Past Darkness (17 page)

‘T
ake the weight off your feet, sit down.’ Karl said to Detective Chambers, standing beside his table in Debbie Does Dinners, a well-known café on Great Victoria Street in the city centre, not a kick in the arse away from the Europa hotel. It was the day after the Naughtons played Karl the Cat-Eye video.

‘What’s this all about, Kane? You said it was urgent. I’ve just come off the nightshift; I need to get home for some sleep.’

‘Coffee?’ Karl asked, as a young waitress approached the table.

‘White,’ Chambers said, reluctantly sitting down. ‘Two sugars.’

‘What can I get you gentlemen?’ the waitress asked, smiling a tired but management-ordered smile.

‘Two coffees, Mary. The usual for me. White and two sugars for my friend here. Where’s Janice? Off?’

‘Dying with the flu, Karl. Hasn’t been in all week.’

‘She must be bad. She’d work eight days a week, given the chance.’

Chambers waited until the waitress had left

‘Why’d you want to meet me here, of all places?’

‘Why not? This is one of my regular eating joints.’

‘Lots of police officers eat here.’

‘Very observant of you. And your point is?’

‘Just thought…well…’

‘Just thought I’d be intimidated in the presence of a load of cops who hate my guts? One day when you
really
get to know me, you’ll discover I don’t intimidate easily.’

‘Most cops in Belfast would like to see you dead. They think you’ve got away with murder in the past, as well as involvement in the killings of police.’

‘So, what are you doing sitting with me, if that’s what most cops think?’

‘One day when you
really
get to know me, you’ll discover I’m not most cops. I keep an open mind until I’ve convinced myself.’

‘Fair enough. Anything on Francis’ murder?’

‘Not yet. We can only stretch manpower so far. If anything comes my way, I’ll let you know. Now, you said on the phone you had information for me. I take it you mean Butler?’

‘Not that arse-hole. Something important. Do you remember a fire some weeks ago, the entire family were reportedly killed?’

‘North Belfast, wasn’t it? The Reilly family?’

‘Mother, father and two young girls. The young mother’s parents–Tommy and Theresa Naughton–asked me to investigate the fire.’

‘Why?’

‘They weren’t too happy with the official findings stating it was an accident, one waiting to happened.’

‘And what did you find?’

‘Everything the coroner reported was more or less correct. I found nothing suspicious.’

‘So, why’ve you called me if you found nothing to contradict the official report?’

‘I found nothing suspicious–
at the time
. It turned out, I was mistaken.’

‘That must be a first, coming from you.’

Mary returned with coffee. Conversation recommenced once she left.

‘Just like me, the coroner
was
wrong. The fire didn’t start accidentally. It was deliberate. Cold-blooded and deliberate.’

‘What makes you think that?’

From his coat pocket, Karl removed the disc enclosed in a paper sleeve.

‘Thank the gods Tommy and Theresa’s perseverance and belief paid off. I just had this made. When you watch it, you’ll see that one of the little girls didn’t die in the fire. She was abducted.’

‘Abducted?’ Chambers, looking sceptical, took the disc from Karl. ‘You’re telling me this disc will show an actual abduction of a young girl?’

‘
And
the abductor.’

‘You won’t blame me for remaining unconvinced, until I look at this?’

‘Not at all. I was a Doubting Thomas, until I saw it with my own eyes. But promise me you’ll get an alert out immediately after you watch it.’

‘I’ll have to look at this very carefully before determining what action to take.’

‘Don’t start with all that bureaucratic bullshit. I wouldn’t have come to you if I thought for one moment you’d start talking that shite like all the rest of them. I could have gone to the papers with this, made the cops out to be a right bunch of wankers.’

‘Why me? Why’d you want me to have it?’

‘Going against my natural instinct, I’m inclined to believe you could actually be the real thing, an oddity, a straight cop. A
good
cop, even.’

‘That’s a compliment?’

‘Save this little girl. Put every resource you have into finding her.’

‘You believe she’s still alive, even after all this time?’

