Only Lies Remain: A Psychological Thriller

by Val Collins

  ‘They couldn’t get away with that.’

  ‘Couldn’t they? I don’t know. You hear stories every day of Irish girls whose children were forcibly taken from them and nobody would help get the children back. There was a story in the paper recently of one woman who had proof her child’s adoption papers were forged and it took her twenty years to get the court to agree.’

  ‘I remember, but I think she’d been in one of the Magdalene Laundries. If the nuns forged her signature, the State would try to squash the case so they didn’t have to pay compensation. They wouldn’t care what happened to your parents.’

  ‘Maybe not. I was a teenager. I didn’t know my rights and there wasn’t any Google back then. I knew babies were taken from unmarried mothers and I was terrified mine would be stolen as well.’

  ‘What did you do?’

  ‘It was a terrible time. I was practically a prisoner in the house. My parents took my keys and kept all the doors and windows locked. My mother didn’t work and my father was retired, so they watched me all the time. At night the house alarm was on and they changed the code so I couldn’t get out without waking them. There were no mobiles, of course, and they unplugged the phone every night and took it to their room.’

  ‘That sounds dreadful.’

  ‘It was. I thought I’d never escape. I watched my stomach get bigger every week and I knew I was running out of time to save my baby. Then, when I was just over seven months pregnant, I got my chance. One Sunday my mother went to the shops and my father fell asleep reading the paper. I used the phone to ring Danny. They were such a large family I figured somebody would be in the house, but I was really lucky because Danny was there. It was only a few weeks before his exams and he was trying to do some last-minute cramming. I gave him a very short version of what was happening, and not long afterwards he and all his brothers turned up at my house. My father answered the door and they pushed their way in, pulled me out and that was it.’

  ‘Your parents didn’t come after you?’

  ‘They couldn’t find me. By then I was seventeen, so the police weren’t interested. We stayed with Danny’s aunt until Jason was born. After we were married and Danny was officially listed as Jason’s father, there wasn’t anything they could do. They were convinced I’d lied to Danny. They never even considered that Tom might be the liar. And, of course, I couldn’t have convinced Danny he was the father unless we’d already had sex, so clearly I was a harlot who’d led Brendan astray. They were absolutely disgusted with me. And, just like Tom had planned, they didn’t mention me in their wills. So you see, Aoife, my brothers had no reason at all to be angry with Danny.’

  ‘But Danny had reason to be angry with them. Maybe he bumped into them and they had a fight.’

  ‘I wasn’t going to tell Danny those dreadful rumours. If my own parents believed it, how could I be sure he wouldn’t? No, I told Danny they’d kept me imprisoned in the house, but he thought it was because they were horrified that I was an unmarried mother. He never knew about those disgusting rumours. Who told you about them?’

  ‘Elaine.’

  ‘I wonder who told her. I bet Bridget found out after Danny disappeared. If she’d known beforehand, she’d never have let me live it down. I suppose when she decided I was having an affair, she went looking for gossip to back up her belief.’

  ‘You must really hate your brothers.’

  Maura nodded. ‘Apart from Brendan, of course. I’ll never forgive them.’ She grinned. ‘Although, I did get a tiny bit of revenge.’

  ‘How?’

  ‘It was a couple of years later. Danny and I were walking back from the shops when Tom practically rolled out of the pub and nearly crashed into us.’ Maura took a sip of tea and grimaced. ‘Stone cold. I’ll make more in a minute. Tom must have come to Kildare for the races, and he was obviously either celebrating or drowning his sorrows. For a few seconds all three of us just stood there, staring at each other. Then, calm as anything, I handed Jason to his father, picked up the bag containing two ceramic utensil holders I’d just bought, raised it in the air and bashed that bastard over the head again and again until I’d knocked him to the ground.’

  ‘You didn’t!’

  ‘God, Aoife, you can’t imagine how good it felt. I’d taken Tom completely by surprise, and once he was on the ground, he couldn’t get away from me. Danny had to drag me off him. There was blood on the ground afterwards. Danny said it was pure luck I hadn’t murdered him. Tom got to his feet and stumbled away. When he was at a safe distance, he screamed that I was a mad bitch who should be locked up. But I’m telling you, I’ll never forget the look on his face.’ She laughed. ‘The big ugly bastard was terrified of me.’

