“Any news about the case?”she enquired.
“Not much really.It looks as if Jack Madden may be subpoenaed by our side.”
“God, poor Alice!I don’t know how she will take that.”
“Don’t tell her until we’re sure.We’ll have to have at least one meeting with the barrister in advance of the hearing.It may be time enough to tell her then.”
“I suppose so,” Nicola agreed.
“You and Cassandra will definitely be called as witnesses by our side which also means ye may be cross-examined by the other side and they will attempt to discredit you both, so be ready for that.”
“I have been in court a few times but usually just to give a report.While in some cases it was a bit adversarial, it didn’t feel as bad as I think this will be.”
“Well, I’d say that your experience will stand to you.I think we should meet up on the 7thof February. We should be able to make last-minute arrangements then.”
“Okay – you arrange it and when it is confirmed I will tell the others.”
Nicola put down the phone, feeling most apprehensive.
Nicola and Alice arrived together for the meeting with the barrister, Cassandra arriving a few minutes later. Séamus was also in the office.
Gerard Murphy, welcomed them and explained what they could expect the following week. He was dressed in a pinstriped suit, which though typical of the type of attire worn by his colleagues didn’t in any way make him look older, and the women were once again struck by his apparent youth.
“It is likely that you will all be asked to take the stand,” he explained.“Alice will probably be asked most questions and Cassandra will be asked to confirm that Alice was resident at the Lady Gregory Court for twelve years. Nicola, you may be asked about your conversation with Jack Madden.”
“What exactly will I be asked?”Alice enquired.
“Well, I will ask you questions about your residence in Lady Gregory Court.I can give you a tentative list of questions but I may be forced to diverge from them a bit. Then, of course, the opposition will get a chance to cross-examine and you may find that difficult.They will try and trip you up and discredit you.”
“Oh God!” Alice moaned.
“Don’t worry about it.” The lawyer was positively cheerful.“Just tell the truth.I feel we have a very good case and I have subpoenaed Jack Madden.”
Alice’s jaw dropped. “What does that mean?” she whispered.
“It means he will be there and I will cross-examine him.”
“Gosh, I sort of thought that he would let his legal team appear for him again this time,” Alice murmured.
“Probably he would prefer to do that but if he just swore an affidavit I would have no opportunity to question him and I think it is better that he is there.”
“I had hoped to avoid publicity in this case,” Nicolasaid. “I think if there is no publicity I have a better chance of getting support for Alice’s children after this is all over.I would be able to use my knowledge of his relationship as a sort of lever or a bargaining tool.”
“I can’t be sure that there will be no publicity but this is the most boring type of court – no smoking gun or dripping knife.And, as these cases go, there is very little in dispute: she did occupy the house as if it was her own for twelve years and she hadn’t as far as we can ascertain the permission of the owner.It is good that it is not a piece of land with a history, but a fairly modern apartment in a fairly anonymous location.There is no history of ownership here.This apartment had not been in anybody’s family for generations. But the judge is right and even in a case where it appears simple, legal complications can pop up that we weren’t expecting.”
“So you’re saying there will be no publicity?” Cassandra butted in.
“I’d be hoping so.I don’t think that Jack Madden will exactly seek it and unless an eagle-eyed court clerk realises in advance that the Jack Madden in question, or John Madden as he will be referred to in court, is the Taoiseach and tips off the papers, this could be over and done within an hour or two. Even though every court case, with the exception of family law, is a public hearing, the truth is that it is rare for anyone other than the interested parties to attend cases such as this.”
Nicola was probably the only one in the room to notice that the idea of publicity did not appeal to Cassandra either but she knew her friend was willing to take the risk to ensure that Alice and her children got what they were entitled to.
Chapter 30
That evening Cassandra rang Eliza and offered to take her shopping for wigs and headgear the next day.Eliza was delighted.They set out the following morning with strict instructions from Hugo not to tire Eliza out too much. They were in high spirits. Cassandra knew exactly where to go.They found some excellent real-hair wigs exactly like Eliza’s hair and had them styled appropriately.They also found a really elegant turban which Eliza could wear when she didn’t have time to style her wig or if she simply didn’t feel like putting it on and then they went to the beautician’s counter at Brown Thomas for false eyelashes.
“I never thought of that,” Eliza gasped.“It’s a really great idea.”
“They’ll do the trick until your own grow back and I will show you how to apply them.We can do some work on your eyebrows as well and you will feel your usual glamorous self.”
“I’m not sure about ‘glamorous’ but it will certainly be a great improvement.”Eliza was delighted and she bought herself a very elegant dress for good measure.
When they got back to The Coven they showed Hugo their purchases and Cassandra said to Eliza that she would do her nails and in about fifteen minutes she had Eliza’s finger and toenails buffed, polished and varnished.
“I rarely have felt so pampered,” Eliza said.“My nails have never been so elegant.”
“Well, it’s about time you got pampered a bit and for the next few weeks you won’t be damaging your nails with housework so this is an ideal opportunity to get them done.”
