Broken Silence: A tense psychological thriller

by Fran McDonnell

  “But this is out of all proportion,” said Brian. “It’s all a mistake.”

  “What mistake would that be, then?” Alanna asked.

  Aidan said, “I want to know what you are accusing Brian of.”

  Alanna ignored him. Her eyes were focused on Brian. “You were saying, Brian, about a mistake.”

  “Brian, let them ask you what they want to know,” Aidan said.

  No one looked at him or acknowledged that he had spoken.

  Eoin said, “Tell us about this simple mistake, Brian.”

  There was silence.

  Brian cupped his hands together on the table. “You asked me yesterday about a Ford Focus, my mother’s car, and I told you that I had sold it. Today you found me driving it. I made a mistake. It was silly. The actions of an upset son who is struggling to accept that his mother is never going to drive it again.”

  “So your grief, your lack of acceptance, caused you to lie about what you’d done with the car?” Alanna said.

  “I did advertise it for sale.”

  “We know.”

  “A man did come and see it.”

  Alanna and Eoin waited.

  Brian looked from one to the other. “And when it came to it, I couldn’t sell it. I wasn’t ready to admit that she’s not going to get better. My mother’s in a nursing home. I drive up to see her and show her the car and tell her it’s waiting for her to get out. It’s never going to happen but it keeps her happy.”

  Alanna said, “So you lie to your mother and you lied to Inspector Ryan when he asked you about the car.”

  “It’s rarely on the road. When you asked me I panicked. It was silly to say that I’d sold it but it was harmless. I should have told you the truth that the car is practically never on the road.”

  “Except up to the nursing home?”

  “Yes, up to the nursing home.”

  “And back to where?”

  “I keep it in a garage.”

  Alanna smiled. “Yes. A garage where?”

  “Sometimes I take it out to charge up the battery. The run to the nursing home isn’t far enough to charge the battery.”

  “And is the garage close to the nursing home?”

  Brian looked at her.

  “The garage is in Killaloe close to the nursing home, is that what you are saying?”

  Brian looked at her. “Yes.”

  “Where in Killaloe?”

  “That isn’t important. The issue is that I made a mistake. So I drive my mother’s old car sometimes. I kept it to keep an old woman happy. What’s the big deal?”

  Eoin said, “That’s exactly what I asked myself this morning. Why did Brian lie to us about this car? What does he have to hide?”

  Brian turned to him. “I have nothing to hide. I hate admitting that my mother isn’t going to ever drive it again. I know I should have told you the truth but surely my sentimentality doesn’t warrant all of this.”

  Eoin sat up straighter. “You don’t think lying to a garda in the course of his duty is an offence? You obstructed an enquiry.”

  “You asked about a night last year. How would I remember if I took the car for a drive that night?”

  Alanna said, “What about Wednesday night this week? Did you take the car for a drive in Killaloe on Wednesday night?”

  Brian moistened his lips. “I may have done. I would need to look in my diary to be sure. Why are you so interested in my car anyway?”

  Eoin said, “It’s been noted in the vicinity of a number of incidents.”

  “Oh.”

  Eoin and Alanna let the silence lengthen.

  Isobel and Patricia jumped as the door of the room they were in opened.

  Chin walked in with an A4 envelope and a sheet of paper. “How are Eoin and Alanna doing?”

  “They’re backing Brian into a corner,” Isobel said.

  Chin nodded. “Good, I’m not too late. Eoin warned me to be ready with the photographs and the warrant.”

  Isobel said, “You got it?”

  “For his DNA yes. The judge is in great form and has told us to ring him any time, day or night, if we have grounds for more warrants. Obviously Brian makes friends easily.”

  Isobel nodded. “It certainly seems so.”

  Behind the one-way glass the silence was lengthening. Alanna and Eoin appeared relaxed, in no rush to break it.

  Brian said, “I only see the car once, maybe twice a week. The rest of the time it’s in a garage, I think. I wonder if someone else could be driving it.” He looked at Aidan and then at Eoin and Alanna.

