Page 91 of The Guilty Girl

As she ran out of steam, Lottie pulled out a chair and guided the distraught woman to it. Sharon stood by her mother’s side. Liz held her close.

‘I’m so sorry,’ Lottie said, ‘but I have very bad news. Jake—’

A strangled wail escaped from Liz’s mouth. She kept shaking her head. ‘No. No. No! I don’t want to hear it. Sharon doesn’t want to hear it. Stop.’ She clamped her hands over her ears.

‘I’m afraid we found him a short time ago. I’m truly sorry, but your son is dead.’

In that moment, Lottie felt an uncontrollable hatred for her job. No mother should have to tell another that she’d no longer be able to hug her son, to kiss his hair, praise or even chastise him. It broke her heart over and over again, and sometimes she just wanted to run away. But someone had to do it.

She worked at controlling her emotions and allowed Liz a few moments to digest her horrible words.

‘We will have questions for you, but that can wait until tomorrow. Is there anyone I can call to stay with you?’ She wondered if she could pull in Lynch to act as FLO. Failing that, she’d ask Garda Brennan to sit with them.

‘How? Where? My poor boy.’ Liz wiped her nose with the back of her hand. Sharon had moved away and was taking mugs from the cupboard. Keeping busy. Like an adult.

‘We found his body …’ What could she say? ‘In the canal.’

‘He couldn’t have drowned. He’s a good swimmer. It’s not him.’

‘I’m afraid it’s definitely Jake.’

‘Did he fall in? Did anyone see him?’

‘The post-mortem will determine how he died, but we are treating his death as suspicious.’

‘Someone killed my little boy? Is that what you’re telling me?’ Liz’s manic eyes bored into Lottie’s soul, then she cried out again in grief and slapped her hand over her mouth to stop her scream escaping.

‘It’s an awful shock, I know,’ Lottie said.

‘You know? How the hell would you know?’ Liz’s voice rose in pitch with each word. ‘No one murdered your son. No one took your husband away from you after he’d battled cancer. No one—’

‘Believe me, I do know. I’ve been through a similar heartache.’ She wasn’t about to fill Liz in on her grief over Adam’s death. She still felt like she was floundering, rudderless.

‘I’m sorry,’ Liz said, contrition in her tone now, her voice reduced to a whisper. ‘I didn’t mean any harm. I just can’t believe my Jake is never coming home again.’

‘You need to rest. I’ll get somebody to stay with you for the night.’

‘We can manage on our own.’ Sharon placed a mug of tea in front of her mother. Lottie hadn’t even heard the kettle boil.

‘Is there a neighbour who can come here until I get an officer round?’

‘We’re fine with each other,’ Liz said, placing a hand on her daughter’s. ‘We don’t need anyone else.’

‘I insist.’

‘I can stay,’ Garda Lei said. ‘Mrs Flood, Liz, I really think you should have someone with you. The media will be hammering down your door before morning. I can deal with everything while you get some rest.’

‘I’d give anything to have Jake back. I’d swap places with my son right this minute if it would bring him back.’

‘I know,’ Garda Lei said. ‘I still want to stay.’

‘Sure,’ Liz said. ‘If you’re going to be a bollix about it, you might as well.’

43

Lottie plugged her phone in to charge and stretched out on the lumpy old couch, listening to the wind moaning against the single-glazed windows. They rattled like hell during a February storm, but tonight it was like the wind was attempting to soothe her to sleep. Difficult task, considering her feet were hanging over the end of the couch. The fire had gone out and the room was cold.

Her family were all home and settled in for the night. Katie had taken Louis into her bed after he threw a tantrum wanting to sleep with Granny Rose. Chloe had busied herself deep-cleaning the kitchen. That had shocked Lottie more than anything. Normally the girl was more interested in deep-cleansing her face.