City Lives

by Patricia Scanlan

  ‘It’s like running away,’ Caroline said.

  ‘No it’s not. It’s moving on. And now you can do it freely with nothing to hold you back,’ Devlin argued.

  ‘I don’t know if I’m up to looking for a place yet. I don’t know where to turn, really,’ Caroline confessed.

  ‘Well, I know exactly where you’re going, Caroline,’ Devlin said firmly. ‘You, my dear, are getting out of town. You are going to nurse Galway through the Ciara Hanlon débâcle. You are going to move lock, stock, and barrel, office, paper-clips, everything, to Galway until it’s ready to open and then you’ll have had some breathing space to decide what to do with yourself.’

  Caroline stared at her.

  ‘Am I being bossy?’ Devlin made a face.

  Caroline smiled. ‘No. You’re being the best friend anyone could have.’

  ‘What do you think? We need someone really good in Galway. Morale is going to be crap. But only if you want to go, Caroline. It just came to me last night in a flash. I thought a complete break from Dublin would be just what you need. And Maggie and I would visit often. And I know you love Galway.’

  Caroline sat in the firelight and felt the hairs stand up on the back of her neck. In an instant her intuition urged her to say yes. She had read many times that when something felt very right you should always follow your gut instinct, no matter how off beam the idea seemed.

  She heard herself say yes without hesitation.

  ‘Do you mean it? Are you sure?’ Devlin’s eyes were bright with delight.

  ‘I think it’s a wonderful idea,’ Caroline said simply. ‘You get the most magnificent flashes.’ She grinned.

  ‘Now there’s no rush. I want you to take time off and relax,’ Devlin said hastily. ‘Besides, I’ve to sack Madame Hanlon yet.’ She made a wry face.

  ‘Are you sure, Devlin?’

  ‘Look, Caroline, with computers, e-mails, modems, it doesn’t matter whether you’re in Dublin, Belfast, Galway or the moon. You can do your job anywhere. So who better than you to get Galway up and running and back on track?’ Devlin said matter-of-factly. ‘Now off to bed with you. It’s been a tough few days. You can stay in bed all day tomorrow if you want to. I’m having a lie-in, that’s for sure. I’ll meander into the office around noon.’

  ‘You’re very good to me, Devlin. And Luke. I’ll never be able to thank him for all he’s done for me.’ Tears sprang to her eyes.

  ‘We love you, Caroline. That’s what friends are for. And you know something,’ she rubbed Caroline’s shoulders. ‘One day your Luke is going to come. And I’ll be there cheering.’

  A while later, as she lay in bed, weary to her bones, Caroline pondered Devlin’s words. Would she ever be lucky enough to meet a man like Luke?

  Such a thing to be thinking and Richard hardly gone to his maker, she chastised herself.

  Whatever about finding a man, she knew that going to Galway was the right move for her. As she closed her eyes to drift off to sleep, Caroline had the strongest image of a door closing gently, and another one opening to a place that was full of light.

  Thirty-nine

  It was a raw icy Sunday. The roads were slippery and Devlin was glad that she wasn’t driving. Caroline was driving them to Galway, ten days after Richard’s funeral. Her car was packed with clothes and boxes of books and personal possessions. Andrew’s car, ahead of them, carried the overflow.

  They were on their way to confront Ciara Hanlon, hoping to catch her giving private treatments. If it so happened that she didn’t show up, Devlin intended helping Caroline to settle into her new home. They would confront Ciara the next morning.

  Caroline would be overseeing the management of Galway City Girl, as well as her own job, from tomorrow onwards. She didn’t seem at all worried about the extra workload. She was going to have her own PA, nevertheless she was going to be extremely busy.

  Devlin thought ruefully how much she would miss her. It had always been so nice to share the journey into work, or to have coffee together or lunch. It was good looking out the window in the mornings and seeing the light on in Caroline’s kitchen. That would have all changed anyway in the next couple of months. Caroline had always intended moving out and Devlin herself would be moving into a new house eventually. She gave a little smile as she thought of the beautiful cottage that Luke had discovered the day Richard committed suicide. It had real character and a magnificent garden and Devlin had fallen in love with it the minute she’d seen it. They were putting an offer in for it.

