The Watchman's Grace

by Craig Johnson

  Simon gave the major an exaggerated bow before leaving his presence. He tried to keep some composure while secretly gloating over his lucrative coup. In his view old Ireland was lost, and its spoils were in the strong claws of a British lion.

  From striving aspirations of the Common Man Movement to more aggressive rebellious causes, any resulting victory would do nothing for his liking. Fresh stakes were in the offing, as his only cares now waited their husband and father’s return.

  Soon Simon strolled into his familiar haunt, Connor’s Tavern. Even one hour and a half later he had a spring in his step which spoke of sudden fortune and a prize to match. Tomorrow he would secure boarding tickets for Australia, first class of course. There was no more need to live the humble lifestyle of a pauper.

  “Good day to you Simon,” greeted Ronan the barman. “Will you be having your regular pint?”

  “Not today Ronan,” grinned Simon. “Give me a glass of your best ale going. By the way, there is a little something here for you as well.”

  Ronan’s attention was immediately aroused. “Go on then, let me hear it.”

  Simon leaned over the bar to quietly address Ronan. “I’m going to give you a sealed letter which a gentleman named Fraser will request. Make sure he says it was delivered by Simon okay? Give it to him and your job is over. To show my gratitude for this little favor here are ten shillings.” Simon placed both letter and coinage into Ronan’s expectant palms.

  “Consider it done Simon. Let me fetch that good ale for you now.” Ronan scampered away to get Simon’s order. On returning, there was no sign of Simon, and two more shillings remained in his place. Shaking his head, Ronan took the coinage and returned to tending bar.

  Simon decided to take a long walk as tonic to relieve all of today’s tensions. When he returned home, he wanted a clear head to enjoy the sheer excitement of his family. Everyone knew good news in these times was rare to come by, never mind a small fortune.

  Naturally he could never tell the reason for his stake. Simon trusted that excitement would overcome any doubt as to the nature of these tidings. He held hope their pleasure would be derived from securing a promising future.

  On approaching a peaceful local park, Simon gained entrance and moved towards a delightful cluster of old trees. He marveled at the canopy of green above, which descending sunlight filtered through in slender golden threads. Soon his mind drifted into an idyllic trance far from the hustling whirl of Dublin.

  During this serene period Simon’s slumbering memory drifted back to one particular visit in County Mayo long ago. In those days he was known by the name Paddy Byrne. He was full of joy to learn by post just one month earlier his only sister was pregnant with another child.

  Filled with abundant happiness, he traveled back to County Mayo as soon as he could do so. Reaching the massive acreage of Rushford House, he strode out to the tenant plot she shared with her husband and family.

  Arriving at their door, Paddy caught a strange mood about the place. No sounds of life flowed out to greet him. In fact, the very land looked in mourning. Paddy felt a most foreboding presence lurked throughout the plot. Knocking on the door he heard no response. It was then he noticed the place had been secured by padlock.

  Full of dreadful concern, he rushed over this gently rolling landscape in the direction of Rushford’s main house. On reaching the manager’s quarters, he banged wildly until a stranger answered.

  “Listen here, tell me where the manager is!” yelled out a fearful Paddy. “My sister’s family is nowhere to be found! What has happened to them?”

  “Calm down please,” answered the man in an even tone. “You must calm down and come inside. I take it you’re Paddy Byrne. I have news for you so please come inside.”

  Paddy glared in frustration before heeding the man’s advice and entering. The stranger offered a seat for Paddy and sat beside him. Then he continued talking.

  “There have been two new managers since your last visit to Rushford House grounds. You knew old man Delaney from ages ago. Unfortunately he took very ill and could no longer perform his duties. He was replaced by a new manager who was quick of temper and action. Please pay close attention as I relate a most tragic event.

  “Times are truly hard Paddy and affected your sister’s family very much. They fell well behind with their rent and this man, this beast, wanted to show the breadth of his power. In an unfortunate incident, your sister Niamh lost her balance in a struggle and hit her head on a protruding rock. She could not be revived and passed on. You have my sincerest condolences for your great loss.

