Murder in Opunake: Detective Senior Sergeant Aleksander Jaruzelski Investigates

By Susannah Brobyn

Detective Senior Sergeant Aleksander Jaruzelski finds a little more than he expects when on secondment to the Taranaki Province to investigate small time farming of marijuana in Opunake. He also takes the opportunity to have closure over the mystery of his mothers death when he was a teenager there.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Oct 6, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456780036

Susannah Brobyn

Retired from her Professional Psychotherapy, Pastoral and Counselling Tutor work, Susannah Brobyn through her many personal and professional life experiences has developed some insight into the multitude of variations regarding human relationships and behaviour. The context of "Murder In Opunake" though not of any known historical event or personal histories nevertheless encompasses some history of the Taranaki Province. Susannah Brobyn lived and worked professionaly in the Taranaki Province for twelve years. Her many experiences during that time enabled her to gain a sense of place linking her to her own family historical roots and their stories.

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© 2011 by Susannah Brobyn. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 04/15/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4567-7508-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4567-8003-6 (ebk)

Printed in the United States of America

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE

CHAPTER FORTY

CHAPTER FORTY ONE

CHAPTER FORTY TWO

CHAPTER FORTY THREE

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR

CHAPTER FORTY SIX

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CHAPTER ONE

The sun glistened on the lightly undulating waves of the sea as it gently lapped at the shore on its journey into the Opunake Beach bay. A warm morning promising a sunny late winter’s day had bought out many of the community to attend the final farewell of one of its newest citizens, and to satisfy their curiosity. Full mass at the local Catholic Church implied that the deceased had become someone of importance in the community. The funeral had been set at a time when farmers from the rural district had finished their early morning milking and could attend. Some of the residents sympathetically cared about the family who might never know why their loved one had perished.

Other citizens went begrudgingly feeling they would be seen as being churlish by not attending. However they generally did not care too much about what others thought. A few were indifferent to the family’s grief and went to satisfy their morbid interest and for some entertainment. They did not seem to care one way or the other about the family of the deceased or the events leading up to the death. Questions lay unanswered about how the person had died and why. Suicide remotely possible but not probable as the deceased was a known to be a devout catholic and would not commit such a sin. However many questions lay unanswered. Some in the community wondered if a domestic dispute had lead to murder.

The Police inquiry was not very thorough as the Community Constable was young and inexperienced. He was inclined to not upset the community and opted for the belief that the death was by misadventure. There was no known evidence of any motivating factor like jealousy or anger in the marriage. Therefore the Constable chose not to follow up on any possibility of domestic violence which may have been a mitigating factor. Nevertheless he did believe that no one really knew what went on behind the domestic door. The local Priest felt compelled to maintain his right to confidentiality of the confessional and chose not to shed any light on the matter. If the death was accidental it left even more unanswered questions in the minds of the community. The inquest’s report, death by misadventure, left most people very curious about the whole affair.

Five teen age boys had sat in the pews of the church with their parents and siblings watching the funeral proceedings. They smirked to themselves and with each other as the Priest conducted the religious service. They were secretly pleased with their act of righteousness. One boy however was not so sure that the act of righteousness was what it seemed. He had begun to regret allowing himself to be coerced into participating with the other four boys. The memory of it all caused him to be restless and fidget on the pew. His father chastised him and gave him a thunderous look. He indicated punishment if the boy did not cease his wriggling around. When the boy looked across to his peers he received threatening gestures. The older boy of the five who deemed himself as their leader was the most violent with his indications.

At the conclusion of the mass the community swarmed out of the church. Many chose to follow the funeral procession to the Opunake cemetery to watch the burial. There had been some talk whether or not the deceased would be buried in consecrated ground due to the uncertainty over the death. The five teenage boys encouraged by the self designated leader grouped together outside the church entrance. They stood and quietly watched as the hearse backed up to the door. Warnings were voiced between them about their righteousness and the silence they had sworn to adhere to. They and their parents would not attend the burial at the cemetery as their fathers did not think well of the deceased nor of the grieving family. Their fathers were civil when it suited their purposes or advantage. However they were generally unwelcoming toward others. Somewhat vulgar in their attitude towards women the men generally gave little grace to women of the community. They would caste vile aspersions at other members of their community whenever they drank together. They also believed children were born to be exploited as farm hands when considered old enough, which was generally quite young.

