Page 84 of Hidden Daughters

‘And there was a rumour that O’Shaughnessy got a local girl pregnant and she was sent to the laundry too.’

He could remain silent no longer. ‘Where are you headed with all this supposition?’

‘Just saying he’s one to carefully consider. These murders only happened when that reporter, a documentary-maker, started asking questions about the laundries.’

‘Oh, and did that documentary-maker speak with you?’

The question must have startled him, because Wilson started fiddling with his cravat, twisting the gold stud that was pinned in its centre. ‘She did. I have a great local knowledge. She thought I could help her find her way through all the shit.’

‘Great at stirring the shit too,’ Mooney said under his breath.

‘What’s that?’

‘I said you must have been a great help to her.’

‘Of course I was.’

‘In what way?’

‘Told her a few home truths about the people living around here.’ He looked daggers at Mooney.

‘Explain.’

‘I don’t have to explain anything to you, Sergeant. It’s your job to do the investigating.’ He’d dropped the ‘detective’ tag. Probably peeved because Mooney refused to address him by his title. Title. Hah.

‘If you are withholding information that proves critical to my case, I could arrest you for impeding the investigation. You’re familiar with the term “perverting the course of justice”? If you know something, you need to tell me now.’

‘I am not impeding or perverting anything. I’m here to help. I know you had O’Shaughnessy arrested and released without charge. You need to watch him very carefully.’

‘Why do you say that?’

‘I’ve already told you about his past.’

‘I’m sure you have a past too, Mr Wilson.’ He saw Wilson’s torso stiffen. Good.

‘We all have a past, but the reason I’m warning you to watch that man is that Imelda Conroy mentioned him to me when we spoke.’

‘Are you sure it wasn’t the other way around?’

‘I don’t like your insinuation. I am a respected member of the community. I also run a very powerful radio station. You don’t want to be in the news headlines for making a big mistake, do you?’

‘Are you threatening me?’

‘Warning you, Sergeant. You need to charge someone with these murders, and in my mind O’Shaughnessy fits the bill.’

‘In my experience, personal vendettas are no way to run an investigation. I don’t tell you how to run your radio station or manage a council meeting, so I would appreciate it if you don’t tell me how to run my?—’

‘He did it. He killed the old gardener and he killed the nun.’

Mooney frowned. How did Wilson know anything about Assumpta Feeney? Her identity had yet to be released. Unless the super was one step ahead of him and had issued a press release. Or they had a leak on the team. Then again, he himself had consulted – for want of a better word – Lottie Parker. Damn.

‘And how do you know all that?’

‘When the Conroy woman spoke with me, she had nothing. No local names. I gave her three. Now two of them are dead. The third was O’Shaughnessy.’

‘How did you link him to the others?’

‘I linked him to the laundry.’

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