Huda was here, p.16
Huda Was Here, page 16
‘Way faster than you!’ I knew by saying that, I was accepting his challenge. Dad laughed and passed Huda his key chain, wallet and mobile phone.
‘Need to lighten the load if I’m going to whip you,’ Dad smirked.
I dumped my backpack on the footpath and we both took off on Huda’s count to three. I knew Dad’s legs were longer than mine, that he was fit and strong. But on that day, I needed to beat him. To prove to myself that I’d earned the carnival ribbons and to prove to Dad I wasn’t just a little kid anymore.
I sprinted ahead of him down the footpath and towards the street corner. At first my legs were heavy, almost like they belonged to an elephant. But as I’d heard Dad tell me a million times, ‘mind over matter’. So I let my mind believe I could win. I forced myself to stop thinking about how clunky my legs were and instead imagined they were as light as a feather. Looking ahead to the end of the road, I blocked out all the sounds of traffic and the eyes of kids outside the school gate. It was just me and the pavement.
My feet pounded on the footpath, my lungs controlling each breath – in through my nose and out through my mouth. My arms were like two machines, robotically swivelling back and forth. I reached the corner and unofficial finish line, the street sign leading us to home. Dad was only a second behind me; he had been a step behind me the whole race. But it didn’t matter. Because I only needed half a step to win.
Now, I reached the end of the alleyway and dashed past the back of Uncle Ahmed’s shop, leaping over the crate I’d used only minutes earlier to help Huda out of the window. I was too scared to turn around, too afraid of Dad seeing my face. But I could hear his boots pounding on the ground only metres behind me. I darted to the road and past the bus stop where Fadey had kept watch. Without thinking, I took a sharp left down the street and away from the shop.
I pulled ahead until there was enough distance between me and Dad to take a leap in the dark. I dived into the front hedge of the closest house. Sharp thorny branches scratched my face and ripped the hood off my head. Angry stiff leaves dug into me, but I let them. I couldn’t allow myself to move. I couldn’t risk Dad finding me. His feet pelted past the hedge and up the road. I’d outrun my dad, for the second time.
‘Akeal!’ A whisper cut through my heavy breathing.
My ears pricked up, but more tiny twigs dug into my skin. I could feel a hundred little scratches, like paper cuts, across my face, neck and head. I shifted towards the voice coming from behind me and listened.
‘Akeal, it’s me.’
I pulled myself out of the hedge and into the garden.
Fadey was hard to see at first, but he was squatting between two wheelie bins near the fence. I commando-crawled over and propped myself up.
‘So he’s back.’ Fadey nudged me with his elbow. I could hear in his voice he was smiling.
I nodded, still trying to catch my breath.
‘Lucky you got away. Where’s Pip-Squeak?’
‘She didn’t find you?’
‘I haven’t seen her since she jumped through the window. Plus, I dropped my walkie-talkie.’
‘Bugger. That means she’s still out there.’ I quickly pulled my walkie-talkie from my bum bag.
‘Huda. You there?’
I clenched the receiver in my fist, waiting for my sister to answer.
‘Yep, I’m here. I haven’t found Stinker yet. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ditched us and went home to watch TV.’ I heard my sister’s voice come through, twice. Almost like an echo.
Fadey lifted his head and looked out onto the street.
‘She’s close by, that’s why her voice is—’ Fadey didn’t get to finish his sentence.
‘Akeal, I’m ready to go home. Tonight has been weird. I don’t feel so good about it.’ Huda wasn’t even trying to use her quiet voice. Before I could say anything I spotted Dad’s torchlight flashing, coming back up the street.
‘Hide! Dad’s here!’ I rose from behind the bins to see my sister across the street, her back facing the light of the torch.
Dad was seconds away from colliding with her.
‘What do you mean, Dad’s here …?’ I heard her mutter. I shut my eyes, waiting for impact, but felt Fadey push past me. He raced out onto the road, screaming and waving his hands.
