Shadows of Deceit (18 page)

“I think I may have mentioned that Dermot told me that Darlath had a girl friend over here. But Dermot didn’t want too many people to know yet as that may cause embarrassment to Darlath. Dermot told me about it last night. That was the secret really …”

Eileen and Harry looked at each other,

“Yes that was it.” Eileen said, adding,

“So there’s nothing else then?”

Somewhat relieved Steve relaxed a little,

“No, so please keep it a secret. I shouldn’t have told you.”

He drank more tea, “Well I must go; I overslept and am late for a meeting in town.” He stood up, “Dermot’s going to get a taxi back to his place. I’ll see you soon. Goodbye for now.”

Steve was eager to move away and Braille-like he felt his way table by table, chair by chair out into the reception area; his body still suffering nausea and pain from over indulgence.

Eileen and Harry followed his slow progress out into the fresh air, “Well what was all that about?” Harry asked, “We knew about the ‘girl friend’ but I’ve a feeling there’s something else he’s hiding?”

“Yes you’re right I picked up that thought as well. The thing is, Steve and Dermot don’t know that the encounter Dermot saw was in fact Andrew and Darlath together. This is all getting too confusing. My wish is for you and me to have a happy and a very simple life together.” Eileen said as she reached across to hold Harry’s hand.

“If you’re happy then I’m simple!”

They both laughed.

Harry gave Eileen the share of his project money to look after and bank. Over the next three weeks he had moved in with her and had continued collecting rents for Andrew during each weekday. No other ‘secrets’ about Darlath and Andrew had emerged during this interim period.

It was a dark cold Friday afternoon in December when Harry returned to Andrew’s flat with the day’s collections. As he walked past the pawnbrokers he noticed a mother with two small very excited children looking in at the window display. All three were dressed in dark, ill fitting, rather shabby outer clothing. The woman’s hair was wrapped in a cloth turban.

“Look Mum.” The children pointed at the window.

A wooden doll’s house was opened to reveal all the rooms full of tiny furniture and fittings. Next to it was a clockwork train set and a station building with miniature models of people carrying suitcases waiting for the next arrival. Behind that was a dolls pram, a football and a cricket bat, all of the items appeared to be in reasonable condition.

“Come on luvvies, time to go home. We’ll see what Santa brings you.”

They hurried away.

Harry watched the children skip along the pavement holding on to their Mother’s hands until they disappeared amongst the crowds of people by the market stalls. He suddenly felt very empty and guilty perhaps. He now had wealth and potential happiness and could so easily have given that woman some money to help her out over Christmas. He remembered his childhood with his younger brother David. They weren’t a wealthy family but they were always well dressed and food seemed plentiful. He recalled that Christmas’s were good fun with parties and cousins visiting. He remembered his own Mother’s Christmas rule that ensured that one toy in good condition would be given away to a children’s home each year before any new ones arrived. Harry suddenly felt melancholic; those poor children he had just seen had endured over three years of war and deprivation yet still appeared happy and excited about the magic of Christmas. He envisaged their father still fighting somewhere or perhaps he had already been killed. For the first time since Dunkirk he felt a sense of utter loneliness and regret that he hadn’t stayed on with the other men in his regiment. He stopped in a shop doorway and smoked a cigarette. He couldn’t clear his mind of the image of those two children, perhaps fatherless and without sufficient means. A single tear welled up in each of his eyes and slowly rolled across his cheeks,

“Out the way sir!”

A voice from within the shop startled Harry. He turned and stood aside to let a man pushing a sack truck out onto the street.

“More spuds needed urgently sir!”

The porter continued out towards a vegetable stall in the centre of the road.

“I’m sorry...”

Harry said regaining his composure. His apology went unheard.

He walked on to Andrew’s flat and rang the doorbell. He waited and then rang again. As there was no response he dug deeply into his pocket to find his key ring. He still had Andrew’s key from when he first stayed there. Once inside he climbed the stairs and heard music playing from the radio in the sitting room, “Andrew!” He shouted,

“It’s Harry where are you?”

“In the bath, I’m just coming out. Help yourself to a drink!”

Harry poured a drink, took his mac off and sat in one of the settees by the fireside.

“I’m glad you called in.”

Andrew walked into the room wearing a Chinese silk dressing gown, he was still scrubbing his hair dry with a large towel.

“How are you?”

“I’m fine. I’ve just brought you the takings.”

Andrew poured himself a drink and sat down on the other settee facing Harry.

“Thank you, that’s good. It’s just that Tommy ‘phoned this afternoon to say that Darlath is coming over on Monday. We all need to meet up with him to discuss the next project.”

“Oh I see, so soon after the last one. But yes that’s OK with me. Monday evening’s fine.”

“Between you and me, Darlath rang me anyway. Our projects are not normally this close together but apparently this could be the biggest job ever for us. Something really hot he told me.”

“I see, where are we meeting?”

“Tommy suggested at Michael’s again. If we go to the garage about seven he’ll arrange to take us over by car.”

“OK, I’ll be there. How are things with you and Darlath, has Dermot or any of the others cottoned on yet?”

“No, thank God. Darlath was here last weekend, we stayed in the whole time. We need to get away somewhere, away from Glasgow to live. Perhaps after this next job, if it is as large as Darlath says, we can then make the move.”

“How’s his father?”

“Dermot - well he’s started some new treatment apparently but he’s still drinking too much. You probably know he discharged himself from hospital and refuses to go back now. Darlath is furious; he’s getting pretty concerned about him. The trouble is, he goes out with Steve a lot and together they just do everything to excess. It’s not helping his condition.”

