Page 131 of The Altar Girls

‘It wasn’t like that.’ The giant looked like he was about to cry again.

Oh spare me, she thought. ‘Why were you in the vicinity of the cathedral yesterday?’

‘I’d parked my car up there. I sometimes leave it there so that there’s space around my premises.’

‘Maurice, we’re currently searching the funeral home, tearing it apart. We’ll start on your house next.’

‘Why? I didn’t do anything else.’

‘Really?’

‘Please believe me, there’s nothing to find,’ he pleaded.

‘Because you burned all the evidence?’

‘Evidence of what? I’m telling you the truth. I took the boy on a whim and I’m truly sorry. Like I already said, I was about to let him go when you turned up.’

Duff piped up. ‘My client is a respected member of the community. This is completely out of character.’

Lottie’s gaze didn’t waver from Connolly’s face. ‘Let’s say I accept your explanation about Alfie, which I don’t, what about the two girls?’

‘What about them?’

‘You took them too. Did you panic like you did with Alfie? Did you kill them?’

‘What? No, no.’ He looked to his solicitor, but received no help from that direction. ‘I’d never do that! You’re nuts!’

She smirked. ‘Maybe, but I am also thorough.’

Shuffling through the folder, she leaned over and whispered in McKeown’s ear. He took out two photographs and laid them on the table. She pointed to the first one.

‘Naomi Kiernan. Aged eight. Her body was found behind the cathedral.’

Duff found his voice again. ‘My client is here because you arrested him for abducting Alfie Nally. I can’t allow you to question him about anything else.’

She threw him a look that said, Try to stop me.

Connolly said nothing.

She pointed to the second photo. ‘Willow Devine. Also aged eight. Her body was discovered in the wooden crib behind St Patrick’s church.’

Connolly’s jaws twitched as he ran his hand over and back on his chin. She extracted two more photos and laid them beside the others.

‘These are the girls’ school bags and the coats they were wearing on Monday. What did you do with their belongings?’

‘This is insane,’ he exploded. ‘I never touched those girls. Never even saw them.’

‘CCTV puts them close to your funeral home on Monday morning.’ Not true, she thought, but he didn’t know that. ‘That’s the last known sighting of them. I don’t think we’ll find their bags or coats because it’s possible they were incinerated – and you have an incinerator on your premises.’ As she said this, a thought struck her. As awful as it seemed, she wondered why he hadn’t disposed of the girls’ bodies in this way.

‘I showed you around my premises, and now you’re using it against me. That can’t be right.’ Connolly looked to Duff, hands out, beseeching.

‘You should have had a warrant for that, Inspector,’ Duff said, attempting to shake out his shoulders in the tight space.

She leaned her head to one side. ‘Mr Connolly did not object to my request that day. He was eager to show me his domain. When Alfie went missing in the vicinity, I had grounds for a warrant, which we executed this morning.’ She brought her gaze back to Connolly.

‘There’s nothing to find, because I didn’t kill those girls. You have to believe me.’

She ignored his pleas. ‘Their bodies were clothed in robes, maybe shrouds. You have those at your disposal. We’re carrying out an inventory of your stock. Jasper Crowe, your assistant, is helping us with that task.’