All You Need is Love
By Mary Malone
SMASHWORDS EDITION
* * * * *
PUBLISHED BY:
Mary Malone on Smashwords
All You Need Is Love
Copyright © 2010 by Mary Malone
REVIEWS FOR THE PRINT EDITION
“What Malone does best, her steady drip feed of information regarding the main personalities, their motivation powerful! Cork’s Queen of Chicklit.” Evening Echo
“Women’s fiction with an edge, an author to watch out for.” Irish Independent.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
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Chapter One
Thirty was a good age to get married, Georgina reckoned. Anything younger was ridiculous. She was still only twenty-five and planned on enjoying at least five more years of freedom. And that wasn’t just sour grapes because she didn’t have a man! Half her school year was already either married or pregnant and she was so glad she hadn’t the misfortune to be either. These days it was all about getting your career on track. Committing to a man could wait. She’d seen girls her age give up promising careers because they’d had their heads turned by some fellow they’d met in a pub. Those same fellows had promised the earth but had delivered sweet little all. Her own mother had always encouraged her to be financially independent and use her education to open new doors in her life. Georgina was determined to carry out her wishes.
Her fingers flew across the keyboard of her laptop as a lone tear escaped down her cheek. Thinking about her mother filled her with huge sadness. To lose her best friend in the whole world at such a young age had been a devastating experience, leaving her feeling raw and extremely vulnerable. She often wondered what she had done to deserve losing her mother to such a sudden illness. Even now, when she bought a new dress or was invited to a wedding, she itched to pick up the phone to tell her mum all about it. It wasn’t the same telling your dad about the new Coast dress you’d picked up in the sale for a song in Brown Thomas. Or about that guy you saw in Wilbury’s nightclub who’d tickled your fancy. No, it wasn’t the same at all. Fathers weren’t interested in that sort of thing.
Georgina continued to type her story for the following week’s features pages. It was about single women who didn’t need a man. She loved inter- viewing single, successful women for the paper as it made her feel a little better about her own situation. And female readers loved features like that too. It was so liberating. She glanced at the clock on her screen. Time was marching on and she wanted to email her copy to Denis, the editor-in- chief, before he left for the evening. Then she was going to have another read of the office notice advertising a vacancy for news reporter.
She’d been in features for a few years now and fancied a change. She’d loved her time writing about women who had set up their own businesses, or women who worked from home, or women who worked in male-dominated fields like engineering or architecture, but she was getting bored with writing all the other stuff, like how to slim for summer or how to lose a stone in a month or the latest motivation classes being held in town. These seemed to be the most popular women’s features, but she was tiring of fad diets and experimenting with anti-cellulite cream to see if it really worked. It was time to move on.
‘Hey, Georgina! Are you nearly finished writing that piece? We’ve got that fashion show to attend tonight, remember?’
She swung her chair around to face her best friend and work colleague, Val Sharkey. Their strong friendship dated back to when they’d met at the library book club in Bandon, a small town in West Cork. Afterwards, when most of the book club’s older members went home, they would hit Larry’s Bar for a drink and a gossip. The Thursday evening book club had only lasted a few months, whereas their friendship had lasted years and had even led to both girls working with the same newspaper. Georgina left college with a diploma in journalism and subsequently got a job in features with the Weekly News in Bandon. She had only been in the post a couple of weeks when she’d heard that Denis was looking for a right-hand woman. She knew the perfect person for the job! Thirty-year-old Val had applied and got the PA job immediately.
After a slow start breaking into the media market, the Cork tabloid had gradually won acceptance and was now highly regarded in the locality and surrounding areas for its excellent coverage of news, features, fashion, sports and events. The storylines were shorter and sharper than its competitors and the paper was maintaining a steady readership.
Georgina had been reporting on the lighter side of life since she’d joined the paper, but was now ready for something a bit grittier. She wanted to be on the ground, getting into the action of things and bringing exciting stories to the front page.
‘Ah, come on, give me a peek?’ Val wheeled her swivel chair over to Georgina’s desk. ‘“Single, sexy and successful – meet the girls who don’t need a man,”’ she grinned, reading the headline. ‘Writing about you again?’
‘Val Sharkey, will you get away and let me finish this blooming thing? I’m writing about you actually!’ She gave her colleague’s chair a quick push, sending her flying across the small space between their desks. The chair came to a sudden stop as it hit the steel filing cabinet, sending the post trays crashing to the floor. A thunderous bang ensued, causing several pairs of curious eyes to glance towards their corner of the open-plan office. Both girls erupted into laughter.
‘Well, I’m certainly single, whatever about the successful and sexy bit,’ Val sighed dramatically.
‘Although I’m not sure I’d qualify as a girl who doesn’t need a man! I haven’t quite given up the chase yet.’
‘Don’t I know it?’
‘Listen,’ Val changed the subject, ‘you haven’t forgotten about tonight’s fashion show, have you? The VIP tickets were sent into the office ages ago so we’ll be in the front row with the champagne flowing. One of the perks of working for a paper, don’t you think?’
Of course Georgina hadn’t forgotten. She was looking forward to a night of glamour and spotting the new season’s trends. Cork’s leading models would be taking to the catwalk, showcasing the latest styles from the best boutiques around. Georgina could think of no better way to spend her Friday evening and it would certainly beat another night at home with just the ironing for company.
‘Give me two minutes to finish up here and I’ll walk out with you,’ she told Val, typing furiously to get the final few lines onto the screen in front of her. She could always read the vacancy notice at home later. She quickly read over her finished copy, tweaking where necessary to make it flow a little better. Too late now if there’s anything wrong, she thought, before pressing the send button. Now she was ready to party.
‘OK, Val, that’s me done for the week. Ready to get out of here?’
