Billy lets out a cackle, his arms wide open at his side.
“You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Do you understand?”
“Balls, absolute balls,” Taylor continues to guffaw, before McNally brings out his handcuffs.
Shaking his head, his body still vibrating with laughter, he agrees to be led to the car uncuffed. Ferguson spies a few heads peeking out at them from the dimly lit windows of the pub. Thankfully, they’re all safely in the car when a few boisterous lads appear at the front door. Shouting ‘get tae fuck’ and ‘peeler scum.’ Taylor just continues to chuckle as a group start snorting after them, one even launching a full pint glass at the car, which narrowly misses Ferguson’s passenger-side mirror.
“Nice friends you have there,” McNally grumbles.
Ferguson looks into the rear-view mirror to see Taylor glaring back at them playfully.
“You have no idea.”
Chapter Fifty-Five:
“Can I speak with you a moment?”
Jodie looks up from her computer and nods, minimizing whatever she was working on to display the Londonderry Letter’s emblem which is the standard screensaver for all the office’s computers. Taking the proffered seat, Cathal looks at his feet.
“How were the Parkers?”
“Oh, you know… As you’d expect… Bereaved.”
“Any good quotes?”
“Aye, I’ve actually finished the article and it’s been submitted for approval.”
As if bursting to life, Jodie bustles with her mouse, bringing up the requested articles for the paper’s online forum. Finding it close to the top, she opens it, silencing Cathal with a raised finger and a sharp ‘shush.’ He sits awkwardly whilst she assesses his work. When she’s finished reading, she looks back up at him with gleaming eyes.
“Very good, I love it. Although, I’d take out the part about the older brother leaving with tears in his eyes. That’s a bit too… Creative writing for my tastes. And we want to keep them onside, we don’t want to embarrass the boy.”
“No, Jodie… You don’t understand. I came in to be asked to be taken off the story.”
Jodie cocks her head to the side, a frown prominent on her face.
“Is… Has there been more… Incidents?”
Cathal nods before bringing out his phone and passing it over the desk. Jodie pulls her glasses down from the top of her head and inspects the latest message, before gasping and looking up at him.
“Right… I understand completely. I’ll give it to Ethan, he worked on the case three years ago.”
“Thank you, Jodie.”
“Can you pass him your source’s number?”
“Of course, I’ll send it over to him now.”
“In the meantime, I want you to take annual leave.”
Cathal goes to protest, but Jodie waves away his interruption.
“I’ll hear nothing more of it. You have so much left, you refuse to take any. It’s good for your mental health, you know? Even if you have nowhere to go.”
Cathal desires to tell Jodie that keeping himself busy is the best thing for his mental health. That sitting alone at home is the worst possible thing he can do.
“Go home and spend time with your sister. Contact the police. Do whatever you can to keep yourselves safe. This isn’t some silly jealous reporter; this could be serious… You have to look after yourself.”
Nodding, disappointed, Cathal thanks her for her time, before exiting the office. Deciding not to make a song and dance about it, intent on messaging Ethan privately later, he walks straight out of the office, everyone too engrossed in their own stories to notice. If anyone did see him leave, they’d guess he was popping to the shops to buy something to eat at his desk. It’s not uncommon to get something to bring to your desk when a story keeps you here well after office hours have finished.
Stepping out onto Spencer Road, Cathal sighs as he decides a walk will do him good. Crossing the road, he starts to walk across the upper deck of the Craigavon Bridge over to the Derryside, but stops, leaning against the railing, gazing down at where they found David Wayne earlier this morning. Of course, the news had shocked the city. There was no denying that an underground organisation was behind it. No one else would be that brutal. But what it was about, Joanna in the office still has to find out. The police are almost being as tight lipped as David will be going forward.
The office was gossiping earlier about what they think it could be. Of course, the ‘tout’ route was the most obvious. Punished for blabbing something he shouldn’t have. Maybe Cathal won’t even find out now, having been forced to take leave. He’ll miss the camaraderie of the excited office as someone gets a lead. It’s addictive. He’d basically been forced to take holidays during the summer, and it was the longest two weeks of his life. He’d been in the office two or three times during those weeks, inquiring as to what his colleagues were working on before being chased out by Jodie. How is he going to last now, with God knows how long this investigation could carry on for?
His thoughts are broken as his phone vibrates in his pocket. Instinctively, he looks either side of him, wondering if a neighbouring car has their camera on their phone pointed towards him. Could they be following him now? Suddenly feeling very vulnerable by himself, especially so close to the river, he retreats back a few steps before pulling out his phone. Thankfully, it’s just Dermott.
‘Interesting update – will keep you in the loop when we know more. D.’
He yearns to know what’s going on. He can’t believe he has to stay in the dark. He can almost feel the pins and needles in his fingers, itching to get at a story that is no longer his to tell.
Chapter Fifty-Six:
