The Dublin Detective

Conor Lynch

And a drunk on the bus told me how to get rich

I was glad we weren’t going too far...

Summer in Dublin

Bagatelle

For Deirdre

Chapter One

Finglas, Dublin

He stood at the entrance to the Garda station and took a deep breath. Four steps upwards would change everything. He didn’t have to go through with this but there was no point in delaying. The truth would come out eventually. The November chill brought neither comfort nor incentive for him to stay outside, and the continuous rain of the past week was the final spur that forced him to take his first step.

An automatic sliding door served its function and blasted a wave of warm air in his face as he entered the hallway. A desk faced him, housing a Garda, remonstrating with a youth in a tracksuit.

“I don’t care if your mother and sister and great Aunty Nora are pregnant as well. I’m not signing it without full identification!” The Guard noticed the newcomer at the door.

“Look man...I have to get stuff for the baby yeh? I don’ want this hassle, know wha’r I mean? I need me dole and I need...” The youth flailed an arm back into the direction of a girl who was sitting on a chair to the right of the doorway.

David Corcoran hadn’t moved since entering the station. He glanced at the girl who was heavily pregnant. She sat slumped in the chair with her legs spread. Her grey tracksuit bottoms sagging precariously below her navel. She looked at Corcoran with a scowling lip which said, ‘what are you looking at?’ He looked away, eager not to get embroiled in any altercation, and walked to the left-hand side of the doorway and sat down on an orange plastic chair. There were leaflets on a table in front of him and he took one on family law, in order to look disinterested.

The youth’s argument, after what David presumed had started well before he had entered, finished abruptly with a venomous snarl. Grabbing the form, he turned towards the exit.

“Fucking joke is all it is.” He tried to mask his agitation with long lazy strides. Just as the door slid back, he mouthed, “’mon” in the direction of the girl, without looking at her and carried on out to the street. The girl wangled her way into an upright position like a caterpillar wriggling from its cocoon and grimacing, she blew out a puff of air. She fixed her tracksuit, steadied herself and began to follow her partner. As she waited for the door to slide back, she looked at Corcoran.

“Prick,” she said and walked out.

An elderly woman who had been sitting next to her ‘tut tutted’ and shook her head in David’s direction before making her way to the desk.

There was nobody else in the waiting area. David tapped his foot, as if in the dentist’s waiting room. For once he wished he was, and unlike the elderly lady, this was not the simple task of a passport renewal form. He could hear muffled voices and laughter, presumably from the garda’s colleagues. The smell from a microwaved dinner, cooked a minute too long, permeated into the reception area.

“You’re welcome, madam,” the Guard reciprocated, smiling to the elderly lady, pleased that this last customer was a ray of light as opposed to her predecessor. As she packed her correspondence into her handbag, the Guard nodded in David’s direction as he patiently waited for her to vacate the area.

“Bye-bye now.”

“Good bye Madam, and say a prayer for me in Lourdes!” The Guard smiled as she ambled to the doorway. The sliding door whooshed back again, and a blast of wind gushed through as she fixed her headscarf.

“Oh, it’s very wild out now,” she said, turning to the Guard.

David fidgeted in his seat, ‘Just fucking go will you’, he muttered to himself, willing the woman to leave.

“Another few days of it too I believe,” the Guard replied, both hands now out wide on the desk, in command of his position. He was in his fifties, heavy-set with grey wavy hair and sideburns. ‘Trapped in the seventies’ David thought as he waited to be signalled forward.

“Now sir.” The Guard motioned his hand and head in synchronicity, as if calling traffic on at the junction outside.

David jumped, despite his eyes never having left the desk. He placed the leaflet neatly back on the pile, stood up, and made his way across the hallway.

The strobe lighting bore down heavily on him and he winced as he approached the Guard. The Guard used these two or three seconds to gauge the demeanour of his next client.

David stood at the desk, attempted to place his hands on top, before quickly retracting them.

“Em, my name is David Corcoran. I live in Glasnevin...just down there by the Botanical Gardens. Em...I need to speak to someone about a delicate…situation...Would that be yourself?”

The Guard looked at him curiously and re-positioned himself, upright, not in a lounging fashion like these new young fellas just out of the trainee college in Templemore.

“Well, Mr. Corcoran, do you want to give me some indication as to what this is about? And I can see if I can deal with it here before referring you to someone else...if needs be of course.” He opened his palms in David’s direction. The body language training paying off as he offered the olive branch of trust.

Corcoran looked over his shoulder as if fifty people had secretly entered the station behind him and were hell bent on hearing what he had to say.

The door slid open again and David looked back nervously. There was no one there. A black cat scurried by, paused looked inside and carried on its way.

David turned back to face the Guard. There was a lingering pause, and the Guard, also in silence, nodded, for David to proceed.

“It’s eh..my wife, Roisin..Roisin Corcoran...em, she’s gone missing.”

The Guard placed his hands back into the formal position on the desk and looked on inquisitively.

Throwing his head to one side and his eyes downwards, he asked, “Now when you say missing sir, what do you mean exactly?”

“Well, I came home from work and she would…my wife would…normally be there...I mean, she should have been there and she wasn’t. I waited an hour or so, thinking she had skipped out to the supermarket but there was nothing...she didn’t come back. I rang her mobile and texted her but just got her voicemail and no reply. One hour led to two and then nothing else. I became frantic as the evening got darker and I knew something must be wrong.”

There was a momentary silence. The laughter from the back had stopped. The whirring of the air conditioning was the only sound.

“I see. So, there was no row or anything this morning?

“No... Nothing like that.”

“No family emergency...her mother may have taken ill?”

“No.”

The Guard reached for his log-book and flicked it open to find the next available page. He smiled gently as he sifted back and forth with a dampened fingertip.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Corcoran...these things usually sort themselves out. Modern living. We all need a bit of space from the mortgage and the broken washing machine.” He chuckled as he looked at the serious face before him.

Peering down at the book again and picking up his pen, he asked. “Now then, what date are we saying your wife went missing?”

“The twenty-ninth.”

The Guard pursed his lips into an ‘O’ shape and looked up at David.

“I don’t think so... you must have the date wrong.” He turned to a calendar hanging on the wall behind him and tapped it with his biro. “Sure, today is the twenty-ninth. There we are, Tuesday, November twenty-ninth.”

David shuffled nervously on his feet.

“No, it was the twenty-ninth...of October. Last month.”

Chapter Two

Detective Sergeant Steph Reilly had passed her sergeant exams two years earlier. She was relatively young to have done so but had proven herself in the interim and she was highly regarded amongst her colleagues. She had been in the force over ten years and had experienced a lot in that time. However, as she sat across the table from David Corcoran, she couldn’t help but feel that this interview was already going to a bad place.

She stood up to get some perspective. Folding her arms, she faced the wall with her back to him before eventually turning around and speaking.

“So, let me get this straight, Mr. Corcoran. Your wife went missing a month to the day practically and you have only decided to report her disappearance now? Can you explain that to me?”

Corcoran was sitting with his eyes peering down at the table. He wiped away a bead of perspiration on his forehead as he fidgeted in his seat. Reilly observed his full head of dark hair that was parted neatly down on one side. He was quite an attractive man, dark skin contrasted against unusually blue eyes.

“I know it sounds strange, detective...I’d say the same myself but I thought she would have come back...of her own accord.”

“Mr. Corcoran, you told Garda Kearney that you became alarmed when she didn’t return after two hours from Tesco. So, you can understand why we’re a little confused as to why you are now only highlighting her disappearance a month later.”

She looked to her colleague, Detective Mattie Cole. Cole, a gruff Mayo man who gave snorts of disbelief every so often and was not in the least bit sympathetic to the man facing them.

Corcoran had taken his seat back in the reception area an hour previously. Garda Kearney had come inside to get further assistance, which had taken another twenty minutes or so. Corcoran sat in silence, wondering should he make a bolt for the door but knew it would be fruitless. The Gardai would find him in no time and the situation would be a hundred times worse. After half an hour ‘a girl,’ as he described her to himself, had come out from behind the desk. He thought she was a secretary when he saw her first, but when she introduced herself as the Detective Sergeant, she must have seen his surprise. She only looked about nineteen. Slim, attractive, blonde fair hair tied in a ponytail. Nothing fancy in the line of clothes. Black trousers and a white blouse. She seemed more like a student doctor than leading a gang of coppers. Facing her now though, he knew she was a lot tougher than her persona implied.

Initially, after being brought in through reception he had been left in a waiting area with comfy sofas. Now however, he was in an interview room. A bare table with three chairs. Only one of them on his side.

************

Steph Reilly put her hands on the table. For the first time, this seemed more like an interrogation than an informal chat, to Corcoran

“Should I call a solicitor?” he asked nervously.

“Not unless you feel you need one.” It was Cole answering, a little too glib for Reillys’ liking. She threw him a disapproving glance.

“No, it’s not that. I know this looks funny, but I’ve been beside myself since this all happened. I didn’t know what to do. Who to turn to.

Steph frowned.

“Friends? Neighbours? Were they not wondering where your wife is?”

Corcoran shifted in his chair and looked up at them. “Roisin has a small circle of friends that she would meet once a month...so it’s not out of the ordinary for her to be incognito for a while.”

“Even if they met up once a month, surely, they would phone her, text, WhatsApp, Facebook? This is the age of no privacy, Mr. Corcoran.” Steph was becoming agitated and finding his story increasingly incongruous. How convenient there were no friends or family. People who didn’t call that often. What next? Did his wife work?

“No... I have my own business.” He sniffled, embarrassed. “We are quite well off. She’d look over the books every now and then, but more so for something to do.”

Steph placed her arms into a folded position. Was this guy for real? She thought of her own situation. She was probably a few years younger than Corcoran, married and had baby at home. A few friends, not unlike his wife presumably, with whom she shared an occasional glass of wine. When Liam, her husband was about, she preferred to spend her free time with him. So, to think she could go missing off the face of the earth for a month without anybody noticing was nigh on impossible. Sometimes she dreamed of the chance.

This story had so many things wrong with it. Steph knew already she would need a bigger team. What was developing before her was effectively a missing person’s investigation. The resources required would be immense. How was she going to tell the press they were looking for someone urgently, but that person had been missing for over a month? Her bosses, headed up by Superintendent Dennehy, would want full disclosure on this guy before allocating any extra resources. Dennehy was fair to her, but he was professional and had to account for his budgets too.

She wasn’t going to solve this in the next fifteen minutes.

She pulled out a chair and sat down again trying to keep her voice calm.

“Mr. Corcoran, you know how strange this all seems to us. You know there are a hundred and one questions we have that you should really be telling us the answer to...”

“But I have told you...”

Steph put up a hand batting back the interruption. Her chin lifting as she spoke.

“Mr. Corcoran, Mr. Corcoran, please let me finish.”

Corcoran sat back in his seat like a reprimanded schoolboy.

“We need to establish a lot more facts here. We also need to know every last detail of what has happened before we can go anywhere. And that means from the second you got up that day for work until the moment you walked in here. Detective Cole will take you to another room and go through this thoroughly with you. We will then -”

“Oh, Christ there isn’t time! “Corcoran cried out. He placed his hands into his head and started whingeing uncontrollably.

Cole jumped from his seat with the shock of the sudden outburst. Steph alarmed too, slid her chair back from the table.

“Mr. Corcoran, David...What do you mean?”

They both waited for the sobbing to abate. Even when it did, there was no reply.

Steph stood up again and came halfway around the table. Cautiously she placed a hand on Corcoran’s shoulder, coaxing him to answer.

“David, what is it? What do you mean we don’t have time?”

Corcoran looked up at her bleary-eyed. The fear was palpable, an emotion that had not been there earlier. With his bottom lip quivering, he looked at her. It was pitiful.

“They took her. They took Rosie...they threatened me not to say anything. I gave them money and then heard nothing for ten days. Then Roisin rang and they were in the background. They want more money. She sounded so frightened. Please help me...please. We’re running out of time.”

Steph Reilly looked over at Cole. His look in return had no answer. Shit, this was big and they were right in the thick of it. She would be living this one day and night for the foreseeable future. Selfishly she felt nervous for herself. Had she got what would be required to find this woman? This was the first major test of her career as the lead.

She stepped away from Corcoran and tried to get a handle on the situation. Steph was in charge and it was imperative she entered ‘in charge’ mode now. She opened her hand wide as she made her point. Her fingers capturing his eyeline.

“Ok, David, the plan is still the same. We have to get every detail from you before we can move this forward. We’ll start as I said with Detective Cole and his team. We need to get the information to form a starting point. Is there any other detail you want to tell us before we get into the specifics?

Corcoran was sobbing and mumbling. Broken now, all composure erased.

“Yes.”

Cole frowned.

“Sorry, Mr. Corcoran. But is there something else we need to know at this stage?”

“Yes.”

Corcoran sniffed and wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve.

“They have our little girl too.”

Chapter Three

Within hours a press release had been issued. Steph peered out from the top floor of Finglas Garda station. The rain was incessant. Despite the inclement weather, there was already a troupe of reporters assembling at the door. Soon they would be inside for the press conference that she was required to head up. If she had the full facts, she would feel more confident in her ability to deliver. Something in her bones told her that the story that had been presented to the team wasn’t adding up and David Corcoran was being frugal with the truth. Cole had interviewed him further, trying to ascertain a more detailed look at the chain of events. Corcoran had told a tale that saw him arrive home on the day Roisin went missing, he had found Roisin’s car still in the driveway. On entering the house, he saw her mobile phone and purse on the countertop in the kitchen. He said the house was silent, unusual with a small child that was always singing. Everything had appeared normal apart from the silence. There didn’t appear to have been much in the line of a disturbance.

He noticed Chloe’s toys scattered on the floor, as if her playing had been interrupted. From what he could tell, her anorak was also gone, meaning that Roisin had obviously had that split second to dress the child.

This irked Steph Reilly. Something so trivial didn’t fit in. Surely in the panic of a kidnapping, zipping up a child as if they were off to the shops would not be a priority. Or, more to the point, why take the mother at all?

Corcoran stated that he had waited for days before getting the initial phone call. This lodged in Steph’s gut also. Why did he wait days to get a phone call? A phone call that may not necessarily have ever come? Surely if his wife and child had been missing for even just one night, he would have, or should have, been more proactive? When Cole pushed David on this point, he had stuttered and waved a hand, as if the stress of the situation had not allowed him to think straight.

There had been no ransom note in the house. Corcoran went on to explain that the phone call was from a man. It was a foreign accent, youngish, he couldn’t really tell. He had been asked to deliver ten thousand euro to a bin on a side street along the Liffey, he couldn’t remember the name but could show them the laneway. He had supposedly put the money in the bin and was instructed to walk away. He followed this through and that was the last he had heard until the week before when he got the second call. The call where Roisin had spoken to him. He was to organise more money. Two hundred and fifty grand and a further two hundred and fifty later. That was a week ago, he said. He had made the first payment, again to the same delivery point, but had since heard nothing. He became alarmed, and fearing the kidnappers were happy with the two hundred and fifty grand, and had done something to his family, he came to the police.

There was a knock on the door and Steph was alerted to Cole.

“Sarge, the press is lined up and ready. Let’s get this over with so we can get on with things, yeh?”

Steph nodded and said nothing. She worked well with Cole. He knew how she ticked. It was obvious she was under pressure and he could tell. She liked that trust in him.

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

Cole reciprocated the nod and closed the door.

Christ how was this going to pan out? she wondered, as she picked up some files and tucked them under her arm. May as well look as if she knew what she was doing. The truth was, despite all his help, she was going to need a lot more than Cole. But where would it come from?

Chapter Four

As it enters the village of Chapelizod from the city, the tiny country road narrows, leaving barely enough room for two cars to pass at the same time. It is an old village and many of the original houses still have the character from their earlier years. The school up a laneway, the quaint cottages and the river flowing behind them which brings the yearly fear of flood. In the midst of this quaintness, a new Ireland is evolving. Apartment blocks have sprung up, nestled between the houses. A Eurospar now stands in place of the distillery that was once there. The land has been developed into a square where a Christmas tree is placed annually or a summer fair takes place in June. In the fifties, a motorbike racing track held competitions drawing large crowds, as did the football team that now no longer exists. The “Izods” as they were known, had some successes and fans gathered to watch their hero’s soccer exploits. Chapelizod is different now. A modern town for a new Ireland.

One of the most recent additions is an internet cafe called Clive’s. The cafe faces apartment blocks and is where many of the twenty something’s come to meet. Tables complement multi-coloured beanbags and the coffee is good but the wi-fi signal is beyond brilliant. A young man sat at a table and alternated his musings between his phone and his surroundings. He watched as the owner, Tony, was it? yeh Tony busied himself behind with coffees and lunches. He wondered if Tony’s scones were being preferred over his contacts in the technology company. Either way it was a good time post -pandemic to sell coffee. This place was outside the main city and had a large clientele who liked their daily fix of Brazil and Colombia’s finest...and their wi-fi.

A flatscreen television hung on the bare stone wall and was showing the early morning news and a re-run of the press conference from the previous evening. A woman and child had been kidnapped, the strange twist being that it was over a month ago and the husband had only come forward.

“Strange that?” Tony wiped the counter and spoke over to him.

“Hmm” came the reply. “Not sure if we’re hearing the full story on that one. Can I get a top-up on this?”

Tony looked at the coffee cup. He frowned and came around the counter with the jug. He filled the guy’s cup and walked back to the counter. The young man laughed to himself, thinking that Tony hadn’t fully decided on a “top-up policy”. It meant he was losing a potential second sale and this wasn’t New York. He got the feeling that Tony seemed to like him, not that he knew him that well. Despite the fact that he was in a lot.

**********

Tony returned back to his safe place, beside the cash register. He looked at the man he had just served. Student type. Good looking, neat hair. Fit enough, seeing that he seemed to spend most of his day looking at his iPhone and drinking creamy coffee. What had he said his name was? Lewis, Lou...?

His name was Louie Gill.

***********

Louie went back to scrolling his phone. A recently graduated student in Physics, he knew he should be entering the jobs market at the higher end of the scale. He was twenty-seven and, after completing his course he had continued his studies to obtain a master’s degree, achieving top grades in both. The problem was that it was too easy. How could anyone find Physics easy? Louie did. The bigger problem was that he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life doing it. His friends teased him with images and memes of mad scientists in white coats and exploding laboratories. Louie took it on the chin but underneath he knew that it would never be him. He had felt pushed to go down this route because of his brilliant leaving certificate. His parents were egged on by an overzealous headmaster who was almost salivating at his A-student. His student getting top marks in the country and he only had to name the college who would take him on with a scholarship.

In fairness, Louie could see the rationale but his easy-going nature was not strong enough to say, ‘well actually I’d rather do something different’ and six years later he was sitting here with more degrees than a thermometer but not having a clue as to what to do next.

He put his phone to one side and thought about his nearest and dearest again.

Everyone was on his case. His parents, his friends, but lately, and in her defence, she had never been pushy, his girlfriend, Grainne. Grainne, on the other hand had qualified as an accountant. Louie was proud of her. She had worked hard and, although not as naturally talented academically as he was, she had achieved a lot. She was also holding down a well-paid job that allowed her to have her own apartment. This was where a lot of the trouble started. Grainne lived in her own place that she paid for herself from her own hard-earned money. Louie, on the other hand lived alone. Grainne thought he had it too easy. Louie knew she was right. She felt that it also gave the wrong vibe. Where was he going with his life? He had no career and an apartment paid for from ‘the bank of dad.’ What did that say about maturity and, more so what about them? Of course, she was thinking of settling down and yes maybe in a few years, marriage. But every time the conversation came up, along came that cold feeling that scared Louie.

Grainne was a Galwegian. They had met while both studying in Dublin City University. She had rented and after graduating, decided that Ashtown, near to the Phoenix Park, was a fairly central hub to live and great for her commute. They had met simply by passing each other on campus daily. Louie started to notice Grainne because of her smile. Not that it was directed at him, but she had such a pleasant demeanour. It seemed to always ensure that her aura was positive. He started to smile back. The first time he did it, he got no reaction, she hadn’t seen him. But the next time she saw this stranger trying to catch her attention, well that was the first time he noticed her frowning. He decided that maybe it was coming across as a bit weird. A few weeks later the college had organised a summer barbecue and, as everyone converged on the rooftop of the engineering building, in the warm summer sun, he actually had a genuine opportunity to speak to her.

He was in a group of fellow physicists when three girls approached, full of the joys of summer. One of them, a redhead, shouted. “Who is more exciting? Accountants or physic... or fizz …”

The physics students looked down to the ground and Grainne, who was holding up the redhead, apologised to Louie, who was nearest to her.

“Oh, it’s no trouble... really. We’re not that exciting anyway.” Grainne laughed at his self-demeaning attitude and let go of her friend gently, into the arms of Louie’s two colleagues who were at a loss as what to do next. Grainne and Louie shared a beer together and the rest was not history, but accountancy and physics. People often commented at the scary thought of their intelligent children.

That was seven years ago and happy go lucky student life had transitioned into the big world. They were still a very content couple but a lot of their friends were moving on and Grainne, too, now had that end game in sight. Whether Louie was choosing to be aware of it, or not, was something she was labouring over in her mind.

Louie stood up, took one look at the rain and sighed as he put on his light Harrington jacket. He nodded at Tony and made his way out onto the street. It was still bucketing down.

Shit, he thought as he turned left and headed for Knockmaroon hill. His apartment was a ten-minute walk and was located at the bottom. The hill was something he had to negotiate on a daily basis. Nevertheless, today he was going to get wet and there was nothing he could do now but face it. He had sneakily taken a magazine from the coffee shop and placed it over his head but it was useless, he was saturated after a few steps. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. A text from his friend, Cozzie.

“Buzz me when you’re free. Good news... Party!”

Chapter Five

“Louie you are twenty-seven, for fuck’s sake. Do you not think you should be giving up on parties and student life?” Grainne was livid.

“It’s not like that. Cozzie has this mate and her mate is having a flat warmer. He asked me to come along that’s all.”

Louie and Grainne were eating dinner in Louie’s apartment. The small circular table seemed the size of King Arthurs’s such was the tension in the room. The soft lighting and romantic music were not going to smooth Grainne over. Louie took a long time to twirl a forkful of spaghetti, staring downwards in the hope he wouldn’t have to look at his partner. He had invited Grainne over initially to break the ice about the party, the party he was going to go to without her, and also because he genuinely wanted to see her. She had been home to her parents in Galway for the weekend and being honest with himself, he missed her.

“A mate, party... flat...and that’s not student carry-on?” She picked up her plate of half-finished pasta and headed for the sink. Louie heard her sigh as she scraped the remains into the bin before straightening herself up to stare out the window.

There was silence. Louie couldn’t see what the big deal was, apart from the fact that Grainne wasn’t invited. Not that she would want to come anyway. She was beyond parties now and preferred to have an occasional glass of wine with her friends. Drinking and late nights did not fit in with her fitness regime.

“When is it anyway?”

“Thursday night...sure you could probably come along.”

“No, you’re grand thanks very much.” She held up her hand in a ‘stop’ formation. The invitation and acceptance were over.

Grainne made her way to the couch and picked up a magazine. The pages were stuck together and she grimaced in disgust.

“Sorry.I used it as an umbrella earlier.” Louie took the magazine from her hand and threw it in the bin. “Will I see is there anything on the box?” he asked, trying to deflect from the conversation.

Grainne shook her head. She wasn’t in the humour for any form of entertainment. Louie turned off the music and switched on the television, despite her negativity. The first item that came on was a strapline on the news, highlighting the story about the missing woman.

He rested his feet on the coffee table. Grainne gave a sideways glance and folded her arms.

“That’s weird, isn’t it?”

“Who was ...is she?” Grainne asked.

“Some woman in Glasnevin. The husband reported her missing yesterday but apparently, she’s been missing for a month.”

Grainne made a snort, her arms remaining folded in defiance.

“Maybe she was sick of him,” she said.

Louie looked at her for a reaction. There was none forthcoming and they continued on in silence for the rest of the evening.

Chapter Six

“So, what have you got?” Chief Superintendent Dennehy was speaking to Steph from behind his desk. He had his fingertips touching each other in an arch and looked on more in hope, than with confidence.

Steph stood before him with her hands on her hips and she started to take slow steps across his eyeline.

“Very little, no more than what we have released to the media already. Wife missing, he came home and she was gone.”

“But this was over a month ago, yeh?”

“Yes Chief”

Dennehy rubbed his brow and was silent for a moment.

“What type of fucking eejits does he take us for?” His Wexford accent had a lazy drawl which made him sound comical but Steph had to agree with him.

“I mean this woman is missing for weeks, and he just walks in here and expects us to find her like she is some kid playing hide and seek and for all we know, he probably has her buried under the fucking patio? Where is he now?”

“We let him go back home. Mattie Cole gave him a good going over and said we’d be in touch. We’re looking into their background to see if there was anything to go on, family issues, neighbours...” Steph threw a hand in the air. Suggestions welcome.

“But surely if there was a child...there were friends... school friends...were the school not on looking for her? Was the camogie team not wondering where she was? Come on Steph. There are more questions here than answers.” Dennehy was getting frustrated, and despite his years of experience he should have known better than to put Steph under the cosh as the case was relatively new. At the same time, he needed results and he needed her to start showing her worth.

“What do you think?” Steph braved.

Dennehy stood up and walked around the side of his desk. He toyed with a stapler and sat on the edge looking up at Steph.

“I’d say it safe to say, this boyo has done the two of them in, buried them, and has come in here with some cock and bull story about a kidnapping. Knowing full well we will never find anyone. But he must take us for some Goms, Steph. To have us thinking this is like the fucking fugitive and some one-armed man who doesn’t exist is out there and we are going to be chasing him for the next ten years. Get him back in here as soon as you have the men and grill him hard.”

“Yes Chief.” Steph turned to the door and before she opened it, Dennehy called her.

“Steph. This is your first real big one. If we don’t get answers quick the press and the people in headquarters will be baying for us. Stay calm and work it through.”

She nodded in appreciation. “I will. Thanks Chief. “

Before leaving she turned.

“Chief?”

“Yeh?”

“Who was ‘the Fugitive?’ “

Dennehy was stony faced. “Ask your da’.”

He waved a hand outward, signalling her dismissal, and she obliged.

Chapter Seven.

Louie had arranged to meet Cozzie, whose real name was Jason Cosgrove, in a pub in Temple bar. The cobblestoned streets were buzzing with people, despite the relentless rain. Tourists mixed with Christmas shoppers, and the dreary nights atmosphere was not going to be dampened by the inclement weather.

As he watched a soccer match on the TV, Louie kept one eye on the door wondering if Cozzie was coming alone. A few minutes later his friend entered the bar with a girl who looked a lot younger than the two men.

Cozzie approached him smiling, he put his hand out and reached for Louie.

“King Louie...the pride of Dublin and there isn’t a finer King than he.” The two men embraced before Cozzie turned back to the girl.

“Louie...Ciara...Ciara, King Louie.”

Louie smiled and put his hand out. “Louie will be fine, really”

“Hi,” was all Ciara said, blushing as she fiddled with her short-bobbed hair.

“Ciara works with me Louie, and she supports Arsenal...sure what more would you want? Two pints of Bulmer’s there when you’re ready.” Cozzie rubbed his hands together and nodded to the barman before leaning onto the side of the bar.

“So how are you, Louie? All set for tonight? Rolling back the years to your single days?”

Louie laughed and asked Ciara who was having the party.

“Oh...it’s a friend of mine, Emma, she’s lovely. We’re flatmates since college, but she’s going it alone now. Well, we all are really. So, this is her big night.” Ciara accepted the pint from Cozzie and took a sip.

“She needed a bit of moral support Louie, and who better to oblige a damsel in distress than two handsome bucks wha?” Cozzie put his glass in the air and took a large gulp.

Ciara was small and was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. Not exactly party material, thought Louie suddenly feeling old. He observed Ciara and came to the conclusion she was a student. She was pretty without overdoing it, and she seemed to be cool enough, he decided. Well able to hold her own.

“So, what have you been up to?” Cozzie asked. “Still planning out the next forty years? Don’t rush now Louie, wouldn’t want you doing anything rash.” He looked at Ciara to join him in mocking Louie but she didn’t bite. Too soon for that, with someone she didn’t know. This guy was kind of cool though. Good looking, but he didn’t know it. Not her type but he was alright to talk to.

“Yeh something like that alright. I dunno, nothing on the nuclear physics jobs website today. So, I might have to go and invent something for North Korea to play with.”

Cozzie wasn’t smiling though. He pointed with his pint glass to the television on the wall behind Louie.

“Look at that... they’re after arresting your man again... the husband of your wan that’s gone missing.”

Louie took a sip from his drink and stared curiously at the television.

Chapter Eight

David Corcoran was being interviewed again. This time Steph decided she needed to be more direct.

“Mr. Corcoran. Where is your wife?”

Corcoran looked up at her, confusion etched on his face.

“What? You know what I have told you. I don’t know where she is.”

Steph remembered what Dennehy had said. “What about your daughter’s friends? Was she a member of a club? How come nobody wants to come for a playdate?” Her own girls were bamboozled with requests and Steph felt guilty not being able to oblige due to her unorthodox hours and trying to arrange a childminder.

“I’ve fobbed them off.” Corcoran replied. “I told people...the playschool, that Roisin had to go away to tend to her father and she brought Chloe with her.” He looked down at the desk unable to face the two detectives.

Cole interjected. “And the school never queried this? Never asked when she would be back? Do you not think that comes across very strange Mr. Corcoran?”

There was no response.

“What about anyone else? Grandparents, babysitters?”

“We had a nanny for a while, she has left, Grandparents…” David waved his hand in the air.

“What do you mean about the Grandparents?”

There was a pause before he answered.

“Well Jack Straffan is a very wealthy man. Sometimes earning that wealth goes to the detriment of your family.”

Steph tried to attack him from a different angle and asked about his marriage.

“There was nothing. We were happy. Roisin had everything. She loves Chloe, they do everything together.”

“And does that not include you?” Cole asked.

The delivery hit the target.

“We are a very happy family, detective. And no matter what you may think, I have not caused any harm to my wife or my daughter.”

“Whoa...down there, soldier... I never said anything about anyone causing anyone any harm. We are just trying to ascertain some facts here. The fact that you only reported your wife missing after such a long time is not helping the situation.”

Steph decided this was getting too heated and raised a hand to calm things.

“David, you have to see this from our perspective. People...the public, will ask why you took so long to report your wife missing. You have to see that. Is there anything else we need to know at this point?”

David Corcoran just shook his head more in disbelief than saying, no.

Cole threw his pen down on the desk and eyeballed Corcoran. The latter looked away almost disinterested.

“Ok Mr. Corcoran, the next step here is for us to search your house.”

David looked at Steph in fear.

“It’s only formality, we have to do it but if you object, I am obliged to get a search warrant. Have you any objection?”

Corcoran thought about this for a moment and leaned forward onto the desk.

“Detective. I have nothing to hide. Go ahead and search my house, but you are wasting your time. Maybe you haven’t been listening. There is nobody there.”

The two detectives looked at each other in frustration.

“Organise a search,” Steph said, before she stood up to walk from the room.

Chapter Nine

Roisin stared out of the window. The rain pelted down and as she gazed at the drops making small channels on the glass, she could hear Chloe behind her building with some blocks. She turned to see her child playing happily, oblivious to what was going on. The plain wooden floor could have been any three bedroomed semi-d in the city. There were wooden shutters on the windows. Roisin wasn’t sure if that was to stop her looking out or anyone else looking in. She had managed to free this one however. She could close it quickly if she heard someone coming. The man had made every provision for their arrival and as she stared out at the rain, she wondered how this would end. He had told her everything would be ok and no harm would come to either of them. Once everything went to plan. She took her necklace between her fingers as she was wont to do, and slid it along her lips.

It was weeks now since leaving the house. There had been two calls made to David, the second where she, herself spoke to him briefly. She screamed down the phone and could hear the fear in his voice. How was he coping with all this? She just wished it would be over soon. David had already paid ten thousand euro. He must have known they would be looking for more. For now, though, the “down payment” had kept an interest, it worked as a security to ensure David’s wife and daughter were still alive.

It wasn’t fair on Chloe. She kept calling out for Daddy and she must be so confused as to what was going on. Roisin folded her arms again and looked at her daughter as she tried to work out in her mind what would happen next. The man had asked for more money. This time it was more substantial. He was looking for two hundred and fifty thousand to be paid straight away and a further two hundred and fifty a week later.

Roisin wasn’t sure her husband could access this type of money without raising suspicion. This is what was troubling her. What would happen if the money was not available? Would the man’s plan work? She turned to her daughter and sat beside her placing blocks on top of each other.

With one swipe the child knocked them over, laughing, and the blocks came crumbling down.

Chapter Ten

The search was carried out in the evening. It was dark and it also included calling on neighbour’s houses and making general enquiries. David Corcoran had been asked to stay away whilst the search was ongoing. A team of forensics officers were to do an initial sweep before carrying out a more detailed search in the morning.

Steph arrived on the scene at a quarter past eight. She walked into the bordered driveway which was contrasted with stones and red bricks separated from a winding lawn. The front porch was covered in, and two Guards stood inside to shelter from the inclement weather. She nodded as she passed them into the hall. A picture of the happy family was perched on the hall table and for the first time the reality of what had happened to them hit Steph in the gut. This could be her watching, as her life was just ripped apart. She touched her wedding ring almost instinctively and counted her blessings in her head.

Mattie Cole came down the stairs from where he had been looking in the bedrooms. They acknowledged each other with a customary nod.

“Anything?” Steph asked.

“No... nothing of interest. All seems as the way he described it. A bit eerie to see the child’s bedroom the way it is. Pyjamas, toys...and to think she hasn’t been there in a month.”

Steph surveyed the hall, trying to get her bearings of the ground floor. She stood silently; her bottom lip tucked over her top before making her way to what appeared to be the kitchen. The first thing she looked at was the knife block. Too obvious, she thought. Looking around the kitchen there was nothing out of the ordinary. The usual layout. An island had been topped with a dark green Marble. Steph took a mental note which had absolutely nothing to do with the investigation. She thought about Corcoran. He had a month to cover everything, so she wasn’t exactly expecting to see a trail of blood coming from the freezer. She fingered through some letters that were on the worktop before turning to see the back garden lit up from the patio doors. There was a large sitting room behind her and a smaller room that appeared to be an office or study.

She walked through to find a writing desk and chair with a laptop. There were business invoices and papers strewn across the messy top of the desk. She picked up a pen with David’s name engraved on it. She placed it back and took another look around. Trying to picture the scene as he had explained it. Steph envisioned someone coming to the front door, forcing their way into the hall. They would have had to struggle in the narrow hallway. Were there any breakages? She looked again at the hall door. Did this individual drag Roisin and Chloe out through the door and then the porch door without any obstruction? There were plenty of things for Roisin to cling to, even an umbrella to hit someone with. Now she was starting to lose faith in what Corcoran was telling them. The team would need to start checking his movements around the area for the night in question, and see if his alibi really stood up. She already had people trawling through CCTV for the night of the alleged money drop on the Quays. Word should be back on that one quickly. She instructed an officer to bag the laptop and send it for analysis.

Needing some air, Steph made her way outside to the front garden. The rain had stopped and the night was becoming muggy despite it being November. She walked as far as the gate and turned to look at the house taking in its perspective.

“What secrets do you hold?” she asked as the breeze gathered behind her.

Chapter Eleven

The rain was not letting up and Louie grimaced as he pulled his jacket over his head as they exited the pub.

“Where does your friend live?” he asked Ciara, as Cozzie hailed a taxi on Dame Street.

“Drumcondra... just down from the Wigwam church in Glasnevin. Do you know it?”

“Yeh… sure, didn’t I grow up going to Croke Park with my dad.”

“Oh, are you a big Dubs supporter then?”

“No, hated it. My dad always brought me though for company. The hot-dogs at half time were the big attraction for me. He meant well.”

Cozzie had managed to call a taxi and the trio got in as the rain pelted down on the windscreen.

“How’s Grainne getting on?” Cozzie asked from the front seat. “Has she been asking for me?”

Louie smiled and Ciara looked between the two men and picked up that there was no love lost between Cozzie and Grainne, who she presumed was Louie’s girlfriend.

“She’s grand Cozzie. She has been terribly worried alright because she hasn’t seen you in so long. But I think she’ll cope.”

Cozzie, threw his head back and laughed to himself as the taxi made its way up through Broadstone.

“We could stop in McGowan’s for a quick one?”

“No, let’s keep going.” Ciara said. “Emma is anxious about people turning up. She can be a bit OCD so let’s keep her sweet.”

“No worries from me,” Louie said, holding a hand in submission before turning to look out the window. The radio in the taxi was covering the news story and Louie was keen to listen.

“This is going to be some scandal.” The taxi man said, nodding to the stereo.

“Sure, he must have murdered her.” Cozzie stated emphatically before folding his arms.

“The husband? Would he have it in him? Doesn’t look the type. Bit windy if you ask me.”

“Sure, it takes all types”. Cozzie said. “Wouldn’t worry about how he looks. Anyone can snap in a row or whatever. Hammer over the head. Bump you’re dead.”

The taxi driver looked at Cozzie and frowned. “Wouldn’t want to get on your bad side.”

Cozzie pointed to the meter. “Well, you better stay on the most direct route then.”

After fifteen minutes, they had arrived at the house. Louie paid the driver who gave him a look of concern and said, “Make sure your pal goes easy on the drink. Could be a loose cannon.”

Louie nodded and followed the pair in, smiling.

It was a terraced house on a raised embankment looking over the road. A quiet residential area which was a mixture of owner occupied and rented houses, well known to students from the nearby Dublin City University.

They entered the front door and the hallway was already packed with people standing with bottles of beer in their hand.

“Don’t think she need have worried about the crowd not turning up.” Cozzie said, as they made their way through to what they presumed was the kitchen.

Ciara had gone first and was searching for the hostess. Within a few seconds a pretty girl of about twenty-five came towards them smiling. Louie noticed her eyes first. They were dark and beadlike but stood out to enhance the beauty of her heart-shaped face. Her skin was like alabaster and Louie wondered how could someone be so perfect. She was slim and her brown hair was tied in a ponytail. She wore a white polo neck jumper, jeans and knee-high boots. Louie imagined a Jilly Cooper riding novel and tried to get the thought from his mind.

“Hiiiii !” she said, enthusiastically, giving Emma a hug with one arm as she held a glass of wine in the other. “It’s so good of you to come.” She waited for a second and looked at Ciara’s two friends and waited to be introduced.

“So good to see you Em!” Ciara turned and faced the two men.

