Where There's A Will

by Mary Malone

“Frank Dulhooly here, Mags. It’s been quite a few years.” He held his breath, hoping she’d remember him. His pride would be severely dented otherwise.

  “My God! How long has it been?”

  Frank sank into the driver’s seat of his Mercedes, staring across at the magnificent scenery of Sheep’s Head as he prepared to catch up with an old friend. Despite his wife’s suspicions and accusations, they’d never shared anything other than a platonic relationship, albeit one loaded with inexplicable and undeniable chemistry, something they’d managed to resist despite a mutual attraction. He wondered what she looked like now, deciding as he caught sight of his own ghastly reflection in the mirror that he’d hold on to the image of the svelte redhead he’d carried with him since his twenties. No need to ruin it with the harsh reality of ageing.

  “Before we go down the route of old times, tell me you’re still a hot shot in private eye work?”

  “Leader of the European pack now,” she laughed. “Or so they tell me!”

  Frank launched into Ed’s story, explaining what he’d been told and asking if she could see a way to help.

  “How much time are we talking?”

  “Very little based on the seriously ill man I’ve just seen in the hospice,” Frank admitted, opening the car window to let in some fresh air. “There’s a lot riding on it, Mags. Only for that I wouldn’t be wasting your valuable time.”

  “I’ll always make time to help an old friend, Frank. I’m glad you called.”

  The confidence in her voice was consoling, lifting a degree of pressure from his shoulders. He wasn’t naïve enough to expect miracles, but sharing the immense burden of the next-to-impossible case with Mags eased the suffocating pressure that had been descending upon him.

  Kieran crawled out from underneath his aunt’s bed. The old steel frame had been impossible to drag across the floor. He’d been searching through bags and boxes, delighted when he found a shoebox filled with cards he’d sent her from numerous destinations. At least I wasn’t completely thoughtless, he mused, flicking through them before placing them to one side rather than adding them to the growing pile of recycling. Something to show my grandchildren, he thought with a grin.

  Three suitcases were laden with every size and colour towel and set of bed linen. Glancing at them, bringing them to his nose to smell the must, he doubted they’d ever been used. Wedding gifts, perhaps? Never used in a marriage cut short before it ever had a chance to blossom, he thought sadly. Not having the heart to discard them entirely, seeing as she’d kept them for years, he placed them near the cards. But he wouldn’t be putting them anywhere near his skin!

  Kicking a box of towels out of his way, he cursed as the ancient cardboard disintegrated. Towels sliding onto the lino, he grabbed the top few to try and keep them together. The crinkle of plastic surprised him.

  He pulled the towels aside to discover clear plastic bags with neatly folded bundles of money inside.

  Laughing aloud, he counted the notes. Thousands of euro in one bag alone. Olivia’s words rang in his ears: ‘Any cash you find in the house is yours to spend now.’

  “Finally, Polly!” he exclaimed.

  He hid most of it at the back of the wardrobe before taking the stairs a few steps at a time and hurrying out the front door with a fistful of notes in his hand. He knew exactly what his first purchase would be, and once he had that necessity out of the way he planned on treating himself to a dream he’d never expected to realise. And certainly not without a bank loan.

  “Kieran, so glad I caught you . . .”

  He looked up to see John Kilmichael standing at the gate. Realising he still had the cash in his hand, he shoved it in the pocket of his jeans. Although not before John had spotted it. Damn, he thought.

  “I’m running late, I’m afraid. Can you call back another time?” Was John one of the visitors Polly had referred to?

  “I need to speak to you. It’s about the parcel I had delivered here for Polly, the one you gave me last week.”

  “Not today,” Kieran said firmly, eyeing him up and down and trying without success to believe that he was his cousin. Difficult to imagine, he thought.

  “Can I call back later then?”

  Unable to believe a word from his mouth, Kieran refused to engage in any further conversation until after he’d witnessed his visit to Olivia’s office. “Not today, I’m afraid.”

  “It’ll only take a moment.”

  “I have your number.” Kieran’s tone left no room for argument. “Now, if you excuse me I have an urgent appointment to keep. I’ll give you a shout at a more convenient time.” Like the Twelfth of Never, he thought.

  Visibly unimpressed, John turned and left, his forehead etched with frown lines.

  Kieran bent to tie his shoelace – at least pretended to – watching the older man out of the corner of his eye until he’d turned the corner at the end of the road. The few times they’d met, he’d given very little information about himself and suddenly Kieran was curious. He didn’t even have an address for him. Dashing after him to see what direction he went, he stopped suddenly.

  Kilmichael was deep in conversation. He was chatting to Seth! What on earth is he doing with him? He felt sick to his stomach. More underhanded dealings. Was there anybody he could trust? Their conversation looked serious. Kieran retreated out of sight, his head in a spin, the joy of finding the cash short-lived.

  “You okay there?”

  Kieran jumped out of his skin. Jess had startled him.

  “Just staying out of somebody’s sight,” he said, somewhat shamefaced.

