by Jo Spain
‘Because of your Resources Bill?’
Blake nodded.
‘Yes. So you know about the changes to the Bill?’
‘I’ve heard tell.’
‘I should have known it would be leaked.’
‘Did Ryan tell you he’d use the photos unless you withdrew the clause about existing licence holders?’ Tom continued.
‘Yes.’
Tom studied the minister’s face before asking the next question. Blake was right. He had lied, several times. How could they believe anything he said now?
‘Did you murder Ryan Finnegan to stop him blackmailing you?’
‘No.’ Blake shook his head vigorously. ‘Please believe me. My only crime is stupidity. I did go looking for Ryan on Friday night. I’d had to leave the office at 8 to help Sara meet and greet at the start of her ball. Ryan and I had words before I left. He’d given me until the end of the week to amend the draft of the Bill. On Friday he claimed that I was forcing him to go to the press with the pictures. I decided to call his bluff. I didn’t believe he had it in him. Over at the ball I could think of nothing else.
‘When Sara said she had to go over to Leinster House to find the rest of the cabinet, I told her I’d help but that I had to meet Madsen first. That was the original plan but I had already told Darragh McNally what Ryan was threatening and asked him to step in for me. My head wasn’t in it, with everything that was going on.
‘I went looking for Ryan to continue our conversation. When Darragh rang me and told me about Ryan’s murder, I asked him to cover for me and keep to the story that I’d met Madsen as planned. I told him I’d done something stupid but not criminal and would have no alibi. Darragh is a party man. He said he’d help me out if I gave him my word that I’d had nothing to do with Ryan’s death. I suppose he was terrified that if I fell under suspicion for the silly reason of not having an alibi then all the work we have done would amount to nothing.
‘And that’s the truth. I wasn’t planning to hurt Ryan. I swear. Jesus, if I had wanted to kill the man, do you think I’d choose Leinster House as the place to do it? You’d have to be cracked. I wanted to talk Ryan round. Appeal to his humanity, his sanity, our friendship . . . I mean, he was going to destroy my life. But I couldn’t find him and I knew Sara would be getting worried. I abandoned my search and just left it to fate. I heard nothing more from Ryan so I assumed he’d thought twice and gone home.’
‘Why did you lie to us if you had nothing to hide, other than the pictures that we’d discovered anyway?’
‘Why do you think? I went looking for Ryan and Ryan was shot. I wasn’t thinking straight and I panicked. I’m sorry. I should have told you the truth.’
‘Did you see Carl Madsen when you entered the Dáil bar that night?’
‘No.’
Tom reflected on what the other man had said. For a man in charge of a government department, he’d shown incredibly poor judgement. And that was the most benign reading of the situation.
‘Why was keeping the Bill intact so important to you that you’d risk being publicly humiliated?’ he asked. ‘Were you that opposed to Ryan’s position? You were once close, am I right? Politically and personally? What changed?’
Blake shrugged.
‘I did. Obviously. Holding power means taking responsibility. But I haven’t had a complete personality transplant. That legislation is progressive. It’s the first step in a longer game and it ensures we don’t alienate the energy companies outright.’
‘And none of this has anything to do with you letting those companies influence you as minister?’ the inspector asked. ‘Udforske is a powerful lobbying machine. You haven’t by chance received any political donations from it? Is that why you didn’t want to, or couldn’t, meet Ryan’s demands? You were already in a corner?’
Blake held up his hands defensively.
‘I have never taken a bribe in my life, Inspector. For God’s sake, I’ve enough to worry about without the risk of being embroiled in a brown envelope scandal. Look, I know what you’re thinking. I let myself be blackmailed once, so why didn’t I just give Ryan what he wanted? Well, this was different. The scum in Thailand just wanted money, my own money, which I could give him. Ryan was trying to influence government policy. The public put me in office, not him.’
And they put you in office on a promise of reforming oil and gas royalties, Tom considered quietly. It sounded like Linda McCarn had made the correct analysis of Blake’s personality when it came to what he would and wouldn’t allow himself to be blackmailed into doing.
