A Savage Hunger (Paula Maguire 4) Read Online Free PDF Page A

as?’ asked Corry.
    ‘It made the harvests multiply. Fed the hungry. During the Famine people prayed at the shrine, you see, and the area was spared.’
    Paula was sceptical. Everyone knew South Down had largely avoided the potato blight, but this was likely due to its ring of protective mountains. ‘Anything recent?’
    ‘Many people find it a source of great healing and comfort,’ Mrs Mackin said, glaring at them over her handbag. ‘We get visitors from the missions all the time. Places where the wee black babies are starving, you know. They pray for food.’
    ‘OK, but . . .’ Corry was giving Paula a look, so she subsided. ‘Can you tell us about Alice, Mr Garrett?’
    It didn’t seem to have occurred to him. ‘Alice? Miss Morgan started coming here several months ago. She was interested in the relic.’
    ‘Very interested,’ added Maureen Mackin.
    ‘Meaning?’
    ‘She used to be in here every day God sent, staring into the wee case. We’d have to chase her out when we were locking up.’
    ‘But you gave her a job?’ asked Corry.
    Garrett was working his hands together like he was kneading a piece of dough; over, under, over, under. ‘We set up a caretaker post to run the place, put on events and so on—’
    ‘Weddings,’ Mrs Mackin chipped in, ‘though I don’t think it’s right, having civil weddings in what used to be a holy Catholic church.’ She was that kind of speaker, fussy, correcting. The type that made useful witnesses.
    ‘And how was she as an employee?’ asked Paula, looking at Garrett.
    ‘Oh, she was, she was . . . diligent, yes. Though I didn’t like her habit of staying late in the church. It should have been locked every day at six, I told her that.’ Corry gave Paula a brief look; that might be worth checking out, if she’d been here alone at night.
    ‘But apart from that?’
    Mrs Mackin conceded, ‘Aye, she wasn’t so bad. Not that any of these young ones would know a hard day’s work if it came up and hit them in the face.’
    Corry pressed on, mild irritation seeping into her tone. ‘So it would be out of character for Alice to disappear.’
    Garrett was pacing again. ‘I don’t know. I didn’t know her very well.’
    ‘So let me get this straight,’ said Corry. ‘The relic is missing. The case has been locked up again with the code.’
    ‘Yes. And only Alice knew it.’
    ‘Apart from you?’
    He made a gesture of annoyance. ‘Of course, apart from me.’
    So it was possible she’d been forced to open it. Corry said, ‘And where were you, Mr Garrett, overnight? I gather that’s your house on the road that runs behind here.’
    ‘My mother, I care for her, you see, she had a fall so I took her in to Ballyterrin Hospital. We were there till about eleven, then I took her back and put her to bed.’
    ‘Did you see anything at the church, or at Alice’s cottage?’
    ‘No. No, it was all quiet. All dark.’ He kept staring over at the empty case. ‘I can’t believe it’s gone. It’s really priceless, you must find it!’
    Corry said, ‘I’m a bit more concerned about Alice right now. Especially with the previous disappearance from this church.’
    Garrett looked blank for a minute. ‘This is nothing to do with that.’
    Maureen Mackin looked up sharply. ‘Oh aye, wee Yvonne. That was a long time ago. You don’t think it’s connected?’
    ‘It’s a big coincidence if not. So we’ll need to examine the building, of course.’
    ‘What?’ Garrett turned pale. ‘We can’t have you, you, swarming all over the place. It’s bad enough that forensics man’s been in here with his brushes, touching everything . . .’
    ‘Ah now, Anderson,’ remonstrated Mrs Mackin. ‘He’s respectful enough for one of those Muslim fellas.’
    Corry shot Paula a quick glance. ‘Mr Garrett. We will need to search the church. You must see that.’
    ‘But the relic’s gone. It’s not here. Why would you search the place?’ His hands were wringing