‘How old were you?’
‘Seventeen, and she was sixteen. We started as friends, just hanging out, but eventually we moved it up a notch.’
‘Did your father know?’
‘No. My grandparents did, but they didn’t tell him. Anyway, Helen and I continued our romance for another year and were making plans to spend the rest of our lives together. Around the same time, I decided I wanted to be a cop. I knew this wouldn’t go over well with good old dad. He wanted all of us, especially me, since I was the oldest, to work in the business. I had no interest in his business. I eventually confronted him and dropped both bombs on him -Helen and my career plans.’
After a short pause, Charlie couldn’t help herself.
‘What did he say?’
‘He flipped his lid, said he would move heaven and earth to prevent both.’
‘But you became a cop anyway.’
‘I did.’
Charlie knew the most important part of the story was yet to come.
‘And Helen?’
‘He arranged for her parents to lose their jobs – he had powerful connections. He spread lies about her, terrible lies.’ He shook his head at the memory. ‘Then, he made sure she heard lies about me, about how I was cheating on her, and how I had always thought of her as trash.’
Charlie knew what was coming next, and she couldn’t bear to hear it. She placed her hand on his arm, hoping to stop the words.
‘Simm…’
‘I found her…hanging from a tree…in a spot we liked to go to together.’
Charlie went into his arms. She held on tightly, wanting to pull the pain away from him. She was sorry she had made him go to the funeral. She was sorry she had ever mentioned his father in his presence. But Simm wasn’t finished.
‘Two years later, he was arrested and convicted of fraud. He went to jail for three years. I wish he had died in that prison cell. That’s what he deserved. He didn’t deserve the funeral he had today.’
‘No, he didn’t,’ she agreed.
Chapter 74:
‘What have you been up to these days? I haven’t seen much of you.’
They were opening the pub again tonight, and Charlie was rechecking her inventory to make sure she was covered. It wouldn’t do to disappoint customers on re-opening night. Simm had a list in his hand and was helping her out.
‘I’ve been busy working on your case,’ he said.
She looked at him in surprise.
‘Oh? You never said anything.’
‘That’s because things just started to come together today.’
She had noticed him stepping outside to take calls rather often, but hadn’t had time to question him about them.
‘Do tell,’ she said.
‘First of all, I’ve been in touch with O’Reilly in Dublin and he came up with the identity of our dark-suited friend.’
Charlie set aside her papers and turned away from the boxes of booze. She waved her hand in an effort to make Simm speed up his story.
‘His name is Colin McGrath and, as we suspected, he’s head of a subgroup of the Irish Mafia in Dublin. He’s not that big a fish in the pond, but he thinks he is, or at least he wants to give that impression.’
‘In other words, he likes to push his weight around and look like the big boy on the block,’ she said.
‘Exactly.’
‘So, what’s the next step?’
Simm put his hand in his jacket pocket and removed an envelope. He handed it to Charlie smugly. She opened the envelope as she gave him a sideways glance. He seemed a little too proud of himself. But her suspicion soon turned to curiosity, and subsequently to shock when she read the newspaper clipping in her hand.
‘What? I…when…you did it? Are you crazy?’
Charlie glanced around her to see how many people had overheard. A few workers were putting finishing touches on a few things, and her outburst had drawn their attention. She tugged on Simm’s elbow and nodded her head toward the office. She wanted to strangle him and didn’t want any witnesses.
She stepped aside to let him into the office and slammed the door behind them.
‘You’re crazy! You’ll get the both of us killed. You know that, don’t you? Why didn’t you talk to me about this first?’
‘Don’t worry…’
‘Don’t worry? You’ve put us in the midst of a gang war, and I’m not supposed to worry? I’d kill you, but I think someone else will take care of that for me, except I’ll be going down with you.’
‘Charlie, if you’d stay calm and listen, you’ll understand what I did.’
She folded her arms across her chest, but remained standing. She was too pumped up to sit and relax.
‘Go on. Explain.’
‘I didn’t leave an embryo on Sullivan’s doorstep.’
‘But…’
Simm held up a hand. With an effort, she stopped.
‘You’re right. The newspaper story says it happened, but it’s fake.’
‘It was a fake embryo, or a fake story?’
‘A fake story. I’m going to send this to McGrath so he’ll be convinced it actually happened.’
‘What reporter would print something fake? He could be sued.’
‘The whole thing is fake. It isn’t even a real newspaper clipping. It just looks like one.’
Charlie looked at the clipping she held in her hand. It looked and felt exactly like an article cut out of a newspaper.
‘You made this? How? I didn’t know you were that good with a computer.’
‘Well…’
Charlie looked up and saw his sheepish expression.
‘You had help,’ she stated.
‘I have a friend who can chop, slice, and dice with a computer. I told him what I wanted, and voila, that’s what I got.’