‘I’m over here, Security Man! Come and get me!’ Then he turned to my sister. ‘Run!’ Huda glanced towards the flash of torchlight and realised what was happening just as I darted onto the pavement and grabbed her arm, pulling her back in the direction of Uncle Ahmed’s shop. We raced away from Dad and into the darkness. I peered quickly over my shoulder and spotted Fadey dancing in the street while Dad stood there with his torch, trying to figure out what to make of him.
‘I can’t believe Baba’s home,’ Huda panted.
‘We did it, Buds. We brought him back.’
Even in the darkness, I could see my sister trembling.
‘We’re a family again, Akeal. Can you believe it?’
I shook my head.
‘It was all worth it. But we gotta help Fadey,’ I said, through gasps.
‘Is he going to be okay?’
‘I don’t know. We’ll figure it out. We can’t leave him.’
This time Huda nodded.
We slowed to a jog until we reached the back of Uncle Ahmed’s shop and then strolled down the alleyway, catching our breath.
‘It isn’t safe here. Let’s get moving before Dad comes back. We’ll figure out a plan to help Fadey once we’re out of sight.’ Huda shifted next to me, like she was uncomfortable. I glanced at her and noticed her stomach looked stiff and flat. It was barely noticeable, but I knew she was hiding something.
‘What’s that under your jacket?’ I said, pointing at her tummy.
‘Oh, that. I’ll show you when we’re home. I found it in Uncle Ahmed’s shop. But I don’t think we need it anymore,’ she mumbled.
‘Don’t tell me you pinched a box of lollies.’
Huda rolled her eyes and skipped the last few steps of the alley.
‘Really, Akeal, you think I’m just a silly child, don’t you?’ She lunged out into the open car park. I wanted to warn her to take it slow, but she spoke before I could.
‘I’ve had enough of all this crimanimal stuff. I’ve had enough of everything. Let me just get my backpack so we can—’
My sister didn’t finish her sentence. Instead, she froze dead in her tracks, then pulled her eyes from whatever had caught her attention and looked at me. Like she was trying to warn me. She didn’t blink. Her black pupils expanded to the size of her eyeballs. My sister bit her lip and gulped, in slow motion.
Everything went quiet and all I could hear was my own heartbeat, pounding in my ribcage.
‘Crimanimals?’ The deep voice wasn’t one I’d heard before. It was the voice of authority.
I couldn’t leave Huda alone to face whoever it was. I strode out of the alley, just as two police officers stepped towards her. One looked only a couple of years older than Omar. He flicked his long black fringe out of his big blue eyes as he stared at us. Almost like he was excited. The other cop was older, like Jido’s age, and the wrinkles on his forehead twisted into a frown.
‘Crimanimals, you say?’ he repeated.
Huda gave me one last long look, almost as if to say, I’m sorry, then turned to the police officer who had spoken.
‘Yeh, that’s what I said.’
He took another step closer. His legs were almost as long as Huda’s whole body. Then he took his hat off and rubbed his shaved head.
‘What are you two kids doing out so late?’
‘Nothing.’
The younger officer looked at the older policeman and smirked, but the older one didn’t look back at him. He kept his eyes on us.
‘Nothing?’ He raised his eyebrows.
Huda squinted and leaned in slightly to read his name badge. ‘Yep, we’re just out here minding our own business, Constable Porker.’ Huda crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her head so she could stare right back into his eyes.
‘It’s Constable Parker.’ He tapped his badge and kept talking. ‘You have the right not to tell us anything, but I do need to get your names.’ He glanced at both of us.
‘Sorry, Constable, my parents said we shouldn’t give our personal details to people we don’t know.’
He nodded, but not in a way that meant he agreed. ‘So the backpack we found behind the donation bins – does that belong to you?’ He waved his hand to his police car, parked next to Dad’s security car. Huda’s open backpack was on the bonnet. I noticed the younger cop was holding the shop map Huda had drawn.
‘Don’t know anything about that,’ my sister said flatly. She scrunched her lips together and made a fishy sound with her lips, almost like she was bored.
The officer narrowed his eyes.
‘How about we give you a ride home, then? We’ll drop you off safely and touch base with your parents about why you’re out on your own so late.’
