Page 84 of Among the Sins of my Father

“No one said you did.”

“You implied it.”

“I implied you’re not telling me everything you know.”

I shrug. “Maybe you’re not asking the right questions.”

So far he’s been leaning forward, elbows rested on his knees. Now, he sits back, hooking the ankle of one foot over the other knee.

“Here’s the thing. I’ve been working undercover with these guys for months. And the things I’ve seen, the things I’ve witnessed, have made me very eager to see those men in jail. Now that it won’t happen, I’m hoping the wrong people don’t end up punished for their sins. I would like to see them held responsible alone. My friendship with Michael Gorman allowed me access into their circle, and their willingness to take advantage of my position blinded them to the fact that I may have been using them, rather than the other way around.”

“Congratulations.”

He narrows his eyes. “Ever since the bust with your father, we’ve had the Gormans under surveillance.”

“I’m surprised the police allowed this to happen under their watch then.”

“Allow me to offer my perspective on the situation. Correct me if I’m wrong at any stage.” He clears his throat. “The Gormans were working with their lawyers, the same lawyers your father has, to get him released. We know this for a fact. They were successful in their plans. Your father was released on bail. Then they allowed the world to think he’d gone missing, but in reality, your father was tucked away safely in their house this whole time.”

Officer Conway pauses, waiting for me to respond to the information he’d shared so far.

“I can see how they’d be capable of that.”

“We don’t have any witnesses to that fact, but I’m sure with the right persuasion, someone who had been at the house, perhaps someone at the party, would be able to bear witness to seeing him there. Do you understand?”

I tilt my head, his meaning dawning on me. “I’m following so far.”

“Perhaps your father got jealous of their freedom when he was stuck inside. Perhaps he wanted to claim their kingdom for his own. It’s happened before. Wealthy men, once friends, jealous of each other’s successes. A clash resulting in the death of both sides, no one rising as the victor.”

“It would be a little strange for my father to be able to kill all those men on his own though, would it not?”

“Unusual, yes. Impossible no. I had heard rumors floating about. Some of the men who worked for the Gormans did not believe Michael Junior would head the company in the right direction. Their loyalties may have lain elsewhere. Mr Gorman was poisoned, that would not have been difficult to do. And as for the guards, other men were working for the Gormans that night who could have made a surprise visit under the instruction of your father.”

“And then killed him as well, accomplishing what, exactly?”

“That’s where my version of the story falls apart. I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on the situation.”

“What about the women?”

“What women?”

“The women in the house. Mrs Gorman? Mary Keating?”

“You knew Mary was there?”

I shrug. “I’m assuming. She was Mr Gorman’s sister, wasn’t she?”

“Both women claim to have slept through the entire thing. We found traces of a sedative in their blood.”

“They didn’t see anything?”

“Not that they’re telling the police, anyway. All Mary Keating wanted to talk about was her missing son. She insisted he was dead somewhere and wanted us to find his body, though she wouldn’t reveal what made her think that.”

“And did you?

“Did I what?”

“Did you look for him?”

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