Eye for an Eye Read Free Page A

no, no. None of that. He’s dressed head to toe in black, with a hood, and even his face is black, with eyes that shine red, like two hot coals.’
    ‘How do you know it’s Satan?’
    ‘Because he told me. He has a voice like gravel, do you know what I mean? – gravel going around and around in a concrete mixer. “ I am Satan, Mary !” That’s what he told me. “ I am Satan, the Lord of Darkness ,and I’m coming for you !”’
    ‘He doesn’t say why he’s coming for you? He doesn’t mention what you did with Barry?’
    ‘He doesn’t have to,’ said Mary. ‘I know that’s why. That’s the only sin I’ve never confessed, and I’ve never done penance for, so what else could it be?’
    ‘Is that all he says to you?’ Katie asked her. ‘“ I’m coming for you ”? Nothing else?’
    ‘He says I’d be wise to sell up and move away, where he won’t be able to find me.’
    ‘But he’s the Devil. Surely he could still find you, no matter where you went?’
    ‘Well, I’m not at all sure about that. I know that we’re never out of the sight of God, but I don’t know if Satan’s the same – omnivorous, or whatever you call it.’
    ‘Omniscient,’ Katie corrected her.
    ‘That’s right. That, too.’
    Katie said, ‘Did you see Satan today?’
    ‘No, I didn’t.’
    ‘What time did Father Fiachra get here?’
    ‘About nine. That’s usually the time that Satan pays his visits. He hadn’t appeared so we had a cup of tea and then Father Fiachra went out into the garden to sprinkle the holy water on the grass so that Satan wouldn’t be able to step on it.’
    ‘Do you think Father Fiachra believed you?’ asked Katie.
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘Do you think Father Fiachra believed that Satan had actually appeared in your back garden and threatened you?’
    Mary looked nonplussed. ‘And why wouldn’t he?’
    ‘Because he might have been wondering the same thing that I’m wondering... if it wasn’t Satan at all, but someone dressed up as Satan. Someone who’s been deliberately trying to scare you for one reason or another.’
    ‘Well, now, I hadn’t thought of that,’ said Mary. ‘But why would they?’
    ‘You tell me. Is there anyone in White’s Cross who doesn’t like you? Have you argued with anybody?’
    ‘Who would I argue with? I spend most of my time on my own and the only neighbour I have is the factory next door. All the fellows from there seem cheerful enough.’
    ‘But this morning, when Father Fiachra was killed, you weren’t looking out of the window?’
    ‘No, I was in here, stoking the fire.’
    ‘And you hadn’t seen Satan earlier on, before Father Fiachra arrived?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Did you hear anything? Banging? Shouting? Did Father Fiachra cry out at all?’
    ‘I’m a little on the deaf side these days. He might have done, but I wouldn’t have heard him. I only realized what had happened when I went into the kitchen to put on the kettle, and there he was, lying in the flower bed, with all his head – ugh ! I don’t even want to think about it!’
    She crossed herself again. Katie stood up and said, ‘Thank you, Mary, for being so honest with me and telling me so much. It could prove very useful.’
    ‘You won’t be telling anybody else? Not about me and Barry, I mean. Barry’s passed away now, and so has Fiona with the breast cancer, but all of their kids are still alive, except for Martin who had the epilepsy. And there’s a whole lot of people who know me.’
    ‘No, Mary,’ said Katie. ‘I won’t breathe a word to anybody. But if I were you, next time you go to church, go to confession and tell the priest all about you and Barry. Tell him you took so long to confess what you’d done because you were so ashamed, but now you’re asking for God’s forgiveness. Then at least Satan won’t have any excuse to come calling again.’
    Mary held out her hand and Katie took it and gave her a reassuring squeeze.
    ‘You’re an angel, you know?’