A Case Of Murder (Kendall Book 6) (16 page)

Chapter Twenty-One

Just A Storyteller

It was fine, Kendall sounding all confident, but Mollie was far from sure, and was still puzzled. “But I still don’t see what connection this has with the death of Mulligan?” said Mollie.

“The two murders are linked, agreed,” Kendall replied. “Whoever killed Mulligan also killed Nadir.”

“But how do you know that?” asked Mollie.

Kendall smiled. “Just like the other one, remember, that’s what Mulligan said didn’t he? What do you think he meant by that? I mean he was so insistent wasn’t he? He kept saying it, over and over. Just like the other one.”

“He didn’t mean anything, it was just a story,” said Mollie. “You heard what the others said. Take no notice of him. He’s an idiot. You heard them.”

Kendall shrugged. “Yes I heard them,” he replied. “A bit mean of them I thought.”

“Yes it was,” agreed Mollie. “But all they were saying is don’t take him seriously.”

“Nothing more than a storyteller, is that it,” Kendall replied.

“That’s right, just a storyteller,” said Mollie. “There’s always one, that’s what Anthony Mallory said, remember?”

Kendall nodded. “Yes he did say that, it’s an Irish tradition, the storyteller.”

“There you are then,” said Mollie. “Nothing more, simple as that.”

“But is it as simple as that, really?” Kendall asked. “Certainly he was telling a story, there’s no question of that, but why that particular story? And why now? And the thing is, it wasn’t just the ramblings of a drunken old man.”

“What do you mean?” asked Mollie.

“I mean it wasn’t just a story, it was true,” Kendall started to explain. “I checked it out at the local library here in Killmacud. It’s all there on the internet, I just did a Google search.”

“You did a search?” said Mollie, surprised. “On the computer?”

Kendall smiled. “Yes I did,” he replied. “I admit that I had a little help from the library assistant, though.”

“A little help?”

“Okay, so the young lady did it all for me, no big deal,” Kendall admitted. “The point is that on May 23rd 1942, a German sailor, by the name of Helmut Mueller, was washed ashore, right here in Killmacud, after his U boat, U-224, had been sunk by a British destroyer. They had just left an agent further up the coast, but were caught on the return trip. Anyway, Helmut was the only survivor, out of a total of fifty-two crew members. He was picked up at Carrick Cove, barely alive. An ambulance was called, and he was taken to Cork Hospital, under heavy guard. He finished the war in an internment camp in Belfast. He survived and went home to Bremen in July 1946.”

“I’m impressed,” said Mollie. “But how on earth did Mulligan know all of that?”

Kendall had no idea, and shook his head. “And now the poor old man is dead,” he said.

“So is that just a co-incidence?” Mollie asked.

Kendall looked at Mollie and smiled. “You know what I think of co-incidence don’t you?”

Mollie knew exactly what Kendall thought of co-incidence. “So what are you saying then?” she asked.

“Mulligan didn’t die as a result of an accident, that’s what I’m saying,” Kendall replied.

“You said something similar last night didn’t you,” Mollie said. “You think he was murdered don’t you?”

Kendall nodded. “Yes I do.”

“But you still haven’t said why.”

“I’m guessing, but I think it was because he saw something, or because of something he said.”

“What he said?” said Mollie. “About what?”

“That German sailor, of course,” replied Kendall. “Washed up on the beach like that.”

“But he couldn’t have seen that German sailor could he?” said Mollie.

“Certainly he never actually saw that German sailor, he would have been far too young,” replied Kendall. “But I think when Mulligan heard about the body on the beach he somehow associated it with that sailor.”

Mollie shook her head, and started to smile. “Ah, come on, you can’t possibly believe that. He liked his drink, but he wasn’t, well you know what I mean.”

Kendall remained silent for a moment.
Did he really believe it? Truly believe it, or was he trying to make something out of a fantasy story told by the town drunk. Was Mulligan really able to put two and two together like that?

