Алекс Баркли - I Confess

‘There’s no way she’s going to be in here,’ said Murph.

‘Look — we don’t know,’ said Laura. ‘It’s five minutes.’

‘Then we’re in our comfy bed,’ said Murph.

Laura tipped her hood a fraction off her head, and looked up at him from under it. ‘Yeah — those things we’ll never be able to sleep in for the rest of our lives.’

They kept walking until they got to the chapel. ‘Is it open?’ said Laura.

‘I have the key for the back door,’ said Murph, ‘from when we took it to put the...’ He reached under his jacket and put his hand in his jeans pockets. ‘Shite,’ he said. ‘Shite. Maybe Patrick has it.’

‘For fuck’s sake,’ said Laura.

‘I was in shock,’ said Murph. ‘The whole thing’s a blur.’ He put his hand to his chest. ‘Jesus. I did have the key, I think. Did I lock it? Or did I give Patrick that job because I knew better.’ He stared at Laura, wide-eyed. ‘Oh fuck... what if it’s open and we’ve no key to lock it and the guards come looking for Terry? What if I was supposed to lock the fucking thing and I didn’t? Or I left the key in it? Fuck.’

He grabbed Laura’s wrist and started to run down the grassy slope. Laura slipped, and he hauled her up, and they ran on until they hit gravel. They stopped dead at the open door to the sacristy, and exchanged glances.

Murph shrugged. ‘Will we go in?’

Laura rolled her eyes. ‘Of course we’ll fucking go in. That’s why we fucking came here — to look for Edie.’

They walked up to the sacristy door, pushed it open wider, and stepped into the porch. They moved quietly through the doorway into the chapel. In front of the open door of the confession box, kneeling with his back to them was Patrick.

He looked at them over his shoulder, his eyes bright with fear. ‘It was Johnny,’ he said, as he rose from his knees. ‘It was Johnny. He’s lost it.’

Murph and Laura exchanged glances.

‘What do you mean “lost it?” said Murph.

‘He killed Terry,’ said Patrick. ‘And... there’s no sign of Edie. And...’ He paused. ‘Is Clare with you?’ He tilted his head to look around them.

‘No,’ said Laura.

‘She’s gone to bed,’ said Murph. ‘But... where’s Johnny now?’

Patrick held up his grazed hands. ‘He attacked me, accused me of all kinds of things. I fell. I got away. And I came here because I knew it was open from earlier. He was like a mad man. I don’t know what happened — was it the coke, the stress, the whole money situation—’

‘And you don’t know where Edie is,’ said Murph.

Patrick shook his head. ‘I don’t think... I think she’s gone... I think she’s gone. He had... blood all over him.’

Laura looked up at Murph, her eyes filled with fear. ‘He couldn’t have. There’s no way.’

Patrick nodded. ‘I’m afraid... I mean... I don’t know for sure, but...’

‘What are you doing in here?’ said Laura.

‘Getting away from Johnny,’ said Patrick, ‘and looking for these.’ He held up Terry’s keys. ‘I just found them on him. We have to get out of here. His van’s around the corner. We can take that. Johnny could be waiting by my car if he thinks anyone’s trying to get away.’

‘But what about Helen?’ said Laura.

‘I’m going to get Helen now,’ said Patrick. He handed Murph and Laura the key to the front door of the chapel. ‘Go around the front, lock yourselves in there. Johnny doesn’t have a key for that. I’ll get Helen. I’ll come back and give three knocks and you can let me in.’

‘I’ll come with you,’ said Murph.

Laura’s face was white.

‘No,’ said Patrick. ‘Keep her safe.’

‘No — go,’ said Laura, sobbing. ‘Go to Helen. I’ll be fine.’

Patrick shook his head at Murph. ‘It won’t take two of us,’ he said. ‘You stay here. Murph will look after you.’ He gave Laura a half smile then turned and ran.

Murph and Laura ran around to the front door of the chapel, let themselves in, and locked the door behind them.

The moon was a sliver in the black sky. Patrick walked down the slope from the chapel, his head high, the rain like needles on his cheeks. His steps were deliberate, firm on the shifting ground. He crossed the grass to the shed. He slid back the bolt, and stepped inside. He shone the torch all around it. In a mottled mirror, propped against the countertop, he caught the smile on his face when he found what he was looking for.

Murph sat against the wall of the chapel, his arm wrapped around Laura, her head against his chest. There were three firm knocks on the door.

Murph tapped Laura’s shoulder and she sat up. Murph got to his feet and went to the door.

‘It’s me,’ said Patrick.

Murph unlocked the door and let him in.

‘Right,’ said Patrick. ‘I don’t know where Johnny is. I have Helen in the van—’

‘What about Edie?’ said Murph.

‘I don’t know!’ said Patrick. ‘All I can do is at least get the three of you somewhere safe.’ He pointed at Laura. ‘Hang on here — two minutes. Lock the door after us if you want, but we’ll be quick. Murph — I need you to help me move Terry’s body in here.’

‘In here?’ said Murph. ‘Why?’

‘Because Johnny knows where it is,’ said Patrick. ‘It could have evidence on it. Whatever about Terry, if he’s laid a finger on anyone else...’

Murph and Patrick ran around to the sacristy.

‘Right,’ said Patrick, going to one side of the tarpaulin, crouching down. ‘Grab his legs.’

Murph crouched down.

‘Lift,’ said Patrick.

Murph lifted and frowned. ‘This is way heavier.’ He looked down.

‘I found some of Terry’s tools when I came in here,’ said Patrick, pushing against Murph, making him walk backwards. ‘I was thinking that Johnny might have used one of them to hit him. He might have wiped off the blood, but left his prints on them somewhere if he wasn’t careful. So I threw the tools in with the body just in case.’

They carried the body around the side of the chapel. The door was still open. Laura was sitting by the wall where they had left her. Patrick took several steps backwards through the door and stopped. They put the body down. Patrick strode to the door. ‘Right. Come on.’

He looked at Murph and pointed to Laura. ‘Quick. Help her up.’

Murph walked over to Laura. Patrick took the key from the door, slipped back outside, and locked it behind him.

Patrick walked around the side of the chapel, opened the sacristy door, and walked in.

‘Hello!’ he said.

Murph’s voice boomed from the other side of the confession boxes. ‘What the fuck is going on? What the fuck are you doing?’ He slammed his hands against it. ‘Fucking answer me!’

‘We’re fucked!’ said Laura. ‘It’s fucking Patrick. He killed Terry. And he’s locking us in here so he can—’

‘So he can what?’ said Murph. He slammed his hands against the confession box. ‘So you can what, you prick? Just get the fuck out of here. Just go. What do you think we’re going to do?’

Patrick stood, motionless, his ear tilted towards them.

‘Fucking answer us,’ said Laura, her voice as close as Murph’s, both of them now hammering on the confession box. ‘Let us the fuck out and you can fuck off with yourself! No one’s going to say anything to anyone! Just go!’

‘Little Miss Sergeant’s Daughter?’ said Patrick. ‘You were the most eager to go to the guards.’

‘That was before this!’ said Laura.

‘Morality goes out the fucking window when your ass is on the line, is that it?’ said Patrick.

‘She’s got kids at home,’ said Murph, ‘and they need to see their mammy again—’