The Sister(58)

‘Dublin? Okay, put him through.’

‘Detective Inspector Tanner speaking, can I have your name?’

The Dubliner answered with a deep, soft-spoken voice. ‘It’s Jack Doherty, some people call me ‘One Eyed Jack’, but only once to me face,’ he said with a chuckle, and then pulled himself up short, remembering the gravity of the case.

‘I don’t suppose this means anything now. I never knew the girl was missing, but I remember her from that night. I'd seen her earlier at the pub, so pretty that young thing, in her nurse’s uniform. When the photograph came up, I said to myself, that’s her! Anyway, there was this bloke – see, we got into a fight. He half killed me; I lost an eye, so I did, was in the hospital for six weeks and when I came out, I slouched back to Ireland. Couldn’t work, see? Anyway, the thing is, when he knocked me down to me knees that last time; I saw he’s wearing this belt with a skull and crossbones buckle. I’ll never forget it. See, I thought he was a bit old to be wearing something like that. He was in his fifties I reckon, but here’s the other thing, he was a fighter, not much doubt about that, you don’t get to be that fit if you don’t fight regular. I mean he was thirty years older, but sharper than I was! I reckon somebody would have known a bloke like that on the circuits; you know – the bare-knuckle ones, travellers’ fairs, and that—’

Tanner interrupted. ‘What makes you think it’s the same man?’

‘The photo fit is an excellent likeness, but also the constable said he’d been in a fight, had some damage round the eye and mouth. The mouth was already like it when I saw him, something about that mouth... I know it in my water – it’s him!’ Then he added darkly, ‘He’s probably dead by now anyway, but if it was him that did for that girl – and for what he done to my eye – I hope he rots in hell!’

‘If you saw him again, do you think you could identify him?’

‘No doubt about it, none at all. He was...how can I put it? Unusual looking, like the man was crossed with a pit bull terrier.’ Tanner looked at the E-Fit, trying to make sense of what Doherty had just said.

‘Are you being serious? You said the photo was an excellent likeness.’

‘Well so it is, but they don’t have the lips right, there’s something about the mouth.’ By now, Tanner had the idea that the man’s mouth could be a distinguishing feature – if they could get that right.

‘Would you be prepared to help us adjust the photo?’

‘Well, I’ll try, but I don’t know where you'd find another mouth that looks like his.’ Tanner didn’t bother to tell him about the advances in technology that would make the creation of a better likeness possible, but took his contact details, name, address and telephone number. ‘Listen, Jack, thank you for your call, we’re going to need to talk to you again.’

He immediately started through the files, the evidence the constable provided at the time. His description covered almost everything, right down to the skull belt buckle. He felt it was so unusual he’d even drawn a sketch of it. It was a screaming skull variant inside a wreath of laurels on top of the crossed bones. Something in Tanner’s waters told him it had to be the same guy.

Impressed with the impeccability of the young PC’s report, he looked for his name.

He couldn’t quite believe he’d missed it the first time round. It was almost as interesting as the report itself.

The son of a gun! Why didn’t he tell me about it?

The constable’s name was John Kennedy.





Chapter 44



The following morning, Tanner walked right into Kennedy’s office without knocking and sat down.

‘Oh, do come in,’ Kennedy said irritably. ‘What’s on your mind?’

‘You never told me you were the copper on the beat that night.’

‘It’s always been on file, I thought you knew.’ He reinforced the lie by shaking his head in disbelief.

‘You led me to believe it just happened on your watch, you even said that the other night.’ His deputy was gearing up for an attack. He’d seen it before. His father had warned him to avoid close friendships at work, and this was one of the reasons. It made it too easy for lines to get crossed.

Kennedy glared at him. ‘It did happen on my watch.’

‘Listen, you said—’

‘Look, let me explain. I was little more than a kid and I wasn’t feeling too clever about coming that close to our number one suspect and then letting him go. It did happen on my watch.’ He’d taken some of the wind from Tanner’s sails.

‘It didn’t stand in the way of any promotions though, did it?’ Although his eyes burned with suppressed anger, he immediately regretted the comment. He sighed deeply and then said, ‘I just think you could have told me before.’

Kennedy was surprisingly calm. ‘So that’s what this is all about, is it? You think I got this promotion because my father was in charge ten years ago? We’re friends, but at work, don’t you dare cross the line with me,’ he said in clipped tones, barely in control of his temper. ‘Is that clear?’ His fist slammed down hard onto the desktop. The emphasis stopped Tanner’s words at his lips. He stuttered, and then stalled.