“This is Cozz…. Jason…. well Cozzie and his friend Louie.

Cozzie held his hand out and Emma smiled generously. Her expression changed, not unnoticed by Ciara, when Emma turned to face Louie.

“Louie Gill.” Louie held his hand out as if there was nobody else there.

Emma looked at him and held his gaze for a second longer than was necessary.

“Right!” Cozzie said, rubbing his palms together. The action snapped Emma back into the room and she looked down at the carpet almost embarrassed.

“Em, ok…you guys better get a drink. Beer in the fridge and everything else on the table by the counter. Help yourself.”

Louie smiled and he followed Cozzie into the kitchen.

Ciara stayed a second behind and winked at Emma. “Close your mouth, you’re drooling!” Her friend poked her in the ribs and they made their way through the doorway.

******************

“Newcastle is not the team it was with Shearer in the nineties...” Cozzie was debating football with some guy he had befriended at the fridge.

Louie was analysing the room. A mixture of college heads and people of a slightly older generation. Where did he fit in? he wondered to himself. He was ‘in-between’ he concluded. On the cusp of a new life. But what was that new life? Did he really want a career in a lab? Conducting physics experiments? In fairness, he had done exceptionally well and the sense of achievement that the end result garnered was rewarding. But the next fifty years? He didn’t think so.

“Another beer?”

His dreaming was broken by Emma. She had a bottle of Heineken in one hand, her never ending glass of wine in the other. Louie surmised that it was the same glass she had all evening. There was no sign of drink having an effect on her and she didn’t come across as the party type.

“Oh thanks.” he said, accepting the bottle and depositing the half empty one on the table beside him.

“Great party. They must all be sad to see you go. All three hundred and forty-seven of them.”

Emma laughed. “Ha, I don’t think so. I said it to Ciara and the two other girls in the flat. One thing led to another and now we all seem to have a rake of friends we never knew we had in the first place. Students…free beer…. parties…. it’s a no brainer really. Part of the reason I want to move on. But don’t tell anyone!”

“So, you are moving out into the big bad world. What is it you do?” Louie took a sip from his beer.

“Hmm…well…. I have just finished my masters in Historical archeologically and I dabble a bit in languages… but I’m not really sure where that leads me. I was doing summers in the museums so I haven’t really nailed down anything concrete yet. Not sure of the direction I want to take.” She turned her head down again and circled the carpet with her foot. Louie liked this shy mannerism already. She was so pretty but hardly realised it. Then again, her brains were enough for her to hold her own he surmised, before answering,

“Tell me about it. I’m at a bit of a crossroads myself.”

“Oh? What did you study?”

“Physics.” The answer was short, almost embarrassing as if he didn’t know where to go with it.

“Proper little Einstein, he is!” Cozzie had broken away from his football companion landing a comment into the conversation he wasn’t involved in.

Emma laughed and gazed back at a shy looking Louie. “Well, well, well. So, what does the next century hold for us?” she asked him, gazing into his eyes.

That was it. Louie looked at those piercing blue eyes and knew he was in trouble. She was too beautiful and he stumbled out an answer.

“I can’t even decide what I want for dinner any evening, never mind predict the next major breakthrough in physics.”

“I’m sure you’re doing fine. Speaking of grub. I’m getting hungry… we didn’t cater for the loaves and fishes crowd here…. fancy going up the road for a burger or something? I’m famished.”

Louie was taken aback by her directness and when he looked around for Cozzie as a moral support, he realised his friend was missing in action. There was no sign of Ciara either. He put two and two together, and realised he was in this rodeo by himself.

“Sure. But don’t you need to be the hostess of the century though? Is it ok for you to leave?”

Emma threw a hand in the air and with the other she placed her wine glass down on the counter.

“Half of them don’t even know why they are here….and the other girls can cope without me for half an hour. Just let me grab a jacket.”

Louie watched her sashay through the bodies and as she reached the kitchen door, she glanced back in his direction. It was only a moment, but it was there. He smiled as she glanced down to the floor again before making her way out through the hallway.

Chapter Twelve

A few minutes later, they were out on the street walking in the direction of Drumcondra. The rain had stopped and the evening had turned unseasonably mild, their footsteps slapped on the soaked streets like cracking whips.

“So, are you a Dublin girl originally?” Louie asked.

“What do you mean originally?”

“Well… I thought the fact that you were living with a few other girls that…

“You thought that flatland consists of a gang of nurses and teachers who party all night and bum money from their parents for years?” Emma teased. She smiled as she strolled beside him, arms folded in front of her over her beige mac jacket. Louie had his hands in his pockets as he walked companionably beside her.

“Sorry for the generalisation! I just assumed the fact that you were living away in a flat that you were from the country.”

“Don’t worry about it., she replied. “Well, I am from Wicklow actually. So not too far away. It was just with the commute and Ciara was living here that I decided to move up for a few months. So, I am a country girl at heart, but happy living here too. What about yourself? Where is your base?”

“Well, I am Dublin born and bred, northside, Raheny… thus, the trips to Croke Park…. but I am living in Chapelizod now, I have an apartment there.”

They tiptoed around polite conversation making their way onto the Drumcondra Road. They entered a fast-food outlet. Both of them were eager to know more about each other but it seemed too soon to ask.

Having ordered their food, they sat at a high table and munched their way through burgers.

“So, life is a bit of a puzzle at the moment?” Emma said as she put her hand to her mouth to save her dignity.

“Ah, I wouldn’t say that. I guess, I know what I should be doing, but getting down to it, that’s the real challenge. I don’t want to pigeon hole myself into the one career if it is not right for me. I guess I don’t like restrictions… being tied to a desk or that, you know? There has to be more to life.”

Emma picked at a French fry and looked at him inquisitively,

“So, a bit of a maverick, are you?”

“No. I wouldn’t say that. I just like to think that there are options out there.”

She looked at him. She reckoned he was around her age. A friendly face, good looking with soft eyes. There was a kindness there. He had brown hair, not too long but not shaved and he was tall. He was well built and held himself well. Despite the lack of sport there was an athleticism about him.

“I’m only teasing you know. Sure, look we all have our own ideas of what we think we want in life. I am no different as I told you. Hopefully it all works itself out.”

Louie found himself looking out for the news ever since the story about the kidnapped woman had broken. There was some appeal to it that was magnetic and he peered over Emma’s shoulder at the television hanging over the counter.

“Something more interesting than the company?” she asked.

“Sorry, Sorry! So rude. No, I am just interested in that mystery about the missing woman. She was from around here actually, wasn’t she?”

“Wasn’t she? Is there something you know Louie and aren’t telling me! What did you do to her?” She laughed before continuing. “Yes, she was…aagh, IS from Glasnevin. Just up there near the church. It’s a crazy story, isn’t it?”

“It is, it really is. You wouldn’t know what to make of it. I see tonight the husband was brought in for questioning.”

“I can’t believe he didn’t report it in before now. There has to be something fishy there doesn’t there?”

Louie returned to his food and waved his head indifferently.

“Anyway, let’s hope she is found ok.”

When they finished eating, they walked back in the direction of the house. Turning the corner, Louie pointed across the road. “Do you remember Lemon’s sweets?”

“No…I don’t think so.”

“Ah, you must be too young. Before roses, people always gave a box of Lemons sweets for Christmas.”

“Oh yes, I do! There was a big Santy on the front!”

“That’s the one. Well, that is where the factory used to be. I remember coming to Croke Park and walking past every time. I always imagined it was like Willy Wonka’s factory and there were thousands of little people underground making the sweets.”

“Maybe there were?”

“No, because the recession came and it closed down. No fairy story there I’m afraid. Hey, the church is just the other end of the road. It’s a nice evening. Can we go up and see where your man lives?”

“The kidnapper guy?”

“Well, I didn’t have him sentenced and guilty yet but yeh.”

Emma laughed and she was just about to agree when her phone rang.

Louie walked on a bit as she paused to take her call.

They were across the street from the party and the music was starting to pick up.

Emma finished her call and caught up to him.

“I won’t be able to, I need to get back inside. Someone has arrived.”

“Oh, not the police, I hope? It’s getting noisy in there.”

“Ha. No, nothing like that. It’s just Graham, my fiancée.”

There was a moments silence that went on a little too long, Louie would reflect on the imaginary slow motion kick in the stomach later, and the ensuing stumbling of words that did nothing to improve the situation.

“Oh, right… yes, ok I didn’t realise… realise you had more people coming that is…yes…you get on in. I’ll ramble up here for a nose anyway.”

“Ok.” She smiled and looked away shyly again. It’s just further on up, you will see it don’t worry. There have been reporters around for the last two days. So, you should be ok. Will you come back down afterwards? Still, plenty of booze to get through?”

“Sure, yes I will,” Louie replied. Although, he knew he wouldn’t.

Emma made her way up the garden path. She turned and gave an almost apologetic smile as she waved to Louie.

He stood watching to make sure she got inside. When she went in, he found himself standing there for a moment longer, just staring at the house.

A motorbike whizzed passed him and brought him back to reality.

“Right.” He said to himself. “Let’s see where this will take me.”

Chapter Thirteen

Louie’s mind was racing as he made his way in the direction of the church. What was he so rattled about with the fact that Emma had a boyfriend or fiancée or whatever he was? He was in a long-term relationship with Grainne and had literally met this girl three hours ago. His wandering mind was snapped out of its musings when he arrived at the church. To his left, was the National Botanical Gardens and off to his right the Bons Secours Hospital. There were no houses immediately in sight that would warrant reporters attention so he was momentarily at a bit of a loss. Sitting on a pillar outside the church and just about to look for a taxi, he saw a police patrol car come out of a junction beside the church.

It was a bit of a long shot, but he presumed there was a chance that they were coming from the missing lady’s house. He made his way around the corner and could see some activity further on down the road. The houses were large and detached and he knew immediately it was an affluent area as he passed by the gardens with their high windows and high-powered cars in the driveways. Half way down on the left-hand side he could see some activity. Not a gang of reporters, but there were one or two, and a Garda stood outside protectively. Staying on the opposite side of the street, Louie casually walked in their direction taking in as much detail as possible. The house was well kept and the lights on in the upstairs bedroom gave Louie the impression that there was a full examination going on. Why? What had they discovered with the husband that would make them actively come to his house and search? Especially when he had come to them with the initial problem.

The grey cobble lock driveway was shining from the evening’s rainfall and two tall lanterns stood near the doorway, lighting up the surrounding garden. Georgian style windows fronted the house and Louie noticed a hive of activity as he got closer. He had decided that as he had come this far, he may as well see what he could garner from any source possible.

One of the reporters was walking up and down trying to keep warm. He looked as if he had been there all evening, and his clothes were just about dried out from the rain earlier. Louie nodded as he approached but got very little recognition back in return.

“How are things going?” Louie asked nodding in the direction of the house.

“Not much happening” the reporter replied. He seemed alright, Louie thought. Probably just annoyed about being pissed on rather than being unfriendly.

Louie decided to play the gom, and know very little about the case.

“So, is there any sign of the wife?”

The reporter looked at him and was deciding whether to tell him to take a hike or actually make conversation. Probably out of boredom, he decided to engage in the conversation.

“Have you been watching the telly at all? She’s gone a few weeks and yer man the husband only reported her missing yesterday. Just goes into the police station and tells them his wife has been kidnapped. So, no wonder they are checking the place out. Sure, he must be a bit of a header.”

Louie looked up and saw a female detective emerge from the front door, stopping to talk to a colleague.

“Who’s she?” he asked.

“Her? She is the chief investigating officer. Detective Seargent, Steph Reilly. Top gig for her. Meself and the lads were saying, this is her first big one. Believe she is good though. Doesn’t take any lip.”

Louie watched as she made her way down the driveway. She was attractive in her own way. Probably in her thirties, blonde hair blowing in the light breeze that had taken up. Her coat was open and a white blouse contrasted over her black trousers. She walked with her hands in the pockets of her coat and made her way towards the gate. Louie must have looked suspicious as she caught his eye and they looked at each other momentarily. The guard on duty had a quick word before the reporter made his way over to her.

“Well Steph. Is there anything you can tell us?”

Another reporter who had been beside him all the time followed like a dog who was looking for scraps of dinner.

“Now lads, you know I can’t be divulging operational information at this early stage. Where are you from anyway?”

“Rory Grimes – Dublin Post. Steph this is a big story. The people are nervous, is there anything you can give us to let them know their kids are safe?”

“Kids are safe Rory?” Steph gave a snort and took the remote-control key from her pocket and zapped it at her car that was parked up the street. “Sure, we are not dealing with a child kidnapper here…

“So, she was kidnapped then?”

Steph smiled at him and shook her head. “Now Rory. I’ve only just met you. If we are going to get along, you are going to have to stop making wild aspersions. That won’t do anyone or their kids any good will it?”

“Ah, Steph.”

“Ah, Steph nothing. You can just say, that for the moment, we are continuing our investigation and all aspects of the enquiry are ongoing and that we are identifying and following up on any potential leads. We will let you know along with everyone else at the next press conference.”

Rory dropped his head. Then as if a moment of inspiration came to him, he called after her, “What chocolate do you like?”

She stopped and turned around smiling. “Bribery certainly won’t work, but I like a Dairy Milk if you are interested.” Rory pointed his pen at her in recognition and smiled allowing her to continue on to her car.

Louie had discreetly made his way back up the street and was waiting as Steph approached. She looked at him suspiciously. Was he another reporter or a neighbour? She threw an eye back to the patrol guard to make sure she had back up.

“It’s ok.” Louie put his hand up showing he meant no harm. “I was just interested in the case.”

Steph stopped and looked at him, sizing this stranger up and down. “So which paper are you with?”

“Paper? Oh no, it’s not like that, I’m just an ordinary Joe who loves watching the news.”

She walked nearer to him. He was good looking but it was bad enough having to ward reporters off without having to give every detail to every second person that came up to her on the street.

“Well, Joe. I’m a very busy woman and I can’t be divulging details to everyone who is interested. If, however you are a concerned member of the public who may have some detail to share, please go to your local Garda station. Otherwise, I suggest you refrain from loitering around people’s houses at night before you become a person of interest.”

With that she turned away from Louie and got into her car. She gave him one last look before driving away leaving him speechless.

“Maybe get her a bar of Dairy Milk.” Rory shouted from down the street. “That’s what I’ll have tomorrow night!”

Chapter Fourteen

The following morning, Steph and Mattie Cole were reviewing all of the evidence that they had collected so far. It was the team meeting. Also present were two other detectives, Gary Pollard and Stephen Dempsey.

Pollard was in his forties and had secretly told others that he had issues with Steph taking over. “A woman and a young one,” were the actual words used. However, in fairness to him he had never let Steph know his opposition to her in the role and had always acted in a professional manner. If he was honest with himself, perhaps he could have pushed himself a bit harder and he would be leading investigations, but that was a thought process that he chose not to go down too often.

“So, what have we got?” Steph asked as she sifted through some of the papers strewn on the desk.

“Well, obviously the house search was carried out, we have his laptop that is currently under review, we have his mobile, but he could have another, there was very little evidence of a struggle at any time but the forensics team did a sweep. We are waiting on results, but they haven’t seen anything untoward.”

“No blood-stained walls so?” Cole smiled

“No, Mattie,” Pollard smiled and continued. “Then from himself, he is wondering why he is being held as he was the one who reported his wife missing.”

“Yeh, but if he left it any longer it would be Christmas.”

Pollard turned over another page on the desk and not looking at anyone in particular said,

“But we do have some interesting detail on his business.”

Steph threw her head up, interested.

“Yeh…he seems to import and export a lot of stuff. Bathroom appliances, and the like. But we had Dempsey here, who was a bit of an accountant whizz in his pre copper days isn’t that right Stevo?”

Dempsey shifted in his seat and coughed.

“Yes, well it looks like his business was in a bit of difficulty.”

“How so?”

“Well late last year, around this time, he re-mortgaged his house or got a business loan with the house as equity. Things don’t appear to have gotten any better this year as far as I can see from the books in relation to revenue. When you factor in the EBITDA and the current interest rate at 6.7% you can then….”

“Whoa… Don’t need an accountancy class Dempsey…just give us the shortened version.”

“Sorry Steph…In short, he was up to his neck in it. Bank on to him about the loan and there was no money coming in.”

Steph walked to the window and peered out at the car park.

“OK, so that puts a different slant on things potentially. Mattie what do you think?”

Cole sat back in his seat and paused for a moment before speaking.

“Well, the obvious thing we are looking at is, has he got rid of the wife altogether? Is there an insurance policy that could be reined in, or is he just the unluckiest man in Ireland whose business has gone down the drain and his wife is kidnapped?”

“Have we looked at insurance Gary?”

“Yes, nothing untoward. They have insurance policies, standard life insurance, health insurance. Nothing that would make him rich though. Don’t think that’s his game.”

Cole, the wily detective, still leaning back in his chair folded his arms and smiled coyly.

“Well, there could be other reasons outside money.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well has he a qwayer one on the go?”

Steph winced. “Doesn’t seem the type, does he?”

“Who is the type?” Pollard interjected.

Steph hesitated a moment. This was one of the times when she had to up her game. This was when decisions had to be made. It wasn’t the biggest one she would come across but she had to show leadership.

“Steve. Check it out. See if you can get anything from phone records. Any texting or whattsapping or whatever the hell. And see if you can find if he has another phone.”

“Or another Squeeze!” Mattie piped in.

“Mattie…”’

Cole winked at her and slapped his thighs before standing up. “Well, I suppose we better release him so. We don’t have anything to go on to charge him.”

“Or what to charge him with.” Pollard added.

Steph could feel the heat. She was a woman in this alpha male environment. Were they testing her mettle? There was a need to show control and that she was leading this team. She was ready for the challenge.

“Sit down for a minute lads. Mattie. Leave him an hour or so. Just hang on in there. Let him sweat. Steve, you know what you have to do. Pollard. Are we sure we have everything checked over in the house? Check in with forensics again to see where they are at. We can re-convene later to see what progress we’ve made. I have to tell Dennehy where we are at. Is that, ok? Anybody got any questions?”

She was facing them, with her hands on her hips. She had the fortunate position of standing over them which added to her authority. There was very little resistance.

“Ok then,” she finished. Before walking purposely from the room.

Chapter Fifteen

Louie was mulling over a coffee in Tony’s coffee shop. He flicked aimlessly through his phone and remembered the events of last night. He hadn’t returned to the party. Partly because he happened upon a taxi at the end of Corcoran’s Street and partly because he didn’t want to. If he was honest, he had really enjoyed Emma’s company and there was an excitement there that he hadn’t felt in a while. With Grainne. He tried to remove it from his mind but it niggled. The fact that Emma was a student who didn’t know what her next step in life was, and so was he. Grainne was already engrained in the work place and their worlds sometimes seemed miles apart.

“Fill up?” Tony asked. He had decided it was good to offer this type of thing after all. The longer the clients stayed in the shop the longer it looked busy. Anyone walking by would see activity and perhaps come in. His accountant might not agree with him but he liked this Louie guy.

“Thanks Tony. Top man.” As if Tony’s theory was paying off the door opened and Tony’s eyes lit up. It was Grainne, but Tony didn’t yet understand the connection. At least she was another sale. However, when she came over to Louie and kissed him, Tony’s heart sank. He couldn’t very well charge her for coffee when he was pouring ‘free one’s’ for her boyfriend.

“Can I get a tea please?” Grainne asked. Tony’s conundrum was sorted and he smiled on his way back to the counter happy in the knowledge that his new business strategy was justified.

“So how was last night?” Grainne asked placing her bag at her feet as she took a seat opposite Louie.

“Em… Different.”

She took off her coat and looked at Louie inquisitively.

“We went to the party and that was the usual studenty type thing. Packed house, plenty of beer, Cozzie getting pissed. So, I took a walk.”

“With who?”

“On my own.” Louie lied, well partially lied, he toiled with his conscience. “The woman who went missing or is missing, she lived up the road from the girl who was having the party.”

“And?”

“And I decided to see what the story was. I think it’s a fascinating case.”

Grainne looked at him puzzled.

“There are plenty of fascinating animals up in the zoo but you don’t go walking up there at midnight?”

“Now love.” Tony left the tea on the table in front of Grainne. She thanked him and poured some milk for herself as she gazed at Louie.

“Firstly, it wasn’t midnight and I just wanted to see what the story was. It’s all over the news. The party was no great shakes and I didn’t fancy being out too late, so I made my way up, spent a few minutes having a snoof and then grabbed a taxi.”

“A snoof? What are you Kojak now or something? What were you trying to achieve?” She laughed incredulously.

Louie looked back at her, calmly. He was never provoked when someone was having a crack off him, rather he welcomed the challenge. He always felt he was saying ‘Who are you to criticise? What gave you all the answers in life?’

“Well, you never know Grainne. Maybe I could help in some way.”

Grainne looked at him bemused.

“I might decide to take a new direction. I was sitting here thinking about life and what I am going to do and maybe there is something in it.”

Grainne stirred her tea.

“In what exactly? You aren’t making sense Louie.”

He wasn’t exactly sure himself. Although he did know that he enjoyed being at the house last night. Meeting the detective was not his finest moment and she came across a bit hostile but at the same time being there, using his mind to gauge a situation. This is what appealed to him. On his way home in the taxi, his thoughts were racing. He wasn’t thinking of Emma however, but the case of the missing woman. This wasn’t a mad urge to become a Garda, but more, what was it? An investigator? He thought to himself how that would come across as hammy. Like something from a seventies TV show but maybe there was something in it. He couldn’t imagine himself having a detective agency but he could imagine putting his brain to use and helping out. That detective would be a hard nut to crack. She wouldn’t even tell him what was going on. He had thought about how the only way to overcome that challenge was to give her some detail. Something that she didn’t already know. But how was he going to do that? He had one thing he realised. One advantage over an over stretched police team. Time. He had decided if he could gather information by following the main suspect, it could be a useful tool in his armour and something he could trade.

“Louie?”

Louie snapped out of his daydream.

“Sorry…. sorry. I was just thinking that is something I might like to do.”

“What? Do you mean you want to join the Guards? Talk to me Louie.”

“No, I mean, I would like to help investigate. A consultant type, I don’t know. Without all the trappings of the Guards. You know I am my own man. I don’t want to have to answer to anybody. I don’t mean just this. I mean any job. I don’t want someone looking over me and telling me this needs to be done or that needs to be done. I just want…”

“No responsibility. That’s what you want. Louie, I would love not to have to answer to my boss too and go off and lie in a hammock, but life isn’t like that. We have a life. We have bills to pay, commitments to keep. More importantly, it’s my career. It’s what I want to do.”

“Exactly! This is what I may want to do. I know I have been to college. But who for? If I am honest, it was to keep my parents happy. Louie is great in school, Louie got a great leaving cert, Louie is top of the college class…. but Louie wasn’t happy Grainne. Don’t you see?”

There was a silence and Grainne blew on her tea as she raised it to her lips.

She hated to see him unhappy and she acknowledged that there were high expectations made of him. She knew by the way Louie’s parents spoke to her that they were so proud, and rightly so. But he had a point, if he wasn’t happy, he wasn’t happy. But a private investigator? Come on Louie. Imagine telling the girls that. She decided to let it go. He was down in the dumps. Let him have his sulk and play his little game. It would be alright in a few days. Let him snap out of it. Then he could focus on getting a proper job.

“OK. Well look” she said. “Why don’t you have a think about it and see what is involved and we can take it from there.”

Louie looked at her suspiciously. “Do you mean that?”

“Yeh, sure. I don’t know what you will come up with but I will support you. You know that.”

She reached down for her bag. “I have to go, I’m meeting Aine in town later, so I want to get ready. What are you up to tonight?”

Louie shook his head committing to nothing.

“Well look, I’ll text you. Thanks for the tea.” She kissed him again on the forehead this time, and waved to Tony on her way out.

Louie watched her go from the window and she waved in at him. He took out his notebook and decided to write down a few ideas.

“Can I have a toastie Tony please?” he called over to the counter.

Tony smiled. “On the way Louie. On the way.”

Chapter Sixteen

It was an ordinary house. Except that the sitting room where she was now sitting with Chloe had no sofa or chairs. The child was playing on the floor innocently and Roisin spent her time perched on the window ledge looking out onto the back garden. It was a crisp morning and the November sunshine which was rare, was shining on the glistening grass like a blanket of tiny diamonds. How strange it seemed to see normal things outside. Grass, sunshine, the trees. People going about their daily business not knowing that the person who was in the news was inside this house. How much longer would she be here? Surely, David would ring with some type of response from the people who had set this up.

The door opened and the keeper came in and smiled.

Roisin stood up expectantly. “Has he rang?”

The keeper replied by a negative head shake.

“All in good time. Just enjoy your little break.”

Roisin shook her head in disgust and turned to look out the window again.

“You know, you could be here for a long time. It is better that we get along, no?”

With that, the door was closed again and Roisin looked to see it was just her and Chloe alone again.

At least they had the sunshine.

Chapter Seventeen

As soon as David got back to his house, he closed all of the curtains. The Gardai had left but there was still some meddling reporter outside the gate. He had hounded David as soon as he got out of the taxi that had brought him home from the Garda station. Not expecting anyone to be there and half in shock, David had actually stopped to talk to him without realising who he was. After a couple of seconds and some obtrusive questioning, he had quickly turned away and closed the gates on the driveway.

Even now he was still shaken by the meeting. He wasn’t expecting any of this attention. Why weren’t the Guards protecting him better? It had been a torrid twenty-four hours. The questioning by that woman detective and then her sidekick. The big oaf from Mayo, who would have been more suited to a cattle mart than a police station, almost bludgeoning answers from him.

He went to pour himself a drink from the cabinet. He needed to settle his nerves but at the same time, he had to stay fresh and to think. There were phone calls to be made and stuff to be thought through. The first couple of weeks had been stressful as the situation developed. But at least he was the only one involved with the people who had Roisin and Chloe. Now the Guards and the media had put a whole new slant on things. Everyone from his family to his neighbours knew the situation, and that brought its own pressure.

He walked to the front window and peered out under the wooden shutter. The reporter was just walking up and down like someone on a picket line. What a way to make a living. He took his drink and sat on the leather recliner. He couldn’t face the television in fear of seeing himself or Roisin coming up on the screen. The guards had returned his mobile phone, but he was conscious that they could still record or track his calls, so he needed to be careful. Now that the story was in the public domain, things would start to develop. Roisin would become a product. A term of negotiation, and this is where the business end of things would come in to play.

He looked at the wedding photo above the mantlepiece. How happy a family they were then. The wider family. His parents, his mother dead now, His father, a middle-class worker who enjoyed his pint. A contrast to the other side, Roisin’s parents, the wealthy family from the southside. Her mother bedecked in the finest and her father smiling, happy in the knowledge he was one of the wealthiest shipping agents in Europe.

It was Jack who had got David started in his own business. Different jobs here and there, mainly car sales and other retail jobs was all David had amounted to before this. But when his relationship with Roisin had started to develop, her father wanted to ensure that his daughter would be secure in life. He had had a heart to heart with David and over the course of the next few months CORCAN Enterprises had developed. The play on the name Corcoran had been the father’s idea. “Neater David, also shows initiative in business.” David didn’t mind and he actually liked Jack then. The early days of the romance with Roisin, the new business, it was a very exciting time and who couldn’t like someone who was throwing money at you and handing over their beautiful daughter?

But reality would set in eventually. Jack was a businessman after all and was not going to provide charity to anyone. He hadn’t made millions by subbing individuals and when funding for the business was ceased after year one, and it was made clear to David that he was on his own, that was when the trouble started.

David had branched into supplying bathroom fittings to the market. Margins were tight and the only way he could see things progressing was if he went further afield to new markets.

He had a contact in Dublin who had started trading in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. Labour was cheap and so were the products that David was looking to sell. He had travelled to Minsk to meet with the Belarussians and had been wined and dined in the finest manner. When the first delivery arrived and sold within weeks, repeat orders were placed and business was booming. His competitors were aware of this undercutting but there was nothing they could do unless they were prepared to go down the same route. It was at that point that David should have realised why they hadn’t.

On return visits to Belarus, David got to see another side to his business associates. There was nothing untoward that he witnessed directly, but he knew by the seedy clubs and bars that he was taken to, that these businessmen were not exactly elite bankers. Champagne and girls were the order of the day and any time David suggested he have an early night, it was frowned upon. Not in the way an Irish person would convince you to stay for just one more, but more- so a shake of the head, the way a strict parent would tell a child to put a box of matches down.

David soon came to realise that perhaps he was in a little too deep and that there is no such thing as a free lunch. The fact that the bathroom pieces were being virtually given away would come at a cost, he surmised.

“It’s simple David”, Kaslak had said one night as they lowered yet another bottle of Vodka. “How you say? You scratch your back….” he laughed and David laughed along with him, nervously. He was drunk and not exactly sure what his business partner was implying.

“Every time we make delivery now to you, we leave a little something inside, yes? You unpack your delivery at your warehouse. You can take on one of our men for the…the…. thing…with fork…”

“The forklift.”

“Yes, forklift…. we will pay him, no worry you…he will unpack and meet our other guy and everyone happy. No money in taps! More money this way! Oh…and you can keep the taps!” Kaslak gave a big laugh and David laughed along.

David in his drunken stupor was not sure exactly what this delivery would entail but he knew that it wasn’t an extra set of sprinkler taps. He looked suspiciously at Kaslak who had a brunette sitting on his lap.

“It’s ok David, all will be ok. You look like frightened dog!” He tickled David under his chin and laughed out loud again.

The next morning with a fresh head and his senses back where they should be, he had phoned Kaslak but got no reply. He was due back in Dublin that afternoon and returned without making contact.

The following Tuesday, the container arrived. There were two men in the truck and one of them jumped from the passenger seat of the cab and walked straight up to David in the yard.

“I here for job. Kaslak, say you need forklift driver.”

David looked at the brute who was driving the truck and decided not to argue. Within half an hour the load had been taken off the truck and the driver was gone.

David came in to the warehouse, to see that his new employee had started to unpack the pallets and was making himself familiar with the warehouse.

“Kaslak said there would be a delivery…with the delivery?”

“You no worry. That is gone now on truck.”

He didn’t even look up as he continued to unpack the bathroom products and David made his way to his office wondering what exactly he had gotten himself into. There was an envelope waiting on his desk. And when he opened it to find five thousand euro, his scruples felt less intense.

As he sipped on his drink now in his sitting room, he looked back over the past eighteen months. That day in the warehouse had been the easiest thing to contend with as things panned out. Maybe if he had left things like that, he could possibly have been getting away with it still and been a very rich man. But like anything, it had become boring and when you got greedy you wanted more. That was the problem. That was the problem he now had to get out of.

It was time to make those phone calls.

Chapter eighteen

Louie was rambling down south William Street on his way to meet Cozzie and Ciara for an afternoon pint. It was Friday, and sure what else was there to be doing heading into the weekend? He cruised leisurely passed the various restaurants before finding himself entering the Old Stand Pub. A quick look around and he saw the pair at a table just inside the door.

“Hey, how are you doing” he asked as he settled down with a pint.

“Not too bad… where did you get to the other night? I saw you leaving with the bould Emma.”

Ciara picked up her drink, the glass camouflaging her smile.

“Ah, we just went for a bite to eat that’s all. On the way back I had had enough so called it a night.”

“Just as well,” Cozzie said. “Her fella was looking for her when you were out. He’s a big lad!”

“No, he is not!” interjected Ciara. “Don’t mind him, Louie. Graham is a lovely fella and he is mad about Emma. Not the jealous type believe me.”

Louie took a sip of his drink. Learning how wonderful Graham was, was not what he wanted to hear.

“So, was it good anyway? The rest of the party?”

Cozzie’s confused face preceded his answer, “Well the first half was grand… after that… anyone’s guess.”

Ciara smiled. “It was a good night. Didn’t go on too late. We have to be careful. The neighbours…it’s a residential area and we are lucky where it is.”

“And is Emma gone now?” Louie asked as casually as possible.

Ciara put her drink back on the table.

“She’s moving tomorrow. She isn’t working so it’s the best time to move her stuff. Although, she isn’t too happy with Graham. He is away on a Stags in Glasgow. So, she has to move the stuff on her own. In fairness, he had it planned before she said she was moving.”

“Why don’t you help her?” Cozzie said. “Sure, you were the best of buddies the other night.”

“Me? Sure, why would I help her? Don’t even know the girl.” Louie tried to look away at the television, supposedly disinterested.

“Damsel in distress, helping the friend of a friend. Show your charitable side Louie.”

Ciara stood up to go to the ladies. “I will let you discuss the age of chivalry while I am gone. Anyone want a drink on the way back?”

“Yes,” Cozzie said. “And wash your hands beforehand.”

Ciara smiled and made her way out.

“What’s the story there?” Louie asked pointing his glass in Ciara’s direction.

“No story. Just mates.”

“Go on out of that. You always said fellas and young ones can’t be friends.”

“Of course, they can. Sure, look at you and Emma.” Cozzie winked.

“Why do you keep going on about Emma?” Louie asked indignantly.

“The way she was looking at you. Sure, a blind man could see it.”

“Well, she has a fiancée, and besides. I’m happy as it is.”

Cozzie kept silent and then, “You looked good together, that’s all.”

Louie let it go.

“Listen, I didn’t say it in front of Ciara, but I went for a wander the other night. That woman that went missing. She lives just up the road from them.”

“Proper little Miss Marple you are. What happened?”

“Nothing. Just looking at the house. It’s gas when you see these things in the news you think it is somewhere else, but when you see the house and the police…. brings it home. So, I was thinking. You know the way; I am in between what to do at the minute. Well, I was thinking of doing a bit of a side-line thing. Maybe…. investigating myself. Just a bit of a diversion. You know. I’m bored.”

“Are you serious?”

Louie was surprised that Cozzie hadn’t lambasted him completely at the idea. His ‘are you serious?’ was a kind of endorsement.

“Yeh, I think I’d like to try it. For some reason, this case has me hooked. I wonder could I do anything about it.”

“Sure, the guards are on it aren’t they. How could you help?”

“Well, I did a bit of research the other night. Well, I got talking to a reporter. He said the detective in charge is young, maybe not as experienced as some of her colleagues. I was thinking could she do with a little help?”

“Well, she might be inexperienced Louie, but she probably has ten more years police experience than you have no matter what.”

“True. Ah it’s probably just a pipe dream. You know how it is.”

Cozzie placed his glass on the table and shook his head. “No, Louie. Just go for it. This world is full of chancers. That’s how they get on. You have to grab the bull by the horns sometimes. Just get in there. Your gut instinct. The difference with you over the rest of them is that you have a brain in your head. I mean it’s not as if you need a qualification to work this one out is it. Granted the guards have their methods. Maybe you being on the outside could help.”

“How?”

“Well, maybe people who know things don’t want to talk to the police, but they might talk to a good-looking young fella who was just a bit nosey and had a glamourous assistant.”

“Nah, I don’t think Grainne would be interested in my new career path. She was a bit coy about the idea when I mentioned it to her.”

“I wasn’t talking about Grainne.” Cozzie lifted his glass and took a long drink.

Ciara made her way back with two pints in her hand. “Did you want one Louie?”

“No, I’m grand for the minute, thanks Ciara.”

“Let me out there,” Cozzie said. “Need to powder my nose myself.”

Ciara shifted around and sat in beside Louie.

“So, anyway Louie, we are a housemate down. Do you fancy moving in and taking Emma’s place?” she said jokingly.,

“Much and all as I would love to Ciara, the party lifestyle wouldn’t suit me. But thanks for the offer. I’m sure Emma is delighted you have forgotten her already.”

“I don’t think so. She’d be too busy looking at her butterflies and moths.”

“What do you mean? In the museum?”

“Yeh. She is up in the dead zoo at the minute. She was supposed to be only there for the summer but they kept her on for a bit. I think she is finishing up soon. Not ideal with the new flat but I think she has a few bob anyway.”

“How come she isn’t moving in with the fella, Graham is it?”

“Ah, he’s a bit of a traditionalist. He doesn’t want to live together before they get married. Fair enough if that’s what you are into. I’m surprised really, Emma is much more open minded. Opposites attract I suppose.”

Louie’s mind was working away on its own. Perhaps something could be coming together for him. If he was to get started on his own, would Emma be interested in joining him? No. He was being silly and not thinking straight. She was a very attractive girl. Surely, there were plenty of more suitable people available even if he was starting up a detective agency.

Oh, so it was a detective agency now! That was the first time he had admitted something like that to himself. He was thinking what Cozzie had just said. No more procrastination. Just do it. Yes! To hell with it. If he spent any more time, he would think himself out of it. It was there for the taking. What was there to lose? He had time on his hands, if it didn’t work out what was lost? The decision was made.

Cozzie came back from the gents.

“Where’s Louie gone? He wasn’t in the jacks.”

Ciara smiled. “He just got very interested in the birds and the bees.”

Chapter Nineteen

The National history museum is situated on Dublin’s Merrion Square. It houses a large collection of various species of dead animals. Everything from insects to dinosaur remains adorn the floors of “The Dead Zoo” as it is affectionately called by Dubliners. Louie took a breath as he entered the main door. Ever since being brought by his father as a child, the place held a certain eeriness that he could never shake. A feeling of foreboding, that the animals would awaken and devour him, had left too many nightmares in his younger years.

A smiling porter greeted him as he entered and asked if he could assist.

“Hi, I’m looking for a friend…who works here.”

“Yes sir. Who is it?”

“Emma…em…” not knowing how to finish as he didn’t know her surname, “She is an intern for the Summer.”

“Ah., Emma, the lady of the flies! Grand girl. Crustaceans and insects. Fourth floor!” he said cheerily and Louie thanked him before making his way for the stairs.

A large stuffed bear on its hind legs greeted him as he reached the fourth-floor landing. He hurriedly made his way to his destination and found this space to be quieter and much calmer than the what he had passed through beneath. The museum was thronged with children but now it was so quiet that there was nobody at all around him making his childhood doubts revisit him. He proceeded to walk around the various glass cabinets pretending to look interested in the samples that were laid out in front of him. He wondered if they would make good fishing bait still. He also wondered why there was a bear on the entrance to the room.

As he looked around the empty floor, a door opened in the far corner and a figure in a white coat, carrying a tray emerged. It was Emma.

She didn’t spot him immediately but when he gave her a wave, she looked up and stopped. Smiling, she said, ‘Hello.’ Half surprised, half excited and immediately her head dropped with her usual Princess Diana shyness. She walked gingerly towards him and they stopped and conversed over a glass cabinet of gnats.

“I recommend the cricket, great with some Dijon Mustard.” Louie said.

Emma smiled. “What brings you here?” she asked.

