by Elin Peer
Blowing down on her tea, Eileen muttered, “I wanted to feel special and so when one day the miracle happened and my friend was invited, I begged her to bring me along.”
Kit moved in her chair, “What was it like?”
“I think the best word to describe it would be a love-fest. It was the most welcoming atmosphere, with an interest in me as a person. All night, people would hang on my every word, laugh at my jokes, and make me feel more welcomed than ever in my life. And then there was Conor himself. The enigma of a man whom people were talking about like he was the new Messiah. The excitement I felt when he asked to speak with me and I was led to him…” Eileen sighed again. “That man has a way of looking into your soul and telling you exactly what you want to hear. It all resonated with me. I thought myself lucky to be invited into his mastermind group. He was going to make me into someone others wanted to be like. Not only would I help the world be a better place, but I would become one of the celebrities on TV. Someone with influence and followers.” She stopped talking for moment, a small frown on her face, as she looked down at the tea in her hands.
“How would he do that?” I asked.
“The way he described it was that the mastermind group was a network of carefully selected people, like a freemasonry group where everyone were brothers and sisters, sworn to secrecy. We were the enlightened ones with access to resources like no other. And he was right. Some of the people in the room were from affluent and influential families, and I wanted desperately to be part of their so-called family.”
“Did you come from money?” I asked.
“My family is wealthy, but nothing like some of the others. I think his interest in me was because of my connections. You see, I bragged to him that I’m related to the royal family on my mother’s side, which is true, but in my eagerness for him to like me, I exaggerated my family’s influence quite a bit.”
“What happened after you became one of his followers?”
Eileen blinked her eyes. “First of all, you have to understand that I never saw it like that. I never suspected that it was a cult and neither does your friend.”
I nodded for her to go on.
“In the beginning it was a dream come true. Our conversations in the group were deep and philosophical at times, but for the most part we shared knowledge with each other. Conor taught us how to be influential and read body language. He taught us NLP and the art of conversation and discussion.”
“What’s NLP?” Kit asked.
“Neurolinguistic Programming.”
“Oh, okay.”
“I loved it. Like a sponge, I soaked up all the amazing things he taught us. The place was full of gifted people who would share their knowledge of history, art, literature, or whatever they were studying. The house was buzzing with smart people on a mission and there was nowhere I’d rather be…” Eileen’s voice dropped, “My social life outside of the group fell apart. I couldn’t share what was happening in the group because of my sworn secrecy and when my friends and family asked questions, I couldn’t answer them. It created conflicts and within a year, I’d lost the people I considered friends before I joined the Red Manor Group.”
I gave a another nod of sympathy. “What about the friend who brought you in the first place?”
Eileen zoomed in on me. “She didn’t join.”
“Why not?”
“The whole thing gave her the creeps.” She shrugged. “I guess she had a much better developed sixth sense than me, but back then I bought into O’Brien’s story that he’d asked her not to come back. According to him, she wasn’t the right fit for the group and he didn’t see enough potential in her. I remember thinking that her warning of the place’s being weird was coming from a place of jealousy.”
Eager to hear the story, I leaned forward. “When did you realize that something wasn’t right?”
“I’m ashamed to say that it took me years. I think I lost my sense of self in there. Whoever I was before I entered was slowly chipped away until I’d bought into the ideology and lived it with my whole being. My greatest goal was to make Conor proud of me, to be of service to the group, and to prove myself worthy.” Her voice slowed down and tears formed. “It’s like that saying about boiling a frog. The pressure starts out slow but then it increases. Conor would question my loyalty to the group and him. His reminders that the group was only for a select few and there was no room for doubters made me sob in my room, where I would come up with desperate ways to prove how much I trusted and loved him. I’d meditate more, study harder, volunteer for cleaning and kitchen duty, I’d offer my body to him, and donate all my money. I gave him everything I had, and he took it, sucked me dry, and still wasn’t happy.”
The pain in Eileen’s voice made me swallow hard and fold my hands to fists.
“When O’Brien kicked me out, I was friendless, money-less, and had cut all ties with my family. He even convinced me that I was unworthy and that it was better if I left my friends inside the mastermind group alone. I was a mess. I guess I still am, but at least I began reaching out to other members who had moved out without saying goodbye, and I learned that they too had been kicked out.”
“You didn’t know?”
“No. When someone left unexpectedly, it was assumed that they had left on their own accord. Two times, I remember a public fight. One was River’s mum, who embarrassed herself by clinging to O’Brien’s feet and refusing to let go. She begged him to let her and River stay but he accused her of stealing from the group. Little River tried to comfort her mother while crying herself. We all loved the girl so Ciara, who has two boys with O’Brien, asked him to at least consider letting River stay.
“It was horrible to watch when Julie left with her head bowed in shame. She was outside the door with tears down her eyes, telling River that she loved her, when Conor slammed the door shut before she could finish the sentence.”
“That’s pure bollocks!” Kit rocked back and forth with anger on her face. “That man is a weasel of the worst kind. To separate a mother and child like that, and ye did nothin’?”