My stomach heaved and I stopped breathing. But Huda didn’t flinch.
‘No thanks. We’ll be on our way.’ My sister’s voice didn’t tremble; it didn’t even change. Instead, she took a step towards the car park exit and calmly flicked her head at me. ‘Come on, we better leave these nice policemen to do their jobs.’
I put my head down and quickly scuttled after her, not sure if we’d actually get out of this.
Both of the cops shifted their feet. Constable Parker held up his palms.
‘Steady on, folks. Can I get you to call someone, then? Part of our duty of care is to protect young people. We can’t have you …’ His voice trailed off as Huda and me locked eyes. She gave me one long blink, as an ‘on your marks’, and then darted her eyes towards the park across the road. The back way home would be easiest if we could just get to the other side of the playground.
I gave Huda a quick nod and we both shot across the car park. As I leaped over the kerb, I felt a strong hand grab my hoodie, pulling me backwards. I glanced up, hoping my sister had made it over the road and into the darkness, but I saw she was being pulled back, too. Huda kicked and wriggled, but it was no use. The officer held her firmly by the jacket collar and pulled her over to stand beside me.
Constable Parker shook his head slowly, almost like he was disappointed.
‘Trying to do a runner is never a good idea, kids. We’re going to have to take you down to the station until we figure this out.’ I was surprised he still sounded so calm.
He glanced at the younger officer, who gripped us both tightly.
‘Brooks, get them in the back of the police car before they try something else.’
I peered up at Brooks. The way he was grinning made me think it was his first day on the job.
As he trundled us over to the police car, I noticed Huda clench her teeth, then lunge from his grip. She flung her hands in the air and tried to push away his gangly arms, but his grasp was too strong.
‘In ye both get,’ he screeched.
My sister hung her head in defeat as we shuffled towards the blue and white station wagon. The back door was already open.
Brooks shoved us inside and we slid down the grey leather seat. The metal barrier between us and the front made me shiver.
‘Don’t I at least get a booster seat?’ Huda shouted, kicking the seat in front of her.
Constable Parker bobbed down and poked his head into the car, knocking his stiff blue hat on the rim of the window. His head looked like it was hovering without a body.
‘Is there someone we can call for you?’ His eyes were pleading with us.
We shook our heads.
‘Once you tell us who you are and what’s going on, you’ll be on your way home.’ He rubbed his stubbly chin and slammed the door shut.
My sister grunted.
‘That Stinker better have gotten away from Dad, otherwise we’re dead meat.’
Cop Shop
Detective Munz’s mouth hangs open. He flicks his wispy black hair and his eyes dart around the dark office. Then he looks at Franklin, who’s staring at Huda, also with his mouth open.
‘Well, I certainly didn’t expect to hear all of that,’ Detective Munz mutters.
Huda shrugs her shoulders.
‘That’s what you were dying to know, isn’t it? About all our crimes?’
The detective clears his throat, adjusts himself in his chair and straightens his back. I can see he’s trying to stay composed.
‘That’s right. Yes, we needed to know all of this.’ He scribbles something down in his notebook.
‘Um, Detective? There’s something you may have missed, though.’ Huda sighs. She tilts her head and looks up at the ceiling, as though she’s thinking.
‘Missed? I don’t think so,’ he scoffs.
My sister scratches her head and leans back into her small brown chair.
‘I mean, I just wonder, who do you think the real criminals are in all of this?’ She folds her hands and pops them in her lap.
Detective Munz narrows his eyes at my sister and Franklin’s shoulder twitches.
‘I don’t understand your meaning, little girl. You’ve just told us what you and your brother did,’ Detective Munz laughs.
Huda nods slowly, but I can tell she’s not done.
‘Yes, but you haven’t asked about what’s under my jacket. You know it’s there.’
Detective Munz lifts his hand to his chin and taps his thumb on his bottom lip just as Franklin leans in closer to my sister. He places his hand on the armrest of Huda’s chair.
‘What’s under your jacket?’ he mutters.
‘I thought you’d never ask.’ Huda shuffles back in her seat and unzips her jacket. A small blue file sits nestled against her pudge. She yanks it out and looks at it, then re-zips her jacket.
