Harm’s Reach

‘Well, it’s ringing,’ said Ren. ‘And it’s an overseas ringtone. Nessa Lally may just be in Ireland after all.’

Her eyes were on Janine’s piano fingers as she waited.

‘You are such a fast typist,’ said Ren. ‘It’s insane.’

‘You know it, girl,’ said Janine.

‘Hello,’ said Ren, sitting up. ‘Is this Nessa Lally?’

‘Yes.’

‘My name is Special Agent Ren Bryce. I’m with the FBI in Denver. The Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force. Is this a good time?’

‘The FBI?’ said Nessa. ‘Seriously?’

‘Yes, ma’am,’ said Ren. That ma’am will convince her.

‘Is everything OK?’ said Nessa.

‘I’m afraid not,’ said Ren. ‘I’ve got some bad news about your friend, Laura Flynn.’

‘Laura Flynn?’ said Nessa.

‘Yes,’ said Ren, ‘I’m sorry to tell you that she was the victim of a homicide.’

‘Oh my God,’ said Nessa. ‘No way. Laura? No way. In Denver? What was she doing in Denver? I knew she’d moved to New York, but …’

What? ‘You knew she’d moved to New York?’ said Ren.

‘It’s just … I haven’t seen her in years,’ said Nessa. ‘How did you even get my number?’

‘Aren’t you friends with Laura?’ said Ren.

‘Not now, no,’ said Nessa. ‘I used to be, there was a big gang of us used to hang around together, but we haven’t seen each other in, easily, six or seven years.’

‘Laura told her employers last week that your mother died and that because you were illegal you couldn’t fly back to Ireland for the funeral, so she was going to spend the weekend with you for support,’ said Ren. ‘We obviously now know that you’re legal …’

‘Thank God I am,’ said Nessa. ‘My mam did die last week, but yeah, I came back from Chicago for the funeral. But, Laura … that’s so weird. I haven’t spoken to her in years. Someone else must have told her about mam.’ She gave a grim laugh. ‘In fairness, she always used to use me as an alibi in college when she was lying to her mother about where she was staying.’

I wonder what she was lying about this time.

‘What did Laura study in college?’ said Ren.

‘Psychology,’ said Nessa. ‘She’s got a degree. But it’s impossible to get a job in it. And she would have needed a PhD in the States to do more with it. I don’t know anyone who can afford to do that.’

‘Was there anyone else she might have known in Chicago?’ said Ren. ‘Anyone else from your hometown?’

‘I don’t know,’ said Nessa. ‘But I can ask around for you.’

‘Did any of her friends end up in New York?’ said Ren.

‘Yes,’ said Nessa. ‘I can get their names for you if that would help?’

‘Yes,’ said Ren. ‘Thank you. Nessa, what kind of girl was Laura? Was she the type to get involved with the wrong crowd?’ What a shit expression. ‘Was she a risk-taker?’

‘No, not at all,’ said Nessa. ‘Her father and her sister were big drinkers … and that definitely turned Laura off it, like she was very conscious that addiction runs in families. So I doubt she’d ever get into anything serious, like drugs or anything like that, if that’s what you mean. She dated a few losers, but not, like, psychos or anything.’ She paused. ‘Jesus, though, Laura really did have a shitty childhood with her father being such an alco around town and her mother always taking him back or showing up and they’d have huge rows in front of everyone. Laura always kind of rose above it. She was like one of those little flowers you see growing in a weird place. Like on the side of some shitty road in the middle of nowhere.’

Ren slid off Janine’s desk and grabbed a chair to sit on.

‘If you lead a tragic life, don’t you deserve to have a beautiful death?’ said Ren. ‘Garlands of white flowers, unicorns, dancing sprites, lyres, lutes … not sure if they’re the same thing …’

‘Me neither,’ said Janine.

Ren filled her in on the other side of the conversation with Nessa Lally.

‘What I’m kind of confused about,’ said Ren, ‘is the surrogacy thing … if this is a surrogacy. Aren’t the Catholic Church anti-surrogacy, anti-IVF …’

‘They are,’ said Janine.

‘How would that sit with Robert Prince?’ said Ren. ‘Wouldn’t this look bad if it came out? That this prominent Catholic was, in fact, using a surrogate? I mean, that’s a massive conflict right there.’

‘Wouldn’t he have just not gone along with it in the first place if he had such a problem with it?’ said Janine.

‘Who knows?’ said Ren. ‘Change of heart? Or is he one of those men that messes with women’s heads?’ She paused. ‘Maybe it’s the Order of Catholic businessy thing.’ She Googled it. ‘OK – OCBLA. The Order of Catholic Business Leaders of America. Let me go back over this. So he failed in his bid to be elected chairman in 2005, and in 2010.’

Five-year term.

Next election: 2015.

Ren Googled the former chairmen.

‘All the former chairmen were multi-millionaires, all male, all married with kids. Robert Prince was unmarried when he first ran. He was married when he ran a second time in 2010, but he had no children. He didn’t get elected. So, if this surrogacy had been successful, he would have had a child by 2015 … albeit in a manner that would go against the beliefs of all the members of the organization.’

‘Cynical,’ said Janine.

‘Yes,’ said Ren. She searched to see if he was running for the following year. There was no mention of it.

‘Let me call Eli Baer in New York.’ She dialed his number. ‘Instant response, I love it. Eli, it’s Ren Bryce. What do you know about the Order of Catholic Business Leaders of America?’

‘Apart from it takes a long time to say it, it’s an exclusive new-but-old boys’ club …’ said Eli.

‘Secret handshakes …’ said Ren.

‘Yes.’

‘Do you know of Robert Prince’s involvement with it?’ said Ren.

‘I do not,’ said Eli, ‘but I know who to ask.’