“Well, I was in the area to be honest. I had met some mutual friends of ours to be precise for some late afternoon cocktails.”

“Ah, I see. Cozzie and Ciara for pints you mean?”

It was Louie’s turn to smile. “You have me sussed.”

He walked around the glass cabinet to come and stand beside her. “This is certainly different,” he said, circling his hand around the room. “Do you not find it a bit creepy? Especially being up here on your own.”

“Why? Don’t you think it’s good that we can talk to them?”

Louie looked at her mystified and only realised she was joking when she started to laugh.

“It’s fine really. The peace is good, I can get my work done. Although, I won’t be saying that for much longer. My stint here is nearing its end.”

“So, I believe, Ciara mentioned it earlier. We were talking about you, you see. All good I must add.”

He was intrigued by her manner. She appeared to be shy but he remembered the party the other night and how she was able to hold her own. There was something about her an edge of mystery.

“Yes, I need to move on. To be honest, I am not sure if this is really my bag. Don’t get me wrong, great experience and that, it’s just not exactly my area.”

“What is your area?” Louie asked, genuinely interested.

“Modern History. I love a good war!”

“You seem such a peaceful type, I find it hard to believe.”

Louie wondered was this classed as flirting and what Emma was making of it. In fairness, she was smiling. Always a good sign. But on the other hand, she was engaged to be married and he was here for a totally different reason.

“Anyway, I came by to, well, one., to see you, but more importantly, I have a proposition for you.”

Emma turned her head to one side inquisitively.

“I thought we established that I am engaged already.”

“Ha! No, nothing as interesting as that.” Louie wondered how that sounded and rebuked himself for answering so quickly. “No, it’s something that I thought you might find intriguing.”

“Go on,” she replied, folding her arms in front of her. She had left the tray down beside them on the cabinet.

Louie prepared himself for his pitch. He had been practicing it all along on the way up to the museum from the pub. He was undecided how to approach the subject without sounding crazy. He started by recounting the story of the missing woman and child. Emma lived nearby and the story was on every major news outlet available. He told her about his interest and how he had walked up to the missing woman’s house on the evening of the party.

“Yes, I meant to ask you how you got on!” she interrupted excitedly.

“Well, it was interesting to say the least.”

He told her about meeting the reporter and then the lady detective.

“Ooh. Very exciting! You really did get involved, didn’t you? I wish I was that brave!”

Louie moved away from where they were standing and paused for a minute before saying, “Well, that is what I wanted to talk to you about.”

He paused again and just decided to come out with it. “Look, you might think I am crazy but my life at the moment is at a bit of a crossroads. I don’t know what I want to do, and every time someone gives me a lecture it just turns me off all the more. I just want to do my own thing. A job that I will be interested in. When this case came up, I felt that maybe, just maybe, I could do something about it. To help. Maybe even find them. I know it sounds crazy, I have no experience and don’t know where to start but if you never try, you will never know right?”

He gazed at Emma who was holding her hand up to him.

“So let me get this straight. You think that maybe you would like to be some kind of what? Private Investigator? Is that what we will call it?”

Louie nodded and reddened all at once.

“Ok, that’s cool. I can go with that, although I would have thought you would need to be an ex-policeman or whatever but hey you have to have exceptions, right? So even if this is the case. Where do I come into this plan?”

Louie took a step closer.

“I just thought that…well you seemed to be at a bit of a crossroads yourself. I thought maybe you might like to help.”

Emma laughed. “I’m not laughing at you Louie; honest I am not. But what good would I be to you? I work in a museum!”

“I know Emma. And I know that I have only just met you, but I really felt a connection with you the other night and it just seemed as if we were on the same page. And to be honest you have a brain. That’s what my pitch is on this. Maybe the police are using their own Garda methods but perhaps they need something that is outside the box. Some new way of thinking. Do you know what I mean?”

Emma was a bit puzzled. “I …I don’t know. Look I have to finish here….and I’m moving apartment…”

“It’s ok, I’m sorry…it was a stupid idea. Just forget I ever said anything.” Louie was feeling the way he knew he would when he had talked the story through to himself on the way here, “what’s the worst that could happen?” Right now, this was the worst thing that could happen. He had made a fool of himself in front of an intelligent young woman. A beautiful young woman at that, by doing what everyone had said he was doing. Being a dreamer and not getting on with life and effectively growing up.

“I’ll let you get back to your work,” he said. His face puce. Louie made his exit. He couldn’t wait to get away from the place. All of a sudden, the animals were seeming to close in on him again and when he passed by the bear on the stairs again, he was sure it made a grab at him.

Catching his breath at the front door, he gulped in a breath of fresh air and welcomed the cold November air into his lungs. What a putz he felt. He made his way to the main gate when he heard his name being called. He turned around to see Emma standing in the doorway.

“Wait.” She called.

Standing on the street outside the gate, he looked at her on the steps of the building. Like a lord from years ago gazing at his lady in a country manor.

She smiled at him.

He could see she was on his side. It was confirmed when she called out to him.

“How will we get paid?”

Chapter Twenty

Jack Straffan marched around his living room. He was furious. His wife, May, was sitting on the armchair watching and listening to her volatile husband.

“It must be something to do with that fool she married. He was never going to be any good for her,” her husband bellowed, his large frame exacerbating the sound around the room.

May was afraid to speak and turned to the window looking for an alternative interaction.

“May, I know for a fact, he is messed up in something and this is the result of it.” Jack slammed a glass down on a table making his wife jump.

“Jack, calm down. You’ll give yourself a heart attack and we can’t say anything for sure. We’ll just have to wait to see what the guards come up with. There is no point in jumping to false thoughts and accusations. We don’t know anything for certain.”

Jack looked at his wife and winced. He didn’t know what to do. Old school, not cut out for the emotional side of things. He walked past her and patted her on the shoulder on his way to stare out the large Georgian window.

Life had been good to him and as he looked out in the Wicklow mountains, across his wide acres of land where his house sat, he knew he was powerless in this situation. All of the success and money couldn’t help at this point. Although, he was suspecting that there would be a call, now that the story was in the national news. He was sixty-eight years old and had been gradually taking more time away from the office in a semi- retirement mode. The trouble was, he still loved the office and all the trappings that went with a busy work life. He lived for it. This new staying at home with the only outlet he had, being his weekly game of golf, was not cutting the mustard. He found himself going stir crazy, with May constantly wanting to go for walks or visit garden centres. There was too much life in the old dog yet for that type of existence. For now, though, everything had been turned upside down and the pressing matter to hand was the safety of his daughter and granddaughter.

“We still haven’t heard from the bloody Guards of course,” he said out loud not turning back to May.

The Guards had been in touch initially yesterday, for preliminary enquiries to try and see if there was anything Jack and May could add to help with their daughter’s disappearance. The usual questions. Wondering if there had been any tension that they noticed with her and David, or if she had seemed off with them in any way. They couldn’t help, their daughter lived a full independent life and there were no issues that either of them knew of.

“I’ll get on to that Dennehy when I see him next at the club. It’s his crew who are looking into this whole thing. I need to know what the hell is going on and what they are doing about it, May. We can’t just sit idly by and let on nothing is happening.”

The door opened and a slim blonde figure stood before them, waiting to be acknowledged. It was Tara, their twenty-three-year-old daughter, Roisin’s sister who was still living in the family home.

“Any news?” she asked, feeling ignored.

“No dear,” her mother replied, brushing away a tear with a handkerchief.

Tara ran to her and sat on the arm of the chair. “Mam, you’ve been crying. It’s ok, they will find her, I promise. Wont they Dad?”

Jack was miles away and eventually turned around with his hands in his pockets.

“What? yes, yes…we’ll….” He muttered and made his way across the room, to pour himself another drink.

“Did you ever notice anything wrong?” he asked Tara as he poured. “With Roisin I mean.”

She stood up and folded her arms. “No, nothing I can think of. They seemed happy enough to me.”

Jack stopped and looked at her. “What do you mean ‘they.’ I meant with Roisin herself don’t mind that other gobshite.”

Tara looked offended and was taken aback. “I thought you meant in their marriage. With David. I just…”

Jack took his drink back to look out the window and smiled wryly.

“So, you think it’s him as well, do you?”

There was silence in the room as the two women looked at the man of the house surveying all he possessed.

Chapter Twenty-One

“Hello…yes, I’m looking to speak to Kaslak… Hello, can you hear me?” David was pacing around his office. He was trying frantically to get in touch with Kaslak who had not answered his phone in the last twenty-four hours. The burner phone he was using could be traced back here he realised, if it was ever found, but he had begun to panic, and had to make the call. “Can you get Kaslak to call me please.” He said in slow English, not sure if the detail was getting through on the other end. He thought he heard an “Ok” before the line was cut off.

He looked out onto the warehouse floor. The forklift driver was working away busily loading shelves as if there was nothing wrong. Would he know about Kaslak?

He rushed down the stairs that led to the floor. “Dani, Dani…. can you turn that off for a moment?”

Dani pulled up and took off his ear muffs. “Yes?”

“Dani. I need to get in touch with Kaslak. Do you know where I can get him? He isn’t answering his phone and I need to speak to him urgently.”

Dani looked back at him blankly. David wasn’t sure if Dani was having a senior moment even if he was only twenty-one. Or perhaps he was conveniently using the ‘haven’t very much English’ card.

There was a pause between the two men. Finally, Dani leaned down from his seat in the forklift truck and spoke.

“I work here every day and I do good job. Your work gets done and I get paid. We are both happy.” He switched the forklift back on and turned to David.

“But don’t ask me to get Kaslak. Nobody upsets Kaslak.”

He picked up another pallet from the floor and drove passed David as if he wasn’t there.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Well, this is romantic,” Grainne said as she linked her arm through Louie’s. The Winter sunshine dappled through the trees, like light through a sieve, in the National Botanical Gardens in Glasnevin.

Louie smiled back at her as they walked slowly on the pathway that separated two areas of dew laden grass.

“I used to come here as a kid with school you know. ‘The Bots’… are you goin’ to the Bots?” Louie laughed as he reminisced back to his younger years.

“It’s just lovely. I don’t think I have ever been.”

“Did you never come up to Dublin on a school trip from Galway?”

“Nah…we came to Dublin alright but we never came here. Too busy looking for the fancy shops. Well especially as teenagers. Priorities you know?!”

They ambled on, taking in the gardens, and stood on a bridge as the river flowed below.

“Oh, there’s a squirrel look!”

Louie laughed.

“Sure, I thought a country girl wouldn’t be shocked now by a bit of wildlife. Sure, this place is full of them.”

“Cattle and sheep yes, but not too many squirrels. I didn’t live out in the woods you know.”

Grainne was enjoying their day. They hadn’t done enough of it lately, and she felt that their relationship had plateaued. The date had been Louie’s suggestion and when she had gotten over her initial surprise, she jumped at the chance to spend the day with him as a ‘normal’ couple.

“Do you fancy a bit of lunch after this?” she asked.

“Why? Did you not bring a picnic? After me planning a day out the least you could have done was a sandwich and a packet of crisps?”

Grainne slapped him in the chest.

“Day out! Sure, all you did was drive us a few miles down the road. There wasn’t much planning in that. And anyway, it’s not exactly July. Picnic weather? I don’t think so.”

“Ah it’s all in the sentiment though Grainne. The thought that counts and all that. Making my love happy.”

If the truth was known, the area was on Louie’s mind and maybe, just maybe, he had an ulterior motive. The gardens were near the church in Glasnevin known as the Wigwam church due to its triangular shape. This was just around the corner from where David Corcoran lived and Louie was keen to see if there were any recent developments. Not that he expected squad cars or a raid with helicopters on the house, but he felt that there might be something. On the drive over with Grainne, he had taken the circuitous route passed the house, Grainne oblivious to his tactics. There was nothing doing. No guards or reporters and the house was just like all of the other houses on that road so that a passer-by would have been oblivious to recent happenings. He would call that reporter, Pine or Grimes or whatever his name was, later to see if he could get anything out of him. His negotiation skills would need to be at their best to get something solid though, but he would give it a shot. He had been trying to think strategically since the other day with Emma. Yes, she had agreed to fall in with him, but for what? He needed a plan to get his venture off the ground and to keep her interested also. After hours of introspection and wondering if he was doing the right thing, he had decided to quit the negativity and go for it. This was his career now. Cozzie was right. If he kept second guessing himself and wondering if he was doing the right thing, he would never get anywhere. Be that as a private investigator or any other career he decided on. He patted himself on the back for actually making a life decision for once!

The problem was, he needed something to go on. A break that would launch him into this case. At the moment all he was doing was reading the news and looking out for any snippets on the internet. Not exactly crime busting at its finest but it was all he had presently. No, he needed something concrete, a lead, anything to get him involved. He could also use it as barter to engage with the guards. Wouldn’t it be great to have something that they needed? Although he didn’t fancy trading or playing games with that lady detective. She seemed like she wouldn’t take any lip from anyone.

“….and Kate said there was no way she was accepting that for her weddi…. Louie are you even listening to me?”

“What? yeh…yeh…Kate and the wedding, I am…yeh.” Louie had drifted and hadn’t noticed that they had made their way back to the main gate that looked out on to the Old Finglas road.

“Where to now?” he smiled, dodging his lack of attention. “Shall we head up to Drumcondra for a bite or do you fancy town?”

“Surprise me!” Grainne said. “I love surprises.”

Louie put his hands into his coat pockets and nodded. “Right so,” he said, partly under his breath.

*******************************

Twenty minutes later they were seated in the Skylon hotel and two plates of fish and chips were being placed in front of them. The waitress asked them if they wanted anything else as she smiled in Louie’s direction. He didn’t notice as he picked a chip from his plate.

“No that will be fine,” Grainne replied sharply, sending the girl on her way. She took up the salt to flavour her fries, her eyes following the girl back to the where she came from.

“Think she liked you,” she said to Louie, who laughed, too interested in the food before him.

“What do you think of Kate and Ger getting married anyway?” Grainne asked casually, pretending to have a renewed interest in her food.

“What do you mean? Sure, it’s great for them, isn’t it?”

Grainne continued on, trying to act as casual as she could. Brushing her hair back behind her ear, she continued. “You know, it’s great, and Eve and Tommy were talking about getting engaged at Christmas too. Although no plans yet for certain.”

Louie knew exactly where this conversation was going and his mind was a million miles away from marriage and he hoped Grainne wasn’t going to pursue the idea. He could really do without it.

“Do you think we should start thinking along those lines?” Grainne stuffed a lump of fish into her mouth, preventing her from making the next move in the conversation.

“What? Going to their wedding?” Louie was teasing but also buying time.

Exasperated, Grainne put her knife and fork on the table.

“You know what I mean Louie. You and me getting married.”

Louie winced. “Sure, aren’t we grand as we are? Where would we get the money Grainne?”

“Where does anyone get it Louie? Anyway, I have been saving and I know my folks would help us out.”

“Do you come with a dowry?”

Grainne was getting annoyed.

“Louie, I wish you would take this seriously. I’m not getting any younger.”

“You’re twenty-six! Not exactly over the hill now, are you?”

“No Louie, but I want to be able to plan things out in my own time. I don’t want to be having my first baby at thirty-nine or something.”

Louie’s eyes told the story of his shock. Babies? Who said anything about babies?

Grainne read his mind. “Ok. Sorry, I don’t mean to scare you off. But if we are getting married, children would be part of the idea, no?”

Louie took a break from his dinner. His appetite slowly waning. “Look, I know, I know, it’s just that…weddings… babies…it wasn’t quite what I had planned for today that’s all.”

Grainne looked at him sympathetically. “Ok, I know. I didn’t mean to land it on you. Just think about it yeah? Where we are going and that? I don’t want to be waiting around forever. I do love you; you know.”

Louie smiled and decided to himself that now was not the best time to share his business venture with Grainne.

*********************

Later in the day, Louie had gone to Tony’s for a coffee. He was scanning through news articles and also real estate to see where he could set up a base. He had been toying with the idea of using a space in his apartment, but if Emma was to be working with him that could be an issue. Money was another issue. Was he going to go full on, with a business plan and get finance for rental on an office?

“Now Louie, one latte, just the way you like it.”

“Good man Tony, nobody does it like you.”

“What’s that you are looking at? Is your landlord giving you gip?” Tony was pointing to Louie’s screen that was open on real estate pages.

“Oh this, no, ah I’m just looking for a bit of office space just to keep work away from home, you know.”

“Oh right. What is it you do exactly?”

This was it. This was the first time Louie could actually say, “Well, actually I’m a private investigator.” He could hear the cheesy voice in the back of his head and the Jim Carrey matching face.

“I’m eh, into a bit of consultancy at the moment. Just looking for a small space for a desk and that.”

“Oh consultancy, I see.” Tony replied wiping his hands in a tea towel. Although it wasn’t certain if Tony did see and if he knew exactly what Louie actually meant.

Louie took a sip of his drink and flicked the page upwards again. Over his shoulder, he noticed that Tony was still standing there.

Louie looked at him.

“Oh sorry., sorry. I was just thinking,” Tony said. “There is a place upstairs. Lot of junk in it mind, doesn’t seem to be doing anything. It’s not huge but you’d get a seat and a desk into it. The landlord here asked me did I want it. There was no extra charge. I’ve a few bits and bobs, but to be honest the stock I need is best down here in the room out the back. Saves me carrying it up and down. You’re welcome to it if you like. No charge of course.”

Louie looked at him like a child in a sweetshop. “Are you serious Tony? I couldn’t just take it off you like that. You are paying your rent. It wouldn’t be right.”

Tony wiped the table in front of Louie. “Listen lad, I know what it’s like trying to get a start in business. We all need a helping hand. If I can help you for a few months, you can start talking to me about a few bob when you’re up on your feet and making millions. It’s no bother, sure the place is lying idle. You can bring whoever you are consulting for, in here to me for coffee. But you have to pay for that!”

Louie stood up and shook Tony’s hand. “Do you know what Tony. This could be the start of a beautiful friendship.”

Tony looked at Louie’s cup.

“Three seventy-five when you are ready.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Steph pulled up outside David Corcoran’s house. She looked at the cobble lock driveway and the lanterns. Not as appealing in the daylight she mused, as she considered if they would look nice in her own garden. She took a moment to collect her thoughts before walking up the driveway to the front door. Her intention today was to get to see what was driving this man and to see if there was anything suspicious, under his apparently innocent persona.

At the door, she stood with her hands in her coat after ringing the bell. A few seconds later she could see Corcoran through the side panes of glass, as he tentatively made his way down the hall. He opened the door with a suspicious look in his face.

“No need to worry… I just said I’d try and catch you before you headed off to work. May I come in?”

“Yes, yes sorry,” David pulled the door open and Steph thanked him as she made her way inside.

“Come into the sitting room, it’s warmer, we can’t seem to get the heat into the back at all.”

Steph thanked him and slowly made her way into the sitting room. It was small considering the rest of the house. Two red leather armchairs sat either side of a marble fireplace, reminiscent more of a gentleman’s club than a family home. A white rug lay before the fire and walnut floorboards finished off the look.

“Are you here long?”

David thought for a moment and replied, “About seven years. It’s a nice area. Schools, near town, the botanics…. we wanted all of this with Chloe in mind.” His head dropped as if remembering he had a daughter.

“It must have cost a bit. These are nice houses.”

David didn’t seem to mind the question as he sat down on the couch opposite Steph. “Well business was going….is going fine, so we decided to start off on a strong foot and hopefully maintain it. I never asked you; would you like a coffee. Tea?”

“Yes, please, a coffee would be good.”

She followed him out to the kitchen. A sizeable open plan room she had seen already. A large glass door at the end. The white tiled floor, housed a centre island, and a couch wrapped around one wall that ended at the door. To the left, the matching white kitchen was interspersed by brick split tiles to give the contemporary feel of a rugged wall. High stools were positioned either side of the counter and this is where Steph made her base.

“Your garden looks lovely. Do you tend to it yourself?”

“No, that’s Roisin’s area. Whoever was here before us had planned it all out, so it is just to keep it maintained really. It’s a nice escape when the weather is fine.”

Two coffees were quickly dispensed from the coffee maker and David placed a jug and some sugar in front of Steph. She took the latter and stirred slowly.

“So, have there been any developments?” David asked.

“No, we’re still trying to piece things together and I was hoping to ask you a few more questions.”

David nodded with his bottom lip over his top in a ‘fire away’ gesture.

“Is there any reason why a kidnapper for instance would target your family? Apart from your business and nice house, have you any other major assets that would be an attraction?”

“Such as?”

Steph took her cup into both hands. “Have you other business interests? Stocks, shares etc. Anything that would make people want to kidnap your wife?”

“Do you think she has been kidnapped?

“We have no reason to think anything else. Albeit it is a long time to go without demanding anything. But why would anyone want to contemplate anything more sinister?”

“You mean kill her?”

“Look David. We have very little to go on. If Roisin was murdered it would mean that your daughter had come to harm too. We have no indication of that with either of them and to be honest, sick world that it is, we don’t see a lot of little girls being murdered beside their mothers for no particular reason. Unless… that is…”

“By someone who knew them. Like the husband.” David finished Steph’s sentence.

She put her cup back down onto the counter.

“That is not what I am saying. We really are trying to ascertain the chain of events and what has happened. If Roisin and Chloe are out there, we will find them. But you need to tell us everything you know.”

David was silent for a moment. As if he was thinking, Steph waited in hopeful anticipation.

“I’ve told you everything Detective.” He said eventually. And for the first time Steph felt that they were not working together.

************************

Louie was loitering outside the offices of the newspaper where Rory Grimes, the reporter worked. The Dublin Post did not look anything like the New York times or any other newspaper for that matter. A solid brown door that was in the need of a lick of more brown, faced the street. The door was ajar as Louie tried to confirm if he was in the right place. The city buses trundled by behind him and the noise they generated vibrated the street underneath his feet. Just as he was sizing the building up a man came out with a bag across his chest.

“Excuse me, I’m looking for Rory Grimes from the Dublin po….

“Inside… having his lunch.”

Before Louie had a chance to thank him, the man was gone down the street, reading his phone as he went. Louie took the ‘inside’ as an invitation to enter and he pushed the door gingerly to find a poorly lit corridor leading to a room, that could be best described as only a kitchenette. He wondered where the newspaper articles got written as he could see no sign of an office let alone a keyboard.

As he entered, he saw Grimes sitting with his back to the door. He was reading a newspaper as he hunched down over a table. There was a window in front of the table, letting in strips of light that peeked between surrounding buildings outside.

Louie wrapped on the door gently.

Grimes peered around over his right shoulder and tried to place the face.

Louie smiled, teasing, and gave him a minute.

Grimes pointed at him as he chewed. “The guy outside Corcoran’s house from the other night. Mr. Marple himself. That detective gave you an earful I’d say. You seemed to go off with your tail between your legs.” He let out a loud likeable laugh and pulled a stool from under the table, his eyebrows signalling for Louie to sit down.

“Grab yourself a coffee there if you want one son, I’m too hungry to play the hostess.”

Louie declined with a hand wave. He sat gingerly on the stool and Grimes picked up on his apprehension.

“Don’t worry about this place. We don’t have rats. No, we use this place as a hub in the city centre. Most of us are out and about and do our writing at home. The new way forward in the ‘agile’ working environment.” He made the gesture of apostrophe with his fingers

“God be with the days of a press room and getting your deadline in. Now if you don’t submit, the editor goes to someone else and you don’t get paid. Its dog eat dog out there now. We’re all freelance. The internet is killing the printed paper.”

Louie was amused by the two-minute history and state of the national press and immediately took a liking to Grimes.

“So, what can I do for you anyway son?” he asked as he picked some dropped lettuce from the table and forced it into his mouth. He was a scruffy type with long greying hair and an unshaven jaw. He was small and wiry but his eyes held a character and charm that suggested he had been a good-looking man in his younger days. Louie had him down for late fifties and a hard dog that had seen a long road.

“I am doing a bit of investigating. Into the missing woman case.”

Grimes looked at him, ignorant to Louie’s position in life. Louie, buoyed by this, confidently told Grimes that he had started a new detective agency with his partner and was keen to get a lead on the missing woman case. It felt good to deliver the line even if he didn’t believe it himself.

“A new detective agency? And eh…what background do you come from?” Grimes asked with one hand placed on the table. “I thought you meant for a thesis or something.”

“Well, I studied Criminal law in college. I’m looking to diversify.” He let one cheek of his bum rest on the table, confident now in the yarn he was spinning. “My colleague specialised in Cybercrime and we see this as the way criminals will work in the future.” Louie couldn’t get over how easy it was to lie but was uncertain as to how convincing he sounded. It seemed to work, as Grimes nodded in acceptance.

“Well, I’m sure you have a point, but I am not so sure that there is a cyber element to this little tale. Seems like and old fashioned whodunnit if you ask me.”

Louie put his hands between his legs as he grew in confidence. “What type of a fella do you make this Corcoran out to be? Is he capable of anything sinister?”

Grimes placed his sandwich down and leaned sideways on the table.

“All I know son, and I’m in this game a long, long time, is that the Guards don’t ransack your house if they think you are innocent. Maybe after a couple of weeks yes, but they were straight in there, so they must think he isn’t as crystal clean as he is making out. Or else he has said something to spark their interest. People panic you know, when they’re lying.” He stood up and made his way to make more coffee.

“I think he has something to do with it you see.”

Louie looked at him alert now, like a dog who hears a sound in the distance.

“I understand from… sources… that he and the girl’s father didn’t always see eye to eye. That’s despite the oul fella setting Corcoran up in business.”

“Who’s the father?”

“Jack Straffan. Shipping guy. Loaded, big warehouses down on the docks and the in the UK and everything. But he set Corcoran up in business when Corcoran started going out with the daughter. I don’t think things are super fantastic however, from the snippets I am getting.

I could be wrong, but if I was… ‘A private investigator…’ (Fingers again) This is where I would be starting. Coffee? are you sure?”

Louie shook his head, keen now that there may have been the beginning of a lead. Grimes had his back to Louie as poured hot water into a mug with Liverpool ’88 on the outside.

“So, the thing is my friend, perhaps we could complement each other.”

“How do you mean?” Louie asked.

Grimes brought his coffee back to the table and sat down. He took a digestive biscuit and broke it in two.

“Jack Straffan is a big business man and the likes of me can’t get near him. Especially now that his family is in the news, the last thing he wants is for a nosey reporter to be sniffing around asking him questions. But if a new unknown young man such as yourself was to get to know him…or his lovely daughter…well, the same young gentleman could share his knowledge with a young up and coming reporter.”

Louie laughed at the young, up and coming reporter piece but could see value in the proposition. Could this be the “in” he was looking for? The something that the guards didn’t have?

“I think that there is something in that alright. A ransom or something. I mean why else would she be kidnapped? Who else would have the money? Corcoran is doing alright, but not to the point where he would have the money to pay someone off.”

“So do you think she has been kidnapped, rather than…”

Grimes crossed one leg over the other.

“Well, it’s the kid you see. I can understand if the wife was murdered by someone, or if there was something about a jealous lover, bumping her off in a rage. God forgive me even if it was Corcoran himself, but you’d want to be some heartless bastard to murder a child as well.”

Louie straightened up as he absorbed Grimes’ train of thought.

“So, as a starting point, the Straffans seem as good a bet to me as any. Are you with me?”

Louie didn’t want to commit to a partnership and wanted to do things his own way. But at this point, Grimes was the only way in for him, and the Straffans did seem like a good place to start.

“Ok,” he said. “I think you might have a point.” I’ll give him a call.”

Grimes scrunched up his face and waved his hand like a man who had swallowed a lemon

“No…no. Don’t call him. You, young people can do nothing these days without your phones. It’s like you have an extra limb. You have to go and see him.”

“Why? The personal touch?”

Grimes smiled. “No, son. He can’t hang up on you at his hall door.”

Emma sat patiently in a coffee shop off Merrion Square. The little boutique cafe had a basement decorated as a sitting room. Floral wallpaper and cosy armchairs were accompanied by standard lamps as people sat around browsing newspapers. It seemed a unique type of place to meet, but that was what Louie suggested when he had texted her. It was a strange few days as she reflected on their venture. Without anything concrete to go on, she wasn’t sure how serious she should take things. Was Louie the real deal where detective work was concerned or was, he just some obsessive about the missing woman? He didn’t seem like a weirdo but then again, you never knew.

He was a nice guy and yes, he was very attractive. She knew that from the first moment she saw him at the party. Ciara had kept this one quiet. She knew her mind shouldn’t be thinking along those lines as she was happy with Graham. So happy, that they were due to be married in the next year or so. Plans were afoot and she did get a tinge of excitement every time she thought of it. Was that more about getting married or getting married to Graham she wondered? She shivered when she worked that conundrum. Not a good sign.

The waitress brought her a coffee and a slice of carrot cake. She never had to worry about her figure and was not as obsessive as other brides to be. Anyway, she was in a basement in the back room. Who was going to see her?

Just as she took her first mouthful, Louie walked in. Smiling down at her from the archway that led to the room where she was sitting, she felt a something in her tummy that she knew she shouldn’t be feeling. He was dressed in a navy high neck, knit jumper. He had taken off his jacket and it was flung over his arm. His beige chinos and matched his brown boots and Emma admired his figure and style as he approached.

“Hi,”

“Hi, there.”

“Well, this is a nice space. I could ask, do you come here often, but I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot with my new boss.”

Louie threw his jacket over the couch beside them and sat down smiling.

“Don’t think I could ever boss you, Emma. Not sure if I am too comfortable with that word. Yes, it’s a nice spot. I’ve here a few times on my own. Nice to browse through the paper and that on a wet Tuesday morning. Bit of a gentleman’s club without the high fees and mobile phones are frowned upon.”

“And they allow women in…. very forward thinking. Well, I’m impressed. And the cake is nice too.” She shoved a forkful into her mouth, smiling.

A waitress approached and asked Louie what would he like. He ordered a coffee and a scone deciding against jam and cream.

“I think we might have a lot of coffees over the next while. Best not to be adding too many calories on top of it.”

“And all these coffees. Can I expense them?”

“Well…I haven’t really thought…”

“I was joking! Relax, you needn’t worry I’m not a gold digger.”

Louie fumbled with the sugar bowl. He was nervous partly due to the fact that he wasn’t sure exactly what he should be saying and partly that he was overcome by Emma’s beauty all over again. Those eyes were magnetic. Luring him in every time he saw her. Smoky, that was the word that described them best. Whatever the hell that meant. Her hair was tied back again, highlighting her sharp cheekbones. She had some type of blusher on and they were shining. She wore a grey denim shirt and blue jeans and was leaning forward towards the table.

“So, things have developed since I spoke to you. By the way, how was the job leaving and have you moved flat?”

Emma straightened up, and took her cup into her hand. “Yes, finished the other evening, no big party, the museum folk are not the party type I’m afraid, and then on Saturday I was busy moving. Graham was away so I was doing it in a few different drops. It was ok, the girls still have a couple of boxes of mine but I can go back for them during the week.”

“I would have helped if you had asked you know… just that…”

The waitress arrived back with Louie’s coffee and scone.

When she had left, Emma said, “Just that I have a boyfriend already for that type of thing?”

Louie ignored the gibe.

“Where are you now anyway? The new place?” he asked as he buttered his scone.

“Just off Iona road. Not too far from where I was. Nice place. High ceilings, takes an age to heat up. But in fairness it’s lovely, so I’ve been lucky. Not a patch on the country let me tell you, but us culchies can’t be too choosey.”

Louie gazed at her. She was cupping both hands around her coffee and had sat back with one booted foot resting on the edge of a seat. He felt she was showboating. Holding the power.

“It’s nice around there, handy for the city. Good luck with it anyway.”

“Thanks, and you are welcome to pop in anytime. If you are out solving any more murders in the neighbourhood.”

“You make me sound like Spiderman.”

Emma laughed and put her hand to her mouth to prevent her coffee spilling all over the table.

There was a brief silence as they both tried to keep their table manners in check. Louie finished one half of his scone and said, “So, I actually do have a couple of things to tell you. Just to get the ball rolling. One, I’ve acquired a base for us. It’s in Chapelizod, I don’t expect you to commute every day but it is great to have it.”

“No, that’s perfect. I can cycle, it’s not that it’s going to be a desk job sitting there nine to five I presume?”

“No, not at all.” Louie’s mouth was full again and Emma smiled at his awkwardness. He spoke with one hand covering his face as he chewed. “I intend for us to be out and about at the start anyway. So, you can work it whatever way you like. It’s just that, well I can’t really say I am your employer until we actually get paid. I haven’t really done the whole business plan because really there is no business. And on top of that, now that I think of it, not much of a plan! I just would like to get something started for us though on this case. If we could somehow get paid in consultancy fees and had some revenue, well it would be easier to go to the banks to get a loan.”

“And do you have anything we can start on?”

“Well, that’s the second thing I have to talk to you about. The night I went to David Corcoran’s house there was a reporter outside that I got talking to. He seemed ok and had a good idea on the case. Well, I followed up with him yesterday, I went to his offices and had a proper chat.”

“Ooh, really getting into this detective thing. Reporters the lot. Did he have a trilby and trench coat?”

This time Louie didn’t smile. Emma seemed to get the message and she allowed him to continue.

“Well, he seems to think that Roisin Corcoran was kidnapped. And the reason behind it was that her father is apparently very well off and would be the one to pay a ransom. David Corcoran didn’t really get on with him but in fairness to the father, he had set David up in business.”

“So, what’s the lead?” Emma asked trying to show more enthusiasm.

“Well, Rory Grimes seems to think, he’s the reporter, that if I could get talking to the father that may be an opening. Grimes doesn’t want to go near him because of his job, and feels he would be shown the door quick sharp.

“And if you do the dirty work, Grimes will have a story and you will have your lead. Not bad. Could be handy to have in the future too.”

“That’s what I said. So do you think it’s something we could look at?”

Emma sat back in her chair and finished her coffee. “Well, there is no harm in trying, I guess. How do you plan to approach him?”

“Well, here’s the thing. I thought it would be good if I had someone from the fairer sex with me.”

Emma threw a bewildered look. “Louie, let’s get this straight from the start. This isn’t the seventies; I am not going along to be the eye candy on this case or any other.”

“No! No, that’s not what I meant. I just mean it might look better if two of us were there, softer approach and all that. Jesus, don’t think I was thinking along those lines. I look on you as more than that.”

Emma smiled again, confrontation over.

“Okay.” She said simply and waited for the next direction.

“Right, ok… Well, why don’t we head out to our new office and I can introduce you to Tony.”

“Tony?”

“Yes. The office is over a coffee shop and Tony is the owner. As I said, we’ll be needing plenty of coffee.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Steph gazed at the shelves in Tesco as she tried to manoeuvre the troublesome shopping trolley around the freshly waxed floor. There seemed to be new trollies everywhere but this one wasn’t playing ball and a dodgy wheel was adding to her tension. She couldn’t even remember what was left in the house to eat, she had been so busy at work. She picked up bags of pasta and sauce, always a saviour with the kids. The poor kids. Another thing that she felt guilty about. All this time away was only due to get worse as the case developed and how would that effect family life? Out of guilt she threw in another six pack of crisps but knew that wasn’t the long-term solution.

She hurried through the frozen section. It was bloody cold enough outside without coming in here to be frozen too. The November rain was proving relentless and every type of yellow and orange warning was being spewed across the news. She remembered back to when she was growing up and it was either low pressure or high pressure. High pressure was good, wasn’t it? Dry or wet? Nowadays you seemed to have to have a Dulux colour card to see what type of day it was going to be.

Liam, her husband, was being very understanding with the kids. He was a freelance architect and could work from home as he owned his own business. He knew how important this case was to her. Her first big chance to prove herself in front of the men. He encouraged her every time she had felt down or out of her depth. As she passed the drinks aisle she put in a bottle of wine for later. Maybe they could have one quiet evening this evening after the kids had gone to bed. That never seemed to happen as she was never “off”, constantly looking at her phone, knowing crime didn’t do nine to five.

An old lady smiled at her in the toiletries section. A warm smile that made Steph think of how she would be at that age. Would she still be chasing criminals or would she be walking around Tesco smiling at the younger generation? As she got into the queue to pay for her shopping she thought again about Corcoran. She had given him a chance to be on her side and to come clean if he needed to but there was nothing happening. Why had he waited those two weeks to contact the police? There was something strange about his story all over. It didn’t fit right. Any other case of this type you would be on the side of the victim but for some reason, from the off, Steph and her colleagues looked on David as a suspect. Yet there was no evidence anywhere, including his house, to suggest he was guilty of something. She lifted butter and eggs onto the shopping conveyor belt, pausing as she did, different thoughts coming into her mind. He had said something about dropping the first payment into a bin. That could be something. She would ring Mattie from the car to see was there anything in this. Find out where it was perhaps. There may have been CCTV in the area, if it had happened at all. There it was again, this suspicion around Corcoran and everything he said.

“Clubcard?”

“Sorry?”

“Do you have a Clubcard?”

The young lad behind the desk broke her from her musings and she fumbled in her purse to give her card to him.

“Sorry, miles away.”

“No probs. Happens the best of us. Ah, you must be very busy; you look a bit frazzled. But in a good way.” He scanned her shopping and placed it at the far end for Steph to collect.

She opened her bags in the trolley and smiled.

“Not sure if that is a compliment or an insult. Some customer service technique you have.”

He continued to scan her shopping looking straight ahead whilst speaking to her.

“All part of the service. We like to look to the “inner” customer. To make sure you are ok in mind and body. And that you have everything you need for the fridge too.”

Steph found herself laughing. When was the last time she had a bit of fun?

“That’s very uplifting to know, that you care about everyone so much,” she said as she tapped her card on the bank machine to pay.

“Well for a lovely lady such as yourself, it’s all free of charge. I’m finished here at eight.”

Steph hauled her bags into a neat pile in the trolley and gave a look to the young lad who was no more than seventeen.

“You’ll go a long way…. charmer.”

Making her way outside she noticed it was milder now, but dark. The rain had stopped completely and the sky had cleared making the wet car park dazzle in the moonlight. As she lifted her bags into the boot, she remembered she needed to ring Cole and plan out for tomorrow. Maybe, just maybe, she would get a night of peace tonight to spend with her husband and children.

Chapter Twenty-Five.

“Well, there is a bit to do.” Emma looked around the room above the coffee shop. It was small enough. Two windows let in some amount of light but the room was so cluttered with old furniture and boxes it was hard to judge what space was available. She was confident however that they could squeeze in a desk or two at a push. At the minute that looked a long way off.