‘More than ready,’ her friend enthused, shoving her diary into its leather case. ‘I’ve to hurry home to Jodi. She’s having a little friend over for the after- noon and I promised I’d be back in time to make her favourite dinner. To be honest, I’d try anything to make her eat a bit more. Her appetite is dreadful lately.’
‘Is the poor little mite under the weather, Val?’ Georgina took the interview document and application form from the desk and put them into her huge handbag.
‘Her form seems OK but since she started playschool she seems to be tired all the time and isn’t eating nearly enough. She’s got loads of new friends though so at least that’s something.’ Val pulled her parka jacket snugly around her, the cold air stinging her face as they left the office and walked along Market Street toward their cars. Neither had been in early enough that morning to get a spot in the staff car park so had no choice but to park out on the New Road. ‘Although,’ Val groaned, ‘guess what she wants for Christmas?’
‘The latest Barbie car?’
‘No, if only it was that easy. She announced last night that she wants a daddy!’
‘Shit, Val,’ Georgina said, turning to face her friend. ‘How did you handle that one?’
‘Not very well to be honest. I told her she’d have to put it in her letter and see what Santa could do.’
Georgina shook her head quietly. It wouldn’t be easy for her friend to bluff her way out of that one. She clearly remembered that fateful morning when she’d gone with Val to the chemist to buy a pregnancy test.
A short time later, Val’s world had come crashing around her when two clear blue lines had appeared in the little window of the test wand. There was no doubt about it. The result was positive! Val blamed herself completely for sleeping with a virtual stranger she’d met on holiday. Obviously one too many sangrias had clouded her judgement. Typically though, he’d disappeared home on a plane without even asking for her phone number. All she knew was that he was from Galway but had no idea what part exactly. Neither had she any intention of tracking him down to give him an opportunity to laugh in her face.
The first few months of her pregnancy had been terrifying but over time she’d managed to cope. Once she could see through the mist of her plight, she’d grown accustomed to her fate and as soon as Jodi appeared, she felt like one of the luckiest people alive, falling helplessly in love with her tiny bundle of joy. With the help of her extremely supportive parents, she’d managed to pick up the pieces of her life. She had returned to her job as PA to a banking director in Cork city. Her world seemed a million miles away from the carefree twenty-something’s she worked with. She learned not to feel sorry for herself and still tried to socialise whenever she could, but never lost sight of her role as a mother.
And now working with the Weekly News, she enjoyed the diversity and challenge of her position as PA for an extremely busy man in an exciting environment. She was more than capable of stretching her talents a little more but so far the time had never seemed right to suggest it to her boss. One day perhaps.
‘Could you not have distracted her, Val, by suggesting she ask for a puppy or something?’ Georgina remarked, interrupting her thoughts.
‘Ah I’ve weeks to find someone yet,’ Val’s dark eyes twinkled merrily, but inside she found herself wondering what life would be like if Santa did happen to grant Jodi her wish! ‘How hard can it be to find love around here? You can help me search if you like, Georgina, considering you’re so deter- mined to stay single yourself,’ she added jokingly. She wasn’t going to let herself get stressed over Jodi’s request. After all, the child was only four and would soon forget all about it.
‘I suppose we could always put an ad on the paper . . . man wanted urgently; must be handsome and rich and answer to Daddy!’
‘Now you’re being ridiculous!’ Val laughed, rubbing her hands together to keep out the biting cold.
‘I’ll drive tonight if you like,’ Georgina offered.
‘What time should we leave?’
‘Can you pick me up at quarter to seven?’
‘I’ll try my best but I’ve to get dinner for everyone when I get home.’
‘Why not let Kate cook a meal for a change? She’s not a baby anymore for goodness sake!’ Privately Val felt that her friend did far too much running around after her family.
‘Oh she’s absolutely hopeless around the house. It’s easier just to get on with it myself. Look I’ll be there as soon as I can. I won’t let you down,’ Georgina promised, her voice sounding tight.
Val’s words stuck in her mind however as she drove home, swerving towards the ditch as she came head to head with a huge truck. Both vehicles met on a bad bend with the truck taking over a large portion of the road, leaving barely enough room for her to pass. Her neck ached as she concentrated on her driving, manoeuvring twists and turns on the dark October evening. She suddenly longed to climb into bed for an hour before getting ready to go back out again. But there wouldn’t be time of course. God only knew what state the house would be in when she got there. Running late that morning, she hadn’t had time to tidy the kitchen or clean out the coal fire before she’d left the farmhouse, and she knew it would be in the exact same state when she got back. If not worse. She missed her mum so much. What she wouldn’t give to have her back in her life.
Pulling into the back yard, she pursed her lips in annoyance when she noticed the house in complete darkness apart from a small desk lamp shining from her brother’s bedroom window. Wouldn’t Luke or her father be inspired to turn on a few lights at least? Taking the post from the letterbox outside, she hurried into the warm house and flicked on the light in the back hallway and kitchen. Continuing through to the living room, she switched on the soft lamps there. Now, at least the house looks lived in, she thought, pulling across the curtains and blocking out the dark velvety sky.
‘Turn the music down, Luke,’ she called upstairs, knowing very well her words would be drowned in the din. ‘Dad, where are you?’
There was no answer. She dropped her jacket on to the newel post at the end of the stairs and went back into the kitchen to make a start on dinner, pulling the door closed behind her. Flicking the oven on to heat, she opened the fridge to take out the beef casserole she’d pre-cooked the previous night. Sliding the casserole dish into the oven, she snapped the door shut and looked wearily at the untidiness around her. The table was strewn with newspapers and schoolbooks. She shoved them all to one side before setting the table for dinner. Ignoring the pile of laundry waiting to be transferred from the basket to the washing machine, she hurried upstairs and made both her and her father’s beds. She sighed with relief when Luke’s music ended and she heard his heavy footsteps on the stairs.
