'She's that, I can tell you,' agreed Quinlan. 'She doesn't think twice about questioning orders or decisions she doesn't agree with.'
'You mean she doesn't take any crap from a male-dominated force that has a senior command structure without a woman in it.'
Quinlan smiled. He'd heard all this before. First in the election speeches, then in their many acrimonious exchanges since Martin became Minister for Justice.
'Apart from your good self, Minister.'
Martin scowled, then looked again at her watch. 'It's almost ten. Where's this meeting being held?'
Quinlan stood up smartly and opened the door. With a grand flourish he pointed along the outside corridor. 'After you, Minister. Room Twenty-Four, on your right. After you.'
As Martin strode out she growled out the corner of her mouth. 'Don't try taking the piss, Quinlan. It doesn't suit you.'
Just after ten o'clock Jack McGrath began outlining the history of kidnappings in the state.
He was first in and had watched the others arrive and take their seats at the large circular oak table in the centre of the room. Around the table sat Garda Commissioner Quinlan and his Deputy Commissioner with Chief Superintendent Mike Loughry in a chair opposite. The Minister for Justice sat to the right of the Commissioner. Then Tony Dowling and himself. And Kate Hamilton.
McGrath looked quizzically towards Dowling who shrugged back. Then he looked at Hamilton but she had
her eyes fixed firmly on the table in front of her. What the hell's she doing here? he thought.
'The last attempted kidnap or abduction happened last October,' began McGrath. He had a confidential file open in front of him on the desk. 'Halfway through the trial of Paddy O'Hara, our main prosecution witness was grabbed. You know the rest yourselves. There was a shoot out in Malahide and the whole gang was taken. Our witness caught one and nearly died. He spent months in hospital and delayed the trial just as long.'
Everybody in the room knew the details and a few shifted uncomfortably in their chairs. Alice Martin had a 'don't remind me' look on her face.
'Before that,' continued McGrath, 'banker Jim Lacey and his family were kidnapped in November 1993 and only released after a ransom of three hundred and forty thousand pounds was handed over the same day. That was one of Dublin gangster Martin Cahill's efforts. Not that it did him any good.'
He flicked through a bunch of papers he was holding and continued.
'October '87, dentist John O'Grady taken and held by "Border Fox" Dessie O'Hare. O'Grady was recovered safely apart from the tip of one of his fingers. O'Hare is still in Portlaoise gaol. April '86 Jennifer Guinness was taken from her home in Howth. She was recovered safely and the gang were all caught. In December '83 supermarket executive Don Tidey was recovered after being taken by an IRA gang. We lost a young recruit, Peter Sheehan, and the army lost Private Peter Kelly in a shoot out. In '81 supermarket tycoon Ben Dunne was kidnapped and taken across the border. There was a substantial ransom paid over before he was released, reckoned to be about seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds in '81 money. Then we're going back into the mid-70s, Tiede Herrema the Dutch industrialist and earlier Lord and Lady Donoughmore.'
McGrath paused and looked at Quinlan. 'Do you want any further details on these?'
'No. What's the analysis on all this though?'
That was the bad news, thought McGrath. Here's a bit of good news.
'Kidnapping generally ends in disaster for criminals. We have a very good record in this area. We've caught most involved, recovered most of the money. We've also headed a few operations off at the pass before the target even knew there was a problem. We caught a whole IRA unit in 1983 who were planning to kidnap Galen Weston, the supermarket magnate. There was a helluva shoot out. Even so, apart from some of Martin Cahill's wilder schemes, kidnapping has more or less ceased as a method for raising money.'
Alice Martin interrupted. 'Inspector, what sort of wild schemes was Cahill planning?'
A few knowing smiles were exchanged across the table.
McGrath placed his papers down. 'Well, believe it or not, he planned to steal one of our national treasures, The Book of Kells.'
Martin's eyes widened. There was no disguising the look of astonishment on her face. 'Jesus Christ.'
Quinlan blew his nose to mask the smirk.
Martin threw him a withering look and turned back to McGrath. 'Go on.'
'My reading of the information so far is that this could be the work of one of the big players or just a bunch of hoods trying to break into the big time. The target is so high profile they might as well have taken the Man in the Moon. By picking on a baby they have, knowingly or unknowingly, risked bringing the whole of the underworld out against them. There's going to be a big shake up. There are check points all over the place already. There'll be raids on known criminal gangs and their haunts. There won't be a crook, from mobster to pickpocket, who won't curse this kidnapping. Mouths will open, hopefully. Kidnapping is bad for business. Kidnapping a newborn baby will put crook against crook.'