“There wasn’t anything I could do except comfort River and help her move on. It wasn’t until I was kicked out myself that I reached out to Julie to find out what really happened.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Let me guess – she didn’t steal any money.”
“No – well, yes, in a way. You see, like me, she ended up without a penny in her eagerness to satisfy O’Brien. Millions of her inheritance had been transferred to his funds, except for a portion of three hundred thousand that was earmarked for River. It was when she refused to give him that money that he accused her of stealing.”
“That’s not stealing.”
“No, except at one of her weakest moments she had told him he would get it, and when she failed to follow through, he cut her off.”
“So, hang on. Is River one of the five children that lives in the house?”
“Yes. Her mother, Julie, is in a psychiatric hospital after she tried to kill herself three times.”
I knew this from the report and nodded. “Did you meet Charles while you were there?”
“No, it’s been seven months since I was inside the house. Your friend wasn’t a member then.”
I crossed my arms. “I need to find a way to get Charles out of O’Brien’s claws. Do you have any suggestions?”
Eileen watched me closely. “I’ve been thinking about it ever since I heard you were coming. The sad truth is that I don’t think you can. Conor O’Brien isn’t an ordinary man. Some days I doubt he’s even mortal. He will make you think he’s the kindest person in the world while he’s stabbing your heart. It’s almost like witchcraft the way he holds power over people. If Charles has already been there for months, he’ll be in too deep.”
My shoulders sank. “You think it’s hopeless?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“I don’t!” Kit sat up straighter. “Ye’ve just got to give Charles the hottest sex of his
life and make him desperate for more. Men do stupid things for sex all the time.”
Eileen turned to Kit. “I don’t think you understand the kind of spell O’Brien’s followers are under.”
“Maybe not, but I know people go crazy for love. My cousin Richard left his wife and three babes because he fell in love, and my friend Andy moved to Finland to be with a girl he met in Ibiza. I mean if that’s not some powerful love voodoo, I don’t know what it is.”
“What if Charles is in a relationship with someone inside the cult?” I asked.
Eileen snorted. “He’s not.”
“Why not?”
“Because O’Brien doesn’t like to share attention and I’ve never seen him allow couples in the group.”
“But you said that you offered your body to him and that one of the other women has two sons with him, so clearly O’Brien allows sex in the house.”
Eileen looked away. “I offered but he rejected me. I’m not as attractive as some of the others.” Again, her tone was heavy with sadness.
My heart went out to her and I placed my hand on top of hers and looked deep into her eyes. “In the US we have a saying. Sometimes a rejection is God’s protection.”
“I like that.” Kit nodded. “And in this case, it’s the truth. I wouldn’t ride that man if he came with pedals. Ye should be relieved that you didn’t give him yer body. He might have been inside yer head, but at least he never got inside yer fanny.”
I liked Kit. She had to be at least five years older than me, but she was feisty and opinionated and her accent alone was amazing. “The more I hear about the mastermind group, the more I want Charlie out of there.”
Eileen tapped the armrest of her chair. “I’ve seen friends and family show up and demand that members leave with them, but that never works. One mother once had her daughter kidnapped, but that backfired when the daughter pressed charges. Not only was the mum convicted of kidnapping but her daughter never wanted to see her again. How well do you know Charles?”
“I don’t. Well, we met five years ago and there was chemistry but it never evolved to anything.”
They both stared at me and then Kit exclaimed, “But I thought ye were his girlfriend.”
“No, I’m not. I’m just a girl he had a crush on once.”
“Oh, for God’s sake.” Kit stared at me. “What made ye think ye had a chance then? I mean, friends and family of the members haven’t been able to get them out. Ye hardly know the bloke.”
“Charles’ grandfather asked for my help and I’m here to try.”
They both sighed but it was Kit who spoke, “Aye, ye might as well give it a go, but when ye do, it has to be all or nothin’. Ye’ll have one chance to seduce the hell out of Charles and make him fall in love with ye. To get him out, ye’ve got to bind him to ye in a stronger bond than anything Conor could ever offer him.”
Eileen looked thoughtful. “Do you know anything about what he likes or doesn’t like? What his dreams are?”
“No, not really. I mean, I’ve read some of his diaries but I’m still not sure what he wants out of life.”
Eileen looked at me with a grave expression. “I guarantee that O’Brien knows and it gives him power over Charles. Never forget that.”
The two women were looking at me, and the silence in the small kitchen made the sound of the clock on the wall sound louder. “Tick, tock, tick, tock.”
Kit’s bright red hair stood in contrast to the green flowery wallpaper she was sitting against. Her raincoat was in her lap and the sleeves of her thin knitted sweater were pushed up on her forearms.
“I can’t make Charles fall in love with me on purpose. It’s been five years and he might not like what he sees anymore.”
Kit studied me. “I’d do ye.”
It was so forward and unexpected that I didn’t know how to respond. There was no flirtatious smile and I hadn’t taken Kit for a lesbian.
“Yes, I would too,” Eileen muttered. “There are no men to fancy here anyway.”
