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Back Man at the Window Save as PDF
Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. One
  3. Two
  4. Three
  5. Four
  6. Five
  7. Six
  8. Seven
  9. Eight
  10. Nine
  11. Ten
  12. Eleven
  13. Twelve
  14. Thirteen
  15. Fourteen
  16. Fifteen
  17. Sixteen
  18. Seventeen
  19. Eighteen
  20. Nineteen
  21. Twenty
  22. Twenty-One
  23. Twenty-Two
  24. Twenty-Three
  25. Twenty-Four
  26. Twenty-Five
  27. Twenty-Six
  28. Twenty-Seven
  29. Twenty-Eight
  30. Twenty-Nine
  31. Thirty
  32. Thirty-One
  33. Thirty-Two
  34. Thirty-Three
  35. Thirty-Four
  36. Thirty-Five
  37. Thirty-Six
  38. Thirty-Seven
  39. Thirty-Eight
  40. Thirty-Nine
  41. Forty
  42. Forty-One
  43. Forty-Two
  44. Forty-Three
  45. Forty-Four
  46. Forty-Five
  47. Forty-Six
  48. Forty-Seven
  49. Forty-Eight
  50. Forty-Nine
  51. Fifty
  52. Fifty-One
  53. Fifty-Two
  54. Fifty-Three
  55. Fifty-Four
  56. Fifty-Five
  57. Fifty-Six
  58. Fifty-Seven
  59. Fifty-Eight
  60. Acknowledgements
  61. About the author

‘In a moment. Did you believe your son, Mrs Masters?’

‘The school is in my parish. Captain Edmund was a member of this parish.’ O’Reilly inserted.

‘Mrs Masters.’

‘Yes.’ She looked at her cup.

‘Did your husband believe your son?’ Cardilini asked Mrs Masters.

‘I don’t know. He was angry with Geoffrey. I think he believed the principal,’ Mrs Masters said.

‘Had your husband attended the school as a student?’

‘Yes.’

‘Has Mrs Lockheed told you what her son, John, said,’ Cardilini asked slowly, ‘about the discipline inflicted by Edmund?’

‘Yes.’

‘Was it similar to your boy’s account?’

‘Yes.’

‘No. No. No. Impossible!’ O’Reilly exclaimed.

‘Could it be true?’ Mrs Masters whispered.

‘No,’ O’Reilly insisted.

‘Prior to your son, two other boys died,’ Cardilini said.

‘From our school? The country boys?’ Mrs Masters asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Tragic accidents,’ O’Reilly asserted.

Looking directly at O’Reilly, Cardilini spelt it out. ‘The boys who spoke up are either lying or they’re telling the truth. As abhorrent as it maybe to you, Father O’Reilly, it can’t be ignored.’

‘No, it can’t be ignored. But can any good come of it now?’

‘There could be other boys. Revealing the truth could help them,’ Cardilini said turning his eyes to Mrs Masters. She looked up hopelessly.

O’Reilly walked away then turned and addressed Mrs Masters. ‘Geoffrey had left the school two years ago. Had he ever said anything else about his allegations?’

‘No, but he was never the same. He was never the same.’ She brought a handkerchief up to her eyes.

O’Reilly looked accusingly at Cardilini.

‘I will try to find out as much as I can, Mrs Masters, and I will keep you informed.’ Cardilini said. She accepted this with an upward look. Cardilini could see the woman was half-dead. He knew the instant she had died was the moment she saw her son hanging; it was still in her eyes. Cardilini felt he was looking at the image himself. Two half-people looking at each other. He swallowed the sorrow in his throat.

‘I’m so sorry you lost your wife,’ Mrs Masters said. Cardilini thanked her and turned the hollowness of his eyes towards the door. Mrs Masters grabbed at his hand, holding it for a moment. When released, Cardilini walked to the front door and O’Reilly followed.

Outside, Cardilini put a cigarette into his mouth, lit it and inhaled deeply. O’Reilly did the same. They could hear Mrs Masters weeping. O’Reilly gently closed the front door.

‘It’s very fresh for her. I was sorry to hear about your wife, also,’ O’Reilly said. Cardilini exhaled. O’Reilly continued. ‘You’ve been a topic of conversation since your arrival at the school. The community around the school is very tight, very protective.’

‘So, who are you protecting?’ Cardilini asked without turning.

‘No one.’