The House by the Liffey (3 page)

‘All right, Maggie. I'll be there very shortly. Meantime keep this within the household. Explain to everyone no police and no publicity. Spreading the story could be fatal for Izzy.'

Maggie, always quick on the uptake, got the message and passed it on to Noola.

Realising that Milo was badly shaken, Mageen, although devastated at the news herself, had insisted on driving home. It was something of a hair-raising ride for them all. The car screeched to a stop outside the front door and Milo was out and running before it had halted. The others had seen the car careering down the drive and Noola tore out and hurled herself into his arms.

‘Milo, Milo, what are we going to do? Izzy, Milo, Izzy! Why, Why?'

‘Darling, I don't know, but for the others' sake we must try to keep an outward appearance of calm.' He didn't sound calm.

Hard on their heels Paddy arrived also driving very fast. Dr Paddy Flynn, Noola's brother, had also been summoned earlier by his mother, Maggie. He had tried to offer support to everyone and had attended to Aunt May as best he could. Then he insisted on taking her to hospital, on Sean's instructions giving a plausible story to explain her injuries. Once satisfied that she was settled as comfortably as possible he had rushed back to the house, but not before she had recovered her voice enough to tell him that Bob had been there.

‘What? Bob Featherstone? You're kidding.'

May's throat was so sore she was hardly able to croak.

‘Saw him – three others.'

Paddy wondered if she was suffering from concussion and had imagined it, but when he called the asylum they confirmed the story.

‘He's disappeared all right, Doctor. The whole place is in uproar. Garda everywhere.'

Now he ran straight across to Milo and Noola.

‘I'm so sorry, Milo. You know I'll do anything that I possibly can to help the family, but,' he dropped his voice, ‘I've got some more worrying news for the two of you. Yours and Sean's ears only.'

‘Sean? Sean Flynn?'

‘Yes. Ma sent for him straight away, careful not to mention his job – we feel the phone line may not be safe.'

‘Thank heavens he's here!'

Milo, Noola and Paddy hurried into the library.

‘I've an update for you all. Bob Featherstone was here with the men who snatched Izzy. The asylum has confirmed that he's escaped. I'm certain he's the one who tried to strangle Mrs Burke. I reckon he wanted to finish her off but one of the others must have dragged him away.'

‘Oh my God!' Milo's voice grew even more agitated. ‘We were warned years ago that if he ever escaped this would probably be the first place he'd head for.'

‘But he couldn't have done it all on his own.'

‘That's right, Sean,' answered Paddy. ‘Mrs Burke said there were three others. It's surprising she's able to remember so clearly, given she was knocked out and at her age. A remarkable lady!'

‘She's obviously a tough old bird – sorry, Milo.'

‘You're right. She's a Butler! On the whole we're a tough lot, except for our poor little Izzy.'

‘In the circumstances you should phone Tommy.'

‘I intend to, Noola. I want him here with us at a time like this and I know darned well he'll want to be here too. Poor Tommy – he'll be appalled at his uncle's involvement in this.'

‘No calling anyone until I've set up a separate and secure line for you. I'd say this was a very well-planned crime and your phone here may have been tapped. I'm already working on it. But in any case, the main line needs to be kept free in case they call.'

‘I'm glad you're here, Sean. I wouldn't have thought of that.'

‘Why would you in your upset state? It's all part of my job.'

Milo managed a bleak smile at him. Sean was so like Paddy that they could have been brothers rather than cousins. Paddy and Milo had been close friends since childhood and Sean had the same red hair and hazel eyes, with the same square, dependable look about him, that engendered trust even before he spoke.

It took time to get it all done. As the day wore on and there was no word, Milo and Noola became more and more distressed and agitated, as did the rest of the family. They wandered around the house unable to settle to anything and never far from the library. Kitty tried her best to persuade them to eat something but none of them, not even the invariably ravenously hungry boys, could touch a thing, except for gallons of tea and coffee. The staff responded magnificently and closed ranks around the family.

Quite soon after Sean arrived he had gathered everyone together and spoken to them.

