The Game Changer

by Louise Phillips

  It was a strange sort of freedom, he thought, coming to an island to escape. Yet, it was creeping in on him too. Just as his skin was changing colour from working outdoors, his muscles felt firmer, and the complications he had left behind – his mother being overprotective and Adam bulldozing his way into his life – no longer hijacked all his thoughts.

  Before Adam was around, he’d imagined his father as someone completely different from the guy he’d come to know. The awkwardness of their silences, when neither of them could think of anything to say to each another, felt similar to the divide of the Atlantic between the island and home in Dublin.

  He had yet to meet Saka. An audience with him wouldn’t be granted if he wasn’t a member. This had irked him more at the beginning than it did now. He had no intention of entering any programme, but some battles weren’t worth it. If idiots like Stephen got a kick from being in authority, well, sod them. But it was the arsehole going on about helpers not being able to attend meetings that finally made up his mind: whether he was invited to one or not, he was going to find out what happened at them. With Saka and his assistant, Jessica, on the mainland, Addy decided to make a move.

  The closest he had managed to get to the main meeting room was the hall area. The double doors were guarded, so he decided to join the meeting the only way he could, knowing that getting in through the main doors was impossible. It was while he was messing around with Chloë a few days earlier that he’d found the external drain shaft, the one located at the back of the meeting room. She hadn’t paid any attention to it, but the sounds had drawn him in. He’d heard the testing of microphones, and the checking of speakers. He hadn’t recognised any of the voices, but if he managed to get to the back of the building unseen, he’d be able to listen in.

  Lying flat on the grass, he heard everyone converging. A final toll of the bell initiated the proceedings and the first, only, voice was female. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought it belonged to Chloë’s mother. She usually kept herself to herself, but he had heard her call to Chloë a couple of times.

  ‘Welcome to today’s meeting,’ she said. ‘I feel privileged to stand before you, my friends and new family. The words spoken here today are not easy words. They come from a troubled place, a place many of us know well.’

  Addy leaned in closer to the drain, and when he did, he noticed a narrow air vent in the wall. Through it, he could see part of the female speaker. She reached for a book behind her, and although he couldn’t see her upper body, he knew she was standing in front of a lectern.

  ‘The extract I read today, like all extracts from the Book of Enlightenment, is unlike any of the doctrinarian-type messages that our old minds were exposed to before coming here. The steps to enlightenment give us hope, and it is this hope that will make us stronger and capable of withstanding pain.’

  There was complete silence in the hall, except for the words and movements of the speaker. Addy already knew that members weren’t allowed to interrupt each other, especially if they were revealing part of their journey. Obviously, the speaker was being treated the same. He felt his heart hammering in his chest, and despite not wanting to take his eyes away, every few seconds, he glanced behind him to make sure he was alone.

  The speaker picked up where she’d left off: ‘Thousands of years ago, the earth was filled with reptiles, earthbound creatures crawling along the ground, unable to free themselves from the restrictions of their physical form. Many soon realised it wasn’t about becoming better at crawling, it was about transcending the concept of themselves as life forms. Some grew feathers and wings and turned into birds, defying the force of gravity that had held them. They didn’t become better at walking and crawling, they found a new way, a better way.

  ‘I spoke earlier about pain. It is a difficult path we follow. Not everyone understands our enlightenment or fulfilment, but it has been that way since the start of time. We do not preach religion, but we can reflect on the past in order to understand the present and the future. Two thousand years ago, a carpenter, a prostitute and twelve other outcasts started a group that challenged the values of their time, believing their leader, the carpenter, was the son of God, that he had the power to walk on water and even rise from the dead. Their beliefs were scorned and criticised, and tension became inevitable between them and the old ways of Judaism. They spoke of kingdoms – kingdoms the Romans didn’t want.’ The speaker paused, giving everyone time to grasp the message. ‘The Romans already had a kingdom, you see, which they controlled.