The five boys watched the son of the deceased standing by the door of the church as he waited for the coffin to be loaded into the hearse. They sniggered and gave small demeaning and dismissive hand waves toward him. With a confident swagger implying that they were his friends and wanting to support him they walked towards him. As they approached and came close, they quietly called him by his nickname, the name they had chosen for him not out of kindness but out of vindictiveness. These five like their father’s were called red necks by many of the community. They wore the title with pride wanting to be seen as red-blooded, tough and resilient. A place of status their fathers’ enjoyed that they too wanted as their own. As he climbed into the front seat of the hearse the boy looked back at the five. He saw them pointing and smirking at him as the hearse drove away.

‘Best to ignore them, they are no better than the animals on their father’s farm.’ The boy heard the driver of the hearse say. ‘No I think the animals on the farms are better behaved and more considerate.’ The driver tried to soften the shameful way the boy was being treated by his peers. Nevertheless the boy felt the hurt and pain inflicted on him by the five’s torment adding to his distress and grief. He resolved the five would never know of his hurt. He had deliberately chosen to always show a stony face toward them. He had wanted to indicate he was indifferent to them and their behaviour no matter what the torment. He would remember them and perhaps an opportunity would come his way sometime in the future to score a hit on them.

The funeral cortege filed its way to the Opunake cemetery where past histories of the early residents were contained in the epilogue on their tombstones. The hearse with its occupants weaved its way on the cemetery road to come to a stop at the open graveside set aside from any other site. After all it would not be proper to have the latest occupant buried too close to the families of note who were there. For one thing the name was not of an ancestral family and was clearly of a foreign nature. The boy stood close to the open grave and watched the coffin being lowered into the darkness of the ground. As he listened to the priest intone the last rituals he did not shed any tears, the hurt was too deep. Dirt placed in his hand to throw over the coffin in the ground did not stir his emotions. As he threw the dirt he felt a familiar strong and gentle hand placed on his back. The hand began steering him back to the hearse, ‘we must go now and be taken to the church for the customary eating and drinking after the funeral.’ With sadness and reluctance to leave the graveside the boy quietly went with the guiding hand. He vowed to himself he would not forget and find out how his beloved had died and by whose hand no matter if it took a lifetime.

Those citizens who had gone to the gravesite began to wander about the cemetery rereading the names on the tombstones. They reminded themselves of their ancestors’ importance in their lives and proudly boasted of their historical exploits. How sad they thought that the last person’s name to be buried there would not have any historical significance and would over time fade away from people’s memories. After all, the name was nothing like Aitken, Brennan, Cavaney, Feaver, Hickey, Hughson, Julian, Lambie, Layard, Leahy, Mourie, or Strong. Yes there were many courageous early settlers who had created Opunake and influenced its development buried in their cemetery. Many of the streets of Opunake were named in the memory of earlier residents. However there was a foreign name of some repute remembered in their history. Though not buried there, Ferdinand Gustavius Von Tempsky was of Polish descent. He was the leader of the Forest Rangers in 1865 who built the redoubt on the cliff top, where the Power Board had built their pipeline through from the lake to the beach. Von Tempsky had served in the Armed Constabulary in the Taranaki Province during the Hauhaus rampage. He was burned on a funeral pyre by Titokowaru his foe with twenty two of his followers at Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu. An honourable event by all accounts history had said.

The five teen age boys continued to remain friends through to their adulthood, more out of fear than comradeship. Their relationship though first built on bravado changed over the years to one of resentment and mistrust. They developed the habit of being watchful of each other not wanting to be betrayed by one of them accidentally or intentionally by telling of their escapade. As young men the fear of being found out caused each one of them to remain in the Opunake area. The five eventually married local girls and most created families of similar ilk. As adults only one continued to work on his father’s farm. The others left farming to find different types of work but within the district. Not one of them wanted to leave Opunake to ensure the others were constantly reminded of their deed of righteousness and their vow of secrecy, to death. Nevertheless three of the five had begun to feel a little remorse over the years and would have made amends if they could. The ones who had no remorse became men of disrepute in the Opunake community and were considered violent and callous men.

