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Jess hadn’t wanted anything to do with the police, but George had begged her, almost on the point of tears. They weren’t treating Shannon’s disappearance seriously, he’d said. What if she’d been murdered? What if…? He’d droned on and on, and was so insistent that she’d ended up accompanying him to the station.

The detective had agreed to talk to her, mainly to shut up George, who was verging on hysteria and terrifying Davy. He’d insisted on Jess seeing a detective rather than a uniformed officer. When he began mouthing off about how his sister might have been murdered, they’d relented.

‘I’m Detective Kirby.’ The man pulled in his stomach to allow himself enough space to sit at the scratched table. Jess noticed that the table was bolted to the floor. Was this where they brought criminals to interrogate them? She wished it was over. ‘How can I help you, Jess?’

‘That’s Shannon’s brother out there in reception. George Kenny. He’s already reported Shannon missing, but he thinks you’re not taking him seriously.’

The detective flicked open the thin manila file he’d brought in with him. ‘I can assure you we take all incidents like this seriously. I have the missing person report here. What can you add?’

‘Probably nothing, but I was out with Shannon Friday night. That’s the last time I saw her, though we did speak on the phone last night.’

‘Okay, first tell me about when you last saw her. Anything unusual that you can remember.’ He opened a notebook, apparently ready to jot down points. This made her even more nervous.

‘There was this guy at the bar in Fallon’s. I thought he was cute with a beard and all, but he gave Shannon the willies.’

‘The willies?’ The detective smiled. ‘I know what you mean, Jess. Continue.’

‘We had a few drinks in Fallon’s before heading to Danny’s.’

‘This guy at the bar, what’s the story there?’

‘He sent drinks down to our table and asked if he could join us.’

‘Did you know him?’

‘Never saw him before in my life. He kind of freaked Shannon out.’

‘Do you think she knew him?’

‘No, it was just that she had a bad feeling about him. Well, I think that’s all it was. Shannon can be secretive. I rarely know what’s going on in her head.’

‘Go on.’

‘That’s all really. We left him there at Fallon’s and went to Danny’s Bar. Afterwards, we were going in different directions, so I got a taxi and she walked home.’

‘Okay. You said you spoke to her on the phone yesterday.’

‘I texted her a few times yesterday morning. To tell her about the murder at the building site. I was to meet her in the park, but she messaged to say she had to head off. And then she rang me last night saying she was out again for a date but he hadn’t turned up and she was at a loose end. She asked me to meet her for a few drinks. I was bushed and broke. We’d had two nights in a row and no way could I do another. Anyhow, I was already in bed when she rang.’

‘Where was she?’

‘I think she was outside Danny’s.’

‘Did she mention the guy from Fallon’s again?’

‘Not a word.’

‘Did you think he was suspicious?’

‘He was just being nice.’

‘You mentioned she told you on the phone she’d been stood up. Do you know who she was meeting?’

‘No, but it was probably some guy from the agency.’

‘Agency?’ The detective sat up a bit straighter.

‘Oh shit. Don’t write that down. Her brother knows nothing about it.’

‘About what?’ He leaned in closer.

She could smell his woody deodorant and figured he used it to mask the sour odour of cigars. Knitting her fingers together, she took a deep breath. George would kill Shannon if he found out, but feck it, he was the one who’d dragged her here. ‘Shannon was registered with an escort agency.’

The detective sat with his pen poised over the notebook. ‘What agency?’

‘Is it important?’

‘It might be.’

‘Ehm… It could be called Right One.’

‘Right One? Are you sure?’

She knew she could fudge it, but it was probably best to be honest in the circumstances. ‘Yes, I’m sure. It’s a dating thing.’

‘Did Shannon get many dates this way?’

‘A few. But more often than not she was stood up or they turned out to be pricks.’

‘Did you know Laura Nolan?’

‘Me?’ Jess was confused. Was she being interrogated? What had Laura Nolan got to do with Shannon disappearing. ‘No, I didn’t.’

‘Did Shannon?’

‘She knew of her. Ehm, I’m not sure how.’

‘Mm. Okay. Let’s back up a bit. You said you were texting her yesterday about the murder at the building site. Did you or Laura know the victim? John Morgan?’

‘I didn’t, but the name sounded familiar. I remembered I’d heard Shannon mention him before.’

‘She knew him?’

‘Ehm, I suppose so.’

‘ How did she know him?’

Jess shrugged and said nothing but she knew the detective was about to put words in her mouth.

‘Was he registered with the agency, do you think?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Could she have dated him?’

Jess felt as if she’d walked into a minefield. If Shannon was just hung-over somewhere, she’d never forgive Jess for blabbing. But if she was in trouble, Jess knew she had to tell the truth.

‘She met him in rehab. Cuan Centre in Delvin. About a year ago.’

‘Shannon Kenny met John Morgan in rehab?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Go on.’

Jess picked at her nail, keeping her head down. ‘She told me about him because they helped each other in that place.’ She looked up at the detective. ‘But I don’t think she’d seen him since she left.’

‘What was she there for?’

‘Drug addiction. Her mother died a few years ago and Shannon went through a hard time. George discovered she was taking cocaine and pills. He gave her an ultimatum. Get help or get out.’

‘So she went into rehab. For how long?’

‘About two or three months. I don’t think she’s taken anything other than alcohol since then. And she’s holding down her job at the hospital. She’s with the household staff there.’

‘You’re sure she knew John Morgan?’

‘All I know is she mentioned he was nice to her in rehab. She was lonely and he listened to her. So yes. She knew him.’

‘Did they date?’

‘I don’t think so. It was more a friendship. Kindred spirits, she called it.’

‘And you say you don’t know if they met after she left?’

‘I have no idea.’

‘Thanks for that information.’

‘Is it important?’

‘It could be. We need to find out who she was meeting last night and if he was from the Right One agency.’

‘She never told me the names of anyone she met that way. I gathered they were all a bit older and had money. That’s all I know.’ Jess thought maybe she should have been more inquisitive about what Shannon had been up to. But surely it was no more dangerous than meeting someone through a dating app. It might even be safer, because the men were vetted. Shannon had told her that.

The detective stood awkwardly. ‘Thank you for all your help.’

‘I’m really worried for her.’

‘Do you think she’s in trouble?’

‘Shannon’s unpredictable, but she’d contact me no matter what state she was in. Her phone appears to be off or it’s out of battery.’

‘Okay. We have her number. I’ll get someone to determine where the phone was last used and take things from there. Thank you, Jess.’