'Any ideas who might have done this?'
'Not yet. There were four involved and they were heavily armed. The place must have been staked out for some time for they knew where and when to strike. Either that or somebody on the inside has been feeding them all the information they need. Harry O'Brien hasn't been off the front of the newspapers this past few days so it wouldn't have been hard for them to know when to make their move.'
Somebody along the table muttered agreement.
'We have a report of a four-wheel drive in Roundwood not long before the raid and we know a four-wheel drive was used to take the gang and the baby away. They used some type of plastic explosive to break open the entrance gates. That suggests an ex-IRA involvement, somebody used to explosives.'
Quinlan whispered something to the Assistant Commissioner on his left who nodded.
McGrath continued. 'There's a report of a burned-out jeep in the car park of the Stand Hotel at the Curragh. Local Gardai say there are tracks and footprints suggesting a second car was parked there with movement between the two. That's a good place for a changeover. They could be on the motorway to Dublin within minutes or turn south towards Portlaoise. They could have gone along the motorway for part of the way and then turned off. They could be anywhere.'
There was a sombre silence around the table. Alice Martin listened intently, eyes fixed on McGrath. 'Have you any thoughts on where they might be?' she asked quietly.
McGrath sat back in his chair, his eyes lowered while he thought about this. 'If I had to take a guess I'd say this is a Dublin gang. They used guns and explosives. These sort never feel happy out of Dublin, they hate the countryside. I'd say they're back in Dublin somewhere.'
A ripple of muted conversation broke out.
'There's one final thing.'
The room quietened again and all heads turned towards McGrath.
'How this goes depends a lot on whether Harry O'Brien has kidnap insurance. Many top businessmen have "risk management" policies which include kidnap insurance. If O'Brien has kidnap insurance we could find ourselves trying to keep one step ahead of him and his advisers. Past experience suggests deals may be done behind our backs.'
There were groans all round.
'Anything else?'
'Not at this point.'
Quinlan interrupted. 'Jack we want you down in Wicklow immediately. Superintendent Peter Andrews is in charge of overall operations but has requested the assistance of the Jaguar Unit.' He hadn't. It was never going to be a case of waiting for a request. Alice Martin's baby had to go to work.
McGrath nodded and then started to speak when Quinlan cut across. 'Detective Sergeant Dowling will remain on the hospital murder inquiry.' He stood up and walked down the table to where Kate Hamilton was sitting and stopped behind her. 'I would like you all to meet Detective Sergeant Kate Hamilton. Many of you know her already.' He rested a hand lightly on her right shoulder. 'Detective Sergeant Hamilton will join Dowling. However, she is now in overall control of the investigation. Let me repeat that, she is now in overall control of the hospital investigation. She will report to Mike Loughry as usual. Detective Sergeant Dowling will remain on the case to maintain continuity and provide the necessary experience.'
Kate Hamilton could hardly believe her ears. She swallowed deeply. Keep your cool, keep your head up. She fixed her eyes firmly somewhere in the distance, apparently unruffled. This sort of thing happens all the time, guys, don't expect me to look surprised.
Alice Martin just couldn't resist the temptation. 'If I may say so, Commissioner, it's not before time a woman was given the opportunity to show her paces in the force.'
Watch it, thought Hamilton. You're on trial.
Quinlan couldn't resist the temptation either. 'I'm sure
the minister will take particular interest in how the hospital investigation develops from here on.'
Oh God, thought Hamilton. I'm piggy in the middle here. This is some sort of power play.
Martin felt she just must have the last word on the subject. 'I won't have to, Commissioner. I have full confidence in Detective Sergeant Hamilton. She'll bring a woman's touch to what has been a very heavy handed investigation up to this point.' She looked directly at McGrath and the whole table followed the deliberate confrontation. McGrath started to reply, then noticed the warning sign from Mike Loughry. He decided to hold his peace. Another day perhaps.
Martin, unfortunately, took this as a sign of weakness. She reached into a bag at her feet and pulled out the
Daily Post.
'I read in this morning's paper, Inspector McGrath, that you announced a breakthrough in the case yesterday.' She laid the paper on the table, face down. The kidnap story broke too late for the morning papers, their headlines still dwelt on the hospital investigation. 'Can you share this information? Are we to expect an early arrest?'
McGrath arched his hands and spread his fingers open, resting the tips on the table. He stared at them for a moment as if he was about to perform some trick. He chose his next words carefully, very much aware all eyes were on him.