  “Needless to say, the Malloys immediately fired this brute and replaced him with me. As for your brother in law and the two young ones, he left no information for further contact. Henry was driven beyond despair and wished no memory whatsoever of Rushford House. I was told a day would come when you’d visit again. Now you know the whole dreadful business.”

  At that point the new manager stood up and went towards a side table. He took an old envelope from inside a drawer and returned to his seat.

  “Oh, this is for you, courtesy of Aidan Malloy. He extends his deepest sympathies concerning the whole shocking affair. Nothing will take the place of your great loss, but he wanted to leave some token of his sincerity.”

  An overwhelmed Paddy Byrne quietly took hold of the envelope and opened its contents. Inside were handwritten sympathies from Aidan Malloy and fifty pounds sterling. Paddy’s raging heart and tortured soul had taken the limit of endurance. With no further words he ran quickly from Rushford House and its haunting memory.

  Later he tried to pull together his thoughts on the tragedy. Regardless, he repeatedly came to the same conclusion. There was no reconciliation for his supreme sense of deep pain.

  To cope with the anguish, he funneled his torment into one overarching goal. From thereon in he deemed Rushford House as murderer of Niamh and destroyer of her family. Therefore, he would seek revenge against one culpable party, the family of Aidan Malloy.

  Not a day went by in which Paddy did not think about dear Niamh. He regretted taking advantage of his childhood pal, though sweet revenge exacts its own price. His past training in acting allowed him to differentiate his roles perfectly in the grand deception. When disguised as wretched Simon he would be the Security Force’s trusted informant, while an unrecognizable Paddy could walk freely amongst the movement.

  In the end Paddy exacted ten times the prize for Harvey’s head than the insulting gesture made years before by Aidan Malloy. For now this would suffice. But one day in the future he determined to gain a greater price to avenge Niamh’s demise.

  Perhaps fifteen minutes after drifting into vivid recollections on a vacant park bench, Simon awoke with a start. He immediately felt a violent constriction about his neck. As fibrous material squeezed even tighter, Simon flailed about for air, his hands frantically struggling to remove the rope about his neck. Unfortunately, Simon’s attempts were unsuccessful.

  As his lifeless body slumped to one side, the meticulous perpetrator searched about Simon’s person. Retrieving a stash of five hundred pounds sterling in crisp notes, he transferred this find into his own jacket with gloved hands.

  Deftly consulting his pocket watch, the assassin cast a look around to see if his actions remained undetected. Once satisfied, he made his way to a pressing meeting. One minute after his appointed time, the assassin entered O’Connor’s Tavern in perfect composure. He soon spotted the affable barman, and walked up to greet him.

  “Hello Ronan, my name is Fraser. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I understand you have a sealed letter from Simon waiting for me?”

  Ronan reached into his left trouser pocket and retrieved the letter. He passed it into the waiting hand of Fraser.

  “Good show Ronan. Oh yes, here’s a little for your troubles. Have a good day.”

  Fraser passed two shill
ings back to a surprised Ronan. When he left the premises, Ronan shook his head in silent wonder. He had earned a fair amount today for holding one small letter. He may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, though Ronan suspected that letter must be very dear. Why else was he shown such generous gratuity?

  Right on schedule, Fraser slipped through a back entrance to the British Security Force headquarters. Knocking on Major Thurston’s door, he called out from inside for him to enter. Fraser strode to a vacant chair at Thurston’s desk to seat himself. Thurston held out a look of smug satisfaction.

  “Well there Fraser, you certainly are a punctual fellow. I take it the exercise was one of your more pedestrian operations?”

  “Like any job I undertake, success is in the planning,” he coolly replied. “Here is your property.” Fraser handed over the five hundred pounds, of which Major Thurston counted out one hundred. This amount he returned to Fraser.