  “Trouble follows you,” she laughed, “or else you go out and find it!”

  “Who, me?” He feigned innocence, giving up on his idea to follow John. What would he learn? That he lived in a two-up, two-down cottage somewhere, with a terraced garden and rusted gates? Or that he was doing some deal or other with his uncle? Too much of a coincidence, he decided, forcing a smile on his face.

  He decided against mentioning it to Jess, at least not until he knew for sure what was going on in his family. Apart from his dad at this stage, he hadn’t received much in the way of friendship from any of them.

  “So which way are you going? Home or up town?”

  “Seeing as you’ve asked, I was heading out to buy a car.”

  “Just like that? You make it sound as natural as going to get milk and bread.”

  He shrugged. “Polly left me a bit of money.”

  “Four wheels, not two? You are buying a car? Not a motorbike?”

  “I’m getting a bit tired of walking everywhere and the bus service is shocking.”

  “I can’t disagree with you there,” Jess replied. “Turns me off going anywhere!”

  “I’m going to have to start looking for a job soon. So, I’ll need transport. That service guy up the street has a few bangers out front. I’ll see if any have passed the NCT.”

  “And then you can teach me to drive?”

  “No way! I tried teaching Beth once. A pure disaster and she’s hardly spoken to me since!”

  Jess picked up her pace to keep up with his long strides as they walked up the hill and turned left on to Colla Road. “Speaking of Beth. I haven’t seen her around much?”

  Kieran continued to walk as he responded. “Up to her eyes in debt, stuck in some old wreck in Goleen that’s apparently falling down around her ears. And she’s out of work.”

  “But wasn’t she off in college doing a science degree? I remember all the awards she used to get in school – a right genius.”

  “Threw it all away to marry a Frog!”

  Jess stared at him askance.

  “A Frenchman,” he explained, pulling a face.

  She punched his arm. “Don’t speak about your fellow-Europeans like that!”

  “He’s actually Irish but he lived in France for most of his life.”

  “So what has getting married got to do with throwing away her degree?”

  “She
was majoring in genetics and the only bloody gene she could catch was the love-gene! Poor bitch never finished the qualification, gave up with only a year to go.”

  “That’s a bit unkind coming from the fellow who never bothered putting his hard-earned degree to use either.” She raised a questioning eyebrow.

  Kieran laughed but didn’t rise to her bait. Neither did he take the opportunity to remind her that her archaeology qualification lay equally dormant.

  They came to a stop outside the service garage, eyeing the used cars parked at the side.

  “What do you think of that white Civic?” he asked.

  She pulled a face, imagining him racing around the village. “Aren’t you a bit long in the tooth for boy-racer models? Not that you act it, mind you.”

  “Whatever hope you had of getting driving lessons in my new car are well and truly gone,” he laughed, strolling inside the gates to take a better look around.

  The mechanic appeared from the garage, wiping his hands on an oily cloth. “I have a very clean black Golf if you’d like to take it for a test drive. For herself, is it?”

  “She wishes!” Kieran laughed. “I’m looking for some-thing cheap and reliable to get me around the place.”

  A car would be worth buying without doubt. He’d forgotten how crucial it was to have transport living here. But he wasn’t going to blow too much money on it. Not when he had something far more interesting in mind to buy!

  Meanwhile, Jess was being quizzed by the owner in typical rural Ireland style. Giving a glance in her direction, Kieran smothered a grin before devoting his attention to the cars again.

  “And your mother passed away, didn’t she?”

  Jess’s eyes darted in Kieran’s direction, signalling for him to rescue her from the interrogation. But his attention was elsewhere. “I have to go, Kieran. Greg’s out early.”

  “Is he?” She hadn’t mentioned it.

  “Remember I told you?” she said, her voice rising ever so slightly.

  Kieran shrugged. Had she remarked on the school finishing early? He honestly couldn’t say. “Want me to go with you?”

  “No, you stay and look at the cars! I’ll catch up with you later.”

  Kieran stared after her as she hurried away.

  “And yourself,” the owner picked up his interrogation, “hail from around here?”

  Sighing, Kieran gave a half-hearted answer. “Ballydehob.” There wasn’t much point in lying or refusing to answer because the other man would undoubtedly keep firing questions at him. The country way lived on, it seemed. The age-old style of neighbourhood watch. Definitely one characteristic of country-living he didn’t miss!

  “And who might you be there?”

  “Dulhooly.”

  “Ah, you must be Frank’s son. Heard you were back around the place. Didn’t carry on the Dulhooly courtroom name then? Carry on the tradition?”

  “No. Marine Engineering was more my thing.” No harm to point that out, he thought.

  “Let’s have a look at that car we were talking about,” the man said.

  Kieran relaxed. Now the other man had as much information as he could get on him, he was happy to get on with business.

  Test-driving the Golf along with a few others, he promised he’d call back after he’d given them a bit of thought. It felt strange – but good – to have money to spend.

  “The price is negotiable,” the owner said as Kieran walked away. “Give me a minute and I’ll do my sums again.”