She had been introduced to Tony a few minutes earlier. He had taken them upstairs and left them to their own devices explaining that there was no cover in the coffee shop below. When Emma had said something about Louie, the detective, Tony had looked bemused and Louie changed the subject quickly by pulling an old painting from a box and wondering if it was worth anything. Tony took the painting and said he would hang it up downstairs. It wasn’t that bad and “might give a retro feel to the place.” The ‘detective’ conversation was forgotten and Tony left smiling.

Louie perused the room. It wasn’t bad and once they got it cleared, he felt there was potential. He could even give it a lick of paint and he was sure Cozzie would give him a hand shifting the gear in advance. Tony had said that the landlord wanted everything dumped, so if Louie could get a van, he could shift it, sell, or do what he liked. Maybe there was a hidden treasure that could set them up financially. If that painting was anything to go by, it was highly unlikely.

“So, you are happy enough then? Don’t worry Emma, I won’t be asking you to lift tables or boxes. I just need you to start planning how we’ll look afterwards. Get your interior designer hat on. Nothing too expensive mind.”

Emma smiled. There was plenty she could do with this place. Some nice furniture and one or two plants could transform the place. A nice little project that would keep her going over the next few weeks.

“It’s great Louie. Real potential. Let’s get cracking. I don’t mind mucking in. We can start tomorrow. A t-shirt and an old pair of jeans and we’ll have this place spick and span in no time. Are you looking at getting a skip?”

Louie frowned. “No. It’d cost too much. Cozzie has a wheeler dealer friend with a van. I’ll see if he can help and maybe offer to give him the stuff as reward. Plenty of people would be happy with this type of thing.” He went to pick up a chair and the arm fell off. “Well. Most of it.”

Emma sifted through some old newspapers that were lying on the floor. “Two thousand and two…. wow. Sure, I was only a young one.”

Louie smiled coyly. “You’re doing yourself a few favours there I think!” Emma flung the paper at him, and he caught it in his hand. He looked around the room again and took it all in. The musty smell and the grimy floor didn’t really bother him. Stamping down, dust flew up to reveal a wooden floor that would come up nicely he imagined. Yes, this could be something alright. And for the first time in a long time, his life seemed to have a sense of purpose.

Part Two

Chapter Twenty-Six

Roisin sat beside Chloe, as her daughter scribbled on a pad on the floor. She stroked the child’s hair and thought back to how her own mother had looked after her at this age. She wondered what her parents were thinking now. The keeper had said it was alright to turn on the television some of the time and Roisin had seen the news. Her parents must be up the walls wondering what was going on. Had they fallen out with David? She stood up and went to the window again. It was at the back of the house where nobody could see her. There were no buildings overlooking where she stood and she gazed out at the wet grass but it only exacerbated her gloomy mood.

Whatever about her mother’s kindness, her father had never been the loving type. Roisin had always had the best, but all of the private schools and horse-riding lessons could not replace the hug that she so dearly yearned for. She took a deep breath and thought of her sister, Tara. The little bitch. She was always the favourite. The youngest child. Tara did not see eye to eye with Roisin and she imagined her younger sibling was delighted to have her out of the way now. When they were small, it was always, “Don’t upset poor Tara,” or “Don’t hurt Tara, she is only little.”

She wasn’t that small when she was eyeing up David last Christmas, Roisin mused.

They had all been in her parent’s house for Christmas dinner. After the meal, and presents had been handed out, it was time to relax. Her parents were in the living room and her father was fast asleep. Roisin had gone to get Chloe’s pyjamas for bed when she passed by the drawing room. Tara and David were standing at the fireplace, laughing and now that she thought of it again, they were very touchy feely, with Tara slapping David’s chest as she laughed at something he was saying. David being the fool, and the man that he was, lapped up the attention of the young girl, and Roisin was sickened by the two of them. She dipped her head back out from the doorway and they never knew she was there. She knew what she saw however, and now….

The keeper opened the door and brought a sandwich in for Roisin. She left it on the table with a mug of tea.

“Mammy, I’m hungry,” Chloe cried when she saw there was food being given. The keeper nodded, signalling that the child would get something presently. Roisin didn’t react either way. It was the least they could do given the circumstances.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Steph wrapped herself up on to the couch beside her husband. She had a glass of chardonnay in one hand and a bowl of crisps in the other. Liam put his arm over the back of the couch where she was sitting, but he wasn’t getting in any closer. Steph knew these evenings were rare. She preferred nothing more than to be sitting in with himself and a glass of wine, watching some drama from the television. The kids had gone to bed quietly enough with a promise of McDonalds and the Cinema at the weekend. God it was terrible to have to bribe them, but she felt tremendous guilt sometimes, her conscience eating at her due to her elongated absences. She just hoped she would be able to stick to her promise now that things were beginning to kick off.

“So, need I ask. How did today go?” Liam said.

Steph was putting a crisp to her mouth and waved it from side to side signalling her disinterest in talking about work.

“That well huh?” Liam smiled and glanced back at the programme. He was an easy-going guy and fully understood the trials and tribulations of Steph’s job. She loved that about him, how he understood when she was stressed and at the drop of a hat, plans could be turned upside down. Liam knew how important her career was to Steph and had probably sacrificed much of his own to allow her progress. Not that it would have stopped her anyway. She could have achieved this status with or without him and he always gave her full kudos for where she was today.

“That would never happen,” Steph said pointing at the latest escapades from the cop show they were watching.

Liam laughed, happy in the knowledge he had a few moments that were so precious to be spending with his wife.

“Is that right yeh? You’d be telling Dennehy where to go with his plans would you?”

“Too right I would, he knows which side his bread is buttered on.!” She laughed when she said it. She was convincing nobody, not even herself.

“How is it going love? Will you be, ok?”

Steph sighed and put down the bowl

“Oh, I don’t know. We have nothing to go on and this guy, the husband…I don’t know what to make of him. Then I feel as if I am not cut out yet……ah listen you don’t want to be listening to me…enough …. we don’t have too many of these evenings, so let’s enjoy it. I can imagine as things hot up over the next while that you will be seeing less of me.”

“Great…a bit of peace.”

Steph stuck and elbow into his ribs and Liam gave a grunt.

“Thanks for listening though. I don’t know where I would be without you and the kids. It’s nice to have you to bounce it off.”

“Pity your friend didn’t appreciate his wife the way I do mine!”

“Who? Corcoran?”

“Yeh. Sure, there must have been mad stuff going on altogether for this to happen. Whatever the story is.”

Liam leaned over and picked up his bottle of beer from the coffee table.

“Don’t worry, I know my girl won’t give up until she has all the answers.” He kissed her on the top of her head and Steph smiled.

That was one thing for sure. She was going to get to the bottom of this little conundrum and whatever Mr. Corcoran had been up to.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Louie was alone in the new office and pondering the new space. Jesus, Emma had done a great job already and they were only a week in. He sat at a table that had been left behind and that was now acting as a desk. A kitchen chair from his apartment and an old stool for Emma were the only seating available to them, but it was working…for the moment. He wondered was Emma having reservations about his ‘half thought through’ scheme and if she would leave him to it any day now.

She wouldn’t be the only woman in his life who was having doubts if she did. Grainne had been cool with him for the last few days. The idea being put into motion and actually acquiring the space over the coffee shop were real statements of intent. What could have been seen as a hair brain idea last week in the Botanical gardens were now hard facts, and Louie had a place to prove it.

He had decided to not mention Emma, just yet.

Standing up and gazing out of the high window that looked onto the main Chapelizod road, he could see a pony and trap making its way down from Martins Row. It was as if it was lost in a time warp and he wondered how many of its kind had travelled up and down this way to the Phoenix Park. The methodical clip clopping of the horses’ hooves hypnotised him to a time far away, and he thought of how this street had seen simpler times.

The November wind was brewing and the storm season was starting to kick off. He was glad to be indoors and beginning to feel an affinity with his new hangout.

What Grimes had said got him thinking. Truth be told he had been thinking about it for the last few days and was grinding the wheels of his mind as to how he could make contact with Roisin Corcoran’s father. Every time he thought it through, he came up with the same answer. Knock on the front door.

How could he do that though? There were bound to be reporters outside the house hassling the Straffans so how would he gain entry? The suggestion had come from Emma yesterday evening as they pondered the possibilities over a coffee downstairs in the Café.

“I’ll just pretend to be a friend of Roisin’s. Simple. You can be my partner.”

“And what? We just rock up to the hall door with a bunch of garage flowers? Sure, what would we say?”

“The obvious. I am friend…. very worried about her…. how could this have happened…. blah blah blah and then we can take it from there. If we get rumbled what’s the worst that can he can do? We are thrown out. That’s it.”

A day later Louie wasn’t sure. However, he pondered, what other way could he get to Straffan and ultimately, a lead to bring back to the Guards?

He rubbed the bristles on his chin. He was tired. Between the physical exertions of getting the place in order and the mental tension of the situation with Grainne, his body was weak. He told himself that this is what he knew he was letting himself in for and it was not going to be easy. He stopped feeling sorry for himself as soon as it began.

“Hey!” A voice broke his musings and Emma burst into the office, full of life, carrying a bicycle helmet in her hand. “Ooh it’s getting stormy now. I felt it on my thighs this morning I can tell ya.”

Louie impulsively looked at her thighs, well fitted in her denims. She looked down to see had she spilled something. “What?”

“Eh…nothing…so I was thinking about what you said yesterday.”

Emma put the helmet down on a small bench that was acting as her desk and started to extricate herself from a high vis strap.

“I think we will have to go with your friend idea and go and talk to Straffan. I can’t see any other way.”

“Glad to see you are listening to me anyway and I am not just the glamorous assistant.”

“We don’t have an option. Hate to burst your bubble.”

Emma smiled and made her way to the kettle. “Tea? I know Tony is great on the cappuccinos but we won’t be able to get up these stairs soon if we keep drinking them all day.”

Louie smiled and nodded.

There was a tap on the door.

“Louie, how are ya….” It was Tony. “There’s a fella downstairs looking for you.”

Louie was baffled and looked over to Emma. “Who is he Tony?”

“Small, wiry fella…. said his name is Grimes.

Louie smiled. How had he found them here?

Emma looked at Louie. “Are we on to something?”

“We might very well be. Come on.”

**********************

Grimes was standing in the corner just inside the door. He was like an intruder at a wedding waiting for the bride to confirm she actually knew him. As Louie came down the back stairs and acknowledged him, he put a hand up and smiled.

“Rory…how do….

“Do I like tea? Milk…. just the one sugar, trying to cut down.”

Tony nodded and watched Grimes take a seat in front of the counter, totally comfortable in his new surroundings.

“Very nice…. very nice indeed, ye yuppie…. or are you millennials now, or generation x? Sure, I can’t keep up. And this is…?”

He held a hand in Emma’s direction and she could only smile and reciprocate.

“Emma…. Emma Dunphy.”

“Emma, Rory Grimes, good friend of your fella here.”

Louie, mortified at the insinuation pulled two chairs around for himself and Emma to sit on and smiled in Grimes’ direction.

“How did you find us here?”

Grimes leaned back with one elbow over the back of the chair.

“Well, Chapelizod isn’t exactly London….and there is only this coffee shop and the pub. I reckoned this would be more your style, a bit of investigative journalism so to speak, and Tony my good man here knew you as soon as I mentioned your name so, hey presto!”

Emma was still smiling at this likeable rogue who thankfully took the cup that Tony had just delivered.

“Good man Tony.” Grimes smiled and glanced at the still bemused Louie.

“So, how have you been? Any more late-night trips to missing housewives’ doors?”

He took a sip from his tea and frowned at the tepid temperature.

“No, I was thinking of you actually. Was wondering what was the best plan of attack with Mr Straffan.”

Grimes gave a smug smile.

“You don’t think I came all the way out here for a cup of rosie and a chat now, do you?”

Louie’s ears pricked up like a dog.

“Have you got something?”

“Well in a way. Now don’t ask…but we in the trade have our sources… and well, it appears young David Corcoran wasn’t the best son in law always. The word is that he had an eye for the ladies on top of all his woes.”

Emma had stopped smiling. “Do you think he was found out?”

Grimes swung back to the table resting both arms in front of him. He had become serious now and paused as if not sure what to say next.

“I don’t know love, to be honest. But it could be something. Now, I am not the type to be hanging around with the younger crowd. The pair of you are though. So, perhaps if you were to check this type of thing out it could be a start.”

“Who was his mistress? Mistress….is that too strong a word,” Louie asked looking from Grimes to Emma.

“I don’t know Louie but I heard he likes them young.” He lifted his tea again and put it too his lips.

“So put that in your pipe and smoke it.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“Because Emily, we can’t put chocolate on your coco pops. Now come on, we’ll be late for school.”

“But you don’t go to school Mammy!”

“No but you and Evan do and I have to bring you, and I will be late for work.”

Steph sighed as she hastily transferred plates and cups from the counter to the sink. Emily was extremely active in the morning and today Steph could do without it. The couple of glasses of wine were still running around her head as she told herself for the umpteenth time, that it is just not worth it when there are small kids to tend to the next morning. She had enjoyed the evening in with Liam however, even if they had both fallen into bed and were asleep by half past eleven. She felt it was important to stay in touch, especially the way the case was going. She would need Liam’s support and apart from that, she wanted this family to grow up normal. Well, as normal as possible, where the mother was chasing down a potential murderer.

“Come on Em…. ugh.” Steph’s phone was ringing. It was Pollard.

“Gary. What’s the story?”

“Sorry for ringing so early Chief, but we got something on the CCTV.”

Steph leaned back on the counter. She wanted not to see Lucy taking her coco pops out of the bowl one by one.

“Go on.”

“Well, we can see Corcoran depositing the money on the day in question on the quays, so no qualms there. He was telling the truth. But the interesting part is about twenty minutes later…. Someone in a hoodie comes along and picks it out of the bin.”

“Can you see them!?” Steph asked excitedly.

“See who mammy?” Evan asked beside his sister.

Steph flapped her hand away and walked to the patio doors, looking out onto the dismal day.

Pollard continued, “We can see someone…but they knew all the tricks, head down, away from the camera.”

“Well, they didn’t know all the tricks…. they picked a place with a camera.”

“Well boss, the city is full of them, very hard to find somewhere, you can’t be seen.”

Steph agreed to herself. Even in the suburbs people can be picked up on private cctv cameras or dashcams. The cyclists even had them on their head for fuck’s sake such was our claim culture.

“Anyway, they look smaller, tidy. This isn’t a bulky big kidnapper bashing his way through things.”

“What? You think it could be a young fella?”

“No, Boss…. we were thinking more like a young one.”

Steph opened her eyes wide, in surprise.

“Ok Gary…Good work. I’ll be there within the hour. Just dropping the kids to school.”

Pollard rang off and Steph turned to get the children ready.

“Oh, good God….” The coco pops had all been counted out.

Chapter Thirty

David Corcoran looked out onto the warehouse floor. His mind was working overtime. Ever since that policewoman or bean guard or whatever they were called nowadays had come last night, he was on edge.

She was getting a bit too close for comfort, dropping by every now and again as if he was her brother. Just Fuck off and leave me alone. He knew she wouldn’t though. It was getting too awkward. What was Kaslak up to? Was he going to look for more money? All he wanted was for Roisin and Chloe to be back. They could work things out then. He could come clean to her. Forget about Kaslak, David just wanted out of this. Kaslak could take the business if he wanted. It was all too much pressure and he knew he should never have gotten involved.

But Kaslak had him over a barrel. Somehow Kaslak had found out about his extracurricular activities. He knew he should never have trusted that little bitch. She was too young to be involved with a married man. She just wanted all the trappings but when push came to shove and David wanted rid of her, she had gotten dirty on him. Did she go straight to Kaslak?

David looked out at the forklift driver. Surely, he couldn’t have known? He wasn’t even in the fucking country at that stage. The fling was over before he had arrived, so it couldn’t have been him. Not that it mattered now, Kaslak knew and was pulling all the strings.

The only problem was that Kaslak still had not been in touch. Now David was completely in the dark. What if something was wrong with Roisin and God forbid Chloe? This wasn’t part of the deal.

After David had started to take the dubious shipments in with his own products, things had been quiet for a while. He had gotten over the initial fear of being caught, and the young lad in the warehouse simply unloaded, gave the truck driver back whatever was not for David’s warehouse and loaded up the legitimate shipment for David. Then a cash envelope was handed into the office and that was that. It had become a bi-weekly arrangement and after a couple of months David quite enjoyed the extra money and the guilt and fear started to pass. He was able to purchase treats for the house. Paying workmen in cash for a new extension or bathroom. Finding a car dealer with no scruples who could get high powered cars. Shops still took cash for nice clothes as did hotels where weekends away were plenty. There were two problems however.

Roisin was no fool.

There were two sides to Kaslak

Roisin noticed a change in David from the start. Before the new cars were bought or house projects were suggested, there was an edginess to him. He appeared distracted. Jumpy even. Then he moved to being erratic, one time being over elated to other days when a crankiness would set in. She knew something was up and after a few months she confronted him.

“What’s going on David?” They were in the park with Chloe. Sitting on a rug, the three of them enjoying the summer sun and July had been extremely warm.

“What do you mean?” David asked as he handed the baby a toy as a way of distraction.

“Don’t play games. The money. What’s going on?”

“Nothing’s going on. Business is good that’s all. That foreign guy knows the right people. We were getting fleeced buying that stuff in from Britain. That whole Brexit thing has opened a few eyes, I can tell you. Everyone is saying it. Should have been doing this years ago.”

Roisin wasn’t convinced. “Then why are we paying cash for everything?”

“Ah, well there is a bit of trickery going on there. But all above board. Ken the accountant is helping me out on that. He shows me what to put through the business and what not. There are things I am paying tax on that I shouldn’t be…. but I do it to show we are paying tax if you know what I mean. That way we can take money out to pay for this little one’s good times…. isn’t that right darling.” David rubbed Chloe’s cheek and she smiled at being tickled. Roisin looked at her husband before turning away. She wondered was the money the only thing that David was hiding.

David thought back to that day in the park and shook his head. If only things could have stayed so simple. They were happy then, together, they had money and he had his little friend for secret liaisons whenever time would allow. He had it all going on. Then Kaslak had phoned. He wanted David to come to Belarus for a “catch up.”

David flew out the following weekend, again telling Roisin it was to discuss the latest range of stock. In fairness this was true to an extent as he did meet the supplier and arranged for some samples to be sent over to Dublin.

Kaslak however, was a different proposition. On the Saturday evening, David was picked up from his hotel by one of Kaslak’s drivers and brought to his club. Kaslak sat at the back of the club in a booth, arms spread over the back. He was wearing a black open necked shirt displaying a gold chain. A bright coloured suit made him look every bit the shady character that David now knew he was.

“David! How good to see you. Come sit.”

David felt like an obedient dog as he positioned himself on a stool across from his host.

“How have you been my friend, let’s drink, have you eaten, let me get you some food.”

Kaslak poured him a drink from a bottle that he had already been sampling and gestured to someone behind David to bring some food.

When they had completed the food and the pleasantries, Kaslak paused and looked off into the distance. He pondered like a man planning to put a new door into a wall space and had never thought of it before. Then he turned to David.

“David. You are doing well, no? You like the life our little arrangement has given you huh?” He was shaking his hand in between them both signalling a partnership.

“Kaslak, everything is going well yes…. I was nervous at the start but yes, I can say it’s better now and thank you, yes, I can afford to keep my lady wife in new clothes!” David laughed in attempt to generate a fellowship of cunning men.

Kaslak smiled and then fired the bullet.

“I hear you have more than a wife who likes nice things.”

David’s face dropped. How did Kaslak know? He had always been careful. Hotels paid in cash, always away from home. He had covered his tracks. He looked at his tormentor in chief questioning him with his eyes. Kaslak only shook his finger and shushed him in return.

“David. Don’t worry. I don’t care what you do in your spare time or with who. You want to have two wives and a mistress, I don’t care. Not my thing but I know how you horny guys get.”

David wondered was Kaslak gay.

“The truth is though, that this could attract attention for our little enterprise you know? We don’t want all this fun to end over some silly little …. what do you say ‘bit offside’

“On the side,” David answered stupidly.

“On the side off the side, what does it matter? So, I was thinking maybe…. I should help out with your business?”

David was confused. What did he mean?

“Perhaps I could become a partner in your business….”

David pushed back in his chair defensively and took up his drink. Now this was a step too far. How would he explain this to Roisin and further up the chain, Jack.

“Look David. Have a think about it. I know you may need some time but believe me this is a good thing for both you…and me.”

Kaslak wanted David’s business to expand his operation, but perhaps with David out of the way. What would happen if he refused? Would they get him out of the way permanently?

“David don’t look so frightened,” Kaslak said smiling, as if reading David’s mind. He beckoned for a girl to come and join them and she immediately sat on David’s lap The conversation was over. For the moment.

Chapter Thirty-One

“I don’t know. It could be a teenage boy.” Steph was looking at the computer image of the CCTV capture, over Pollards shoulder. She rubbed her chin as Mattie Cole stood to her left with his arms folded.

“No.” said Pollard. “The shoulders are a woman’s. A young fella would be broader and look at the legs. Too skinny.”

“Sure, half the junkies in this town have skinnier legs than that,” Cole said bluntly,

Steph pinched her face in disagreement. “Either way it is all we have at the moment. Does he/she show up anywhere down the street?”

“There is one shot but it’s in the distance and the street is crowded. All you can see is the head in the hood. They were heading down the quays, and then we lose them.”

“Could have gotten into a car…or a bus. Check with the bus companies to see is there anything on their cameras and the train stations.”

Cole was not so sure. “I don’t think this…. this person is going to be hopping on the train somehow out to Howth for the day.”

“No, but they could be getting on the tram up town. We have to look at everything Mattie.”

Pollard stood up away from the screen. “It’s all we have at the moment Boss. We’re looking into Corcoran’s private life in regards a bit on the side but there is nothing showing up. He’s a one-man band with his business so there isn’t even a secretary that he might be banging.”

Steph gave a look at his curtness, but he continued.

“There is one thing. He seems to travel to Belarus a bit. Seems to have some business contact there. Brings in the fittings for his business. Bathrooms and Kitchens and that.”

“All above board?”

“As far as we can see. The place is registered in Belarus, website showrooms the lot. So not a lot to go on there either.”

“Belarus not a bit funny? Not that I am an expert on kitchens…. more Mrs. Cole,” Mattie said, “But I wouldn’t have thought you would be heading out that way now.”

Steph sighed and walked away to her desk. Pollard picked up his jacket and made his way to the door. “Anyone want anything, I’m going to grab a sandwich?”

There was no response. Steph had just finished her breakfast and coffee was all that she would have for at least the next four hours. When Pollard had left, Mattie Cole came over to Steph’s desk where she had just sat behind.

“Have you a minute?”

“Yeh, all, ok?”

“Funny one. I was talking to Grimes from the paper.”

“Which one is he?”

“Yer man that was charming you the other night asking you about the chocolate.”

Steph gave a wry grin. “Oh him…. go on.”

“No, nothing really. It’s just that he was asking about the new private investigator and where could I find him.”

Steph looked up puzzled and amused. “Private investigator? Who?”

“The young fella that was hanging around the house that night too. The fella you were talking to.”

The smile left Steph’s face. She looked at Cole with a ‘you have that wrong’ face. “He’s not a private investigator. Sure, he looks as if he is just after making his confo.”

“No, apparently not. Because when I ran into Grimes last night, he was after being out with your man. He has a place, an office like… out in Chapelizod, over a coffee shop or something.”

Steph sat back in her chair and nodded. “Has he now. And here he was to me asking questions like a nosey neighbour. Wait ‘til the next time I see him.”

Chapter Thirty-Two.

The door to Louie’s apartment buzzed and he looked at the camera with trepidation. It was Grainne and he knew this was going to be tough. He decided he had to tell her about Emma and with every good intention, had invited her over to have some dinner.

“Come on up,” he said and did a final check of the table. Why was he so nervous? She was here every second night for Christ’s sake.

A few minutes later she came through his hall door and he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

“I brought some wine.”

“Very nice…thanks. It’s like a date. We are only having pasta.”

“Your speciality?” Grainne smiled.

“The staple of every student diet. I have experience in this space”

Grainne made her way to the kitchen table and sat down. “Table cloth and everything. I really am being treated.”

Louie had his back turned to her as he manoeuvred around the hob keeping the different pots on the go.

“Were you busy in work?” he asked.

“Not too bad. We were working on something for the last few weeks and it’s coming together now, so hopefully things will calm down before Christmas.”

“Hope everything calms down. There’s a big storm due next week did you see that? Evil Etna they are calling it. Where do they get the names?”

“I know…. will probably be nothing. It’s very calm out at the moment, you can’t imagine it will be as bad as they are making out.”

Louie poured two glasses of wine and brought them to the table. “The calm before the storm, isn’t that what they say?”

Grainne looked at him inquisitively. Was there a double meaning in what he said? Since he had mentioned the storm. They hadn’t really had a chance to have a proper conversation since the night in the Skylon and Grainne feared she was scaring Louie away by wedding talk. For Louie it was a different scenario. He was still trying to get around the subject of his new business and more to the point, his glamorous assistant. There was no two ways about it. He just had to call it out.

“Grainne…. I need to talk to you about something.”

Grainne put her glass down on the table. “Louie it’s fine…really. I didn’t mean to pressure you the other night with wedding talk really.”

“No…no it’s not that. It’s something else.”

“Oh…what?” Grainne was worried now. Was he going to break up with her?

Louie held his glass in both hands. The tips of his fingers on the rim, delicately holding on as if the problem he was about to unleash was inside the glass like and unexploded bomb.

“You remember we were talking about me…and my career and that?” ……

Grainne folded her arms and looked away; she knew what was coming, His stupid detective game.

…. “Well, I’ve advanced it a bit. I got a …a premises, a little office like…. down in the village. It’s just over the coffee shop. Tony the guy there you know him; he said I could use it and no charge so don’t be worrying! Just until I get up and running and that. It’s great. Well great for what I need. A table, I brought one of the chairs from here…”

Grainne looked at the gap at the other side of the table and back again.

“…and well it’s a start. At least I’m not talking about doing something now, and I am actually moving on it. What do you think?”

Grainne didn’t realise but her mouth was forming and “O” and she had to close it before she spoke.

“When did you do all this?” was all she could ask, bemused at how the normally never creative Louie had been, well, very creative.

Louie, delighted that he had gotten some type of a reaction enthused,

“Over the last few days. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind to be honest. We had to clear out a lot of junk and Cozzie was very good. He got a van from a mate of his and was able to help us bring a lot of the stuff to the dump.”

Grainne put a hand up.

“We?”

Louie gulped. Here we go.

“Yes. I have an assistant…. well, it’s a girl…she is helping out…she…Emma…. was finishing up in the museum…”

“The Museum?”

“Yeh and she was at a loose end. So, when she told me at the party….”

“The party?”

“Yeh last week, you remember…. I went with Cozzie….it was in Glasnevin.”

Grainne took a moment to think.

“That was the night you said you went to that woman’s house. The missing woman’s house.”

“That’s right!”

“But you told me you were on your own.”

“I was. Well up to a point.”

“Up to a point?”

“Yeh well myself and Emma left the party….to discuss this you know; we went for a burger.”

“You left the party with this girl and went for something to eat?”

Louie shook his head and made his way to the kitchen. Grainne repeating everything he said was not a good sign. The pasta pot was boiling over.

“It wasn’t like that,” he shouted into the room. “The party was too busy and we left to get some peace and chat. I was just interested in what she was doing in the museum and it was a few days later when I remembered she was at a loose end and decided to have a chat with her about it.”

He turned the pot down and grabbed two plates from the press. “Is that ok?” he shouted back in to the room, when he had put the pasta onto the plates. Grainne didn’t reply. Louie grimaced and picked up a dishcloth to carry the hot plates into the dining area. He could see now why Grainne hadn’t replied.

She was gone.

Chapter Thirty-Three

“This is madness, but it is soooo exciting.” Emma smiled at Louie like a small child. Also, like a small child she was being taken into town on the bus.

“It’s a bit of a long shot…and a bit crazy Emma. I’m not sure how well this will wash.”

They had been thinking of ways to get in touch with the Straffans. After speaking to Grimes, the idea of calling to the house and trying to confront Jack was not very appealing. They had toyed with the idea that Emma was a friend of Roisin’s who was very concerned and they were going to enquire if there had been any news.

After thinking it over however, they decided the age barrier with Roisin’s parents and the fact that they were in the family home, could have thrown up too many questions. Awkward questions at that.

It was with this in mind that Emma suggested they and try and make a breakthrough with the other daughter, Rosin’s sister, Tara. A quick look on Instagram showed her usual haunts around the city. There didn’t appear to be a boyfriend on the scene but there were a lot of friends. The only problem being, there didn’t seem to be any one place in particular that she frequented.

They caught a break however when a new club had advertised it’s opening near Christchurch. “The Cathedral”, was due to open on Friday night and Tara had commented to her friends about having acquired tickets. So, they were fairly confident that is where they would find her.

Now as they sat on the bus watching the rain pelt against the window, Louie knew they faced two problems. One, how would they get talking to Tara and not make it obvious. Two, and the more concerning and immediate problem was, how were they going to get in?

“Leave that to me”, Emma had reassured him when he had asked her the question for the umpteenth time that day.

Louie’s confidence had taken a dip ever since last night with Grainne. On top of her wrath, he was beginning to feel as if he was not in charge of things. Grimes had made the suggestion about Jack. Emma had suggested they go and meet Tara, what was he bringing to the party? If he couldn’t even make these types of decisions, how was he to help a missing woman and child? Emma picked up on his mood and nudged him in the side.

“Hey, what’s up? Aren’t you excited? Don’t be worrying about how this will pan out. We’ll sort it.” She held his arm and shook it affectionately.

“It’s not that. I just feel…. uugh. I don’t know, inadequate at the moment. I’m starting to see the reality of what we are doing and wondering how plausible it all is. Are we like two kids playing cops? I mean, really, we have no experience.”

Emma looked out the window offended. Louie could see she was thinking, ‘well it was your idea!’

He turned to her. “Look I’m sorry, I know I dragged you into this, but I just feel as if I’m out of my depth sometimes. You are the one coming up with the great ideas and plans, and I really appreciate your enthusiasm. But Grimes was the one who said about meeting Jack, you have come up with tonight’s idea, well what have I done?”

Emma looked at him for a few seconds. She started to smile.

“You know Louie. You are being like a kid.” She pinched his chin. “A big kid feeling sorry for himself. Yes, I came up with this idea, yes Grimes suggested Jack. But to who? To you. You are the link; you are the gel. You are the central point for this and it is you that will make the decisions. We are just preparing. If it wasn’t for you, I’d be…. I dunno, putting up wallpaper and you would be scrolling through your phone looking for a job. But now…. here we are being constructive. I didn’t have a job that meant anything…you were not up to much so why not do this? We might even achieve something. Wouldn’t it be great if that woman is found? Pep talk over.”

“I know but we are on a bus. It’s not exactly Starsky and Hutch, is it?”

“Who?”

“Thanks Emma, I just, I dunno, I just wish…

“You had more support from home?”

There, she had said it. She must have picked up on his mood and known that Grainne wasn’t too enamoured on how things were going. But how did she know about Grainne? He had never discussed her with Emma.

“Ciara told me that you are in a relationship.”

Louie got a boost that she had enquired.

“I wasn’t snooping, I had to do my bit of homework before I got involved in this little venture. You can’t blame a girl for looking out for herself, can you?”

“No of course not. I don’t mind, I’m glad you did. Honest.”

“Well, am I right?”

“About Grainne?”

Emma nodded.

“I’ll tell you later. Come on, this is our stop.”

They made their way from the quays up the hill to Christchurch. The real Cathedral stood before them. An impressive sight with the lights from the ground spiralling up into Dublin’s night sky to show off the resplendent spire of the old church. Beside it, a smaller building had been constructed in the form of the old building and merged itself into the surrounding skyline in the form of the club.

A crowd had gathered outside the gate, and just inside the railing. a queue meandered up to the front door. A pang of anxiety hit Louie’s stomach. How were they going to get past the door?

“Are they for real?” Emma was looking at the two doormen outside who were dressed as monks.

“Hope they don’t have to chase anyone away in those sandals.”

“They didn’t even bother to shave their heads?”

Emma fixed her jacket and started to make her way to the front of the queue.

“Come on,” she signalled to Louie who followed in pursuit.

Monk number one was checking the identity card of a young girl who looked no more than sixteen.

Monk number two shuffled his feet and placed his hands in front of his crotch as he saw Emma and Louie approaching.

“Hi,” Emma said. “Listen, we are not looking to come in. My daughter is here with someone she shouldn’t be and I really need to see her. She hasn’t taken her insulin and I have to talk to her. Can you let me in please, just for a minute?”

“Sorry Love. No ticket, no entry.” The Monk put his hands across his crotch again protecting everything that was dear to him.

“I fully understand. And I respect that you have a job to do, but you know how things are with Diabetes, I don’t want her to collapse. I’m really concerned for her. Myself and my husband.”

Monk number two, looked at Louie and some part of his brain was querying how this guy could have a teenage daughter.

“Oh, that’s my husband. Doctor Gill, is here with an emergency shot. Can you please just give us five minutes. We really don’t want to cause a scene.”

Monk number one had finished talking to the teenage girl and looked over to his colleague wondering why he wasn’t pulling his weight. Monk number two went and whispered in his ear. Monk number one looked up at Emma who gave a worried smile and nodded at both her and Louie.

“Five minutes now,”

“Of course, once we find her….”

Before they could be stopped again, Emma and Louie made their way inside the club.

“Christ that was tough,” Emma said as they stood in the doorway.

“Well done! I can’t believe you came up with the lies so easily. You’re handy to have around.”

Emma smiled and looked into the vast space before them. It was a long narrow room with a high ceiling. Along all sides, velvet drapes swept to the ground and a high stained-glass window encircled the walls. The pictures on the glass were people dancing in biblical clothing. From the main ceiling, there was a trapeze artist swinging from side to side dressed in a pope outfit. Below him, two dancers dressed as nuns were either side of the DJ box. The DJ himself who was dancing from side to side with headphones, was dressed as God complete with white gown and beard.

“Surely they will all go to hell for this.” Louie remarked looking at the scene in front of him in awe. The music boomed from the speakers and the dance floor was packed with ravers despite the club only having opened a half hour before.

“I’d say some of them will go to hell for a lot more reasons for the carry-on of them in here, rather than how the staff are dressed.”

They made their way to the bar and ordered two bottles of beer. “Bless you my child,” said the barman holding out the card machine for Louie to tap. Louie looked at him with no expression and took the drinks from him. Trying to look as casual as they could, they perused the room looking for Tara. There was no sign of her, but it was early so they were still hopeful.

“What will we do if she doesn’t turn up?” Louie asked

“Dance. Come on.” She took his hand and they both deposited their bottles on the bar. Louie tentatively followed her to the dance floor, half concerned that some of Grainne’s friends would be in the club.

Louie wasn’t a dancer and felt embarrassed as Emma effortlessly swayed to the music as if she had been in the club all night. Louie felt like his dad at a wedding and envied how some people had the natural moves.

“Do you come here often?” Emma teased, smiling.

Louie gave her the same look that he had given the barman and refocussed his attention on looking for Tara. The club was so packed he soon realised the enormity of their task. Finding Tara would be the proverbial needle in a haystack. Even if she was here at all.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself a bit too much,” he said to Emma.

“Sorry Boss. Didn’t realise the terms in the contract said no fun when working. What clause was that?” She smiled at him before turning around and twerking into him.

This was too much for Louie and he pointed to the bar to signal his new direction.

The barman in his defence had moved their drinks to safety and handed them back to Louie as soon as he returned.

“Cheers. So how is the first night going?”

“Not bad. Not new to me though, I’ve been around the scene a bit. Different club, different pint if you know what I mean.”

“Very ecclesiastical set up, isn’t it?”

“What mate?”

“Eh, very holy…. the whole vibe?”

“Ha, yeh, bit of fun. Once we don’t get struck down from the heavens with a bolt of lightning.”

Louie took a sip from his drink and had an idea.

“I’m just back from being away and was looking for a friend of mine. Thought you might you know her from around the town.” Louie took out his phone and showed Tara’s picture to the barman.

“Sorry mate, can’t say I do. Sure, all the young ones look the same, the way they do themselves up. Can’t help you there.”

“No worries.” Louie replied and the barman left him to take an order from another customer.

Emma was still dancing and had attracted the attention of some male fans. Two of them were either side of her and it all looked harmless. Louie wasn’t sure what to do with himself. Were they to stay here all evening? And if so, what if the two monks from outside were to tell them they overstayed their welcome. Louie didn’t seem to think that would be an issue for a while, as the crowd was really starting to thicken up and he was sure the two boys from the bible had enough to keep them busy.

Emma made her way back from the dancefloor and rested her elbow on the bar before taking a swish from her bottle of beer.

“Phew! It’s been a while since I have done that. Not getting any younger!”

“You certainly look as if you never lost it. Plenty to fall back on as a dancer if the whole private detective thing falls through.”

“Am I a private detective too? I thought I was just the glamorous assistant?”

Louie turned and put his bottle back on the bar.

“If this Tara one doesn’t turn up neither of us will be and we’ll both be dancing for a living.”

“You’d look good on a pole Louie.”

As the evening progressed, the music got louder and the antics from the staff just grew wilder. The entertainment included a fire eating man in an Egyptian outfit. Louie wasn’t sure of the integrity of the connection to the Cathedral but it appeared once you looked like anything from any time before Christ, you fitted the bill. Emma’s admirers had followed her up to the bar but she quickly made short change of them by turning to Louie and placing a hand on his chest. Louie felt a sudden surge when she did and tried to suck his chest in, in case Emma felt the sudden increase in his heart rate.

“I’m just too popular,” she said smiling. “Hey don’t be so nervous. Don’t worry, I’m not going to attack you. Nice chest though,” she said flirtingly and made her way to the ladies.

Louie was sure that Tara was not going to come. It looked as if the club was full and there was very little chance that he hadn’t seen her. Granted he didn’t know her to see in the flesh, but Instagram had shown enough photos of her from every angle in front of a mirror, to convince him he would know her if she had arrived. He scanned the floor one more time but it was no use. She wasn’t here. When Emma came back, he would suggest they go. Maybe the best option was to call to Jack Straffan’s house. Or better still, what about the golf club? That might be an easier way to get his attention. Casual chat at the bar, one thing would lead to another. Although what were the chances of Jack going for a round of golf when his daughter and grandchild were missing? The old doubts started to come back to Louie again. Why not leave this detective thing to the professionals?

It was time to leave. Emma was making her way back to the bar with some girl she must have known as the two were talking and smiling.

