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Back Darkest Truth
Chapters (54)
  1. COVER
  2. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  3. DEDICATION
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. EPILOGUE
  54. Acknowledgements

I knew that I had to. For now, at least. It was just as well that a new avenue had opened up in Deirdre’s case or I would have been seriously depressed.

Davy’s charm seemed to be deserting him. The tea was stewed and there was still no sign of him, with or without Ned Foley. But, just then, Davy came to the door of the bar. He raised his eyebrows and signalled me to follow him. In the lobby, I found him standing by an open door at the far side and down a short hallway. I crossed to him and shut the door behind me.

We were standing in the library. A fire blazed, and standard lamps illuminated armchairs and sofas set in cosy groups. Ned Foley stood to one side, before a glass-fronted cabinet. Gone was the professional bonhomie of our previous visit. Foley looked serious and determined.

‘It’s better if I don’t know any more than Davy told me. But what he said is enough. I can’t get you the room reservation records. They’re all archived. Anyway, I don’t have that kind of access. But you’ll find what you need in here. Make sure to close the case when you’re finished and drop the key back to me at the concierge desk. This never happened. But at least you’ll know where to look if you come back with an official request for information. Good luck to you.’

Ned Foley glided out of the room in silence, a silence Davy and I didn’t break. I made my way towards the cabinet. If there was something in there, it could take days to find it. But, as I got closer, I saw that the leather-bound books had years etched in gold on their spines. They were guest books, I realised. I ran my finger along the row until I reached 1998. There were three volumes. I plucked the third one from the shelf and paged through it until I got to December.

The 11th.

The 12th.

A few entries. Then a full page of angled signatures and autographs.

Thanks for a fantastic shoot, we’ll be back.

Thanks Muskerry from Thomson AdGroup.

T.A.G. says TA.

Gill’s name or signature wasn’t there. Nevertheless, I photographed the page. I could check if any of the comments were in his writing – but it wasn’t what I’d hoped for. I turned the page.

The 13th.

Brilliant few days folks. Thanks. Jeremy Gill 13/12/98.