place, a beautiful girl. But, hopefully, we’re jumping the gun.” He looked quizzically at Mr. Tynan.
“We stayed in Ballyvaughan last night and, driving down this morning, noticed a commotion at Fanore, past The Rabbit Warren area. There was a Garda car, and quite a few people standing around. An ambulance was leaving. Apparently a dog belonging to a family holidaying nearby attracted them to the beach quite early with it’s persistent barking. When they went to check they discovered the body washed up on the shore.”
“Was there a description of the girl?”
“We heard that she was in a swimsuit and that she was tall and athletic possibly a good swimmer.”
The Tynans completed their check in and went to their room.
“I don’t like the sound of this, Patsy.” said McAllister. “It’s probably too soon to ring, but I think I should have a word with Con Curtis.”
“Yes, John, I’ve had a report about the drowning but no identification so far,” Curtis responded crisply.
“Some holidaymakers who passed Fanore this morning heard it was a swimmer. A tall athletic girl.”
“Yes, it certainly could be Eileen. We’re checking and should have a positive identification shortly. I’ll ring when we know.”
McAllister thanked him and turned to Patsy. “He’ll telephone. I hope my instincts are wrong.”
“You feel it might be Eileen?”
He smiled wryly. “Let’s wait and see.”
He went to his room and lay on the bed. “I hope to Heavens I’m wrong about this.” He thought. “Eileen had a strange aura about her though, something fatalistic. Her playing the other night was haunting, unearthly somehow. She was the sort of person who gave the impression of having a slim hold on life, probably due to the death of her husband. Frank did say that she hadn’t come to terms with it. Sometimes a loss like that makes a wound which won’t heal and the enthusiasm for life wanes into mere existence, it can even lead to a death wish.”
“But not in one so young,” he tried to reassure himself,” …. yet her husband had died of drowning……”
McAllister started when the telephone rang. It was Curtis.
“Bad news, John, I’m afraid. We’ve a positive identification on Eileen O’Leary. I’ve sent a man over to Michael Balfe to let him know. I thought that was best, he was closer to her than anybody to the best of my knowledge.”
“Any idea what happened?”
“Not really at this stage. Just a straightforward drowning I would imagine, but we will go into that. She was known to swim a lot and may simply have gotten into difficulties. It happens all the time, people should never swim alone no matter how good they are.”
“Indeed. Well thanks Con. This is certainly a bolt from the blue. She was a beautiful girl. I think I’ll drive down and see Michael.”
He told Patsy and was driving away when Susan arrived. She was naturally shocked and decided to come with him to see Balfe.
As he drove they spoke of Eileen, and Susan also told him about Frank.” He’s coping quite well, and more annoyed than anything else, claiming strenuously that he was framed. He doesn’t bear any grudge against Curtis and readily understands having to be questioned. Higgins is making his own investigations and seems confident enough about the outcome, although he wouldn’t be specific.”
“Sounds good,” McAllister responded,” but this opens up the prospect of something very sinister going on around here. Murder, framing Frank for it and now poor Eileen drowning.”
Susan looked at him sharply. “You’re not suggesting they’re connected.”
“I really don’t know what I’m saying, but since I arrived here I’ve experienced a feeling of unease. Some people have been acting very strangely. Take Michael Balfe, for instance, in some dispute with that Italian manager. Hyland also, and even that car which nearly killed me at Black Head. Now we have two deaths, one of which was a deliberate calculated
“We stayed in Ballyvaughan last night and, driving down this morning, noticed a commotion at Fanore, past The Rabbit Warren area. There was a Garda car, and quite a few people standing around. An ambulance was leaving. Apparently a dog belonging to a family holidaying nearby attracted them to the beach quite early with it’s persistent barking. When they went to check they discovered the body washed up on the shore.”
“Was there a description of the girl?”
“We heard that she was in a swimsuit and that she was tall and athletic possibly a good swimmer.”
The Tynans completed their check in and went to their room.
“I don’t like the sound of this, Patsy.” said McAllister. “It’s probably too soon to ring, but I think I should have a word with Con Curtis.”
“Yes, John, I’ve had a report about the drowning but no identification so far,” Curtis responded crisply.
“Some holidaymakers who passed Fanore this morning heard it was a swimmer. A tall athletic girl.”
“Yes, it certainly could be Eileen. We’re checking and should have a positive identification shortly. I’ll ring when we know.”
McAllister thanked him and turned to Patsy. “He’ll telephone. I hope my instincts are wrong.”
“You feel it might be Eileen?”
He smiled wryly. “Let’s wait and see.”
He went to his room and lay on the bed. “I hope to Heavens I’m wrong about this.” He thought. “Eileen had a strange aura about her though, something fatalistic. Her playing the other night was haunting, unearthly somehow. She was the sort of person who gave the impression of having a slim hold on life, probably due to the death of her husband. Frank did say that she hadn’t come to terms with it. Sometimes a loss like that makes a wound which won’t heal and the enthusiasm for life wanes into mere existence, it can even lead to a death wish.”
“But not in one so young,” he tried to reassure himself,” …. yet her husband had died of drowning……”
McAllister started when the telephone rang. It was Curtis.
“Bad news, John, I’m afraid. We’ve a positive identification on Eileen O’Leary. I’ve sent a man over to Michael Balfe to let him know. I thought that was best, he was closer to her than anybody to the best of my knowledge.”
“Any idea what happened?”
“Not really at this stage. Just a straightforward drowning I would imagine, but we will go into that. She was known to swim a lot and may simply have gotten into difficulties. It happens all the time, people should never swim alone no matter how good they are.”
“Indeed. Well thanks Con. This is certainly a bolt from the blue. She was a beautiful girl. I think I’ll drive down and see Michael.”
He told Patsy and was driving away when Susan arrived. She was naturally shocked and decided to come with him to see Balfe.
As he drove they spoke of Eileen, and Susan also told him about Frank.” He’s coping quite well, and more annoyed than anything else, claiming strenuously that he was framed. He doesn’t bear any grudge against Curtis and readily understands having to be questioned. Higgins is making his own investigations and seems confident enough about the outcome, although he wouldn’t be specific.”
“Sounds good,” McAllister responded,” but this opens up the prospect of something very sinister going on around here. Murder, framing Frank for it and now poor Eileen drowning.”
Susan looked at him sharply. “You’re not suggesting they’re connected.”
“I really don’t know what I’m saying, but since I arrived here I’ve experienced a feeling of unease. Some people have been acting very strangely. Take Michael Balfe, for instance, in some dispute with that Italian manager. Hyland also, and even that car which nearly killed me at Black Head. Now we have two deaths, one of which was a deliberate calculated
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