“Hey Louie,” she called out. “You have to buy this girl a drink. I spilled water all over her in the toilet.”

“It’s fine honestly, no harm done. Just enjoy your night.” The girl replied.

“No, I insist, come on have a drink with us. What will you have, I feel so bad.”

“A bottle of beer – Heineken. Thanks.”

“No problem, eh sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

“Tara,” replied the girl, and when Louie looked over her shoulder, Emma gave him a knowing wink.

Chapter Thirty-Four

David had taken one of Kaslak’s girls back to his hotel room. In the morning as she was getting dressed, he went to his wallet to give her some money. She looked at him and laughed. Picking up her bag, she leant over and kissed his forehead. “Don’t worry, the bill is looked after.” She smiled and shimmied out the door.

David rested his head on the headboard of the bed. Kaslak had everyone wrapped up. He thought of the proposition from the night before. What if he did go into partnership with him? What were the pitfalls? You would be dealing with a notorious criminal, for one David. Not a good look with the guards back home. Yet there would be a lot of money to be made. All he had to do was play dumb to his shadow partner’s activities. No, it was too risky and he knew he had to get out of the arrangement before it began. This brought fear however. He was in deep as it was. What if he was to say no deal Kaslak? Then the business that he had generated would go down rapidly. There was no way he could keep his head above water the way things were. If it wasn’t for Kaslak and the extra cash he would have been bankrupt months ago. No, he needed his Belarussian friend in some form.

It was then that he had crafted the idea about the kidnapping. It was so simple! He would stage it. There would be a ransom for what? Two, maybe three million? Jack would have to come up with the cash for his daughter and granddaughter. David would ask Kaslak to kidnap Roisin and Chloe just for a short while. Nothing too scary for them. Jack would pay the ransom and David would keep it. In return he would sell Kaslak his business. When people asked why he sold up he would say it was “because of the stress of the kidnapping.” Made me realise the important things in life, like spending time with my wife.” Everyone was a winner and he was out of the dodgy dealings of Kaslak and co. He would recommend someone to be Kaslak’s man in Dublin to keep the continuity going and a contact in the Irish market. What could go wrong?

The only thing that he had to do was get Roisin in on the plan. She hated her father. It had always been that way, and now this would be the perfect medium for her to exact her revenge. The old bastard could easily afford to cough up the few bob instead of having David slaving away like this. Wasn’t he the big man setting him up in business? But David had always felt indebted to him. This would be payback, and Roisin and Chloe would benefit. In a roundabout way it wasn’t really stealing. Roisin would get her cut anyway when Jack copped it, so why not have it now when there were young enough to enjoy it?

He got dressed quickly and started to sketch out his plan at the desk in the hotel room. Figures, ideas, how to get Kaslak on board. How to get Roisin on board. He would tell her that the business was in danger and that this was the only way out. He was sure she would buy into the plan. She liked her luxuries too, and would not want to be seen having to pack up from their big house with her tail between her legs. Would Kaslak buy into the idea? Why not? He was still going to get into David’s business, no he was going to get all of David’s business. He would respect David for not just rolling over to one side of the deal. This way they both got something out of it and Kaslak was already getting more than he had even asked for. It was a win-win. He spent some more time planning things over in his head and walked down for breakfast with a spring in his step. He was due to meet Kaslak later that day for lunch and to give him his answer. Already he felt relieved and that things were starting to look up.

Chapter Thirty-Five

“How did you get to talk to her in the toilet?” David and Emma were walking down Dame Street. As they left the club there got a dirty look from the Monks and were warned not to come back. Emma laughed and Louie was so excited that he didn’t even acknowledge the rebuke.

“As soon as I walked in, I saw her. She was putting on her lippie and I had been trained so well on her photos that I knew it was her straight away. I just had to find a way to start chatting to her.”

“So, you threw water over her?”

“No,” Emma laughed. “I chatted to her about her make up, girls stuff Louie you wouldn’t understand, but she had a bottle of water open on the sink top, beside her. I just reached across when she wasn’t really noticing and hit the bottle so it got all over her trousers. Quite the genius really.”

The rain had started to come down heavier so they did a quick turn into a restaurant and sat at a table. Ordering two coffees they recalled what had transpired with Tara.

After the opening laughs about the water, Tara’s face became sullen and Emma asked was she ok.

The conversation invariably led to Roisin being missing and Tara was her sister.

“I just had to get out for a night. It’s too intense at the house. Press, police, so when I saw this place opening, I jumped on the idea of the tickets. My friends are around here somewhere,” she said, her eyes circling the dancefloor.

Louie thought she seemed a bit trippy and wondered was she on something else besides drink.

“That must be awful for you,” Emma teased, taking advantage of Tara’s not so sober state.

With a ‘them’s the breaks’ kind of look she said, “It’s just a strain on everyone. My folks…Rosin’s husband…. just everything. You get sick of talking and thinking about it, you know?” With that she grabbed Emma’s hand. “Come on. Party time, let’s dance!”

Emma looked at Louie asking him to play along.

“You girls go for it. I’m the manager in charge of the drinks.”

Without even noticing, Tara and Emma made their way onto the dancefloor and left Louie to plan the strategy for the next part of the evening.

“So did she say anything to you on the dancefloor?” Louie asked taking a sip from his far too hot coffee.

“No, she was just twirling around, I think she was out of its Louie. I was a bit embarrassed to be honest. She was like something out of a hippie commune. Funny though, she did say something as we were coming off the dancefloor.”

“What?”

“There was a song, oh you know the one its off a car ad or something, and she goes, “Oh David loves this one.” I thought it was a bit weird. Knowing your sister’s husband’s favourite song.”

Louie thought about this for a moment.

“You don’t think….

“Eh yeh Louie. It’s the first thing I thought! He’s banging the little sister and has to get the big sister out of the way.”

Louie folded his arms on the tiled table top and looked around.

“Do you know Emma; your little dance could have given us our first in.”

“I know blue eyes. I’m thinking this could be your opener with your lady cop friend. She’ll be very impressed. I’ll be even more impressed though if you get up there and get me a burger.”

Louie sighed. In fairness, it was the least he could do.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Grainne made her way down a busy Grafton Street. The Christmas rush had started weeks ago. A nation coming out of the wilderness of the pandemic, was only too willing to shop. Her mind was racing. Between the madness coming up to Christmas with social engagements down to her meeting the other night with Louie. Where were they going? She actually shook her head in disbelief as she bounced off people on the busy street.

She was due to meet her friend Orla, in Dakota, for drinks ten minutes from now. Taking a turn off Grafton Street and walking down the lane at Clarendon Street, she stopped at the little jewellers’ shops and took a moment to herself. There was a sadness in her gut. The fact that it was coming up to Christmas and so many of her friends had gotten engaged made the lump in her tummy move to her throat. She looked at the array of rings in the window like an impoverished child looking into a bakery in a Dickens novel. Was this what it had come to? Looking in envy at the things she could have had? Louie wouldn’t have a clue how she was feeling. It would never occur to him that she had a longing to be married and be happy and well eventually to start a family. Was that too much to ask for?

A gust of wind that blew up the laneway carried some rain and she felt the chill across her ankles. She turned away from the shop window and pulling her collar over on her coat, started to make her way down South William Street. A gas heater was blazing just outside the main door where smokers and eaters mingled with each other. Another new beginning from the Pandemic. Outdoor dining had become a must have for every bar in town, whereas in the past it was looked upon as a place for the pariah- like smokers to be banished to for their filthy crimes. Never waste a good crisis, Grainne thought as she shivered, on entering the door.

Her long brown hair was naturally curly and the rain had started to make it frizz. She tussled it very naturally and gained the admiration of two young men standing at the bar. Grainne’s green eyes had seen this many times before and her long legs and athletic figure were a match for any young woman around town. She ignored her admirers and searched for Orla dismissing the duo as if they weren’t there.

“Grainne!” Orla waved from a corner and slapped the seat beside her, beckoning Grainne to come and sit. Grainne acknowledged her friend and gestured to the ladies’ toilets where she needed to go to freshen up.

It was early in the evening and there was no queue, so she made her way to the sink to fix her hair. She looked at herself in the mirror. Were they lines on the sides of her eyes!? It couldn’t be. They were not there this morning; she would have noticed. She dabbed some make up over the offending lines and applied some lipstick. Irony of ironies, it was Louie who had bought it for her for her birthday. That was after days of asking her what she wanted for her birthday, and her telling him, the brand, colour and where to purchase it. She was only short of going in to collect it herself and the romantic gestured was lost. As she looked at herself, she actually started to wonder was she not as attractive as before? Had Louie’s eye been turned? And who was this Emma one he was talking about? The cheek of him just hooking up with someone and not discussing it with her first. Granted, it was work but the fact that work had just been magicked up last week was another cross to bear. She just wasn’t sure if she had the energy anymore to challenge Louie. She shouldn’t have to keep hinting about their future. She shouldn’t have to tell him what perfume or make up she liked. He should know.

She dropped her make up back into her bag and grimaced at the mess it was making of the lining of her Michael Kors. Zipping up her bag, she took one more look in the mirror, dashed her hair one more time and smiled at herself. Louie could do what he wanted tonight. Grainne was going to enjoy herself with Orla and she wondered if those two lads were still at the bar.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Steph’s car pulled out of Garda headquarters in the Phoenix Park. She ran her fingers through her hair as her arm leaned on the window ledge of her car door. Whilst in front of Dennehy, she had just got a roasting from the Garda commissioner. Dennehy had fared worse, with questions around what type of a place was he running. They had made no progress and the public wanted answers.

“How can a woman and child be missing for so long and nobody knew? And more to the point we still don’t know where they are? What the hell is going on? A woman on her own maybe, but with a child in tow? I’m beginning to think Fosset’s circus could land outside Finglas Garda station and you lot wouldn’t notice!”

The words reverberated in Steph’s ears as she made her way down the road towards Dublin Zoo. The team were working day and night but had no luck. Doors were being knocked on, and every lead and snitch was being called up. To date, there was nothing. It was Christmas in a few weeks and nobody wanted a missing woman and child in the newspapers. She knew they had to act. But how?

She was stopped in the traffic and she saw a billboard advertising a car garage in Chapelizod. Why was Chapelizod familiar to her in the last few days? Cole. That was it. He had mentioned that young fella had started up a detective agency there, hadn’t he? She took a look in the mirror and swung the car around in the direction she had just come from. The Sat nav was re calibrated and she found herself in the middle of the Phoenix Park heading for the small village that lay between the park and the river.

“Let’s see what this lad has to say for himself now.”

******************

Louie was alone in the office. Emma was away with Graham at some appointment about …. what was it she said again? He couldn’t remember, but it was important to her so he couldn’t really object. They seemed to be well established as a couple. Did she give him grief about getting married? His thoughts were taken back to Grainne. If she could just hold off for a while, until he got things in order. He was writing some notes on a board he had acquired and trying to pinpoint every last detail that they had for the case. Every now and then his attention drifted, and he was taken back to how he felt about her. He did love her, of that there was no doubt. What was there not to love? He just didn’t feel ready yet for marriage that was all. How could he commit to a life of settled times and perhaps children when he had no way of providing for them? This was what he had to sort first. The detective piece was the first real time that he had come up with a concrete plan. Something that would give him some semblance of stability. Albeit there was no money coming in. If Grainne could wait, he was sure it would come good. And if not….

There was a knock on the door.

“Tony I’m grand for coffee, I’ll be down in a minute for some lunch.”

“Is it your treat?”

Louie turned around from the board to see the detective from the other night standing in the doorway with her hands in the pockets of her trench coat. The blonde tresses of her hair hung over her shoulders and her slim frame extenuated her height, making her look quite tall in the distance. She wore black boots with a slight heel and a white open necked blouse.

“Oh hello.” Louie said as he put the cap back on a marker.

“I like your place. May I come in?”

Louie shuffled some papers from a chair that was sitting in the middle of the floor and put them onto Emma’s table.

“Sorry, we are just getting set up…. still a bit of a mess. Please….” Louie indicated to the seat not sure if he himself would sit on it, if he had been offered.

Steph thanked him and sat down, with her hands still in her pockets. Louie thought it was quite cool how she looked. One leg casually thrown over the other.

“Steph Reilly, I’m investigating the missing lady from Glasnevin as you know. We never formally introduced ourselves the other night.”

“Oh yes, em Louie Gill.” Louie held out a hand that Steph shook with the semblance of a smile. That’s a start, thought Louie. She had given him a dressing down the last time they spoke.

“So, you never told me the other night that you were a private investigator.”

Louie looked at her sheepishly and fumbled with a pen from his desk.

“Well, I wouldn’t say that exactly….and besides…. I wasn’t one the other night.” It was obvious he still wasn’t comfortable with the title. In reality he was like a teenager in his bedroom. No qualification any more than the next man who had a keen interest in the story.

There was a pause and Steph was enjoying his discomfort. She smiled. “So, what would you say you are exactly? An amateur sleuth? An Hercule Poirot?” She looked at him. He was attractive in a way. No wait. He was very attractive and maybe it had softened her mettle a bit. She had intended to come in, all guns blazing but when she saw his little boy eyes, she took a more casual approach.

“I guess you could say that to start.” Louie grinned. He took a seat behind his own desk. At least this made him feel as if he was the boss of his own territory. “I was at a bit of a crossroads in my career and this kind of fell into place.”

Steph looked at him. “It’s not just something you can pick up on you know. There is a woman and child missing.”

“Oh, I know, I know!” Louie said apologetically. “I would never undermine the work you do. But I just thought we could bring a different angle to it. Perhaps get somewhere that the guards can’t get to traditionally.”

Steph crossed her legs the other way, defensively, not sure if she and the Gardai had just been insulted.

“We? So, you are not on your own?”

“No, I have an assistant. As I say, we just started up recently.”

“And does your assistant have experience? Is she an ex-member of the force?”

“No. She eh…she worked in a museum.”

Steph looked at him dumbfounded.

“And what did you do?”

“Physics.”

All she could do was giggle. Louie squirmed in his seat.

“I’m sorry. It’s great initiative it really is but Christ, you could cause more harm than good. No disrespect. Sometimes these things are best left to the professionals.”

Louie felt as if he was being told off by the headmistress in school.

“Have you made any headway yourselves?”

Touché.

Steph winced. Initially she thought this was a gibe but realised that there was no malice in this guy.

She threw one leg on the floor and stood up. Walking to the window she said, “Not much to be honest. As you know we were down at the family home but it’s all a bit vague. The husband doesn’t know if he is coming or going and there’s no sign of anything untoward at the house.” She continued to gaze out the window.

Louie watched her back and asked, “Do you think it’s himself?”

Steph turned around smiling again. “You know I can’t divulge that type of stuff Louie. It’s an ongoing Garda investigation.”

Louie stood up from his chair and came around to sit on the front of his desk. This was his now or never moment, he was sure of it.

“But what if we could help you? Would you be open to it?”

Steph looked at him inquisitively. “In what way?”

Louie composed himself. He knew that this was his one throw of the dice. All the doubts that had gone through his mind about him not being the leader could all be wiped away in the next few minutes. He remembered what Emma had said. He was the gel that held everything together. He would just have to go with his instinct.

“We might have a lead.”

Steph stared at him and said nothing.

“Come on,” Louie said. “I’ll buy you a coffee downstairs.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight.

Kaslak broke a crab claw, and threw the remains of the shell onto his plate with a look of disdain. David had just delivered his draft idea about Roisin and was anxiously waiting for a reaction. They were seated in a seafood restaurant in the centre of Minsk. It was a fairly plush affair, David decided as he looked at the suited clientele surrounding him. Were they discussing the same kind of business that he was? How many of them were planning on having their wife kidnapped?

“And you think the father will pay out?” Kaslak asked.

“Oh definitely,” David replied, leaning forward on the table with enthusiasm.

Kaslak looked up from his dish as if he hated being disturbed.

“You say, two, three million?”

“Yes, easily.”

“Well, if he loves her as much as you say and he is as rich as you say……I think you should ask for a bigger amount.”

David watched as the man across the table from him continued on with his meal, as if David was not there.

“Well, he is rich. But even he will have limits. That type of money could wipe him out financially. They have a house etc but if he ….”

“If he loves his daughter, he will do it.”

David sat back, his negotiation skills telling him to suck this line up. After all it looked like Kaslak was open to the idea, they could fine tune the details around the money later.

“Ok. I will have a think about it. Let me work that one through.” David picked up a fish cake and remarked to himself how false this all sounded. “Let me work that one through.” It was like a cheesy line from any business meeting about pricing, that he normally detested. This time however, his wife and child were the target price that was being negotiated.

“But, would you be open to the plan?” He took a mouthful of food which debilitated him from speaking any further.

Kaslak dropped his head to one side, his lip downturned. He was giving a non-committal gesture and eventually said, “Why not? But these things you have to think about. It will be a bigger list.”

David looked at him not sure of his meaning.

“You say you will take the ransom. And then you will sell me your business?”

“Yes, that’s right. You will become the full owner.”

“Why would I buy your business?”

David went into full sales mode. “Well, you see it is a perfect opportunity for you. To expand on the operation, we have set up already. Think about it. Gateway to Europe. You will have full access to a European market through a reputable firm. Even if….”

Kaslak was waving a finger.

“No, David. I mean, why would I BUY your business?”

“Because it’s an excellent opp….”

“You are selling again David.” Kaslak took his napkin and wiped his face. The waiter had come to pour more wine but was waved away with a flick of Kaslak’s hand. He sat up and spoke more directly to David. Quicker, every word hitting like a clacking typewriter.

“You want me to take this risk of kidnapping your wife and child. You take the ransom and then you send me an invoice? I don’t see this as being a good deal for me. I am taking all the reesk.”

David could see where this was going.

“No, David. I think it is better for both of us if you give me your business and seventy five percent of the ransom.”

“But that’s outrageous! If I only get three million of a ransom that will leave me with no business and virtually nothing to live off!”

“Well get someone else to kidnap your wife.” Kaslak delivered this bomb as casually as if he was asking David if he wanted ice cream.

There was a brief pause. David tried to regroup. He interlinked his fingers and placed them on the table.

“What if I give you the business, but I keep the ransom. After a year, I will deposit another one million euro to you. This way we will both be in a better place and know exactly where we stand. It will give me time to move the money around. There will be too much suspicion around us at the time. You have to understand, I need to live too. I won’t have a business.”

Kaslak put his menu down. He said nothing for a moment.

“But you can work for me David!” he lifted his glass to cement the deal and David tentatively responded not sure if his new partner was serious or not.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Louie and Steph sat across from each other in Tony’s café. The rain had started again and launched itself against the plain glass window that was behind Steph’s back.

Louie poured some milk into his coffee and nodded to the exterior elements. “Big storm on the way I understand.”

“Ah, they are saying that for days, these storms always seem to be….” she paused.

“A storm in a tea cup.” Louie finished her sentence and handed her cup to her with great timing. She received it thankfully, slightly stunned by Louie being too young for delivering dad jokes.

“So, you say you have a lead for me.”

Louie, stirring his coffee gingerly responded. “Well, it is something that definitely has to be considered. I…we…, myself and Emma got talking to Roisin Corcoran’s sister. Tara Straffan.”

“Got talking to her? What did you just run into her at the bus stop?”

“Well, maybe that’s one of the ways I can help you. Nobody likes a squad car calling up to their door. so, to use more, “irregular” methods may be of assistance to you, strategically let’s say.” Louie loved the fact that he had given this line. It really did feel like he had the upper hand for once. He was also delighted he hadn’t divulged how they had met Tara. “Anyway, we met the sister and she was able to give us an insight into her brother-in-law. It appears he’s a bit of a ladies’ man.”

“We know this already Louie.”

Louie shifted in his seat. “Well, the thing is, we felt, that perhaps Tara may be one of the ladies in his life.”

“Rosin’s sister? Why?”

“She spoke very highly of him but in an interested way if you know what I mean. She knew a lot about him.”

“She’s, his sister-in-law! Why wouldn’t she know about him. He has been in the family for years. Did she say if they were ever together?”

“No, not exactly…. but there was something there.”

“Speculation and conjecture…. that’s what any good lawyer would say in a courtroom. We need facts not gossip from the water cooler.”

Louie was stung by the criticism and Steph picked up on it.

“Look Louie. I know what you are trying to do. It’s commendable it is really. But I have very little to go on at the moment, and I don’t need people surmising what could and could not have happened. We have people ringing the station every day telling us they have seen Roisin. Then you have the nuts that ring to say she may be with Shergar. (Louie would have to explain to Emma who Shergar was later) The newspaper has their own bit of speculation. Then the internet is full of these true crime forums with super sleuths and every crackpot going. So, you see, we have to wade through all that and come up with the facts. The real truth.” Steph placed a finger onto the table to emphasise her point. “Unless you have something concrete for me, I don’t really think you can help. I don’t have time for ‘he said, she said’.”

She stood up from the table and pushed her seat back into place.

“A bit of advice Louie. Get a proper job, or if you are interested, the Guards have a new recruitment campaign coming up. Maybe you should apply. But in the meantime, leave this stuff to the people who know best yeh?”

She turned around and headed for the door. Looking out at the rain she knew she would have to make a run for her car. Before she did, she looked back at Louie.

“Thanks for the coffee.”

Louie took a sip from his cup as he watched her run passed the window until she was gone. His tail firmly positioned between his legs.

Chapter Forty

Steph put the wipers on to maximum speed, as the rain lashed against her windscreen. She felt a little guilty about how she had short changed Louie but she really hadn’t time for amateurs to upset her day. She did like the way he had made contact with Tara however and wondered if this was actually a way, she could use him. But, after the roasting she had received in Garda headquarters this morning, the last thing she needed was to introduce Miss Marple’s nephew to Dennehy, and to say he was helping with the case.

As she struggled through the city traffic, she thought about what Louie had said about Corcoran and his roving eye. The case was going nowhere fast and she decided they had to get back to basic police work. She would call the team together for a brainstorming session when she got back. Why would a married man’s wife go missing for no apparent reason? When you said it like that it did seem as if there was someone else on the scene. But her sister? No. She wouldn’t put the family through the emotional stress of it all. Especially when the Straffans were so high profile. It could be another woman alright, but Steph was sure it wasn’t Roisin’s sister.

As she arrived onto the quays, she groaned at the sight of the traffic that had built up due to the rain. She was tempted to put on her blue light but had no real urge to make it back to the station. She wanted to use this time alone to think, come up with some new form of strategy. Her mind drifted however, and she thought of home. She missed the children, and the old guilty feelings came back to haunt her. She wasn’t sure what time she would get home tonight again and thanked the Gods for having such a loving husband in Liam.

Imagine if Liam had done something like this. What way would it have panned out? She tried to work through the permutations. What would be involved? Money? Sex? Sheer hatred? These were all three things if the husband was involved, but what if there was an outside source who just thought that the Straffan’s had money? Could there be a paramilitary twist? She ruled it out. The kidnappings of the nineteen eighties proved that they caused more hassle than they worth, and there was very little gain for subversive organisations.

No. Everything seemed to bring it back to Corcoran. But why? What was he to gain from his wife going missing. Could he have murdered her? Was there an insurance angle? It was ninety-nine per cent of the time that the husband was guilty in these type of things. The old questions reverberated back time and time again and there did not seem to be a concrete answer to any of it.

The phone rang on the dashboard. It was Mattie Cole.

“Mattie…”

“Boss, we have a development.”

“What Mattie?”

“There’s been a ransom demand. Five million Euro.”

Steph wound down her window. This time the blue light came into use and she sped into the bus lane.

“I’m on the way.”

Chapter Forty-One

“And she just called in off spec?”

“Yeh, I was just here going through a few things and she appeared at the door like a genie.”

Emma had returned to work in the afternoon and Louie was giving her the low down on how Steph had arrived earlier.

“And what way was she? Was she polite or nosey?”

“I dunno. She seemed to think that we may have been a bigger operation at first. But when she got to know me a bit better, she realised that we weren’t exactly as good as we were making out. I got a couple of jabs in though. It wasn’t all one way.”

“Like what?”

“Well, I told her about how we were talking to Tara and our theory.”

“My theory Louie,”

“Your theory. But she was quick to say it was just a theory and we needed facts to bring before a judge. Not that anyone is even there mind, seeing we don’t even know what crime has been committed.”

Emma looked at him pensively. “Well at least she knows we can get leads right? That could be a help to her.”

“We need more than that though Emma. We can’t guess our way through this. We have to deliver something for her that will show we can be of real benefit. We need solid evidence. Something that will stick.”

“Why Louie? Why do we have to be her assistance? If you want to grow this business it’s not going to be the Gardai who are going to pay our wages. As my dad used always say, ‘speak to the organ grinder not the monkey.’

“What do you mean?”

“Simple. We’ll get more information for the family and I’m sure Mr. Straffan will be only too willing to pay us in return, if we can get him real details that will get his daughter back?”

Louie’s phone rang. It was Grimes.

“Rory. What’s up? What? No way? How did you find out?”

Emma looked on anxiously waiting to hear what was to come.

“Ok. Thanks for the heads up. Will do, yeh, yeh, bye.”

“Well?”

“That was Grimes. Apparently, there’s been a ransom demand. That means two things Emma.”

Emma looked at him for his response.

“One, I’m sure Jack Straffan would be more keen to pay us money to have his daughter back than pay a kidnapper.”

“And two?”

“Two. It more than likely means that Roisin and Chloe Corcoran are still alive. Come on, let’s go.”

Emma grabbed her coat.

“Where are we going?”

“We are taking the bull by the horns. Let’s go and speak to Jack Straffan. When we get there, we are going to tell him that we own a Detective agency and we are investigating the disappearance of his daughter. It’s time to move Emma!”

Part Three

Chapter Forty-Two

David sat pensively in a leather armchair in the lounge of Ivefield Golf Club. He had been “summoned” by Jack to discuss everything that had transpired, and going by the tone of the phone call, Jack wanted answers. A waitress smiled as she left a gin and tonic on the table in front of him, another drink that would go on Jack’s tab. David’s conscience didn’t think twice and lately he felt a certain entitlement around these things. Perhaps this mentality was part of the reason why he was in the mess he presently found himself?

He sipped the drink and closed his eyes. A moment to himself before Jack arrived. No doubt keeping him waiting as some form of unnerving tactic. He had been back a few days from his meeting with Kaslak and if he was being honest with himself, he was still quite shaken from the experience. This was not how he had planned things. His business was now practically out of his hands. His ownership now given to Kaslak and he, David, was a mere employee. This was all in theory however. There were no papers signed and there could not be until Roisin returned. As part owner she would have to sign over any such detail. However, somehow, he imagined, this type of transaction would not really be a concern to an eastern European gangster, and the thought made him worm in his seat.

Either way there was no way he was going to tell Jack this. When the business was done, hopefully he would be in a better position financially and he could break his ties from his father-in-law. And with Roisin if necessary. The more he thought of the evening with Kaslak, the more concerned he became. Was Kaslak serious? He wasn’t the type of person to mess with, so David had kept it in the ether, no commitment made. The heat was on now however. Every day was an extra day of pressure. Another twenty-four hours without Roisin and God bless her, Chloe. Oh, how he missed her. The Guards were piling on the pressure too. Questions, questions, questions. It was always the husband, David thought. They must have their suspicions of him. Nothing had been said directly, but he knew how this type of thing worked.

“What the fu…” David looked up to see Jack walking in with some young guy and a girl beside him. Jack spotted him from the doorway and the triumvirate made their way to his table.

“David, this is Louie Gill and his assistant Emma. They are making enquiries into Roisin’s disappearance.”

David didn’t know whether to shake hands or not, so a half stand, half sitting effort was offered and Louis tentatively caught some fingers. Everyone sat down and drinks and coffee were ordered.

“David, Louie came to me to help find Roisin and Chloe. I am not sure the guards have everything in order and we need to find them fast.”

David looked from Jack to the couple before him. Sensing a trap of some sort, like a cornered animal, he decided to hold his corner for the moment, keep quiet and let things develop.

**************

“David, we are a private detective unit, and we feel we can help with a lot of “off the record” conversations.” Louie was getting more confident now in admitting his new status and didn’t blush as much when he explained that he was a private detective.

“We can help you if you can give us some more detail, that perhaps you may not have shared with the police.”

David looked at him inquisitively, half in shock with this ambush from Jack. He was now facing three people looking at him and asking questions. Was this how it was going to be? The guards first and now this crowd? He would spend his life answering questions.

“I’ve shared everything,” he said, stirring his cocktail stirrer around his gin. “I don’t know any more than what you have already. I know it seems strange that I waited so long, but they were the conditions of the kidnapper. That I keep my mouth shut. I was afraid they would hurt them.” He turned his head away for dramatic effect. A point not lost on Emma.

“The day they went missing. Was there anything unusual in the house, or outside. Any people that were not usually there?”

“No, it was just a normal day. I had left for work early that morning, Roisin was feeding Chloe and Marka was cleaning about the house….”

“Marka?”

“Our cleaning lady, she comes in three days a week, cleans the house, minds Chloe if Roisin is out. She was gone by the time I got back home.”

Emma took a note.

“Then I came home and the house was empty. You know the rest.”

“Why the bloody hell didn’t you do something sooner!” Jack exploded.

David like a reprimanded teenager looked down into his drink and an awkward silence followed. It was Louie who broke the deadlock.

“Do you think that your wife could have been unfaithful Mr. Corcoran?” It was a bombshell that even shocked Emma but it hit the spot.

“How dare you?! My wife is a very respectable woman and to insinuate at this time that she would take the life of my daughter into danger with a seedy comment like that…. are you a detective or working for a tabloid?”

Emma tried to calm things.

“Mr. Corcoran, David, we need to look at every eventuality. You have to understand we don’t know you or your wife. We are not trying to make assumptions, but rather get the full picture, so we can rule things in or out.”

Good save, Louie thought to himself.

It was Jack surprisingly who got the conversation back to a more sedate tone.

“Roisin and David have been married a few years now. They are well set up with the family business. There was no need for her to be …. well with anyone else. They have a happy life together. Can you please just look into the facts and work off this basis. I appreciate you coming to me but I need action that perhaps the guards cannot provide.”

Indeed, it was Louie who had made a bold move by calling Jack directly at his business premises. It was sheer luck that Jack had been onsite, a rare break from the house to get away from the doom and gloom of the previous days. Perhaps it was this mood and change of scene that had allowed Jack to agree to meet Louie. Louie didn’t have to think twice and within the hour was at the gates of Straffan’s site and making his way to meet the man himself. They had walked around the plant as if Louis was an investor sizing up a business opportunity. In reality, Jack enjoyed the distraction and was keen to show his assets to someone new, with vigour. As the two strolled in hard hats and high vis jackets, Louis couldn’t help but think how much his life had changed in the last few days. A raw wind was blowing as the news of the pending storm had intensified.

“We are in for a right one I believe,” he said lightly to Jack.

“Least of my worries to be honest. Have my own storm to think about. What can I do for you Mr. Gill or rather, what can you do for me?”

Louie had his pitch prepared and started it with aplomb.

“Mr, Straffan, at our agency we….”

“Son, I have guys coming in here every day for the last thirty years trying to sell to me. Cut the crap and get to the point.”

Louie was slightly taken aback but had enough streetwise sense to know he had to cut to the chase.

“Ok, Mr. Str…Jack, I believe that someone like myself and my partner might get more answers on the ground than the normal police measures. We are incognito, pretty unknown and can pass off as just nosey kids, who fit in innocently to ask a few questions, no harm done. We may also get a few answers that would not be forthcoming through the proper channels. The fact that we are young enough, also lets us tap into the world that David and Roisin were living.”

Straffan was quiet as they walked on. Taking in what he had just heard.

“You know, I had hoped for a son if I am honest.” He said smiling. “Two girls were what I was blessed with. Don’t think they will have much interest in this place mind. Plenty of interest in spending the profits though. But I would have liked a son. You know, someone to leave this to and maybe discuss the business of the day over a brandy. I thought I had half found that in David. But he’s no good. I even threw money at him. He thinks I don’t know, but his part of the business is in shreds. That’s why I think there is more to this.”

He stopped walking and turned to Louie.

“Mr. Gill, I believe Roisin and Chloe are alive and I will get them back. However, I have to think of their future and our family reputation.” He arched an arm to the site behind. “When they come home there will be a big hullaballoo about everything that has happened. Little rich girl kidnapped! Returns home. The press will be all over it. So, I don’t need any thrash coming out about her personal life. Do you know what I mean? The guards are asking all the right questions, but I need this nipped in the bud before we are sullied forever.”

He paused. “Can you help me?”

Louie put on the bravest face he had done since his mother had pulled a plaster from his knee when he was six.

“I can Jack. I can.”

**************************

Louie and Emma made their way out from the golf club and onto the main road. Louie admitted it was a sad state of affairs that they were still using public transport and especially after seeing how the other half of society were living.

“What do you think?” he asked Emma as he held his jacket across his chest, deflecting the biting November wind.

“I don’t think there is any love lost there, do you? It seems as if Daddy in law has him under the cosh no matter how much he tries to avoid it.”

“Yeh when I met him yesterday, I thought as much too. I don’t think David turned out to be all that was promised and is certainly not the Prince Charming that Jack had envisaged for his daughter.”

“He is a strange fish, isn’t he? I mean, he doesn’t do himself any favours with his answers and there is something about him Louie. I don’t know, a look or something that makes you think there is more to this than he is letting on.”

“I know, I wouldn’t have much time for him. But all I know is that Jack has somehow shown faith in us and we have our first real gig. So, we have to get moving and get something to go on. I can discuss our tactics over a sausage sandwich if you like?”

Emma laughed.

“Far cry from the golf club. What are you thinking? What have we to go on? Should we see if Grimes has any more info on the ransom?”

Louie made a grimace with his customary sideways glance. “No, I think we should let the guards work on that. We can show our worth with our own little piece.”

Emma frowned as she blew against the cold. “What do you mean? What do we start with?”

“Not what Emma. But who?”

Chapter Forty-Three

Roisin was restless. It was weeks now and there had been no developments. She watched Chloe sleeping beside her. What would become of them when this was all over? She didn’t fear their safety. She knew once a ransom was paid all would be well. Would this have an effect on Chloe in later years? Roisin scoffed at the idea. She was too young and would never remember what had gone on. It could be put down to a ‘holiday’ one time, and that would be the end of it.

It was night but there was no chance of her sleeping. As the days went on, she too could feel the pressure mounting. She knew from the television that they were looking for her. The news had broken on both RTE and Virgin Media. The latter being all over the story by the hour. The keeper was instructed not to allow a mobile phone in case there was a chance of it being picked up by tracking. Roisin didn’t mind. She could do without all of the social media gossip and theories. She didn’t need to hear other people’s opinions of the story. Her story, the story she was playing out.

The irony was that she could walk out of here any time she wanted.

Chapter Forty-Four

“Steph! Get in here now!”

Steph cowered and looked at Mattie Cole as she rose to head to her superior’s office. Dennehy was on the warpath and had just slapped down his phone.

“Boss?”

“Steph, what the hell is going on? Is this a friends and relationship case or what?”

Steph looked at him puzzled.

“I’ve just been on to the commissioner and he wants to know why the hell Jack Straffan is talking to some young private investigator who is “assisting with enquiries?” What the fuck Steph? Who is this charlatan and how the hell is he involved?”

Dennehy was livid and Steph felt it best to let him vent before she added to the conversation. Inside she was annoyed herself. She was just piecing together what must have happened when Dennehy continued with his rant.

“This fella goes directly to Straffan and is taking a fee from him?! Is he even registered with anyone? You can’t just rock up and start thinking you’re Sherlock Holmes…. he could ruin everything Steph. Who the hell is he?”

“I only met him yesterday, Boss.”

“You know him?”

“As I say, I only met him. I went to ward him off but then we got the beef on the ransom and I was working on that since. He is no-one, he won’t interfere, I’ll call to him again.”

Dennehy took a breath.

“Steph the commissioner is giving me awful grief. I had to convince him to let you on this case at all and now this….”

Steph took offence. But she wouldn’t take anymore

“Why Boss, because I’m a woman is that it? I am working my butt off to get this sorted. We are doing everything we can. If someone comes out of the woodwork, I can’t stop him. This guy had no interference with what we are doing and I am sure he doesn’t know about the ransom. Now, if we can just get on with the task in hand and my team can carry on, we will get a result.”

Dennehy sat in his chair with his eyebrows raised in shock. He had never been spoken to or seen Steph talk like this to anyone.

“Right… right…Ok. Go on. just keep that lad out of things.”

Steph nodded and turned to go. Dennehy needn’t worry. Steph would be having a word with young Louie alright.

Chapter Forty-Five

Two coffees and one sausage sandwich later, the sausage sandwich not being part of Emma’s dietary requirements, Louie and Emma had returned to the office in Chapelizod to review what they had accumulated so far. The white board, which was actually a brown plywood board, was stuck with notes and post-its, outlining the developments to date.

Just as Louie was about to make a point around Corcoran, his phone rang with a no caller id flashing on the screen.

“Louie Gill.”

“What the hell are you at Louie?”

“Steph…lovely to hear fro…”

“I have just had my boss tear lumps out of me for you contacting Straffan. What the hell were you playing at? Do you not realise this is not a game and a woman and a child’s life are at stake? You can’t just think you can come riding in here on a white horse and sort everything. Do you not understand this?”

Louie who was initially taken aback from this outburst, garnered some of the new found confidence that he had found with Straffan and David and retorted back.

“Steph. I can speak to whoever I wish to speak to. I have not broken any laws or put your case in jeopardy. I hardly know anything else than what you know already or what has been in the media. I am hardly in negotiation with the kidnappers. So, I suggest you tone down on the abuse just because your boss has been having chats down at the golf club.”

There was a frosty silence and Steph knew Louie was partly right. She couldn’t stop him from speaking to Straffan if the latter was foolish enough to part with his money. There was some appeal however, she had to admit to herself. She felt that maybe Straffan had fallen for this little boy charm also.

“Look Louie. This is dangerous stuff; we can’t mess with them and I certainly don’t want to see you or the rest of your team getting hurt. Just be careful what you do.”

“I am perfectly capable of looking after myself thank you very much.” Louie replied unsure of himself whether this was the truth or not.

“Louie, if you find out anything run it by me. Okay?” Steph found herself almost agreeing to include Louie despite her inner self telling her it was a mistake.

“Thanks Steph.” Louie said. Almost as if he was saying goodbye to an old friend.

“Well handled,” Emma smiled when Louie broke off from the call. “What rattled her cage?”

“Ah, she is obviously getting flack from her boss because she has nothing new to come up with. I reckon part of her knows she could be glad of our help when push comes to shove. Let’s see how it pans out. Where were we?” Louie turned back to the board and Emma smiled into his back. There was an allure to Louie Gill that she too was intrigued by. However, she had to keep this strictly professional.