‘It is vitally important that nobody here today talks about what has happened and especially don't tell that the Garda are already involved. It could put Izzy's life in grave danger. Maggie, it was clever of you to call me only by my Christian name when you rang for help and you gave nothing away. I want you all to rack your brains for anything that's happened over the past few weeks that maybe didn't strike you as odd at the time, but now makes you wonder. Anything at all, however small, might be significant.'

Mickeen, estate manager and married to Kitty, responded quickly.

‘There was that strange man who came a couple of weeks ago looking for casual work. Looked like a down-and-out, a poor ould fella, so I gave him a bit of tidying up to do outside. Felt sorry for him.'

‘Thanks, Mickeen. That's the kind of thing! Can anyone else give us information about him?'

‘Well I thought he was a bit inquisitive,' added Kitty. ‘Whenever he came into the kitchen for a cup of tea or bite to eat he'd ask all sorts of questions. But I felt sorry for him too. He had a bit of a stammer and I thought maybe he was lonely so I didn't take much notice at the time but now…? I just wonder.'

‘Give us anything you can remember about him.'

So Kitty and Mickeen gave every little detail they could remember and built up quite an effective picture of this character.

‘Thank you both. I'm certain this fellow is their informer. He was no down-and-out. Just a well-disguised spy.'

Sean used his influence to get the secure line installed by the evening. Milo was peppering to call Tommy but before he made the call Sean warned him:

‘Be careful now! Our line here is secure but Tommy's won't be. Don't forget he's got to be careful too, not just because of the situation here but because he's a member of the British Forces. You know how that's viewed in some circles here.'

‘Thanks, Sean.'

Milo, with Noola and Maggie close by, made the connection and left his cryptic message. After Tommy's return call and promise to get home so quickly Milo seemed fractionally less agitated.

Sean now gave some strict rules for the next few days or until all had been sorted out.

‘Mageen, Bill and Harry, it would be wise for you to go to the office, as usual, tomorrow and try to keep as calm as possible. I know how difficult it will be but it's up to you now not to give the game away. So far as the office staff are concerned, your dad has an upset stomach and won't be in for a couple of days. He wouldn't be able to avoid showing how upset he is and at the moment he looks really rough – even more so than you three.'

‘Actually since tomorrow's Friday there's no reason why you shouldn't come home a bit early.'

‘Thanks, Dad, we've sometimes done that so it shouldn't raise any questions.'

‘But whatever you do make sure you stay together – safety in numbers! Go straight to the office and straight home again.'

‘Oh, Uncle Sean!'

‘I know, Mageen, I know! You won't be able to see them, I hope, but by now there's a very efficient team of my men hiding around the estate. They're to protect you all. If they've tapped your phone, then so have my people and we might be able to trace any calls from them. On the other hand they've probably thought of that, so it'll be very interesting.'

‘We owe you, Sean.'

‘Just doing my job, Milo, although this time there's a very personal interest in it. Whoever they are they deserve to be strung up for treating a frail little child like that. And they knew exactly what they were doing, hitting on the most vulnerable person in the family!'

‘What I don't understand is that they haven't contacted us yet, telling us their demands. It's driving me mad.'

‘That's all part of their strategy, Milo. It's a softening up ploy. They leave people until their nerves are in shreds, then, when people have reached the point of being willing to give them
anything
, they make their demands.'

‘We'd have given them anything anyhow, without the wait. It's tearing us apart thinking about what Izzy might be going through – the one of us least equipped to cope with something so traumatic.'

As so often happens where children are concerned, they all dramatically underestimated Izzy, quite overlooking the fact that she too was a Butler. The abductors, in turn, seriously underestimated the dogged determination of Sean and his men.

Having left Riverside at high speed, the decrepit-looking van slowed so as not to attract undue attention. It made its way at a sedate pace towards the mountain range that forms a picturesque backdrop to Dublin City and continues southwards for many miles to County Wicklow and beyond. The kidnappers had planned meticulously, trying to make sure that nothing was left to chance. The terrain lent itself well to a rapid exit from the built-up area. The numbers of dwellings thinned and then disappeared almost completely as they drove uphill, so there was minimal chance of their presence being readily detected in the quite extensive wilder parts of the region.