  TWENTY

  ‘Was Brendan left out of your parents’ will too?’

  Maura nodded. ‘Once my parents decided I was the one to blame, they tried to reconcile with Brendan, but he wanted nothing to do with them.’

  ‘And he never saw your parents again?’

  ‘No. He wouldn’t even come to their funerals. Last weekend was the first time he’d set foot down south since he was a teenager. Well, apart from the night he was in Dublin recently.’

  ‘That’s a long time not to see your favourite brother.’

  ‘It was hard, but we both had financial problems and kids. Travelling wasn’t that easy.’

  Aoife put her lunch away and picked up Maura’s to-do list. Could Maura be telling her the truth? But she had been seen in Dublin with Brendan. Unless Elaine was lying? One of them was definitely a liar.

  *

  Before Aoife could make up her mind what to do next, the door burst open and Tadhg rushed in. ‘I need your help. What do you think of this for Jack’s birthday?’

  ‘It’s Jack’s birthday?’ Maura said.

  ‘You didn’t know? It’s next week. We don’t usually do presents, but I convinced the guys we had to get him something. He’s done so much for us all.’ Tadhg held up a screenshot of a cigarette lighter. ‘What do you think of this?’

  ‘A hundred and sixty-nine dollars for a lighter! Tadhg! Are you out of your mind? You can buy lighters for a few quid.’

  ‘I know, Maura, but you’re not supposed to use those things for cigars.’

  ‘I didn’t know Jack smoked.’

  ‘Like a chimney,’ Maura said.

  Tadhg shook his head. ‘Only when he’s stressed. When he’s relaxing, he smokes cigars. That’s why I think the lighter would be a good idea. It’s something to be used on special occasions. It should last forever, and it will be a reminder of how grateful we are for everything.’

  Maura’s brow furrowed. ‘Surely you could get something cheaper, Tadhg.’

  ‘It wouldn’t be as good. I researched it for ages. Cheap lighter fluid affects the taste of the cigar, and the weak flame means you can’t light the cigar evenly. Cigar lighters should have a double or a triple flame. They say the flame in this one is as strong as a candle.’

  ‘But a hundred and sixty-nine dollars! How much is that in euros?’

  ‘About a hundred and fifty. It would be cheaper if I could buy it in Ireland and save on the shipping costs, but I can’t find one as good as this. The guys are giving ten quid each.’

  ‘That leaves you seventy dollars short.’

  ‘I know, but I answered an ad for a maths tutor. I met the mother this morning. I played up the “one of the top six in the country” bit.’

  ‘You came in the top six in Ireland in your Leaving Cert?’ Maura said.

  ‘You didn’t know? That’s how I got my scholarship to Trinity. It’s usually the first thing Jack tells everyone about me. “This is Tadhg. He got top marks in all subjects in his exams.”’

  ‘That’s impressive, Tadhg. No wonder you were hired as a tutor.’

  ‘Would you believe the mother googled me? In the photo they printed in the newspaper, I’m looking down at my Cert. She kept twisting her phone around to see if it was really me.’ He laughed. ‘I prete
nded to be insulted, so she upped the price. She’s paying me fifty euros per session and the first one’s next week.’

  ‘Okay, I’ll chip in the extra twenty and I’ll lend you the fifty until you get paid.’

  Tadhg hugged her. ‘You’re the best, Maura. I don’t know how we ever managed without you.’

  TWENTY-ONE

  It was Aoife’s day off. Amy had been excited about her second day in the crèche and had run into the room without even a backward glance. Aoife had cried in the car on the way home. Her baby was growing away from her.

  As she ironed an enormous pile of laundry which seemed to consist mostly of Jason’s shirts, Aoife decided she needed a distraction. She also needed to talk to someone about Danny’s murder. The investigation was branching off in all directions, but it wasn’t actually getting anywhere. She needed advice. She couldn’t discuss the investigation with Jason. For one thing, she never wanted him to hear some of the things said about his mother, and for another, Jason had absolutely no interest. ‘I don’t know why you’re worrying about it, Aoife,’ he said. ‘Mum had nothing to do with Dad’s death. Any idiot could see that, and eventually, even the police will work it out.’ Aoife needed to talk to someone who would take her concerns seriously.

