Minding Frankie - Maeve Binchy [72]
“Quite, yes.”
“Could you find out what she’s doing after she leaves you today? I’ll make myself clear. We share baby-minding arrangements with a friend and his baby. It’s just that they’re clients of Moira’s and she’s been a bit tough on him. He’s gone off on a batter. I have to drag him back here and sort things out. We want to keep Moira out of the place until tomorrow, at any rate. If she discovers the setup, then things will really hit the fan.”
“I see …”
“So, if there was any other direction you could head her towards …?”
“Leave it with me,” Clara said, “and cheer up—maybe your worst scenario won’t turn out to be right.”
“No, I’m afraid it’s only too right. His AA buddy has just called in. He’s getting him back here in about half an hour.”
Hilary came over to Clara with a report.
“He’s pumping her for information. Like ‘Do you see any areas of conspicuous waste,’ and ‘Do the healthy cookery classes work or are they just a distraction.’ You know, the usual kind of thing he goes on about.”
“And what’s she singing in response?”
“Nothing yet, but that may be because she’s here under our eye. If he got her on his own, Lord knows what he’d get out of her.”
“Be more confident, Hilary. We’re not doing anything wrong here. But you’ve given me an idea.”
Clara approached Frank Ennis and Moira.
“Seeing you two together reminded me that Moira hasn’t seen the social-work setup in the main hospital. Frank, maybe you could introduce her to some of the team over there—today, possibly?”
“Oh, I have a lot of calls to make on my caseload.”
Clara gave a tinkling laugh. “Oh, really, Moira, you’re so much on top of everything, I imagine your caseload is run like clockwork.”
Moira seemed pleased with the praise.
“You know the way it is. You’ve got to be watchful,” she said.
“I agree,” Frank boomed unexpectedly. “Everyone should be much more watchful than they are.”
“I was hoping, Moira, that you could link up with the whole system, but of course if you feel it’s too much for you … then …”
Clara had judged it exactly right. Moira made an arrangement to meet Frank at lunchtime.
Clara had managed to give Noel, Declan and the man from Alcoholics Anonymous a bit of a head start.
Aidan and Signora Dunne had arrived with little Johnny Carroll and taken Frankie with them. They would wheel the two baby buggies along the canal to Aidan’s daughter’s house. There Signora would look after all three children—their grandson, Joseph Edward, along with Frankie and Johnny, while Aidan gave private Latin lessons to students who hoped to go to university.
It was a peaceful and undemanding morning. If they had wondered what Dr. Carroll was doing in Noel Lynch’s place and why there was no sign of a normally devoted father, they had said nothing. They minded their own business, the Dunnes. Declan was glad of them many times, but never more so than today. The fewer people who knew about this, the better.
Malachy arrived, more or less supporting Noel in the doorway. Noel was shaking and shivering. His clothes were filthy and stained. He seemed totally disoriented.
“Is he still drunk?” Declan asked Malachy.
“Hard to say. Possibly.” Malachy was a man of few words.
“I’ll turn on the shower. Can you get him into it?”
“Sure.”
Malachy was as good as his word. He propelled Noel into the water, letting it get cooler all the time until it was almost cold. Meanwhile, Declan picked up all the dirty clothes and put them into the washing machine. He laid out clean clothes from Noel’s room and made them all a pot of tea.
Noel’s eyes were more focused now, but still he said nothing.
Malachy was not speaking either.
Declan poured another mug of tea and allowed the silence to become uncomfortable. He would not make things easy for Noel. The man would have to come up with something. Answers, or even questions.
Eventually Noel asked, “Where’s Frankie?”
“With Aidan and Signora.”
“And where’s Dingo?”
“Gone to work,” Declan said tersely. Noel was going to have to speak again.
“And did he phone you?” He nodded towards Declan.
“Yes, that’s why I’m