Page 55 of The Altar Girls

‘Did you see who brought Naomi home on those occasions?’

‘Let me think. Willow’s mum, I believe.’ Jacinta glanced at the time on her phone. Lottie’s patience was as thin as the lining on her stomach at this stage. ‘And Father Maguire. Yes. I saw him giving her a lift once. Maybe it was twice. That man is a saint. If I’d known all this would be important, I’d have made notes.’

Lottie wasn’t sure if the woman was serious or sarcastic. But this nugget gave her another insight into the priest, and told her that Zara might have known the Kiernan family better than she’d admitted.

38

Everyone in the incident room was on their best behaviour and Lottie felt a trickle of unease whenever Superintendent Farrell joined the team briefings. Normally the meetings were the remit of the senior investigating officer, and Lottie was the SIO for these murders. The fact that the victims were two little girls and the safety of children in the town was paramount meant that the superintendent needed to be informed on all progress. No better way than to step in and listen first-hand. Still, it put Lottie under more pressure. She focused as best she could as she talked through the case with the team, trying to ignore her boss in the background.

‘Both girls’ homes were searched. Nothing turned up to lead us to a killer. The two murders could be random, but we also need to consider that one or both of the girls was the intended victim.’ She paused, pulled at the cuffs of her long-sleeved T-shirt. ‘Were both girls targets? Or was it just one of them, and because they were together yesterday morning they suffered the same fate? It may have been chance that they were alone together at the school, so everything that followed could be viewed as being random. Any ideas?’

Silence reigned before Boyd spoke up. ‘Who would know either of those girls would be alone when school had been cancelled?’

‘One of their mothers?’ Garda Lei said.

‘We have to explore all possibilities,’ Lottie said. ‘We need to account for both mothers’ movements that day.’

‘Let’s say one girl was the primary target,’ Kirby said. ‘She may have been followed and watched for some time. Where did the girls cross the killer’s path?’

‘To be doubly sure we don’t overlook anything, we have to draw up a timeline for both girls and their families for yesterday and the days preceding the murders. With regard to yesterday, Naomi served at eight a.m. Mass, then walked to the school gates. Willow’s mother had dropped her at the end of the lane before eight forty-five. The two girls met and then walked in the direction of the cathedral. We don’t know where they went after that, but taking that route would also bring them towards the community centre.’

Superintendent Farrell said, ‘Have you talked to everyone who was there at any time yesterday?’

‘Yes, that job’s completed,’ Lottie said. ‘The food bank doesn’t start operating until midday, but a few volunteers were present in the morning. No one recalled the girls. We will review their statements and interview everyone again if necessary.’

Superintendent Farrell waved a report she was holding. ‘Father Maguire’s car was seen coming down Bishop Street that morning. You need to find out where he was going and when he returned.’

‘He said he had sick calls to make. Detective McKeown, you need to confirm all that,’ Lottie said. ‘Also confirm Father Pearse’s movements.’

‘Okay. There weren’t many vehicles around because of the snow, but I’ve contacted the owners of the cars whose registration numbers I’ve captured in that area.’

‘Good. If the girls didn’t go into the community centre, then the next place they could have gone is the cathedral.’

‘The cameras around the cathedral grounds are on the blink. The girls don’t show up in any of the internal footage,’ McKeown said. ‘The cameras inside are sparse, covering mainly the altar and side aisles. They don’t give us much.’

‘Could they have ventured into some alcove and were then whisked away? Is it worth losing our budget on a full forensic sweep of the building?’ Lottie eyed the superintendent.

‘Let’s see if it becomes necessary,’ Farrell said. ‘Has it been visually searched?’

‘Yes, and there’s no evidence of anything untoward having happened there despite it being reported back to me that the crypts are eerie as hell.’ Lottie gazed at her sparse notes. ‘Every car owner whose vehicle was in the cathedral car park at the time needs to account for their movements.’

‘Garda Lei and I are making progress on that,’ McKeown said.

‘The next place they might have trekked to is Connolly’s Funeral Home. It was once the Christian Brothers boys’ school.’

‘Creepy then and creepy now,’ Garda Lei said.

‘Did you go to school there?’ McKeown asked.

‘No, I lived in Longford, but I heard the stories. They’d make the hair stand on your head,’ Lei said, then blushed as Kirby pointed to McKeown’s tightly shaved head.

‘Maurice Connolly is the owner of the funeral home,’ Lottie said. ‘He says he was embalming a body in the basement yesterday and that a bell would have sounded if anyone entered his office. But there are lots of other areas for someone to disappear into in that sprawling building. He also has rooms converted into living space for his long work hours, plus he has a house on Barrack Row. He says he has no security cameras at the funeral home. We should search the premises.’

Superintendent Farrell said, ‘We haven’t enough for a warrant at this time unless you can prove the girls went in there.’

‘I’ll keep Connolly on the suspect list and carry out a background check on him.’

‘Do that,’ Farrell said.