Who is Alice?

by Miranda Manning

  The two women looked at this young man who was about six years younger than either of them, clearly not long out of King’s Inn, and hoped he knew what he was doing.

  Chapter 34

  Cassandra had come to a decision.Even though her physical wounds were healing she felt emotionally drained.She had always known that she was in a dangerous business but she had been so careful and not taken any risks.She had never been assaulted before and even though she knew that Jack Madden had arranged it, from what the assailant had said to her, she felt that she would never feel secure in that apartment again.

  She confided in Hugo and Eliza one March morning as they took a walk in the grounds together.Seeing as everybody else involved in Alice’s case knew about her way of life she felt it was only fair to tell Hugo and Eliza.If they were surprised they did not show it and they certainly weren’t judgemental.

  “You can stay with us as long as you wish,” Eliza said.“And if we need the apartment for another distressed woman you can stay in our quarters.God knows we have enough room.”

  “I don’t deserve this,” Cassandra almost cried.

  “Of course you do,” said Hugo. “You have been such a good friend to Alice and to us, helping reunite us with Lizzie.”

  Hugo was so warm that Cassandra knew that he meant it.

  “I don’t want to say this to Alice at present,” she said, “but I’m actually afraid to go back to the apartment.I would really like to get some more of my things out of it but I don’t think I can.”

  “Why don’t you want to say it to Alice?” asked Hugo, puzzled.

  “In case she opts to go back and live there once title is passed to her.”

  “I doubt that she has any plans at present,” Eliza said, “but I feel that she won’t go back there either. While there may have been happy memories, all of her life there was a lie.I wouldn’t be surprised if she wants a new start.”

  “Perhaps,” Cassandra agreed.“What do you suggest I do?”

  “Why don’t you discuss it with Nicola?” Eliza suggested. “You two have become close lately and she will probably have some good ideas about where you should go from here.”

  And that is exactly what Cassandra did.

  Nicola fully understood Cassandra’s reluctance to go back to the apartment.

  “It’s great that Eliza and Hugo have room,” she said. “You’re under no pressure to make a decision yet and in time you may feel differently.”

  “But I would really like to get some more of my clothes, my laptop and maybe some of my cosmetics and stuff,” Cassandra said.

  “If you like you can give me the key and a list of what you want and I can get them for you.I’ll ask Séamus to come with me and we can bring a few suitcases full.Séamus knows about your way of life now so I wouldn’t be giving away any secrets.”

  “What did he say when you told him?” Cassandra asked anxiously.

  “Do you want the truth?”

  “Yes.”

  “The truth is that the whole situation is so bizarre he honestly hasn’t said a word about you in all of this.Remember in his line of work he comes across all sorts of people.He always knew that there were prostitutes around but a Taoiseach who may be willing to kill to stay in power – well, that’s a whole different ball game altogether.”

  “I never thought about it like that,” Cassandra laughed.“I’m small news compared to that.”

  Séamus agreed readily to accompany Nicolato collect some of Cassandra’s property, and they went in Nicola’s car on the following Saturday afternoon.Neither said it but they didn’t want to complicate Séamus’s life by giving Jack Madden any information about him, in the form of his car registration, from which anybody with connections could glean a name.They were pretty sure that their visit would be reported to him. On the other hand, they were equally sure, now that he had agreed to settle,that he wouldn’t wish to bring attention to himself by arranging any further surprises for them.

  But they did get a surprise when they went into Cassandra’s apartment and it wasn’t a pleasant one.They opened the door with the key and were met with a scene of complete disarray.The apartment had been vandalised completely.The curtains were shredded, Cassandra’s clothing was torn up and daubed with make-up.The words ‘slut’, ‘whore’ and ‘bitch’ were written in spray paint and lipstick on the walls and mirrors.Her jewellery was strewn around the apartment.Oddly, quite valuable property was still there but the objective was not to steal but to terrorise. There was a note left on the dining-room table.

  “You slut!I know where you live and you won’t be so lucky the next time I come to get you. I was paid the last time but the next time will be just for fun. Your socalled boyfriend won’t be much help. He won’t catch me by surprise this time.I will find out who he is and will get to him first.”

  Nicola got such a shock she had to sit down.

  “What will we do?”she asked Séamus who was also visibly shaken.

  “We will salvage what we can and take it with us.And we will phone Chief Superintendent Tom McEvoy even before we go to The Coven.This guy’s a psychopath.Have you got Tom’s mobile number?”

  “No, but I think Hugo has it. Whoever did this got into the apartment with a key.He must have been let in or at the very least the doorman turned a blind eye.” Nicola felt very unsafe.

  “Yes. Let’s just pack up and go.”

  Séamus was already putting stuff into two suitcases.He found Cassandra’s laptop and two mobile phones.He packed them as well in case she needed them, though the screen of the laptop was destroyed and it looked as if it had liquid poured over it. He put it in anyway just in case.

  They took what they could and the note and left within fifteen minutes, locking the door behind them.They left by the main door and didn’t even look in the direction of the doorman’s desk.