  ‘And so the founders of Christianity were mocked, and crushed, and suffered enormous pain, yet they survived. They became accepted as mainstream, and soon they became the new way. To doubt Christianity was to defy all that was right and good about creation. You may ask why Saka wants me to tell you this. The reason is simple. If you are a dissenting voice, someone who is looking for a new and better way, you will be scorned. You will be criticised and mocked. You may even be rejected by those you love. Many are still trapped, like the reptiles crawling in the dirt. The message today is clear. Whenever you hear such abuse or criticism, you must hold steady, knowing that closed minds cannot see or understand the things that we can see.

  ‘Many of us talk about success – success in becoming the people we strive to be. The 20 Steps to Self-enlightenment Programme sets goals for each of us. Do not confuse goals with wishing or daydreaming. Goal-setting is the strongest force for self-motivation. You were born to shape a destiny for yourself. Grasp that challenge, be fulfilled within it, and never fool yourself into thinking you can truly succeed as an individual by accident or luck. Real success depends on your potential to develop, to follow the steps on the programme. If you can do that, you’ll get closer to your desires. The simplest definition of success is the realisation of worthwhile, pre-determined, personal goals. We are all here together, but each of our journeys will be different.

  ‘I want you to hold each other by the hand, look into the faces of your new family, see what they can see, and together, like the birds, we too will grow wings and transcend the locks and chains that the world has imposed on us. We will be united, like the waves in the ocean, each one of us part of an overall pattern, a strong and worthy member of something far bigger than us, which will help us in our preparation for what lies ahead.’

  Addy couldn’t take his eyes off the tiny air vent, as the congregation stood up, holding hands, then hugged each other in silence. It was clear that the words spoken had come from the speaker’s heart. And although he couldn’t envisage himself growing wings, he could see how easy it would be to swallow all this stuff. He couldn’t see any faces, but there was no mistaking the sense of community. Every man and woman in there, with their common bond and their self-enlightenment, would walk out of that hall feeling elevated, special.

  He was so engrossed in his thoughts he didn’t realise he had an audience. Leaning up on his elbows, having heard something move behind him, he turned his head.

  When he saw the fury on Stephen’s face, he knew that saying anything in his defence would be pointless. Stephen wasn’t alone. He held Chloë’s hand. They looked like some sort of weird couple. Their blank stares freaked him out, but then he saw the curling up of Stephen’s lips, a smile partly suppressed, an expression of future pleasure coming into his eyes, and Addy knew the guy had been biding his time. He’d been waiting for this moment, and whatever plans he had for Addy, there was going to be nothing nice about them.

  Kate

  IT SEEMED TO KATE THAT EVER SINCE CHARLIE HAD left with Declan a couple of weeks earlier, everything had come to a standstill, including the investigation. Adam had managed to get limited surveillance organised, and even though it was good to see the squad car passing by, she still felt like a prisoner inside her own home.

  When her mobile phone rang, she picked it up. It was Adam.

  ‘How are you feeling?’ he asked.

  ‘I’m okay. This virus seems to be coming and going.’

&nbs
p; ‘It’s stress, Kate. Why don’t you see a doctor?’

  ‘If it doesn’t pass in the next few days, I will.’

  ‘You’re losing weight too.’

  ‘Stop worrying about me. I’m fine.’

  ‘If you say so.’

  ‘I’m missing Charlie.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘He can’t be kept out of school indefinitely.’

  ‘Listen, Kate.’ He paused. ‘Something’s come up.’

  ‘What?’

  Almost reading her mind, he said reassuringly, ‘It’s nothing to do with you personally, only …’

  ‘Only what?’

  ‘It’s to do with the investigation, but I’m hesitant about getting you involved.’

  ‘Whatever it is, it can’t make me feel any worse.’

  ‘Lee Fisher’s back from leave. They’ve managed to have a more in-depth interview with Mason’s sister, pushing her on this group thing.’

