Page 60 of The Altar Girls

Sean switched on the kettle, fetched two clean mugs. She was surprised there was anything clean in the house at this stage. He came to sit beside her.

‘You’re killing yourself, Mam.’

‘No I’m not.’

‘Yes you are. I heard about those two little girls today.’

‘Where did you hear it?’

‘I was doing my online study group and everyone was talking about the murders. It’s sick, so it is.’

‘Yeah, it is. It’s like they disappeared into thin air. And then their bodies were found and it was as if they were asleep on the snow. Two little angels.’

‘Any suspects?’

‘Not really. If we could find out where they went after they left the school lane, we’d have a starting place. Instead, we need to work back from where their bodies were discovered. So far we only have a page of hymn music and a rosary.’

‘What do you mean?’

She explained about the rosary found in Willow’s hands and the sheet music found in Naomi’s. ‘And once Jane completes the post-mortem on Willow, we should have another hymn sheet.’

‘I heard the girls were in the church choir.’

‘Yes, and their murders might have something to do with that, otherwise why would the killer bother leaving hymns in their hands?’

‘Maybe he’s sorry he killed them and wants to be caught?

‘That’s a possibility. I hope it’s true, because if someone can kill two little girls, who’s to say they’ll stop there? Now, where’s my cuppa before I head to Granny Rose’s?’

‘Do you want me to go over? I’ll stay for the night.’

‘No, it’s okay, but I would love if you dropped in on her tomorrow. That’s if school is cancelled again.’

‘I’ll do that, no problem, Mam.’

Sean stood and gave her a hug. It filled her with a fuzzy warmth. And looking at his back as he busied himself with the kettle and tea bags, she couldn’t help thinking he was so like his father.

41

Feeling sorry for Sean, Lottie ordered a takeaway to be delivered to the house and left money for him to buy a few essentials in the morning if school was cancelled again, which was more than likely. She decided to drive through town, taking the long way round to her mother’s house. She needed the headspace after a difficult day before facing whatever challenge Rose would pose.

Shops were decorated for Christmas and warm light streamed from the windows, projecting an odd glow onto the icy footpaths. As she drove down Gaol Street, she noticed McKeown coming out of Cafferty’s in his shirtsleeves, his coat under his arm. She drove on a bit further, towards the courthouse, and pulled in to watch him in the rear-view mirror. She glanced at the dash. Minus two degrees. Was he so drunk that he didn’t think to put on his coat?

She did a U-turn and drove up beside him.

‘Get in.’

‘Boss! Are you stalking me?’ His words slurred into each other.

‘I’ll give you a lift to wherever you’re going before you freeze to death.’

‘That’d be one way to get rid of me.’ He smirked, but staggered around the front of the car and sat in with an exhale of alcohol on his breath. She swallowed a gag, and in that moment she was glad she’d kicked the drink habit.

‘Where to?’

‘You can leave me at the end of Canal Road.’

‘Garda Brennan’s, then.’