BENEATH LOST GROUND

by G. D. Higgins

  His vision slowly came into focus. The room smelled of coal and damp wood. A bunker.

  “Can you help us? I want to go home now?” A girl’s voice, older than the child’s.

  A sensation akin to paralysis held him firmly to whatever the flat surface he was laid on. A painful laboured exertion, and he turned his head to the side. He instantly regretted it. An eternity of darkness would have been better than what he saw.

  One of her eyes dangled from the socket. A v-shaped dented into the top of her head oozed a thick syrup of blood and matter. Her mouth made an ‘O’ shape, but nothing came out. In a moment of sheer panic and dread, she flew towards him and came eye-to-eye.

  Brophy sprang from the couch with a start, covered in sweat, the dawn light invading his gloomy living room.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Brophy gripped the sodden tabloid newspaper in his sweaty hand as he walked into the incident room. White and Leard sat at the big table next to Bennett and Kenneally. Most of the other officers worked pensively at their desks, no doubt ensuring they had their details straight should they be called on to give an update to the crowd that would soon assemble around the desk. A lot had happened in the last couple of days to shed further light on the case, yet the boy remained missing.

  He approached his desk and stopped beside McCall who was focused on her computer screen, reading a report off PULSE.

  Without looking away from the screen, she said, “I didn’t take you for a Sun reader.”

  He flung the paper on her desk, the front page landing face up. The headline read, ‘Waterford Labs Nabbed in Failed Experiment.’

  “Jaysus, who writes these things?”

  The split picture underneath the headline showed two men in suits being hauled out of their workplaces, distraught and unbelieving. Donahue looked as though he might have been crying, and Hughes’s features appeared ashen like the pulp paper he was printed on.

  “There’s nothing we can do for them now, Brophy. They made their choices, and now they have to live with them.”

  Her words faintly registered with him, his glare stuck on the smug-looking White, whispering God knows what to his lapdog. White eventually caught his sight and stared back. After a while, he turned back to Leard.

  “Any word on Aidan?” He didn’t answer. “Conal. Snap out of it.” He looked down at her. “Any news about Aidan? Should we go and get him?”

  “I called Ducey on the way in. He said Aidan was fine. He’s well settled into the place. We can go and get him this afternoon.”

  “I’m sure he knows about his father being in the news by now?”

  “Ducey said he doesn’t think so, but if anything out of the ordinary happens, he’ll give us a shout.”

  “Are you okay? You seem a bit distant. More so than usual, I mean.”

  “I didn’t get much sleep again.”

  “Did you take one of the pills I gave you?”

  “No, I forgot.”

  “You should try them. They worked a treat for me when I needed them.”

  A voice bellowed across the room from the big table. “Gather round everyone,” said Bennett.

  Most of those in attendance rushed to make a horseshoe by the table. Brophy and McCall barely took a few steps forward from their desks.

  “Good morning, everyone,” said Bennett, his lips pressed in a restrained smile. “Yesterday was a crucial day for our investigation, as you all know. We took down two big players right here in the city. So, good work on that, ladies and gentlemen. And we also found a small cache of firearms in a wood near Portlaw. The lab has been working overtime, analysing the guns, and they’ve come back with great results. Turns out, one of the guns is definitely our murder weapon.”

  Murmurs rose and settled just as quickly. McCall nudged Brophy with her elbow.

  “Now, while there were no prints found on the murder weapon itself, there were several sets found on the others. And they’ve all come back as belonging to a sole handler. One Michael Delaney.” A few gasps but mostly unsurprised nodding and tutting. “Our objective moving forward is very clear. Find Delaney by whatever means necessary. A warrant has been issued, so I want you knocking on the doors of every relative and associate of his. Shake-down all known users in town. Find that scumbag and bring him in fast. Find him, and we find the boy.” This statement sent a shock down Brophy’s body and alerted him to the task at hand. “Inspector White would like to say a few things before you all head out there.” Bennett finished speaking and took his seat without looking at White once.

  White grinned and scoffed at Bennett’s aloofness. “Firstly, I’d like to say how great it has been working with this team the last couple of days. Your due diligence has helped us bring down some major players in the never-ending fight against drug cartels in this country. For that, I commend you all. As I’m sure you all know by now, we tagged Harry Doyle yesterday and have strong evidence that he was in contact with Michael Delaney around the same time he made a deal with Barry Donahue to manufacture several kilos of methamphetamine. We haven’t quite got a confession out of him yet, but it doesn’t take a genius to work out that it was in his best interest to get Jordan Walters out of the way so he could corner the market. We believe they planned to use Waterford as a testing ground for this drug that has remained largely unpopular with users in recent years. We think they were experimenting with how to push the drug and create a distribution network before flooding the market in Dublin.”

  “What about Clarance Veale?” said Brophy in a raised voice.

  White licked his lower lip and said, “Veale is not a priority at this time.”

  “Really?” said Brophy. “Even though he was working with Jordan and may-be the benefactor of the drugs we found at the crime scene?”