  They got into the car and Nicola called Hugo and got Tom McEvoy’s mobile number. He was at home when they rang him.

  “Just get out of there,” he said. “You’ll have to tell Cassandra but assure her that we will protect her.I will go and see her after the weekend.If she gave you the keys of her car take it as well.I’m sure Hugo can keep it under a tarpaulin or something at The Coven. And watch your back!”

  Nicola was in shock as she followed the Super’s instructions.

  Séamus drove Cassandra’s car and they made their way to The Coven.When they arrived they told Hugo what had happened. He suggested they should have a meeting in Cassandra’s apartment and decide what to do.They were pretty sure that Jack Madden was not behind this but, since he had been behind the first assault, that might be the way they could pinpoint who exactly the guy was who was making these threats.

  But they had to tell Cassandra first.

  Cassandra didn’t react at all at first when she heard the news.She just listened.

  “What can I do?”she wondered.

  “The Super says do nothing,” Nicola answered. “He will provide protection.”

  “There may be no danger at present,” Hugo said. “This guy is just angry that he was beaten at his own game.Who was the guy that intervened?”

  “Oh, God!” Cassandra remembered Luke. “He is a client but a very nice one.He has problems of his own.I hope that monster doesn’t find out who he is.”

  “He probably won’t,” Hugo said. “This thug is bluffing.His ego is hurt.After all, your client knocked him to the ground and saved your life.”

  “I haven’t even thanked him!” Cassandra wailed.

  “I’m sure in the circumstances he’ll understand,” said Séamus, speaking for the first time since they had come into the apartment.

  “God, I don’t know what to do,” Cassandra said slowly and Nicola realised she had never seen her so unsure.

  “We’ll do nothing yet,” Hugo said.“You are not alone and we can all help out.We just need to decide how best to deal with this and I’m sure Tom McEvoy will help us. You’re safe here, now that we have security.”r />
  “Gosh, Hugo, I’d say you never expected this when you took me in a few days ago!”

  “Cassandra, my dear, I never know what to expect and that way you don’t get too many surprises.”

  “Do you mind staying with me tonight?” Nicola asked Séamus as they drove away from The Coven. “I can’t believe it but I am scared.”

  “Of course I will,” he assured her and they continued to her apartment in silence.

  Chapter 35

  The meeting with Jack Madden was arranged for the Saturday afternoon following the incident in Cassandra’s apartment.In the meantime, in so far as it was possible, they all behaved as if nothing was wrong.Eliza went for her radiotherapy. Nicola went to work.The girls went to school and Alice even worked on a contract with the hotel for a function on the Friday.

  The girls bounded out of the school that Friday, after Alice had delivered her order, to inform her that they would be participating in the Macnas Parade on SaintPatrick’s Day.They were to be dancing síogs and they needed costumes by the next week.

  Cassandra lay low and let her wounds heal.She was really scared.Any fears she had about returning to her apartment were confirmed by what Nicola and Séamus told her about the condition of it.She had made up her mind never to go back there again.She wasn’t sure what she would do but she was giving up her way of life and moving on.Where exactly she wasn’t sure but she had enough money to keep herself for at least a year so she had some time to make up her mind.

  As the Saturday loomed everybody was on tenterhooks except for the young cheerful barrister who might not really have understood the enormity of what was happening to his client and therefore was less intimidated by the situation than those who did. Also the fact that they had succeeded in getting the apartment had added to his confidence.

  On Saturday Alice got up early. She had promised the girls that they would go into town to find suitable material for síog costumes for the parade.The girls were hugely excited.

  “Alice,” Hugo said, “couldn’t you leave that until after the weekend?”He was concerned that she might be overstressed.

  “Hugo, this will take my mind off what I have to do this afternoon.It is a distraction.And the girls will make sure I get it alright.”

  “I suppose you’re right,” he agreed and he lent her the car to go into town.

  The girls skipped along beside their mother as she headed for Hickey’s fabrics and they picked out some shimmery green voile for the dresses and some Vilene to stiffen the wings.The girls were practising their dance as they pranced along beside her and Alice was pleased that they had no idea how stressed she was or that they were providing her with a welcome distraction from what would probably be the most important meeting of her life.

  She bought them burgers in Supermac’s for their lunch, a rare treat, and then they headed back to The Coven. The girls were ecstatic.The adults were amused at their high spirits and Hugo took them out to look at the spring lettuce and onions and the rhubarb, to see when they might be ready to take to the Saturday market.

  Eliza went to Alice’s apartment with her to help her choose an outfit and just to give her moral support in advance of her big meeting. Alice choose a simple trousers and a wool jacket and boots and she looked every bit the sophisticated young woman she had become during the last few months.

  “You look great,” Eliza said.“Knock him dead – not literally of course.”

  Alice laughed.“It’s certainly a temptation,” she said. “There have been times during the last few months when I wished he was dead but at present he is more use to me alive.I shudder to think that he may have been willing to kill in order to stop me getting what is my due.”