The Opunake community moved on and in time the day of that funeral passed into the back memories of the residents. They would not be reminded until many years later when the boy of the deceased returned. Some were fearful of his role in the community and were quite relived when he moved on again without being exposed of the righteous act and of their participation in it. However the boy as an older man returned a second time as someone of importance and esteem. Then the righteous ones would too learn that time eventually revealed its secrets.

CHAPTER TWO

In full throttle the trail bike roared towards the edge of the cliff with rider and pillion braced against the wind. The rider leaned over on his right with knee almost skimming the ground and stopped the bike within a few feet of the edge of the cliff before hurtling into the sea below.

‘Stop hanging on so tight.’ Brennan complained to his pillion rider. ‘I was so scared we would go over,’ responded Nicole with a trembling voice indicating her fear and anxiety. ‘I’m not ready to die, got to catch the old man’s killer yet,’ boasted Brennan. Brennan was reprimanded again. ‘Only hope you don’t get us killed while you’re looking,’ ‘As I said, I’m not dying just yet, Nicole.’ he replied with sarcasm. ‘I don’t like riding with you when you’re in a mood, didn’t think you would stop.’ ‘Brakes are good and I do know what I’m doing. I’m not into losing my bike. Still feels good when you hang on tight though, pressed up against me like that.’ ‘Is that why you like to scare me, so you can feel my tits on your back? Brennan you are one sick bastard.’ ‘Prefer them on my front, you know how it is. Look there is old Queenie getting her paua. Bet her old man sent her out, too bloody pissed to get them himself.’ Brennan glad to have a distraction pointed towards the rocks below. ‘Not everyone is a drunk, Brennan he is an old man with bad gout and can’t walk down to the rocks.’ ‘Sea food and booze, really helpful for his health I don’t think.’ ‘What’s the matter with you anyway? You don’t like seafood and drink plenty of booze, so leave them alone.’

Nicole’s irritation at Brennan’s attitude sounded in her voice. Brennan seemed to be always at odds with her lately and took every opportunity to get at her in some way or another. She knew he resented her family situation and the way she had to hide being with him from her father. Nicole thought she understood why her father did not want her to be in a relationship with Brennan. However Nicole had her own reasons for defying her father and ideas about her future where Brennan was concerned. Playing her cards right she would become free of her fathers’ control and abuse of her. Nicole had carefully planned what would be in her best interest when choosing to become Brennan’s girl. However recent issues had emerged that could have caused her plans to become unstuck. Tony a cousin whom Nicole had not known existed had recently arrived at her home looking for his lost uncle and aunt.

Nicole knew Brennan had a problem about Tony visiting with her family. His jealousy was getting the better of him as he thought Nicole was attracted to Tony. No matter how much she tried to tell Brennan that her father insisted she stay around the family home while Tony was staying with them, he would scornfully suggest otherwise. Brennan could not shake off the thought that Nicole was having a good time with Tony. Nicole was not able to spend as much time with Brennan as she usually did. He had seen her in the township with Tony walking together like lovers in Brennan’s eyes. Tony had arrived from Auckland one day to visit his distant uncle, aunt and cousins. He was a few years older than Nicole and was quite good looking. His mother an Italian immigrant had married Nicole’s father’s brother. Though Nicole liked Tony she was not interested in him in a romantic way. Tony had an Italian way about him, affectionate and open to showing his feelings, which could easily be misinterpreted.

‘There is nothing the matter with me but you.’ Brennan retorted. ‘I saw you cuddling up to that cousin of yours yesterday walking up the town.’ ‘I wasn’t cuddling up to him at all. He only had his arm around me. He’s Italian friendly that’s all.’ Nicole said in her defence. ‘He’s my cousin for goodness sake. I didn’t even know he existed until he turned up here. His parents split up and he found his own way here.’ ‘I don’t like the way he is with you and I think you are being more than cousin friendly with him.’ Brennan revved up his bike indicating to Nicole the conversation was at an end. Old Queenie on hearing the bike roaring into life looked up the cliff face overhanging the rocks below where she was gathering paua. She waved to the rider and his pillion passenger as they turned and raced away along the cliff top.

Brennan dropped Nicole off by her family farm gate. She walked up the long driveway to her home as she always did when with Brennan. Nicole’s parents had not liked her association with the Hamner brothers believing no good would come of it for her. Nicole born into a farming family was the third child of a family of five children. She was academically bright, a talented sports girl and one of the key players of the local community netball team. Nicole had left college after passing her university entrance exams. She had chosen to begin her working life at the local haberdashery store situated in Tasman Street.

