John Brady - A Carra ring

She was eating something when he phoned her. Iseult had a plan, she told him. She had consulted her conscience before phoning with the news that she’d be going out for a swim in Killiney Bay. Orla’s father had a boat, remember. Iseult didn’t want them worrying, that was all. Wasn’t that nice? He rubbed at his eyes and held in a sigh. His knuckles ached when he tried to switch the receiver to his left hand. The office had gone quiet. He turned to see where Murtagh was.

Purcell had come out of Kilmartin’s office. He’d nearly forgotten about him being here, Minogue thought as he listened to Kathleen’s arrangements. Iseult didn’t mind him coming out in the boat with Orla’s father. In fact she wanted it. Didn’t things work out well there? Minogue nodded at Purcell. Then he stared at the phone cord until his eyes went sandy. Purcell had sidled over to Murtagh, who was ignoring his questions.

Minogue said good-bye to Kathleen and let the phone down slowly. Purcell tried again with Murtagh. Murtagh looked him up and down.

Minogue studied Purcell’s face. Curious, suspicious.

“Heard the news on the Smith thing?” Purcell tried. He looked from face to face. Malone stopped rubbing his nose and looked over at Purcell.

“It might be the clincher,” he said. “Home free. That’d be great.”

Minogue studied the phone number Freeman had left.

He stood and stretched. Purcell fingered his lip and watched his approach.

“Matt.”

Purcell had scaly skin, redder when he was bothered.

“Matt. You know I think the same thing. I’d only be delighted to walk out of here. We’re only here to assure administration that the case is gone as far as it could go for now, that the Smith file is jammed for good reason. We can’t have people thinking that the squad’s just sitting on it.”

Minogue searched the sparse hair Purcell had recently combed down. “That’s as far as it goes,” Purcell said. “We all agree on that, I think.”

“Smith’s file is active, Sean,” said Minogue. Purcell nodded, looked at the wall. “We review in short every month, going back eight years to a stabbing in Fairview even. We reassign in full every three months to get the new eyes on it. It’s always moving. Always.”

“You know that, I know that, but it’s been reviewed independently.”

Minogue looked at Kilmartin’s clock.

“You know,” said Purcell. “I never get pally when we go in like this. Never. I shouldn’t even be talking to you probably It’s just that, well, this isn’t some hooligan getting his arm broken in a squad car, this is a case of the best we have here. No one seriously believes what that bitch said in the paper. She parroted anything the Smiths said just to sell papers.”

Bitch, Minogue reflected. Well, now Purcell should move on to a different department. A different job, maybe.

“Nobody in their right minds could believe what she was letting these gangsters say through her column. Really, I mean…”

Minogue said nothing. Purcell finally shrugged and looked away.

Minogue watched Murtagh checking the levels on the cassette recorder by the phone. He lifted the phone and got a line several times, listening.

“Go ahead,” said Murtagh. “Anytime now. It’s line one, don’t forget.”

Minogue glanced down at the phone number for the Aisling Hotel. The receptionist had an odd accent. Like the ad for that new detergent. He didn’t get a chance to thank her before he was switched. Two rings. Gone, was he -

“Yes? Hello?”

“Jeffrey Freeman?”

“Yes. Hi. Is this Officer Minogue?”

Officer, Minogue thought: that’d do nicely.

“It is indeed. You phoned me.”

“Can we meet? Soon?”

None of this Thank You For Returning My Call? He let the pause linger.

“Why?”

“It concerns the Shaughnessy case.”

“The Shaughnessy case. You better explain where you fit with that now, like a good man.”

“Okay. I can give you background, but we really should meet, personally.”

“Talk for now, Mr. Freeman.”

“You know about Mr. Leyne, right?”

“What have I been told about Mr. Leyne?”

“I understand you were informed he’s on a life support system at the…”

“The Blackrock Clinic, yes.”

“Your commissioner, right?”

“He didn’t put him there, Mr. Freeman. He only told me about it.”

“And that it is absolutely confidential?”

“Words to that effect, yes ”

“You haven’t told anyone about it, have you?”

Minogue looked across at Malone.

“Mr. Freeman — ”

“Jeff, please — ”

“Jeff I have two phones here on my desk. Tell me why I shouldn’t lift the other one and call in a squad car to go to your hotel room and drag you out here?”

“What? I mean, excuse me? Is this some kind of, intimidation, I’m hearing?”

“It’s notice of intent.”

“It sounds like a threat. -”

“It’s not a threat,” Minogue broke in. “Threats are about the future. What I’m keen to do would take all of about seven minutes.”

Malone had made his way over. He raised his eyebrows at Minogue, held up his hand, and clamped his fingers on his wrist. Minogue shook his head.

“You’re serious, I do believe you’re being serious. This is unbelievable.”

“If I believe you are a threat to public order or you’re trying to obstruct a murder investigation, there’ll be a half a dozen coming through your door.”

“Well let me relay that news to the embassy. They’d be interested, I’m sure. Then your commissioner.”

“Good day to you, Mr. Freeman. You’ll be coming here in person in about a half an hour to see for yourself just how mistaken you are ”

“Wait! Look — let’s take a step back from this. I’m a visitor here. Maybe I haven’t come across the way people here are used to.”

“You’re going to be a resident here if you don’t get smart. You’ve got about ten seconds.”

“My client here — ”

“Your employer, you mean. Play by the rules. To me you’re a person obstructing a murder investigation.”

“Okay,” said Freeman, “say what you like, but I have a legal obligation to my client. I’m telling you that I have to respect it. I can only do that by meeting you in person. And I don’t want any police, Garda I mean, tail this time.”

Minogue sat in tighter to the desk.

“What do you mean, this time?”

“Let’s not waste time on that one. Please? I was told you were in on everything. So: we don’t need the ‘escort.’”

Minogue said nothing.

“Okay? So we can get together on this? I’ll hand over what I’m supposed to and then we can proceed whatever way you like.”

“Take a taxi here then. Or I can have you picked up.”

“Please. Mr. Leyne directed me to deal with you. You only.”

“Me?”

“Mr. Leyne doesn’t have confidence in the authorities here,” Freeman said. “You’re known. So is your boss, the one on vacation. He was very specific.”

“Was?”

“‘Is,’ ‘was.’” Freeman’s voice dropped. “I need your assurance that what I tell you stays confidential?”

“Why?”

“I have to execute Mr. Leyne’s instructions,” he said. “When he becomes, well, when he becomes incapacitated.”

“I’m a policeman, Mr. Freeman. Get serious now, or — ”

“Do you know much about Leyne’s Foods? How stock markets work?”

Minogue’s Biro broke through the paper.

“Look,” said Freeman. “Mr. Leyne’s son telephoned from Ireland. I have a signed statement from Mr. Leyne here stating the substance of their conversation.”

“What did he say?”