“Maybe, maybe not, I don’t know,” Kendall replied. “But I do believe that he was trying to tell us something, by somehow linking the two events.”

“Tell us what?” asked Mollie.

I don’t know that either. I haven’t worked it out yet,” replied Kendall. “Perhaps he had seen Nadir somewhere, or maybe it was just that there were some similarities with the story of the German sailor.”

“Perhaps it was just a way of getting free drinks,” suggested Mollie.

Kendall had to admit that he hadn’t thought of that, but it was certainly a good point. Mulligan had managed to get a good few free drinks out of him the day that they arrived, and on what had proved to be his last night alive. Kendall nodded his head and smiled. “Maybe, but I really think it was more than that,” he said. “He may not have realised what he was saying, but he said that it was the same as before. Why did he say that?”

“But it wasn’t the same, was it?” said Mollie. “The Turkish man hadn’t been washed ashore had he?”

“No he hadn’t, but he still came in from the sea, and he still ended up lying on the beach, just like that German sailor,” Kendall continued. “I think that maybe Mulligan saw the body lying on the beach, and he immediately thought of the other body on the beach, the previous one.”

“The German sailor, you mean,” said Mollie.

“Precisely, but I think there was something else,” said Kendall. “Something far more important.”

“What?” asked Mollie.

“I believe that our friend Mulligan saw the actual murder,” Kendall continued. “I’m certain that he saw someone actually strike the blow.”

“So why didn’t he say something before?” asked Mollie.

“Simple,” Kendall replied. “Because he never realised what it was that he had seen. In his mind it was just that German sailor, nothing more.”

“Nonetheless, the murderer had to silence him, is that what you’re suggesting?” said Mollie.

Kendall nodded. “That’s the way I see it,” he replied. “The sad thing is that I believe that Mulligan really didn’t know anything. At least he probably wasn’t aware of knowing anything. But there was someone watching him, someone in the bar that night. And that someone came to the same conclusion as me.”

“And it was that someone who killed him,” said Mollie.

“Seems that way to me,” said Kendall. “The thing is that although Mulligan may have seen the murderer, sadly it’s unlikely that he realised what was happening that day, on the beach. It just didn’t register with him.”

“How do you know that?” asked Mollie.

“Think about it for a second,” said Kendall. “If he had really known what was going on he would have mentioned it wouldn’t he? He would have bragged about it all over the place. It would have been a major conversation piece, and great for getting free drinks, as you suggested earlier.”

“Guess you’re right,” agreed Mollie.

“I know I’m right,” said Kendall, trying not to sound smug, but failing.

“Even if he did, no one would have believed him anyway,” said Mollie.

“That’s right,” replied Kendall. “It would have just been another story, a bit of entertainment, and maybe cause a few laughs.”

“So instead he kept on about the sailor,” said Mollie.

“Yes, that wretched German. He went on and on about him,” said Kendal. “Just another story, but clearly the murderer thought that maybe, just maybe, there was something more to it. Maybe Mulligan had seen something, and maybe someone would actually listen to what he was saying, and put two and two together.”

“And you think that whoever killed Mulligan is the same person that killed the Turkish man,” said Mollie.

Kendall nodded. “That’s the way I see it,” he replied.

“So it couldn’t have been Brian Charters then,” said Mollie.

“No it certainly wasn’t Charters because at the time he was safely locked up in prison,” said Kendall. “Besides, I don’t believe that he murdered Mr. Nadir anyway.”

“So all we have to do is find out who did,” said Mollie.

“Also correct,” replied Kendall. He paused for a few moments. “So what do we have?” he asked.

Mollie looked at Kendall and smiled. “You tell me.”

“Well, firstly, we know that Nadir was brought to shore by a boat of some sort, right?” Kendall replied holding up one finger. “So what does that tell you?”

“Well, I guess it could mean our friends, the two fishermen might be involved in some way,” suggested Mollie. “You know O’Rourke’s friends.”

