Page 39 of Three Widows

‘Éilis set up a Facebook page. I can’t stop worrying about her.’

‘What did you talk about last night? Anything out of the ordinary or different?’

Helena seemed to hesitate. ‘Just the usual. I really should have left with them.’

‘Why didn’t you?’

‘I was a bit tipsy. I went back inside and got another quick drink. Then I left. Got a taxi at the post office. There were none outside Danny’s by then.’

‘Was Éilis in a relationship?’

Helena’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened. ‘You think she met someone and did a flit, leaving her kids behind? No, that’s not the Éilis I know. After Oisín died, she lived for her kids. She even moved her office from town to her house. She wanted to be on hand at all times.’

‘Except Thursday nights.’

‘We’re widows, Detective, not dead.’

He felt an embarrassed flush flood his cheeks. ‘I apologise. I didn’t mean anything by it…’

She reached out and touched his hand. ‘I can feel that you’re stressed. Very stressed. I have something that will help. Wait there.’

He watched her make her way through a door at the back of the shop, her dress swirling around her tanned legs, gold glittering on her sandals in the shard of light streaking in from the front door. She returned almost instantly with a small brown paper bag.

‘What is it?’ He opened the bag. A fine green powder nestled in the bottom.

‘Nettles. I pick them myself and grind them. You’ll need to use a strainer. Try it. I guarantee it will ease your stress.’

‘Only thing that would ease my stress is if my ex-wife would disappear in a puff of smoke.’ Shit, why had he said that?

‘You’re funny, Detective.’ She must have seen the serious glint in his eye, and added, ‘Be strong in the face of opposition. That’s what my husband, Gerald, used to say to me whenever I hit a brick wall with my business. Another health food shop, one of those franchise chain affairs, opened up in town a few months after I had plunged every cent I possessed into this place. Thank God, my little haven has survived against the odds.’

‘It’s good to know your business is successful.’ He waved the brown bag. ‘What do I owe you for this?’

‘Not a thing. It’s on the house.’

Boyd felt he had strayed so far off the reason for his visit that he was at a loss to know how to bring it back on track. The only information he’d secured from Helena was that Éilis had left the pub with Orla Keating, whose husband went missing a year ago. And he still hadn’t mentioned Jennifer.

‘What’s the name of this Facebook page?’

‘Life After Loss. Not very original. It’s a closed group, with Éilis as the administrator. Oh feck.’

‘We will find her.’ He braced himself for what he was about to say. ‘Helena, there is another reason for my visit. Did you hear about a murder this morning?’

Her hand flew to her mouth. ‘It’s not Éilis, is it?’

‘No. Unfortunately the body of a young woman was discovered out at Ballyglass Business Park. We believe it to be that of Jennifer O’Loughlin.’

‘No. No. You’re mistaken. Please, tell me it’s not true?’ She wobbled back onto the stool again.

‘I’m afraid it is. Can I get you a drink of water?’

She shook her head, and more strands of hair flew loose from their mooring. ‘It’s just a lot to take in. Éilis is missing, and now you tell me Jennifer is dead. God!’

‘You said Jennifer hadn’t been to meetings in a month or so. Did she give any indication why she wouldn’t be attending?’

Helena bit her lip tightly, as if she was trying to prevent words from spewing out. At last she seemed to trust herself to speak. ‘I can’t think. She was closer to Éilis… Oh my God, this is awful.’

‘Did she ever mention something she was worried about, or anything that concerned you?’