'Minister, with the greatest respect, there are operational ploys every detective uses from time to time to shake up a stalled investigation. I can't remember a murder investigation as bizarre as this. We have a young woman brutally murdered in a hospital and the whole medical staff treat it like it's some sort of inconvenience. I can't remember a case where I've had less cooperation. I've got more information out of crooks than the doctors down there.'
He paused to let this sink in. There was total silence around the table. Kate Hamilton watched every move, beginning to understand why she had been called in on the investigation.
McGrath looked up to find Alice Martin's eyes boring
down on him. 'I read that newspaper too, Minister. My words are reported verbatim. None of my men leaked those details to the press. But somebody did. There's more to that hospital than meets the eye. There are a lot of personal agendas there. Detective Sergeant Hamilton will have her work cut out unravelling them all.'
Afterwards she wondered how the words left her mouth. But Kate Hamilton was never a woman to be patronised or advised when she never asked for it. She always spoke her mind, often impulsively.
'I'm quite sure I'll be able to maintain the high standards Detective Inspector McGrath has set. However the case has stalled, we all know that. But sometimes it's useful to have a fresh head look over the evidence and maybe come up with a different approach.'
She looked directly at McGrath, defiance sparkling in her eyes. McGrath grinned back.
Touché
. For a brief moment they both smiled at one another.
Alice Martin could have swept her up and kissed her. She just smiled, triumphantly. Even Commissioner Quinlan was impressed.
Mike Loughry interrupted. 'I'm afraid, Kate, you'll be working with a smaller team. We've pulled almost everyone onto this kidnapping. There'll be a lot of door-to-door enquiries, surveillance of known criminals, road checks, the lot. We need every spare man. I've had to reduce your operating team to six for the immediate future. I'll review that this day week if there are no fresh developments.'
Hamilton nodded. Dowling shrugged and exchanged knowing looks with McGrath as the meeting broke up.
26
12.06 pm
Central Maternity Hospital
Luke Conway heard directly from the Minister for Health that Jack McGrath had been taken off the case. It was the only good news that morning.
The hospital was thunderstruck by Gordon O'Brien's kidnapping. Staff listened anxiously to every news bulletin and became even more incensed when they learned that June Morrison, one of their own, had been taken to hospital unconscious. The admitting doctor suggested the gag pulled over her mouth had blocked her ability to breathe adequately and she had collapsed from lack of oxygen.
Sky television carried the first pictures from Wicklow on their noon news. Helicopter shots picked up Gardai moving throughout the estate, some with tracker dogs, their dark uniforms standing out in perfect contrast with the snow-covered ground. Squad cars were parked at all angles in front of the house. Telephoto lenses picked out forensics, in their white boiler suits, moving past windows. Two uniformed Gardai were standing beside a squad car which blocked the entrance, only moving when authorised personnel called. The Sky news bulletin mentioned the ongoing murder investigation at the Central Maternity Hospital and wondered about any link. Luke Conway groaned as he listened to that. Kidnap experts, paediatricians, ex-policemen, anything and anybody who might be an expert or hold an opinion were dragged into the studio and interviewed. The shots of Harry O'Brien wheeling his wife into the lobby of
the Central Maternity Hospital were beamed across the world to other news bureaus.
'I think you'll find this young woman a refreshing change from Detective Inspector McGrath, Dr Conway. She should bring a woman's touch to this investigation. After all, it is a women's hospital.'
Luke Conway had thanked the minister.
But he was still a worried man. The hospital was in the eye of the storm again. The sort of publicity he was hoping desperately would die down had returned with a vengeance. And his favourite midwife, June Morrison, was in intensive care and still unconscious according to the latest bulletins.
Maybe Detective Kate Hamilton will be easier to deal with, he thought. I've spent all my working life dealing with women. I know how they think, how they behave. I'll soon have her under control.
Just before one o'clock Kate Hamilton waited outside the Master's Office with Tony Dowling. The two had already gone over the details of the case, forensic findings and progress. McGrath had given her connected paperwork and later she'd listened closely as Tony Dowling explained the confrontational difficulties experienced, giving her inside information on some details previously only he and McGrath had known about.
She'd frowned when he related McGrath's ploy to open up the wall of silence and play the dummy card of a breakthrough and possible early arrest. That was the first she'd known the ace card was nothing more than a blank. The more she thought about the way the case was being investigated, the more concerned she became. It
was
time for a fresh approach.
'Dr Conway, my name is Detective Sergeant Kate Hamilton. I'm usually attached to Store Street Garda station. You already know Detective Sergeant Dowling.'