  Aoife hadn’t seen Orla since the funeral, and as Orla shuddered at the thought of visiting any other part of Ireland, Aoife would have to go to Dublin to meet her. She would be very frugal, she promised herself. She’d been stuck with the bill when Elaine had run out of Roly’s. Fortunately payday was tomorrow, but until then she couldn’t afford to waste a cent. She’d take the bus rather than the train, and for lunch she would limit herself to soup and a coffee. If Jason could buy expensive wine, she was entitled to one little extravagance, wasn’t she?

  *

  The bus was late. While she waited, Aoife phoned Orla. There was no answer, but that was to be expected. Orla always put her phone on silent during lectures and tutorials. She’d go to Fallon & Byrne’s and wait for her. Orla had never really accepted that she was now based on the north side. Most days she made the long trip to Exchequer Street to have lunch with her friends.

  By noon Aoife was standing outside the restaurant. The large canopy sheltered her from the rain, but it wasn’t much protection from the cold. She pulled her coat tighter and stamped her feet while she waited. Where the hell had the spring gone?

  Fifteen minutes later, Orla and a gang of beautiful jeans-clad but exceptionally well-presented girls came running up the street. They ducked under the awning with shouts of ‘Get me out of the rain, quick!’, ‘Oh my God, my hair is a mess!’ ‘These heels were never meant for running.’

  ‘Aoife! What are you doing here?’

  ‘I hoped we could have lunch.’

  Orla smiled. ‘Sure. Guys, I’ll see you later. We’re still on for tonight, right?’

  As Orla’s friends headed upstairs to the restaurant, she and Aoife went to the counter to choose their food. Orla chose soup, scallops and a cappuccino, so Aoife didn’t feel too conspicuous with her meagre lunch. They took their food down to the basement. It was a little early for the lunch crowd, so they had one of the long wooden tables all to themselves.

  ‘I just don’t believe Maura murdered anyone,’ Aoife said when she’d filled Orla in on the recent developments. ‘And the idea that Maura might kill me is absolutely ludicrous.’

  ‘I don’t know, Aoife. I mean’—Orla counted off on her fingers—‘Martin Hanrahan thinks she’s a murderer, her fingerprints are on the envelope with the money, she didn’t want the police to find her husband, she lied to the detective and she’s obviously lying about Brendan being in Ireland.’ She waved the five fingers in the air. ‘That’s a lot of evidence against her.’

  ‘Maybe Elaine’s the one who’s lying.’

  ‘Why would she? Elaine doesn’t want to cause trouble for Maura or Brendan. She has nothing to gain by not telling the truth.’

  ‘I’ve been thinking, Orla. Whatever Maura or the police might have believed, I don’t see how Danny could have been involved in the robbery.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘How could he have broken into Stephen Mannion’s house? Even if his face was covered, it was too risky. I think Stephen would have recognised him. And he wouldn’t have been able to speak. That would definitely have given him away.’

  ‘Maybe his accomplices handled that part of it.’

  ‘But why break in at all? Danny had a key to the bank. He was the acting bank manager. What did he need Stephen for?’

  ‘As a cover, of course, Aoife. Otherwise it would be obvious it was an inside job.’

  Aoife stirred her soup. ‘What if Brendan was involved?’

  ‘As one of Danny’s accomplices?’

  ‘My idea was that Brendan might have done it without Danny’s knowledge. It makes a lot more sense. Danny was a devoted family man with a good career. Why would he throw it all away? But everyone says Brendan was desperate for money at the time.’

  ‘Didn’t he inherit money from someone in his wife’s family?’

  ‘That was later, and Brendan could have made that up to explain his sudden wealth.’

  ‘Robbing a bank is a bit extreme, Aoife. If Brendan had money problems, why didn’t he just declare bankruptcy?’

