ON TUESDAY MORNING I awoke to an empty bed. Molloy had said he’d be leaving early to prepare for court, and he wasn’t one for romantic notes, so I wasn’t particularly surprised. But I felt better for having told him about Luke, and I knew he’d be as good as his word about talking to Kirby’s probation officer.
I walked up to court from the office about a quarter past ten. It was still bitterly cold, and the footpath was precarious, glistening and silvery as if tiny fragments of broken glass had been strewn across it. Leah was insistent that there would be “proper snow” in the next couple of days, and I suspected she was right.
Town was busy for a Tuesday, with almost a Saturday-afternoon bustle about the square. Multicolored lamps strung from telegraph poles lifted the bluish winter light, and there were carol singers outside the bank. I recognized Hal McKinney, the undertaker, who possessed a rather startling tenor voice. Then I passed the spot where the Oak used to be; the site had been blocked off, tarpaulin covering the worst of it. It was like a bomb site; an open wound in the town’s face; a jarring note in the midst of all the lights and decorations.
I hadn’t realized I had stopped until Phyllis appeared beside me, a carton of milk clutched to her bosom.
“Looks awful, doesn’t it.”
I nodded. “It sure does.”
“Breaks my heart every time I walk past it. God knows what it’s doing to Tony. I’ve seen him here a few times, just staring at it as if he still can’t quite believe what’s happened.”
“I’m sure he can’t.”
“Looks as if Stan’s got the go-ahead, though.” Phyllis nodded towards Illusions Hair Design. There was a sign in the window saying: Reopening for business at 11 a.m.
“Have you spoken to him? Tony, I mean?” I asked.
“Aye. He was here with some insurance assessor yesterday morning. They move quickly enough, don’t they?”
“I hope so, for Tony’s sake. I presume he’ll want to rebuild as soon as possible.” I paused. “I saw him talking to a young woman yesterday. Bleached blonde. That wasn’t the assessor, was it?”
Phyllis looked at me with sudden distaste. “That was his daughter, Susanne. As if he hasn’t enough to deal with …”
“She’s been away, hasn’t she?” I said.
Tony was a widower; his wife had died a few years before from cancer, and he had four adult children. With the exception of Susanne, I’d met them all over the years.
Phyllis snorted. “Not for long enough. He’s had to go and fetch her. From Spain.”
“Fetch her?” The expression didn’t fit. I thought the girl had looked about twenty-five.
“God knows what it is this time. She’s always been trouble, that one,” Phyllis said. “Remember you asked me if he was away? Well, that’s where he was. He didn’t tell anyone he was gone until he was back.” She shook her head. “That one. Booze, drugs, you name it. Into everything since the time she was a wee one.”
“Really?” I checked my watch. It was twenty-five past ten. “God knows what happened to her; the other kids are decent sorts. I’ll lay a bet she’s never supported herself, that Tony’s been sending her money. Always tied up with some man or other. No use to man or beast.”
While Phyllis tut-tutted, I realized I should still speak to Tony about the noise. It could be relevant to the fire. In the meantime, I needed to get to court.
Phyllis was still muttering. “Gorgeous, of course. That’s what allowed her to get away with so much. Those doe eyes. At least she was gorgeous. Maybe it’s time for her to get a job and support herself.”
I spotted Molloy crossing the street with an armful of files. “I’d better go,” I said quickly.
Phyllis followed my gaze. “Fair enough. Duty calls. By the way, have you thought any more about my ‘orphans’ lunch’ on Christmas Day?”
I grinned. So that’s what we were calling it. “Sorry, Phyllis. I’ll give you a shout later and let you know, if that’s all right?”
“Sure, no bother. You can let me know the day before if you like. I’m not going anywhere. And …” she added with a grin, glancing after Molloy’s departing figure, “you can even bring a date.”
I caught up with Molloy and matched his stride as we walked towards the courthouse. Not an easy thing to do normally, but progress was slower than usual with the icy footpath. Before I could raise the subject of Christmas, he said, “There have been developments.”
“Developments in what?” I asked.
“Carole Harkin’s disappearance. It seems she sent a text message to her husband last night saying that she was sorry she hadn’t been in touch, but that something had happened that she needed to sort out. That she’d be back before Christmas and explain it all then.”
“Oh well. I suppose that’s good news. How’s he taking it?”
“Seems happy to have heard from her. It seems an odd thing for a woman with two small children to do a few days before Christmas, head off like that in the middle of the night without a word to anyone, but he seems to accept it. Maybe she’s done it before.”
“Did you ask him if he has any idea where she’s gone? Or what it’s about?”
“Yes,” Molloy said slowly in a do-you-think-I’m-completely-stupid voice.
I smiled. “Sorry.”
“He says he doesn’t, but I think it’s possible he knows exactly where she is and that’s why he’s not worried. I’ve told him we need to talk to her about the fire, and that if she doesn’t reappear in the next day or two, we’ll have to issue a warrant for her arrest.”
“Will you do that?”