‘It’s perfect. So, you’ll send it to McGrath, he’ll let us off the hook, and Sullivan will be none the wiser.’
‘That’s the plan.’
Charlie held up crossed fingers.
‘Let’s hope it works.’
Chapter 75:
Charlie felt like part of the weight was lifted from her shoulders. If Simm’s plan worked – and it should – they wouldn’t have to worry about any retaliation from Sullivan. But the large part of the load still weighing her down was her anonymous assailant. The level of harassment had escalated. There was a big difference between someone who sent relatively harmless letters, to someone who committed acts of breaking and entering, and vandalism.
They all agreed he was looking for something and the most logical item was the journal. How he had found out about it or why it was so important to him were still unanswered questions. Charlie knew the only way they would find the answers would be to ask the questions directly to the perpetrator, but they had to find him first.
Opening night served to make Charlie feel better. The pub was packed with happy regulars and enthusiastic newcomers. The weather was balmy, and the crowd spilled out onto the street. Simm was solicited to help behind the bar pouring beer and jotting down drink orders for Frank to prepare. Charlie had to hand it to him. He took to it like a fish to water.
By the time the last person staggered out of the building, the staff was exhausted. One by one, everyone shuffled out of the pub. Charlie went to the office to rouse a sleepy Harley, who yawned and stretched before cheerfully trotting out of the room.
She met Simm in the main room and saw him scrutinizing something in his hand. When she reached his side, he handed he
r a cell phone.
‘Do you think this is Frank’s?’ Simm asked.
Charlie pressed the button to light up the screen. The screenshot was of Frank standing on the lip of the Grand Canyon with his arm around a tall, slim, blond-haired man.
‘Yep, it’s his. That’s Paul, his significant other. They went to Arizona last fall on vacation.’
‘Should we drop it off?’
Charlie glanced at the time and hesitated. It was late, but Frank had just left ten minutes earlier. He’d still be up, and he might need his phone.
‘Sure. It’s on the way.’
It wasn’t quite on the way. They had to make a small detour, but it only took a few minutes extra. They pulled into a parking spot down the street from Frank’s apartment.
‘You can wait here. I’ll just be a minute.’
‘Not a chance. It’s late, and I’m not letting you wander around on your own.’
‘I’m not wandering. It’s right there. Oh, never mind. Come ahead if you want.’
There was no question of Harley staying alone in the car if the others were leaving, so the three of them made their way to Frank’s apartment in the early hours of the morning.
Their arrival was announced through the intercom, and they were buzzed through. They climbed the two flights of stairs to find Frank at the door with a curious expression. He bent to pet Harley, who acted like he hadn’t seen the man in weeks rather than a half hour earlier.
‘What’s up? Did something happen?’
‘No. Everything’s fine,’ Charlie said. ‘But you forgot your cell phone at the pub.’
Frank rolled his eyes.
‘Sorry. You shouldn’t have come out of your way for that. I could’ve waited until tomorrow.’
Charlie started to reassure Frank it was no trouble when she heard a noise coming from behind him, and she caught a glimpse of an uncombed blond head.
‘What’s going on?’ Paul’s sleepy voice asked.
Frank opened his mouth to answer when all eyes were drawn to Harley. The little dog was growling, and the hair stood up on his back.
Charlie was the first to react.
‘What’s up, Harley? It’s Paul. You remember Paul.’
The dog had known Paul ever since his arrival in Frank’s life, and he had been a guest in their home several times. It was unlike her pet to growl at anyone, let alone someone he knew well.
Her knee-jerk reaction was to apologize to Paul on behalf of Harley, but when she looked his way, the words froze in her mouth.
Paul stared at Harley with wide, alarm-filled eyes. It wasn’t the intensity of his alarm that surprised her, it was the other emotion she witnessed. Guilt.
She looked at her pug with new eyes. He was growling, but he was also cowering. He had positioned himself between her feet, looking for safety. Charlie glanced at Simm. He, along with Frank, stared at Paul. Simm’s eyes were narrowed and calculating.
‘Paul? What’s going on?’ Frank asked.
When Paul remained silent, looking at each of them in turn, his eyes still wide, Frank continued.
‘Why is Harley afraid of you? What did you do?’
Charlie heard the tension and doubt in Frank’s voice.
Paul swiveled his head left and right, looking for a point of escape, but they all blocked the doorway. When he turned and sprinted toward the other end of the apartment, Simm shoved past Frank and Charlie, and went after him.
Charlie lost sight of them, but she heard a grunt and a crash followed by the sound of scuffling. Frank, who had been frozen in place, ran toward the noise. Charlie looked down to see her pet, with his tail unfurled and tucked between his legs, shivering in fear. She bent, picked him up, and held him in her arms before stepping into the apartment. She understood the animal’s fear. Things had moved in a direction she never would have considered.