Running back down to the kitchen a few minutes later, she pushed up her sleeves and began to wash and peel potatoes before putting them on to boil. She glanced at the clock and, seeing how little time she had left, shot back up to her room again and quickly stripped off her clothes. Now what was she going to wear to the fashion show? She couldn’t just turn up in any old thing, she thought, flicking through the hangers in her wardrobe to see what she could spot. The whole town’s female population would be out tonight in their finest, eyeing each other up and down. The competition would be fierce. Unable to decide what to wear, she caught sight of her pale face in the mirror and groaned. She pulled on her towelling dressing gown to keep herself warm while she touched up her make-up, eyeing her hair critically, wishing she had time to shampoo it. It wasn’t an option at this late stage. Quickly applying a fresh coat of foundation on top of what remained from earlier, she grimaced as she considered the damage she was doing to her skin.
‘The pot is boiling over, Georgina!’
Pulling open her bedroom door, she called to her brother. ‘Turn the heat down under the spuds for crying out loud. It’s not rocket science.’
‘What number will I turn it to?’
‘Two.’
Good God, she thought, he’s seventeen and he doesn’t even know that much. Returning to the task at hand, she hurriedly outlined her lips and eyes with pencil before applying strawberry lipstick, dusky eye shadow, waterproof mascara and the latest blusher from MAC. She scrunched some mousse into her curly blonde hair to try and make it look somewhat presentable. ‘There’s a terrible smell of burning down here,’ Luke shouted up to her again.
Hurrying to the kitchen as quickly as she could, she dashed to the oven to investigate. There was nothing to panic about, merely some juice after escaping from the casserole and sticking to the base of the oven.
‘Set the table for three, Luke,’ she instructed, realising she’d have to skip dinner herself if she was going to be on time for Val.
‘Something’s burning,’ her father commented, appearing into the kitchen.
‘Hello to you too, Dad!’
Throwing his eyes to Heaven, her father, Mike, retreated into the back hallway to remove his wellingtons and plaid jacket. By the time he’d washed his hands and returned to the kitchen, Georgina had disappeared upstairs again. The smell of burning had faded, replaced by the delicious aroma of sizzling beef. Completely oblivious to the pressure his eldest daughter felt under, Mike took The Farmer’s Journal from the table and sat into the rocking chair to have a relaxing read while he waited for dinner to be served.
Georgina just about collected Val on time. With seconds to spare, they settled into front seats just as the show was about to start. Among the local media, the girls watched with interest as the models paraded and twirled on the carpeted podium. Georgina was glad she’d worn the fitted mauve number she’d spent a small fortune on in Richard Alan. She’d also worn it at the last office Christmas party. It made her feel sexy and gave her extra confidence.
‘Very professionally organised for a local event, isn’t it?’ she whispered in Val’s ear, as the photographers flashed frantically from every different angle. ‘It’s a great store.’ Georgina remembered the gorgeous coat her sister, Kate, had bought there the previous Saturday. She’d been meaning to visit the shop herself but just hadn’t been able to make the time yet. ‘And Element is a great name, don’t you think? They seem to have stuff for both work and play.’
‘Yeah, did you see that last Gucci-type belted trench coat?’ she added. ‘It’d be great on you. Why don’t you ask the girls to put it by for you?’
‘Maybe I will,’ Georgina replied, unsure whether she’d have the occasion to wear something so chic.
Val was always dressed in the latest designs (layered looks were a firm favourite at the moment) and accessories. She had a lot more nerve and imagination than Georgina when it came to fashion. With her keen eye, she was always on the look out for new trends. That was probably why she invariably looked so glamorous, rarely wearing the same thing twice. Being an avid reader of Vogue, she knew the names of all the international designers as well as the upcoming Irish ones. She should really be involved in fashion, Georgina thought privately. A girl with her eye for style was simply wasted as a PA.
She glanced longingly at the trench coat once more, envying the model’s confidence as she twirled gracefully on the red carpet, buckling the belt and pulling it tight around her tiny waist before disappearing behind the screens. She looked so graceful and elegant. Just watching her move made Georgina wish she could lose a half stone.
After the show had wrapped up, Georgina and Val chatted excitedly as they left the hall. They couldn’t wait to hit a nearby pub and catch up on all the latest gossip. It would be a perfect end to the evening. Val looked at her watch. They’d need to hurry to be in time for last orders in Larry’s Bar.
The girls linked arms and strolled towards Georgina’s VW Beetle, huddling together to keep out the biting cold. As there hadn’t been any parking spot out front when they’d arrived, Georgina had parked around the back of the Town Hall, near the entrance to the playground. They picked their steps carefully, making their way along the darkened laneway towards the unlit car park, and screwing up their noses at the unmistakable smell of urine. What a stench!
‘God, it’s really dark down here. We could do with a few stars in the sky to provide some light,’ Georgina commented, her eyes unaccustomed to the darkness. She was anxious to get back to the safety of her car.
‘Hang on, what was that?’ Val asked, stopping suddenly when she thought she heard a cry a short distance away.
‘I don’t hear anything,’ Georgina replied, straining to listen for a moment, a sudden shiver running through her.
‘There it is again,’ Val said, immediately alert as a high pitched scream reached her ears. ‘Let’s see what it is,’ she whispered, pulling Georgina behind her as she continued along quickly. ‘It seems to be coming from the playground.’
‘Do you really think we should?’
‘Hey, you’re the one who wants to be a news reporter. What if we hear tomorrow there was a child in trouble after falling and we were too afraid to help?’
