Page 52 of The Altar Girls

Lottie shook her head before focusing her thoughts on the investigation. ‘Both girls’ bodies were found on church grounds, and now we have the priest’s DNA on the slip of paper. Yes, I know that can be explained, but things are pointing towards a connection with the Church.’

‘Or someone wants us to think that way.’

‘It’s something for us to mull over. I’ve to see this Sinead Healy.’ She filled Boyd in about the reporter allegedly intimidating little Alfie Nally.

‘I didn’t think she was like that.’

‘Do you know her?’

‘Not personally. But she did some reporting after our last case. I met her then and she told me she’d discreetly keep her ear to the ground for news of Jackie and Sergio.’

‘I think I saw her at the cathedral last night. I need to head her off before she turns our witness into a silent one.’

‘Thought a silent witness was a dead one.’

‘I don’t want that to happen either.’

36

After she’d closed the door behind Julian, and Carol had returned to mind Annie, Sinead put on her boots and jacket and sat in her car in the driveway watching snowflakes flutter from the bulging grey sky to settle on the windscreen. Without turning on the engine, she breathed in and out, trying to slow down the chill gripping her.

She had to make sense of what Julian Bradley had told her. Was it even the truth? She had no proof of anything, just the story he’d related to her across her kitchen table. She wasn’t sure she believed the half of it. And why had he told her at all, even if it was off the record? None of it sat right with her. But the scariest thing of all was that he’d warned her not to tell the guards.

She knew she should have written it all down the minute he’d left, but Annie had wanted to show off her refined dance routine not once, but three times. Then Carol had arrived.

Alone in the car, she glanced at her bag containing her laptop and notebook, but she couldn’t bring herself to commit Bradley’s words to paper. That would make them too real. The snow turned heavier and she put on the wipers, shoved the car into gear, but she didn’t drive away.

Pondering everything that had happened and what she’d just learned, she glanced at her house. At least Annie was safe. Wasn’t she?

* * *

Lottie parked on the footpath outside Sinead Healy’s house. As she walked carefully up the narrow icy drive, she saw a woman sitting in a car. She knocked on the window. The woman jumped so hard in fright she banged her head off the roof.

Lowering the window, she said, ‘You scared the shit out of me.’

Lottie instantly recognised Sinead. ‘Hope you don’t use that language on television.’

‘How can I help you, Inspector.’ Sinead quickly regained her equilibrium. The ultimate professional, Lottie thought.

‘Can we go somewhere warmer to talk?’

‘Now isn’t a great time. My car has become my office and I’ve to work on my evening news piece.’

‘This won’t take long. Maybe we could go inside for a minute?’

‘Do I have a choice?’

Sinead didn’t wait for a reply as she got out of the car with the keys in her hand. She snapped the fob and the car locked.

Inside, she led Lottie down a narrow hallway to a small kitchen. The smell of coffee hung in the air and Lottie noted two mugs in the sink.

‘Nice place.’

‘Why are you here, Inspector?’

‘I want to talk about you allegedly intimidating an eleven-year-old boy.’

‘You what?’ Sinead flopped onto a chair.