“Thank you so much, Cassandra. I really enjoyed this morning.”
Cassandra was glad that she could be of service.
Cassandra was meeting the man she was in love with, Luke, that evening.He would be coming to her apartment as usual and she had arranged to have dinner delivered from Les Jumelles. They had on occasion dined there because she really liked it but it was a bit risky for him because it was so central and it was more likely he could accidentally bump into someone he knew. So Cassandra chose the safer option of dining chez elle. She hadn’t seen him for quite a while because his wife’s condition had deteriorated a bit and he had felt honour bound not to try and get away while things were so difficult for her. But in recent weeks she was much improved so she had actually encouraged him to take a break and he had contacted Cassandra. Dinner had been delivered and was being kept warm in the oven when there was a light tap on her door.She hadn’t heard the bell so she was a bit surprised but the doorman must have let Luke into the building.
Cassandra opened the door wide and was horrified to discover that her visitor was not Luke. She felt a fist hit her face with such force that she fell backwards to the floor.She tried to get up but was kicked in her abdomen so hard that she was completely breathless.She also realised with horror that she had not logged onto her security system.With Luke she was never nervous and she had not bargained for this.
“Well, well.If it isn’t Miss Smarty Pants!” The leering sneering voice came out of the haze but she recognised it.“I didn’t realise it was you when I was asked to do this special job, but it’s certainly a bonus.”
Cassandra groaned.The pain in her face was excruciating and she felt a few of her teeth were loose.If she got another blow to her face she felt sure her teeth would come out.But that was not the only reason she groaned.She had recognised the assailant.She had met him in a bar a few years earlier with a view to his becoming a client but he had made her so nervous, telling her what he wanted to do to her and what he liked from his
women, that she decided to leave.He was undoubtedly very annoyed and sent her several abusive emails and texts for several months after that.She had escaped because she had a taxi on call that she could just get into when she left the bar.
She rolled over onto her back and attempted to get up but he put his foot on her abdomen and kept her down.
“What do you want?” she gasped.
“You have enemies in very high places and I was asked to take on this job as a sideline from my normal line of work which is knocking off undesirables for other undesirables.”He was smug.
Cassandra’s heart lurched.She didn’t know what exactly he meant but even in her dazed state she could guess.She tried to move again but her assailant knelt down beside her and expertly looped a sort of pliable plastic rope around her throat.
“I could have decided to just shoot you,” he said, showing her a small handgun with a silencer, “but I think it would be more fun using this.”He took a long-bladed sharp knife from a sheath strapped to his leg.
Cassandra tried to scream but the noose was too tight and no sound came out.He had her completely immobilised.
“I think I will do this nice and slow.How about some light scarring to the face? That would ensure that you wouldn’t ever work again.”
Cassandra shuddered.
“Not that you will be working anyway because you’ll be dead.But I think it might be fun to watch the blood trickling into your mouth and eyes.”He held the knife close to her cheek and Cassandra froze.
“I thought about having sex with you after I tie you up but I wouldn’t touch a slut like you – particularly a stuck-up one.Who the hell do you think you are, not letting me have one when I was offering to pay you?”
Cassandra was crying silently.She could do nothing else.
“Imagine you, a paid slut, deciding that you were too good for me.Well, I wouldn’t have you even if you paid me! But I am being paid handsomely for this and I have been given carte blanche about how I go about it – but even still I wouldn’t touch you – not in that way anyway.”
He moved away a little as if he was thinking about what to do next.
“Yes, this will be nice and slow and when I’m finished I might eat that very nice dinner I can smell. Were you preparing it for your next client?”
She saw that he was wearing latex gloves like a doctor or a vet would.She wondered how long it would take.She hoped that she would fall into unconsciousness.For the first time in years she prayed.She didn’t know who she was praying to but all the prayers of her childhood came flooding back to her.
He came towards her again and held the knife to her throat.
She struggled.He pulled the cord around her neck so tight that she was gasping for breath.She thought she was going to die but just as she thought she was blacking out he let it go.She knew that he wanted to kill her slowly and that if she continued to just lie there that is exactly what he would do.He came closer to her again and kicked her in the stomach just because he could.She gasped in pain but didn’t react.She didn’t cry out.In any case it was likely she wouldn’t be heard even if she did.Since Alice had left her apartment there was no one on her floor.She decided then she would fight.It was better to die fighting than to lie there compliantly and let him kill her slowly.
The next time he bent down over her she was ready.She waited until he was sufficiently close to her and kneed him in the groin.Her strength came from rage.The blow wasn’t as effective as she would have liked but he yelled and fell back momentarily.It gave her the opportunity to get to her feet.She still had the rope around her neck but her hands were free.So she loosened the rope and yelled for help at the top of her voice.She had little hope of help but she knew that the fact that she shouted would perhaps make him nervous.She was right.He punched her hard in the face again and she fell back.
As she was falling she heard a knock on the door.
Luke! She had forgotten about him.
“Help!” she roared with all her strength. “Please help me!”