‘OK, wait for me,’ Georgina whispered loudly, rushing after her friend. Her body trembled as she felt her way along the railings towards the gateway to the playground.
As they stepped inside the stone entrance, the shouts became louder and even more terrifying. Though the lighting in the playground was poor, it was bright enough for the girls to make out the horrible scene unfolding before them. A group of teenagers clad in hooded tops huddled in a circle as they battered another young lad senseless.
The girls glanced at each other, sensing each other’s fear. Clutching hands tightly, they hesitated before moving any closer. But an agonising wail coming from the centre of the group forced them to react.
‘For God’s sake leave him alone,’ Val shouted, rushing forward to help. The screaming stopped momentarily and the hooded group turned swiftly around to face their intruders.
‘Fuck’s sakes, lads, it’s our lucky night. Two fucking birds to entertain us,’ somebody shouted.
Georgina grabbed Val’s jacket and pleaded. ‘Let’s get out of here, please. This could get dangerous.’ Val stood her ground however, refusing to be scared by brats who looked barely more than fifteen or sixteen.
‘Leave him alone,’ she warned, ‘or I’m calling the cops.’
One member of the group glanced at the two girls before running towards the perimeter wall and shimmying up a pipe. He hauled himself over a ledge and tiptoed across a metal girder before jumping onto the footbridge below. Within seconds, he had disappeared.
‘Go on! Call them then,’ a voice goaded, pulling away from the group and striding confidently towards the girls. He glanced backwards to shout instructions to the others. ‘Keep fucking kicking, lads. Make him cry like a baby! He needs to learn his lesson this time.’ He turned his attention to Val.
‘Seems like your little bitch friend is terrified,’ he snarled, making a sudden run for her. He grabbed her long hair and yanked her towards him. ‘Get the other one, Ecko,’ he shouted to one of his mates.
Val struggled to push him away when she felt his hands on her throat. She cringed in disgust when he spat on her face. His venomous laughter rang loudly in her ears. She lashed her foot out suddenly but despite her best efforts was unable to connect her stiletto boot with his body.
The lad in the centre continued to groan in pain. He’d been pulled roughly to his feet by now. This time they viciously hit him with their fists, harder and harder each time, laughing cruelly when their blows connected severely with his bruised body or head. He finally fell to the ground but this didn’t deter his assailants. His screams were reduced to an agonizing whimper.
‘Don’t fucking let him up yet,’ Val’s assailant ordered. The tallest of the group jumped on the other boy’s fingers with his whole body weight, laughing a deep menacing laugh as he watched the smaller boy shrivel on the ground. There was nothing Georgina could do for Val unless she succeeded in getting help. But she’d only taken two steps towards the gate when she too was yanked by her hair. Her mouth went dry. Her pulse thumped loudly in her neck. She felt herself being dragged roughly back- wards, her heels sticking in the rubber surface on the playground. Though she couldn’t see her assailant, she could feel his arm around her neck in a grip- like headlock. She tried to bite him, but only succeeded in tasting the thick sleeve of his jacket instead.
‘Fucking bitch! She tried to bite me. Looks like this bitch is gagging for it! I’ll give you something to chew on in a minute if that’s what you’re looking for.’ He pushed his body up against Georgina, gyrating against her.
‘Leave it fucking out, Ecko,’ his mate warned.
‘These are a fucking waste of space! Don’t go down for them.’
Ecko gave a low sneering laugh. ‘Why can’t you bitches mind your own fucking business? Do you want a thumping like him?’ He pulled Georgina around again, forcing her to look at the vicious group who had almost finished with the whimpering mess that lay curled on the ground.
‘That’s enough, lads, he’ll fucking pay on time from now on. Let him go. But, I’m telling you if we don’t have the money this time fucking tomorrow . . .’ The warning left little to the imagination as the smaller lad struggled from the ground, clutching his body in pain as he stumbled towards the gate, making as hasty an exit as was physically possible.
Ecko’s mate released his hold on Val slightly, tightening it immediately when he felt her trying to ease from his grasp. The hooded group slowly made their way over, gathering in a tight circle around the girls.
‘See this,’ one of them shouted, pulling his sleeve up and down repeatedly showing off tell-tale syringe marks. ‘Maybe you’d like a shot of something?’
‘You’ll regret this,’ Val screamed.
‘Who the fuck do you think you are threatening? I think you two whores need to be taught a lesson. We’ve got fists and you’ve got faces . . .’ Ecko growled, his deep voice filled with venom as he moved uneasily from side to side.
‘Help! Help!’ Val screamed, suddenly noticing people crossing the bridge overhead.
Georgina’s attempt to scream was muted as Ecko covered her mouth with his hand. ‘Shut the fuck up, bitch.’
‘Quick, let’s get out of here,’ one of the others warned in a high-pitched voice. He moved swiftly when he spotted a burly Garda on the footbridge.
‘The shades!’
‘You lot go, but pass me that bin lid first,’ the main man instructed the others. ‘Ecko, keep a hold of her until the lads are away. You,’ he warned, holding the bin lid against Val’s face ‘will get this in the fucking mush if you open your mouth once more.’
Georgina’s struggle to breathe was becoming more difficult as Ecko’s palm remained firmly against her mouth. Her eyes strained to see how near the Garda was. Would he ever hurry up?
Ecko kept his whole body weight firmly pressed against her, the sharp stones piercing her back as he pinned her right up to the wall. She prayed that help was near. Her fear was intensified by the growing suspicion that holding her hostage was increasingly arousing Ecko.
‘Follow me and drag them with us towards the edge,’ the leader of the gang ordered.
