He let her talk on, but she had no more details to give. When she got up to leave, he reached out to shake her hand, but she pulled him into an embrace. She pressed hard against his thighs. He let go politely, giving her arms a gentle squeeze, turning her towards the exit.
‘Mother of God,’ he said, when he closed the door behind her.
Sam Tallon liked to work early in the morning when everyone else was sleeping. He went straight to the lighthouse and was about to unlock the door when he realised it was already open. He climbed the steps, stopping for breath halfway. When he reached the lantern house, Anna was already there, picking up damp newspapers from the floor.
‘I couldn’t sleep,’ she said when she saw the look on his face.
‘Ah, sure four hours is about all you need, if you ask me,’ he said. ‘I’ll get started on checking everything. We can find out fairly quickly whether or not this old lady can be fired up.’
Joe picked up a length of timber from a stack by the workbench. He secured it with two clamps and stood staring at it. From the top shelf, he chose a plane and started to work along one of the edges, shaving away thin slivers. Then he unclamped the wood and threw it back on the pile. He jumped when he saw a figure standing in the doorway.
‘Martha,’ he said. ‘You scared the hell out of me. How are you?’
‘I was wondering if you could help, Joe,’ she said. ‘With Katie. You’ve got experience in these things.’
‘Yes,’ said Joe. ‘But—’
‘What do you think happened?’ she asked.
‘Honestly, Martha, I don’t know. I don’t have all the facts.’
‘You were there for all those questions too. I’ve filled you in over the last few weeks. You know as much as I know, which is as much as the guards know.’
‘They may have more information than they’re letting on,’ he said.
She looked down.
‘You don’t think she ran away, do you?’ she asked.
‘She could have,’ said Joe. ‘If you’re here because of my experience, I’ll tell you one thing I’ve learned and that’s keep an open mind. Especially with a teenager. You don’t know what’s coming next. I’ve no idea what’s going through Shaun’s head sometimes.’
‘Is there anything you can do, can you see if the guards will let you help them?’
He smiled. ‘I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do on that score. It’s just not the way it works. What do they think happened? Where do they think she went that night?’
‘It doesn’t make sense. It seems like they believe she’s run away. But they won’t tell me why they think she’d do that. Their theory is that she left Shaun at the harbour, walked up through the village, took a left to go home and then it all gets a bit vague. I think they haven’t a notion.’
‘Well, I guess I can ask a few questions,’ said Joe, ‘see if there’s anything that doesn’t seem right. But it’s not like I’m on the job back home with all my regular resources.’
She nodded sadly.
‘Look, maybe if you keep me up to date on anything new the police tell you, that would help.’
‘All right,’ she said. She looked him right in the eyes. ‘What if she’s dead?’
He didn’t miss a beat. ‘Remember that open mind,’ he said, squeezing her arm.
She nodded. ‘I think she is dead.’ She hurried from the workshop without looking back. He wondered, not for the first time, why people felt they could tell him things he knew they’d never tell another soul.
Betty Shanley was walking out of Tynan’s when she saw Shaun across the street. She waved him over.
‘Sorry, sweetheart, I know you’re on your lunch break, but I just wanted to let you know; we have guests coming to one of the houses for the weekend. Would you mind getting it organised?’
‘Sure, Mrs Shanley,’ he said. ‘For Friday?’
‘Yes. You could go in after school, though. They’re not arriving ’til about ten.’ She gave him a quick hug. ‘I hope you’re OK,’ she said. ‘You poor divil.’
‘Thanks,’ he said, walking away. ‘Oh, which house is it?’
‘Fifteen,’ she said. His heart lurched.
Joe sat in the den with his PowerBook in front of him.
‘Hi,’ said Anna, sticking her head in.
‘This case is a goddamn nightmare,’ said Joe. He tapped his fingers on the keys.
‘What case?’ said Anna.
He looked away. ‘Shit. I meant Katie.’
‘Case?’
‘Sorry, you know what I’m saying. It’s just, you know, not being in the loop—’
‘I don’t like where you’re going.’
‘Look, I’m close to this, I know the players, it’s just I need to know everything if I was to—’
‘Whoa,’ said Anna. ‘You’re on a break, detective.’
‘Come on,’ said Joe. ‘Who would you trust more?’
‘You don’t know what the guards are doing,’ she said. ‘They could be, as you would say, “sitting on their perp” right now. Oh my God,’ she said. ‘Listen to me. I just assumed someone did something to her, that someone’s—’ Tears welled in her eyes.
‘Aw, honey,’ said Joe. ‘Come over here.’
‘I don’t know which is worse,’ said Anna. ‘That someone’s got her somewhere or that she’s…I mean…’
‘I know, I know. That’s why I want to help.’
‘You’re serious,’ she said, wiping away her tears.
‘No shit, I’m serious. Our son’s girlfriend has disappeared. He’s a wreck.’ He looked down. ‘And Martha asked me to help.’
‘Ah. I see,’ said Anna. ‘You have someone’s blessing.’
He said nothing.
‘Do you mind?’ she said, reaching across him, using the track pad to click on the Stickies icon at the bottom of the screen. Over thirty yellow, green and blue computerised Post-Its opened in front of her. She smiled and shook her head.
‘Wow.’
Each note had a reference to Katie’s disappearance and comments underneath. Joe moved her hand away and pulled down the screen.
Shaun breathed in when he saw what was inside the fridge. Tiny cake crumbs. He pushed down on them with his finger and they stuck. He swept the rest of them into his palm and stood, his hand suspended over the sink, wondering if he would be jinxing something by throwing them away. He tipped his hand over and turned on the tap, watching the crumbs float, then swirl over the drain, then disappear. He walked around the house into every room, checking everything he was supposed to check, accidentally doing his job. He went into the master bedroom. His heart thundered in his chest. He lay on the bed with the pillow over his face. He sat up. The room was so empty. He opened and closed the wardrobes. He fixed the bed. He cried. He went downstairs. He turned on the heating. He lay the welcome note on the table. He locked the door. He left the keys under the mat and walked home.
Joe jogged into the station and asked Richie if he could speak with Frank.
‘I suppose so,’ said Richie. ‘Frank,’ he shouted. ‘Mr Lucchesi is here to see you.’ His smile was wide and fake.
‘Well, both of you can hear this, actually,’ said Joe.
Frank came out to the counter.
‘It’s about what I was trying to tell you that time in Danaher’s. Shaun gave Katie a white rose on the Friday she disappeared and I found it on her father’s grave. So I think she went down Church Road and stopped at the
