Death on Dangar Island

Monday Morning

It was only just light when a bleary-eyed Dorothy blinked away sleep. She gasped and clutched the blanket to her chest when she realised Israel was in the room.

‘No need for alarm, Dorothy. It’s only me. I’ve been out sitting with my birds.’

‘Oh there you are, Iz. Come on, you two. We need to get down to the ferry to meet this snake bloke.’ Gary poked his head out from the kitchen, coffee cup in hand.

‘As you can see, I am ready when you are, my friend. Dorothy, on the other hand …’

‘All right, all right. Just give me a minute, will you?’ she grumbled.

After a brief, ill-tempered hike, they made it across the island just in time to see the first ferry from Brooklyn pull in at the wharf.

Greg the snake man stepped off the boat dressed in a ‘hi-viz’ neon-yellow shirt, carrying his pole, net and box. Israel observed that, despite the heat, he was wearing thick socks and sturdy boots, below his tradesmen’s shorts.

Greg was a short, cheerful bald man with a sharp nose and darting eyes. After shaking hands and saying g’day, he glanced up the path leading from the cafe.

‘Right. Let’s go find that snake, shall we?’ he said with genuine enthusiasm.

As they guided him back across the island to Dot’s house, he gave them a little lecture on what to do if they came across a snake in the wild. ‘If you don’t want to get bitten, then for Christ’s sake don’t run. If you stop dead in your tracks and stay absolutely still, then no snake will bite ya. Just remember, snakes don’t bite trees, so act like a tree and you’ll be right.’

Israel was dubious about this course of action. He thought to himself that if a snake appeared in front of them at that very instant, he would leave Greg standing like a tree and run away as fast as his old body could manage.

Once they made it to Dot’s place, Greg strolled through the front door without a moment’s hesitation. Not more than five minutes later, he reappeared with a big smile and a very large snake draped across his shoulders and down one arm. ‘Here’s your fearsome creature!’ he said cheerily, giving the snake’s solid belly a little pat. ‘He’s a beauty too. A lovely diamond python – nothing to be afraid of.’

Gary chuckled and Israel’s body went back to its usual loose-limbed stance.

‘Don’t you want to hold him?’ Greg started moving to place the snake on Dot’s shoulders.

‘Not bloody likely!’ she shrieked and pulled away.

Greg just laughed and started to slide the python into his mesh sack. ‘I’m not kidding about him being friendly, darl. He came right up to me as soon as he saw me and wanted to give me a cuddle. I reckon he could be somebody’s pet and he’s just got out for a bit of fresh air. Anyway,’ he sighed breezily, ‘I guess I’ll take him back home with me and give him a feed. If anyone comes looking for their pet python, just give them my card.’

Dot was not looking amused. ‘If someone comes looking for a lost python, I’ll give them more than just your card, mate! Now are you sure my place is okay to go back in? I’ve got some sleep to catch up on.’

After walking a tense Dorothy through her house to show her there were no other hidden nasties, the relentlessly genial snake man said he would be off. Just as he was leaving, Israel came over and spoke to him in a confidential tone.

‘You can understand why the poor woman is so jumpy. No doubt you heard that the tragedy which occurred here very recently has been blamed on a snake.’