Chapters (61)
- Cover
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Acknowledgements
- About the author
‘My name mustn’t come up again in any discussion between him and the commissioner.’
Colleen turned her cup on the paper napkin.
‘I’ll tell him.’
‘Will that be enough?’
‘Yes.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Cardilini said and settled back in his chair.
‘No. He’ll appreciate your predicament.’
‘Good. It’s very important to me.’
‘I understand. Particularly your boy, I imagine?’
‘Yes.’
‘Don’t worry,’ Colleen said reassuringly, ‘he’s a very intelligent man.’
‘Wonderful.’ Cardilini felt himself jealous of the coroner and smiled at the ridiculousness of it.
‘Why are you smiling?’
‘Being an intelligent man is not something I’ve been accused of,’ Cardilini said.
‘Intelligence isn’t the answer to many situations.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yes,’ Colleen said with a glance around the cafe, ‘he didn’t marry wisely.’
‘Oh.’ Cardilini had not anticipated that bit of information.
‘She doesn’t appreciate what she’s got.’
‘The coroner’s wife?’ Cardilini asked and wondered where this was going.
‘That’s right,’ Colleen continued, ‘she behaves as if his prominence and standing are simply there for her to shine.’
‘Right.’
‘Some women can be like that.’
‘Right. I’m surprised he didn’t see it when first they met,’ Cardilini said thinking, the coroner being such an intelligent man and all.
‘He has a guileless heart.’
Cardilini had heard enough of the coroner, ‘Another cup of tea?’
‘No. Thanks. I’d better go.’
At the door she turned briefly with a tight smile and caught his eye. Cardilini watched until passing pedestrians obscured her from his view.
Thirty-Seven
THIRTY-SEVEN
Day 17
Kilkenny Road
1.00 p.m. Tuesday, 10th November 1965
Cardilini was sitting on the back step smoking.
Paul came to the back door. ‘Dad, there’s a Mrs Lockheed at the front door.’
‘Did you invite her in?’
‘She said she would wait there.’
Cardilini looked around for a place to grind out his cigarette. Seeing none he handed it to Paul.
‘I don’t want it.’ Paul replied annoyed. ‘Put an ashtray out here.’
‘I will . . . can you just poke it in the garden, somewhere?’
‘Bloody hell, Dad.’
Cardilini checked what he was wearing as he walked to the front of the house. Shabby enough, he concluded.
‘Mrs Lockheed, would you like to come in?’
‘No. Your son was very polite.’
‘Paul. Yep, he takes after his mother.’
‘I’ve come to invite you to the rectory. We’re having a meeting at seven tonight and Father O’Reilly thought it was best to have it there.’
‘Why am I invited?’
‘Sheppard, the Doneys, Mrs Masters, myself and Father O’Reilly will be there,’ Mrs Lockheed said ignoring his question.
‘Same question, why am I invited?’
Mrs Lockheed looked straight at him. ‘We don’t want any other boys from St Nicholas doing harm to themselves.’
Cardilini shook his head. ‘So, now you believe your son?’
‘I always did,’ her voice was definite.
‘Why lie to me and Braun then?’
Mrs Lockheed indicated she wasn’t going to answer.