“Andrew, what about your key. Do you want it back?”

“No you hang on to it. I trust you. In any case when I’m out it’s useful for you to be able to get to the wall safe.”

“Well if you’re sure. I don’t want to intrude on your life especially if Darlath is staying more frequently now.”

“Look just knock and if there’s no reply come in.”

Harry sat forward on the settee, “Andrew?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve been thinking. The next job we do will be my last. Afterwards I’m going to give myself up to the military.”

“What’s brought this about?”

“Well you know that I’ve always said I would go back. Perhaps I need to do it sooner; I feel I need to set a date, a target to aim for. Otherwise I’ll simply keep pushing it back. I’ve firmly decided that after the next project I’m going to give myself in. Something that happened earlier to-day finally made my mind up for me.”

“Go on?”

“A young mother with her two children alone and preparing for Christmas. That was the trigger that has convinced me, plus I need to be fair to Eileen. She knows it’s what I want to do. I’m going back in to do my bit again.”

“What about Eileen, have you told her?”

“No, not yet. But as I said she knows it was always my intention to return. She won’t be too surprised.”

The telephone rang and Andrew went to the desk to answer, “Hello – Oh Darlath, how are you?” Andrew turned to Harry, “It’s Darlath.” he whispered, “Yes Harry’s here. Yes. Darlath says hello Harry.”

“Tell Darlath I’ll see him on Monday. I’ll leave you alone, thanks for the drink.”

Harry stood up and put his coat on and waved as he walked to the stairs.

Once in the fresh air Harry turned to walk towards Eileen’s flat. Within about a mile he came across a Catholic Church where the congregation were emerging after a service that had just been held. He climbed the steps and went inside to the lobby. ‘Why have I done this?’ he thought. As a child he attended church with his mother but then drifted away in his teens until he was obliged to attend services again in the Army. He crossed himself with holy water and entered. There were still four people remaining inside. Two were kneeling in prayer and the other two were stacking hymn books and generally clearing up after the service. Harry walked down to the Sacristy and sat in the front pew gazing up at the domed ceiling. The vault was decorated in a distinctly idealistic style with biblical stories of the Eucharist and scenes of the Nativity. ‘I’d forgotten so much.’ He thought as he looked at the Christmas scenes. ‘How strange to find this place after feeling so sorry for that mother with her children earlier. It’ll soon be Christmas again and what have I achieved this year?’ he thought.

“Hello, can I help you in any way, I’m Father Carroll?”

Harry looked up to see the Priest, a man in his seventies, tall, with grey hair and large deep blue eyes, he spoke with a strong Irish accent. Harry smiled,

“Thank you but no, I’ve just come in to look. I happened to be passing the door when your service ended.”

“Are you alone?”

“I’m on my own now but I’m off to meet someone shortly if that’s what you mean?”

A short pause followed,

“Tell me, what do you think made you come in tonight?”

The Priest smiled down at Harry.

“As I said, I just happened to be passing when I saw people, the congregation coming out and…”

“Can you think of a reason, perhaps only a tiny thought that made you enter here this evening?”

Harry knew the reason but initially felt it was his own little secret, he would feel embarrassed if he divulged what had happened earlier in the day. The Priest smiled again he wasn’t going to let Harry off the hook so easily.

“Anything at all?” he said.

Harry decided to tell, there was no reason to hide what he had been thinking. He sighed,

“Well earlier today I saw a mother with her children. They were looking forward to Christmas but I noticed how poorly clothed they were. The children were looking at toys in a shop window and I just knew somehow that Christmas for them would be a meagre affair. I just felt extremely sorry for them in that moment. It just made me think a bit. Then they went on their way and I carried on with my business for the day and just as I turned into this road this evening I came across your Church. Here I am, and what I find really appropriate is that the Christmas story is painted above us here, it just sort of fits the mood I was in earlier.”

“There it is then. Are you happier now that you’ve come in here?”

“I’ve resolved a problem today that had been troubling me, now I’ve made my mind up. Does that make any sense?”

“Indeed it does to me. Pardon me but what is your name?”

“Harry.”

“Well Harry it does make sense to me. Now you’re very welcome to come back at any time, perhaps even to attend one of our services. But if you feel that you can donate some money to the local children’s home then there’s a box at the back of the Church. That is up to you. Before I go tell me, and I don’t want to pry, but are you in trouble of any kind, I sense that there may be something else that you’re concerned about?”

“I have a complicated life at the moment, but I’m sorting it, thank you.”

“Then I bless you Harry. Please return here when you can.

“Goodnight and thank you for your time.”

The Priest gently touched Harry’s shoulder before walking over to the two Wardens.

Harry stood up and genuflected.

At the back of the Church he emptied his wallet into the ‘Children’s Home’ collecting box and continued on his journey to meet Eileen.

Harry, Andrew and Darlath were welcomed at the garage by Tommy. It had been arranged that he would drive them out to Michael’s cottage. Steve had collected Dermot from his hotel and would meet the others there.

At the cottage Michael slowly opened the front door and quietly welcomed the men.

“Come in, come in Gentlemen. The fire’s lit so everything is cosy for you. Drinks are on the tray as usual. Dermot and Steven are already here.”

The men greeted each other upon entering the room.

“Hello Dad.”

Dermot looked terrible. He appeared to have aged greatly over the past weeks.

“Darlath. It’s good to see you.”

He coughed and immediately regretted it as it sparked off a sharp gnawing pain in his bladder.

“Take it easy Dad. Do you need any tablets or anything?”

“No.” He rasped as he tried to get more comfortable in the armchair. “Let’s get on with the meeting then I can go back to my bed.”