‘Where does Darragh McNally stand in all this?’ he continued. ‘He’s heavily involved in the drafting of this legislation and you sent him to meet with Madsen in your stead. Is it possible that he was open to undue influence?’
‘I don’t know what McNally is or isn’t capable of. You’d have to ask him.’
Tom was surprised the minister didn’t even try to defend the party chair.
‘Did McNally get on with Ryan?’
‘There’s no point pretending they were friends. Ryan was jealous of Darragh. The atmosphere was certainly more harmonious over the last few months with Ryan out convalescing.’
‘Jealous, you say?’ Tom queried. ‘Why?’
Blake pursed his lips. ‘I suppose he felt that Darragh had too much access to me, that he’d usurped the role Ryan felt was his by right. But then, Darragh is the chair of the party. I was always going to have to pay him more heed once I took ministerial office. He holds seniority.’
‘So, their relationship was acrimonious?’
Blake nodded.
‘Before Ryan’s crash, he and McNally were at serious loggerheads. We were in the planning stages of this piece of legislation that’s caused so much bloody bother. McNally insisted that the Bill be drafted to apply to new entrants only, as it is now, and Ryan lost the plot. He believed that everything should be applied retrospectively. The cabinet decision obviously went with McNally. Ryan was always going to lose the argument. Contrary to what some people might believe, I’m not easily led. I hold the same position as Darragh.’
‘Would you say their arguing went beyond the normal cut and thrust of a political disagreement?’
‘It did, yes. McNally is such a shrewd operator. He’s normally able to win people round to his way of thinking without being overt. But on this issue he did seem uncharacteristically desperate to get his way. Ryan stood in his path and McNally went over him like a steamroller.’
‘Why didn’t you mention this before?’ Tom asked.
‘I figured McNally would tell you himself. He doesn’t normally hide his dislike of people. It’s a moot point, though. He got his way with the Bill, in the end.’
‘But if Ryan had managed to blackmail you into changing the draft legislation, McNally would have lost, wouldn’t he?’
‘I guess he might have felt so,’ Blake answered. ‘Darragh takes things personally. He and Ryan were alike that way. But Darragh can go to very dark places. He suffers on and off with depression. Even when he’s not having a bout, he’s never really happy. He seemed particularly stressed this last year or so and Ryan kept provoking him. McNally wouldn’t have had to resort to murder, though. Like I said, I wouldn’t be blackmailed into doing something I don’t believe in.’
Tom studied the minister and saw a renewed boldness in his eyes and in the set of his jaw.
Blake meant what he said. He was done with being blackmailed. But he was missing the point. McNally wouldn’t have been worried about Blake changing the Bill. He could, though, have been worried about losing the man the government needed to sell its flawed legislation, which was precisely what would have happened if Blake’s reputation had ended up in tatters. Perhaps the minister was right and Ryan wouldn’t have had it in him to go to the press. But that seemed like a very reckless assumption to make.
‘And are you absolutely sure you met Sara at 9.45?’ he asked. ‘If you’ve told us another lie, Aidan, it’s
better we clear it up now.’
‘No, that’s the truth.’
‘And you both returned to the ball at . . . what time did you say it was – before 10.30?’
Blake hesitated.
‘I can’t remember the exact time, if I’m honest. It might have been after 10:30.’
Tom stood up, straightened his tie and adjusted his suit jacket. The minister was adapting his story in the face of what he suspected the inspector now knew. He was caught in a net and wriggling every which way as he tried to get out of it.
The inspector wouldn’t trust him as far as he could throw him.
‘Oh, one more thing. Are you the member of a club?’
It was simple question, but from the look on Blake’s face, Tom could see the man’s world had just imploded.
‘A club?’ he replied, trying and failing to sound casual. ‘Oh, lots of them, Inspector. It’s a politician thing. You get roped into everything. For example, I’m the treasurer of our local sailing club in Howth.’