Conway stood up, reached across and shook her hand. He nodded to Dowling. There was absolutely no flicker
of recognition as he inspected the young detective sitting opposite.
'Dr Conway, I have been asked to take over the investigation of Mary Dwyer's murder.' Conway flinched at the word murder. 'Detective Sergeant Dowling has briefed me on progress so far…'
Conway interrupted. 'Is there any progress, Detective? Are we any closer to that early arrest Detective Inspector McGrath promised?'
'For operational reasons I can't divulge any details, Dr Conway. Let me just say immediately we are as anxious as you and the rest of the staff here to bring this case to an early conclusion. With that dreadful kidnapping last night, the force is stretched to breaking. I've had my investigating team reduced to six.'
'I'm sorry to hear that,' lied Conway.
'All the more reason, with respect Dr Conway, for us to get total cooperation. I have less men to work the case. We're all going to have to work much harder. I'd like your personal assurance that you will persuade your staff to cooperate with us as much as possible. That way you'll get to keep your hospital moving and we'll get to find the killer.'
Conway spread his long fingers out and rested them on the desk. Hamilton stared at them briefly, fascinated. The long fingers that lifted my baby from inside my body.
'Let me assure you, Detective Sergeant, I and all of my staff will move mountains to help end this investigation.' He smiled. It was a sweet smile, but too sweet, sickly sweet.
'Would you mind if I asked you a few questions now?'
There was a smug look on his face. 'Not at all.'
Hamilton lifted a briefcase onto the table, reached inside and produced a small black notebook which she flicked open. Beside it on the table she settled the paperwork and clippings McGrath had produced on the case.
Dowling sat beside her, mute.
'I've been looking through the list of medical staff.' She paused and looked up.
Conway nodded, chin resting on those long fingers, now curled. 'Yes.' It was a slow, wary yes.
'There are no women consultants.'
Conway looked puzzled. 'I'm sorry. I didn't quite get that.'
'There are no women consultants on the staff here.'
'So?'
'No woman has ever applied for a job as a consultant here?'
Tony Dowling suddenly sat forward, a bemused look on his face.
'No, that's not true. We have had a number of applications from women when any consultancy position has arisen.'
'Why are there no women consultants on your staff then?'
Conway was beginning to get ruffled. 'Because the applicants weren't up to the high standard we require of a consultant at this hospital.' The reply was sharp, razor sharp.
'But the male applicants always were?'
Conway fiddled with his bow tie, trying to control his anger.
'Detective Sergeant Hamilton, would you like to tell me what on earth the hospital policy on consultancy application has to do with your murder investigation?'
Dowling turned around in his seat to take a closer look at the young woman, his face clearly showing puzzlement and concern.
'It may have nothing to do with it all, Dr Conway. Then again it might. I was just wondering if there is a deliberate policy to prevent female applicants achieving consultancy posts in this hospital?'
I'm lying. I just want to see you squirm, you bastard. I didn't put my baby up for adoption, did you ever find that out?
'That's an outrageous suggestion, Detective. What the hell do you think you're getting at?' Conway was obviously livid.
'I'm just wondering why a hospital that is almost two hundred years old and deals exclusively with women and babies has never, even once, appointed a woman as a consultant. Doesn't seem that strange a question to me. Does it seem so strange to you, Tony?'
Dowling lifted his eyes to heaven.
Conway started to reply when she cut across.
'You see, from the moment we've been called in on this case there has been a wall of silence. Detective Inspector McGrath told me he'd never experienced anything like it in all his career. And he's had a long and distinguished career.'
Conway seethed as he listened.
'But as I said at the beginning I'm having to work this case with a lot less manpower. Only six detectives to do the work of the twelve-man team originally assigned. So let's get the ground rules established immediately. We expect full and total cooperation from now and until this case is closed. Anything less than that and I'll make sure the newspapers know just what we're up against. I don't really think you could take much more bad publicity.'
Tony Dowling could hardly believe his ears. He sat with the face of a Buddha and the insides of the QE2 on full throttle.
Conway jumped to his feet and leaned across the table menacingly, his face purple with rage. 'I have never heard anything so outrageous in all my life. I'll ring the Minister for Justice immediately. I'll have you taken off this case so quickly you won't have time to powder your nose on the way out.'
Hamilton slowly began packing her notebook and paperwork away. She didn't as much as look up to acknowledge Conway's outburst. Her movements were slow and deliberate, so slow that the shouted words had dissipated by the time she replied. When she did speak her voice was calm and controlled. But ice cold.