  “Here is your fee as agreed. I’m assuming you obtained the other important document as well?”

  Fraser handed the senior officer a sealed envelope. “Of course I have sir.”

  Thurston greedily snatched the envelope. “I feel great pleasure in having such a capable man at our employ. Fraser, you continue to be a credit to the Security Force, even though your many exploits go unheralded. Be discrete as always, and enjoy the balance of your day.”

  “Likewise Major Thurston. Do not hesitate if you require my services in the future.” Fraser left Thurston to replace the balance of funds in his office vault. His next order of business was to find Officer Murray. Soon both men were back in the familiar confines of Major Thurston’s office.

  “Splendid job relaying my instructions Officer Murray,” congratulated Thurston. “That was more like the usual efficiency with which you perform your assigned duties! Are you ready to see the name of our next contact?”

  Officer Murray was equally excited to view the contents. “It took some doing to arrive at this point. Hopefully Simon did not cross us with a blank paper.”

  Thurston carefully opened the envelope. On a quality piece of letter paper were two words. The major rubbed one eye as if it were irritated while staring intently.

  Placing the paper face down, he began shuffling through the pile of reports still crowding space on his desk. Three reports in quick succession were dutifully skimmed. On closing the third, Thurston had the oddest expression spread across his face.

  “Officer Murray, you shall be pleased to know a name was furnished and the bargain met. Furthermore, you shall be fairly familiar with the name given. Although I would be quite surprised if this person gave up the location of Peter Harvey. Here is the letter. Please tell me your opinion.”

  Major Thurston handed Murray the crucial paper. When he read the simple answer, he froze in utter disbelief. Based on his collective knowledge, there was sincere cause for concern.

  “Samuel McGee is a trusted member of their Common Man Movement. I personally have witnessed his undying loyalty to that cause on numerous occasions! I see his name as plain as day, though I cannot reconcile it with betrayal.”

  “Which makes two of us,” agreed the senior officer while tapping his stack of reports. “There is nothing I can recall in any report which shows him to be subversive to the Malloys in any way. Yet…”

  Murray caught Thurston’s new train of thought immediately. “Simon’s information was spot on! There’s no way he could have been so concise unless he was privy to information at the highest level. Aidan Malloy is renowned for running tight organizations, whether in business or other regards. There is a connection here to be sure.”

  “Glad to see your sharp focus has returned Murray. Before us is the most tangible lead we’ve had since beginning this search. Unfortunately our avenues of investigation are limited to this one piece of paper.

  “I took the risk Simon would provide something and he did. I could not take the risk of him betraying our Security Force. Now we have no recourse to gain further clues from him.”

  Officer Murray realized swift action must be taken. “Sir, we need to find Samuel McGee for interrogation at headquarters this instant! We know McGee is in Dublin because of his appearance at Foundation Hall. It will be too late for him to leave the city by transport, so he must have taken overnight lodgings. We need to find the location of his accommodations this evening!”

  “Officer Murray, I recognize that fact but do you know how many places for lodging exist in Dublin? With so few men, it would be sheer folly to run pell-mell across the breadth of this city! We need to make some realistic assumptions for having a real go here.

  “Let’s start by saying he would want close access to the Malloys, Foundation Hall and Broadstone Station. In addition, he does not seem in desperate financial straits, so no need for looking at lower rung establishments.”

  Murray aided this flow of deductive reasoning. “I do remember from past surveillance reports McGee preferred to stay in hotels. In fact, there was not one instance where he took private room and board. Let’s hope he did not stray from habit.”

  “Using all of these deductions, we have narrowed our search area considerably. Off the top of my head, there are four reputable hotels operating in decent proximity to Goodhope House, Foundation Hall and Broadstone.

  “We are heavily relying on assumption and sheer luck, but there is no other alternative. Losing McGee tonight will take days to reestablish his whereabouts. Even now he slips further from our grasp with every passing minute. I need not repeat if he escapes, our desperate fate is sealed.