Georgina gasped when Ecko removed his hand from her mouth. She winced in pain as he doubled her arm behind her back and pushed her roughly in front of him towards the river. Her eyes were wide open but every sound she uttered earned her a sharp blow to the head from Ecko’s knuckles.
‘Shut the fuck up . . .’ He gave her another thump, this time just above her ear.
‘What’s going on here?’
Finally a welcome flashlight shone by the play- ground’s entrance.
‘Over here,’ Georgina called, unperturbed by her assailant now that help was finally at hand.
Val fell to her knees when she was pushed roughly to the ground. Throwing the bin lid in the Garda’s direction and calling to Ecko to follow him, her assailant quickly scarpered over the wall. Though she could no longer see them, Georgina could hear them scuttling underneath the bridge.
‘Val, are you OK?’
She picked herself up from the ground and wiped her sleeve across her face, shuddering at the thoughts of her mouth being covered by Ecko’s filthy hand. Her whole body shook uncontrollably.
‘Is everyone alright here?’ The Garda hurried towards them.
Val nodded, unable to speak. The reality of what had just happened began to sink in. Together they made their way from the edge of the playground towards the glare of the flashlight.
‘They were just kids, Georgina.’ Val finally found her voice.
‘Dangerous kids though, and obviously high on something. Did you see the state of that fellow’s arm?’ Georgina replied shakily, clutching Val tightly.
Val nodded again, her body trembling from head to toe.
‘What happened?’ The Garda shone the light in their faces to see if he knew them.
Val’s teeth chattered as she nudged Georgina to do the talking.
‘If you hadn’t showed up when you did, God only knows what might have happened. Some young lad was being beaten to a pulp by a hooded gang.’
‘Luckily for you girls, a passer-by heard the commotion and rang the station straight away. It wasn’t very sensible what you did though, tackling those brutes like that. They could have pulled a knife or anything . . .’ his voice trailed off.
His words, however, were enough to make Val speak up again. ‘And what were we supposed to do? Walk right past while somebody got the head beaten off him? He was only a child!’
‘I know how you feel, but you have to think of your own safety too. It’s better to dial 999 and get help.’
‘If it was my child on the ground, I’d be damn glad if someone came to his or her rescue,’ Georgina insisted.
The Garda nodded. ‘Would you want them to lose their life in the process?’
Georgina stared hard at him. ‘So they just get away with it?’
‘We are closing in on these lads. I take it they disappeared?’
Both girls nodded.
‘Some jumped the back wall and headed through the trees towards the Town Hall. The main two thugs cleared that wall there. I heard them in the water, probably making their way along the bank of the river,’ Georgina added.
‘Hooligans,’ the Garda said, shaking his head.
‘I’ve radioed ahead to order a search along the bank so I’m sure . . .’
‘You should have seen what they did to that kid.’ Val was furious and refused to let the subject drop.
‘He didn’t look any more than thirteen years of age. Where the hell do his parents think he is at this hour of the night? Or do they even care?’
‘Hmm, that’s a big part of the problem,’ the Garda commented. ‘Will you two girls come down to the station please? I’ll have to take a statement. That’s presuming you’re going to file a report.’ He glanced from one to the other, admiring their determination.
The girls shrugged.
‘Will it do any good?’ Georgina asked, suddenly frustrated by his nonchalant attitude.
‘Of course it will. Every report is followed up. Although, I’m sure I can guess your reply when I ask you for a description. Average height, average build hoods up all the time to keep their faces hidden?’
‘We’ll file the complaint anyway,’ Val said firmly, her whole body aching.
‘They were calling one guy Ecko,’ Georgina said hopefully.
The Garda nodded with interest. He’d heard that name before. ‘We’ll get it all in writing then,’ he suggested again.
‘My car is just parked over there.’ Georgina pointed to the car park beyond as they crossed over the bridge.
‘I must get on to the town council to get the lights fixed over there,’ the Garda muttered, shaking his head. ‘In the meantime I’ll walk with you as far as your car and then meet you at the station.’
Georgina’s teeth chattered and she hunched her shoulders into her neck, clutching on to Val tightly as they scurried back to the car. It was reassuring to have the Garda walking a couple of paces behind them. Pulling her comfortable old padded jacket from the back seat, she put it on and tried to get some heat back into her shaking body. Sitting into the driver’s seat, she fumbled with the keys as she tried to get them into the ignition. As soon as Val was safely inside, she pressed the button to lock the doors.
Their chaperone strolled towards the entrance to the car park waiting on their car to exit before leaving to walk the short distance to the station.
‘Bastards,’ Val scorned, pulling on her seatbelt and clicking it into place. ‘I can’t believe we weren’t able to defend ourselves.’
‘They had false strength, Val. Your man, Ecko couldn’t stand still for a minute. God knows what they were on!’
‘Did they hurt you a lot?’ Val asked, keenly aware that something else may have been bothering her friend.
‘I’ll probably have bruises tomorrow alright,’ she sighed. ‘I was terrified, Val. I can’t believe they made me feel like that. I always thought I was made of tougher stuff. And I was scared he was going to do something awful . . .’
‘Shh, love,’ Val soothed. ‘Nobody can say how they’ll react in a situation like this. I felt brave at first, but when your man had me pinned against the wall, I was terrified. I kept thinking of Jodi.’
Georgina’s hands shook as she tried to turn the key to start the engine. ‘I know what you mean, Val. Your man Ecko was rubbing himself against me and was getting all aroused and I really thought he was going to . . .’ She burst into tears.
‘Oh, my God,’ Val was horrified. ‘I didn’t realise that happened. That’s much worse than I thought. You poor love.’
Georgina’s sobbing subsided slightly, and through tears and gulps she tried to convince Val that she was fine. But she still couldn’t stop shivering.
