The Nameless Dead Read Online Free PDF

allowed his father’s killers to escape justice.
    As I reflected once more on the nameless child that had rested on the island for so many years, I could begin to understand his ire.

Sunday, 28 October

Chapter Seven
    ‘The infant was newborn; the remains date probably around thirty to thirty-five years. There are signs on the skull of an assisted delivery, probably using forceps. The
craniofacial abnormalities are consistent with Goldenhar syndrome, which would have also brought various associated difficulties.’
    Lennie Millar paused reading from the post-mortem report. Superintendent Harry Patterson, who had been doodling on the file pad in front of him on his desk, looked up. It was clear he resented
being brought in to the station on a Sunday, but Lennie Millar had insisted that the dig would continue and had requested we meet him to discuss the pathologist’s preliminary findings from
the previous evening. Millar had been waiting outside the station when I came back from early Mass, keen to get started on the day’s dig.
    ‘What is Goldenhar syndrome?’
    ‘It results in all kinds of birth defects, basically. Facial deformity, hearing problems, cleft palate, missing eyes at times. It also can cause spinal problems; vertebrae fusing together,
that kind of thing. It would not, however, necessarily lead to death.’
    ‘So, what killed him?’
    ‘Her. The child was a girl. She was throttled.’
    Patterson began tapping the top of the pen he held against the pad. ‘So, she was murdered.’
    Millar glanced down at the report, though the answer was clear.
    ‘Yes. I need to speak with our own lawyers to see where we go from here. At the moment, my inclination is that you can’t investigate this. The legislation is very clear: “Any
evidence obtained, directly or indirectly, shall not be admissible in any criminal proceedings.”’
    ‘This isn’t evidence. It’s a child,’ I said.
    ‘“Any human remains or other item found resulting from a dig shall not be subjected to forensic examination or testing.” I didn’t make these rules, Inspector, I’m
simply telling you what they are.’
    ‘I understand that,’ I said. ‘But we can’t just ignore the killing of a child.’
    ‘A disabled child,’ Patterson said.
    ‘I’m not sure I would term the infant as disabled,’ Millar said.
    ‘You said it was deformed,’ he said. ‘To a young mother, looking at a baby like that, she’d probably think it disabled.’ For a moment I thought he was supporting
me, until he stood up from his seat and moved across to the window.
    ‘This child was born disabled. Someone either didn’t want it or couldn’t cope with it. Thirty odd years ago. What good is going to come from raking over that now? We
can’t prosecute anyone anyway, isn’t that right?’ He gestured towards Millar as he spoke.
    ‘You’d need to check, but I’d be surprised if the Director of Public Prosecutions would proceed with any case considering the wording in the legislation. Wording that has never
been tested in court.’
    ‘Just because the child was disabled doesn’t make it any less valuable than anyone else,’ I said.
    ‘I’m not suggesting that,’ said Patterson. ‘But what do you want to find, Ben? Some wee girl who couldn’t cope? Saw that face and panicked and did something
unimaginable? Will it mean anything to haul that up now? Christ, the person who did this could be dead.’
    ‘It’s not about who did it, Harry,’ I said. ‘It’s about the child. She deserves something. A name, at least.’
    ‘The best we can do for her is have her buried somewhere proper. Or inter her in that cillin you found, with the rest of those youngsters.’
    ‘I’m not saying I agree with not following this through,’ Millar said softly. ‘I’m frustrated, too. But I’m telling you the law as it stands. I have to think
about the Commission; the amnesty against prosecution is necessary if our sources are to keep helping us