‘I see.’ Tom grimaced. Lie after lie. ‘It was just something somebody mentioned – that I should ask you about “the club”. Never mind. I’ll go back to them.’
He left the room before Blake could respond, leaving him to stew in the web of deceit he’d spun.
Chapter 17
Living with another detective had its pitfalls.
Laura had hurried home to get ready for her dinner date with Ray that evening and found Bridget already in situ, takeaway menu and DVD in hand.
‘Oh, are you going back out? I was going to order in food and watch a movie. My brain is fried.’
Laura stepped out of her heels, avoiding eye contact with her housemate.
‘Sorry. I need to see somebody before I finish. I just came back to freshen up. Long day.’
She spent the next ten minutes worrying her way through her wardrobe, trying to find an outfit casual enough that Bridget wouldn’t suspect anything but nice enough to impress Ray.
She settled on a pair of skinny jeans and a tight black V-neck sweater. After a moment’s hesitation, she opted for a push-up bra. She let her hair down, spritzing the curls with spray, and was applying lip-gloss when Bridget appeared, leaning against the doorframe.
‘See who?’ the other woman asked, continuing the conversation as if Laura hadn’t left the sitting room.
Laura kept her focus on the mirror, trying to stave off the blush that was threatening to make its way from her neck up to her face. She wasn’t sure she had it in her to lie to her best friend. But it was just dinner and she wasn’t in the mood for another lecture about Ray. A line had to be drawn.
Laura came from a large family and the whole point of moving out was to get some personal space. But it might have been a mistake to start dating her flatmate’s relative. Bridget wouldn’t be able to help feeling defensive of Eoin should Laura decide to end things.
Had she really just thought that? Laura glanced guiltily at her phone. She hadn’t even texted her boyfriend today and had left his apartment this morning while he slept.
‘I have to follow up on something that Grace Brady said,’ she replied breezily.
Bridget was still staring at her. ‘You look lovely.’
‘I might call over to Eoin’s after.’
Oh, God, she was a horrible person – to be able to summon up such an appropriate fib.
It worked, though. Bridget smiled conspiratorially and left her to it.
‘You’re going to hell,’ Laura told her reflection.
*
‘In all the years we’ve been working together, we’ve never had dinner,’ Ray said, pulling out a stool for Laura. He’d reserved seats at the bar.
She’d been so glad to see he’d arrived earlier than her. He’d freshened up, too, exchanging his wrinkled shirt for a navy short-sleeve polo over Levis. The navy brought out the dark blue in his eyes; the sleeves were short enough to show the muscles that rippled underneath. He smelled of Lynx and Laura felt just a little dizzy as he helped her up onto the high stool.
‘That’s not true. We’ve eaten together lots of times.’
‘Yeah, I know. With the others. But the two of us have never gone out alone.’
‘That’s true, I suppose,’ Laura shrugged. ‘I hadn’t noticed.’ She said all this lightly. He had no way of knowing she’d spent the last few years longing to be alone in his company. How many times had she fantasised about the two of them being sent to investigate some case in the middle of nowhere and being forced to share the one last hotel room? Daydreams that always ended up with Ray declaring his unspoken and undying love for her . . .
Sweet Lord. Laura fidgeted in her seat.
‘Did you get that message from Tom’s wife about Wednesday?’ Ray asked. ‘It’s still on.’
‘Yes. I thought she’d cancel, but she’s absolutely right. When would be a good time to do it? We’re always on a case. And she and Maria have already put so much effort into getting us all together.’
‘You’re right. Do you think Tom knows? I’m his designated minder for the day. I have to find some way of keeping him busy and away from his house.’
Laura shook her head.
‘That shouldn’t be too hard, with the week that we’re in. No, I don’t think he suspects anything. Why would he? It’s only October. It’s absolutely hilarious. We’re all in on it and the best detective in the force hasn’t noticed anything.’
Ray tutted, but smiled along with her, complicit in the secret plan their boss’s wife had devised.
