Page 177 of The Last Love Song
‘Fine. Let’s go.’
The Fishermen walked companionably along the tunnel that led backstage.
‘You ladies amuse yourself in the hospitality tent while I take the boys for a pep talk,’ suggested Freddy. ‘We’ll come and collect you when it’s time. Come on, gentlemen. Follow me.’
Helen saw her as soon as she walked in.
‘Jesus,’ she breathed. Even now, she couldn’t believe she’d been right.
Helen sat and watched them as they laughed and chatted together over a glass of champagne. What to do now? She’d no hard-and-fast plan. She could hardly go up to the nearest security guard and say that there was every chance that the woman over there was about to murder Con Daly.
She watched as Freddy returned and shepherded the women out of the tent. Helen followed, a discreet distance behind. Thesky was beginning to darken and, thankfully, it was shadowy backstage.
She saw Con first, then Todd and Derek come up from the dressing room and into the wings. She pressed herself back against one of the flats as she tried to clear her brain, her eyes never leaving the woman only yards from her.
‘Two minutes, gentlemen,’ said an exhausted PA.
Con moved towards the side of the stage, hands in pockets.
Lulu followed him.
Ian drifted towards Con, his arm around his wife.
Helen looked on as she moved with Derek towards the group at the side of the stage.
Only Todd stood alone, staring moodily into the distance just yards from her.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, very shortly now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for.’
It was now or never. She had to do something.
She ran forward towards Todd and grabbed his arm.
‘Todd, it’s Helen, Helen McCarthy.’
Todd turned around, a mixture of horror and surprise on his face.
‘Jesus, Helen! What the fuck are you doing here?’
‘Listen, you see that woman over there? She’s after Con. I still can’t work out why. I think she and Con must have had an affair at some point and she was bitter, but all I know is she killed Sorcha and now she’s after Con. I know you think I’m crazy but youhaveto believe me. You have to stop her, Todd.’
‘I...’ Todd looked at her in confusion. ‘I don’t know what you’re going on about, Helen, but now is not the time or the place for this. And as for Peggy having an affair with Con, I—’
Helen stared at Todd. ‘Peggy? Did you call that woman Peggy?’
‘Yes. She’s Derek’s old girlfriend. You must have heard himmooning on about her. She turned up here tonight out of the blue.’
Peggy, Peggy, Peggy...
Helen struggled to work it out.
‘I’m going to have to have someone remove you, Helen. If Con sees you, he’ll blow a gasket.’ Todd was looking around nervously for someone official.
Helen watched as the woman moved away from the huddle at the side of the stage and into the shadows. She opened her handbag.
‘Oh, Jesus, oh, Jesus,’ she breathed.
‘Excuse me, mate, this lady has no business here. Can you have her removed?’ Todd moved forward, glancing nervously at Helen.