  It was all change, Devlin reflected. For all of them. Galway would be good for Caroline. There were no memories of Richard in Galway. She could start afresh. The rich sea air might put some colour into her grey gaunt cheeks. Devlin had never seen her friend look so haggard.

  Her thoughts turned to the ordeal facing her.

  It turned out that Ciara had been stealing from City Girl on a regular basis. There was photographic proof of her leaving the building with large items. That had sickened Devlin. Apart from using City Girl’s facilities on a Sunday, actually physically robbing her had hardened Devlin to take the course of action she was now following.

  Ciara Hanlon was going to get the shock of her life this morning, Devlin thought grimly. The manageress had no idea that Devlin, Caroline and Andrew were paying City Girl a visit. Devlin hoped they caught her red-handed. She wouldn’t be able to deny it. It would also be much easier to deal with the confrontation without the rest of the staff knowing that something was going on. If it turned awkward, Devlin did not want guests and staff to witness a spectacle.

  ‘I wonder will she be there?’ she mused.

  ‘I’d imagine so,’ Caroline replied as she skirted a pothole.

  ‘You don’t have to be there, Caroline,’ Devlin said.

  ‘Why not? Staff are my area of responsibility,’ Caroline pointed out.

  ‘I know but with everything that’s happened—’

  ‘Devlin, the only thing that’s kept me sane these past few days is my job. The only way I’ve been able to cope with my guilt and my sadness is to put it aside for a couple of hours and immerse myself in the plans for operating the residential complex,’ Caroline interrupted. ‘It was great that we got to see Powerscourt Springs. They have the balance just right and there’s a few things I might incorporate in our operation. If you agree, of course.’

  ‘Well, I’m glad work’s helping. And of course I’ll be interested to see what ideas you come up with, but Caroline, you’ve got to stop feeling guilty,’ Devlin urged. ‘Didn’t you once say to me when I was asking you why God allows awful things to happen to people, you said that He never interferes in our lives unless we ask and that we all have free choice?’

  Caroline was silent for a while. ‘That’s right,’ she agreed eventually. ‘We have free choice to do the things we do for good or bad. That was a gift we were given.’

  ‘And so Richard’s choice was to commit suicide,’ Devlin said quietly.

  ‘Yes. But I could have helped him make a different choice maybe.’

  ‘Caroline, that sounds like spiritual arrogance to me, if you don’t mind my saying so,’ Devlin retorted. ‘You can’t take the responsibility of his choice on your shoulders. You’re always saying that each of us is on our own path and that’s why it’s wrong to judge, aren’t you?’

  ‘Umm?’ Caroline wasn’t sure where the point was leading.

  ‘Well, stop judging Richard. And respect his choice,’ Devlin said simply. ‘His path was his path. Your path is yours. I don’t know half as much about this kind of thing as you do, but I bet for you to be blaming yourself for another soul’s behaviour is very wrong.’

  ‘That’s put me in my place,’ Caroline snapped.

  ‘I don’t mean it like that, Caro, you know that,’ Devlin protested. ‘I’m only trying to help.’

  ‘Try and imagine if Luke had committed suicide,’ Caroline’s tone was sharp. ‘Try and imagine how you’d feel then, especially if you were e
stranged. It’s easy for you to sit there and talk about my spiritual arrogance . . . if you don’t mind my saying so.’

  Devlin grimaced. ‘I’m sorry, Caroline. I didn’t mean to upset you. I was just trying to help. And you’re right. I couldn’t possibly imagine what you’re going through. If anything happened to Luke I’d probably kill myself,’ she added unthinkingly. And then realized what she’d said. Her hand flew up to her mouth in horror. You jackass. What a totally insensitive thing to say, she thought in dismay.

  Caroline turned to look at her. Their eyes met and to Devlin’s immense relief her friend burst out laughing.

  ‘Oh, Caroline, I’m so sorry. What a thing to say,’ she apologized, mortified.

  ‘Delaney’s famous size elevens right in it,’ Caroline grinned. ‘You should see your face. It’s scarlet.’

