The Coroner Page #3

[BETH RE-WIPES SARDONICALLY]

DAVEY:

Grounded again?

JANE:

Still rolling in at all hours, so I have to leave her in the care of a responsible

adult.

[SHE EXCHANGES A WAVE WITH JUDITH WHO IS

SERVING AT THE OTHER END OF THE BAR. DAVEY

IS AMUSED AS BETH HUFFS OFF]

DAVEY:

I’m not saying it’s definitely the mother. Just, if it was newborn then she

must have been part of what happened.

JANE:

Or, maybe the father or someone else could've...

[BOTH FLINCH AT (MICK'S) DRAMATIC SNEEZING

NEARBY]

DAVEY:

Yeah well, no-one reported a baby going missing. What mother’s gonna sit

idly by if her baby disappears, unless she’s the one who did it, hiding it

away in the middle of nowhere?

JANE:

Well if you'd ever been heavily pregnant, the last thing you'd contemplate is

trekking way out there on your fat ankles...

[THEY ARE DISTRACTED BY MICK (EARWIGGING

AS HE COLLECTS GLASSES), SLUMPING NEXT TO

THEM, SUFFERING THEATRICALLY]

MICK:

Yeah, lonely old place that cottage...

[HE PAUSES TO BLOW HIS NOSE LIKE A FOGHORN]

JANE:

Ahh, touch of the man-flu?

MICK:

Touch of that E-Bola, I reckon.

[A NEARBY CUSTOMER PUSHES AWAY THEIR

HALF-FINISHED PIE LUNCH AND MOVES OFF]

MICK:

As generously shared by your mother last week along with her delectables.

[JANE FIGHTS NAUSEA]

DAVEY:

You know it then? Bluff Point?

MICK:

My old man did odd jobs there back when I was a nipper, in the 60's. Nice

old couple, but miles from anywhere.

DAVEY:

Except that big old place up the hill. Who was living there then?

MICK:

Oh yeah, uh... (REMEMBERING) Grey... something, Greyvale? Ron

Tate's old place.

[AS HE SNIFFLES INTO HIS HANKY, JANE AND

DAVEY EYE HIM, EXPECTANT]

MICK:

Shut down... late 70's? So before your time. Childrens home.

[JANE EXCHANGES A LOOK WITH DAVEY (A

LEAD?)]

DAVEY:

I’ll see if I can turn up any contact names. If anyone’s still around.

JANE:

(STANDING) I might have a spin past. Check the distance.

[SERVING, JUDITH APPROACHES]

MICK:

Ahh babes, I’m pegging out here. Where’s that super-strength day nurse?

JUDITH:

Right here lover. I'm going to do you a nice hot toddy.

[QUEASY AS MICK AND JUDITH MOVE OFF, JANE

MAKES TO LEAVE]

JANE:

(TO DAVEY) See? Women always get a raw deal.

[SHE CLOCKS DAVEY FORLORNLY EYEING THE

SALAD IN HIS LUNCHBOX]

JANE:

(WRY) Okay, not just women, then. (HEADING OFF, TO JUDITH)

Cancel my chips will you, Mum?

[HUNGRY, DAVEY MOMENTARILY EYES THE

DISCARDED PIE LUNCH (TEMPTED), BUT GRABS HIS

JACKET, RESIGNED]

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