  ‘That might not have been an option. Banks don’t generally lend to unsuccessful gamblers. He probably had to borrow from criminals. Brendan might have been desperate. Maybe the criminals were threatening to kill him or his family if they didn’t get their money back. A relative who worked in a bank would be very tempting if you were under that kind of pressure.’

  ‘So Brendan finds two other guys to help him? Do you think that Hanrahan guy was one of them?’

  ‘I don’t think so. How would Brendan even know Hanrahan?’

  ‘True. But if Brendan was involved, he must have at least a third of the stolen money now. Why does he still have money problems, Aoife? They stole millions, didn’t they?’

  ‘A gambler could go through millions in a few years.’

  ‘True. But if Danny wasn’t involved in the burglary, who murdered him and why?’

  A young couple sat down at the opposite end of the table. Aoife pushed her chair closer to Orla’s. ‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘That’s where I get stuck.’

  *

  Orla popped one of the scallops into her mouth. ‘Hmm, these are marvellous.’ She pushed the plate towards Aoife. ‘Have one.’

  Aoife could have devoured them all in a few gulps, but she shook her head. ‘I’m not hungry, thanks.’

  ‘You sure? You’re really missing out on something special.’ She paused. ‘How about this? Brendan and the other two guys, whoever they were, fall out over the money. One or both try to attack Brendan, maybe even murder him. Danny comes across the fight—maybe it’s near his home—tries to help Brendan and gets killed.’

  ‘But the papers said Stephen Mannion’s house was broken into in the middle of the night. They’d have to wait a few hours in the bank for the time locks to take effect. The earliest they could have fought over the money was nine a.m. Where was Danny all that time?’

  ‘Good point.’ A lady pulled out one of the chairs in the middle of the table. She put her lunch tray down, settled herself comfortably and opened her book. Orla lowered her voice. ‘Okay. Brendan wants to rob the bank. He knows Danny can get the money for him. He knows Danny isn’t going to become a criminal just to help him. Brendan doesn’t want Maura and her kids traumatised by a break-in. We can assume Maura will have mentioned that Danny visits his mother every Saturday. Brendan gets his accomplices to kidnap Danny and force him to open the bank. Danny puts up a fight. Things get out of hand. Danny is murdered. Then Brendan and his accomplices have to break into the house of the only other person who can get them into the bank, Stephen Mannion.’

  ‘It’s possible, I suppose. And it means Maura couldn’t be involved. She’d hardly agree to her husband being kidnapped. And it w
ould explain the money. Brendan felt so guilty about the murder, he sent Maura money every month.’

  ‘Yeah. But the one thing it doesn’t explain is why Maura lied about Brendan being in Kildare. She must be involved.’

  ‘Why do you insist she’s involved, Orla? Couldn’t Maura have found out about Brendan’s involvement months or even years later? Turning in her brother wouldn’t bring her husband back, so she covers for him by saying Brendan was never in Ireland that weekend. It would explain why they hadn’t seen each other in years. Maura might be prepared to cover for her brother, but maybe it took a long time before she could forgive him.’

  Orla shook her head. ‘What about the money Maura got each month?’

  ‘Maybe at first Maura thought the money was from Danny. By the time she discovered Brendan’s involvement, she was dependent on the money and continued to accept it. She couldn’t tell the police the money came from her brother, so she said she had no idea who sent it.’

  ‘How did Maura’s fingerprint end up on the envelope?’

  Aoife sat back in her chair. ‘I give up. I have no idea.’

  *

  Aoife noticed that the lady sitting near them had abandoned her book. Was she listening to them? Aoife nudged Orla and nodded in the lady’s direction. Orla threw her eyes up to heaven. ‘Typical. People in this country are so nosy. I have an idea.’ She spoke so softly Aoife could barely hear her. ‘What if Maura helped Brendan plan the robbery? She knew Brendan needed money desperately. She might have believed that robbing the bank was literally the only way to save Brendan’s life. Maura couldn’t talk her husband into giving Brendan the money, so she suggested Brendan get his accomplices to kidnap Danny and force him to open the bank. If it had worked, it would have solved everyone’s problems. Brendan would have the money and Danny would never know of her or Brendan’s involvement.’