‘What I think doesn’t matter. It’s what you
do
after you’ve watch the disc. Apart from doing the right thing, this will be a feather in your cap towards promotion.’

‘And will make me eternally grateful to you, of course.’

‘You’re a very cynical person. Anyone ever tell you that?’

Chambers looked at Karl, then the disc, before pocketing it.

Karl sipped on the coffee, and stood to leave.

‘You’re leaving?’

‘I have to be careful about being seen talking to cops. Might make some of my clients nervous. Don’t forget to keep me posted on any developments in both cases. I have two brave grandparents waiting anxiously.’

‘You’re an enigma, Kane. I still haven’t figured which category you fall into.’

‘Good guy, bad guy?’

‘That’s right. And just to make it clear: I do everything above board. What I don’t do is
quid pro quo
.’

‘That’s your prerogative. Oh, and talking of quid, pay the bill, and leave a good tip for Mary, like a pro. Take it out of that ten quid you still owe me.’

Karl headed out the door, feeling not only Chambers’ eyes following him right out into the street, but the eyes of other cops.

Almost an hour later, Karl turned on to Hill Street, heading for home, carrying blueberry muffins and freshly-brewed coffee from Clements. An early morning treat for Naomi.

As he was about to cross the road towards his apartment, a man brushed against him, almost knocking the bag of pastries and coffee from Karl’s hand.

The man turned, looked intently at Karl, as if awaiting an apology.

‘That’s all right, mate,’ Karl said, half smiling. ‘You weren’t watching where you were…’

Karl stared at the man. Tall. Heavy set. A large deep scar, running from either side of his face, forming a craggy ‘Z’ all the way to the chin.

The man walked on, no response coming from his lips.

In an instant, Karl found breathing difficult. The street was swooning, in grey, concrete waves. He tried to move. Impossible. Paralysis. The waves began swallowing him. The bag of coffee and muffins slipped from his hands, bursting onto the pavement.

An elderly lady, aided by a cane, approached, concern on her face. ‘You okay, son?’

‘Huh…?’

‘I said, are you okay? You look faint.’

Karl’s glance shot up and down the street. Man with scar gone. Was he ever there?

‘Come along,’ the elderly lady said, taking Karl’s arm and pointing her cane at a family of chairs outside a café. ‘We’ll sit down here for a moment, and you can catch your breath. I’ll get you a nice cup of tea.’

‘It’s…it’s okay. I live just across the street. Thank…thank you. I appreciate your kindness.’

The lady kept her eyes on Karl, watching him shakily cross the narrow road and head towards Hill Street.

Inside the apartment, Karl went straight to a wardrobe in the spare bedroom. Opened it. Fished out the pill box from beneath a tower of books and magazines. Slipped three of the pills into his hand, before putting everything back in the wardrobe. Headed into the living room. From a small drinking cabinet, he extracted a bottle of Hennessy and a glass. Filled the glass to the brim. Popped the three pills down his neck, followed by the brandy, all in one swallow. Began pouring another brandy just as Naomi showed up at the door, her angry face on, arms folded tightly.

‘Karl, what are you up to, drinking this early? What… what’s wrong? What’s happened?’

Karl quickly took a slug of the brandy. Sat down heavily on the sofa. Tried steadying shaking hands.

‘I…think I just bumped into Walter Arnold – literally.’

‘What…?’ Naomi’s face registered shock and horror. She sat down beside him. ‘But…he’s in prison. Are you sure it was him?’

‘It…
looked
like him. It happened so fast. This guy’s face was badly scarred. Arnold’s face was scarred just the same way, from an attack in prison, years ago. I think I saw him a couple of weeks ago, too, when I was at the Naughton home.’

‘What…? Are you certain?’

‘It’s only coming back to me now. I didn’t get a good enough look at him then. Wasn’t positive. He’s obviously been tailing me, everywhere I go.’

Naomi didn’t look too convinced.

‘You’ve been under so much stress lately, then all the nightmares, Karl. Perhaps…’

‘Perhaps what? Perhaps I’m seeing things? Perhaps I’m flying over the cuckoo’s nest?’