  “Alright then, I’ve spoken enough dreary talk! Get Officer Patterson and Seargent Wilson in here at once before they leave for the night.”

  Officer Murray was fortunate to catch both men just as they prepared to leave headquarters. “Sorry gentlemen, we are all required on urgent matters. Major Thurston is waiting.”

  The trio strode quickly into Thurston’s office, where he wasted no time in apprising Wilson and Patterson of the latest developments. Both were relieved to hear the cold trail was now warming as Thurston continued to give guidance.

  “Gentlemen, we shall target our efforts on these four hotels. They are The Rosemont, Herrington’s, Regency Arms and Riverview Hotel. Officer Murray, Officer Patterson, Seargent Wilson and I will inquire at each one respectively.

  “Please make sure you are all carrying proper identification. With the cooperation of hotel managers view each sign in book for Samuel McGee’s name. Afterwards, I want all of you to assemble in front of the Riverview Hotel no later than thirty minutes after we split up. Any questions to follow?”

  Officer Patterson offered up a query. “Good plan sir, though what if we encounter reluctance on the part of any hotel manager?”

  Thurston shook his head forcefully. “Officer Patterson, you will have proper identification on your person. If there is any attempt to obstruct your activities, warn them of their legal obligation. If that fails, detain them and find the assistant manager. Are there any other issues to be addressed? There appears not, so let’s move out of headquarters at once!”

  Each man in the contingent realized a critical moment in their search for Peter Harvey lay ahead. With so much at stake they were highly motivated to obtain results. Upon reaching Riverview Hotel, every officer departed to their respective destinations.

  Major Thurston was a veteran to similar procedures. Confidently he glided into Riverview Hotel’s lobby to request the manager’s assistance. On providing his identification he encountered no resistance to his queries.

  Having a thorough look over the guest ledgers, asking pointed questions and observing payment registers, his work was satisfactorily concluded. After exchanging pleasantries, he walked outside the establishment.

  Thurston’s part of the operation ended in failure. Samuel McGee was never a guest at Riverview Hotel. He wiped a few droplets of sweat from h
is furrowed brow. Chances for success still lay with his juniors; only fifteen minutes more would tell all.

  Ten minutes later, Major Thurston noted a shadowy figure approaching hurriedly towards him. Coming further into focus, he identified the familiar figure of Officer Murray returning from The Rosemont. When he came into full view, Thurston surmised his efforts were fruitless.

  “Hello sir, I wish there was something positive to say, though they had no record whatsoever of Samuel McGee staying at The Rosemont. Their manager was first rate in providing assistance, but it turned out all for naught. And how were your efforts at Riverview Hotel?”

  “Same results as yours unfortunately,” replied a disappointed Thurston. “There is still some hope with Wilson and Patterson of course. Meantime, we should put our heads together and devise an alternative course of action. Perhaps McGee is staying further afield? If so there will be a mad scramble in the offing for us.”

  Another ten minutes passed while both men waited to receive Patterson and Wilson. When Thurston’s pocket watch ticked a further five minutes he felt compelled to act.

  “Officer Murray, there appears some issues were encountered by Patterson and Wilson. I shall go to Herrington’s and you follow up at Regency Arms. When finished, meet Patterson and I at Herrington's. Be diligent yet careful Murray. Some mischief may be in the making tonight.”

  Without a second for hesitation, they raced off to their next locations. Herrington’s was relatively close to Riverview Hotel, so Thurston soon reached his destination. Preparing for a difficult confrontation, he marched aggressively into the hotel lobby.

  Reaching the front desk, Thurston was surprised to see Officer Patterson and a well-groomed gentleman seated before a number of ledgers. His junior officer looked up to see an expectant Thurston.

  “Hello major, please accept our apologies for the delay. The night clerk had to find where his manager had gone off to. It took twenty minutes though he was successful. Your timing is perfect as we are wrapping up our work here.”