Vanished

PART 1

Dun Laoghaire

Dublin, Ireland

April – October 1975

Chapter 1

Friday 6th | 8:55 a.m.

Did you hear about Lucinda Grey? said Sally White excitedly, pushing her way into the small group of girls gathered in a corner of the school yard. She never came home from the disco last night! You’re joking, said Mary Byrne. I was even surprised that she pulled herself away from her books long enough to even go to the disco!

No it’s true, contributed Majella Byrne joining the group. Her mother was phoning our house at eight o’clock this morning to see was she staying with me. And do you know what? My Dad gave us a lift home and I actually saw her walk up to her front door. Did you see her go inside? asked Sally. No, replied Majella, but she was actually at the front door when Dad’s car pulled away.

What can have happened to her? asked Mary. It’s not as if a load of Prince Charmings were queuing up to whisk her off her feet! It’s not as if they could, even if they wanted to! Ah come on, Mary – that’s not fair – she’s not that fat! Anyway we should be worried that one of our class-mates is missing and try to offer constructive suggestions instead of taking the piss!

Majella did look genuinely worried and after all, she was the closest thing Lucinda had to a friend. Lucinda was such a shy, quiet young girl that you would hardly notice that she was in a group most of the time. Majella was one of the few girls in the class who always made an effort to draw her out.

Did her mother call the cops yet? asked Antoinette Donegan. She hadn’t when she rang me, said Majella. But I think she was planning to soon if Lucinda didn’t turn up. She needn’t bother yet because the cops won’t do anything until she’s missing twenty-four hours, interjected Sally. Do you hear Miss Marple here, said Majella. How do you know that? That’s on all the cop and detective programmes on the television. Sure everyone knows that!" replied Sally but her knowledgeable response was interrupted by the first bell and the little group started to disperse and make their way to their various classrooms.

9:02 a.m.

Girls, settle down! What is wrong with you this morning? asked Miss Kelly, the Maths teacher, sternly. Miss, did you not hear that Lucinda Grey has gone missing? What do you mean, missing? asked the teacher, her face registering shock and concern. Well she never came home last night, said Sally. At least she wasn’t in her house this morning but she did get a lift home with Majella’s dad after the disco, didn’t she Majella? Yes replied Majella. Dad picked us up from the disco, we dropped Lucinda at her house and I saw her walking up to her front door. Did you see her go in? asked Miss Kelly. I wish people would stop asking that! No, I didn’t see her go in but she probably did – she was right at the door, but I was trying to tune in Radio Luxembourg on the radio ‘cos Dad always has it at that boring Radio Eireann.

What time was this? asked Miss Kelly, thinking that she should gather as much information as possible for the Gardai while the information was fresh in the students’ minds. It must have been nearly twelve, replied Majella. Oh, though wait, just when I got it tuned in, the news came on so it was almost exactly twelve when we pulled up to Lucinda’s. So you were actually the last person to see Lucinda alive, interjected Maureen Murphy, who had not been part of the group in the yard. What do you mean? asked Majella in high decibels. Nobody said anything about Lucinda being dead! But what else could have happened? asked Mary. It’s not as if she’s run off with Gilbert O’Sullivan! Girls, girls! interrupted Miss Kelly. I think you should not discuss this anymore until the Gardai arrive which I am sure will be very soon. At least I hope they will, she thought. This is getting out of control!

Chapter 2

Friday 6th | 9:30 a.m.

Oh Tommy, where is our little girl? There must be something really wrong with her or she would be here. She would never put us through all this worry. Angela Gray wrung her hands in anguish as she spoke to her husband and tried valiantly to hold off the tears with limited success. I don’t know, love, I agree that our Lucinda would not put us through this but maybe there is a logical reason why she is not here this morning. Maybe she stayed with a different friend last night and they were up half the night talking and didn’t wake up in time for school, said Tommy, trying to diffuse the situation, but knowing in his heart that this didn’t make sense. Upset as Angela was, she could see through his suggestion.

Oh Tommy, you know that didn’t happen, she said. Majella told us that Lucinda was brought home by her dad and she saw her walking right up to our front door. I know, darling, but I really think there has to be a logical explanation. Lucinda is such a good girl, she wouldn’t do anything to hurt us and how could anything bad have happened to her in the few seconds between being dropped at the front door and Gerry Byrne driving away? Mind you, what sort of a fool was he to drive away before he saw Lucinda actually come into the house? Anytime I leave any of Lucinda’s friends home, I always wait till I see them get in and the lights come on. What was his big bloody hurry?

This revelation that their current plight could have been prevented by a few seconds of patience by Gerry Byrne finally got the better of Angela’s struggle to hold back the tears and they flowed, unchecked down her face, her whole body shaking with the sobs. Tommy moved closer to her on the sofa and enfolded her in his big, strong arms. In any other situation Angela would have thought what she usually thought when her husband’s solid arms enveloped her – that she was so lucky after twenty-five years of marriage to still feel loved and protected every time he did this.