Chapter Forty-Six.

“Rory, hi, it’s Louie.”

“Louie, how are you doing? I’m just off the tram sorry about the noise! What can I do for you?”

“Rory, a couple of things. Firstly, I wanted to know if there was any development with the ransom? And secondly, I wanted to ask you about the cleaner.”

“The Cleaner?”

“Yeh. We had a meeting with Corcoran and he mentioned the cleaner was in the house the day Roisin and Chloe went missing. It just seemed a bit random. I was wondering if she had seen anyone about the place in the days beforehand. I didn’t hear Steph Reilly mention her at all and was curious to know if you knew anything about her.”

“Louie, I love it! You are really getting into this detective thing now, aren’t you? It’s a good spot, and well I have a couple of pointers there. Yes, there was a cleaner. Not that she was part of the investigation, it’s just that, I actually saw her myself one of the days after they went missing. She must have been coming to do a bit of a tidy after the guards had ransacked the place. I didn’t think too much of it to be honest. Let me check it out anyway, and I’ll see if I can get a name or place where we can get hold of her.”

“Not a word to Corcoran, Rory, just in case.”

“Mums the word, I won’t say a thing to him or Reilly. I’ll let you know what I come up with. On the ransom, nothing official as the guards haven’t said anything, but apparently, they are looking for three million euro. Crazy stuff. I’m sure Jacko is worth a few bob but that will put a big hole in the retirement fund.”

Louie gave a whistle that made Tony look over at him from behind the counter. Louie made a mental note to himself not to do business on the phone in the café anymore and to conduct everything upstairs.

“That’s some money Rory.” He whispered.

“Well, it is, but at the same time, it is his daughter and grandchild. How do you put a price on that? Especially when you don’t know who you are dealing with.”

“On that, is there any idea who it could be?”

“Well, if you said this thirty years ago you would have said the IRA but now with so many Europeans here and gangs the way they are, it could be anyone. Look at it this way though. Jack is rich. But he isn’t superstar rich. They did their homework and knew he had a few bob. They didn’t need to go big and look for ridiculous amounts. Probably hoping to keep this under the radar as much as they could before the coppers got involved. That’s probably why David left it so long to tell anyone. But now it’s all come out so they just want the money and to get out of it. I mean it can’t be easy keeping a woman and a child for what, three weeks now?”

Louie heard another tram hurtle passed as Rory raised his voice for the last sentence.

“Ok, Rory. Look. See what you come up with for the cleaner and let me know if you hear any more yeh?”

“Will do Louie, likewise with you. Talk soon.”

Louie tapped his phone to end the call and thought about what Grimes had just said. It did seem to look like they knew what they were doing alright. Could they have known the family? That was something that hadn’t been mentioned by Steph either. Perhaps this was an inside job?

Chapter Forty-Seven

Louie had immediately gone upstairs and divulged everything to Emma. After the conversation, they had decided to take lunch in the deli across the road. The rain was starting again and they settled at a table inside the door. The traffic was on a go slow through Chapelizod village and Louie couldn’t remember it ever being any other way. This little place had catered for horse drawn carriages with its narrow roads. Not able to cope now with the constant deluge of SUV’s carting children to and from school. As a main thoroughfare to the city, it was about to crumble.

“Jesus, Louie, its mad all the same. To think someone, you love could be just taken from you and you get a phone call to demand money. Have these people no conscience?”

Louie scooped some pasta onto his fork and said, “Emma, they don’t have souls don’t mind conscience.” He pointed at her plate with his knife. “Is your salad nice?”

This was said with sarcasm as Louie couldn’t understand someone having salad on such a miserable day as today.

“Its lovely thank you! And don’t you be worrying about me. I will have the last laugh when you start piling on the pounds with your expenses fuelled lunches.”

“Ah it’s only the one. Jack suggested we have expenses. Sure, he can claim all that back.”

The waitress came and poured more water and Louie smiled a ‘thank you.’

“You’re an awful charmer Louie do you know that?”

“What do you mean?” Louie exuded innocence

“Smiling at the girl, with your ‘little boy lost’ eyes.”

“Ha! I was only saying thanks. She’s doing a great job. No harm in smiling to say, thanks, is there?”

Emma got back to her lunch, smiling to herself.

“Have you eh…. heard from Grainne?” She stuffed some lettuce into her mouth disenabling her from any awkwardness.

“No.” the reply was downbeat.

“Will you contact her?”

Louie sighed. “I don’t know. I don’t think we’re seeing life on the same route…road? What would you say? Anyway, I don’t think we have the same ideas at the moment.”

“Why?”

“I dunno. I guess she wants to settle down. Sees her mates getting engaged and married and probably wants part of that. Can’t blame her. We are together a while so I guess it’s to be expected.”

“But not by you?”

Louie pushed his plate away. Getting into position as if to defend himself from the attack.

“It’s not that. I love Grainne. I am happy how we are…. were…it’s just that, I guess marriage and kids and all that is not on my radar at the moment. Anyway. I have a detective agency to look after and a nosey assistant who isn’t giving too much away about her own set up. What gives?”

It was Emma’s turn to be defensive now. She looked out through the window as if the rain splattering against the pavement would spark her into inspiration.

“I’m good. We get along fine and well; we plan on going ahead and getting hitched. It’s probably just not your time yet? We all have different views on it Louie.”

Louie looked at her and smiled.

“What?” she said and swept a strand of hair behind her ear. He could see she was starting to blush.

She chewed on her salad and looked out the window again. She knew if she looked at him, she would smile. Ten seconds later, she did, and Louie had won the game of silence.

“You’re a charmer Louie Gill….and you know it.”

Chapter Forty-Eight

Stupid Irishman. Kaslak turned up the volume on his tower speaker and relaxed back onto his white leather couch. He was looking out onto a mountainside. His villa gained from the profits of his criminal past was completed by a swimming pool that ran to the edge of the property to create a fantastic cliff façade. The next stop was down, and he had often wondered if he should use it to deal with the less co-operative of clients. It would have created a terrible mess below and he could do with hawks coming to feed off decomposing European business men.

He was alone and pondering his next move. The whole Irish thing had fallen into his lap by change and now he could really utilise it to his advantage. If he was honest, he laughed at the word, he didn’t exactly care for the guy’s business. He could take it or leave it; it was only small fry but it was a gateway and a nice way to either launder money or product. Oh, how David had squirmed when he, Kaslak had toyed with him. He smiled to himself as he took another sip of bourbon. Nice stuff, another present from David.

Poor David. If he only knew the mess, he was in. His business should be the least of his worries.

What was that the English said? “Hell, hath no fury?”

He smiled again and turned the music up louder.

Chapter Forty-Nine.

Rory Grimes walked briskly down Westmoreland Street. He’d be glad to get inside. Everyone was talking about the storm that was coming but Jesus this wind would cut the snot off you. If there was worse to come, he better build a bomb shelter.

It was interesting though. what the young lad had said. No one had ever mentioned anything about anyone else being in the house when the woman and child had gone missing. Was there something in that? Better not say anything to the copper woman just in case.

He came to the office and opened the door with his shoulder. A nod to one of his colleagues was about the only interaction he would have with another human being this morning. Rory always kept to himself. The life of the roving reporter. He had been stung too many times early on in his career, too mouthy out of eagerness, and then finding that the stories were snapped up in front of him by someone else. A hard life lesson learned, but he was now on top of his game and this story looked like a good scoop. The young lad was alright and maybe they could complement each other. It was funny all the same. Louie was only in the game a few weeks, was it even that? And there he was with a very interesting lead that could have a major bearing on things. Just goes to show the policing game was very like his own trade. It was all down to a bit of luck and being in the right place at the right time.

He boiled the kettle and threw the newspaper down on the table. There it was, front page. He smiled to himself at his notoriety. His dear mother, lord rest her, would have been so proud.

“Kidnappers look for three million euro for Roisin and Chloe” – exclusive by Rory Grimes

If it wasn’t so serious, he’d laugh.

But the news world was becoming more instant. By the time papers were going to press now, there were hundreds of new developments and keeping up with the tech age was a challenge for him, a man in his late fifties. Still, a nice headline like that, on a traditional newspaper, was better than any phone scrolling. Call him old school, but that was the truth of the matter.

He had to keep moving, and finding that cleaning woman was his main task of the day.

He threw his teabag onto the filthy sink and grimaced at the mess. They could do with her in here when he found her.

Chapter Fifty

“Steph, Steph!”

Steph looked around to see who was calling her. She had just walked out of the Garda station and was heading to her car. It was time to go home for a few hours to Liam and the kids before she was excommunicated and thrown out of the house. She raised her eyebrows when she realised it was Louie calling after her.

“Steph, hi, sorry.” He panted as he made his way up to her.

She had decided to try and remain calm with him from here on in. He was going to be around and she had enough stress without fending off someone who felt like her younger brother. Maybe she could use him. “Louie. What can I do for you?”

“Hi,” he said again. “Listen, I just…you know…. the last couple of times we haven’t really got off to a great start and I just wanted to make things…better you know. I think we could work well together. Can we go for a coffee or a drink or something, even to set down ground rules?” He looked at her like a child asking his mother could he stay out for another ten minutes on a school night.

Steph toed the ground and looked at her shoe as she pondered his suggestion.

“One quick one, I have to be getting home to my family.”

“Great!”

“And you can forget the coffee lark, I want a gin and tonic.”

*********************

They sat in the Duke, a bar off Grafton Street. It was trendy but quiet and they could find a small booth to discuss the case.

“Do you want something to eat?” Louie asked.

“Louie this isn’t a date, the drink is because I have had a shit day, I was going to have it at home if you didn’t show up anyway.”

“Look that’s fine…em, two gin and tonic’s please,” The lounge girl smiled and turned to get their drinks from the bar.

“So, what’s so urgent?

“Nothing. Nothing at all. Just some things have come up and I thought rather than you finding out second hand, if I discussed them with you, well things could be better for both of us.”

“The thing is Louie, this is a police investigation, and not to be rude again but I don’t really have to or should I say, can’t discuss anything with you. Take that in the best manner possible. I don’t mean to offend.”

Louie watched as Steph folded her arms and no matter what her mouth said, her body language said a lot.

“I know, and I don’t expect you to. You don’t have to tell me anything. I’ll be doing my own investigation for Jack Straffan (it was as well to remind her he did have some part in this) and it can be just that we don’t duplicate or step on each other’s toes.”

The Straffan reference softened Steph and she unfolded her arms and rested one by her side. Just as she was about to speak, the drinks arrived and stopped the conversation momentarily.

“Cheers.”

“Ok Louie, I know you have some piece of the pie now, but I get heat from my bosses so we have to just be cool with one and other to see how this works out. But please, the only thing I ask is that you leave the operational side of things to us.”

“Even the bits you miss?” Louie took a sip of his drink waiting for his killer line to land.

“What bits? We haven’t missed anything,” Steph said defensively. “Anything that has been presented so far that is.”

Louie smiled like the cat who had the cream. He would enjoy this ‘I know something you don’t know’ a moment longer. Savouring Steph’s anxiety.

“Louie?”

“The cleaner.”

“What cleaner?”

“They had a cleaner. The Corcoran’s. She was there the day they went missing.”

Steph fumed inside. How had the lads not heard this? She was thinking already how to berate Mossie when she got back. That was for later, for now she had to stay composed in front of Louie. As if it was water off a ducks back, she picked up her drink and said;

“Oh….and is she of any interest do you think to the investigation?” She shook her head as she asked, almost dismissing the idea but underneath knowing it could be crucial.

“Well Steph, that is the question. And this is where we can help each other. I know there was a cleaner…”

“How?!”

Louie raised a hand gently, “I know there was a cleaner. It was mentioned in an off the cuff comment by David Corcoran. He probably didn’t mean to say it but when he did, I made a mental note, one, for him not to think I had heard and two, to follow up on it. It could be critical. She could have answered the door the day before or anything to some sham sizing the place up.”

Steph was thinking.

“Well?” asked Louie.

“Well. If she was in the house on the morning, she does have a part to play.”

“How?”

“Well as you say, she could have seen something the day before, the hours before. Isn’t it funny, that she is there most days I presume, and the family go missing as soon as she leaves? So yes, they may have been casing the place but perhaps she could have seen something.”

“And your lads didn’t mention her?” Louie was genuine with his question now, rubbing it in had been fun but now it was time to get some work done.

“No, and hands up, I’m annoyed. We need to find out who she is.”

“Ok, but just hear me out. I know we agreed we will draw lines on operational stuff. But I have a gut feeling on this. Corcoran didn’t mean to mention her to me and obviously didn’t mention her to your guys at all. So, he must have a reason. If you call him in specifically…...”

Steph winced. Louie leaned in trying to convince her.

“Listen, just listen, if you call him in, he might twig. However, if I can find out who she is through my sources, it might give us a bigger picture.”

Steph shook her head. “Look if I have a lead and don’t investigate, it could be the end of things.”

“But Steph you are investigating it. You are just using different options available to you. In other words, us. Call it outsourcing. Your boss will be delighted with the free headcount.” He leaned back smiling.

Steph stared back at him. She looked around the bar also. There was a few more people starting to come in. A younger crowd than she wasn’t used to, and she suddenly started to feel old. The music was gradually being turned up and she knew it was time to get home to her family.

“Just give me forty-eight hours Steph and if not, call him in.”

“Twenty-four hours Louie. We don’t have time to play with. Six o’clock, tomorrow, call me and let me know either way.” She didn’t give him time to argue. She finished off her drink in one fell swoop and stood up to leave.

“Ooh…. that hit the spot.”

“Hope you aren’t done for drink driving.”

“It’s ok…. I know people.”

Louie nodded and he watched Steph striding confidently out the door

Chapter Fifty-One.

David had driven to Donabate Strand out to the northside of the city. The looming thunder clouds over his head matched his mood. Thick, grey, rain filled balls of smoke, pressed down on the horizon. The storm was looming.

He zipped his anorak to neck height and stuffed his hands into the pockets as he made his way down by the Martello tower on the ramp towards the strand. The beach was empty apart from a man walking his dog in the distance. The Labrador-like k9, bounded after a ball as the man in a navy cap walked authoritatively behind it. David wondered how can life be made so simple by some people?

He had come here to get away. To get away from the rabbit hole he had gotten himself into. His family was not really missing. He knew that. The thing was, the whole idea had been so good at the start that it was now running away with itself and he seemed to be going further and further down the hole than he had expected.

Kaslak was acting funny. Ever since David had met him last week, he felt the added pressure now of the business. If he kept up with this arrangement, he would not only be left with nothing, but would be working for Kaslak and under his thumb from here on out. He had to change things. His mind was rushing back and forth like the waves off to his left. Everything was crumbling around him and he wanted out. It was a stupid idea in the first place but how could he ever admit to Jack Straffan that everything had failed? The company that had been handed to him on a plate, was now suffering and he was a failure to both Jack and his daughter. Things were even more complicated because of his roving eye. He was sure Roisin didn’t know about his infidelities but it was an added stress, that his mistress was adding to his problems and it was something he did not need right now. The guards were snooping into his background and he hoped that they hadn’t turned up anything to make things so much worse. Any extra marital activity would make him look like a chief suspect in Roisin’s disappearance.

He made his way down the strand and the man with the dog walked past. “It’s going to be a fun few days,” he said, pointing to the ominous clouds above.

David barely nodded devoid of the need for all human interaction now. The man must have thought he was mad. The truth was. he didn’t care and had to plan a way out of this. How could he? If Kaslak knew he wanted Roisin back all bets would be off and what would happen then? Kaslak could decide to erase Roisin and Chloe at the drop of a hat. It would be nothing to him over the other side of Europe. Then the business end of things would be in ruins either way. David would come in some morning to find the warehouse in flames. No. He had to stay calm for a few days more. The ransom demand was out there and surely Jack would come good for the sake of his daughter. The only thing that could be a potential problem was if the guards found out about his little fling. Somebody somewhere was going to ask about his cleaner. ‘Just stay calm’, he said to the restless sea that was approaching at pace, with the dark clouds in its wake.

Chapter Fifty-Two

The keeper was looking at the woman as she sat on the sofa reading a magazine. How entitled these people thought they were. Sitting there as if there was nothing wrong while skivvies like her had to do all of the dirty work. This bitch would have no idea of the hardship that she would have had to endure growing up in a rural part of Slovakia. How could she with her rich father and her big house? How could she know about working all hours of the day on a farm just to have enough food to make it through the day? At eighteen, she had moved to the city and it was here she met Kaslak who employed her as a dancer in one of his clubs. The problem was she didn’t know how to dance, and had to be instructed by the other girls over a few nights. She compensated for her lack of dance skills by obliging clients of the club with other services. She didn’t like this and for some reason Kaslak had taken a liking to her and took her under his wing. She helped in the club at night time and he gave her the responsibility of looking after the roster initially, and in a few months because of her natural work ethic, he also promoted her to manager. Something good to come from the fields, she mused.

It was last year when Kaslak had called her and told her to make her way out to his villa in Minsk. A plane ride later, and a short taxi ride, she pulled up at the vast estate. The taxi driver smiled knowing where she had come from and to the house she was going. She ignored him and made her way inside.

Kaslak was in swimming trunks as she walked through the wide living space to the pool area. He greeted her like an old friend and had a drink in his hand for her.

“Marka! My lovely, how good to see you!” he had cried. They sat and he continued to slather her with compliments and affection. She was actually starting to enjoy herself. It was then that the conversation turned and Kaslak took a new tone. He explained that he had ‘a special mission’ for his favourite girl. It would take her away from the seedy club. “You are so much better than this Marka.” He enthused. It would be an exciting adventure for her, for a few months. To travel to Ireland and work on a project for him. He would pay her well and everything would be above board. “You can use your own passport and walk into Dublin just like everyone else!” He knew she was worried about trafficking and had heard horror stories from girls at the club. Her mind had eased and she did genuinely get excited about the idea. But Kaslak would never divulge what the project was and told her that she would start out as a nanny for a rich family in Dublin. Not sure if she liked the idea of minding a child, she tossed the idea around in her head and thought of where she had come from.

“Marka, This guy, David and his wife, lovely people. They will look after you. You will have the best of everything, living in a lovely house, Dublin is beautiful and if you need anything all you have to do is give Kaslak a call. It is such an opportunity for you.”

And it was, that was how it had started out and she actually enjoyed living with the family. The child was beautiful and Marka developed a real bond with her that had lasted until the present day.

Things started to take a turn when Kaslak instructed her to keep a close eye on David and get to know his dealings better. “Get close to him Marka, I want to work him out better.” Not sure what her actual role was, she did start to get to know David better. Idling around the kitchen counter as he scrolled though his phone at breakfast. Taking Chloe to the park with him, only on days when Roisin was out playing golf with her friends. One thing led to another and what was not part of the original plan developed and he had kissed her when they were alone in the house one evening.

The relationship quickly spiralled into something more serious and she did not dare tell Kaslak for fear of reprisals.

One day when they were together in the house, Roisin’s little sister had called by unexpectedly and saw how close they had become. She had not caught them in the act but had picked up on the chemistry hanging in the air between them. Marka knew that it was something that Tara would always have on David. Tara had stormed out just as quickly, and David ran after her to explain that there was nothing going on. Later he relayed to Marka that he thought Tara had a thing for him. They had been flirting at Christmas but she was just a kid and didn’t know what she wanted from life. He assured Marka that he wasn’t playing her for a fool but she wasn’t convinced. Not that it really mattered. What type of a future could there be in this relationship anyway? She was living away and Kaslak could call her back home anyway. And was David ever going to leave this setup to marry the cleaner? She knew where she stood but decided she would have to make the best out of it.

Her musings were broken when Roisin, whilst still reading her magazine, said. “I know about you and David, Marka. Just so you know, so does Kaslak. So don’t think you have any real mystery going on. Once this is over, you will be summoned back home and Kaslak will be looking after you.”

Marka was stunned. She didn’t know what to say. How could Roisin have known? Was this all part of the deal? Instead of responding, she tidied up some cushions that had fallen to the floor and plumped them back into place on the sofa.

“Always the cleaner Marka eh?” The condescending tone from Roisin hit a nerve with Marka and she was just about to rebound back when her phone rang. A pang of butterflies reverberated around her stomach when she saw Kaslak’s number.

“Marka. We have to move them. Things have advanced. We need to get them out of the house. I will be in touch with instructions. Be prepared.” The line went dead and Marka afforded a smile.

“What’s happened?” Roisin’s smugness leaving her as the grip of power transferred to her nemesis. She dropped the magazine on to the table beside her, and swung her legs around into a sitting position.

Marka, still smiling moved her head and simply replied, “Looks like we are on the move again.”

“Why!? Why hasn’t Kaslak phoned me? We agreed I would be told of any change to arrangements?”

Marka shrugged her shoulders. “Don’t ask me. I’m only the cleaner.”

She walked out of the room smiling and as she did, she shouted back. “Get your shit together, bitch.”

Chapter Fifty-Three

Kaslak was using his telephone calls wisely. Next up was David.

“David. My friend. How have you been?”

“Fine…Kaslak…just fine. I see that you made the ransom demand?”

“Well, not personally. One of my men David…you know I don’t want to get caught, don’t you? Ha ha!”

David laughed nervously like and employee laughing at the boss’s joke. In effect that is what he was becoming.

“So, David. In relation to our conversation last week. I am preparing the papers for the business. They will be sent to you officially from my lawyers. Take a read of them and don’t show them to anyone. Now would not be a good time to be selling your business. But when this is all finished, you will be signing them and sending them back to me. It will all be official so as not bring suspicion to the table. However, there is no need for you to worry David. You will always have a role in my organisation. We can give you a nice title. Head of this or Head of that? All of the big corporations have hundreds of them!” He laughed again.

“But Kaslak. What am I to do for money? Did you think any more about my proposition about me paying you the one million next year?”

Kaslak leaned forward in his couch where he was sitting in his villa. David could almost hear the momentary movement.

“David. I am a reasonable man. But the way you are offering things…these are not attractive to me. The million? Meh…. I can give or take. There is a lot of complications around doing things this way. Transfer trails, banks working with police all over Europe now. hey would find it eventually. Better we do things officially and then we can work out your salary.”

“Salary?!”

“David, what do you want from me? You come to me and ask me to carry out this major thing for you. To help you out of trouble. You get me to kidnap your wife and your beautiful daughter. This was a big, big risk for me. Then I help you with your business. I send Dani to help you. Free of charge, may I add, I let you take my product through your warehouse and I pay you handsomely. Now you want me to change all that and give you one, two, million euro, what was it? I can’t even remember it was so ridiculous. Do you not think you are being unreasonable?”

“But Kaslak that was not the deal…that isn’t what we agreed?”

“Things change David. And don’t forget. I have your wife and child. You have nothing to bargain with. I don’t think you are in a good position right now. It’s best we stick to my plan.”

The phone went dead and David looked at the dark screen. Kaslak had a sinister tone to his voice, one that shook him to the core. Not for the first time, he wondered why he had ever come up with this stupid idea.

Chapter Fifty-Four

Louie was meeting Rory Grimes. He walked purposefully up Dame Street partly due to the weather but more-so because, Grimes had a lead. He didn’t give too much detail but knew it was about the cleaner. They were to meet in the Queen of Tarts coffee shop, near Dublin Castle.

Louie entered and Rory beckoned to him from the corner.

“I took the liberty of getting you a coffee and a scone. Too much cream going on for this hour of the morning, so I played it safe.”

“Thanks Rory. This detective lark does nothing for the waistline. I seem to be having more coffee and scones as the days go on. I don’t know how you avoid it with all of your business arrangements.” He watched Grimes smile as he extricated himself from his coat and placed it on the back of the chair. As soon as he sat down, he got straight to business.

“So, what have you got for me?”

“Well Louie.” Rory started as he smeared butter over his scone, compensating for the cream he had said he wasn’t having, “It looks like I can find the cleaner. Well at least you can, when I tell you where she is. A friend of a friend, knows the younger sister, Tara. For whatever reason there was no love lost there with Roisin. Our Tara apparently had a thing for her brother-in-law. But whether the family knew or not, Tara never said anything. So, one day she is up in the house, Corcoran’s house that is, and she sees David and the cleaner, let’s say canoodling together.”

“No Way!”

Grimes nodded and stirred his coffee. “So, Tara and David had a row in the garden. One of the neighbours saw them and didn’t think too much of it at the time. Well, my source…. who will remain anonymous, is a friend of the neighbour. So, one night after the whole kidnap thing kicked off, the neighbour’s missus is out on a girl’s night with my source’s missus. Girls are having a chat and obviously because the whole country is talking about it, the neighbour wants her fifteen minutes of fame and starts going on about the incident in the garden. One thing leads to another and then she starts going on about the cleaner. “Never liked the look of her, etc… and then doesn’t she say, “Sure when I do see her up at the Tesco on a Thursday evening in Phibsborough…. doing her own shopping, she is a different one altogether. So, nothing surer, I went up there last night myself and there she was. Full shop. Club points the lot! I knew it was her the moment I saw her. Recognised her from that gaff, when I was up there.”

And did you follow her?”

Grimes frowned? “Follow her? Sure, why would I do that? You’re the detective.” He stuffed a piece of scone into his mouth and looked at Louie.

“Thanks Rory. But what if she only goes on a Thursday? I can’t really wait another week.”

“Don’t be silly Louie. No one does a big shop anymore. Sure, she’ll be up there every other day. You know what the women are like. Oh, I forgot to get this, I forgot to get that…”

Louie wondered if Grimes ever shared these thoughts on the inner workings of a woman’s forgetful mind with his wife. He presumed not.

“Ok. Fair enough. So, are you suggesting I sit outside the Tesco and wait for her?” Louie took a sip of his own coffee.

“Louie, in my game one thing you need is a good scent for a story. Sometimes you get it and other times you have to walk away. Now, some of those times you shouldn’t have walked away and you lose it. That gives you experience. And from that experience you learn another trait. Patience. So yes. That’s exactly what you do.”

Louie sat back in his chair and folded his arms. “Patience, catch it if you can. Often in a woman, never in a man.”

Grimes dabbed his fingers onto the crumbs that remained on his plate.

“Louie. Haven’t you a lovely young one working with you? Sure, I’d sit in a car with her for hours even it was just to look at her!” He turned to the counter, “Two more coffees when you’re ready there love.”

Chapter Fifty-Five

Louie stood looking at Christ Church cathedral. The spire and windows looking almost gothic against the backdrop of the looming clouds. The wind had started to pick up and the weather reports were predicting storm Alma was on the way within the next twenty-four hours. There were warnings for falling trees and high buildings could be affected. Louie always thought of the wizard of Oz when these warnings were announced.

He looked at the phone in his hand and was unsure who to call first. The lead on the cleaner was the first real breakthrough he had ever gotten since taking up his new venture, and his excitement was getting the better of him. He was taking a moment. From there, the Dublin detective made a decision that he would keep for the rest of his career. Well, at least as long as Emma was working with him. He would always inform her first, before anyone else. If they were to be a team that was how it was to be played out.

“Hello.”

“Hey, did you meet him?”

“Yes, I did. Where are you now?”

“I am just drying my hair. I was going to head over to the office then. Will you be heading back soon?”

“Well yes, but that’s what I want to talk to you about. Grimes found the cleaner. Long story but she is not a million miles away from Corcoran’s house and can be seen shopping in the Tesco in Phibsborough. He said on a Thursday evening but surely, she must go most days?” Louie careful not to use the ‘woman’ analogy with Emma. “I was thinking maybe we could keep an eye to see if she turns up?”

“Woo! Our first stakeout! Do we do coffee and doughnuts like in the cop shows?”

“I’m all caked out. But I can buy you a slush puppy to keep you alert. Listen, I wanted to tell you first…

“Tell me what?”

“No, I wanted to tell YOU first. Before the guards, you know?”

“Aww, that’s SOOO cute!”

“Yeh well, you know if we are going to be….”

“But Louie,” Emma suddenly becoming professional said, “Do you think it’s a good idea to tell Steph yet?”

“Why not?”

“Well, we could tell her and then your woman may never turn up. It could make us look foolish. You know, saying we had a lead when actually it’s not?”

“Good Point. So, what, go it alone?”

“Yeh. I mean let’s hang out, see can we see her and if we do, we can act. If she doesn’t turn up, no harm done and our reputation stays intact.”

“Our reputation. I like it.”

“Well, not just a pretty face you know. Will I see you back in the office?”

“No. Why not catch the bull by the horns. Head straight to Phibsborough and we can start now. See you in an hour?”

“Louie?”

“Yeh?”

“How do we know what she looks like?”

“Ah, you see Emma dear. Grimes is a reporter. He got all that detail and then the oul social media did the rest.”

“On my way!”

***************************

Forty-five minutes later, they were both settled in the front window of McDonalds staring across the road at the Tesco store in the shopping centre.

“Cozzie always says the chips from a chipper are better than McDonalds.”

“I one hundred per cent agree. I like McDonalds chips…or fries… but there is something about the chipper.”

Louie took a slurp of coke. “No, he goes deeper than that. He says, when you’re walking passed the chipper it’s the smell of the heat that attracts you?”

“What now?”

“He says, that it’s not the chips or the vinegar, but rather the heat that is generated from the grease mixed with the chips and vinegar that is the main marketing tool.”

“Jesus, is this the level of conversation when you are out? No wonder you have been bored.” Emma popped an aforementioned fry into her mouth.

“No, well, yes…. it’s just maybe the conversation seems more realistic and topical when you have a couple of pints on board. I’ll get him to explain the next time we see him.”

“Have you seen him lately? He was very good to help us out with the office, wasn’t he? The van I mean.”

“Not since then. He’s a good lad.” Louie’s mind was momentarily taken back to his life before Emma, and the simple things like meeting Cozzie…and Grainne. He hadn’t really thought about her in the last couple of days. Now this conversation brought her back and she was dancing in his brain once again. ‘Where was she now’ he wondered?

“So, this is her?” Emma mused at the cleaners Instagram profile. “She’s very young looking. Bit plain, no? I mean, she wouldn’t be a patch on the wife. Men are awful stupid some times.”

She sighed. “This could take ages…or never. This must be the bits they edit out of all the ITV dramas. You never see the relentless waiting, on the telly.”

“Wouldn’t make for good television to be honest?”

“No, you have a point. What will we do if she turns up?”

Louie shrugged his shoulders. “I dunno. Just approach her I suppose and say who we are. Honesty is the best policy and all that.”

They peered out the window as the rain pelted down the glass and visibility became poorer.

“I wouldn’t go out shopping in that now in fairness.” Louie said.

Emma didn’t answer and was lost in her thoughts.

“Penny for them.”

She turned to him and smiled. “Ah nothing. Just thinking about things that’s all. Life outside this I mean. You can tend to forget and get wrapped up in what’s going on in ‘the real world.’ “

“How’s things with Graham?” Why was it every time Louie said his name, he felt discomfort?

“Graham is fine. He’s a nice guy.”

There was no elaboration and Louie felt there was more to this story. He had been told in the past he had a great knack of getting things out of people. His secret was staying silent and letting the other person elaborate. He looked at her and waited.

“It’s just, I don’t know, a connection thing you know? We get on great and would hardly ever row, but there can be plenty of silences as well, you know?”

Louie nodded. He didn’t know, but had to be seen to be sympathetic to a woman who was obviously about to divulge some secret or other.

“I mean, you know when you are comfortable with someone and you can sit there and say nothing? Well, when there is a silence with Graham, it almost feels awkward. As if I feel compelled to say something you know?”

Louie nodded.

Out of the blue, Emma reached over and touched his hand and smiled. “You know the way I am with you Louie.”

Her eyes looked into his and his heart started to race. Just as quickly, she snapped it away.

“Jesus Louie! Is that her?”

“What?” A bemused Louie was still looking at Emma.

Emma was pointing to a person across the road from the restaurant.

“Look! Behind the blue focus. Walking out to the road!”

Louie re-asserted himself and looked out through the rain-soaked window. A small figure in an anorak was carrying a shopping bag and holding their hood to keep the rain at bay.

“I think it is. Let’s go.” Louie grabbed a last French fry as they both jumped up and made their way to the exit.

Chapter Fifty-Six

Steph stood at the whiteboard as she waited for the team to assemble. The fact that she was in the room and waiting, was a sign of the nerves she was trying so hard to keep settled underneath.

Big Mattie Cole sat down and shared a joke with one of the younger detectives sitting behind him. Steph smiled to herself at the easy way Mattie held himself. Maybe he had the right idea. Just cruise through your career and leave the stress stuff to others. Mattie would pick up his cheque at the end of the month just as she would. Was the few euro more really worth the pressure? She couldn’t think like that now. She wanted to build a career so she and her family could live and enjoy a good standard of living. Convincing herself she was doing this for her children’s future, she called the room to order.

“Ok, listen up. This is the state of play as of this morning. To recap, we have David Corcoran, a key witness or suspect in the disappearance of his wife and daughter, Roisin and Chloe Corcoran. So far, they have been missing for five and half weeks, four of these weeks of which we knew nothing about. Mr. Corcoran says he knows nothing about their disappearance. Tiny cracks are starting to show in his story and we have our doubts. As of yesterday, an unknown source contacted Mr. Corcoran via a voice call and demanded three million euro. Mr. Corcoran contacted us, and subsequently told us that his father-in-law, wanted to pay it immediately.”

“Boss, did he have any idea who was contacting him. Were they Irish?”

Steph looked at Stephen Dempsey, a bright keen detective. She was thrown off her train of thought and felt miffed by the interruption, but it was a good question.

“No, Stephen. Corcoran said it was a foreign voice, most likely eastern European. This is the first indication that we know of, that it may be a bigger plot and not a ‘local’ (she said this using her rabbit ear fingers) or paramilitary organisation. Anyway, the call came through and Jack Straffan, Roisin’s father, wants to pay to get his daughter and granddaughter back.” She paused for breath and looked around the room in front of her. The new meeting room was a hell of a lot better than some of the dreary smoked stained walls she had worked in in the past. A new ceiling and projector stood over her head and modern desks, where everyone sat, were placed upon a grey carpeted floor. High windows encircled the white painted walls and the grim, grey storm clouds outside contrasted against the brightness, as if to compliment the interior décor.

Mattie Cole sat up in his seat. “Were there instructions about a drop given?”

“Not yet Mattie. The demand is in, and they said they would be in touch in forty-eight hours. That was about twelve hours ago. I suppose they want to let the message land and then take it from there.”

“But wasn’t he supposed to have given them ten thousand already?”

“That must have been for the daughter…”

It was Gary Pollard who had made the jibe. Steph had to make a stand

“Detective Pollard. That type of comment is both inappropriate and unhelpful. Don’t even get me started on how unprofessional it is. If you don’t want to assist in the safe recovery of a mother and child from imminent danger, can I suggest you get your arse out of here and go and direct some traffic outside at the junction?!”

There was a silence in the room. Cole sat back uncomfortably into his slouched position, unable to look at Pollard who was now going visibly red. The vein in his neck started to pulse as he stared back at Steph. She was having none of it, and stared him down, her finger still pointing to the door. Presumably a direction for Pollard to follow, should he wish to leave.

“Sorry Boss, no harm intended.”

Steph carried on.

“Mattie, I want to get more detail out of Corcoran. Call out to his house. Let him think we’re looking for something. Keep him on his toes.”

“Do you not think Boss, it would be better to bring him in here? Rattle him a bit.”

Steph shook her head as her audience watched from behind her. She turned back around, “No, he doesn’t seem too perturbed in here. We can’t seem to hurt him. He came to us remember, so effectively we are trying to help him. It’s as if he has the measure of us in this place. Get him into his own back yard and left him defend his corner. Let’s see what that throws up.”

Cole scribbled something in his notepad and shrugged in agreement.

“Pollard. I want you to go out to Jack Straffan. See what his frame of mind is. Outline the danger around the ransom. but don’t be seen to direct him either way. Get the mood in the house. And be careful if the mother and other daughter are there. We don’t want to bring any unnecessary angst on to them if we can prevent it. Stephen, will you go with him?”

Dempsey raised his eyebrows to confirm, whilst Pollard kept his head down.

“Okay, the rest of you be alert to any new developments and assist Cole, Dempsey and Pollard with anything back here.”

She started to shuffle her notes together as everyone stood up to leave.

“Oh, before you go.”

The team looked back to her in unison.

“I have something to discuss…let you know… if you have a minute.”

Bums sat on the edge of desks and curious eyes stared back at Steph.

“We have another player on the pitch. Straffan has taken on the services of a private investigator. A young chap by the name of Louie Gill. He is operating out of a place in Chapelizod. Pollard, just so you know if it comes up in conversation.”

Pollard, still stinging from his earlier admonishment, and not keen to rock the boat, was delighted when Cole asked the question he had been thinking.

“Boss, never heard of him. Who is he, and what’s he about?”

Steph had no defence.

“Mattie, all I know, is this guy has set up on his own, and has somehow wangled his way into the investigation.”

“Have you met him?”

Steph picked up a pen nervously.

“Briefly. He was hanging around the night we checked out Corcoran’s house and I spoke to him then.” She didn’t mention the other two occasions or the fact that she was starting to see there might be some benefit in having Gill onboard. He still hadn’t proven himself, so by the telling the team she had faith in him might make her judgement appear questionable down the line.

“Look there is nothing we can do about it, Dennehy knows about him and who knows? He may be able to assist us in the near future.”

“What else has he worked on?” Cole knew by Steph’s anxiety what the answer was going to be.

“As far as I know, this is his first case. He has just set up.”

There were sighs and headshakes as everyone got up to leave.

Steph felt she was losing the room.

“Hey!” The alert was loud and swift. “We finish when I say we are finished.” She looked at everyone individually.

“This does not interfere with our work and what we have to achieve. Let this guy do his own thing, and we will continue on with our own tactics. He may, or may not, be valuable to us. Ok, let’s go.”

The team disassembled and Steph turned around to the whiteboard to view the few scraps of evidence that she had so far. Hopefully, Louie Gill could come up with something, or else her new career could be in danger of halting before it got started.

Chapter Fifty-Nine

“It feels weird just following her.” Emma said, as they tailed the young woman in the direction of St. Peters Church.

“I just want to see if she goes somewhere …. into a house or something.”

“She keeps looking back Louie, I think she knows.”

The woman was indeed looking behind her, as she carried her shopping bag and suddenly, she came to a stop so that Louie and Emma had no choice but to come upon her. She looked at them as they slowed and approached.

“Hi,” Louie said putting an amicable hand gesture into motion. There was no response just a confused look.