‘I’ll drive. You slide over here and I’ll run around to the driver’s seat,’ Val offered.
‘No, I’ll be fine, just give me a minute. That guard will have a cold arse standing waiting for us, won’t he?’ Georgina gave a nervous giggle and took a tissue from the glove compartment as she proceeded to dab her eyes carefully. What a sight I must look now, she thought.
‘That’s more like it,’ Val encouraged, relieved to see her friend lightening up.
After an exhausting twenty minutes or so reliving the events of their evening in the Garda station, Georgina and Val finally got back into the car to go home.
‘I’m sure that was a pure waste of time.’ Val leaned her head against the headrest and closed her eyes.
Georgina nodded in agreement, deep in thought as she manoeuvred her silver car through the high metal gates and out of the Garda station car park.
‘I think we’ve missed last orders,’ she turned to Val with a half smile.
‘The only place I want to go is home. I don’t know about you but I’ve had more than enough excitement for one night.’
‘If I get that news reporter job, Val, I’m going to try and expose this sort of thing. Judging from what the Gardai said, it’s almost definitely drug related. And as you said earlier, they were barely more than kids.’
Val stared at her friend, surprised by her determination. ‘But you were as frightened as me out there, more in fact. How can you want to go back for more?’
‘Because, Val,’ she explained, ‘when I go home tonight, Luke will be there. And I’ve just realised that I don’t know very much about his life anymore. I can’t be sure what he’s up to every minute of the day or night – not like when he was younger.’
‘Luke has more sense than to get involved with a crowd like that,’ Val assured her. ‘He’s never brought any trouble home. He’s not like that. Don’t make him guilty just because he’s around the same age as them.’
‘I hope you’re right, Val, I really do, but since Mum died he does have a lot of freedom,’ Georgina pointed out.
Turning the heat up as high as it would go, she drove out the Clonakilty road, making a left turn at the GAA pitch and heading for Strawhall and the safety of home.
Chapter Three
Georgina was trying to balance the portable phone between her ear and her shoulder while struggling to pull the heavy saucepans off the heat. ‘Hang on there, Val, the dinner is boiling over the . . . oh, damn and blast, the hob is destroyed.’
Sizzling water escaped over the lid of the pot, clinging to the hot ceramic surface. She dropped the phone for a moment and lifted the boiling potatoes onto the draining board, wincing when the hot water scalded her hand.
‘Where are the other two? Can’t they watch a boiling pot?’ Val snapped agitatedly when Georgina came back on the line, annoyed that her friend couldn’t even talk on the phone. She really wanted to find out if she was OK after the previous night’s ordeal.
‘Needless to say, Kate’s in town shopping. Where else would she be on a Saturday morning?’ Georgina replied, her voice laced with sarcasm. ‘No doubt she’ll walk back in the door just as dinner is ready. As for Luke? He hasn’t even surfaced yet. He sleeps around the clock at weekends. Listen, can I buzz you back later? I’ve just burned my hand with the blooming pot.’
Georgina dropped the portable handset on to the counter in desperation, fuming inwardly as she looked at the mess before her. Pushing stray blonde curls back from her face, she took the other boiling pot from the hob. As she wiped the surface and placed the pots back to simmer, the overflowing basket of ironing caught her eye from the corner of the room. ‘For crying out loud,’ she screeched, throwing her hands in the air. ‘Is there no end to the madness?’
The family portrait, standing among the array of photographs on the old sideboard, brought a sudden stop to her little rant.
‘I’m sorry if I’m letting you down, Mum,’ she whispered, picking up the framed print, and tracing her mother’s delicate features with her finger. ‘But it’s just not fair anymore. Why am I left to do every- thing? If you’d been here last night, I’d have cried in your arms. I couldn’t tell Dad because I didn’t want him to worry.’
Wiping the dust from her finger, she replaced the photograph, feeling a familiar emptiness surge through her body. It was always like this when some- thing bad happened. The loss of her mother seemed more acute somehow. Quickly dusting the edge of the sideboard with the cuff of her fleece, she averted her eyes from her mother’s gentle smiling face.
For the past six years, Georgina had been struggling to help her father with her younger siblings. She’d had to grow up overnight and assume the role of a parent following her mother’s death. Heartbroken at nineteen, she’d picked up the pieces as best she could, but the dark days following her death would remain ingrained in Georgina’s memory forever. After she’d passed away, her father had insisted on bringing Mum home one last time. Her solid oak, satin-lined casket lay in the parlour and all their neighbours, family and friends had called to pay their respects. Georgina had been over- whelmed by the number of people trailing through their home and staring at her mother’s cold body while paying their respects. She had desperately wanted them to leave. Laid out in the casket, her face swelled, her lips covered in dark red lipstick and her hair parted on the wrong side, she hadn’t looked like her mother. Georgina would never forget the unnatural emptiness she’d felt when the lid was clasped shut on the coffin for the last time. Her favourite song played gently over and over in the background, wreaths and flowers strewn all over the house and half full glasses and teacups on every table, mantle and shelf. Georgina had kissed her mother’s waxen cheek, held her cold hand in her clammy palm and spoken softly to her, whispering endearments in her ear. But it hadn’t eased the knife- edge pain that cut through her chest. She couldn’t feel any release, nor could she associate this corpse with her beloved mum. This wasn’t the woman who’d picked her up when she’d fallen, listened to her worries, hugged her tight and told her how much she loved her, over and over again. Most of all, the corpse didn’t look like her friend and she and her mum had been the best of friends. There hadn’t even been time to say goodbye. She’d merely collapsed as she’d crossed the farmyard with a bundle of freshly dried laundry in her arms, slipped into unconsciousness and died a few hours later.
