Page 29 of The Guilty Girl

‘Tell me what?’ He sounded tentative.

‘There was an incident at Lucy McAllister’s last night.’

‘A what?’

He must be in the middle of a game, she thought. She was relieved she’d picked him up last night. Hopefully he wouldn’t be involved in any part of the investigation, save for an initial interview.

‘There was a serious assault. Sean, Lucy is dead. I wanted to let you know. Detective McKeown or one of the team will be talking to you. Just routine.’

‘Me? Why? I didn’t do anything.’

She held the phone away from her ear and looked at it, wondering why her son sounded so defensive.

‘Sean, you have nothing to worry about. Just tell him I picked you up shortly after twelve. Okay?’

‘When did the assault happen?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘What time?’ he snapped.

This attitude was so unlike Sean.

Kirby appeared at the door. ‘Ready, boss?’

She nodded and held up one finger. ‘Is everything all right, Sean?’

‘Why wouldn’t it be?’

‘Because you sound upset. Did you know Lucy well?’

‘No. Mam, I’m in the middle of a game.’

‘Okay, make sure you tell McKeown everything. If you can give him the names of who was there, that’d be great.’

‘I only knew a few lads from my year.’

‘Grand. See you later on. Mind yourself.’ She looked at the phone. ‘He hung up on me.’

‘Kids,’ Kirby said with a rueful shake of his head.

She followed him out to the car, a sense of disquiet taking hold between her shoulder blades.

* * *

Sean threw his phone on the bed and sat on the floor, biting into his knuckles. He’d been so on edge during the call with his mother that he couldn’t wait to end it.

Did she know something? Was that why she’d called? If she’d known he’d been back at Lucy’s house, she’d have told him, wouldn’t she? She would have arrived home and dragged him into an interview room.

Now he’d have to endure a formal interview with Detective McKeown. There was no way he could lie; he’d have to tell the truth. Or should he wait to see if anything turned up to place him at Lucy’s after four a.m.? He wished he could ask Mark. But his phone credit wouldn’t stretch to a call to Spain.

And he knew in his heart that he should have told his mother everything.

16

The one-way street was so narrow, Kirby had to pull into a tiny space behind the Chair Bar, leaving the rear of the car jutting out on the road.

‘It’ll do,’ Lottie said.