Their hideaway had been prepared well in advance. Some months earlier they had found and bought a tumbledown cottage, tucked into the side of a remote valley, saying they wanted to do it up for weekends for the family. It was ideally placed, approached only by a very rough track, barely accessible by a vehicle. Making sure they were not observed, they had prepared the cottage for their scheme. They had done some basic renovations, such as would be expected of anyone creating a weekend getaway for a family. At the same time they had surreptitiously dug a cellar, removing the earth in small quantities at a time. The entrance to this was from above. A trapdoor opened up into one end of the living room of the cottage and the opening could easily be camouflaged by having an armchair pulled over it.

Izzy still seemed to be heavily drugged when they reached the cottage and she was carried down into the cellar where Mac laid her on a truckle bed. Although a fully committed participant in the abduction, as he looked down at her, so pale and fragile, a remaining spark of decency gave him a fleeting twinge of conscience which he quickly stifled.

In fact Izzy wasn't unconscious. Taking her age into account and knowing she was delicate, Eddie, afraid of overdoing it, had given her a very light dose of the sedative, enough, he thought, merely to silence her while they removed her from the house. She had come to a while before they bumped along the track to the cottage. Although quite muzzy she remembered almost immediately what had happened and the plucky child stifled her first instinct to scream for her mother. She decided that she could gain most from pretending she was still unconscious and listening to what was said, picking up as much information as possible. So she didn't move and when she was eventually lifted out of the van remained limp and kept her eyes closed. Mac shouted up through the trapdoor to the room above.

‘Eddie, would you come down here and have a look at the kid?'

No answer. Eddie obviously hadn't heard him, so he went back up the ladder, leaving the trapdoor open. Izzy could hear his heavy footsteps crossing the floor and then silence. Making as little noise as possible, she climbed up the steps and cautiously popped her head through the opening.

* * * * *

On Friday morning Tommy made an early getaway and arrived at Dublin's Collinstown Airport in the late afternoon. He had decided that he would take a taxi from there rather than call Milo, which was just as well because Sean Flynn was not keen on the idea of anyone leaving the house. He arrived to find a totally freaked-out family, with an almost equally upset staff.

Tommy had asked the taxi driver to drop him off at the top of the long drive, unsure of the reaction a strange car would get under the circumstances. It was Mageen who suddenly spotted him heading for the house at a run.

‘Dad, Dad, it's Tommy. He's here – coming down the drive.'

Milo flung open the door and ran to meet him. Tommy dropped his bag and the brothers gave each other a powerful embrace. Words were unnecessary. Mageen, regarding Tommy more as brother than uncle, and devoted to him since a tiny child, was hard on Milo's heels and hurled herself into his arms.

‘Hello, gorgeous.'

‘Oh, Tommy, it's so good to see you.'

Milo looked absolutely haggard and the deep shadows under his eyes told that he had not slept since Izzy had been snatched.

‘I can't tell you how glad we all are you've come home.'

‘No happier than I am, Lo, but what dreadful circumstances! What's the latest?'

‘No word from anyone yet. We still don't know who they are or what they're after – except that we're certain they want money. It's so hard on everyone's nerves.'

‘Well your security's good and very discreet. I was stopped as I turned into the drive and almost had to produce a passport to convince them I really was a member of the family. They tried to make out they were members of the grounds staff here, looking out for trespassers. One even carried a hoe and the other a rake.'

‘Those are Sean's lads – an efficient bunch.'

‘I feel dreadful that Uncle Bob is involved.'

‘How could anybody attach any blame to you, Tommy? We're pretty sure he was only a pawn in their game anyhow – useful because of his knowledge of Riverside, that's all.'

‘But poor Aunt May?'

‘Well, yes. It looks as if he tried to finish her off. But again there's no way you could possibly be held responsible. The man's quite mad.'

‘I know and that bothers me too. Is it in the blood? It's a very frightening thought.'

‘For goodness sake, Tommy, do stop worrying. He's obviously a one-off. You've checked so carefully and told me yourself: as far back as you look there's not the slightest sign of anything of that sort in the Featherstone family. Now, come on inside and see everyone else and we'll bring you right up to date.'

There was little to add to what he already knew but he was impressed with Sean's “operations room” set-up.

‘We're just waiting for the phone call now. Sean's pretty certain that's how they'll contact us.'

Sean nodded in agreement.

