Betrayed Read Free Page B

his for a drink. He said it was because Wendy was going out with Jimmy Dunlop and he didn’t want him to get to know about it. I didn’t tell the cops about that. I tried to phone Wendy all day, but couldn’t get her. I thought she’d be sleeping. Then I was working at night, so I didn’t go round to her house till the next day. There was still no answer. Her mum and dad were away on holiday, so she was in the house by herself. I spoke to Jimmy, and he was upset because he couldn’t get her either. It was only when her parents came home the next day that they called the cops because there was no sign of her anywhere.’
    ‘Jimmy Dunlop?’ Rosie said, hoping she was remembering all the details. She didn’t want to take a notebook out as the barman kept glancing over at them. ‘Do you know him?’
    ‘Yeah. He’s UVF too. Wendy told me he was in Belfast last month taking the oath at the Shankill. They’ve been going out for nearly three months. He’s all right, Jimmy. Hard, but a good guy. He’s nuts about Wendy and she’s really into him too. That’s how I know she wouldn’t just up sticks and leave home. She was staying with her ma and da. She’s the only one in the family. She wouldn’t leave them like that.’ Tears came again and she shook her head. ‘Something’s happened to her. I just know it. It’s been a month and we’ve heard nothing. That’s not Wendy.’ She looked at Rosie. ‘Can you help? Can your paper do something?’ She took a tissue out of her pocket and blew her nose.
    ‘We can write something, Liz. I need to work out exactly what, though. I need to talk to the editor and see what we can do. But maybe you should have told the cops what you’ve told me.’
    ‘No fucking way. And get my throat cut?’
    Rosie took a deep breath.
    ‘But you’re telling me.’
    ‘That’s different.’ She looked Rosie in the eye. ‘You won’t tell anybody it was me who told you stuff, will you?’
    ‘Listen, Liz. Nobody will ever know you talked to me. But you must never tell anyone you spoke to me. It would be dangerous for you if the kind of people we’re dealing withthought you were talking to a reporter. You know that, don’t you?’
    ‘Don’t worry. I’m not stupid, Rosie. I know I’m taking a risk just sitting here. But I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t want to go to the cops. Then when you came to my house yesterday, it got me thinking.’
    ‘Have you told Jimmy Dunlop anything?’
    ‘No. Nothing.’
    ‘Would he talk to me?’
    Liz shrugged. ‘You could try. He’s not a bad guy. No way is he involved in Wendy’s disappearance though. But he’s a UVF man through and through now.’
    ‘What about her parents? Would they talk?’
    ‘No. They haven’t said much. They’re nice people. But I don’t think they’ll know anything.’
    Rosie asked for Liz’s mobile number and stored it in her phone.
    ‘I’ll be in touch in the next couple of days, and we’ll meet again. Meanwhile, say nothing.’
    ‘I know.’ Liz finished her drink and stood up and looked at her watch. ‘I need to go. I hope you’ll help find Wendy. I don’t care what you do with any of the rest of the information I gave you. I don’t care if you blow the whole thing sky high. I’ll even help you. Wendy and me have been pals from school. I need to find her.’
    ‘I’ll do what I can,’ Rosie said.
    She watched as Liz walked across the carpet, and as shepushed open the swing door, the sound of flutes and drums drifted into the bar. Rosie looked at her watch. Give it a few more hours and it would be the screams of police and ambulance sirens, as the Orange and the Green that had split the city down the middle for generations descended into the annual mayhem.

CHAPTER TWO
    Jimmy’s gut was in a knot as he waited in his car outside Eddie McGregor’s house. He was well used to going on jobs with Eddie, and it never mattered to him whether it was a punishment beating or a routine robbery –