  “You could let us examine it to determine fingerprints, those would show if a stranger had been driving it.”

  “No. I don’t believe I will. You haven’t shown me that it’s definitely associated with any incidents. I have explained my mistake. I think we’re done here.”

  Eoin smiled. “It’s just as well that we got a search warrant then, isn’t it?”

  “You got a search warrant for my car?”

  “Yes, the judge felt that lying about having sold it when you hadn’t, certainly suggested something to hide and warranted a search.”

  “There’s nothing in the car. It’s empty.”

  Alanna smiled. “I know. There isn’t even a spare wheel.”

  Chin moved towards the door. “That’s my cue.”

  Brian paled and swallowed. “I wouldn’t know. The car has never had a puncture with me so I’ve never had reason to look for the spare tyre.”

  Alanna nodded. “The spare should be under the carpet of the boot, hidden well away. When we examined your mother’s car, we found something where the spare should be.”

  Aidan Carey said, “What did you find? My client has already stated that he suspects that someone may be driving the car without his knowledge and that he has never had cause to check the spare wheel.”

  “Plausible deniability,” Eoin said.

  “No, my client is stating that the car is not always in his sight and if someone else used it for nefarious purposes then he isn’t responsible for what they’ve done.”

  Alanna said, “Don’t you want to know what nefarious purposes we think the car was used for?”

  “If you’re claiming that my client was involved in something for which you plan to charge him then go ahead but if this is a fishing expedition or, worse still, an attempt to implicate my client in something of which he is innocent then rest assured, we will fight back.”

  “If he’s innocent of the crimes –” Eoin said.

  “Of course he’s innocent.”

  Alanna said, “You still haven’t asked what we found in the car.”

  Brian said, “I assume you’re going to tell us.”

  There was a knock at the door and then Isobel and Patricia saw Chin entering.

  Alanna said, “Detective Constable Chin is entering the room.”

  Chin passed the envelope and the sheet of paper to Eoin and whispered in his ear. Eoin nodded. Chin turned and left the room.

  Alanna updated the tape. She faked a smile. “Since you asked so nicely.”

  Eoin opened the envelope and slid out some photographs. He placed one on the table. It was of a rucksack.

  Brian licked his lips and shifted in his chair.

  Aidan raised an eyebrow. “And?”

  Eoin placed a photograph of a polaroid camera on the table.

  Brian and Aidan’s eyes were glued to the photograph.

  Eoin said, “More?” and dealt another photograph onto the table.

  Isobel stood up and moved towards the viewing window.

  Eoin placed a final picture.

  Brian turned his head, looking at each of the photographs.

  Aidan said, “What do you think these items were used for? What crime are you talking about?”

  Eoin said, “We want a DNA sample.”

  Aidan said, “No.”

  Eoin handed him the white paper. “I have a warrant for that too.”

  Aidan read the do
cument.

  “It’s all in order. Judge Murphy signed it.”

  Brian’s lip curled. “He always hated me.”

  Eoin reached out for the search warrant again. “Oh, this isn’t personal. We’re just following the evidence.”

  Aidan said, “And you won’t find anything. This is a witch-hunt.”

  Eoin’s face tightened. “On the contrary, we’re looking for a ruthless predator and the DNA is going to tell us if we’ve found him.”

  “You’re mad. When Brian is proven innocent you’re going to be in so much trouble.”

  Eoin stood. “Let’s let the DNA speak for itself.” He nodded to Alanna and she got up and left the room.

  A few moments later she returned with the forensic technician, the rugby player. He took a swab from Brian’s mouth and left.

  “I have nothing more to say now,” Brian said. “I want to talk to my solicitor.”

  Alanna went through the closing ritual of the interview for the purposes of the tape and she and Eoin left the room.

  Isobel let out a huge sigh of relief. Her hands were numb from tightly clasping each other and she shook them out.

  Patricia said, “They did good.”

  Isobel could feel her eyes filling with tears. It was relief, she knew. For the first time since she’d found Michelle’s body she felt a sense that they were close to the end.