“Em, my name is Louie Gill and I was just wondering if you would have a moment for myself and my part…. friend here to have a quick chat?”

“I not interested in buying anything…. I must get back to work…” The woman started to move away.

“No, no, nothing like that at all. I’m not selling anything. On the contrary, I’m looking for something from you.”

This last line seemed to tweak the woman’s interest and she slowed down to stop, turning back in their direction. She was still holding the hood of a grey anorak which housed a small pixie like face. Threads of dark hair trickled out from under the hood. She had dark skin and a small nose that sat over a tiny mouth with extremely white teeth. She allowed Louie to continue.

“We are working with the family of David Corcoran and would just like to ask you a few questions if that is, ok?”

Emma noticed the woman, or girl as she now realised this is all she was, wince at the notion of David’s name. Although it was a big story and she had been close to David. So, in fairness, this was no surprise.

“It very sad. Very sad what happen. I don’t know much.” She started to walk away.

“Please, Marka,” Emma said, and the girl flinched, surprised at how they could have known her name. “We are all very worried about Roisin and Chloe. We just want to help. Perhaps if we bought you a cup of tea, it would be really good for us?” She motioned to a coffee shop and the ‘one woman to another’ approach seemed to sway her. Louie took a mental note to remind Roisin to use this tactic in the future.

“I can only stay maybe ten minute.”

“We will have you done by the time you finish your tea, promise!” Emma smiled and the trio headed into the coffee shop.

Once inside, they sat at a side wall, and Louie ordered three teas from the lady behind the counter.

Marka started to speak, presumably with the notion of the quicker she was finished, the quicker she could go.

“David, very good to me, you know. I come here and he give me job and room in house. All very good. He good to me and to family. Terrible what happen, terrible.”

Louie rested his arms on the table. “Marka, did you notice anything unusual in the days leading up to the disappearance? Was there anyone unusual outside the house? Or did any strange or unusual people call at the door?”

Louie looked down as Marka nervously wrapped her leg around the shopping bag at her feet.

“No, there was no one. Everything was just normal. They were a lovely family and life seemed to be good you know?”

The teas arrived and Marka was first to take hers up. As she sipped, Louie looked at her for any type of clue. He already knew about her rendezvous with David, a subject he didn’t really expect her to elaborate on. How far could he push her on their relationship? Was she still with him? Louie was afraid these conversations would go back.

“What about David? Did you get on ok with him?”

Marka waved her head non-committedly. “David very good man. He look after that baby so well. We have a word where I come from it means, how you say….” She was the all of him. The Father.”

She smiled at the thought. Emma picked up on her tenderness.

“He really loved her, didn’t he?”

“Oh yes, he love her. She is …. ah just perfect you know.” Marka looked into her tea cup and played with the spoon from the table.

“And Marka, what about Roisin? How did he get on with Roisin?”

A wince. A movement. It could have meant anything, but she did react with the mention of Roisin’s name.

“He love her just as much. They got along fine. Roisin, she go out a lot with friends. That is where we thought she was first but…”

Louie manoeuvred himself in his seat again. “Do you think that Roisin could have gone away on her own Marka? Do you think she could be hiding with Chloe?”

Marka laughed. “She had everything done for her. David work all day to make things nice. She wouldn’t know how to run to shop on her own. So, no. She could do no plan like this.”

Louie was trying everything, but in fairness there was very little he could get from the girl. The obvious question was about her relationship with David. But he didn’t want to bring this in just yet, in fear the girl would up and run.

“Were there any other people who came to the house? Friends I mean?”

“David or Roisin’s?”

“Yes, either...”

“Not really. Roisin kept to herself a lot. She not even spend a lot of time with her family. I not sure how well they got on.”

This seemed a strange thing to say, thought Emma. How would the cleaner know this detail? She pursued it. “Why do you say that Marka?”

Marka knew she had given away too much, she closed up again. “I don’t know, I just get feeling you know? Just the way she act, when parents name mentioned.”

Louie knew this must have come from David. Probably, in a ‘my wife doesn’t understand me’ moment, as he in lay in the marital bed with Marka.

“Listen. I have to go now. Busy. I have to get shopping back home.”

“Do you live near?” Emma asked.

There was no reply.

“Thank you for tea. I hope you find them.”

She picked up her shopping bag and nodded to them both. Louie raised a hand and watched her make her way out the door.

Emma picked up her mug and took some tea. She leaned back against the wall and looked at Louie.

“So, what do you think?”

Louie was still looking at Marka as she crossed over the busy street.

“Well, she told a few porkies that’s for sure. She never mentioned her and David, understandable. She dropped a few faces when we mentioned Roisin and just there, she said she had to get her messages back. When we met her, she was going to work.”

“Ooh quite the little detective now, aren’t we?” Emma teased. “She could have been doing her shopping before work, in fairness.”

Louie did his side glance acknowledging the fact. There was something troubling him however. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He picked up his cup. It would come to him.

Chapter Sixty

May Straffan listened to her husband speaking to the two detectives. Years of listening to him speak at different dinner parties and functions was one thing she had gotten used to. She had always admired his ability to speak. Forever generous with his time. This was one of the reasons she had married him over forty years ago. However, as the years went by, listening to him speak was one thing. Enjoying hearing him speak was another.

This whole drama of the last few weeks was making May extremely anxious. She hoped that Roisin and Chloe were being treated well. If any harm ever came to her daughter or granddaughter, she didn’t know what she would do. Jack had decided to pay the ransom. She was glad in one way, as hopefully it would put an end to this terrible ‘not knowing.’ Although she could sense an anxiety with the police. It was not something they were totally in agreement with. They had argued that old fashioned police methods would bring the kidnapped pair back. Jack was not of the same opinion and outlined his reasons to May, and then to the guards. They could not stop him of course but it did increase their concerns as to the final outcome.

May had always loved Roisin. She was happy to see her married but had never been sure if David was the right man for the job. However, her daughter had seemed happy so she went along with it, supporting Roisin in any way that she could. It was she, May, who had first suggested the business idea to Jack, to get them both up on their feet. As time went by however, there were little chinks that only a woman can notice, and her concerns from the start were coming to fruition. Roisin was going out more on her own and the pair did not seem to be as close as they once were. Then she had seen David flirting with Tara at Christmas time and she knew she had the measure of the man. Although nothing had happened, as far as she was aware, she could see the type he was, and there was a glint in his eye to suggest that if he had tried it here, he would try it again elsewhere. This had been her experience of men and although she had been married to Jack over all of these years, she had been on the other end of his ‘dalliances’ with other women. To see this, happen to her daughter would break her heart. There was nothing she could do however. How could she have broken Roisin’s heart by telling her, her husband was a player? What would it have achieved? She had hoped that Roisin would have been aware herself and come to her own conclusions. That did not seem to have had a chance to pan out as she had wished, and now they were in this terrible situation.

May felt angry. She believed that there was a certain type of Karma and now Jack Straffan was paying for all that had gone before, through this fiasco. He had lost his beloved daughter and granddaughter and was now going to lose most of his fortune to get them back. Perhaps life did come full circle and you reaped what you had sown. She decided to go and make herself another cup of tea in the kitchen. This talk with the Gardai was becoming too stressful.

**********************

Jack was going to pay the ransom. David was in his back garden chipping away at a piece of wood. A vain attempt at a toy boat. Any distraction to keep his mind off things. He found the idea of carving something from a small piece of wood to be very therapeutic. It wasn’t paying much dividends and there was no way this piece of rot was going to sail anywhere. He threw it down in frustration and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He walked onto the grass and looked at the winter mess of leaves and sodden turf. The Dahlias of late Summer were long gone and he wondered where he would be when the spring bulbs started to show again.

On the one hand, this had been what he had hoped for all along. The money paid, Roisin and Chloe back, a chance for them all to start again. Now he wasn’t so sure how he felt. Kaslak had moved the goalposts and now David felt as if he would never be rid of him. He had been naive to think that Kaslak would ride off into the sunset, never to be heard of again. Now there was that looming threat of what would happen every time that he went to lock up. Dani had well cemented himself in the warehouse and although only a minor player, he was Kaslak’s footprint and an ominous reminder of what was to come.

David turned back to the house, the damp weather matching his mood. There was nothing he could do now but wait. His only concern apart from Kaslak, was that the Guards were turning up the heat and asking awkward questions. Not that he minded. He felt he had all bases covered and that they genuinely had nothing on him. If he could just weather this storm for a few more days, he would have his family back and then he could start to worry about Kaslak.

**********

Jack was going to pay the ransom. Tara lay on her bed. Her earphones attached. Blocking the world out. She smiled to herself. He had always loved Roisin that little bit more. Now he was proving it. Soon her sister would be back.

**********

Jack was going to pay the ransom. Roisin threw clothes into a suitcase that lay on the bed. Marka had left it for her and had given the instruction for her to get ready to move. In a way she was relieved. Now, she could get her life back in order. This time the way she had wanted it to be. She didn’t envisage David as being part of that future. This had been a step too far and she now knew she was better than any of this. She needed to start afresh. If this was how things had to be done, so be it. She could have walked away. But she wanted David to suffer. He would lose everything including his daughter. Now, she was sure that he would lose his business too and every last farthing that went with it. Hell, hath no fury.

Chapter Sixty-One

“Crypto currency? Jaysus wept. This is getting worse, and you are losing control Steph”. Dennehy leered down his nose at Steph, who was standing at the other side of his desk. She thought by standing she would hold some power. She was starting to reconsider.

“Boss, I cannot control how this is done. If Jack Straffan wants to pay, there is very little we can do about it. With all due respect sir, the days of handing over money in a briefcase are long gone. We’re helpless in this. This is how criminals work now. Some of them never even meet each other. They just take the job and subsequently take the proceeds.”

She felt she had regained some ground. Dennehy sighed and took his glasses off. Rubbing his eyes, he took a moment to think. To process what was going on.

“When is he going to make this payment?” he asked.

“He’s instructing the bank to do it this morning, at eleven o’clock sir.”

“And what happens then?”

“Well, he’s been in contact again with the kidnapper. As soon as the money is paid, mother and daughter will be released.”

Dennehy became frustrated again.

“Steph, we should be controlling this. How did the kidnapper get in touch? Have we no-one intervening? Have we not got surveillance on his phone? Come on. This is basic stuff?”

Steph knew he was right. This should have been done, but things had developed and she was beginning to see the case in a different light.

Louie had called her the night before.

**********

“Steph. It’s Louie Gill. Have you a minute”

Steph was chopping peppers to make the kids pizza. A school night treat that would not usually happen until the weekend, but due to her prolonged absences of late, her guilt had succumbed to doe eyed requests.

“Sure Louie, what’s up?” She threw a t-towel over her shoulder and put him on speaker phone as she manoeuvred herself busily around the kitchen counter.

“Ah look. It’s just a theory you know? But I’ve been mulling things over in my head. Corcoran doesn’t seem as squeaky clean as he would like us to think he is. Nothing definitive, but there is something about him isn’t there?”

Steph couldn’t disagree. David Corcoran was never going to be the lead boy to go to the priest on first confession day, and there were too many unexplained answers that he had not given substantial explanations for.

“Go on,”

“Well, myself and Emma met his cleaner. You may recall she was never mentioned before. There was something about her. She couldn’t wait to get away from us and …oh I don’t know, there was something about us meeting her that grated with me. I can’t put my finger on it but when I do…. Then there is the whole thing about the business with the father. He seems to be making an awful lot of money for a fella who is importing bathroom taps. Do you know what I mean?”

Steph nodded to herself in agreement. Louie had a point but actually proving these irregularities was where she was falling down.

“I know Louie. But we don’t know what type of agreement he had with Jack around cash. It could be a shell company for Jack for all we know. We aren’t too concerned about that at the moment though. The main priority is to get two missing people back.”

“When will the pizza be ready!” Steph’s daughter Eve, leaned her chin against the counter.

“Soon,” she said as she tried to roll out Pizza dough on a bed of flour.

“Who is on the phone Mammy?”

“Work darling, now go and play.”

Eve skipped off and Steph returned to Louie.

“Sorry, busy house.”

“No worries, I’m sure it is.” Louie smiled at himself. To hear a thread of normalcy in Steph’s life almost humanised her. He found it amusing. “Listen, what I am saying is I think the whole thing is very cosy. You have the family business, the jealous sister, the playboy husband. Who incidentally may have had a thing with the sister.”

Steph wondered how did Louie know that.

“Then there is his wheeling’s and dealings.” Louie stood up from his desk and made his way to the window. The rain was theming down outside onto the street in Chapelizod. He wondered to himself as he spoke, how he was going to get back to his apartment without getting drenched. “I just think Steph, that there is a lot of drama for one family, that’s all.”

“And what are you getting at Louie. Sure, we all have family drama. It doesn’t make us criminals or kidnappers.” A small laugh from Steph. Was Louie breaking her down?

“No, true. But this is more than family drama. There is more to it, Steph. Trust me on this. I know there are no hard facts. But your gut must be telling you there is something going on. You must be able to smell this rat?”

Steph rolled the pastry and rubbed a speck of flour from her nose. “Fair enough. I do think that there may be more to it. But we can’t just go in there all guns blazing and accuse them of something that we don’t know exactly what we are accusing them of. And anyway. What are you suggesting? Who would gain from this?”

Louie straightened himself up and was ready to deliver his theory. He had been thinking this through overnight. Sleep had not come and endless cups of coffee during the day were not helping his night time routines. He had intended to run it by Emma, already breaking his promise to share ideas with her first but now that he had Steph here, he knew time was of the essence.

“Maybe there is something in it for Corcoran?”

He waited.

“Go on.”

“Well Steph, perhaps his business is in trouble? Look at the house, the lifestyle, the wife who likes her game of golf. She was used to a rich upbringing. A certain standard you know? Maybe Corcoran couldn’t live up to that. Maybe, he had to do something for the extra cash?”

“Louie, I don’t think it’s a great plan to kidnap the woman you are trying to impress!”

“No maybe not. But maybe, well maybe, she realised the situation was not too healthy too.”

“You mean she was in on it?”

“Yes Steph. Look back to the very start. A month before he tells anyone? A month before anyone else notices she is gone? No friends calling, no play dates? Even the family. Especially the family!” He emphasised the last cohort.

“So, you think they are in on something with him? But how would that work? They would be just paying themselves a ransom?”

“That’s just it Steph. Someone would be paying out an awful lot of money from the family funds for someone else’s benefit in the family.”

Steph shook her head. I just amn’t getting you Louie. Why would they do that? To avoid an inheritance tax? Bit over the top don’t you think?”

“No, not that at all. Nothing to do with finance. Maybe it was something else. Maybe it would be a punishment.”

Steph stopped rolling the dough and looked up at the clock in front of her.

Why would someone want to punish Jack Straffan?

**********

Emma sat on the bus to Chapelizod. She decided to leave her bike at home. The weather forecast was looking ominous and apart from getting wet, she certainly didn’t want to get killed in the howling wind that was rocking the bus presently.

It gave her time to think. What was she doing really? Here she was about to get married to a lovely guy but was, playing a Miss Marple type character with another guy she barely knew. Surely her mind should be looking at hotels and wedding dresses, but for some reason her mind was in a different place. Graham had been very good her new job idea, but she knew that there was something not right. Were they avoiding the main issue? Did this career shift afford her the time to delay the inevitable? And had Graham been thinking the same thing too? It was all very grown up and calm. Both of them not wanting to hurt the other, and having an unspoken mutual understanding that there was something in the background, that had to be addressed.

Then there was Louie.

What a strange thing to happen. She liked him, there was no two ways about it but was there something more? Or had she been just sucked up in the romance of the situation with the detective agency? A few weeks ago, she had been looking at fossils for Christ sakes, now she was involved in solving a high-profile kidnapping case! Her time with Louie was good. It didn’t seem like a job. A chore. She wanted to be with him. She wanted to help, and the job was very exciting. But what about the hotels and wedding dresses? She shifted in her seat. A signal that she was uncomfortable. Not with the present way she was sitting. But uncomfortable with herself.

Chapter Sixty-Two

The storm had kicked off with a status orange weather alert issued by the Met Office. There had been some name or other given to it but Louie couldn’t remember what they had said this time. He had lost faith and thought it was a bit of drama playing, so these new names didn’t really wash with him.

He was sitting at his desk listening to the rain belt against the window. He wondered how old the frames were as they rattled in his ears.

It was a minor distraction from where his mind was really at. He knew there was something about the cleaning lady that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He sat with one foot on his desk and twirled a pencil around his lips. The door opened in a whoosh.

“Jesus that’s some day!” Emma brushed down her mac and shook a battered umbrella, spraying the floor as she did so.

“Yeh, they’ve been talking about it on the news all morning,” Louie replied, as if the weather event was happening in another world and he was merely commenting on it from afar.

“You seem pre-occupied,” Emma said as she came around to sit at her desk. Her dripping coat hanging over a radiator.

“Hmm…. yeh, ah, I’m just trying to piece everything together you know. It all seems so clear cut on the outside. Wealthy family, victims of a terrible crime and a ransom has to be paid so they can get their beloved daughter back. But in reality, it could very well be that most of them could be involved in it. Then we have the dodgy husband who can’t seem to make up his mind what he wants so you can’t take him seriously.”

Emma looked at Louie and was silent for a moment.

“I see what you mean,” she replied eventually, as she slowly lowered herself into her seat. “There are inconsistencies alright and then throw into the mix that cleaner that he seemed to be having a fling with.”

“Ah the elusive cleaner! She is a bit like the butler in the pantry in Cluedo. There is something about her Em, and I can’t think what it is.”

She liked that he had called her Em, a new closeness.

“Do you not think she was telling us the truth the other day?”

Louie dropped his head to the side non-committedly. “I don’t know. If she was just a cleaner, why was she so shady? She looked like she couldn’t wait to get away.”

“Well in fairness Louie, she was after having a fling with David Corcoran. Perhaps she thinks we don’t know about it and doesn’t want it ever to be known? You never know, she could have Visa trouble or whatever and certainly doesn’t want to get wrapped up in this carry on.”

“Maybe. I dunno. It seemed more than that. Young ones nowadays would have no shame in having a fling. Sure, she has no allegiance to him.”

“So, what do you think then?

“I think she knows more than she is letting on and more to the point, I am surprised that Steph and team have not cottoned on to her yet. I mean, she was literally a potential key witness and she has had no contact with the Gardai.”

“Maybe she has just slipped under the radar?”

“That’s what it looks like. I was onto Steph Reilly last night and was telling her what….”

Louie saw the look on Emma’s face. The ‘why were you talking to her without telling me first look,’ and knew it had been a mistake.

“…No Emma, I was just…”

Emma smiled. She was too big to be playing games. “Louie it’s fine, this is your business that you are running. You don’t have to run every little detail passed me.”

“I know but we had agreed I would discuss things with you first. I look on you as a partner in all this…. not just….”

He waved his hand awkwardly before Emma answered for him.

“An employee?”

“Yes!”

She laughed to re-assure him. She was a bit miffed she supposed, but not to the extent where it would bother her. This whole gig was early days and she had to see how things were panning out. She could walk away from this whenever she liked, so there were no worries on her part.

“Louie, forget it. What did she say anyway?”

“Not much to be honest. I think she is still either trying to work US out”, he emphasised the us to not make the same mistake twice. “Or she is humouring us because she knows we will be here no matter what.”

“I know Louie, but if we are working with her and giving her vital information, she needs to follow it up. The thing with the cleaning woman, it was a potential slip on their behalf. I mean….”

“Slip. Emma that’s it!” Louie jumped up out of his seat and grabbed his coat.

“Louie? What are you doing?” Emma looked at him, her mouth wide open.

“Slip on pants Emma.” He hurriedly put on his coat and asked her to do the same.

“What? What are you on about?”

Louie paused and put his hand out.

“That’s what was sticking with me. The cleaner the other day. When she was with us. I kept looking at her shopping bag. She has no kids.”

“Eh so?”

“She had a bag of slip-on nappies in the bag! She must have been buying them for Chloe. Roisin and Chloe Corcoran are with the cleaning woman. Let’s go!”

Chapter Sixty-Three

The incident room had darkened due to the clouds outside closing in, suffocating the buildings of the city. The gloom had descended despite the fact that it was still mid-morning.

“Glad I’m not out on the beat-up O’Connell Street,” Mattie Cole quipped as he stuffed a sausage roll into his mouth.

The team had assembled for their latest briefing, Steph stood anxiously at the top of the room looking at the whiteboard that held all of the detail. She turned to the room.

“Ok, listen up. I had a call yesterday. Seemingly there was a cleaning woman working in the house when the Corcoran’s went missing. How come we didn’t know about this?”

There was a distinct silence. Dempsey and Pollard sat uncomfortably in their seats.

“Lads?”

Pollard gingerly opened up.

“I knew about her. She was the cleaner but she wasn’t there on the day, so I didn’t think it was relevant.”

“Jesus, Pollard! Are you just out of school last week? She could have seen what was going on in the days before. She could have been approached. Have you no savvy?”

Pollard didn’t like being called out in front of his peers and gave Steph a look. She backed down but couldn’t hide her annoyance.

“Have we anything else? Was there a fella in a black cape with a knife letting you into the house when you were there?” she asked to no one, before continuing. “The ransom has been paid or transferred or gone through or whatever you want to call it. Dennehy isn’t too happy but it was Jack Straffan’s choice. Stephen, make sure we have those phones ready for phone calls, we don’t know when they may make contact.”

Dempsey nodded.

“Where are we on…”

Steph was interrupted by her phone ringing. It was Louie Gill and she slid the phone to cancel his call. Just as she was about to speak, he rang again. She sighed.

“Sorry, let me take this.”

“Steph! The cleaner. We have to find out where she lives!” Louie shouted excitedly down the phone.

“What? Why?”

Louie started to explain hurriedly about the nappies and as Steph had nothing further to go on, she pointed to Pollard.

“Find out urgently where that cleaner lives. We need an address.” She turned back to Louie on her phone.

“Where are you now, Louie?”

“We are heading to Phibsborough. That’s where we know she lives. Best to be in the area in the hope we see her, or get the address.”

“Don’t do anything until I get there Louie. We’ll get her address here. This could be a serious incident and you have to respect that we have the correct people for this.”

Louie didn’t argue and agreed to stand off.

“Steph, I’ll make my way to the shopping centre and ring you in half an hour. Hopefully, you will have the address by then.”

Steph hung up without replying. Was this the breakthrough she had been looking for? She looked down at Pollard.

He nodded.

“Let’s go.”

Chapter Sixty-Four

“What the hell?!” Roisin looked out the window to see a Garda armed response unit at the front gate of the house. Three squad cars blocked the road and no other cars were allowed entry. The guards stood behind the cars and rifles were pointed directly in Roisin’s line of sight.

“Marka! Marka! Where are you?” Roisin called back into the house. Chloe had started to cry, sensing her mother’s anxiety.

Marka gingerly made her way into the sitting room. She had seen the activity from the upstairs bedroom and was preparing herself for the end game. She knew it was over.

“Marka. What’s happening? Was the ransom paid? How do they know we are here?” Roisin fired questions in a volley, frantically.

“Shut up! I don’t know. Kaslak hasn’t called.” Marka ran to the side of the curtain to look out the window. As if the Gardai didn’t know she was there already. Roisin looked at her and picked Chloe up, holding her close to her chest. She felt Marka was becoming unhinged, her manner more erratic. Gone was the slow-moving smiley Marka. Now she was jumpy, head twitching quickly.

“Marka. You need to calm down. They know we are here. If you do anything crazy, they will storm the house and shoot us. We need to go.”

Marka turned her head back towards Roisin.

“I told you, to shut up.”

*********************

From the outside, the house looked like any other terraced house in a small suburban street. Steph mused to herself how quaint they looked with their little gardens. A moment, a brief moment of normality from a situation that was anything but normal. They had found the address easily enough. Bizarrely, Marka was registered as a cleaner with the Corcoran’s. Her social security details were given a run through the computer and Marka had visited a doctor a month before. The doctor was in Phibsboro and she in turn had an address that Marka had presumably given without thinking.

The house was brown brick, probably built around the nineteen forties. It had white windows and a glass panelled front door which had obviously been put in, in recent times. The garden if you could call it that, was made up of small stones with a metal fence on the front and sides separating it from its neighbours. She walked over to the head of the response unit, she knew him from his time as a garda in uniform, to ask him how he planned to proceed. This was out of her hands now. The investigation would continue but this part of the mission was left to professionals.

“We can try and start a communication but you don’t want this to drag out. Our preference would be to storm the building from the back. They’ve seen our presence here. So, the element of surprise may help. But Steph, we’re very conscious there is a minor in there.”

Steph nodded and looked at the house. She took a deep breath having to decide on the best option. As far as she knew, it was Roisin and her child along with Marka inside. She couldn’t be sure if there was anyone else.

“Give me a minute to think this through. We have to be careful. I don’t want any fatalities on our hands. This will not be shoot to kill right?”

The commander shook his head but Steph knew that if any of his men were compromised, they would not hesitate in putting a suspect down.

“Have you a hailer I scan speak into?”

“We would usually speak by phone in these situations?”

“I don’t have a number for them. Either of them. The kidnapper, I don’t think they are here….”

The commander went to the back of the van and picked out a loud hailer and handed it to Steph.

*********************

“Louie! Louie!” Rory Grimes was scampering up the street. The rain and wind were persistent. Flags that had been left over from Hallowe’en flapped from a lamppost, wrapping themselves like a totem pole. The plastic cracking, to preserve their spectral message.

Louie had been standing back from a hastily erected cordon with Emma, both looking on at the unfolding scene from a distance. A Guard was ensuring nobody was getting any further and in truth, both Emma and Louie were happy where they were. He had called Steph back but got no answer. When they saw the convoy of police cars and jeeps speeding through Phibsboro, they followed as quickly as they could on foot. The street was not hard to find with the commotion.

“Rory. How did you find out about this?”

“Ear to the ground Louie. A reporter has to be on the lookout always. I have my contacts.”

“But how…”

“Did you hear they paid the ransom?” Grimes said smiling. The cat who got the cream.

“No. I knew they were toying with the idea but when was it done?”

“This morning apparently. One of those crypto things. I don’t know the technology but you know yourself, one of these things that can’t be traced. And if they do, it will be some place in South Africa or somewhere.”

Louie looked at Emma. He could see she felt as let down as he did by Steph. After all, it was he who had given her this tip. She could have at least told him that the ransom was in the offing.

“So, what’s happening?” Grimes asked, craning his neck around the guard at the barrier.

“I think they have them surrounded.” Emma replied drily, stating the obvious, that was for all to see.

“I know that. But what’s the beef? How many of them are in there? I wonder is the actual kidnapper there. The one who got the money?”

A crowd was starting to gather against the barrier and the Guards quickly made the decision to push people back in case of an incident.

“Some people wha?” said Grimes. “They think it’s the Patricks day parade.”

**********************

David Corcoran had received a call from the Guards. He had been informed of developments and was making his way from the short distance of Glasnevin, to where events were unfolding. He parked his car on a side street and tried to manoeuvre himself as closely as possible to the street where the commotion was unfolding. How the hell had they found out? That little bitch, Marka must have told someone. Tara had called him earlier, frosty and all as she was but in fairness, she had let him know that the ransom had been paid.

So why was this happening? Kaslak, had his money. Why did he not just tell Marka to release them? The answer was becoming increasingly clear. Kaslak didn’t give a fuck. He was never going to take over David’s business. Why would he? David would be under investigation for months now. A new investor from eastern Europe would stand out like a sore thumb. All that talk of using the business as a central hub was all bluster. David had been calling Dani all morning and there was no answer. He was probably in the lounge at the ferry making his way to England by now. Kaslak had shafted everyone. Five million euro into his bank for nothing. He had even done the dirt on Marka. Leaving her in the lurch to fend for herself. David started to panic. He knew he was done for. It would all come out. He would lose everything. Well, there was one thing he wasn’t going to lose. That was Chloe.

**********************

Roisin tried to keep Chloe calm. There was something going on outside. She could see a woman detective taking a loud hailer from one of the guys in uniform and preparing to make herself heard. He was giving her some kind of instruction. Probably how to use the loud hailer, but more importantly not to leave herself in the line of fire. As far as Roisin knew, Marka didn’t have a gun. At least she hoped not. She fully intended getting out of here with her daughter alive.

Marka paced the room. “What do we do Marka? It’s over, can’t you see that?” Roisin pleaded. The stress of the last few weeks was taking its toll and culminating to a crescendo. “We have to go out and give ourselves up.” She looked at Marka who in turn looked back at her. Marka’s eyes showed her inner anxiety, the reality of the situation finally hitting her. She didn’t have an answer for Roisin, because she genuinely didn’t know what to say.

Roisin picked up on her indecision and saw it as a moment to take control.

“It’s ok Marka,” she reached out her hand to touch the young girl. “We can’t do anymore. We will have to go out there now. Give it up. There is no way out of this.” Her voice was soft, maternal. Probably something that Marka never had. She was trying to make her see sense.

“Marka, it looks like Kaslak has abandoned us. You have no loyalty to him now. You must look after yourself. Do what is right for you. They will go easier on you, if you do.” Roisin was beginning to feel sorry for her. This poor girl who had been manipulated by an evil criminal. When she thought of David, she sometimes felt she had been too.

**************************

“Marka. My name is Detective Steph Reilly. We know you have Roisin and Chloe inside. We do not want anyone to get hurt. So please come out quietly, and we can talk this through. The ransom has been paid. Please come out peacefully.” Steph was only getting used to her voice on the loud hailer, when she stopped speaking.

“What do we do now?” she asked the commander.

“Just let the message land and we wait. She may have demands or want to speak by phone. Give it fifteen minutes and we will try again.”

“And if there is no answer?”

“Then we go in.”

******************

“There’s the bould Steph taking control of the situation now Louie! Some woman I tell ya. She’ll probably go in there herself and sort them all out. Sure, you are still smarting from the first night you met her.” Grimes laughed to himself and took his notebook out. He had decided to ask the crowd if they knew anyone in the house. Never waste a good crisis.

“It’s scary stuff.” Emma wrapped her coat around herself. She and Louie were both drenched but they couldn’t leave now.

“Yeh, I know. I just hope it has a happy ending. There’s a lot of manpower there with guns. Hopefully common sense prevails.”

There was an eerie silence on the surrounding streets. In the distance, cars and heavier traffic could be heard from the city centre, but the rain thumping on the street determined the mood with its rhythmic slapping, acting like an ominous punishment.

“Is this where we sign out of things?”

Louie looked at Emma puzzled.

“Well, we have done our bit Louie. We found them. It’s not part of our deal to apprehend. That’s up to the guards. So, in theory, you can expect your final cheque from Mr. Straffan.”

“Jesus. I hope I never fall out with you! Poor family in there and you are wondering if we are going to be paid.”

Emma smiled. “I don’t mean it like that. But we do have to look at this in future. Where we get out as it were. We’re not trained…. nor do I want to be for this type of thing.”

Louie shrugged.

“Well, you are right, I guess. But I have a funny feeling this has a way to go yet.”

Chapter Sixty-Five

David watched anxiously from the other end of the street to where Louie and Emma were standing. He could see the policewoman talking to one of the armed guards. He had to get in there somehow. Maybe if he caught her eye, he could help calm things. He could talk to Roisin and perhaps see little Chloe? God, he had missed her these last few weeks. He had never considered the emotional strain this little exercise was going to have on everyone. The toil was immense and he was beginning to wonder if they could ever come back from it.

************

Steph looked down the street. Was that David Corcoran? He shouldn’t be here. How did he know where to come? If the scene got ugly, she didn’t want family to see any distressing scenes playing out. Just as she was about to instruct an officer to lead him away, the hall door suddenly opened. Standing in the doorway was Roisin Corcoran holding her child in her arms. The child had a blanket around her and looked tentatively over her shoulder as her mother held her to her breast.

Roisin was evidently nervous. Her eyes looked dark from the endless days spent inside. She was pale and wearing a white long-sleeved top with jeans. She held her right hand in the air in some form of surrender offering instruction for the guards not to shoot.

The rifles were aimed at the door and there was no way the armed team were letting up now.

“Jesus.” Steph said to herself. The tension was palpable with nobody speaking. She needed to take control.

*********************

“Chloe.” David mouthed to himself. Not loud enough for anyone to hear but vocal enough for the bystanders beside him to look. A man in a trench coat was approaching him. Grimes had made his way to the other end of the street and recognised David instantly.

“Mr. Corcoran…Mr. Corcoran…David, isn’t it?”

David wasn’t listening. His eyes transfixed to the doorway where his wife and child were emerging. Who else was there with them? Could Kaslak be inside? No, there was no chance of that. But maybe Dani was? Maybe he hadn’t left yet? David’s mind was in overdrive trying to work out the different permutations

“Mr. Corcoran, can I have a quick word?”

**********

Louie and Emma looked on in silence. Emma secretly glad that she was not part of this element of the rescue. An innocent bystander like anyone else. The rain had eased momentarily but the sharp wind was making a mockery of the day and whipping up a tension that only natural forces could. The only other sound was the wailing of a house alarm from a neighbouring street, another casualty of the storm.

Emma began to feel tense. She looked at Louie. Tall, calm, his hands in the pockets of his jacket as he looked straight ahead, concentrating intently on the drama that was unfolding before their eyes. She didn’t know why, but her nerves had gotten the better of her and she linked her arm through Louie’s. He glanced down for a second and refocussed his eyes on the scene as if nothing had happened.

*********

It was a stand-off. Roisin, paused on the step with the child. Looking out at everyone. Her head scanning the onlookers. Twenty Guards, some in special uniform. Jeeps, squad cars, an ambulance and a fire engine behind it. On each end of the street, barriers stood like bookends. People in the immediate distance behind these looking on. She looked up at the sky. A grey, doom filled, mass of unforgiving foam. There was fear in her eyes and Steph took a step forward.

“Roisin. It’s ok. Just come forward to me and we will look after you and Chloe. Is there someone else in the house with you?” Steph was sure Marka was just behind the door but had to play this out as if she was ignorant to the scene.

Roisin looked confused, dazed, not sure what was going on. The first time outside in weeks, the air playing on her breathing. The stress, getting to her at last. She didn’t even look sure if she could take that initial step forward.

Steph held out her hand, smiling softly, as if encouraging a baby to take its first step.

Roisin focussed. As if snapping out of her trance-like state, and realising it was she, who had to make the first move. She scanned the scene one more time before placing a tentative step off the old-fashioned chess board style doorstep. Holding Chloe’s back tighter to her chest, she made her first move.

“Chloe!” the shout went up from the far end of the street and everyone turned to see David Corcoran breaking free from the barrier and running in the direction of the house.

“Hold your fire!” Steph shouted as the deranged father sprinted in their direction. Some of the trained guns turned to him ready to shoot. Their calmness would be later commended as Corcoran bolted precariously in their direction.

Their concentration was broken however. From the house, a figure in a red anorak had launched themselves from the front door and pushed Roisin to the ground. Marka, utilising the distraction of David coming up the street, had decided to take the opportunity to make a run for it. She ran down the garden and pulled the gate open.

“Stop!” the commander shouted, but she kept running in their direction trying to find a gap in the line of guards and escape through them. She had something in her hand. In that split second, it was enough to make the marksman determine it was a weapon, and with his training kicking in, he took this move to be a threat to life.

A swift click. His finger and his shoulder took the force of the bullet emerging from his rifle. The two sounds that followed were like bookends. The thump, as the bullet hit Marka instantly and she was knocked clean off her feet, the impact forcing her first upwards, before her arched back fell with a slap, onto the rain drenched concrete.

Nobody moved and the only noise coming was a groaning from Marka that stopped after a few seconds.

The next few minutes were chaotic. Louie and Emma could see it all unfolding before their eyes. David Corcoran was rugby tackled to the ground by a guard, pinning him down on the street, a few feet from where he had jumped the cordon, unable to move. He continued to shout his daughter’s name.

Steph ran towards Marka and knelt beside her. Roisin was screaming on the ground at the front porch of the house, as Chloe wailed like a banshee beneath her.

Two Gardai ran to her and tried to comfort them both whilst shielding them from any more potential fire.

“Stand down!” came the shout from the commander and on this call, two medics ran into the garden to assist Roisin and her child. The clinical nature of the mission echoed on the rain drenched streets as a woman lay dying, and those responsible for her demise took up their pre-trained positions, clinically, conscience free.

Steph knelt beside Marka. She put her hand firmly on the girl’s chest, her own emotions in turmoil. Blood was pumping out from Marka’s neck and Steph knew from the drained looked on her face that it would not be long. Her lips were colourless and her eyes dropped, trying their best to stay open.

“Hang in there Marka, help is here. We will look after you.”

The crack team ran past her, into to the house and cries of, “clear!” echoed onto the street as they confirmed the house was now empty

A calmness had fallen over Marka’s face and she was barely listening to Steph’s attempts of comfort.

She looked up as if looking behind Steph’s head, at an imaginary face standing over her. But then in a moment of lucidity, she stared purposely into Steph’s eyes and opened her lips.

“Oliver…it was Oliver….”

“Marka! Marka! Stay with me!”

The girl closed her eyes as if going to sleep, and Steph released her hand from her chest. As she did, the girl gave a last gasp and her head fell to her side.

The alarm from the street behind kept ringing and the rain started to fall again to create a deafening silence. Steph knelt with her head bowed and for no reason at all, but the simple fact that it was the human thing to do, she found herself reciting the Hail Mary.

Chapter Sixty-Six

“Who the fuck is Oliver?” Dennehy was quizzing Steph as she towel dried her hair in his office. After the siege had ended the team returned to base to de-brief and if truth be told, calm their nerves.

“I don’t know. That’s all she said. I don’t know if it’s her boss, the kidnapper, a pet name for Corcoran or Oliver fucking Hardy! All I know is she is dead.” Steph flung the towel on a chair and walked to the window of her superior’s office gazing out at the skyline. She proceeded to tell Dennehy what happened after the shooting.

“She just died in my arms chief. A young girl. She must be only about twenty-two or three. Jesus, I wonder does she even have parents. The paramedics rushed to her and started working on her there on the street. It was hopeless.”

“And where was Corcoran when this was going on?”

“Well two of the lads had pinned him down after a rugby tackle that Johnny Sexton would have been proud of. They held him on the ground to calm him. In fairness, the only crime he committed was breaking the barrier and given the circumstances of seeing his family you couldn’t blame him. He was very excitable though, we made him go in the ambulance with Roisin and Chloe. They all need to be checked over. Apart from anything physical, sure their heads must be mush after all this. And then to see the poor girl shot down in the street?” She shook her head trying to fathom what had happened.

“About that. Were we eh…ok?”