Nicole had been attracted to the Hamner brothers while at school because they seemed to have a lot of freedom and deliberately snubbed authority in whatever form it took. Nicole saw a way to free herself from the control of her father and expectations of being a nice girl. She wanted to escape from the smallness of a rural town and its’ knowing of everything about everybody who lived there. The Hamner boys offered a way for her as she believed that one day they would ride out of the district never to return. Nicole intended to go with them when the opportunity presented itself. Nicole also felt a little sorry for the Hamner brothers and their seemingly sad and lonely lives.

Nicole had not intended to become sexually active with either of the two brothers but had over the time become closer to Brennan. He showed his affection in a different way than that of her father to her mother. Brennan could be quite jealous without reason sometimes which brought out the worst in him. He also had a violent temper that intensified when he drank too much alcohol. Murdock his older brother was also of a quick temper with a propensity to be vicious with his words which could cut deep. Both brothers could perceive criticism even if none had been intended. Nicole though liking Murdock felt more attracted to Brennan. She also knew Murdock was sweet on her and probably in the long term would be better for her than Brennan. Nevertheless she felt more connected with Brennan.

Nicole liked to ride on the back of Brennan’s motor bike or in his beach buggy when he went roaring through the Opunake town late at night. Both Brennan and Murdock liked to show their contempt of the town. They would ride with likeminded friends late at night making as much roaring motor noise as they possibly could. Sometimes in the stillness of the night the echo of the motor noise would sound like it was everywhere. The residents would become confused and not be able to discern where the culprits actually were. Brennan and Murdock were often treated in a condescending way by some of the residents of Opunake who thought they were poor things. Others thought they were budding criminals and intent on bringing the criminally minded into Opunake. Most residents would have been happy to see Brennan, Murdock and their likeminded friends leave as soon as they could. They also thought Nicole was being a silly girl getting caught up with the two brothers and their cohorts.

CHAPTER THREE

Detective Senior Sergeant Field Supervisor Aleksander Jaruzelski of the New Zealand Police Criminal Investigation Branch enjoyed the warmth of the winter sun on his face as he drove over the long winding road from Poipoi towards New Plymouth. The rays of the sun flickered through the poplars lining the road like neon lights at a dance disco. He was momentarily blinded by the setting sun which seemed to sit on his car bonnet as he turned a sharp corner. He was reminded of the sun’s low descent during the winter months. Fortunately there was no other traffic travelling on the other side of the road, otherwise he may have found himself grinding into the hillside of Mt Messenger to avoid a collision.

Travelling from the Waikato Police District to the Central Police District bought back many memories for Aleksander. The Awakino Gorge flooding and endless slips from the hillside cuttings, blocking the road for days on end. Articulated trucks jacking and milk tankers’ spilling their load into the river as they tried to circumnavigate the tight bends too quickly. Foolish drivers who drove too fast ended up in the river when they miscalculated the distance needed to get around sharp corners. Sometimes black ice would cause unsuspecting drivers to end up in the river. They could become stuck in the culvert at the side of the road or even hanging over the edge of the hill. Yes he could remember well those days as he drove from Hamilton to Taranaki, his old haunt.

Aleksander Jaruzelski marvelled at the view as he travelled through Mokau and over the undulating road above the coast line. Snow covered Mt Taranaki stood out against the light blue sky and the white capped blue- green sea. The view was quite spectacular as dusk began to draw a curtain of night down upon the mountain, bringing with it an orange-red blaze sunset. Feelings of nostalgia swept through him while listening to Federick Chopin’s Revolutionary Etude on the BBC radio classical programme. He thought of his father Tadeusz, whose love of Chopin had influenced Aleksander during his childhood. Tadeusz had played Chopin on his violin when he had sentimental yearnings for his homeland.

Tadeusz was very patriotic and believed that Aleksander should know about his country, Poland. Aleksander had recently travelled to Poland for his sabbatical leave and to fulfil a long life desire to know of his cultural heritage. He felt the deep sadness rise again to almost cause tears, as he remembered. With a sigh he shuffled a little in his seat refocusing his mind from the retribution he had often wished he could have delivered. He channelled his thoughts to his present situation and what was expected of him.