I put both my hands to my chest. “Aww, aren’t you two being nice to me.”
“Just trying to pump yer self-esteem a little ’cause when ye meet Charles, ye’d better knock his pants off with a wink.”
“I’m not here to have sex with him.”
“Why not?” Kit wrinkled her nose up. “Don’t ye fancy him?”
“Yes. I had a massive crush on him, but I can’t just throw myself at him.”
Kit crossed her arms. “Then tell us yer plan.”
“I’m going to befriend him and hopefully be invited inside. Once I’m there, I’ll start to ask him questions to make him see how strange it all is.”
“You can’t do that.” Eileen rested her elbows on the scratched-up kitchen table. “If you’re not a full-on believer, O’Brien won’t allow you to hang about. And if you push Charles too hard, he’ll be caught between you and them. He might find you dramatic and not worth the trouble.”
The kitchen fell silent again as my shoulders fell.
“I think…” Eileen paused and looked thoughtful. “I think your best chance of getting Charles out is to get everyone out.”
“Ooohh, ambitious. Keep talking!” Kit sat up straighter.
“Conor is a criminal who thinks he’s above rules and laws. If you could get inside and observe for a while, you might be able to help Kit and the gardai build a case against him. I mean, if Conor goes to prison, the Red Manor Group falls apart and that would free not only Charles but everyone there.”
Kit turned to me. “What do ye think?”
“Well, I like the idea of saving everyone of course, but I’m not sure how to do it. Eileen, how do I get invited to stay there?”
She scratched her cheek. “I’m afraid there’s no set formula. There has to be a room available. Conor is like a collector of people. If he sees someone he wants, he’ll look at the people already occupying his rooms and get rid of the ones he likes the least to make room for his newest addition. It’s unlikely that he’ll invite you to stay, but if you get a chance, take it. And another thing…” Eileen leaned forward and took my hand. “See if you can get close to the children. They observe a lot more than the adults realize, but they don’t always understand what significance it holds. You might get them to tell you things that no adult would.”
“All right.” I nodded. “I’m going to seduce Charles, try and become a member of the group, and lure information out of the children.”
“Aye. Now, don’t ye look so terrified.” Kit rubbed my back with her hand. “Let’s just take one step at a time. Charles works at Trinity, and tomorrow, I’ll help ye bump into him and make it look like a coincidence. Maybe things will work out.”
I gave a skeptical glance and rubbed my neck.
“Or maybe…” Kit looked to the kitchen counter, where a butcher block stood with large knives in it. “Maybe we should cut off a beloved part of O’Brien.”
“You want to castrate him?” Eileen’s tone lifted at the end of her sentence, expressing horror, but her eyes lit up with excitement.
“Naw, I was thinking about cutting out his lying tongue so he can’t bewitch and trick more people. If we work together, I think we could do it.”
I was trying to read Kit and looking for any sign that she was joking, but there was no smile or wink.
“Ehm, okay, let’s keep within the law for now, and avoid any blood if possible. I’d love to know more about the people living there and any tips you can give me about do’s and don’ts.”
Eileen nodded and pulled out a notebook. “I’ve written down what I think might be useful to you.”
Over the next hour and a half, she talked me through the different members, including the five children. She kept pulling her pink cardigan closer around her like a safety blanket to protect herself from the pain of reliving all that happened to her.
“Thank you so much for taking the time to brief me.”
Eileen gave a small smile. “I don’t like
to talk about it, but Kit said that she’s working on collecting evidence to take down Conor, and I support that. The man ruined my life.”
Kit narrowed her eyes. “That bastard is so bad he’d even steal the blessin’ from the holy water. Someone has to stop him and why not us three?”
Eileen nodded and put her hand in the middle of the table. “I’m in. I’ll reach out to anyone I can remember leaving the group while I was there, and I’ll search my memory for things that might help the case against him.”
Kit covered Eileen’s hand with her own. “Good! I’ll help Liv meet Charles and then I’ll keep searchin’ high and low for any mistake Conor might have made, so we can bring him to justice once and for all.”
I placed my hand on top of theirs. “I’m ready to open Charles’ eyes and bring him home to make peace with his dying grandfather.”
In that moment, Eileen’s grandmother walked in with two dogs trailing after her. She came to a full stop and looked at us three women sitting around the kitchen table with our hands stacked. “What’s this?”
“We’re making a pact to bring down Conor O’Brien,” Eileen answered, and I quickly added,
“And save my friend Charles.”
The old woman was plump like Eileen and she looked well into her eighties. “Ah, I see…” she crossed her arms. “An Irishwoman, a Brit, and an American sittin’ in a kitchen cooking up plans together. There has to be a joke there somewhere.”
We smiled and Eileen said, “No, I assure you that we’re serious.”
“Awk, aye, I’m sure ye are. But it’s a sad affair when women have to banter together to kill the dragon and save the prince. I do not like these modern times.”
I laughed low. “I assure you that this is no fairytale and Charles is no prince. He’s reserved and a little intimidating, to be honest, and he has Tourette’s.”