  “It’ll have to be a good bit lower,” Kieran commented as he turned around to enter into negotiations. Less than ten minutes later they had agreed a price.

  No doubt it’ll be in the local pub tonight that Dulhooly’s son has bought a car so he must be settling down, he thought as he strolled down the hill after paying a deposit on the vehicle.

  Then an ad in a shop window caught his eye. In need of repair – the words jumped out of him, the accompanying photograph telling a very different story. But no doubt the in need of repair was well hidden. What a coincidence – his heart’s desire! This was fate. He patted the cash in his pocket and smiled. At least the down-payment, he thought, dialling the number listed underneath the photograph. And if these objectors – my own flesh and blood – succeed in getting me out of Number 5, at least I’ll have a roof over my head!

  “Just enquiring about the ad you have on the shop window here in Schull,” he explained when the call was picked up.

  “You’re interested in viewing?”

  “Yes, indeed,” he agreed. “Where?”

  Listening closely, he memorised the location, knowing it fairly well and not bothering to write down the address. Ending the call, he doubled back up the hill to see if the mechanic could get the car ready for collection as soon as possible. Looked like he’d need transport sooner than he thought.

  Jess was waiting for him, looking sheepish, when he got home.

  “Where’s Greg? I thought he was out early?”

  “I invented that one. Couldn’t stick his questions. Talk about an inquisition!”

  “I got the same but he’s harmless. Anyway, I bought the Golf. I’m picking it up tomorrow. Fancy a spin out to Mizen?”

  “Once it fits around collecting Greg from school.”

  “Goes without saying.”

  “Brilliant,” she said, her face falling as a car pulled up outside the wall and her sister-in-law and brother stepped out.

  Kieran remained where he was, nodding at the two well-dressed people approaching.

  “Henry, you remember Kieran?”

  Her brother frowned, giving a cursory glance at his sister’s neighbour and then back at his wife. “Vaguely,” he admitted.

  “How could you forget this mad fellow?” Jess accused. “We hung out together years ago. And before you say it, I know you were in boarding school but you actually came to a few beach parties with us on occasion . . .” Her voice trailed off as she waited for her brother to say something.

  “I’ll leave you to it, Jess,” Kieran said hurriedly. “See you, Henry.” He gave a courteous nod in Pru’s direction. As they hadn’t been introduced he didn’t think it wise to call her by her name.

  The tension between the trio was palpable. He smiled as he thought of the things Jess had told him about Pru. He didn’t think Pru would be quite so smug if she’d heard them. He was happier to leave them to their family meeting. He’d had enough family squabbles of his own without entertaining or getting involved in Jess’s.

  The house phone was ringing as he stepped inside, the first time it had done so while he’d been there, he realised. Lifting the receiver and saying hello, he waited for a response. Nothing. “Hello, can I help you?” Silence. “Who’s there? Can I help you?”

  He held his breath, listening as attentively as possible, convinced there was breathing on the other end. Definitely somebody there, he thought, slightly unnerved.

  “Timewaster,” he muttered, dropping the receiver again. “That you playing tricks, Poll?” he asked, resuming his search through her belongings with slightly less enthusiasm than earlier.

  His search too was fruitless, most of it divided between charity shop and recycling bundles. He wouldn’t be sorry when he’d got to the end of clearing out, repeatedly wondering why on earth she’d saved the majority of what he’d had to trawl through. Parched from the dust, he made his way to the kitchen, but was interrupted once more by the phone – his mobile this time.

  “Who? I’m sorry? Oh, Amy? Nice to hear from you. What’s up?” His heart skipped a beat. Hearing from his solicitor so soon could only mean one thing – trouble!

  “Olivia would like you to come in and see her before the end of this week if possible.”

  They agreed a time and ended the call.

  Washing his hands at the kitchen sink, he stared out the window, a deep sense of foreboding washing over him. The garden was still awaiting a makeover, the house partially cleared. He’d made little progress. And now,
unless instinct was making a fool out of him, he felt his time at Number 5 was coming to an end. Why else would Olivia want to see him in person? What news couldn’t be imparted by phone?

  Chapter 37

  “What’s going on with you, Jess?” Henry asked his sister.

  She leaned against the counter in her kitchen, her brother and sister-in-law seated at the table. She felt as though she was being interviewed. Actually, she thought, a police interrogation would be nearer the truth.

  “I’ve had a change of heart. I’m not interested in doing a house swap anymore,” she replied, working very hard to remain calm. And working even harder to remain firm about the decision.

  “You can’t back out now,” Pru snapped. “It’s what we’ve discussed –”

  A glare from Henry prevented her saying any more, his sudden attack of loyalty to his sister surprising and irritating.

  Pru’s face said it all. How dare he shush her! She was his wife after all.

  “Greg’s happiness is my priority,” Jess stated.

  “I thought we’d discussed this already,” Henry sighed.

  She nodded, wishing with all her heart that things could be different between her and Henry. They shouldn’t have to argue like this.