Methanex the methanol plant, lit up like a landing spaceship distracted Aleksander from his reverie. He thought of the foreign fishing boats outside the non fishing zone getting their quota of squid. Also other fish that might have been trapped in the long lines of fine nets dragged across the ocean floor. Past Waitara, a small rural town on the coastal plain that used to have a large meat processing plant. Aleksander had worked there as a young man for his first employment. He thought an interesting history there and a strong minded community who stood for what they believed. Not easily influenced and passively resistant to outsider interference in their lives.

Arriving at the New Plymouth Central Business District, Aleksander decided to park his car near the Motel he would be staying at. Taking a quick walk around the shopping area he noted the many changes since his last visit many years before. Most of the shops had closed for the night. He looked for a place to have a meal and found an Indian restaurant which he thought would suffice. He was not expected at the New Plymouth Police Station until the following day. However Detective Senior Sergeant Aleksander Jaruzelski decided to pay a visit to the Station unannounced. Being a no nonsense man, he wanted to see how the station looked without the pomp and ceremony the officers would want to afford him the next morning. He stood in the public lobby for a moment or two assessing the interior of the building. He wanted to see any change since he had been Policing in the Province. He also wanted to get a sense of the business and activities of current staff. At first no one took very much notice of him until eventually Nigel Read the Duty Constable politely inquired of Aleksander how he could be helped.

Detective Senior Sergeant Jaruzelski gave Constable Read his card as he pressed his finger to his lips indicating that he wanted to remain incognito. He quietly said, ‘I would like to inspect the office I will be using while on secondment here if you can direct me or take me there yourself.’ Constable Read somewhat surprised took Jaruzelski through the public lobby and down the corridor to the room which would be used as the Detective Senior Sergeant’s office while he was in the region.

‘Did you have a safe journey down Sir?’ inquired Constable Read, as he opened the office door.

‘Yes thank you Constable.’ Constable Read wanting to be helpful towards Detective Senior Sergeant Jaruzelski continued, ‘There was a terrible storm a few days ago, which devastated quite a few areas in the region. Good to know you didn’t have too much trouble on your way down. Is there anything else I can do for you Sir?’ Aleksander indicated that Constable Read would not be required any further and could return to his duties. He looked about the room and made some mental notes of several resources he would need to fulfil his commission in the region.

Putting out the light in the room Aleksander closed the door and made his way down the corridor to an outside entrance. Finding himself in the staff parking area, he noticed several police cars parked and two bicycles leaning against the building wall. The following morning after his official welcome and his orientation around the Police station, he decided that the silver Holden would do as a mufti car for his work within the Taranaki Province. He found the place where he would park his own BMW while using the Police vehicle. Aleksander left the Police Station to walk back to the Motel. He thought a stroll through Pukekura Park would be a pleasant distraction when he needed to think away from official demands. If he ever managed to get a day off occasionally he would enjoy the pleasant surroundings of the park.

Returning to the Motel and finding his room Detective Senior Sergeant Aleksander Jaruzelski settled down. Opening his brief case he took out the briefing he had about his secondment to the Taranaki Province. Aleksander had mixed feelings about being back in the Taranaki. He decided he would maintain his usual detachment from any personal issues while working in his professional role. Personal issues may be able to be dealt with during the course of his work but were not his primary focus. He had a definite course of action he needed to take regarding his tenure there. He could not allow himself to be distracted by personal unfinished business. However Aleksander knew he would not let go any opportunity that presented itself to him about his personal quest. He would nevertheless be mindful that personal interest did not lead him away from his real task. Sleep did not come easily that night as his mind had begun to release some of his past experiences and unfinished business that lay in the rural town of Opunake.

‘Opunake?’

‘Yes, Opunake, I believe some trouble is going on down there. I don’t think it is about the storm, I think the boys are at it again.’ The following morning Detective Jaruzelski followed the two Constables down the corridor listening to their discussion with interest. Engrossed in their conversation they had not noticed him coming up behind them.

‘What do you think May? Should we both go down or do you want to go on your own to start the preliminary investigation?’ Constable Glenn winked at Constable May indicating that he wouldn’t mind a sortie to Opunake himself.

‘Better check with Senior Sergeant MacLain’, constable May replied with a smile.