  ‘Fisher’s confirmed Mason’s involvement in the Dublin grouping?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘It could be the common denominator?’

  ‘Perhaps. We’re both trying to track down other members. They may not all be in Ireland, but that’s not why I phoned you.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘I’m looking for your advice. We might have linked O’Neill’s death to two missing-person cases – well, not exactly missing.’

  ‘I’m not getting you.’

  ‘Technically, they’re no longer classified as missing, but they were at one point. Look, Kate, I probably shouldn’t have called. Maybe this is a bad idea.’

  ‘No, go on. You said you think they’re connected to O’Neill’s death – why do you think that?’

  ‘Okay – if you’re sure?’

  ‘I’m sure.’

  ‘The number of people reported missing in Ireland annually is around three thousand.’

  ‘But most are found?’

  ‘Thankfully, yes, and the couple of dozen who aren’t are generally people who don’t want to be found – adults who want to get away, rebellious teenagers, that kind of thing. Most have probably gone to another jurisdiction.’

  ‘So how are these missing-person cases connected to O’Neill?’

  ‘They may be connected, we don’t have anything conclusive, but something has come up with similar cash withdrawals.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘We set up a team to trawl through PULSE, looking for anything that involved large sums of money going missing. Most of it was fraud stuff, a few cases of reported blackmail, extortion, et cetera, none of it was similar to O’Neill, with the exception of two missing-person cases: Amanda Doyle and Robert Cotter. They had no connection with each other, but both withdrew large sums of money in cash from their bank accounts before they made contact with home, one by way of a telephone call and the other with a letter.’

  ‘And that’s why they’re no longer considered missing persons?’

  ‘Precisely, but neither of them told their family where they were, only that they needed time to themselves, and that the money they’d withdrawn was in part to help them form a new life. If contact was going to be made, it would be from them.’

  ‘As you said yourself, Adam, many people simply want to start afresh.’

  ‘I know, but the cash withdrawals were in the same quantities as those made by O’Neill.’

  ‘That’s strange. What did the families say about their mental health before they left?’

  ‘Again, there was a similarity to the O’Neill report. Both were low in themselves at one point, possibly clinically depressed, but their spirits rose shortly before their departure.’

  ‘O’Neill’s departure was death, Adam. The money wasn’t any use to him dead. Someone else had to be a beneficiary there.’

  ‘I know that, but with these two cases, we’re talking in excess of a hundred thousand euros. That’s a lot of money. But that’s not all. This is where it gets weird, Kate. Apparently, they were both on some kind of self-help programme, not with a doctor but some kind of organisation.’

  ‘What else did their families say?’

  ‘They both mentioned the word “enlightenment”. It could be a coincidence of course.’

  ‘Have you found anything on the potential organisation involved?’

  ‘Not yet.’

  ‘What about O’Neill? Anything to indicate he was connected to something like this?’

  ‘No. The only connection is the large cash withdrawals, and those unexplained meetings.’

  ‘It’s thin, Adam. The connection with the Manhattan murder is stronger.’

  ‘Maybe, but I’m not ruling anything out.’

  ‘Remind me what was written in blood on that mirror in Mason’s apartment.’

  ‘It said, “He saw the light.”’

  ‘Hmm, it could be linked, and certainly enlightenment can come at a high price, especially if it involves a darker element.’

  ‘You mean some kind of cult, a mad religious following?’

  ‘They’re not all based around religion.’

  ‘If it’s a scam, Kate, so far there’s nothing obvious appearing on the radar.’

  ‘Notoriety doesn’t always surround these groups but, as you said, this may not be connected.’

  ‘Kate?’

  ‘Yeah?’

  ‘Work aside, I’m worried about you. Ever since I told you about your mother making those reports, I know it’s been tough on you.’

  ‘It’s not your fault.’

  ‘For what it’s worth, your mother never pressed formal charges.’

  ‘She lived in fear, far more than I realised. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I remember in my late teens, my father changed.’