‘Bit chilly, isn’t it?’ Huda looks at me and does an exaggerated shiver.
I shrug my shoulders, confused. The room is cool, but I can feel my cheeks burning. I want to ask my sister what’s in the blue folder. But I don’t want the detectives to think I have no clue.
Detective Munz raises his eyebrows.
‘What’s that you got there?’ he mumbles dryly.
‘This is evidence. You’d know a little about that, wouldn’t you, Detective? Or should I call you Rob?’ She spits his name.
Rob. My mind races. Back to Silvia’s house. Back to the phone call when we kidnapped Raheed.
‘Quick question. You drive a shiny silver car, don’t you, Rob?’ my sister continues.
‘How’d you know that?’ he grunts.
‘Never you mind,’ Huda chuckles.
The left side of Detective Munz’s nose twitches. He quickly lifts his hand to his face, to stop it.
Huda shifts her eyes from his to Franklin’s.
‘You see, this little folder is filled with invoices. I didn’t know what an invoice was until a couple of days ago.’ She pauses, glances at me and nods her head, like she’s about to teach me something. ‘It’s kind of like a receipt.’ Then she turns back to Franklin.
‘So, some of these invoices are for important Body Corp things like neighbourhood fence repairs, fixing blocked pooey-sewerage pipes and boring things like keeping the playground safe.’ Huda rips out a couple of papers and passes them to me, without taking her eyes off Franklin. I glance at the invoices and skim the costs of plumber and maintenance services. Before I can ask my sister what her point is, she taps on the blue folder and keeps talking.
‘And these other invoices show Detective Munz – I mean Rob,’ she corrects herself, ‘is working part-time for the Body Corp, along with David Harvey, Silvia and Uncle Ahmed – or Akhmed as you might call him.’ Huda tilts the folder towards me and points to a receipt for thousands of dollars of stock. Purchased from a business called Mediterranean Grocery Warehouse.
‘I’m guessing this one is for Uncle Ahmed’s shop re-do,’ Huda says matter-of-factly.
She turns the page again and I catch a glimpse of another invoice from a car dealership. Made out to Robert Munz for the purchase of a silver BMW. She holds it up to Detective Munz and takes a long breath, then slowly exhales before placing the folder back in her lap.
‘Remind me, remind me … who drives a fancy silver car?’ My sister rubs her chin, asking no one in particular. ‘Oh, that would be you, Detective. So now we have ourselves a pickle. Two kids being interviewed without a Responsible Adult or lawyer present. And a policeman who may have done something a bit smelly. And I don’t mean a fart.’
Huda stops and looks from side to side without moving her head.
Detective Munz gulps, loud enough for the three of us to hear. Franklin turns to him.
‘What’s she talking about, Rob?’ he mutters.
He ignores Franklin and leans in over the papers on the desk, so he’s eye to eye with my sister.
‘Give me the file, little girl.’ He holds out his hand. I can see his teeth are clenched.
Huda glares back at him and shakes her head without blinking.
‘No.’
For a moment, there’s a stand-off between them. My hands tremble. But I stand up. Ready to face him. Ready for anything.
A thump at the door breaks the tense silence. Franklin jolts like he’s just been electrocuted, but when he realises what it is, he gets us up and swipes his card on the little black pad on the wall. He pulls the door and holds it open with his foot.
I just make out the frame of a tall man wearing a caramel-coloured suit, standing in the doorway in front of Franklin, but I can’t see his face.
‘Perfect timing,’ I hear my sister murmur under her breath.
‘Who do we have here?’ Detective Munz calls to Franklin, his voice sharp. He leans back into his seat and cracks his neck.
The man in the suit steps forward. His legs are the size of tree trunks and his stride is double that of Franklin. We all stare as he walks over and stands at the desk, next to me and Huda.
I’ve seen him before. I can’t recall where right away, but I know it’s from a time and place that felt safe.
Huda giggles and stands.
‘Thank you for coming, Uncle Ant. I mean’ – she chuckles – ‘I mean, Mr Kostiki junior.’
