can’t believe she’s got a violent husband.”
    â€œEvery community has its secrets,” Sophia said dryly. “Come to Purua. Runny scrummy honey. Best drunken parties. Only slightly insane.”
    â€œWe’re all a bit nutty to be out here,” Abi agreed. “You’d have to be, really. It’s not like any of us knows what we’re doing, with the animals and this country life. I can’t even cope with my chickens.”
    Bill tipped his glass at Sophia. “That’s what I tell the woman.Why live in the sticks when you can come to the bright lights of Auckland?”
    Autumn still looked worried. “So, was it all right?” she asked. “You got Duncan off the school grounds?”
    â€œOf course.” Sophia waved her glass dismissively. “He wasn’t making any sense. He just needed a firm hand, that’s all.”
    â€œSheep’s done,” Peter announced, coming over from the spit.