Georgina slowly returned to the dinner preparations, shaking the sorrowful memory from her mind. This Saturday was no different to any other. Fashion- mad Kate had disappeared into town for the morning to browse through the boutiques that Bandon had to offer. She would invariably return with bags filled with the latest trends. At this very minute she would probably be sitting together with her college friends in the window seat of Prego’s coffee shop, giggling and chatting without a care in the world. Those girls could make one cappuccino last for hours.
Though she couldn’t admit it to anyone, least of all to herself, Georgina would prefer to be more like Kate who was easy going and carefree with a permanent string of admirers. Georgina couldn’t remember the last time she’d even kissed a guy. She’d been so busy concentrating on her career and taking on a motherly role at home that there hadn’t been time. Not that she was looking for marriage or commitment of course, but she wouldn’t say no to a harmless bit of flirting either.
‘Georgina, I’ve no clean hoodie,’ Luke complained, sauntering sleepily into the kitchen, and making his first appearance of the day. He was tapping a soft football along before him. At over six feet tall, his body was finally starting to fill out a little. He could no longer be classified as a gangly teenager. Georgina had watched him lift weights, suffer press-ups and sit-ups, and jog until he would almost collapse in the door - all in an effort to strengthen up his light limbs. He couldn’t pass a mirror now without checking out his biceps or his newly acquired ‘six pack’. Luke had inherited their father’s dark features. His hair was jet black and, if allowed to grow, would wave into soft loose curls. The girls had teased him from a young age about joining a rock band. He had that look about him.
Georgina frowned at him now as she remembered the angry scene from the previous night. Bloody hell, she thought, whoever invented hoodies needed their heads examined.
‘Well maybe if you had got out of bed a bit sooner and put your washing in the machine, you would now have something clean to wear. I’m not your servant!’ She didn’t mean to snap at him, but she could do without his teenage attitude!
‘What’s up with you? Time of the month?’ Luke grabbed a slice of tart from the wire tray where Georgina had placed it earlier to defrost. She hadn’t had time to do any fresh baking that morning. Her mother had baked bread and tarts almost every day of the week and Georgina had tried to keep up the tradition of home baking, at least at the weekends. But she simply couldn’t make the time to get around to everything. She’d spent last night tossing and turning as terrifying visions of being pinned to the wall had kept her awake. For once on a Saturday morning, she was extremely grateful when it was time to get out of bed and leave her troubled dreams behind.
She jumped out of her skin when the smoke alarm siren screamed into action.
‘Dinner bell?’ Luke sniggered, smoothing his gelled hair into place as he checked his reflection in the sideboard mirror.
‘Shut up, Luke. Why don’t you check the basket of ironing and see if your top is in there? You might find out where the iron is kept while you’re at it.’ After waving a towel at the alarm to silence it, Georgina stomped out to the back yard to get a few logs for the fire. She wasn’t sure if she should tell her brother about what had happened to herself and Val. She was still feeling rather fragile and from past experience, his views and opinions were invariably the direct opposite to hers.
‘You need to lighten up, Georgie, find a man to put a smile on your face,’ Luke laughed, as his sister banged the lid back on the cooker.
He was the only person she allowed call her by that name. She hated when her name was shortened, but made allowances for Luke who had used it from the time he could talk.
‘Lighten up! I’m like Cinderella with you lot, cleaning and scrubbing around ye the whole time.’ She looked down at her grey fleece and worn tracksuit bottoms. They were her snug ‘working’ clothes. Her big woolly socks, worn to complement her outfit, kept her feet cosy as she slid around the cold kitchen tiles – a far cry from the impression she usually gave when sitting behind her office computer!
‘Ah, Cinders, you know I love you the most,’ Luke said. ‘You’re much nicer than the ugly sister!’ Yielding slightly to his wit, she smirked at Luke, dismissing her earlier worries. Luke could never be anything other than a sweet kid. How could she have doubted him? There was something about his light heartedness that always seemed to win her around. ‘I can wrap you around my little finger,’ he would often tease.
He found his top and sidled over to her, putting his arms around her to soften her up. He was head and shoulders taller than her and was really turning into a fine young man. Georgina relaxed momentarily, enjoying this unexpected closeness. He usually cringed when she went to hug him, not like when he was little and loved being tickled and cuddled. Their mother would have been so proud of Luke, she thought fondly. He had been the apple of her eye, though she wouldn’t have admitted to having favourites of course.
‘Georgina, we know you love playing the lady of the house. That’s why we don’t get in your way,’ he laughed, wrapping the top around her slight shoulders.
‘You have got to be joking!’
‘Please iron this for me,’ he pleaded. ‘I’m heading out later.’
She smiled wearily at his sheepish expression, taking his hoodie from her shoulders. How could she refuse? She asked why he needed it in such a hurry.
‘Oh that would be telling,’ he said.
‘Is this another new top, Luke?’ She frowned, trying to remember if she’d ever seen it before.
‘Yeah, do you like it?’
‘It must be great being spoilt by Daddy,’ she accused, taking the black hooded sweatshirt and turning it right side out, admiring the gold print on the front. ‘So, who are you meeting today? And how come you’re not going training any more?’
‘Ah, I’m fit enough. I don’t need training. I’m meeting up with a few other lads today instead,’ he said, shrugging his broad shoulders.
‘Get out the ironing board and the iron so. I may as well do it straight away. Would I know any of these lads?’
‘What’s all this about? Are you practising your reporting technique on me or something?’
‘Just taking an interest, that’s all,’ she said. ‘Did you go into town last night or were you down at the castle?’ There were a few park benches outside the old derelict castle in Strawhall and it was a common spot for teenagers to hang out.