Kendall nodded. “I know who you mean,” he replied. “It’s certain possible.”

“What about the other guy with a boat?” asked Mollie.

Kendall nodded. “Derren Lynch?” he replied. “Yes it could have been him.”

Mollie suddenly shook her head. “No, no. This is all nonsense,” she announced. “How many people have boats around here do you think?”

Kendall said nothing, but merely smiled.

“Dozens in fact, hundreds maybe,” Mollie continued. “It could have been anyone of them.”

Kendall nodded. “You’re right, I guess it could have been,” he agreed. “But I’m guessing that it was someone local. Someone who knew that cove. So that narrows the number of possible suspects down.”

“But why do you think it was someone local?” Mollie asked.

“Nadir’s murder didn’t just happen,” Kendall started to explain. “It was meticulously planned, to the minute, and it had to be carried out at that exact spot, Carrick Cove. In that way the murderer was able to incriminate Charters.”

“So whoever it was knew Charters,” said Mollie.

“Correct,” said Kendall.

Mollie nodded. “Okay, I understand that,” she replied. “But that still leaves a lot of possible suspects.”

“Yes it does,” agreed Kendall. “But if we now factor in Mulligan’s death, we can reduce that number even further.”

“Go on,” coaxed Mollie.

“I’m guessing that whoever brought Nadir into shore that night and killed him, was also in the bar on Mulligan’s last night,” Kendall replied. “They heard Mulligan going on about the body on the beach, and decided that he had to be silenced. Does that sound reasonable?”

Mollie said nothing for a while. “Maybe, but I do have a slight problem.”

Kendall heaved a loud sigh. “Go on, let’s hear it.”

“Well it just seems a little strange to me,” Mollie started to explain. “Nadir was murdered what, three months ago?”

Kendall nodded. “So?”

“So why kill Mulligan now? Why not three months ago?”

“That’s a fair question,” agreed Kendall. “Probably because it’s only now, now that we are here, and I’m asking a lot of questions, that Mulligan is, perhaps, being a bit too talkative.”

“Going on about his German sailor,” suggested Mollie.

“We’re strangers here, and Mulligan is trying out his storytelling on us,” Kendall continued. “He was probably totally ignored before, and made fun of. Maybe we would take more notice of the ravings of a drunk, especially me being a detective, and not knowing anything about Mulligan. At least that’s what might have gone through the murderer’s mind.”

Mollie nodded. “Could be,” she agreed. “So now what?”

“Well, let’s go back to that last night at O’Rourke’s,” said Kendall. “Think, who was there in that room that night?”

“Well there was the English guy, Mallory,” said Mollie.

“That’s right,” said Kendall. “And of course there was O’Rourke. Who else?”

“The two fishermen,” suggested Mollie.

Kendall shook his head. “No I ‘m sure that they had already left long before Mulligan was telling his story.”

“So that puts them in the clear then,” said Mollie.

Kendall shook his head. “Not necessarily,” he replied. “They could have been waiting for him to leave, and then struck.”

“Mulvy was there, and so was Quinn,” said Mollie. “In fact he left shortly after Mulligan went out, remember.”

“Yes, and our Mr. Derren Lynch, followed not long afterwards,” added Kendall.

“And don’t forget about O’Rourke,” said Mollie.

“That’s right,” said Kendall. “He had some business to attend to didn’t he?”

“Very odd,” Mollie said. “He said he had to make a phone call. Who to, I wonder.”

“Maybe to tell someone that Mulligan had left the bar,” suggested Kendall. “You know, some kind of a signal to …..”

Mollie shook her head. “You don’t really think O’Rourke is involved do you?”

Kendall took a deep breath. “All I know is that someone killed Mulligan. Of that I am absolutely certain,” he replied. “I not sure who it was, but I’m not ruling out O’Rourke.”

“So where do we go from here?” asked Mollie.