“Hello, again. Er… You okay?”
She doesn’t respond. What a stupid question. He hears footsteps from right above his head, and soon enough the stairs creak and down comes the second daughter and Nuala, who has bleary eyes and a pink jumper haphazardly threw on over her pyjamas.
“Michelle, make Mr McNally a cup of tea, will you please?”
Groaning, Michelle stands and retreats into the kitchen before McNally has a chance to thank her. He takes the seat he had yesterday, whilst the other three sit on the edge of the sofa, grouped together like a close-knit family should be. Both older children either side of their mother, almost as if by doing so they can protect her from the news. This will make what he has to say both easier… And harder.
“So… We’ve heard back from forensics this morning…”
No one blinks or says a word. He clears his throat. Best to just come out and say it.
“We’ve established that the body found in your old garden behind the garage… I’m sorry, but it is that of Aaron Parker. Your husband and father… We were able to identify him by his dental records. I’m so very sorry.”
The girl, Danielle, starts crying and clings to Nuala, who stares at the coffee table with sunken eyes. The boy, Ritchie, places both palms flat on the back of his neck and bends forward.
“So, where do we go from here?” Nuala finally manages, swallowing her grief.
“Well, we’ve heard from our forensic entomologist that the body has been there for quite some time. It wasn’t moved there once you up and left. However, as I’m sure you can guess, it’s going to be hard to determine if that’s where he was killed-“
“Killed?”
They look up to see Michelle hovering in the doorway, her eyes brimming with tears. McNally coughs and looks at Nuala again.
“Should we maybe do this in private?”
Nuala shakes her head.
“No, they have a right to know. He was their daddy.”
“It’s just… It could be quite… Upsetting.”
“Then put it into simpler, more empathetic language please, Detective,” Ritchie sits forward, grabbing Michelle’s hand and pulling her onto the sofa beside him.
“If you’re sure?”
After a few seconds Nuala nods.
“Okay, well… Yes, we are opening a murder inquiry. Aaron’s skull was fractured, but the rest of the body seems to be intact. At this moment, we’re treating this as the cause of death…”
He coughs again, looking at the sorry foursome collected together. Michelle still looks forward, silent tears rolling down her eyes. Ritchie sits consoling her, with another arm around his mother’s lower back. Nuala continually bites her lip whilst Danielle sobs into her chest. This is hard. Where the hell is that FLO?
“I am so sorry for your loss. Believe me when I say we are reopening this investigation and want to bring whoever did this to your husband and father to justice. Now we have a body, we can see if there’s any evidence. And with retrospect, comes a great deal. As well as fresh eyes on the case.”
“Fresh eyes?” Nuala finally looks at him.
“Yes, DI Quigley has taken up a post with the PSNI in Belfast, so I’m the new lead investigator on the case. As well as this, I have several detectives helping me from an outsider’s perspective, as well as half a dozen who worked the original case. We’re all working together.”
“How did the media find out so fast?” Ritchie asks, “they knew before us.”
McNally was anticipating this question, but they’re still no closer to finding an answer.
“That was just speculation. They didn’t know for sure because we didn’t… Officially. As for how they found out, I can’t say. The Letter are incredibly protective of their sources, and I’m sure you can guess with us opening a murder enquiry they want to protect them even more. We can only guess at the moment.”
“And what about Dermott?” Nuala says.
“I’m sorry?”
“Dermott Curry, he was our FLO.”
McNally chews the inside of his mouth. He’d heard nothing about Curry.
“Let me just ring DS Ferguson, but you have been appointed one already.”
“I want Dermott. He knows us, he knows the case. I tried to ring him last night, but I must have lost his number when I got my new phone. Speak to DS Ferguson, he knows us and knows the case too. He’ll know we’ll want Dermott back.”
Nodding, McNally stands, excusing himself, and steps outside into the garden. Being sure to avoid the window, he calls Ferguson.
“Sir?”
“Ferguson, where’s the FLO?”
“He’s not there? Well, he should still be on his way. Traffic’s bad, massive crash on the-“
“Well, tell him to hurry! And also, they’re asking about a Curry? Dermott? He was the FLO last time?”
“Oh, aye. Derm retired, though.”
“Fuck! Right, well I want a statement from him with everything he knows. The family seem to know and trust him and want him back, so even if he could come for moral support?”
“Right away, sir.”
“Anything else to update?”
“Well, Fleming is currently trying to make contact with one of our underground investigators who is acting as a mole within Ardóimid. With the news breaking late last night and this morning, we’re hoping it’ll open up a new line of inquiry with them.”
“Good work, Ferguson. And the Jacks?”
“Still trying to find a way in, sir. You know Billy, he’s airtight.”
“Right, well let me know about any progress.”
Hanging up, he brings his phone to his mouth and stares out at the traffic on the way up the Church Brae. Where to go from here?
Chapter Eighteen:
“Congratulations, newbie.”
Cathal fights the urge to roll his eyes and thanks Ethan, who pats him on the back on
