He rang the doorbell and Mrs Ames answered, her right arm hooked around her narrow waist, a string of pearls lying flat against her chest.
‘Hello, Donnie,’ she said, giving him a weak smile.
‘Hello, ma’am,’ said Donnie. ‘Ashley here?’
‘Come on in.’
She turned her head and smiled when she saw her daughter walk from the living room. She was close to tears when she looked at Donnie.
‘You look after her,’ she said.
‘Mom!’ said Ashley.
‘You don’t mind me saying that, Donnie, do you?’ said Mrs Ames.
‘Of course not, ma’am,’ he said. ‘And don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her.’ Ashley smiled, taking Donnie’s arm.
The sun was high, sending ripples of silver light across the water. Duke sat in the darkness of the densely packed trees, his legs drawn to his chest. A flashlight lay on the grass beside him. After waiting quietly for half an hour, he heard footsteps along the path and a girl laughing. Then he heard Donnie’s voice and the dull clink of beer bottles. The sounds drifted away as they moved towards the water’s edge.
‘Nah. I didn’t do too well in that one,’ said Donnie. ‘Geography’s not my thing. And I hate Baxter. He’s a loser.’
‘Yeah,’ said Ashley.
Donnie fidgeted with a bottle cap, flicking it in the air with his thumb over and over.
‘Earth to Donnie, earth to Donnie,’ said Ashley. He turned to look at her as if he had forgotten she was there.
‘Sorry,’ he muttered. ‘Want another beer?’
‘Sure,’ she said.
He reached behind them to grab a bottle and when he sat up his face was inches from hers. She closed her eyes. He leaned in and kissed her on the lips, guiding her gently back onto the grass beside him.
‘Above the waist,’ she said, smiling, slapping Donnie’s hand away.
A twig cracked. Duke had been standing over them, watching silently. Ashley bolted upright, fixing her top, staring at Duke. Donnie sat up, panic flashing across his face.
‘Hi, Pu—, uh, hi Duke,’ she said, confused.
‘Keep goin’, guys, don’t worry ’bout me,’ said Duke.
She looked at him, alarmed. Then she smiled.
‘Sure,’ she said, looking at Donnie, laughing. Donnie looked nervous. She looked back to Duke.
‘Seriously,’ he said, his voice ice cold. ‘Keep. Going.’
Donnie put his arm around her waist, pulling her towards him. She pushed him away.
‘What y’all talkin’ about?’ she said, getting up. ‘Are you crazy?’
‘Just do it,’ said Duke, shoving her on top of Donnie. Ashley’s eyes were wide. She knew these guys, she could identify them. Then her heart sank. She knew she never would.
‘Get down to it,’ said Duke. ‘I’ll sit back here and take it all in and maybe I’ll get myself a bit of the action later.’
‘Come on now, Ashley,’ said Duke when it was all over. He shook out her handbag, then picked up her compact. ‘Fix that face of yours. You’ve ruined your mascara. Go on, now.’
He pushed the mirror in front of her face. She saw the tears roll down her cheeks. He picked up her brush from the grass and began brushing the back of her hair. He pulled out the leaves and shook the dirt that clung to the matted brown mess. ‘What would your daddy think? He would think his little girl was a whore, his little princess was out on her first date, givin’ it up to a no-good like Donnie Riggs.’ He laughed. Donnie stayed quiet beside him. Ashley took the brush from Duke and dragged it through her hair. ‘Leave me alone,’ she sobbed. ‘I’m not going to tell anyone, I can’t tell anyone. Just leave me alone. Please go.’ Duke picked up the bloodied flashlight and walked away.
‘Molasses takes out grass stains,’ muttered Donnie as he turned to go.
Ashley looked into the tiny mirror and saw the mascara streaked down her face. When she wiped it all away and smeared on more makeup, she looked almost the same as when she had walked out her door. Except for her eyes. She picked herself up off the ground and walked slowly to the edge of the woods and out on to the road.
As she walked the final few metres to her house, Duke passed her by and nodded.
‘It coulda been a lot worse, Ashley.’ He waited a beat. ‘You should see what we do for our next trick.’
NINETEEN
Richie stood by a black station wagon, scribbling a parking ticket. He folded it and slipped it under the windscreen wiper. Shaun walked out of the coffee shop and rolled his eyes.
‘I wouldn’t mind a quick word,’ said Richie, jogging up behind him. ‘I just want to clear something up.’ He stopped and took out his notebook, tilting it to avoid the misty rain that had started to fall.
‘Sure,’ said Shaun. ‘But I’m on my way back to school.’ He pulled up the hood on his parka, casting a shadow over his eyes.
‘Just remind me again,’ said Richie. ‘Where exactly did you say goodbye to Katie?’
Shaun took a breath. ‘Over there, I guess, by the wall down to the harbour.’
‘Did you hear the singing?’ asked Richie.
Shaun froze. ‘What?’
‘You said you were down by the dry dock before then.’
‘Yes.’
‘So was a Spanish boat with twenty drunk sailors singing at the top of their lungs.’
Shaun said nothing.
‘So where did you go when you left Katie’s house? It doesn’t look like you were at the harbour.’
Shaun’s heart pounded. Cold sweat trickled down his side.
‘We were at the harbour, but earlier…’
The owner of the station wagon came out of Tynan’s and threw his hands up in the air.
‘Ah, for Christ’s sake, guard. I was two minutes. Look – a newspaper! How long do you think that took? I’ve just come down from Dublin for a couple of days—’
Richie shrugged and turned away.
One of the old barflies was walking past and leaned into the Dublin man. ‘He won’t listen to you, you know. “Double yellows” he’ll tell you. And he’ll point at them. He’s a bollox.’
Richie ignored the muttering behind him and stared at Shaun.
‘Then we went to…for a walk,’ said Shaun.
‘Now you’re talking shite to me, Shaun. Where were you really?’
‘I told you. For a walk.’
‘Leave the young lad alone,’ shouted the barfly as he disappeared into Danaher’s. ‘Y’bollox,’ he muttered.
‘Where did you go for a walk?’ said Richie.
‘Up through the village and—’
‘Out of town, then all the way back here out of the way of her house to say goodbye?’
‘No.’
‘Through the village where? Up to your house, then back here out of the way to say goodbye?’
Shaun couldn’t stand still.
‘Was something wrong, Shaun? You can tell me. Did you have a fight?’