The family spent the evening together, desperately trying not to upset one another by any outward display of their distress. Maggie insisted that they all try to eat something and sitting together around the table helped. They did manage to eat a token meal. They spent the rest of the time wandering around aimlessly, unable to settle to anything and never far away from the library. Like Milo, they all looked haggard from lack of sleep and worry. Having no information whatsoever, their imaginations were running riot, conjuring up the most ghastly pictures as to Izzy's possible fate.

* * * * *

In their mountain hideout, as a priority, the men set up the radio communication system they had been given by “headquarters”. They only knew the man running the organization as “Himself”. They had been instructed to report to him first thing in the morning and last thing at night, and to keep trying until they made a connection.

Wishing to attract the minimum attention they had not even made any enquiries as to the feasibility of having mains electricity installed, which, although not easy, would have been possible but would have raised much curiosity. They made do with a variety of oil lamps, some candles, a couple of Primus stoves and, lighting a good, big turf fire, they settled in for the evening. They had planned to cook a meal, intending to take a plateful to Izzy in the cellar. When she had popped her head through the trapdoor she had managed to have a quick look around the room above but could see no further before she heard the men returning and had to make a hurried retreat below. They were carrying enough in the way of supplies and equipment to last for several days and it took them some minutes to stow it all away.

She heard one of them coming down the ladder and started to moan, hoping it would sound like someone regaining consciousness. Eddie stooped down beside the truckle bed and spoke to her unexpectedly kindly.

‘Are you all right, girleen?'

She didn't answer. She had worked out a strategy of behaviour designed to worry them. She kept on moaning. Eddie shook her gently.

‘Come on now! I've brought you some food. Try to eat it – it'll help you feel a bit better.'

In spite of her courage, Izzy felt weak and frightened. She started to cry and, hoping it would generate as much sympathy as possible, she took full advantage of it and allowed great sobs to shake her small frame. She was quite right. It really worried Eddie. He sat down on the bed beside her.

‘There now, there now. If you eat some of that food it'll help.'

Izzy's stomach had gone into a great knot and the last thing she wanted was food. She just kept up the crying.

‘Eddie, will you come up here and leave the brat alone.' Willie sounded irritable.

‘She's crying, Willie.'

‘So what. I don't give a damn – girls are always crying. Just leave her. She'll shut up soon enough. Tell her if she doesn't behave we'll leave her in the dark. That should bring her to her senses. We need you up here to work this bloody stove.'

‘Eat some food, girleen. Keep your strength up. Be good. You heard what he said and he means it.' And Eddie was off up the ladder, leaving an oil lamp for lighting.

‘You're not going soft on us, Eddie, are you?'

Eddie heard the threat in Willie's voice.

‘No, I'm not, but she's only a little kid and frail with it. Just look at her! It's not her fault that she was the one we decided to snatch. If we're not careful she could become really ill. I don't like the look of her at the moment.'

‘Ah give over, Eddie. She's a Butler. I don't give a damn if she does die – that'll be one fewer of them. Leave her to me to look after. I don't mind making her life a complete misery, just like Tom Butler did to me. I just love the idea of the agony of mind he must be going through this minute. I'd leave her in the dark all the time and as far as I'm concerned I wouldn't give her any food, let alone worry if she doesn't actually eat anything.'

‘My God, Bob, what a nasty piece of goods you are!' Bad as he was even Willie couldn't go along with that idea. ‘I wouldn't do that to an adult that I didn't like, let alone a little kid.'

‘Ah you're all soft.' Bob sneered. ‘Just leave her to me.'

‘Keep away from her or you'll answer to me,' Mac threatened him. ‘Aside from every other consideration a dead hostage is no use to anyone. We've got to be able to prove she's still alive so we've got to look after her.'

Izzy had her head as close as possible to the top of the ladder and in the poorly insulated space she could hear some of their conversation. Who was this extremely nasty “Bob”? Why did he hate the Butlers and why did he mention Tom Butler? Her grandpa she supposed – but he was dead. He really frightened her and she hoped he would never be left in charge of her. Bob, on the other hand, was quite determined that he would get his chance to hurt her and as badly as possible. His fingers curled in anticipation of the pleasure he would get from slowly choking the life out of a hated Butler.