Dennehy was concerned about negative press and the Gardai being too trigger happy. There had been recent incidents where Gardai had been accused of shooting too hastily and not choosing to shoot at the leg.

“No, I think we’re grand. She ran straight at them with what looked like something in her hand as she ran. So, when her arm was raised it looked like she was going to attack.”

“What was it?”

“Her phone.”

“Jesus.”

“I know but she was trying to break through the row of marksmen. I don’t know what she was thinking. They did warn her and she kept running. In fairness they had no option.”

“But through the chest?”

“She was on them before they could position themselves. To be honest Chief, that’s not our problem. We’re not the ones with the guns.”

“I know. But we were in charge of the siege and the kidnapping. If anything comes of it, we’ll be the ones asked to appear before some tribunal or other. Just be prepared.”

Steph felt her stomach lurch but it passed as she looked at what had happened. As a mother, she couldn’t begin to comprehend how a young girl could get to the age of twenty-three and then be wiped out. No wedding, no children, no old age. It didn’t make sense and all she wanted to do now, was to go home and hug Eve.

Dennehy picked up on her anxiety, his experience detecting that Steph was starting to go into shock.

“Do you need to get yourself checked out?”

She waved a hand and made a face as if her mother had asked her to do the washing up.

“Steph, I need you at your best.”

Steph stared out the window folding her arms. Her body language speaking volumes.

“Listen. I’m very proud of what you did out there today.” Dennehy continued. “Despite everything, we achieved the main objective. We got the mother and child back safe. If that young one wanted to get involved in a life of crime that’s her look out. We can’t be responsible for every foreign stray that comes into the country. Or any other scumbag who gets hooked up with the wrong crowd.”

“She wasn’t a scumbag Chief.”

“She was Steph! So, stop pussy footin’ around it. She had the life of a woman and child in danger whilst dealing with another scumbag who was pulling the strings. That says enough for me. And if she hadn’t have been caught, she’d be back on a plane to Latvia or wherever the hell she landed in here from and wouldn’t be thinking if Steph Reilly or any of her colleagues were dead or alive!”

He flicked some pages on his desk after this little outburst, the rustle of the papers along with the rain on the window, was the only noise to be heard.

His voice had calmed after a moment when he said, “I’m sorry Steph. It’s just I am responsible for you out there. I’m just so glad you are back here talking about it, rather than me having to go and tell your husband he’ll have to make his own tea tonight.”

Steph turned around and gave a gentle chuckle. “He’ll be eating Chinese for the next week anyway.”

“That’s the girl. Now go home to your family and we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

Steph nodded and made her way to the door.

“Steph?”

She turned back to look at her boss.

“Well done out there. It was top.”

She accepted the compliment and closed the door behind her.

**********

“And did you see your woman getting’ shot?!” Cozzie asked excitedly, salivating as he heard more and more of what had unfolded. Louie, Emma, Cozzie and Grimes were in ‘the Hut’ pub in Phibsboro. Everyone’s nerves had been shattered by events and Louie needed his friends near him. Not that this type of questioning was tactful, but Cozzie made him feel normal again and they could talk about the incident as if it was happening on television.

“Yeh. Myself and Emma were down one side of the street.”

“I was with the husband on the other end,” Grimes added who was no stranger to drama. “Next thing he makes a bolt over the barrier like some fella in the Olympics and legs it up to the wife. Now this is before the shooting. Then from nowhere this copper dashes out from behind a squad car and makes such a dive! Took the legs from under him. Down like a tonne of bricks he went. He’ll have some head on him in the morning!” Grimes took a sip of his pint allowing Emma to get a word in.

“I think it was that moment, where the girl in the house, the kidnapper, saw as her opportunity to make a run for it.” She said.

“Yeh,” Louie added “Bad decision though. What was she thinking Emma? There was no way she was going to get through, then…Whoof!” He pointed his finger in the shape of a gun and shook his head.

“Jaaaayssuuus!” Cozzie took his pint and gulped down a mouthful. The group of four were in suspended silence as they sat in their little snug. Cozzie felt as if he had been part of the action. Shaking his head at the images in his head.

The television over their heads showed the news bulletin, and the a picture of David Corcoran and his wife came onto the screen.

“What happens next?” Cozzie asked.

“Good question,” replied Louie. “The ransom has been paid. But to who? And then the bigger question is, why?”

“Very good Louie.” Grimes said. “I like the way you’re thinking. There’s more to this than meets the eye. As we said before, if it was a case of poor little rich girl gets kidnapped and Daddy pays the ransom, fair enough. But that Corcoran fella has something about him. Too much going on for it to be that simple. I’d say there’ll be an investigation into him when things settle. Did you see the state of him being taken off in the ambulance?”

“Was he in a bad way?”

“Cozzie, let’s just say, he was crying and screaming and wailing like I don’t know what. I think he might be gone off his banger altogether and who could blame him?”

“He was fairly upset alright. Did you see the wife trying to console him. And her the one who was after being kidnapped?!” Emma said, shaking her head, defending the fairer sex.

“Ah look. We don’t know what was going on but we’ll have to find out. I’ll have to get onto Steph Reilly tomorrow to see can she shed any more light on it.”

Cozzie leaned forward. “Well at least Louie, you got your first pay cheque. I mean you held your part of the deal and got the girls back. Fair play.”

He lifted his pint in acknowledgement.

“You’re not the first person to mention that point today.” Louie looked at a smiling Emma who said nothing.

“Well, I think that calls for a celebration Louie. Are you getting them in?” Grimes asked.

“Sure, it’s your round Rory!”

“Ah but Louie. You hold the purse strings tonight with that success. And anyway, I’ve had a very stressful day. A pint of plain, and do you know…I could murder a chaser.”

Chapter Sixty-Seven

Roisin, Chloe and David had been taken to the Mater Hospital. Due to the high profile of the case and the media attention outside, they were sitting in a private room as they were assessed by the medical teams. Chloe was the priority and the team reviewed her credentials first. There were no obvious signs of physical injury. The main concern was around the mental trauma and the psychiatric team had been contacted where a full assessment would be made.

Roisin looked at her husband and the thought came to her mind that he may be most in need of any mental assessment. David had been acting strange, erratic ever since their reunion. His eyes were flitting from side to side with paranoia and he had said very few words to Roisin given the circumstances. They both knew they were in deep however, and things had not gone as planned. What Roisin couldn’t understand was that the ransom had been paid but David still seemed to be upset. Was there more to this story than he had told her?

She knew where she stood. Ever since Kaslak had contacted her. To tell her that her husband had been cheating on her with the cleaning woman. He had photographic evidence so she knew this was no hoax. Together, she and Kaslak had planned out what would happen next. Kaslak told her how David had intended to include her in the kidnap plan and take some money at the other end of the transaction. She had been shocked to learn not so much of the infidelity but how David could be so stupid as to involve a criminal. Bringing someone in and demeaning and threatening the business her father had worked so hard to set them up with. But more importantly, how he could put Chloe’s life in danger? What the hell was he thinking?

But even Kaslak had underestimated her. Roisin had her father’s willpower and strength. So, after taking the blow of Kaslak’s revelation, like a fighter on the ropes, she decided she would fight back.

Two days after he had contacted her, she contacted Kaslak to say she would go along with the plan, once David brought it up with her. But she made a deal with Kaslak that David would not get a cent and she would split the ransom money with Kaslak. She hated the thought of deceiving her father but she felt that if she could get some of the money back, she could hand it back to Jack and David could do what he liked. She reasoned with herself that this could happen any time anywhere, and if she did not go along with Kaslak in some form, he could take matters into his own hands and perhaps snatch Chloe from school. Or worse.

Now, as she sat on the side of the hospital bed looking at her sorry husband sitting in the armchair with Chloe in his arms, she realised she had been hoodwinked too. Kaslak had no intention of doing any deal with either of them and now she too was without money, without a husband and her future was looking bleak. As well as knowing that she was part of a conspiracy. She wasn’t overly worried about the last part. Her father was in the know and surely, he would get her out of this mess. But by God, she would make sure however, that David would not be included in any such arrangement. He was going to suffer even it meant Chloe would not have a father in her life. She was better off without him. Roisin, though she was feeling disdain as she looked at the bumbling mess sitting before her. All she felt now was pity. David was pathetic.

**********

David looked at his wife sitting on the side of the bed. It was over. Everything now was going against him. He had no future; no money and his family were definitely gone. Well not if he could do something about it. He clutched Chloe tighter to him. Nobody was going to take her away from him. He was sure of that. Roisin was looking at him now with a horrible expression on her face. A look he had never seen before. He believed if Chloe was not sitting here right now, Roisin would stick a knife in him. She seemed to know more than she was letting on and the whole plan had been a disaster. Something in his head was telling him he had to take drastic action for his sake and Chloe’s.

The room was getting clammy, it was so warm. Things were beginning to spin. There were too many nurses and when they spoke as they repeatedly walked in and out, their voices became distant. Muffled. Why wouldn’t they just shut up and let him think? Why were they prodding all the time? There was noise now from outside. People laughing. They were laughing at him, he knew it. Their hurried whispers retracted like a blanket from under a sleeping hound. They must all know. He could hear cars outside, horns beeping. That was more people queuing up outside. They wanted to get in here and laugh too. Everyone knew. Everyone in the world knew what he had done. He could hear Kaslak laughing somewhere. All of the nurses wore masks and one of them was walking towards him with a syringe. It was Marka. It was definitely her. Even though her badge said Aoife he knew she had come from the dead and was going to kill him and Chloe with poison. They were all going to get him. He had to act fast. He jumped up with Chloe in his arms and bolted for the door. Chloe screamed with the fright and he told her it was alright he would look after her. He put his head down and he could hear Roisin and the nurse in muffled voices shouting for him to stop. He had to keep going. In a few minutes he would be out on the street. He held the power now. He also held the syringe in his hand.

Chapter Sixty-eight.

Louie decided he had better go and see Steph. He left the others in the pub and pulling his collar to the wind and rain, like any good detective, he made his way by taxi to the Garda station in Finglas. Steph saw him straight away and brought him to an interview room where they could speak privately.

For a moment they sat looking at each other and then spontaneously laughed.

“You are some man, Louie Gill. Top marks for tenacity. I have seasoned men and women here and it took you…I can’t even call you a rookie to get the break. Hats off to you.”

She raised an imaginary glass to toast him.

Louie looked embarrassed and fumbled with his hands.

“I guess it’s not over yet though?” he said, diverting the attention away from the platitudes.

Steph tensed up.

“No,” she said. “There will be a whole investigation into who knew what and how the money was paid. There seems to have been one deal, after another done. I briefly spoke to Roisin as she sat in the back of the ambulance. She was going on like a mad woman about revenge, and not only that, but she seemed to know who the kidnapper was. So, it looks as if she might have been involved as well. It’s a jigsaw that we need to put together.”

“What about the younger sister? Tara?”

Steph pursed her lips and shaking her head said, “Nah. I don’t think so. She wouldn’t have had the wherewithal to work this one out. It was too complex. The criminal was playing David or Roisin or whoever and was weaving a complex web. She’s too young and wouldn’t have pulled this off.”

They sat again in silence. Trying to come up with answers.

“When Marka lay there…. dying…” Steph hated to use the expression but there was no other way to say it. “She said a name to me, it just doesn’t fit Louie.”

“What name?”

“She said, Oliver….it was the Oliver. We don’t know who he is? Have you heard of anyone called Oliver anywhere in all of this?”

“Oliver?” Louie threw his mind back but couldn’t remember hearing of anyone by that name. Maybe Grimes could help him.

“No Steph. Sorry.”

Steph was about to say something when the door was flung open. Mattie Cole burst in more animated than Steph had ever seen him.

“Mattie?”

“Boss. David Corcoran has bolted from the hospital taking the child with him. He was seen getting into a taxi and threatening the driver with a weapon.”

“For Fucks sake. Where are they?”

“We’re trying to locate them. But they were last seen down the coast road. It looks as if they are heading in Howth direction.”

Steph jumped up, grabbing her phone from the table, she looked at Louie.

“Let’s go. You are in too deep now.”

Chapter Sixty-Nine

Steph was on the radio to her colleagues, as her car sped down the M50 motorway with its siren blaring. Louie hung on with one hand on the door handle and the other on the side of the passenger seat, fearing for his life beside this crazed woman, who was driving with the intent of an Oinseach. Underneath, he knew she was in control as she requested details from her colleagues as to proceedings.

David had hi-jacked a taxi, apparently holding a syringe to the driver’s neck. The driver had taken off but there was confusion now with witnesses as to which taxi it actually was, as there were numerous cars coming and going from the rank outside the hospital at the time. This indecision had given the car with David inside, a ten-minute start as the Guards frantically tried to locate him with every provision available to them. It was the helicopter that located them as the car seemed to be making erratic movements on the coast road.

“So where are they now?” Steph asked into her speaker. A voice not known to Louie replied.

“Turning right at Sutton cross. Looks like they are taking the scenic route but definitely making their way up Howth head.”

“Can you see the little girl in the car?”

“Yes.” The answer was short and Louie realised this was a Garda on a motorbike talking as he tailed the speeding car.

“We’ll have to go the other way” Steph said, more to herself than Louie and she headed in the direction of the Malahide Road.

“What do you think he’s at?” Louie said looking at Steph.

“I don’t know. It doesn’t look good though, does it? Not with the child. Jesus, when I think of my own little ones. The poor thing must be terrified. She hasn’t seen him in weeks and now he’s acting like a mad man. I’m sure the wife is up the wall as well.”

“Well, she’s in the right place.” Louie said drily.

Steph gave no acknowledgement but concentrated her efforts on the road ahead.

The radio crackled again. This time it was coming from the helicopter.

“Car has stopped on top of Howth head. Man, and child running. Child on foot. Man holding her hand. Driver of car is standing outside car. Appears unharmed.”

“Shit! Where is he going with her? There is no place to run up there. I hope to Christ he is not going to do something stupid.”

**********

Rory Grimes had left the pub in a hurry. “A source,” as he would say himself had called him about the taxi and Rory knew he had to be somewhere else instead of slugging pints in a pub.

Emma and Cozzie were left in a daze.

“Jaysus, this is mad stuff Emma. It’s like something on Netflix.”

Emma looked nervous. Any buzz from the few drinks had left her and she was worried about Louie. He had texted her briefly from Steph’s car just as Grimes had received his call. So, Emma knew he was in the thick of things. Why was she feeling worried for her boss like this? Well in fairness, she thought, it’s not as if she is in an office and he is the manager. Their relationship was...well…different.

“Emma? Emma…”

“Oh yeh…sorry yes, it is just so much to happen so soon. Like, the guy must have lost his reason. Taking the child like that. What was he thinking?”

“I don’t know. And now the Louie fella is in the middle of it.” Cozzie lifted his pint to settle himself.

“I just hope you got paid….”

Emma looked at him and was lost on his attempt at humour.

**********

Jack Straffan sat with his daughter in the hospital room. She was inconsolable with tears as he tried to comfort her. He had done everything in his power to make this right. He didn’t give a damn about the money gone. He was at the stage in his life now where he had all he needed. At least he had his daughter back. Please God make Chloe safe, he thought as he accepted a cup of tea on Emma’s behalf from one of the nurses. A guard was outside the door for what reason Jack wasn’t sure. It wasn’t as if David was going to come back and whoever had collected the money was long gone too. Perhaps it was to keep reporters away.

“Emma, darling. We will find them. Chloe will be fine. I promise.”

His daughter buried her head into his chest like she was a little girl again. The fear in her body was palpable as Jack tightened his grip around her. He had come here straight from town not heading back to the house. Earlier in the day, he had been to the Garda headquarters in the Phoenix Park discussing the whole transfer of money when the call had come through. He in turn had phoned May and told her to stay at the house in case David decided to leave Chloe there. Wishful thinking more than anything, but he needed to have all bases covered. His emotions were rife. As he flicked from elation, to sorrow, to anxiety, and now anger. If he could get his hands on that scoundrel, he would kill him. When this was all over, he’d make sure that David Corcoran would never see his daughter again. One good thing to come out of this was that young private detective. In fairness, he had delivered. If it wasn’t for him, Roisin would not be here now.

“Dad. I’m so scared.”

Jacke kissed his daughter’s head.

“Don’t be scared darling. Everything will work out fine.”

*********************

Steph’s car screeched to a halt in the car park at Howth Head. A cordon had been formed and the head was closed off to the public. Both Steph and Louie jumped out and ran to the wall that separated the car park from the main walk. Louie watched as Steph marched in the direction of an officer, the tail of her coat flailing in the wind. The rain had stopped again but the grey sky held a look of inevitability that promised more inclement weather

“There could have been people out there already when he came.” Steph said to the officer in charge.

“We’re in constant contact with the chopper. He has a view of who is where. We have men coming up the back way and they are carolling people out of harm’s way.”

“Where’s Corcoran?”

“See for yourself.” The officer pointed down the slope. Less than eighty metres away, David Corcoran could be seen standing at the edge of the cliff. His back was facing the sea as he looked at the officers who were observing his every move. He had Chloe standing in front of him, his arms over her chest.

“Jesus Christ. The child could be blown over in this wind. Tell those men to stand down. We don’t want him to do anything hasty.”

“Steph we can’t….”

“I’m in charge now. Tell them to stand down.”

The officer nodded. Not at all taken aback from Steph’s command. He seemed to have experience of tense situations and this was no time to let male pride stand in his way. His made a call into the radio on his chest and told the men to stand down. Slowly, they retreated and David looked confused as he watched the men retreat. The helicopter was hovering directly over his head. The noise from this, mixed with the noise of the storm created an atmosphere of utter chaos to add to the mix in his head. He could not deal with this right now and he clutched the child tighter.

“Louie. I need you. We have to go and talk to him.”

Louie silently thought to himself, ‘What the fuck am I going to do?’ but decided to go along with Steph, if she felt this was the best option. The wind was driving forcefully now, swirling as the rain started again. The perfect storm, Louie imagined to himself. The grass was even blowing beneath their feet such was the force. Louie felt his trousers had dried as they stuck to his legs as he battled against the elements.

Slowly but firmly, Steph made her way in David’s direction. She kept her hands out of her pockets to show she was no threat. She called out as she walked to show there was no hidden agenda and she was here to talk David down.

“David what’s this about? Come on. This is crazy to have Chloe out in the storm.”

“Don’t come near us!” David shuffled his feet but moved nowhere. Chloe gave a whimper. Not sure of her father anymore, she wanted to be away from this horrible place and back with her mother.

Steph stopped and Louie stood behind her.

“Okay David. It’s okay. We won’t move any further. You remember Louie, yeh? You met him with Jack.”

David looked at Louie but didn’t say anything. The helicopter was wavering above and struggling in the wind. Steph could hear a conversation in her earpiece and somebody saying the chopper couldn’t stay there much longer as the wind was a threat to life. Steph wondered whose life did they mean? David looked up again at the commotion and quickly snapped his head back to Steph and Louie.

“They will never let me away. All I wanted was a few bob to look after my family you know? Ok, I wasn’t the perfect husband, but I came from nowhere and was starting to make a name for myself.”

He was screaming, trying to be heard against the howling wind and his voice carried in the breeze. Steph nodded, almost consoling him. Reassuring him, to keep him talking. As he spoke, she stepped gingerly in his direction, tiny steps to try and remain unnoticed.

“But like everything, we all want more yeh?” David laughed wryly. “The big house has to be bigger; the holiday has to be more extravagant and then… your wife… ha! Your wife. Well, she has to have the best, doesn’t she? Then when she doesn’t …well… cracks appear. She needs more…but you don’t have the money…” He shook his head in the wind as if remembering a certain moment when he realised, he had to turn to criminals to save him from financial ruin.

“Well, it works both ways and that’s when I got involved with Marka…and Kaslak. Good old Kaslak.”

“Who is Kaslak, David? Is he Oliver?”

David looked at her bemused. Oliver? He kept staring at her, as if to ask the same question. His delirium prevented him from logical conversation and he continued his soliloquy.

“You see, the thing about family is…there can be too much of it. And the only ones you really care about are the ones who will never hurt you.” He looked down at Chloe, and Steph held out a hand to him. She was only about ten feet away now.

“David. That is exactly the point. Little Chloe has nothing to do with any of this. Let her come to me and we will get her in out of the cold. She is too small for this weather. David looked at his daughter as if considering this option but the noise from the whirring blades of the helicopter broke his train of thought and he held her tightly again.

“David. Listen. Can we talk about this as men.” Steph listened as Louie spoke over her shoulder. “We all have our problems. I know you are having trouble, but its ok to say you made a mistake. Don’t let your daughter down. You don’t want this to be her abiding memory of you. You have time to make amends here.”

“We have to move away; weather is too much!” The crisp message was in Steph’s ear and as she looked up, she could see the chopper starting to whirl in a circle. The wind had caught the undercarriage and it looked as if the pilot was losing control. All four people on the ground looked up as the tail end of the machine started to come down, David looked frantically and panicked. In this split-second Louie bolted forward and with one arm, rugby tackled him and Chloe to the ground. He held David down and scooped Chloe from his grip with a backward flick of his arm. Steph ran forward and slipping on the wet grass fell on top of them. All four looked again as the chopper swayed like a pendulum over their heads. The noise like a thousand chain saws taunted them as the pilot tried to gain control. Louie released David from under him and dived on top of Steph and Chloe. On his release, David jumped in panic, to avoid the helicopter, but he too slipped on the grass and in trying to regain his balance became disoriented and the wind and drift from the blades sent him spiralling off his feet. His arms waved frantically backwards and the fear in his eyes told the story that he was about to die. There was no scream, just the horrible vision of his body falling backwards over the cliff.

Louie tried to shield the child from the sight and he looked at the chopper over their heads which was still perilously close to the grass. He jumped to his feet and grabbed Steph by the arm. Picking the child into his embrace, the three of them clambered their way up the grass hill as the helicopter crashed with an almighty bang on to the ground. There was no explosion and Louie could hear the voices of the crew as they ran frantically behind him, with the engine still running, groaning to be freed from its cataclysmic state. Just as they reached the wall to the carpark the explosion eventually came and the last thing Louie remembered was being catapulted forward and trying to avoid the wall. He would also remember for some strange reason, and would later talk to Emma about how these things always eventually came back to him. Something David said about Marka. Because before he passed out, Louie knew now who Oliver was.

Chapter Seventy

“Are you sure you are ok for this?” Steph looked into the back of her car at Louie and Emma. It was the day after the drama on Howth Head. Mattie Cole sat in the passenger seat beside her and stared out at the road ahead of him. The Sun was now a low bright winter glare, a reward for the days of torrential rain and wind that had gone before. The storm had passed and under Louie’s direction, a team of guards were heading to Jack Straffan’s house to make an arrest.

After Louie had come round from his knock on the head yesterday, he had told Steph of his theory. She had agreed with him but with no concrete evidence, an interrogation was necessary. There had been a cloud over the events the day before. The only good thing to come out of it all was that the helicopter crew had escaped unscathed. There would be an inquest into what went wrong from their side and now with a suspect in their midst, the charge for endangerment of life would be included on the charge sheet. Chloe had been taken back to her mother as Steph and Louie were tended to in the back of an ambulance. Both refusing to head to the hospital. Instead, they returned to the Garda station to go through the detail of the kidnapping and the rationale for today’s arrest. The cyber team were still trying to trace the money but it could take months before they got a lead from their international colleagues. Dennehy had given the go ahead for the arrest today. He had reservations about using Louie on an investigation, but had to give him some credence for locating Roisin and Chloe and now, potentially getting to the bottom of the case.

It was an early start and Steph’s car pulled up to Jack Straffan’s house with a Garda squad car behind. The atmosphere was different now, more positive. The weather had cleared and there was a feeling of hope amongst the team after weeks of anxiety, and not knowing where to turn next.

The cars slowed on the gravel driveway and their arrival instigated activity from the large bay window at the front of the house. A curtain was pulled back by May Straffan as she gazed out at the group of people arriving on her doorstep.

Steph rang the doorbell and the team waited patiently behind her. Pollard and Dempsey had travelled in the Garda car, so in total eight people stood in silence, waiting for the door to be opened.

“Detective Reilly,” Jack Straffan said as he pulled open the door. He stood back and held an arm out as a means of invite to the party. They were led to the right of a large hall into a drawing room of sorts. It was modern, Steph noticed which deflected from the Manor Borne style front, that the house portrayed from the outside. Cream carpets and soft furnishings and a flat screen television over the fireplace set the mood for a more relaxed setting.

“Firstly, Mr and Mrs Straffan, despite the circumstances of yesterday, David was your son in law. So, on behalf of us all, we offer our condolences,” Steph said, as she sat on the edge of the couch she had been directed to. Emma sat beside her. Mattie Cole kept a standing position with Dempsey and Pollard and the two Gardai standing at the entrance of the room. Straffan looked at them suspiciously thinking to himself that someone in his family would be leaving with them soon.

The offer of condolence was waved away by May, as if she didn’t know how to deal with the kindness.

“Roisin was not allowed home last night.” She said. “She is with Chloe at the hospital. This has been a very traumatic time even before David’s… em…passing.”

Louie who was seated in an armchair ahead of her, acknowledged the trauma with a solemn drop of his head and as soon as these formalities were finished, Jack asked the burning question.

“So? May I ask the purpose of your visit.”

Steph looked at Louie and she took the lead as they had agreed. The group would hear from him momentarily.

“Mr. Straffan, the money you paid out yesterday appears to have been paid to an Eastern European gang-lead, who I must admit, we have no detail on, as of yet. However, it appears that he was working in conjunction with David Corcoran’s house keeper, who also died yesterday. Over the past few months, David had come into some financial difficulty with his business and had started to liaise with a contact in Europe. Some agreement, which we have not gotten to the bottom of yet, was made and this started a chain of events that would lead to your daughters kidnapping.”

Straffan frowned. He looked genuinely puzzled. This was the first thing Louie noticed.

“Our detectives had the opportunity to speak to Roisin last evening in the hospital before her return home and it appears that her kidnapping was not as dramatic or as unexpected as we were led to believe.”

“I don’t understand.” Straffan said, eventually unable to resist the mystery and conjecture.

“It appears, Mr. Straffan, that David and Roisin colluded with this mystery man in an attempt to extort money from you.”

“Preposterous! Roisin would never agree to something like that, with that...that fool! And if she did, she was hoodwinked by him.”

Steph let the silence settle as she needed to deliver the next part of the story calmly.

“Jack. The thing is. David was having an affair of some sorts with the cleaning woman. She was planted there by the kidnapper. He knew her.”

Jack looked dumbfounded. He had to sit down with what Steph revealed next.

“After this had gone on a few weeks, the kidnapper then contacted your daughter and told her of the affair. He convinced her that she could get revenge on David by playing along and breaking him, by leaving him with nothing. In your daughter’s defence, she would have given you the money back, had she ever received her cut.”

“Well then, there you go.” Jack said indignantly. “She had nothing to do with it and as I said, he hoodwinked her. Good for her, she got her own back on the bastard. I have no issue with that and I don’t want the money.” He folded one leg over the other and put his hand to his chin.

Steph looked at Louie and Emma. It was the cue for Louie to intervene.

“Mr. Straffan. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t end there. This man…this kidnapper, is callous and had more dealings up his sleeve. He wanted to weave a web of confusion and deceit so intricate, that he had everyone backstabbing each other.”

“But we know what he did! My daughter was nearly fooled and she intervened to stop him!”

“No Jack, because he didn’t stop there. Whoever this guy is, pawned David off by going to Roisin. But he tricked her too. He had dealt with them both, unbeknownst to each other. He was never going to give her the money either.

“Why not?”

Louie paused.

“Because he had contacted someone else.”

Jack stood up and walked to the window with his hands in his pockets. He looked out across his land as if by doing so, he would be exempt from listening to this rubbish. Eventually he turned around.

“Who the hell else would be involved? Some business associate that wasn’t paid? The cleaning woman? What is this some type of fairy tale? Are you going to tell me the butcher the baker and the candlestick maker were in on this too?”

Steph took a deep breath. She waited for Louie to deliver.

“Jack it was a member of your family.”

May tensed in her seat as she looked at her husband starting back at her incredulously. Jack walked to the fireplace and stood in front of the group.

“Tara? She is only a child. A young woman…and don’t start on about that carry on at Christmas, I heard about that. That was not going to be enough to illicit this. A kiss and a cuddle under the mistletoe will not kickstart an international kidnapping racket. Please see sense. Now come on!”

Louie stood up and walked behind the seat he was sitting on. He rested his two hands on the back of the cushion and spoke, as if giving a sermon in church. Emma would remind him later of this impressive move and encourage him to use it more often.

“When the siege at the house in Phibsboro was unfolding, you will recall the tragic events of when Marka ran out on to the street. She was shot unfortunately, and Detective Reilly ran to her aid.”

Steph shuffled in her place as she was reminded of what happened. She kept her head down as Louie continued.

“As she lay dying, she told Detective Reilly who it was, who was responsible for this whole thing. She whispered the name Oliver, and told her that this was the person who this whole crime leads back to, and ultimately…who was responsible for this cataclysmic chain of events.”

“Oliver?” Jack said. “Oliver who? I don’t know anyone called Oliver.” He looked to his wife waiting for her to reveal some long lost in-law, who must have been prowling from the family archives in search of a cut from their fortune.

“No. Neither do we, and we couldn’t think of anyone by that name who might be able to help us. But it was one of those things that just remained in the back of my mind and it would niggle at me as the day went on.” Louie was gaining in confidence with his speech and stood up straight to continue.

Christ, Emma thought, he’s going to start walking around the room, like one of those episodes of Death in Paradise. Her fears were allayed however. He didn’t.

“But then it came to me. You see, myself and my colleague Emma here, had met Marka a few days before, when we were investigating the disappearance of Roisin and Chloe. It was something she said. She was telling us about David. She said he was a good father despite his infidelities. She said he was the man of the house. He was the dad. He was the patriarch!” Louie punched a hand in the air to show that strength, before continuing. “He was, as she said in her country, “the all of him” A phrase they use to describe the father in a family. So, when she said Oliver, we were as baffled as you were. Was David calling himself Oliver to her? A pet name… a lovers game perhaps? Then I realised that this whole thing involved more than David, didn’t it? It involved more than Roisin, because the kidnapper had gone up the chain. Much further than this. He had gone right up to…

…The-all-of-her.”

Jack’s eyes looked at Louie’s. They then focussed on his wife who was smiling.

“Yes Jack. ‘The all of her’. Just as the father is the all of him, in a house. The ‘all of her’ is the mother. The all of her, not Oliver.”

All eyes turned to May Straffan who was smiling. She slowly started clapping her hands in Louie’s direction.

“Well done young man. Well done. And to think we were paying you to get to the bottom of this and now we are paying for my demise. You have it. Lock me up. Throw away the key! Guilty as charged.”

She sat back in her armchair and crossed the legs in her tweed skirt and started to play with the frill of the cushioned arm, as if there was nobody there.

“May? May? What. What…?”

“Oh, Shut up Jack! You fool. This was revenge don’t you see!? For you were never the most faithful husband yourself, were you?” She snapped. Her tongue filled with a venom like a poison- filled snake, ready to pounce. “For all those years you played away and I sat here like a fool accepting it. And then to see another man come in to the family and to start it here with my little girl behind his wife’s back! Did you think I was going to let him away with it? You had it coming anyway. There was no way I was going to let him pick up where you left off. Have two of you deceiving me? No. And then my little European friend rang me. Yes, the same man who rang David and Roisin before me. He told me what he could do for me. That he could take your money and ruin my son in law at the same time.”

“But you knew Roisin would be kidnapped….and little Chloe.” Jack said almost pleadingly

“That little bitch. Daddy’s little girl? Butter wouldn’t melt? What about poor Tara, Jack!? She never got a look in, from miss glamorous! You always sided with Roisin. She had no conscience when she thought she was the pay master. She didn’t care that we would be worrying when she was away did, she?!” There was a pause as everyone tried to absorb the outburst. But May just continued.

“And now? I have been hoodwinked too. Well, to a point. They have been released, your money is gone…and David…well…” She let the line hang before summarising in almost an optimistic tone.

“I guess though, I did get what I wanted. You, broke, David gone, Roisin and Chloe are safe…every cloud.”

“May Straffan, I am arresting you for conspiring to plan a kidnapping…” Mattie Cole read May her rights on the instruction from Steph and May Straffan was led away by the Gardai to the awaiting squad car. She gave a last glance to her husband as she was taken from the room.

Everyone else left immediately after, silently, like the last mourners at a funeral. To leave the grieving husband standing in his own home lost and so terribly alone.

Chapter Seventy-One

The party had started in Tony’s. Everyone had gathered to celebrate Louie and Emma’s success. Tony in fairness to him, had called in a catering friend who offered a little more than the usual scone and fry up. An array of salmon, salads and vegan options were complimented by some tasteful wines which were presented under the guise of a ‘private party.’ The press had been favourable to Louie, much to the great PR done by Rory Grimes, and as a result there had been some enquiries with potential new cases to keep Emma and Louie busy for the next few months.

Tony’s was alight with festive decorations and fairy lights; the room was dazzling. Outside, the Christmas lights had been erected at last, having been delayed because of the storm, to give a cocktail evening feel in the heart of Chapelizod.

“She was some baby all the same?” Cozzie said as he munched his way through a vol au vent.

“Mmm, mad bitch in the end when you think of it,” Louie replied. “Imagine doing that to your family? No matter what has happened, Roisin Corcoran has to bring that poor young one up on her own now, and she with no Daddy. Although I’m sure a glamorous woman like that won’t be single for too long.”

“With a mad oul wan for a mother-in-law in the clink? I don’t think there’ll be too many takers Louie.”

“Hmm. Roisin won’t get away Scott free either. There’ll be a case to answer there too. Ah, it will be a while before she gets out, I’d say. And then what? “

He paused in a moment of reflection. “Anyway, not our problem tonight! Is that Ciara I see over there?”

“Yeh, I brought her along, hope you don’t mind.”

“Don’t be silly…delighted to see her.”

“Well Louie, if it wasn’t for her, you would never have met the lovely Emma.”

Louie looked over to Emma who was chatting to Steph Reilly’s husband. He wondered to himself if that had been a good or a bad thing.

“Hey partner.” Steph touched his arm as she held a glass of red in her other hand. “Nice party. Well done.”

Louie turned to her, smiling, and clinked his glass against hers.

“Thanks, well it was Tony who organised most of it to be honest.”

“I meant on the case. Dennehy is singing your praises which is more than most of us ever get.”

She was looking at Mattie Cole who was helping himself to the refreshments, as he talked animatedly to Tony about the Cavan GAA team.

“Looks like Roisin will be hauled over the coals along with her mother. Despite her father’s protestations.”

“Will she do time?”

Steph shrugged her shoulders. “Dunno. She might get a sympathetic judge, use the coercive control card. She could get a suspension. Poor oul Jack is broken though.”

“Well, he has Tara at least?”

“But she wasn’t his favourite Louie. They have a lot of rebuilding to do there. Anyway, she is going to be too busy minding Chloe.”

“And what about the money? Any leads on who was behind it all?”

“We traced Marka back to some club in Belarus. There was a guy there, the owner who also by the way, supplied a nephew of his, to David to work in his warehouse. The nephew is gone missing though and we don’t have anything to pin on the guy. But we will get there. Might take time but hey…

“You’re young.”

“Ha. Don’t feel it after the last few weeks I’ll tell you.”

Louie pointed his glass in Liam’s direction.

“So, I met your husband. He seems very nice. Have you a babysitter tonight?”

“We left them with his mother. We won’t stay late. But thanks for having us. Yeh, as I say Dennehy was impressed. “He eh…he said, I could use you again in a consultancy basis if the need arose you know.”

Louie did his head thing again.

“Oh, and will you avail of the services on offer?”

“Hmm…I’ll have to see. I wouldn’t know who to call. Sure, you haven’t even a name for this place yet?”

“Ah well, I’ve been thinking about that, and I’m a man who likes to keep things simple. I was thinking of “The Dublin Detective Agency.” Do you like it?”

“Not bad Louie, a lot of thought went into it.” Steph teased.

“Sure, you know yourself Steph. In Dublin’s fair city, where the girls are so pretty…” Louie turned away and headed to the stairs leading to the office. He left Steph Reilly smiling in his wake. He looked back to see her pink cheeks look towards her husband back to Louie and into her glass. She sipped her wine and watched him again, as he slowly climbed the stairs.

“Louie,” Emma came up behind him. “You’re not off doing work now tonight, are you?”

“No, I promise! I just have a few things to check. We have a busy few days ahead of us, so I just want to get everything in order. Is Graham enjoying himself?”

Louie noticed a drop in mood on Emma’s face, but didn’t pretend to notice.

“Yes, he’s fine thanks. He eh…he’s talking to Cozzie now about…oh, I don’t know man’s stuff.”

Louie smiled.

“Emma?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks.”

“For what?”

“This.” He swung his hand around the air.

“It’s a team, right?”

“Yeh. A team.”

Louie watched her walk back into the room. He turned to complete his journey and missed her looking back at him. Steph Reilly didn’t, however.

*******************

Despite everything, the payment had come in from Jack Straffan. In fairness, Louie thought it would have come from his accountant. Either way it was enough money for Louie to be able to pay Emma and set them up for the next month or so. They had some interesting new cases to look at, and Louie wanted to decipher some type of strategy as to which one to take on next. Not tonight though. Tonight, was a celebration and Louie was going to make sure all of his friends would share his success. He picked up the file he had been reading and was pretty sure what case he would choose. This time he would run it by Emma and they could plan this one together. He turned to the filing cabinet and had pulled the drawer out when he heard a knock on the door.

“Steph is that you? I think we can make a rule that you don’t need to knock once you get passed Tony!”

“Hi Louie.”

Louie turned around swiftly.

“Grainne.”

“How have you been”

“Eh…well…you’ve seen the papers; you can see the party.” Louie smiled. Inside he was flummoxed. Any new found self- confidence deserting him.

Grainne smiled back at him. “Well done, Louie, you proved everyone wrong and yourself right.”

Louie smiled.

“It’s not about who was wrong or right. I just needed to do something for myself for once.”

“Well, you did. And fair play. You saved that little girl. Quite the superhero.”

Louie accepted the compliment and looked at the floor. After a second, he looked into Grainne’s eyes.

“Will you join us for a drink downstairs. To celebrate. I’d love to chat.”

“Yeh sure,” she said. “But can we have a chat here for a few minutes?”

Louie looked at her puzzled. Grainne rested a finger on his desk and looked at him.

“I have news.”

The End

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The Dublin Detective

Conorlync

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The Dublin Detective

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Conor B Lynch

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