  ‘How did he change?’

  ‘He became less hostile, broken in a way.’

  ‘Any idea why?’

  ‘No, but he did say something to me a few years before he died. It was partly the reason we grew closer in my twenties. I can’t remember what had happened beforehand, but I think he discovered something, or heard really bad news, because he went to his room and didn’t appear for days. When he came out, he asked me would I sit down with him for a while. That was when he said it.’

  ‘What did he say?’

  ‘He said he was sorry. You have to understand, Adam, he wasn’t a man who apologised, ever.’

  ‘Did he tell you what he was sorry for?’

  ‘He said he was sorry for being so angry when I was younger, sorry he hadn’t been a better father, sorry for all his mistakes. Then he told me he loved me, and that as every day passed, he loved me more.’

  ‘They’re important words to hear.’

  ‘I know. At the time, they meant everything to me.’

  ‘And now?’

  ‘Now, there are a lot of unanswered questions, and I worry that the mistakes he apologised for aren’t ones I can forgive.’

  ‘One day at a time, Kate.’

  ‘I know that too.’

  ‘Any word from that Malcolm guy today?’

  ‘Not yet. I’m not answering his calls.’

  ‘You told me he was like a surrogate father to you at one point.’

  ‘I guess I haven’t had a lot of luck when it comes to father figures.’

  ‘You’re not exactly hanging out with the father of the year, considering my track record.’ He laughed, but she knew, deep down, part of him was hurt by his own self-criticism.

  ‘Adam.’

  ‘Yeah?’

  ‘Addy will come around, you’ll see, and thanks.’

  ‘For what?’

  ‘Asking for my advice. It’s good to know you still believe in me.’

  ‘I always have, Kate, but when it gets personal, it also gets tricky.’

  She was about to hang up when she thought of something else. ‘Adam, I never asked, did you find any evidence of a forced break-in at the O’Neill lock-up?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘It was strange th
at the place was soiled, wasn’t it?’

  ‘There are a lot of strange things about this case. The guy must have been under a lot of distress to behave so out of character.’

  ‘The urine and excrement were tracked back to him?’

  ‘They were.’

  ‘If the same person is responsible for O’Neill’s death and Mason’s, then in its own wacky way, we could be back to the killer leaving some kind of message. It was Mason’s finger and blood that were used to write that message on the mirror.’

  ‘If that’s the case, the big question is why?’

  ‘It could be arrogance, Adam, their way of saying, “Come and find me.”’

  As she hung up, it was like her investigative and analytical brain had slipped back into action. Going into the study, she picked up her recorder, thinking about the two missing-person cases of Amanda Doyle and Robert Cotter. She had told Adam that the connection was thin, but even so, it couldn’t be ignored. She pressed down the record button on her voice recorder. ‘To date, the police have been unable to locate the missing funds that belonged to Michael O’Neill. Two recently reported missing-person cases, those of Robert Cotter and Amanda Doyle, also had cash withdrawals linked to their disappearance. At this point, the police have not yet been able to establish a concrete link. Nor can they be sure that other unreported cases exist. In both cases, Amanda Doyle and Robert Cotter made contact with their families, possibly to reduce concern and to limit questions being asked.’

  Kate stopped the recorder, walking around the room, thinking about the possibility of unreported cases. It didn’t take her long to begin again. ‘In the case of missing persons, if a person isn’t in a relationship, and is living alone, their disappearance can go unnoticed for some time. Phone calls to an employer or a message to a close friend may be sufficient to ensure their departure and, perhaps, unreported financial withdrawals go unnoticed. The cash-withdrawal elements of all three cases, Michael O’Neill, Robert Cotter and Amanda Doyle, link them tentatively, with the missing-person reports on Cotter and Doyle mentioning each being on some kind of enlightenment programme. So far, the police have not been able to identify the organisation involved, or whether it is involved in extortionist methods and/or cult-like associations.’