False Mermaid

Nora barely left Elizabeth’s bedside at the hospital. She spent the night in a chair. Now she stood looking down at her niece, and noticed the child’s eyes moving almost imperceptibly under their lids in the dim half light. What did Elizabeth dream about, in that mysterious, overpowering sleep? Given all that had happened, no one could blame her for not wanting to wake to the world again. Seized by a sudden stab of fear, Nora leaned forward and spoke softly into Elizabeth’s ear: “Come back to us, Lizzabet—you’re not finished here.”

Elizabeth stirred and drew a deep breath as though finally surfacing. She pushed herself up from the pillow and opened her eyes, though she didn’t seem completely conscious. Nora reached out to rouse Cormac, who was dozing in the chair in the corner.

“I’ll get the nurse,” he said, and quickly headed off down the hall.

“I’m thirsty,” Elizabeth murmured.

Nora poured a glass of water and pressed it into her niece’s hand. “How are you feeling?”

“Where’s my dad? I have to see my dad.”

Nora moved closer. “What about something to eat?”

Elizabeth shook her head and gave a great yawn as she sank back on the pillow again. “No, I just want to see my dad. Where is he?”

“He’s—not here, Lizzabet.”

“What do you mean? Where is he?” She seemed to understand that something was not right, and sat up in the bed, regarding Nora with alarm, as if she suspected some conspiracy. “Why won’t you tell me where he is?”

“Oh, Lizzabet. He fell, out at the harbor—there was a struggle, and he and Miranda fell—” She couldn’t say any more.

Elizabeth drew herself up against the headboard. Her voice was a whisper: “He’s dead, isn’t he? My daddy is dead?”

Nora could only nod. She reached out, but Elizabeth pushed her hand away, and began to thrash under the bedclothes as the memories began to return. “I heard, all that stuff you said about him to Miranda. It’s not true—it can’t be. You’re a liar!” She struck out, landing a few hard slaps before Nora could fend her off. “Why would you say those things? You’re nothing but a stinking liar!”

Nora tried to move closer, to calm her. “Lizzabet, please listen, please—”

But Elizabeth kept thrashing. “Get out! You don’t know anything. I don’t want you here. Get out!”

Nora backed away and retreated into the corridor, the angry slaps still smarting. What did she think would happen, how had she imagined a child might respond to such news? That was the trouble—she hadn’t imagined anything. She had never let herself get that far. It was always about nailing down evidence, convicting Peter, not about the consequences that would follow. She had let herself imagine that everything would be resolved, if only justice prevailed, if only she could convince the world of Peter Hallett’s guilt. But she had so far failed to convince the one person whose belief mattered most.

Her parents would be arriving tomorrow, and what would she say to them? After everything, there was still no concrete proof against Peter. He was ultimately responsible for the deaths of at least five people, maybe more, but it was possible that there never would be any proof. It had come down to her word against his, yet again.

Nora leaned forward and pressed her aching head against the cold tiles of the corridor. She felt so weary. It was clear from everything Miranda told her out on the headland, everything she’d learned from Frank, that they’d only begun to scratch the surface. But who would continue digging, now that Tríona’s killers were dead? She couldn’t rely on Frank any longer—the case would be officially closed. He had other leads to follow, other responsibilities. They might speak on the phone, but Nora knew with perfect certainty that she would never lay eyes on Frank Cordova again. This was not the way things were supposed to happen. Peter Hallett would continue to dog her for the rest of her life.

Nora felt someone standing behind her. Cormac touched her shoulder. “Elizabeth is all right,” he said. “The nurse is with her now. She’s still in shock, Nora.”

“He turned her against me—he’s still turning her against me, even after he’s dead. She’s never going to believe anything I say.”

“Elizabeth has to protect herself right now, Nora. Just to survive. It’s going to take some time for her to see what’s true and what isn’t.”

“She heard everything, Cormac. What he did to Tríona, what he was doing to Miranda. How can she not believe it?”

“She’s a child, Nora. All the family she’s had for the past five years is suddenly ripped away, and she doesn’t know where to turn. She’s suddenly thrust into the adult world, not at all sure that’s where she wants to be. You can’t blame her for wanting to retreat back into the past, the time when she still believed her father a decent man. We all want to believe our fathers are decent men. Even if they’re not.” He turned her around. “Will you come with me? There’s someone I want you to meet.”

“I can’t, Cormac—”