  Eoin and Alanna came into the room.

  Alanna rubbed her hand across the back of her neck. “God, he’s tough. I feel as if we are in court already.”

  Eoin said, “It is like that. In a way, because he’s a solicitor we’re trying the case now. He’s already looking to create reasonable doubt.”

  Alanna nodded. “So we have to cross our t’s and dot our i’s and make sure that he doesn’t find a technicality or a loophole.”

  Eoin shook his head. “Oh don’t worry. We’re going to have everything perfect so that the only place this guy is going is a cell.”

  Isobel said, “You were great in there.”

  “Thanks but that’s only round one,” said Alanna. “I don’t know how much DNA there will be on the suit and what crimes we will be able to charge him with. If he is The Shadow, which I think he is, and we cannot prove that he raped the other women or connect him to Michelle and Catriona’s deaths … getting him for attacking you is something, Isobel, but I want him for everything.”

  Eoin nodded. “Brian might have lost that round on points but he has lots of stamina. He’s already thinking about what he can wriggle out of. I hope the forensics can find something on that ground sheet or the black suit that links him to the murders and the rapes.”

  Isobel said, “He doesn’t know that we know about the rapes.”

  “No, and I don’t want him to … yet.” Eoin touched Alanna’s arm. “Come on, we need a change of scene. Let’s get out of here. Colette texted me that she has dinner made.” He looked at Isobel and Patricia. “And there’s enough for all of us.”

  Chapter 58

  Colette was delighted to see them. She drew them all into her kitchen where the table was laid. She put a roast chicken on the table and dishes of vegetables and potatoes. She was also dying to hear about what had happened. Isobel didn’t want to go through it all again. She found her attention wandering to Malcolm.

  “Colette, I’m sorry. Would you mind if we took a rain check? We have another friend visiting and I’d like to meet up with him.”

  Patricia nodded in agreement.

  Colette stood up. “Not at all. You probably need to relax after the interview as well. I’ll give you some dinner to take away and enough for your friend. Does he like roast chicken?”

  Patricia grinned. “Definitely.”

  Colette boxed and bagged everything they needed.

  “I’ll call you when the DNA results come back,” Eoin said. “When they do, we’ll be interviewing Brian again. Hopefully we’ll be charging him with his attack on you, Isobel. Do you want to be there?”

  Isobel nodded. “I would love to. I’ve an appointment at two o’clock tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll be free by three.”

  Eoin made a face. “It must be important.”

  “We’ll come straight to you as soon as we’ve finished.”

  Eoin frowned.

  Alanna said, “Fingers crossed, by tomorrow we could have this guy in a cell.”

  In a short time, Patricia and Isobel were back in the car driving the road to Killaloe that Brian had driven that morning. Patricia insisted that they stop in Supervalu and get a bottle of wine. They parked along the river searching for the Floss. Malcolm was obviously on sentry duty because they saw him waving at them and beckoning them over.

  Malcolm was standing in front of the Floss. “God, Isobel, she’s a beautiful boat. If we weren’t in the middle of a case I would sail away on her.”

  “Is that not boat-napping?” Patricia said.

  Isobel laughed. “Piracy, I think.”

  Malcolm led them up the steps and onto the boat.

  Isobel said, “We’ve brought dinner, roast chicken with all the trimmings.”

  Patricia held up the bottle of wine.

  Malcolm said, “This day gets better and better. I presume Brian is being detained?”

  Isobel nodded.

  “So far no one has gone near the Swallow so let’s have our dinner. We’ll eat inside, it’s more private and you can tell me all about what has been happening.”

  Dinner was a fun affair. The food was good, the wine tasty and knowing that Brian was in custody was a good sauce.

  When they had finished, Patricia said, “Malcolm, you go and rest and Isobel and I will keep an eye on Brian’s boat.”