  “Well, so far he hasn’t killed anyone that we know of and I don’t think he would now.Too many people know the story.It would be too much of a risk.And who knows, maybe he wouldn’t have gone that far really.”

  “I hope you’re right. If I’m not home by half five send out a posse.” She was laughing as she spoke but they both knew she was dealing with a very ruthless man and the fact that her existence might interfere with the progress of his career path made him very dangerous indeed.

  When Alice arrived at Nicola’s apartment Gerard Murphy was there ahead of her. Nicola was dressed less casually than she would normally be in her own apartment on a Saturday afternoon and Gerard was wearing a three-piece suit as if he was going to court. He had a briefcase which contained a laptop and writing materials.

  Alice sniffed when she came in the door – the pungent odour of cleaning fluids was in the air. Nicola noticed and laughed.

  “I had to do something to take my mind off the meeting.My apartment has been bleached to within an inch of its life!”

  “We could always asphyxiate him with bleach fumes if he doesn’t give us what we want,” Gerard said and they all laughed.

  Jack Madden pressed the bell at three on the dot.All three occupants of the apartment jumped even though they were expecting it. Nicola opened the door and Jack Madden and another man walked in.Alice recognised him as the man who had occasionally called to the apartment – Mick, the man who had spirited Grace away from the Dáil the day she had tried to talk to her Uncle Jack.

  “Let’s get this over with,” Jack Madden said, without greeting any of them or introducing his companion.“I’m in a hurry.”

  “That may be,” Gerard said, “but this matter is of great importance to my client and we will not be rushed.”

  Jack Madden looked slightly crestfallen.“What exactly are you looking for?” he asked, addressing nobody in particular.

  “My client is looking for a down payment of €75,000 for the trauma which you caused her by evicting her and her daughters, your daughters, without notice, knowing that they had nowhere to go. And she also requires €700 per week maintenance for her daughters.”

  “That is preposterous!” said Jack. “I haven’t got that sort of money and, even if I had, there is no way I would pay it to this gold-digger. I have already handed over an expensive apartment to which she has no right whatsoever. And that should be the end of it.”

  “Mr Madden, I will thank you to refer to my client in respectful terms and count yourself lucky that she is not looking for maintenance for herself.”

  “There is no way I would ever pay maintenance to her.She is a lazy young one who never did a day’s work in her life, even when I was paying her to be an au pair.She can maintain herself.”

  “As it happens she can and is willing to do so, but her children, your children, are entitled to have a stay-at-home mother like the children of your marriage. As it happens, Ms O’Brien will be working from home so you are lucky that she is not claiming more.”

  “There will be no downpayment and I will pay €150 per week maintenance for the children.”

  “Mr Madden, if you continue in this vein this matter will go into the family court as soon as I can get a date and I think we would easily get what we are requesting and maybe more.So unless you want that to happen you will have to meet our requirements.”

  “Okay. €10,000 downpayment and €250 per week for maintenance.”

  “Derisory, Mr Madden! I will seek a date for the Family Court.”

  “Okay! €30,000 initial payment and maintenance of €325 per week.”

  “Done! Now that wasn’t so painful, was it?I will type up the agreement immediately and you and Ms O’Brien can sign it.How do you propose to pay?”

  “By bank draft, every calendar month – I’ll send it to Lady Gregory Court, seeing as she owns it now,” Jack Madden practically snarled.

  “Initially I think it would be best if you sent the bank drafts to my office and I will forward them to Ms O’Brien. If they are late – even by one day – I will immediately initiate court proceedings.Is that clear?”

  “Yes.”Jack Madden glared at the younger man.

  Gerard was typing furiously with two fingers but, as there were only about five lines in the agreement, it d
idn’t take long. Jack Madden signed it as did Alice and it was witnessed by Nicola and Jack Madden’s companion Mick whose full name turned out to be MichaelDillon.

  “The first payment is due on next Friday – that is the €30,000 and the first month’s maintenance,” the barrister said.

  Jack Madden began to walk out without another word.

  “Jack!”

  Everybody was startled to hear Alice’s voice.She had not opened her mouth up until this point.

  “I have nothing to say to you,” the man snarled and continued walking.

  “Well, I have something to say to you,” Alice replied.

  She moved swiftly and stood in front of the door in such a way that he would have had to push her out of the way in order to open it.He stopped stock still and looked at her in amazement.

  “I have been through a lot since you evicted me and our children from the apartment I thought was my home for life.I have met many good people and made new friends.All of them have been subjected to your little tricks.We can’t prove that any of the things that happened to them were at your behest but we know that they were.Several local gardaí are suspicious of you, several members of the legal profession and several of my friends know the whole story, so I am telling you now that if anything happens to any of us the others will follow you.And you had better call off that thug you sent to Cassandra Grey.If he lays a hand on her we will set the ball rolling to bring you down.At the very least all I have to do is turn up at your doorstep in Monkstown with our daughters.I’m sure you wouldn’t want me to open that particular can of worms at this crucial time.So just put an end to your dirty tricks or I personally will see to it that your career is over. If anything happens to me or the girls there are other people who will do it.”