Tapping his nose, Luke went and did what he was told, laughing at his sister. As if he’d tell her where he was! Why did women always want to know everything?
As she stared out the window, the iron moving over the sweatshirt in sweeping movements, Georgina inhaled deeply and wished she’d found out where Luke had been last night. All she wanted was to remove the nagging worry that lay at the back of her mind. Things had changed so much, even in their locality, in the few short years since she’d been seventeen. On second thoughts, she decided it was best to remain quiet for now. Tossing the sweatshirt over to Luke, who had by now munched his way through four slices of delicious apple tart and washed them down with a pint of milk, Georgina asked him to set the table.
‘I can’t,’ he replied through a mouthful of pastry.
‘I’ve stuff to do.’
‘Luke, just do it, or I’ll tell Dad you got detention during the week. Then I’ll tell him how many nights you didn’t come home until well after ten.’ Georgina pointed a finger towards the cutlery drawer, her face set in a grim expression. She knew how much Luke hated having to be in by ten every night but it was one thing their father insisted on. Very often, however, Georgina would cover for him when he came in late. This wasn’t too much of a problem as their dad visited the local pub a few nights a week to meet up with neighbours and have a chat. Going out had been really difficult for him in the beginning after losing his wife, but over time he’d accepted being widowed and settled into a routine. Georgina sometimes felt his social life was better than hers – not that she begrudged him his nights out. In his late forties, he was still a young man and was perfectly entitled to a life of his own. She, on the other hand, was usually so exhausted after her day’s work, both in the office and at home, that all she wanted to do was veg out in front of the telly.
‘Here’s Kate now,’ Luke said, placing the last knife and fork on the table, ‘I’m off.’ He pulled his black top over his head and quickly escaped through the back door as his sister breezed in against him. He’d had enough of Georgina’s nagging for one morning.
Georgina let him go, knowing that she had nothing to gain by calling him back.
Kate’s cheeks glowed as she entered the warm kitchen. She uncurled the carrier bags from her fingers and dropped them onto the floor, her blonde ponytail swinging at the nape of her neck.
‘Any bargains?’ Georgina asked breezily.
‘Loads. They’d just put tons of stuff out on the rails in Kevin Bowens. Look at this top,’ Kate said, holding up a cream kaftan shirt, intricately detailed with a smattering of minute bronze sequins.
‘Oh, Kate, it’s gorgeous! You’ll have to lend it to me.’ Georgina loved the shimmery feel of the delicate fabric. She could just imagine how cool it would feel against her skin, floating over a pair of tight denims. She knew she badly needed to revamp her own sparse wardrobe. The coat Val had suggested would make a good start. She was sick of her trademark jeans and clingy lycra tops. They were so ‘last decade’ as fashion conscious Val constantly reminded her.
‘But Georgina,’ Kate said in astonishment. ‘You hardly ever go out. And I don’t want you wearing it to the office.’ Sometimes she felt sorry for her big sister, but mostly she felt like giving her a good shake. Though there was only five years between them, she couldn’t recall ever having seen her having much fun. Kate couldn’t understand why she’d rather be at home slaving over a silly roast dinner instead of heading into the shops for a browse.
‘Jeez, I’m not that boring!’ Georgina was offended.
‘Of course I’ll lend it to you, but you have to wear it somewhere special,’ Kate insisted, feeling a sudden rush of pity for her older sister as she took in her tired eyes and unwashed hair. ‘After I get to wear it first of course,’ she added quickly.
‘Thanks, sis,’ Georgina said, turning back to the task on hand. ‘Help me mash the spuds, will you? If you could sprinkle a few mixed herbs onto them as well, that would be great.’
‘In a minute – I just have to hang this up first,’ Kate excused herself, then grabbed her purchases and disappeared quickly. Her footsteps could be heard overhead as she escaped to her bedroom, wondering how long she needed to dilly-dally in order to avoid getting lumbered with the dinner preparations. Hearing the phone ringing a few minutes later, however, sent her running back down.
As Georgina strained the vegetables, she listened resentfully as her sister gossiped with one of her friends.
‘Kate, come and give me a hand,’ she snapped eventually when she could no longer listen to her sister repeating the same stupid details over and over. ‘You can talk rubbish to your friends for the rest of the afternoon.’ She ran her fingers through her curly blonde hair, sweeping it back from her face. Her skin was flushed from the steaming saucepans.
Kate continued her conversation regardless, picking at her blue nail varnish as she rocked back and forward in the old leather rocking chair just inside the window. ‘Two minutes,’ she whispered loudly to Georgina, covering the mouthpiece with one hand. Seconds later, she almost jumped out of her skin when Georgina barged across the room and grabbed the phone, disconnecting her call.
Kate glared at her sister. ‘How dare you! What the hell do you think you’re doing?’
‘A lot more than you’ll ever know,’ Georgina hissed. ‘Now cream those spuds or I’ll pour them all over your head.’
‘You’re not my mother!’ Kate shouted, putting a hand to her hair, her green eyes flashing angrily. Her earlier sympathy for her sister had completely vanished. She was sick of Georgina telling her what to do.
‘I’m not your flipping maid either but you treat me like one.’
‘It’s your own fault! Nobody wants a stupid roast. The rest of us are quite happy to fry a few rashers. What’s the big deal about a bloody dinner anyway?’ Kate’s face had now turned a dark red colour, her lips set in a grim line.
Georgina’s tone was low, but her fury equally evident as she replied. ‘Saturday is the only day of the week we sit around the table together. Surely you can put your so-called friends on hold just for one hour to have dinner with your family. It’s import- ant to Dad.’
‘Spare me the sarcasm, Georgina. You’re just jealous because you don’t have a life of your own and nobody fancies you. You’re so boring nobody would want to date you.’