  “I know you probably think that I’m being hyper but I’ve been in a situation like this before. I had a guy like Brian in the frame, we had him in custody and he had a friend of his go and destroy evidence. When we finally got the search warrant it was too late, all the evidence we needed was gone. Boy, was that guy laughing at us! I can’t let anything like that happen again.”

  Isobel held up her hands. “It’s OK, Malcolm. You don’t have to explain.”

  Patricia said, “Personally, I think it’s a great excuse to get to sit on a boat and I resent the fact that you won’t share that with us.”

  Malcolm grinned. “I am a bit tired, maybe I will have a lie down for a while.”

  Isobel and Patricia made themselves comfortable on the deck. Patricia had another glass of wine while Isobel, knowing that she would be driving later, sipped water. Conscious that sound travels, they didn’t speak about the case but chatted quietly about other things. As they got hot in the sun they moved inside to the coolness, taking it in turns to keep their eyes on the Swallow.

  It was nine almost dark when Isobel saw Aidan Carey on the shore. Isobel grasped Patricia’s arm and whispered, “Look who’s here. Go and wake Malcolm.”

  Isobel knelt on the seat, staying to the side of the window but watching Aidan Carey like a hawk.

  Malcolm was immediately alert, grabbing his camera and stealthily moving out on deck. He gestured to them to stay where they were. He lay down and with his camera took pictures of Aidan as he walked towards the boat and climbed on board.

  Aidan moved around the deck of the boat to a seating area and bent over as if looking for something.

  While he was distracted Isobel and Patricia crawled out beside Malcolm.

  Patricia whispered. “What’s he doing?”

  No one answered.

  Aidan took a long stick with a hook from behind the seat cushions. Next he walked along the side of the boat squinting at the handrail. Malcolm took more pictures. Aiden obviously found what he was looking for because he lowered the hook into the water and swept it from side to side.

  Malcolm whispered. “This looks like what Brian did the other night when it was dark. I couldn’t see properly and I thought he might have been destroying evidence but if Aidan is behaving in a similar way maybe there is somethi
ng stashed.”

  Isobel inhaled deeply. “The trophies.”

  “Maybe. Brian did this in the dark. I suppose he’s familiar with it but I guess Aidan needs a bit of light to see what he is doing. Thank God – at least we can see too and I can get some pictures.”

  They lay watching and waiting. Aidan found a rope and hooked it up onto the deck. Laying down the hook, he grasped the rope with both hands and pulled. They could see him straining. Malcolm’s camera shutter whirred.

  Aidan pulled up a rectangular shape. It seemed to be covered in plastic. He lifted it onto the deck. For a few seconds he stared at it. He looked around. Isobel and the others ducked lower. Aidan stowed the hook again then untied the package from the rope and, lifting it, made his way off the boat.

  “This has to be the trophies,” Malcolm said. “Brian must have been looking at them the other night. He had no idea we were on to him so he put them back in his hiding place.”

  Patricia said, “And now he’s afraid that Eoin and Alanna might find them if they find out about the boat and search it.”

  “Yes,” said Isobel. “And the garage where he parks the car might lead them to the boat.”

  Malcolm nodded. “So he’s got his solicitor to move the evidence.”

  Isobel whispered, “Why would Aidan do that? Surely that’s illegal, aiding and abetting or something.”

  “I would guess that Aidan has no idea what’s in the package. Brian has probably spun him a line.”

  “Will he get him to destroy whatever it is?”

  “I doubt it. Brian will want to keep his trophies. He’s getting Aidan to move them to a safe location.”

  Patricia put her hand over her mouth. “We have to follow them.”

  Aidan progressed along the wooden jetty, his back to them. Malcolm and the others climbed over the edge of the boat. Aidan reached the car park and moved towards his car. The others hung back, staying out of sight. Aidan put the package in the boot, climbed into his blue BMW, and drove away.

  Malcolm said, “Come on.” He led the girls towards the cars. “We need Aidan to be completely unaware of the surveillance, OK?”

  Isobel and Patricia nodded.

  “With the two cars we should be alright,” Malcolm said.

  “Should we call Eoin and Alanna?” Isobel asked.