Page 68 of The Altar Girls

Julian Bradley was breathing heavily, his breath fogging in the cold air around him. There was no way she was letting him get into the car. She cracked the window open a little and blanched as he gripped the top of the glass, as if to push it down further. It remained steadfast.

‘Sinead, we need to talk again,’ he wheezed through the opening. ‘Isaac Kiernan is getting out of jail.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘My office was notified late last night that he’s being released today.’

‘Why would you be notified?’

‘Because it’s possible he may be a danger to his wife and children, and to me.’

‘But he never did anything to them, just punched you. Isn’t that correct?’

‘It was never proven, but I believe he is a child abuser. He’s a man who, despite being small, doesn’t know his own strength. I can testify to that. He broke my jaw. And I believe that his wife, though seemingly meek and weak, is just as bad. You need to do a report about this, to warn the public to keep their children indoors.’

His eyes blazed manically, and Sinead really wanted him to leave her alone.

‘Warning the public is up to the guards. Anyhow, people are wary as it is, with a murderer around town. I know I am. But Isaac Kiernan isn’t responsible for those deaths. He was in prison at the time.’

‘Sinead, you don’t understand. No one understands.’ He drew back from the window.

The way he said her name caused her to shiver. It was like he’d laced it with putrid slime. She put her finger on the window button.

‘Thanks for the information, Julian. I’ve to get to work. I have your number, so I’ll contact you later on.’

He shook his head, turned up his collar against the cold and walked away.

She exhaled a relieved breath. What was Julian Bradley’s agenda? And why was he not in his office in Sligo? There was no way she could phone his employer without a valid reason, so another call to her friend Enda was on the cards.

46

While they awaited Ruth’s solicitor, Lottie and Boyd made their way to Willow Devine’s house.

Lottie sat on the sofa. The room smelled clean and hoovered. She couldn’t see an ounce of dust on any surface. Zara was seated on an armchair, gazing into space, with three-year-old Harper dozing on her knee. Maria Lynch stood by the door looking decidedly bored.

‘I’m so sorry for disturbing you again at this sorrowful time, Zara, but I have a few more questions. If you’re up to it?’

The woman slowly moved her head in Lottie’s direction. Had she taken something to ease her emotional pain? Likely.

‘Did you find the monster who took my little girl away from me?’

Lottie shook her head. No words could assuage the mother’s heartbreak. But she had a job to do.

‘I need to go over your movements on Monday. Can you tell me exactly what you did and where you went?’

‘I’m not sure how it will help you. I already said all this.’ Zara raised an eyebrow. ‘I drove Willow to school and left her at the lane. When I got home, I checked my phone and saw the principal’s text. I flew back to the school. Searched by driving around, but the snow was blinding and I figured Willow might have gone to one of the other kids’ houses. Phoned around those parents I knew, but no one had seen her. I hoovered the whole house while I waited for her to walk in the door, but the longer it went on, the more worried I became, and eventually I called to the guards.’

‘Did you phone Ruth Kiernan?’

‘No, I haven’t got her number. Even though I may have dropped Naomi home from choir practice on one occasion when her mother didn’t turn up for her.’

Lottie tapped a photo on her phone. ‘Zara, can you look at something for me, please?’

‘Sure.’

‘Does this mean anything to you?’

She turned the device towards the woman, showing her the image of the red beads that had been twined around Willow’s fingers.