He opened the gate to the courthouse and stood aside to allow me to walk in ahead. The path had been salted, making progress easier than it had been on the street.
“Probably not. But she can’t be unavailable to us indefinitely. Especially now that we know the fire was started deliberately.”
“Are you sure of that? Is the fire report back?”
He nodded. “I’m waiting for the final Garda forensics, but yes, it’s definite. Of course, with all that alcohol, it went up like a box of matches.”
We stopped at the entrance to the courthouse and stood to one side, our voices lowered as people walked past us up the steps.
“But who on earth would want to set fire to the Oak? And why?” I asked.
“Usual reasons for arson are insurance claims, revenge, covering up a crime …”
“You mean Tony himself?” I said in disbelief, my voice barely a whisper.
“I agree it seems pretty unlikely.” He sighed. “But we’ve made zero progress so far in working out how, who or why. And it doesn’t help that the last person to leave the premises has done a disappearing trick.”
“Amazing it didn’t spread, isn’t it?”
“That’s the advantage of having a fire brigade here in town. They were able to get to it within minutes. And it would be a priority to protect the buildings on either side.”
Molloy’s phone rang. He looked at it and said, “I have to take this.”
“Who raised the alarm?” I asked quickly.
“Stoop,” he said. He gave me a wry look. “Looks as if his insomnia may have saved lives.”
I left him to it and went inside. As usual, the courtroom was freezing, with solicitors and guards huddled around the radiators like schoolkids in a prefab. It never lets us down, that courthouse; it is consistently boiling in summer and icy in winter. You could bet your last euro on it.
Court was brief. No cases were listed for hearing, and everyone including the judge was anxious to get back to whatever work needed to be finished before the holidays. The session was over by half past twelve. I rang Tony as I was leaving the court and left him another message.
Five minutes later, I collided with the man himself, coming out of the door of my office.
“Tony,” I said. “I’ve just left you a message.”
The publican seemed to have aged ten years in the past few days. The lines from his nose to his mouth and around his eyes had deepened, making his long, mournful face seem even longer. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I know you’ve been trying to get hold of me.”
“Don’t worry,” I said. “I know it’s been rough. Have you time for a chat now?”
He nodded. “As a matter of fact, that’s what I was hoping for.” He followed me back in and I left him chatting to Leah at reception while I ducked into the kitchen and made three coffees. I left one on Leah’s desk and gave another to Tony before bringing him upstairs into my office.
“So how are things, really?” I asked after I’d taken a deep slug of my drink.
He closed his eyes. “They’ve been better.”
“Phyllis said you had the insurance assessor out. Will they pay up quickly, do you think?”
“God knows.” He sighed. “Started deliberately and the employee in charge does a disappearing trick. I’m not holding out much hope.”
“Well let’s hope she comes back sooner rather than later.”
He shrugged. “George seems to think she will, so it looks as if I’ll just have to wait. She’s not answering my calls anyway – they’re just going straight through to voicemail.”
“I suspect you’re not the only one trying to get in touch with her.”
“No, I suppose you’re right. Not much I can do before Christmas anyway.” He gave me a sad smile. “My first one off in twenty years.”
I took another sip of my coffee. “I hear your daughter’s home. At least you’ll get to spend some time with her.”
His smile faded. “I wish that was something I could be happy about. She’s in some kind of trouble but she won’t tell me what it is. Last week she rang and asked me to go and get her, from Madrid of all places. I knew she was traveling with her friend but I didn’t even know where she was until she called me.” He gave me a rueful look. “I know you’ll think I’m a fool. Stupid old father – drops everything and comes running as soon as the daughter claps her hands, but …”
“She’s your daughter,” I offered.
“She’s my daughter,” he agreed, his mouth set in an uncompromising line. He paused. “The thing is, I wondered if you might have any work for her? Not now, obviously, but after Christmas maybe. It doesn’t have to be anything too much – some photocopying or filing, that kind of thing. You wouldn’t have to pay her. I’d do that.”
I gave him a sympathetic smile. “To keep her in Inishowen?”
“Something like that.” He sighed. “The problem is, she’s been going out every night since she’s been home, and I don’t want her to spend her time here drinking. I’d have given her work in the pub, but …” He spread his hands helplessly.
“Yes.”
“I’d ask Phyllis, but they’d clash. Phyllis thinks I’m too easy on her. I could see her delivering a few home truths.” He looked down. “I know it’s a big favor I’m asking.”
“Do you mind me asking – how old is she?”
He looked embarrassed. “She’s twenty-six.”
“She started a degree in arts, but she didn’t finish it.” He grimaced, knowing he wasn’t exactly selling her to me.
“I don’t know, Tony. We’re a small operation here. And confidentiality is a huge consideration. It’s why I don’t really take kids in on work experience.”
I didn’t mean it to come out the way it did, but it hit home. I could see it in his face. Susanne was no kid. A woman of twenty-six should be able to stand on her own two feet without her father asking for a job for her. I felt a stab of guilt and I softened.