Her assailant was furious.He looked around to see if there was an escape route and with that the door burst open and Luke exploded into the room.He took one look around him and grabbed the still dazed thug and punched him hard before kneeing him in the groin – the second time that evening for the recipient but this time it had the desired effect and he fell to the floor.
“My God, who is that and where is the doorman?” Luke asked Cassandra.
“He said he was paid to kill me,” Cassandra whimpered.“I don’t know where the doorman is.Isn’t he downstairs?”She was still groggy from the punches.
“No, not a sign – but I used the code you gave me and came up unannounced.”
“He has a gun.I think it’s in his pocket.Find it and then phone the Gardaí.”
Just as Luke found the gun the thug came around, got unsteadily to his feet and just stumbled out the door.
“We’ll let him go,” Luke said.“I’ll call an ambulance for you and then the Gardaí. They may catch up with him later.”
The ambulance came in double-quick time – not so the Gardaí. So Luke turned off the oven and locked up and was about to follow the ambulance to the hospital in his own car when the Gardaí finally turned up.Luke explained what had happened and the Gardaí said that they would follow them to the hospital and take statements.
Luke arrived at the hospital to find that the medical team was extremely concerned about Cassandra. First examination showed that she had several loose teeth, a broken cheekbone, several cracked ribs, severe bruising to her neck, her stomach and her legs and they couldn’t be sure that there was no internal damage.
“I really don’t want to involve you in this,” Cassandrasaid to Luke, speaking with great difficulty.
“I’m involved whether you like it or not,” Luke said.
“There are things I can’t explain,” she said. “What time is it?”
It seemed like a life-time since she had been happily preparing for her meeting with Luke.
“Eight thirty.”
“Good,” Cassandra replied.“I want you to ring Nicola McCarthy and tell her that I am in the hospital and ask her to come and see me as soon as she can. I think you should go home then.”
“But I can’t go home and leave you in this state!”
“You must,” she said, grimacing with pain. “You have other responsibilities. Nicola will come and we will decide what we should do next.Some time I may be able to explain all of this to you but not yet.Please ring Nicola.”
Luke did what she asked and reluctantly left her in the care of the medical staff.
Nicola was there within thirty minutes.She was horrified when she saw Cassandra’s bruised face. The A&E was very busy but Cassandra got excellent treatment.In between tests and questions Cassandra explained to Nicola what had happened.
“You must come and stay with me,” Nicola insisted.
“Absolutely not,” Cassandra said, barely able to pronounce the words due to facial swelling.“It’s far too dangerous and we don’t know where he will strike next.”
“In any case,” a nurse said brightly, “she isn’t going anywhere tonight.We must keep her in for observation. After such a beating she could have internal bleeding and she will probably be kept in for twenty-four or even forty-eight hours.”
“That gives us time to figure out what is best to do in the circumstances,” Nicola mused.“That is presuming they don’t find anything more sinister when they do the other tests on you.”
“Be careful yourself and watch your back,” Cassandra said as Nicola left.
Chapter 31
Nicola rang Séamus but he was on the train from Dublin and wouldn’t be in for at least an hour. She rang Hugo. She needed someone with a clear head and he was the best she could think of.
“Why don’t you come out and we can have a chat?” Hugo said, even without her having to explain about Cassandra. He knew instinctively that if she was ringing him at night it must be some
thing serious.
“To be honest, I don’t want to bump into Alice,” Nicola replied.
“If you wait until around nine she will have put the girls to bed and generally she remains in her apartment after that.Eliza is about to go to the bed as well so it will be just the two of us.”
“Okay,” Nicola agreed.
She went down to the Prom in her car and looked out over the bay in the direction of Ballyvaughan.It was a clear night and she could make out the lights of the village which was near the Clare coast.She was scared and cold and was looking forward to sitting in the kitchen of The Coven.
She arrived to find Hugo making two cups of hot chocolate and buttering some of Alice’s scones. They sat at the kitchen table and she gratefully began to sip the hot drink.
“Right – tell me what’s the matter,” Hugo said, expecting that it would be serious – but he hadn’t expected the story which Nicola told him that night.
“This is the work of Jack Madden, without a doubt,” Nicola concluded.
“I know,” Hugo agreed, not sure what to do next.
“What worries me is that none of us is safe now.When he hears that Cassandra is still alive I think he may try and go after one or all of the rest of us.He seems to be desperate to scupper the court case and incapacitating the witnesses is probably his only option.”
“You’re right,” Hugo replied.“But I have an idea.”
“I’m glad you do because I have no idea where to go from here.”
“I’ll ring Chief Superintendent Tom McEvoy and ask his assistance. He knew that there was something odd about my computer being confiscated and I know that made him uncomfortable.I think he would help us if we asked.”
“I hope so.”
“In the meantime you can stay in the vacant apartment tonight and we can make more definite decisions tomorrow.Think up a feasible story for Alice in the morning. I don’t think she could deal with the truth at this point.”Hugo was grim.
“Right.When do you think you can get hold of the Super?”
Who is Alice? Page 22