'Well, Dr Conway, I don't think that would be so wise really. You see I've been particularly chosen to take over. I've just come from a meeting with the Minister for Justice. She's delighted to have a woman working a major case. Somehow I don't think she'd be too pleased to remove me as quickly as she's seen me appointed. She's very much a
feminist is our Minister for Justice and likes to see women seek high office. I don't think she'd be much pleased to hear we got off to a bad start just because I asked you why there are no women consultants in this hospital. She might start to wonder the same thing herself and start to ask questions in the Dail. More bad publicity.'
Conway sat back slowly in his chair, fuming.
'Actually there is one very big reason I asked why there are no women consultants in this hospital.'
Conway's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Dowling almost fell out of his seat to hear.
'If there is a policy, deliberate or not, in this hospital to keep women in their place then it will cause major problems for me. I do not take to condescending or patronising gestures. When I ask questions I want answers. I do not want anyone to think that because I'm a woman they're going to get an easier time than if Detective Inspector McGrath was still in charge. I would like you to put the word out, Dr Conway. I'm here to stay until this case is closed. And I'd like it closed quickly'
Conway stared at her in amazement.
'A lot of work has gone into this case already, Dr Conway,' continued Hamilton, waving a hand across the reams of paper she had stuffed into her briefcase. 'Don't let's ruin it all by getting upset with the new ground rules. I'm here and I'm here to stay. Let's get on with it, shall we?' She smiled at him, delighting in his obvious discomfort. Then she gathered up her briefcase and reached across with outstretched hand. Conway instinctively took it, surprised at the firmness of the grip.
Dowling struggled to his feet awkwardly.
'Myself and Detective Sergeant Dowling are going down to the laboratory to question the staff again. I'd like it if you would accompany us and I'd prefer if you didn't let them know in advance.'
She walked out the door followed by Dowling, like a lapdog.
'Jaysus, Kate…' started Dowling outside, but she grabbed
his arm and shushed him. She held on to it. He stared at the gripping fingers.
She counted to twenty, then opened the door again.
'I'd really much prefer if you didn't let them know, Dr Conway. As I asked. And when you're ready we'll see you outside the lab.'
Conway's mouth dropped, the receiver already in his hand.
As Kate Hamilton and Tony Dowling were making their way along the hospital corridors towards the lab just after one o'clock, back in County Wicklow Jack McGrath was pacing the corridors of Beechill trying to piece together the exact details of the kidnap. He'd arrived at mid-day and went into immediate conference with the officers in charge from the local Garda station. What time were you called? What was the place like when you arrived? Were there any sightings of the getaway? Did anyone nearby hear the explosion? Have there been any suspicious sightings near the house recently? How did they get in? Where and when did the first road blocks go up? The ground work had been good, those first on the scene doing everything right. An ambulance had transferred June Morrison to the nearest hospital within half an hour of the Gardai entering the house. McGrath complimented them on their speed and thoroughness. But he was now encountering the first major obstacle in the investigation — Harry O'Brien. Big Harry had lost his mind.
When Sandra O'Brien had finally climbed out of bed to feed her child it was the pressure and discomfort of the surging milk in her breasts that woke her. Not the cries of a hungry baby. That worried her immediately. She had gone first to the nursery and discovered the empty cot, then rushed to where June Morrison was supposed to be sleeping and found her lying on the ground and unconscious. Quickly releasing the gag and barely daring to believe what was happening she'd rushed downstairs to find Big Harry and Theo Dempsey tied back to back in the study, struggling
against the gags, their hair and clothes showered in ceiling plaster. By the time she'd cut them free and discovered what had happened she was so distraught she ran from room to room, bursting open doors, screaming for her baby. Big Harry was little better. He had charged out of the house in a frenzy and was discovered half an hour later by the first squad car on the scene, rambling and barely coherent, frozen and shivering.
Only Theo Dempsey had kept his head. The ex-army sergeant who'd seen two tours of duty with the Irish peacekeeping force in Lebanon had been down many dark alleys before and was trained to handle emergencies. It was Dempsey who made the first call to the Roundwood Garda station on his mobile phone and who also had the wit to immediately contact Garda headquarters and arrange for an all out alert for the kidnappers. And it was Dempsey who'd placed June Morrison in the recovery position, just as he'd been shown during army first aid lectures, who'd finally restrained Sandra from also chasing off into the night and who'd telephoned the local doctor to come and help out with the immediate chaos.