She was usually completely confident that her big burly husband, with the body of a labourer and the sharp mind of a scientist, could solve any problem. But this morning even her husband’s big familiar presence and the feel of his arms around her did not reassure her and the sobs wracked her body. There, there, pet. Don’t cry, we have to be strong for Lucinda’s sake. Wherever she is, she needs us to do everything we can to find her. As if on cue the doorbell rang and Tommy had to peel his arms away from Angela to go and answer it.

Standing on the doorstep was a male Garda who rivaled Tommy’s height and build and a young Ban Garda who was dwarfed by her colleague. Good morning, sir. I am Sergeant Ronan Cleary and this is my colleague, Ban Garda Mairead Thornton. We have come to ask you some questions about your daughter. Come in, come in, said Tommy. Thank you for coming so soon. He led them into the sitting room where Angela was trying valiantly to get her tears under control. She finally won the battle and introductions were made all round. Sergeant Cleary cleared his throat and looked very official. Well, we had better get down to business, he said. I just need to ask you a few questions. Firstly, has Lucinda ever done anything like this before? Not turned up when she should have? No, said Tommy immediately, wishing to defend his daughter. She is one of the most reliable girls you could meet. Always punctual, doing exactly what she should be doing. And you, Mrs Gray, would agree with that? asked the Sergeant Certainly, said Angela, her voice becoming clear and strong as Tommy’s words about being strong for Lucinda echoed in her head. Lucinda has never given us a moment’s worry. She is a very considerate girl and Tommy and I were just saying that there must be something really wrong because she wouldn’t put us through this.

Has Lucinda ever been in any trouble at school? asked the Ban Garda. No, said Angela. She is usually top of her class and we have never had a single complaint about her. She got all As and Bs in her Inter. Cert. and we are expecting her to do very well in her Leaving Cert. How does she get on with her friends in school? asked Sergeant Cleary. Well, said Tommy Lucinda is a shy girl. She does not have that many close friends. I suppose Majella Byrne would be her only real close friend, but she gets on okay with the other girls in her class or at least we’ve never heard any complaints about them. Majella was the girl Lucinda got the lift home with. Is that right? asked Mairead, the Ban Garda. Yes, replied Angela. Tommy left them at the disco and Gerry, Majella’s father picked them up. Does Lucinda go to many discos? enquired the Sergeant. No said Tommy. I think this one was only her third or fourth at the most.

At this point Sergeant Cleary shifted a little in his seat, as if he were uncomfortable and, clearing his throat, he asked: Have you noticed if there are any of Lucinda’s clothes or belongings missing? What do you mean? shouted Angela angrily suddenly standing up and glowering at the Sergeant. You surely don’t think that Lucinda has run away or left of her own free will, do you? For God’s sake how many different ways do we have to tell you that Lucinda would not do something like that. She wouldn’t leave us and whatever about us there is no way that she would leave that cat! she concluded, pointing over at the white and black cat sitting contentedly in front of the fire.

Lucinda has that cat, Smig, since her twelfth birthday and they idolise each other. There is no way on God’s good earth that she would leave that cat! repeated Angela at high decibels. Don’t upset yourself, Mrs Gray, said Mairead gently, going over to the older woman and putting an arm around her shoulders. Have you looked at Lucinda’s things at all? If you like I can go upstairs with you and help you look through them. Angela looked undecided, as if she could not make up her mind whether to be reasonable or to dig her heels in. Well I suppose it will do no harm to have a look around. I am sure it will confirm that Lucinda never left here of her own free will, said Angela eventually making her way towards the door with Mairead closely on her heels.

Well, Mr Gray, is it ok if I continue to ask you a few questions? said Sergeant Cleary. Of course, lad. We will co-operate in any way we can to get our Lucinda home. Would you say that Lucinda is a happy girl, Mr Gray? asked the Sergeant, getting straight back to business. Yes, said Tommy. Would you say that she has any problems, Mr Gray? No. Has her mood changed at all lately? No more than any other moody teenager. Have you any idea at all why she is gone missing or where she could be? Absolutely none. If I had I would be there looking for her. And speaking of looking for her, when are you going to stop annoying us with all these questions and get out there and start searching? Very soon now, Mr Gray, but I’m sure you will appreciate that the more information we have before we start searching, the more likely we are to find your daughter.

Meanwhile upstairs, Angela and Mairead had found nothing missing, not even Lucinda’s passport. Angela felt vindicated, but also slightly disappointed because she felt that if some of Lucinda’s stuff was missing, it might mean that there was a simple explanation to all this and Lucinda was staying with some other friend that she forget to tell her and Tommy about. Oh cop on to yourself, Angela, she thought. Lucinda doesn’t have any other friends apart from Majella. Mairead interrupted her thoughts, asking her if Lucinda seemed worried about anything recently. Not worried as such, Angela replied, but she was even quieter than usual in the last few months. Was she always a quiet girl? No not at all. When she was a little girl she was very bubbly and out-going. Around the time she became a teenager, she seemed to suddenly change and became a lot more introverted. I remember asking her a few times if there was anything wrong but she always said no so I thought she was just becoming a moody teenager. In the last few months, as I said, she had become even more withdrawn but again she kept telling me she was fine so I thought she was just worried about the Leaving. Yes, well teenagers can be hard to figure out, replied Mairead. Anyway, I think we will rejoin the gentleman downstairs. There are a few more questions we need to ask you both together.