When she rounded the corner of the hallway, Paul was facedown on the floor with Simm straddling him, and Frank standing beside them, his arms hanging loosely by his side, as if he didn’t know what to do with them.
Paul’s attempts to free himself gradually eased until he lay limply on the floor, whimpering and mumbling incoherently. Frank leaned back against the wall behind him, his chin on his chest. The full implication hit Charlie.
The blubbering man beneath Simm’s weight was her tormentor. Yet, he was her best friend’s lover. She didn’t know what emotion to deal with first, her anger at Paul for the anguish and fear he had put her through, or the sympathy she felt for Frank and the pain of betrayal she knew he was dealing with.
Chapter 76:
Once again, and hopefully for the last time, they dealt with the police. By the time the authorities arrived, the last of Paul’s resistance and efforts at denial were gone.
‘It looks like it’s finally over,’ Simm said in a low voice to Charlie.
Charlie agreed, but was too flabbergasted to speak. The words tumbled out of Paul’s mouth at a speed too fast for her to absorb. She suspected it would be days before it all sank in.
But she didn’t seem to be the only one having trouble understanding. Simm and the police officer interrupted Paul several times to try to get him back on track. He spent most of his time apologizing to both Charlie and an almost catatonic Frank, and most of what he said didn’t make sense.
It was decided Paul would be taken to police headquarters where his story would be recorded, documented, and legitimized. Then, hopefully, they would have a coherent explanation.
After Paul was removed from the apartment with a last look of apology at Frank, they sat motionless for several minutes. It was when Harley squirmed and whimpered that they were drawn back to the present.
Frank was the first to speak.
‘I don’t believe it. I don’t know what to say, Charlie.’
‘You don’t have to say anything. It’s not your fault,’ she reassured him.
‘But it is. He got the information through me. I told him about everything that was happening. The code…even the code for the alarm…he had to get it through me. He’s gone with me a few times. He must have seen me enter it into the panel.’
He put his head in his hands and groaned. Charlie moved to sit beside him on the couch and put her arm across his back.
‘Frank, you had no way of knowing. And, I know you didn’t do anything intentionally.’
‘He was using me.’
Charlie looked at Simm. What could she say? It certainly looked like Paul used her friendship with Frank to get to her, but was it the case? Had he fallen in love with Frank before discovering the connection to Charlie? Simm shrugged his shoulders noncommittally.
‘He loved you. I could tell,’ she said, hoping to give him reassurance.
‘How could he do this? You’re my friend. He knew that. He should never have hurt you.’
‘I don’t know. I don’t understand what it’s all about, but we will soon.’
Frank looked at her.
‘You’re very calm. I thought you’d be looking for blood,’ he said.
‘So did I. I think, right now, I’m dealing with the shock of it all. Maybe I’ll look for blood another day. I’d rather have answers at this point.’
Simm stood.
‘We’ll get our answers tomorrow.’
‘Will you be all right?’ Charlie asked Frank.
Despite his nod of assent, she was worried about him.
‘I’ll see you tomorrow. We’ll get through this,’ she added, squeezing Frank’s shoulder.
When they stepped outside, Charlie w
as surprised to see the sun shining brightly. She looked at her watch.
‘What time is it? Five-thirty? Oh my God.’
‘That’s why I suggested we leave. The cops want us to be at the station around ten, so we should get some sleep beforehand.’
In the car, Harley didn’t display his usual enthusiasm for the ride. Instead, he curled up on Charlie’s lap, the same position he had held all the while they had been in Frank’s apartment.
‘Poor Harley. I’m sorry you had to relive the trauma with that man,’ Charlie said, scratching him behind his ears. He looked up at her soulfully, accepting her sympathies. ‘But you’re the hero today. You solved the case.’
‘He did,’ Simm conceded shaking his head. ‘Who knew I’d be upstaged by a pug.’
‘Don’t feel too bad about it. He upstages everyone.’
Chapter 77:
Ten o’clock came too soon, especially since Charlie had a lot of trouble falling asleep in the first place. But she was at the police station with Simm at the appointed time. They were shown into a room where they were joined by an equally tired-looking Detective Ranfort.
Armed with coffee and doughnuts, they prepared to watch the videotaped recording of Paul’s statement. He was much more coherent, and guided by the detective, he explained the motives behind his actions.
Charlie listened in fascination as Paul explained he was also a product of Ireland and the machinations of Aidan Connelly and Jim O’Reilly. The difference between him and Charlie was that his parents had shared the information with him when he turned eighteen years of age. They felt he deserved to know he was adopted. They also, rightly or wrongly, thought he should know he had been adopted outside of the legal system, and perhaps had even been stolen from his birth parents.
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