  ‘I’m mortified,’ Devlin admitted, touching her flaming cheeks.

  ‘Don’t be silly, Dev. I feel so sorry for people trying to find the right thing to say to me. Poor Olivia couldn’t handle it at all. If it wasn’t for you and Maggie I would have gone mad. I know Maggie’s furious with Richard and I’m glad that she is, in a strange sort of way, because she didn’t shell out any empty platitudes, she just said nothing and looked after me. The three of us have never had to put on a façade with each other. So don’t start now.’

  She gave Devlin a wry smile. ‘I never realized I was such a preacher about the spiritual stuff. I’m sorry if I’ve rammed it down your neck.’

  ‘Oh, I love talking to you about it, Caroline. It makes you look at life with such a different perspective,’ Devlin said slowly. ‘And I just said those things back to you because I figured you were in such a fog with all that’s happened, you forgot them or couldn’t see them. It makes such sense to me hearing you say it. I hoped I could do the same for you.’

  ‘It’s much easier to read about it and hear people talk about it. But when it comes to the crunch and you have to try and apply it to your own life in a really difficult time like the one I’m going through, it’s hard,’ Caroline confessed. ‘Everything you said is true. And I was judging Richard exactly as you said I was. And I’ve no business to.’

  ‘Just don’t be so hard on yourself,’ Devlin said. ‘Mind, I’m someone to talk about spiritual arrogance, when I get my hands on Ciara Hanlon God knows what I’ll do or say? Why would she pick the path of deceit and thieving?’ Devlin wondered. ‘It’s all terribly complicated, isn’t it?’

  ‘You can say that again,’ Caroline agreed wholeheartedly, as she geared down to observe the speed limit coming into Galway.

  Ciara buttered her toast and sipped her orange juice. She yawned. She was dead tired. She’d been at a very glamorous party the night before and had got off with a fine thing from Malahide. He was a banker, he’d told her. He was staying with friends in Galway for the weekend. He drove a fabulous Jag. His name was Robert McKenna. He was in his thirties and most important . . . single.

  He owned his own apartment in the Marina in Malahide. And it was obvious he was very well off. He was impressed when she’d told him that she was the manageress of City Girl. He knew all about Devlin Delaney and her property-developer husband. He thought Devlin was pretty cool with a good business head on her shoulders.

  He was also mega impressed when she’d given him an all-over body massage with lashings of oil, before she’d given him the ride of his life.

  He was desperate to see her again. But Ciara knew the value of playing hard to get. She’d turned down his invitation to lunch and dinner today. He could drive over from Dublin the following weekend and she might fit him in for dinner on Saturday but he’d have to ring to confirm, she’d told him.

  He wasn’t used to being treated like that, obviously, and he’d been all over her trying to get her to change her mind and spend Sunday with him, but she’d been resolute. Besides which, she had three clients booked in for appointments.

  Thank God they weren’t massages, she thought gratefully, nibbling on a slice of banana. She was whacked. Massages were tiring to give. She had one four-layer facial. One manicure and pedicure. And one eyebrow and eyelash tint and lip and chin wax. Her first appointment was at ten. She’d be home by one thirty. She was going to spend the afternoon in bed and catch up on some much needed rest.

  Ciara had no doubts that Robert would phone her. She had long-term plans for him. It would be very handy being involved with a banker when it came time to open her own emporium.

  Maybe that time was going to come sooner rather than later. Maybe Robert McKenna would be exactly the step up she needed on the business ladder.

  Ciara smiled at her reflection a little later as she applied her make-up carefully. It was extremely important to look well groomed and immaculately made up when dealing with clients. It gave them confidence in you. They felt that they, too, could look that good after a treatment.

  Brenda Regan was her first customer. She was a rich, raddled old peahen with suitcases under her eyes. A ten-layer facial wouldn’t have any effect on her leather skin, Ciara reflected as she pencilled her eyebrows. Brenda was so superior. But she was a hell of a good tipper and she was right up there at the top of the social ladder. Her husband owned a chain of hotels. Brenda was a regular and very valued customer.