Ah ladies, how did you get on? asked Sergeant Cleary. Did you find anything missing? No, replied Ban Garda Thornton, dropping a passport into the middle of the table. Mrs Grey could find nothing missing. Even Lucinda’s passport. So it is looking as if Lucinda was abducted, is that what you are saying? asked Tommy beginning to sound frantic. Well I suppose that is one possibility, replied Sergeant Cleary, but we have to keep an open mind on things. One thing we will need is a recent photograph of Lucinda. Can one of you get me that? That one on the mantelpiece is probably the most recent. said Angela. It was taken the Christmas before last. Lucinda seemed to be very camera shy lately. Has she changed much since then? Changed her hair colour or anything? asked Mairead. No, replied Angela. We wouldn’t let her dye her hair at her age, but she might have put on a bit of puppy fat since then but she looks much the same.

So what was she wearing the last time you saw her, which was when exactly? I brought Lucinda and Majella to the disco at around eight, said Tommy, but Angela would probably be able to describe what she was wearing better than I could. Yes, Angela butted in, she was wearing a pair of black trousers and a black top and a beige coat over it. Look, what is going to happen now? Will there be many Gardai sent out to look for Lucinda and should we round up some family, friends and neighbours to help find her? Yes, a search party of Gardai is being assembled as we speak and will commence the search within the next hour. If you could get some additional people to join this search party, it would be very helpful but it is important that any civilians helping with the search follow the instructions of the Gardai Siochana, said Sergeant Cleary, looking a bit pompous. We will also start door to door enquiries as soon as I have this copied, he said, picking up the photo of Lucinda from the table. It might also be no harm to start organising posters which some of your volunteers might put up in shops, restaurants and so on, in the area.

An Air and Sea search will also commence in the next half hour, so don’t be alarmed if you see or hear the helicopter. It is equipped to find anything unusual in the fastest possible time. said Ban Garda Thornton. Angela and Tommy didn’t know whether to feel relieved or alarmed at this information but the first emotion was definitely the strongest. At this point, Ban Garda Thornton moved closer to Tommy and asked him a loaded question So, Mr Gray, would you agree with your wife that Lucinda has been very quiet and moody lately and even moodier in the past few weeks? I would not! said Tommy. Angela, what the hell have you been saying? As I told Sergeant Cleary, Lucinda is no moodier than any other teenager! Well we don’t want to waste any time arguing now, said Mairead, so can I just ask you both if there is anything else at all that you think might be significant and we have not mentioned yet.

Well, started Angela hesitantly. I am not sure that this was real or part of a dream, but I thought I heard Lucinda coming in at some stage. Jesus, Angela, butted in Tommy, why did you not mention this before? That could very very significant. Well, as I said, I thought it might be a dream. I was at least half asleep when I heard the click of the door. And what time was this you thought you heard the door? asked Sergeant Cleary It was just twelve o’clock. I remember looking at the clock, whether it was real or a dream and it had just turned twelve.

Have you actually searched your whole premises then, attic, garage, garden shed? interjected Mairead. No! Angela and Tommy almost shouted as one. Lucinda wouldn’t be going on with any silly nonsense like that. She’s a good girl and wouldn’t upset us, hiding like that, said Tommy defensively. Oh Jesus, Tommy, I don’t think they think she’s hiding, said Angela, with shock and anguish showing clearly on her face. What are you talking about Angela? Ah no, no how could you even think Lucinda could, could, Tommy could not finish the sentence as tears came to his eyes and the words literally stuck in his throat. Nobody is saying anything like that, Mr Gray, Tommy, said Mairead, going over to him and putting an arm around his large shoulder. All we are saying is that the search should start in your own home. Lucinda could have gone out to the garage, for example, and fallen and she could be lying injured on the ground. So are you up to guiding us around the premises so that we can rule this whole place out, at the very least, before we start the search outside? Tommy nodded, still not having regained his voice and headed upstairs to guide them around the bedrooms and attic.

Having found nothing at all, Sergeant Cleary broached another sensitive topic. Mrs Gray, can you find an article of Lucinda’s clothing with a strong scent on it, perhaps pyjamas or something similar please? What do you want that for? Angela snapped back quickly. It’s for the sniffer dogs, Mrs Gray, to give them Lucinda’s scent so they know what to look for. Do you mean to find a body? Tommy could hardly say the words. No, not necessarily, Mr Gray. In fact the dogs can pick up the scent of a living person more easily. Again, if Lucinda was injured, the dogs could find her quickly which would obviously be essential so that she wouldn’t suffer from exposure. Ok, replied Angela and went upstairs, returning quickly with a beige pyjama top and bottoms.

Armed with this, the two Gardai headed off to report their minimal findings to their superior so that he could brief the troops that would head up the search. As Tommy closed the door behind them, he turned accusingly to Angela and said in an angry voice. "What the hell are you at Angela? Blabbing all sorts of nonsense to them about Lucinda being moody and quiet. My daughter is not