  White’s face reddened. “We’re not suggesting he’s not a person of interest, but like I say, Delaney is the sole focus for now. So everyone, let’s not bottle this.” Brophy flinched, knowing the word was used as a swipe at him. “Good luck out there today. And stay well hydrated. Looks like another glorious day today.”

  His comment raised a slight chuckle from the crowd before most of the gardaí dispersed amongst a chorus of action plans as they walked out the door.

  White sat down again and continued his briefing with Leard. Brophy approached the big table.

  “What can I do for you, Sergeant?” said White.

  “I’d like to interview Donahue.”

  “That won’t be necessary, Sergeant. You can read the transcript from our interview. I’m sure everything you need to know will be in there.”

  McCall joined Brophy at the table’s edge, looking down at the two NBCI officers. “We have evidence that may prove Barry Donahue was forced into doing what he did.”

  “He never mentioned that to us,” said Leard through a hideous sneer.

  “Because he doesn’t want his family hunted down by these people,” said Brophy by way of retort. “He knows if he doesn’t take the fall for this, his wife and kids will be in great danger, yet you took him in with this public circus nonetheless.”

  “What’s this so-called evidence you think you have, Detective McCall?” said White.

  “Donahue’s son.”

  This information silenced White. Out of the corner of his eye, Brophy noticed Bennett and Kenneally were fully attentive to the conversation at the other end of the table.

  “Where is the lad, Brophy?” asked Bennett, rising to his feet.

  “He’s in a safe place, sobering up. We’ll bring him in later to make a formal statement.”

  “You’d better let us handle that,” said White defensively.

  “I don’t think so.”

  “I’m not asking, Sergeant.”

  “He hasn’t broken any law, and he’s not being charged, so I don’t see why we should hand him over to you. I think you’ve caused enough damage as it is.”

  “Don’t play this game with us,” said Leard, getting to his feet. White followed
him up and put his hand on his arm to settle him down a bit.

  “Inspector Bennett. I’d like you to instruct your team to disclose the location of Mr Donahue.”

  Bennett beamed at Brophy. “Detective, would you like to inform us as to the whereabouts of Aidan Donahue?”

  “No can do.”

  “Okay. Well, I guess that settles that, Inspector, unless there’s anything else we can do for you.”

  Leard breathed heavily now, poised for conflict, likely of a physical nature, judging by his whole demeanour. White stretched his neck and rolled his head back around one time.

  “If that’s the way it’s gonna be, then that’s the way it’s gonna be.” He gave Leard a nod, and Leard reluctantly followed him out of the room, leaving the local officers stood around the table.

  “I sincerely hope you know what you’re doing, Brophy,” said Bennett.

  “I’m trying to protect that family from any more hardship.”

  “Maybe it’s too late for that now,” said Bennett.

  “The boy laid it all out for us,” said McCall. “He got in with a bad crowd in Dublin and worked up a massive debt. It was a set-up from the very beginning. Then Doyle paid his father a visit. I think you know the rest.”

  “These animals will do anything,” said Bennett. “Well, good work finding the guns, Brophy.”

  “It was actually one of McCall’s contacts that tipped us off.”

  Bennett glanced at McCall, the disdain clear on his face. “Let’s not go celebrating quite yet. Delaney is still out there somewhere.”

  “Can we talk to Barry Donahue?” asked Brophy.

  “What good will it do at this point?” said Bennett.

  “We need to find out what his dinner plans were that night and why he didn’t show up. Aidan told us they were all meant to have a sit-down and discuss everything with Jordan and Veale.”

  “You seem to have your mind set on this Veale character.”

  “There’s no way he’s not involved, and we all know they’re protecting him because he’s such a crucial informant to them.”

  “All right then. But it’s better if just one of you go. That way, it won’t look too official, and he mightn’t try to lawyer up.”

  “Fine,” said Brophy. “McCall can do it. I think he latched on to you more than me, anyway.”

  “No problem. I know what we need to find out,” said McCall, smiling at Brophy.

  “No,” said Bennett. “It’s better if you do it, Brophy. You’ll have a better chance of warding off those two clowns if they come near the interview room.”

  “I really think-” started Brophy.

  “He’s right, Sergeant Brophy. It’s better if you go. I can look into the forensics report while I’m waiting.”

  McCall skulked back to her desk, and Brophy and Bennett headed out the side door and down the stairs.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  Brophy entered Interview Room One and found Donahue sitting with his head rested on his arms on the small table. He looked up as Brophy shut the door gently behind him. Brophy thought he heard him growl.

  “You lied to me,” said Donahue. “You said you’d help protect my family.”

  “I know, and I apologise for how this has been handled. It’s not how I would have done things. But you lied to me too. And possibly cost us a couple of days in tracking down the killer and finding Seán.”

  Brophy sat across from him. Donahue looked as if he hadn’t slept the previous night. His eyes were bloodshot and dry, his face plastered in specks of black and grey stubble.

  “Had you been straight with us from the beginning, we might have been able to avoid this.”

  “Well, it’s too late now, isn’t it? Those other two pricks have made it very clear what’s going to happen to me whether I talk or not.”

  “Why did you cancel your dinner plans with Maura and Jordan that night?”

