“Sadie. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I’ve just received a message from the hospital. They did their very best but I’m afraid there was a complication, and Lennox died on the operating table.”
From her training, Tracy knew the best thing was to say nothing. To allow the news to register with the person hearing it.
“No, you’re lying. This is some sort of trick, right. First Tyson and now Lennox. No, you bitch, just because of your father and what happened to him you’re trying to wind me up. You just want revenge for your dad. Well, I’m not giving you the satisfaction. I don’t believe you. Not my Lennox. My lovely boy. Lennox is fine. Lennox is fine. He’s alive. Get out. Fucking get out and leave me alone.”
“What do you mean first Tyson? Has something happened to him we’re not aware of? And what do you know about my father, Sadie?”
“I know what happened to him. I know everything. But I’m not telling you a fucking thing. Not when you try to trick me with lies about Lennox. And what are you trying to say? You don’t know about that bastard Maynard? He killed Tyson. Drowned him. He’s still got Tyson’s body. I want it back. I want to bury my son. Find his body, and I’ll tell you about your precious father. Until then, fuck off and leave me alone. Go on, fuck off.”
Tracy walked out of the cell, and the custody sergeant closed the door and locked it.
“I think she’ll be alright, but best keep an eye on her.”
Tracy walked back up to the first floor and into the CID offices and over to Eden’s desk.
“I’ve just told Sadie about Lennox. She said ‘First Tyson and now Lennox’. And she said, ‘Don’t tell me you don’t know about that Maynard bastard’. Do we have any news on something happening to Tyson?”
“No. Not that I know of.”
“She also mentioned my father.”
“Your father. You think the O’Connor’s had something to do with his disappearance? When did he go missing?”
“Just over eight years.”
“I guess it’s possible they were involved. I read in the files the O’Connor’s moved to Trentbridge twelve years ago. Do you know if he was investigating them when he disappeared? Do you think there’s a connection?”
“When it comes to that family nothing would surprise me. We got word this morning that the Irish Garda thinks they are linked to a drugs syndicate. We’ve suspected they are involved with drugs, but we’ve never been able to find how they’re bringing the goods in. I know the drugs squad spent two months watching every vehicle journey they made and never found a thing.”
“With Sadie under arrest, when are you planning to search the house?”
“Not until a couple of days after Lennox’s funeral. To go in now would cause a riot. We’d have every traveller with fifty miles descend on us. Tough as it is to wait, we need to show some respect. But we can make a visit to see Kevin.”
The following day, Eden and Tracy drove to the O’Connor residence.
Across from the main house, they saw a bonfire.
“What’s that for, burning evidence?” asked Tracy.
“No. It’s for Lennox. A bonfire at the home when someone dies, it’s a traveller tradition. Lennox’s coffin must already be in the house.”
Tracy knocked at the front door. She waited then knocked again.
“Fucking hang on. I’m coming.”
The door opened, and the two detectives were surprised to see Kevin on crutches with his leg in plaster.
“I suppose you’ve come to gloat.”
“You know us better than that, Kevin. We may not see eye to eye, but we have never treated you with anything other than respect and fairness. Now may we come in?”
Kevin turned on his crutches and walked away. “Shut the door and take your shoes off.”
The two detectives followed him into the living room. As with the other times they had visited, the house was spotless. Not a single thing out of place. The travelling community might have a reputation for fly-tipping and leaving huge piles of rubbish behind after illegally occupying a site but inside their own homes are always pristine. Cleaner than most five-star hotels.
“What are you here for then?”
Tracy spoke. “When I gave Sadie the news about Lennox she said ‘First Tyson and now Lennox’. Has something happened to Tyson?”
“He’s away on a couple of weeks’ holiday with some mates. He’s fine.”
“So what did she mean when she said she wanted his body back to bury him? She mentioned the name Maynard. I assume she means the gentleman whose daughter was killed in the hit and run.”
“How the fuck would I know what she’s on about? I expect she got confused, that’s all.”
“There is one other thing. She said I told her about Lennox because I just wanted revenge for my dad. You know who my dad was, don’t you.”
“Of course I do. Our paths crossed a few times. He was a fair man.”
“So what did she mean?”
“Come back and see me in a couple of weeks and I might be able to tell you a little more. What I can say is that his disappearance had nothing to do with us. Over the years I have heard rumours, but that’s all.”
“You swear you had nothing to do with it.”
“I’ll swear on a stack of fucking bibles if you like. I had nothing to do with it. Why would I? He wasn’t investigating me. You need to look closer to home. That’s all I’m saying for now.”
“Okay, we’ll see ourselves out, Kevin. Our sincere condolences over Lennox. Could we pay our respects to him?”
“I’m sure he would appreciate that.” Kevin stood up with the aid of his crutches and showed them through to the next room. In the middle was a stand with a beautifully ornate white coffin with silver handles. All around the room were candles burning.
“When is the