“Tell you what, let’s get through Christmas and I’ll see how I’m fixed in January. You never know, she may have found something herself by then.”
He looked relieved. “Thanks. I know all she needs is a bit of a leg-up.”
I imagined Phyllis snorting: That girl has had so many legs-up …
Tony stood up to leave with a groan. Even his limbs seemed to have aged in the past few days. At the door, he turned.
“I almost forgot. What did you want to speak to me about?”
I’d nearly forgotten myself. “Oh yes. Stan MacLochlainn came to see me last week. He wanted me to talk to you about noise coming from the pub.”
“Noise?”
I nodded. “He thought it might have been coming from the cellar.”
“When?”
“In the early hours of the morning, Wednesday and Thursday.”
“What kind of noise?”
“He thought it sounded like someone moving furniture. A thumping noise, he said.”
Tony looked baffled. “Is he sure?”
“Seemed to be. He went to the back door and was pretty sure it wasn’t coming from the pub itself. Any ideas?”
“None whatsoever. I wasn’t here on Thursday or Friday, and Saturday was the fire, but we cleared out early on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Trying to keep our bibs clean for Christmas.” He shook his head sadly. “Fat lot of good that did us.”
By the time I made it downstairs, Leah had her coat on and was ready for lunch.
“Where to?” I asked, never a question we usually had to ask ourselves. I was beginning to realize the huge hole in our social lives that the Oak would leave.
“The café?” she suggested. “It’ll be chips rather than sandwiches, but sure, we need a bit of insulation with this cold weather.”
Tim’s chipper was clearly benefiting from the absence of the Oak. We fought our way to the counter through a throng of kids who didn’t look happy to have their territory invaded on their last day of school by women in suits. Maeve appeared just as we were trying to find somewhere to sit with our bags of greasy food.
“No decent coffee anywhere in town,” she sighed as she made her way up to order. “I’m going to be getting the shakes.”
“Let’s take this back to the office,” I suggested to Leah. “We can have coffee there. It won’t be up to the Oak’s standards, but at least it’ll be fresh.” I called over the heads of two teenage boys hitting each other with empty burger cartons. “You coming, Maeve?”
She nodded, and waved at us to go ahead.
“What did Tony Craig want earlier?” Leah asked as we made our way back across the square. I saw her glance wistfully at the place where the Oak had been; it was impossible not to.
“He wanted to see if we could give his daughter some work.” Leah’s eyes widened. “Susanne?”
I nodded. “Just something part-time like filing or photocopying. Do you know her?”
“She was a friend of my sister’s. I thought I saw her on the street yesterday all right.”
Leah had three sisters, all younger. I wasn’t surprised there was one about Tony’s daughter’s age. There seemed to be one to fit most people.
“Was being the operative word,” she added. “Susanne Craig went completely off the rails after school.”
“So I believe. Drugs?”
“Drink, drugs, and everything in between. What did you say to Tony about the job?”
“I stalled. Said we’d wait and see how we’re fixed after Christmas. I’d like to do him a favor with everything he’s going through, but …”
“Sinéad might still be friends with her on Facebook. Do you want me to see what I can find out about her?”
“Definitely.”
Maeve followed us over after a few minutes. I cleared the magazines and papers from the coffee table in the waiting room, and we spread our food there, dividing ourselves between the couch and the chairs while Leah went to the little kitchen at the back to make a pot of coffee.
“How’s Guinness doing?” I asked.
“Much better,” Maeve said. “He should be able to come off the drip this evening and you can take him home.”
‘‘Ah, brilliant. Thank you so much. I got a horrible fright when I found him like that. I was sure I was going to lose him.”
‘‘No bother,” she said with a grin before biting into a burger. “Glad to be of service. I’m fond of the little guy myself. When are you closing, by the way?”
“Tomorrow,” I said. “Assuming we get everything done.”
Leah gave me a look as she brought out the coffee, followed by a laugh. “Well, I’m out of here, even if you’re not. Anything that’s not done by tomorrow can wait till after Christmas.”
I grinned. “She’s right. Nothing’s going to happen on Christmas Eve. You working over Christmas as usual?”
Maeve nodded. “Unfortunately. What are you doing on the day, now that you’re not going to Dublin? You’re welcome to come to us, of course, but there’s no guarantee I’ll be there myself.”
“Thanks, but would you believe Phyllis has asked me over? She says she’s having an orphans’ lunch.”
“God, that sounds great! I’d grab that invitation with both hands. The food will be fabulous.”
“I think I will,” I said. “What about tomorrow night? Are you going to join us for drinks? Liam was suggesting the golf club, but I managed to persuade him that Culdaff was a better option.”
“Good idea,” Maeve said. “I’m not on call tomorrow so I’ll see how the others in the clinic are fixed. We can organize a taxi so no one has to drive.” She pushed her hair out of her eyes.
“I like the new haircut, by the way,” Leah commented.
Maeve smiled. “Stan always does a grand job. Although he was a pain in the neck to listen to: moaned and complained the whole time about how he wasn’t getting enough sleep.”