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
‘You mightn’t think so but you’re possibly protecting a predator whose victims are only revealing their injuries in death. Have a think about that,’ Cardilini said and walked to his car.
‘What if you’re wrong?’ O’Reilly called after him. ‘A good man’s reputation.’
‘What if I’m right?’ Cardilini said and climbed into his car.
Twenty-Eight
TWENTY-EIGHT
Day 9
Kilkenny Road
5.50 a.m. Monday, 2nd November 1965
On his front porch with a cup of tea in his hand, Cardilini appraised the work he and Paul had done. The front yard was beginning to reflect the hand of authority again. The rosebush branches peeked courteously above the fence palings, the dirt of the lawn area was now firmly contained and sodden. Every edge of footpath paving was weed-free and he had weeded and watered every garden bed. He wasn’t sure why he watered the bare soil but felt the better for it.
All the while the image of Mrs Master’s face inserted itself between him and what he was working on. Her sorrow was so raw, so all-consuming and so familiar. He sighed heavily. Was it possible the Masters’ boy committed suicide for reasons independent of Edmund? He didn’t know if he was chasing a killer or the truth, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to catch either.
At 8.45 Cardilini made a call. ‘Mrs Pass, this is Detective Sergeant Cardilini.’
‘Yes?’
‘Hi. I was just wondering if you had a look at those files you gave me?’
‘No,’ she replied crisply.
‘The coroner only confirmed suicide in one case.’
‘The boy who hanged himself?’ she enquired, all business.
‘Yes. In your experience of dealing with the records, are the others suicide?’
‘I would have to re-read them. If the coroner isn’t one hundred per cent convinced he’ll always say “Death by Misadventure”, “Accidental”. However, he’s careful in his wording. He’ll indicate the probability of suicide without stating such. He’s hopeful that someday the number of our young men dying will be investigated.’
‘Could you have a look at those files?’
‘Those three?’
‘Yes.’
‘Possibly. Why?’
‘I’ve lost objectivity,’ Cardilini confessed.
‘Easy to do.’
‘Could you?’ Cardilini asked and waited.
‘There’s a teashop half-way up London Court called The Bell. I’ll be there at ten-thirty.’ Mrs Pass said.
‘Thanks. So will I.’ Cardilini hung up and stood looking at the phone. Mrs Pass puzzled him.
London Court
10.30 a.m. Monday, 2nd November 1965