‘Is that Elvis?’ Laura tilted her head sideways, straining to hear the music.
Ray closed his eyes and listened.
‘In a sushi bar, of all places. Are you a fan of the King?’
‘Who isn’t?’
Laura smiled and watched in amusement as Ray curled his lip and started warbling.
His impromptu rendition ended abruptly with the arrival of their server.
‘Oh, I’ll have a bento box, please.’
‘The same.’ Laura picked up one of the complimentary glasses of sake that had been placed on the counter for them. She necked it, eyeing Ray sideways.
‘Aren’t you drinking?’
‘I’m not sure my stomach can handle it. I had too much to drink over the weekend.’
She looked disappointed. He threw caution to the wind.
‘I guess I can’t leave you drinking on your own. Not after the way you knocked that back. People will think you’ve a problem.’ He smirked, then downed the fiery liquid. Shit. If that didn’t cure the last vestiges of his hangover, there was no hope for him.
‘What do you think Grace Brady is hiding?’ Laura asked, helping herself to a handful of wasabi peas and passing the bowl over to Ray. ‘Other than a functioning brain and heart.’
Ray tossed some peas into his mouth. He missed with one and it shot over his shoulder, narrowly missing a fellow diner.
‘My apologies,’ he said to the woman, earning a dirty look in return. Embarrassed over his lack of hand-eye coordination, he replied, ‘Grace? I honestly don’t know. Do you mind if we talk about something other than the job? For a change.’
Laura signalled to the barman for a drinks menu. Ray seemed really uncomfortable. She was starting to worry it was because he only had her for company rather than their usual group of colleagues. He’d suggested this dinner. Was he bored? She tried to think of something interesting to say.
Ray filled the silence before her.
‘You moved in with Bridget recently, didn’t you? You must miss your mam and all that lovely cooking.’ Wow. Ray could actually feel his brain seeping out of his ears. Why couldn’t he be himself? Then again, being himself hadn’t exactly panned out too well. They had worked together for years and she’d never even looked at him.
‘I really do miss her and the rest of the gang.’ Laura answered the question as earnestly as if he’d asked whether she believed in God, she was so grateful for the conversation. ‘I didn’t t
hink I would. I wanted space and now I have it. It’s great and I really like living with Bridget, but I didn’t realise how much I’d miss the banter. Do you know what I mean?’
‘I do,’ he answered. ‘There are loads of us in my family too and we shared a tiny three-bed council house. I never had a bed to myself, let alone a room. It used to drive me nuts. Now, I go over there just for the noise.’
Laura caught the server’s attention and ordered a Sakura Martini.
‘Oh, sorry, I didn’t even show you the menu.’ She passed Ray the card, mortified.
‘It’s fine. I’ll have what she’s having. You seem to know your way around the list. Have you had that before?’
‘No. It was the only thing I felt confident pronouncing.’
Ray laughed. The sake must be working. He was starting to relax.
Their food arrived and she watched, amused, as he started to extract all the seaweed from the salad portion.
‘What are you doing?’
‘I’m taking the slime out. You can’t eat that stuff. We take baths in it after footie games down the club.’
‘Is that Dublin wisdom?’
‘Yep.’
She smiled.
‘It’s actually very good for you.’
He mock gagged.
They chatted about something and nothing while they ate. The drinks arrived. Laura tasted hers first and nearly choked.
‘Sweet Jesus! We’re suicidal ordering these. That is some serious alcoh—’ she didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, she clapped her hand over her mouth.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she said, after a moment had passed. ‘I didn’t mean to say that.’
Ray pushed his remaining food around with the chopsticks.
‘That’s okay. People can’t erase every turn of phrase from their vocabulary for fear of upsetting me. Ellie Byrne killed herself. It’s a fact.’
Laura didn’t say anything for a moment.
‘You still think about her.’ She stated it as a fact, not a question.
Ray hesitated. He had been starting to enjoy himself. Did he really want to go down this path? But Laura had been down in Kilcross with him and Ellie. She understood.