  The question caught Donahue off guard. He rubbed his chin, making a rasping noise that greatly irritated Brophy. “I didn’t cancel. Maura called me and said they had a change of plans. Their associate, Veale, couldn’t make it, so there was no point in getting together. She postponed it till Sunday. That way, Seán wouldn’t be there, and we wouldn’t have to tip-toe around our discussion in his presence.”

  “Did you have any idea how they were planning to help get you and Aidan out of the situations you were in?”

  Donahue straightened a little and pushed out his chest. “What do you know about Aidan?”

  “We met him yesterday at your house.”

  “Typical. He couldn’t do as I said and stay with his mother in Clontarf. That kid screws everything up. But he’s my son. My boy.” A tear rolled down his cheek.

  “He told us everything about how Doyle’s foot soldiers lured him in and made him work up a huge debt. Listen, I know your hand was forced in all of this, and I promise I’ll do whatever I can to help you and your family.”

  Donahue started and took a gasping breath. “Where’s Aidan now?”

  “We brought him to an outreach centre for troubled youths last night to sleep off a high. He’s with a very trusted friend of mine there, so don’t worry. But we’ll need to take him in later, and it’s imperative I have everything straight by then.”

  “He’s suicidal, you know?”

  “I gathered that. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be.”

  “He had everything growing up. Maybe we spoiled him a little too much. I always feared it would turn him into an arrogant adult. But he’s not. He’s incredibly sensitive and was never great at making friends. That’s why those thugs were able to suck him in so easily. I had no idea about the gambling. Had he come to me earlier, I could have paid off the debt, and we wouldn’t all be in this mess right now.”

  “There’s no point laying that on yourself. These people had their sights set on you, and they likely would have found a way in, no matter what.” Donahue shook his head and looked down at the table. “Have you ever met or spoken to Veale?”

  “No. The dinner was to be the first time we met him.”

  “And what did they say he could do for you?”

  Donahue considered the question warily then let out a long protracted sigh. “I’m not entirely sure.”

  “But you have to know something about it, or you wouldn’t have agreed to meet him. So what can you remember? Were they planning to try to go into business with Doyle?”

  “Go into business? God no. I don’t think that’s what they had in mind at all. Jordan suggested they wanted me to lure him in with a second batch, and I can only imagine what they would have done from there.”

  This information flicked a switch in Brophy’s mind. Had they planned on eliminating Doyle, and in the already compromised position of his gang, take over everything? And did Doyle somehow get hold of this information and set up the murder of the Walters? These two cartels had been dead set on destroying each other for years, and now with the number of their key players so diminished, taking out one or two top people would tilt the balance in favour of one side for years to come.

  “Who else knew about the planned meeting with Veale?”

  “Just us. Myself, Aidan, Maura and Jordan, and Veale.”

  “How about Michael Delaney?”

  “Who?”

  “Budgie Delaney.” Brophy scrutinised his reaction to the name and determined he was truthful in not knowing who Delaney was. “As of now, he’s the lead suspect in the shooting.”

  “I’ve never heard of him. Who is he?”

  “He’s a local dealer we think may have been pushing the stuff Jordan was making.”

  “Then why on earth would he kill them if he was making loads of money off them. It doesn’t make sense.”

  “Few things in their world usually does. What I don’t get is why they would plan such a serious meeting and plan to have Jordan’s sister and Seán there. What time did Maura let you know the dinner was postponed?”

  “Early after
noon some time. Maybe twelve-thirty.”

  Around the time Ciara cancelled, Brophy thought to himself. Was there some deeper connection to the sister he was missing? “And you said you don’t know Ciara Walters very well?”

  “That’s right. I’ve met her a handful of times. A few family events, that kind of thing.”

  “What do you make of her?”

  Donahue thrust back his head in surprise at the question. “I don’t know. She seems quite charming, if not somewhat distant and cold.”

  “Did Maura get along with her?”

  “I believe so, but they were never very close from what I can gather.”

  “Did Jordan get on with her?”

  “I presume so. I’ve never heard any different.”

  “Is it something Maura would have told you about?”

  “I would imagine so. Maura was an open book. She didn’t suffer fools, but she had a special way with people, and part of that was how honest and forthcoming she was.”

  “Why do you think she got involved in this?”

  “I don’t know how involved she really was. I think she was just used to being around that life. It was normal for her.”

  “How did she find out about the situation with Aidan and Doyle? Did she come to you or you to her?”

  Donahue squinted as he attempted to remember. “I think she came to us with the idea. But I’m not entirely sure if Aidan told her about the debt or if she found out another way. I’m sorry if that’s not very useful.”

  “No, not at all. This is all quite revealing. Just a couple of more things. Where were you when Seán was being collected from hurling camp?”

  “At the lab. Your people have already confirmed that. I was planning to stay until dinner, then go straight to Maura’s. Aidan was meant to pick me up and drive us to Woodstown.”

  “So, Aidan had the Mercedes at that time?”

  “Yes, but I can assure you he didn’t collect Seán from camp.”

  “How?”

  “How what?”

  “How can you assure me?”