  Ciara glanced at her watch. Almost nine fifteen. She’d want to get a move on to have the heating on and the towels warming on the radiators to cover Brenda’s flabby shoulders. It was just as well she had her private clients to keep her hand in doing treatments. As manageress she never did anything like that. Her work was all administration. She yawned again and looked longingly at her rumpled bed. She’d got precious little sleep in it last night. She was going to work her butt off for the next few hours and make up for it this afternoon.

  Andrew lugged Caroline’s boxes into the lift of the apartment complex that was to be her new home. He was followed by Devlin and Caroline with their hands full.

  ‘When the cars are unpacked I’ll walk over to City Girl and see if Ciara’s on the premises. As soon as I see a client go in I’ll phone you on the mobile and you can come over and we’ll get it over and done with,’ Andrew suggested.

  ‘Maybe she won’t have booked in clients today,’ Devlin ventured.

  ‘Why should today be any different from any other Sunday, Devlin? She’ll have a client at ten, as usual. Ten, eleven, twelve, every Sunday morning. That’s the pattern that’s shown up from surveillance.’

  The lift doors slid open and Andrew groaned as he lifted the boxes. He was a slight, skinny man. Physical fitness was not his forte.

  ‘That will give you muscles, Andrew.’ Devlin grinned as she unlocked the door to the top-floor apartment.

  Caroline looked around in pleasure. ‘This is beautiful, Devlin. Look at the view.’

  The complex was set on the banks of the Corrib. The wide floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the weir at the mouth of the river. To the left was the Spanish Arch and the Long Walk that led to City Girl. Luke owned several apartments in the block, including the one that was to be Caroline’s home for the next few months.

  ‘It’s handy being married to someone in the property business,’ Devlin smiled. ‘He has places everywhere. You should see the ones he owns in Cork.’

  ‘Belfast is the place to buy now,’ Andrew panted as he dropped his load to the floor.

  ‘He has some there too,’ Devlin said airily as she laid a bag containing Caroline’s shoes on the sofa.

  ‘Let’s have a cup of tea before we do anything else,’ Caroline suggested.

  ‘OK, you stick the kettle on and I’ll bring up the rest of the stuff,’ Andrew ordered.

  ‘I won’t miss him,’ Caroline said dryly as she opened the doors of the well-equipped kitchen cupboards and located cups and saucers.

  It was after nine before they had their tea and a Danish. Devlin wasn’t really that hungry. She was dreading the ordeal ahead of her. Caroline only ate because she knew that Devlin was watc
hing her eagle-eyed.

  ‘You will look after yourself? And eat in the dining-room, and eat properly,’ Devlin warned.

  ‘I will. I’m just not hungry these days. But when I get into a routine I’ll be fine.’ Caroline rinsed her cup under the tap.

  ‘If you need more personnel, another secretary or whatever, let us know,’ Andrew said kindly, making Caroline feel like a heel. He wasn’t the worst really.

  ‘I will. Don’t worry,’ she assured him.

  He glanced at his watch. ‘I’d better go. I’ll call as soon as the client goes in.’

  ‘This is horrible isn’t it?’ Devlin said twenty minutes later, as they waited for her mobile phone to ring.

  Caroline looked up from where she was kneeling, on the bedroom floor, placing underwear into a pine chest of drawers.

  ‘That girl is such an idiot,’ she said angrily. ‘She had it all and now she’s blown it.’

  The phone rang, its melodic tone making Devlin almost jump out of her skin, even though she’d been expecting it.

  ‘She’s there. And a woman driving a Merc has just gone in. Time to go,’ Andrew said firmly.

  ‘OK, we’ll be there in a minute.’ Devlin clicked off. She felt sick.

  ‘Are you sure you want to come? I’m the employer. It’s my business. I don’t expect you to, Caroline.’ She stood up to go.

  ‘I told you before, staff are my responsibility. Let’s get it over and done with.’ Caroline picked up her bag.

  ‘I’ve never sacked anyone before,’ Devlin said ruefully as they descended in the lift.

  ‘There’s a first time for everything, unfortunately. You’ve been very lucky, I suppose.’ Caroline held open the door of the foyer and a gust of salty sea air chilled them.