Charters spend so much time at Lynch’s boatyard.
Lynch? Kendall murmured. Is it possible that Derren Lynch was working with Charters? The associate that Whittaker had mentioned. Kendall shook his head. He could hardly believe it. But it did make sense. According to Keiron, Charters spent a lot of time at Lynch’s boatyard. They were probably discussing things, and comparing notes.
“He never done it you know,” the boy suddenly announced.
“Done it,” repeated Kendall surprised. “Done what?”
“Oh you know. The man on the beach,” Keiron explained. “Mr. Charters never did it, he wouldn’t harm a fly. He was gentle and kind.”
Kendall nodded. “I’ll remember what you said, Keiron,” he replied. “You know I don’t think he did it either.”
Kendall shook his head, and started to smile as he remembered what he had been thinking just a few short minutes ago. Perhaps Charters was guilty as charged. Might as well pack up and go home. He shook his head once again and looked at the boy.
“So Keiron, what do you do around here?” Kendall asked. “I mean what do you do for fun?”
The boy smiled. “Well there’s not a lot to be honest. There’s the football club, but it’s not much. We don’t have a full team you see. And even if we did there’s no one to play against.”
He paused for a moment, and reached inside his coat pocket. “Would you like to see my badge?” He held out his hand, and proudly displayed a silver and bronze, Killmacud F.C. badge. “Mr Charters had one just like it, and so does Mr Lynch. They are both members.”
Somehow Kendall could not imagine Keiron and Lynch playing a game of football. “So did they play?” Kendall asked.
The boy laughed. “No, they never played,” he answered. “They were just supporters, and ran the club. Mr. Charters was the Secretary, and Mr. Lynch was in charge of the money.”
Kendall smiled, certainly the club would need to be organised, and properly run, and keeping the accounts would be necessary. “So is there anything else?” Kendall asked.
“Well, I have to go to school of course,” Keiron continued. “It’s in the next village. And I help Mr. O’Rourke at the hotel, when I can. But most of all I like helping Mr. Lynch at the yard. He’s teaching me fishing.”
Fishing! Kendall thought. Fishing, and a football club that didn’t have a full team, or anyone to play, and that was it. The excitement must be overwhelming. “That sounds pretty good,” Kendall said, trying to sound that he meant it. “How’s it coming?”
The boy shook his head. “Not good,” he replied. He paused for a moment, and then heaved a sigh. “I best get back, Mr. O’Rourke wants me to help re-stock the bar.”
He started to walk towards the door. Kendall put his hand out. “Just a sec,” he called out. He reached into his pocket and took out a five euro note. He handed it to Keiron. The boy thanked him, opened the door and went out.
Kendall watched as the door closed. He shook his head. He still could not believe it. Charters and Lynch, friends. It just didn’t seem possible, but there it was. Keiron had said so, so it must be right. He looked across at the telephone. He decided to give Whittaker a call, but with a different message.
He dialled the number. It was answered on the fourth ring.
“Chief Inspector, it’s me, Kendall.”
“Hello Tom,” replied Whittaker. “So how’s it going?”
Kendall thought for a few moments, and smiled. “Well its early days,” he said. “But we’re making progress.”
* * *
Chapter Eight
Local Excitement
During dinner later that evening, Kendall had told Mollie about his conversation with Keiron. “So it seems that our friend, Derren Lynch was working with Charters,” Kendall explained. He was the associate that Whittaker mentioned.”
Mollie shook her head. “I don’t believe it,” she replied. “I just don’t like the guy.”
Kendall shook his head, and smiled.
Lynch? Kendall murmured. Is it possible that Derren Lynch was working with Charters? The associate that Whittaker had mentioned. Kendall shook his head. He could hardly believe it. But it did make sense. According to Keiron, Charters spent a lot of time at Lynch’s boatyard. They were probably discussing things, and comparing notes.
“He never done it you know,” the boy suddenly announced.
“Done it,” repeated Kendall surprised. “Done what?”
“Oh you know. The man on the beach,” Keiron explained. “Mr. Charters never did it, he wouldn’t harm a fly. He was gentle and kind.”
Kendall nodded. “I’ll remember what you said, Keiron,” he replied. “You know I don’t think he did it either.”
Kendall shook his head, and started to smile as he remembered what he had been thinking just a few short minutes ago. Perhaps Charters was guilty as charged. Might as well pack up and go home. He shook his head once again and looked at the boy.
“So Keiron, what do you do around here?” Kendall asked. “I mean what do you do for fun?”
The boy smiled. “Well there’s not a lot to be honest. There’s the football club, but it’s not much. We don’t have a full team you see. And even if we did there’s no one to play against.”
He paused for a moment, and reached inside his coat pocket. “Would you like to see my badge?” He held out his hand, and proudly displayed a silver and bronze, Killmacud F.C. badge. “Mr Charters had one just like it, and so does Mr Lynch. They are both members.”
Somehow Kendall could not imagine Keiron and Lynch playing a game of football. “So did they play?” Kendall asked.
The boy laughed. “No, they never played,” he answered. “They were just supporters, and ran the club. Mr. Charters was the Secretary, and Mr. Lynch was in charge of the money.”
Kendall smiled, certainly the club would need to be organised, and properly run, and keeping the accounts would be necessary. “So is there anything else?” Kendall asked.
“Well, I have to go to school of course,” Keiron continued. “It’s in the next village. And I help Mr. O’Rourke at the hotel, when I can. But most of all I like helping Mr. Lynch at the yard. He’s teaching me fishing.”
Fishing! Kendall thought. Fishing, and a football club that didn’t have a full team, or anyone to play, and that was it. The excitement must be overwhelming. “That sounds pretty good,” Kendall said, trying to sound that he meant it. “How’s it coming?”
The boy shook his head. “Not good,” he replied. He paused for a moment, and then heaved a sigh. “I best get back, Mr. O’Rourke wants me to help re-stock the bar.”
He started to walk towards the door. Kendall put his hand out. “Just a sec,” he called out. He reached into his pocket and took out a five euro note. He handed it to Keiron. The boy thanked him, opened the door and went out.
Kendall watched as the door closed. He shook his head. He still could not believe it. Charters and Lynch, friends. It just didn’t seem possible, but there it was. Keiron had said so, so it must be right. He looked across at the telephone. He decided to give Whittaker a call, but with a different message.
He dialled the number. It was answered on the fourth ring.
“Chief Inspector, it’s me, Kendall.”
“Hello Tom,” replied Whittaker. “So how’s it going?”
Kendall thought for a few moments, and smiled. “Well its early days,” he said. “But we’re making progress.”
* * *
Chapter Eight
Local Excitement
During dinner later that evening, Kendall had told Mollie about his conversation with Keiron. “So it seems that our friend, Derren Lynch was working with Charters,” Kendall explained. He was the associate that Whittaker mentioned.”
Mollie shook her head. “I don’t believe it,” she replied. “I just don’t like the guy.”
Kendall shook his head, and smiled.
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