Murder In The Academy : A chilling murder mystery set in Belfast (Alice Fox Murder Mysteries Book 1)

by Maggie Feeley

  The night was not as long as it might have been. The search team had returned with numerous items for forensic scrutiny found in Hartnett’s wardrobe. They would check hair and skin samples taken from Hartnett against material found on Breen’s clothing. There would be a match. Other items belonging to Breen had been located in a plastic bag at the bottom of an old laundry basket in the back of Hartnett’s garden shed. There too they found the red suitcase and black winter coat, both of which would reveal evidence of the punishment meted out to Helen Breen. For there to have been such an elaborate clean-up after the murder, in Professor Hartnett’s home there had been no such attention to the detail.

  On Sunday morning when they had visited Holywood Barracks, Breen’s home laptop and mobile phone had been found in the storeroom off Nigel Power’s office. His copious digital and paper files in relation to DePRec would provide interesting reading and a white van with several sets of number plates was also thought to be of interest.

  When the very demure Janet Hartnett eventually cracked, the level of vitriol against Helen Breen had surprised even Caroline Paton. Stored up over decades, Hartnett had unleashed her resentment of Breen’s more privileged social standing. She fumed about Breen’s superior attitude to the Baldwin modest family business beside Helen’s own beloved father’s impressive refrigeration empire.

  When asked during questioning why Breen had been placed in a freezer Hartnett had shamelessly stated, “I thought she would feel at home there.”

  Hartnett claimed that Breen’s subtle manipulation of people back in their schooldays had come flooding back when the younger woman greeted her like a long-lost friend in the corridor outside the departmental office. Once reignited, Hartnett’s fury had gradually escalated. She had played along with Helen Breen but that hadn’t stopped Breen recalling the near-scandal that had blighted young Janet Baldwin’s final year at school. Not known to many and mostly long forgotten, the suggestion that this woman would use it against her for her own advancement was a step too far.

  For his own motives, Nigel Power had been appalled that Breen’s threat would have implicated him. This rage was more to do with her audacity than any concern about his involvement in pornography. He had encouraged Hartnett to kill Helen Breen, painting an elaborate picture of what might result for her if Breen’s photographic evidence had got into the wrong hands. He had promised to use his many skills and contacts to cover her tracks as they would both be more secure without Breen in the picture.

  When the two had been charged, signed full and complete statements and been committed to cells for the night, Caroline Paton and her team had met to debrief. Satisfaction dispelled their exhaustion for the moment but they knew that wouldn’t last and rest must come soon on the priority list.

  And there was a bonus prize! Amongst the treasures found in the Baldwin-Hartnett home had been enough material to implicate Mr Baldwin in a historic criminal case. His own daughter had not been the only underage victim of his skullduggery and a whole collection of pornographic images and films would make interesting evidence for the crime squad to examine. DI Caroline Paton would interview him first about any role he may have had in aiding and abetting his daughter’s recent crime and this time there would be no support from any brotherhood and no cover-up. Mr Baldwin had finally met his match in DI Caroline Paton.

  Alice had been driven home by DC McVeigh and assured by Caroline that her contribution had been crucial in solving this case. They established their intention to pick up on the promised leisurely meal as soon as it was possible.

  45

  In Mairéad Walsh’s office on Monday morning there was a small gathering of individuals who had heard the early-morning news announcement that Helen Breen’s murderer and accomplice had been arrested and charged. The two accused would be held in custody while the case against them was being prepared. Given the gravity of the charges there would be no bail available to either of them. The PSNI would hold a press conference later that morning and DI Caroline Paton would confirm that the police murder squad were satisfied that they had solved the case, as promised, in a timely manner.

  The Belfast City College President had made a brief statement emphasising the quality of his staff and their commitment to ensuring a safe learning environment for all third level students. There were two significant vacancies on the staff now that would need to be addressed when an appropriate amount of time had elapsed. Jackson Bell would address the DePRec staff at coffee break that morning and encourage them to get back to normal working routines as soon as possible. They would plan a memorial for their colleague whenever the family had been allowed the time to arrange her funeral. Her brother and family would take the opportunity to visit from Australia and Agatha Breen would have some joy in the wake of her bereavement.

  True to form, Alice Fox said nothing about her contribution to the resolution of Helen Breen’s killing and as soon as possible she quietly slipped away from the noisy chatter. She settled herself at her desk to come to grips with the ‘to do’ list that she had been evading for the past week.

  Tomorrow, she had a table booked in the Welcome Restaurant when she and Caroline Paton would enjoy an undemanding evening in the company of newfound friends. The prospect filled Alice with satisfaction on a number of counts.

  As she turned again towards her academic pursuits, her attention was captivated by the sunlit wintery vista of Belfast Lough outside her office window. She sighed deeply. She had made the right decision to take this year away from all that was familiar to her. The impact on her view of life was certainly a positive one and the remainder of her time in Ireland was suddenly looking very interesting indeed. Alice Fox felt well and truly ready for whatever new exploits might come her way.

  Acknowledgements

  I talked about writing this Murder Mystery for a long time before actually getting around to doing it. Now I find myself embarked on writing three of them and I am delighted by the prospect. Of course, we never really do anything alone and lots of people have encouraged and supported me in this new métier. I am thankful to you all, too numerous to mention, for the words of interest and encouragement.

  Niamh and Jackie listened to early chapters and carried me forward with their enthusiastic response. Those who read full versions of what became lovingly known as MITA merit special gratitude: Margaret Ward, Susan Miner, Michelle Page, Trina Barr and John Brady all gave a critical response to an early version. Michelle Page became my authority on all things to do with police procedures and her past as a Lowell PD detective has been an invaluable source of good pickings. Maureen Lyons and Nessa Finnegan helped me sustain belief in the possibility of publication and the Zoom dramatisation of MITA early in the Covid pandemic gave us all some laughs. Thank you to Leah, Nessa, Jerome, Bojana and Ann for that. Brian, Jessica, Chloë and Anaïs regularly listened with interest to accounts of my writing life and never gave the impression that I was fooling myself. Thank you for your belief.

  John Brady, DJ Colbert and Ursula Barry were invaluable when things started to get serious and there was talk of needing agents and contracts and other such daunting things. Joining the Irish Writers’ Union demystified a lot of technical elements of publishing and also provided a sense of solidarity, which is important for me.

  Thanks to Elaine Mullen, Paula Campbell from Poolbeg became an early and a fairly constant prop throughout the production of this book, much of which has taken place during the period of lockdown. She pointed me in the right direction and I was more surprised than anybody else when I arrived there. Gaye Shortland, Poolbeg’s editor, was what I dreamed of all along: a meticulous, insightful, critical reader who liked my book and knew how to make it better. She has been kind and uncompromising in equal measure and has my full appreciation and respect in exchange for her labours.

  Above all, for sharing the fun, the panic, the drudgery and the unbridled joy of it all, I thank Ann Hegarty whose loving kindness knows very few limits … and I have tried very hard to find
them. She has embraced the idea of social justice fiction since I decided to have a go at writing it and I would not have persisted so happily without her.