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that. Just that it’s so strange. One minute we’re talking about him; the next thing we know, he appears out of thin air, popping up everywhere. Karl, why don’t you call the parole people? Find out if he’s been released? That would help ease your mind.’

‘I was going to do that, but I’m almost dreading the thought of what they might say. I may not like the answer.’

‘You’ve got to find out, just for your own…’ Naomi’s voice trailed off.

‘Sanity?’

‘Of course not. “Peace of mind” is what I was going to say.’

Karl fished the mobile from his pocket. Looked at it for a few seconds, before hitting CONTACT NUMBERS. Parole Board NI. Pressed the button. Silence, then dial tone. A voice on the other end.

‘Parole Board of Northern Ireland. David Brown speaking. How may I help?’

‘Hello, David. My name is Karl Kane. I’m a private investigator, and I need some information.’

‘What kind of information, Mister Kane?’

‘I want to know if a murderer by the name of Walter Arnold has been released from prison.’

‘I’m sorry, we can’t give out that information to the general public.’

‘Walter Arnold. You’ve heard of him?’

‘I’m sorry, unless you’re the–’

‘Shut up and listen!’

‘Sir, I don’t care for the way you’re talking to–’

‘Walter Arnold murdered my mother.’

David went quiet for a few seconds. When he talked again, his voice was very low.

‘I’m…I’m very sorry to hear that, Mister Kane.’

‘I don’t want your sympathy, David, just information. Arnold also murdered two young girls, Ann Mullan and Leona Fredrick, both eight years of age. That was after he raped and brutalised them for two days. Then he cut them up for fun. Are you sorry to hear that also, David?’

‘I…I can’t help you, Mister Kane. Policy clearly states–’

‘Stuff your damn policy!’ Karl clicked off the mobile. Threw it onto the sofa.

‘What did he say, Karl?’

‘Nothing. The usual bullshit line about confidentiality. In all honesty, I shouldn’t have taken it out on him. He’s only doing
his damn job. God, I’ve used that confidentiality bullshit too, when it suited.’

Naomi eased herself up from the sofa.

‘Let me get you another brandy.’

‘No, it’s okay. The moment has gone. I’m fine now. I’ve got to think. If I can just get some–’

He was interrupted by the loud bleat of his mobile. Reached over and grabbed it. Unfamiliar number. Answered it.

‘Hello?’

‘Mister Kane? David Brown. Look, I’m sorry about all that. I couldn’t talk to you on the work phone, because they monitor our calls, so I took a ten-minute break. It’s okay. This is my mobile.’

‘Thank you, David. Very much appreciated.’

‘According to records, Arnold was released over a year ago.’

‘A year ago…why the hell wasn’t I informed?’

‘I don’t know. That’s all I can tell you, from what’s in his file on the system.’

‘Has he an address? A halfway house? Anything?’

‘That’s higher-level information. I’m just part-time. I’m not privy to that sort of information. Sorry.’

‘Nothing to be sorry about, David. I appreciate you sticking your neck on the line.’

‘I’ve got to get back. You…you won’t say a thing about this conversation, will you? I’d get the boot, and probably end up in court into the bargain.’

‘If you knew me, David, you wouldn’t ask that. Rest assured, I never screw people who do me a good turn. If you’re ever in need of something, and I mean
ever
, you’ve now got my number. Okay?’

‘Okay. Take care – oh, and good luck.’

Karl clicked off the phone. Looked at Naomi.

‘It
was
Arnold. Had to be. The Parole Board bastards released him over a year ago. They were supposed to inform me of any decisions made about the scumbag. That was the deal in court, all those years ago.’

‘Don’t let them upset you. They’re not worth it, the incompetent clowns.’

‘I’m not upset, love. I’m
angry
. If Arnold thinks he can stalk me without consequences, he’s in for the shock of his scumbag life. And as for the Parole Board? They’re going to get both barrels rammed up their arse.’