Before He Kills Again

Contents Chapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21Chapter 22Chapter 23Chapter 24Chapter 25Chapter 26Chapter 27Chapter 28Chapter 29Chapter 30Chapter 31Chapter 32Chapter 33Chapter 34Chapter 35Chapter 36Chapter 37Chapter 38Chapter 39Chapter 40Chapter 41Chapter 42Chapter 43Chapter 44Chapter 45Chapter 46Chapter 47Chapter 48Chapter 49Chapter 50Chapter 51Chapter 52Chapter 53Chapter 54Chapter 55Chapter 56Chapter 57Chapter 58Chapter 59Chapter 60Chapter 61Chapter 62Chapter 63Chapter 64Chapter 65Chapter 66Chapter 67AcknowledgementsAbout the PublisherLandmarks Cover ALSO BY TADHG COAKLEYNovelsThe First Sunday in SeptemberWhatever It TakesNon-FictionEverything: the Autobiography of Denis Coughlan (co-author)The Game: A Journey into the Heart of Sport To the victims of domestic,sexual and gender-based violence.And to those who protectand look after them. MERCIER PRESS3B Oak House, Bessboro RdBlackrock, Cork, Ireland. www.mercierpress.ie www.twitter.com/MercierBooks www.facebook.com/mercier.press © Tadhg Coakley, 2023 978-1-78117-825-6978-1-78117-826-3 Ebook only Cover design: Sarah O’Flaherty A CIP record for this title is available from the British Library. All characters and events in this book are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, which may occur inadvertently, is completely unintentional. TThis eBook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly. Part 1HELEN’S EYES CHAPTER 1COLLINS PARKED in the Supervalu car park beside St Mary’s on The Hill. It was one of those low sized almost circular modern churches of which he didn’t approve. Getting out of his car, he looked at the spire made from metal bars and a simple cross. The blue sky and sunshine seemed to mock the waste of a young life.He took the funeral wreath from the boot of his car. The flowers were red and white, with the emblem of a liver bird in the centre circled by the words ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. He’d only found out the previous year she was a Liverpool supporter like him.He gave the wreath to one of the undertakers beside the hearse on the Harbour View Road. The man said: ‘Thanks’.Some of her friends were smoking near the front door of the church. He stopped and glared at them. Only one, Chloe, held his gaze. Her eyes looked lifeless.As he stepped inside the church he heard the word ‘Pig’.He walked on. Another funeral because of you.WHEN HE had phoned Jackie the previous week to check up on her, she picked up on the second ring.‘If it isn’t Batman himself,’ she said. ‘The lone hero dedicated to saving Gotham City.’ There was too much gaiety in her voice, she was high on something.‘Hi, Jackie, how’re things? Can we meet up?’‘So you can point out the error of my ways? Give me a lecture? I am so tired of all that, Collins.’‘No, I just wanted a chat, bit of a catch up.’‘You’re some fucking liar.’‘Come on. The hot chocolate is on me.’‘She rang you I suppose.’‘Nobody rang me. I just called for a chat.’‘You did in your hole.’Collins wanted to avoid talking to her while she was high, there was no point.‘Come on, Jackie, I can pick you up now, bring you to McDonalds. Where are you? I’ll be there in ten.’‘Haha, nice try. See you around, Collins.’‘I can get you back into Cuan Dé, Jackie,’ Collins said, but the line was dead.He looked her up on the Garda PULSE system and saw a charge of soliciting against her. That confirmed it. Why hadn’t you kept a closer eye on her?He tried to phone her back twice. He tried again the following day.He went to her mother’s house. Jacqueline had moved to a small social housing development in Carrigtwohill.There were steps up to the front door of the new red-bricked maisonette. In the sunshine children played on a green area nearby.Collins pressed the bell and waited. Already the heat was pulsing down even though it was only June. Two baskets of flowers hung on either side of Jacqueline’s door. Thriving pots of flowers on the ground by the railings to either side – which he took as a good sign.Kyle – Jacqueline’s son and Jackie’s brother – opened the door and slammed it in Collins’ face. He rang the bell again. This time Jacqueline did answer it. She looked healthy, she was clearly off the drink. Collins tried not to show his relief.Her face was flushed and her hair was tied up. From the sports top, leggings and bare feet he guessed he had interrupted a yoga session.‘Hi Jaqueline,’ he said, smiling. ‘How are you?’She watched him closely without speaking. He hoped the smile had reassured her. She opened the door for him to enter.‘The kitchen is straight ahead, there,’ she said. They went through. He stood awkwardly by the fridge.‘Sit down, sit down, you’re making me nervous,’ she said. ‘Tea or coffee?’‘Black tea, thanks.’He sat down. She filled the kettle and switched it on. She sat at the table opposite him, her face a mask of worry.‘Is it Jackie? Has something happened?’‘I phoned her the other day, I was worried. Is she okay?’Jaqueline shook her head and her eyes filled with tears.‘No,’ she managed to say. Collins got up and removed two cups from the stand by the kettle. He took a tea bag from the tin. The kettle boiled.She stood up and faced him.‘What happened?’ she said. ‘And sit down, it’ll give me some- thing to do.’‘I looked her up on the system the other day,’ he said. ‘I saw that there was a charge against her from a few weeks ago.’‘What is it now?’ she said. Collins noticed her hands were shaking. She wouldn’t meet his eyes.‘I’m sorry to say it is soliciting,’ he said.She shuddered and put a hand to her mouth. She looked out the