Page 135 of Hidden Daughters

‘Edie?’ Lottie paused, letting him believe she had to think for a moment. ‘She’s the woman you murdered in Ragmullin.’

‘For Christ’s sake, I didn’t murder her. I loved her, actually. But then…’ he pointed the knife in Imelda’s direction, ‘you and your stupid documentary put the wind up her.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Now it was Imelda’s turn to look confused. ‘I never talked to anyone in Ragmullin.’

‘Of course you did. And you tried to smoke me out too.’

Imelda shook her head. ‘Smoke you out?’

The man was delusional, Lottie thought. And Imelda was demonstrating instability too. Great combination.

‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘Coming into the pub where I worked, asking questions. Phoning my manager. Scaring the life out of Edie. She even broke up with me over it all. You killed her.’

Lottie looked over at Imelda, who seemed genuinely puzzled. She turned her attention back to Robert. The hand holding the knife was shaking and his knee jiggled up and down.

‘Robert, why do you think it was Imelda?’

‘It’s obvious, isn’t it? She’s the one making the documentary. Digging up the past. Turning over lives and?—’

‘Okay, okay. I admit I tried to find you,’ Imelda interrupted him, defiance written all over her face. ‘I didn’t succeed, though. And I knew nothing about any Edie. Her name didn’t come up in my research. Not so far anyhow.’

‘Of course it was you,’ he said. ‘Who else could it be?’

The tiny, uncluttered room felt overcrowded with the three of them in it. Lottie felt the lies bouncing off the walls. ‘This was Assumpta’s home. Why are you here?’

‘I heard about her death.’ He pointed the knife at Imelda again. ‘I knew about the documentary you were making and I assumed you’d come here after she was killed. Maybe hide your research notes or backup files here.’ His shoulders slumped. ‘Honestly? This was my last hope of finding you.’

‘You need to be calm,’ Lottie said evenly. ‘Take a breath and we will try to make sense of it all.’

‘You’re stalling.’ He stood and gawked out the small net-curtained window. ‘Have you called for backup?’

She realised then just how unhinged he was. That made him dangerous and susceptible to carry out an unprovoked attack. She had to talk him down.

‘Robert, there’s just us three here. I’m not on duty. I haven’t called anyone. That’s the truth.’ She realised then that no one knew where she was, and she cursed herself for her impetuous decision to take Imelda with her that morning. ‘Let’s talk it out and see what we can do to help you.’

‘No one can help me,’ he muttered. ‘It will all come out now and I’ll be ruined. I thought things were bad when I got kicked out of the priesthood, but this is a whole different level.’

‘What do you think makes this worse?’

‘Because it’s about murder.’

Was now the time to say it out loud? Probably not, but she said it anyhow. ‘A long time ago, you killed a little girl. She was named Gabriel by the nuns. Why did you do that?’

He lunged, the knife pointed at her. She held her breath for a moment, but remained seated upright. He could fuck right off if he thought he was intimidating her.

‘Don’t you dare try to lumber me with another murder. I killed no one. I don’t even know who you’re talking about.’

‘Not true, Robert.’ Defiance flowed unhindered through her blood. ‘Remember the laundry at the Sisters of Forgiveness convent? A little girl called Gabriel was used by the nuns to clear sheets and pillowcases out of the big washing machines. One day you arrived to a row between Gabriel and a nun. You helped the nun throw the little girl into a machine and switched it on. Utter cruelty. She died. That makes you what you are, Robert. A murderer.’

His colour heightened as she spoke and his eyes turned darker and bulged in their sockets. ‘The two of you are stirring up shit you know nothing about. You don’t understand a thing.’

She lowered her voice, tried to make it sound soothing, to make him talk. ‘Help us to understand.’

His shoulders slumped as he sat down again. ‘It wasn’t me, not really me, that’s all you need to know.’

‘Oh, are you trying to say that your body was inhabited by an evil spirit who told you to kill a defenceless child?’ Had she gone too far? she wondered.

‘You are close to the truth,’ he snorted, an ugly hue shrouding his face.

---