Page 120 of The Altar Girls

‘Some people have no conscience.’

Their drinks arrived and he tapped his card on the proffered machine.

‘Cheers.’ She poured the tonic into her gin and clinked glasses.

‘I know one of the families involved in the murders.’ He spoke so low she could hardly hear him above the chatter and the piano in the corner.

‘Really? Like honest to God, cross my heart really?’ Was she laying it on too thick? No, he probably thought she was a ditsy blonde.

‘Yeah, really.’ He took a gulp of his drink – Coors to make him appear cool – and ran his tongue along his teeth, savouring it. ‘One of the girls was Naomi Kiernan. The family used to live in Sligo. I’m convinced the mother broke the child’s wrist and beat her black and blue.’

‘Oh, that’s horrible.’

‘Yes, and they call themselves Christian. The father is in jail. Well, he was until the stupid guards got him released on compassionate grounds.’

‘That seems fair. His daughter was murdered after all.’

A sneer spread across Julian’s face as he leaned in towards her. ‘I’m convinced he beat the child too. The pair of them were at it.’

‘What proof do you have?’

‘I don’t, that’s the problem. Behind closed doors and all that.’

Martina recalled Father Maguire talking about something like that. Maybe Julian was right to be suspicious of both parents.

‘If you believe what you say, why was the other girl murdered?’

‘Probably got in the way. Ruth lost her temper and battered the two of them to death. She has history. She was abused as a child herself.’

‘Sexually abused?’

‘I’m not sure about that, but there was definitely physical abuse.’

‘How do you know all this?’

‘I pulled her file.’

‘Oh! Can you do that?’

‘When I believe a child is in danger, yes. I’ve been watching the house.’

Martina felt her heart plummet and swirl in the alcohol lining her stomach. She’d been FLO at the Kiernans’. Had he seen her? Feck. Was he leading her on or did he not recognise her? She supposed she looked totally different with her hair down and make-up plastered on, a million miles from what she was like at work.

She took a gulp of gin before asking him, ‘Did you discover anything interesting?’

‘The dead girl’s sister went missing this afternoon.’

‘Really? That’s awful. Did you see what happened?’

‘No, I got there too late for that.’

‘I thought you said you were watching them.’

‘I had other work to do. Anyhow, it’s okay, because I heard the child was found.’

‘That’s a relief. Do you know where she was? Did someone take her?’

‘I heard it was that boy who found Naomi Kiernan’s body. He could have murdered her.’

---