The Trojan boy

'You knew?'

'Not until a few days ago, but there was always something familiar about your face. Then I remembered the case. I didn't remember all the details so I went and looked them up.'

'I see.'

'If it's any comfort, I have every sympathy with you.'

Avedissian got to his feet and said, 'Thank you, Doctor. It was kind of you to say so.' He held out his hand.

'I meant it,’ said Harmon taking Avedissian's hand. 'I can't ever offer you a job, of course, only my best wishes for whatever your future has in store. Good luck.'

Avedissian left the room and had a last look round the unit. then he went upstairs to gather his things together before eating and settling down for an early night.

Jarvis arrived promptly at ten and Avedissian got into the car beside him. He found the drive through the city streets depressing for it reminded him of his own time in Belfast with the military. All these years, he thought, and so little had changed. A whole generation of children had grown up thinking of guns and uniforms as the norm. There was no escaping the bigotry of the graffiti, which was everywhere. Here in Ireland the enemy was your neighbour.

The car slowed and turned into an entrance bounded on both sides by high black railings. A wrought-iron gate swung open in response to an infra-red device operated by the driver and they passed through to follow a semi-circular driveway up to a low Georgian building with ornate lampposts on either side of the front entrance. 'N.I. Land Archives District 7' said the plaque on the wall.

Avedissian and Jarvis were left to wait in a small back room which looked out on immaculately kept gardens after being asked if they would like coffee, an offer that both accepted. The coffee arrived and they sipped it in silence while they continued to look out of the window.

'Mr Bryant will see you now,’ said the woman who had brought the coffee.

Avedissian and Jarvis left their cups and saucers on the window-ledge and followed the woman through to a much larger room where Bryant was sitting behind a long mahogany desk.

'The waiting is over, gentlemen,’ said Bryant. I'm going to tell you why we need you.'

Avedissian and Jarvis looked briefly at each other before giving their full attention to what Bryant had to say.

'A few weeks ago a child was abducted and has not been seen since. We would like you to help us get him back.'

Avedissian was confused. 'But the police?' he began.

'Were never informed,' said Bryant.

Jarvis was as puzzled as Avedissian. 'I'm sorry, I don't understand, sir,’ he said.'

Bryant opened one of the desk drawers and brought out a photograph of a family group. He turned it towards Jarvis and Avedissian and held his forefinger to one of the children. 'This is the child,’ he said.

Avedissian felt his jaw drop and sensed Jarvis share his disbelief. 'Are you seriously telling us that one of the royal children has been kidnapped?' he asked.

'I am,’ replied Bryant.

'But how could something like that be kept secret?… And why?' asked an incredulous Jarvis.

‘Because of the repercussions,' replied Bryant.

‘I don't understand,’ said Avedissian. 'What repercussions?'

‘In the absence of any information to the contrary the IRA would be blamed and the backlash would be unstoppable,’

'Civil war, you mean?' said Jarvis.

'I do. Hard-line loyalists would swarm into Catholic estates and the streets would run red.'

'You said, "In the absence of any information to the contrary". Does that mean that you don't know who took the child?' asked Avedissian.

'Correct.'

'Then it could have been the IRA?' said Jarvis.

Bryant shook his head and said, 'No, we know it wasn't them.'

'How?'

'Because they have been asked for the ransom.'

'What?' exclaimed Avedissian and Jarvis almost together.

The kidnappers asked the IRA for the ransom, not us.'

'But why?'

'Presumably they thought the IRA would be easier to deal with and might want him just as badly to use as a bargaining measure.'

'But surely the IRA wouldn't touch it for the reasons you mentioned? There would be civil war.'

'The new leadership seems to think it's worth the risk,' said Bryant.

Avedissian, who had found himself being lulled into accepting everything that was being said, suddenly felt a sense of incredibility well up inside him. 'But how could something like this be kept secret?' he demanded. 'People must know the child is not there?'

'Officially, there has been a death threat made against the royal children. Security has been tightened and the family are maintaining a low profile, cancelling public engagements etc. Only a few trusted servants know that the child is really missing and they have been sworn to secrecy.'

'But there must be a limit to how long you can keep this up?' said Avedissian.

'Of course. That's why we must get the child back as quickly as possible now we know about the ransom demand.'

'How do you know about the demand?' asked Jarvis.

Bryant pressed a button on the desk and sat back for a moment in silence. At length the door opened and the woman who had met Avedissian and Jarvis on their arrival came in accompanied by another woman, who walked slowly as if she were stiff. It was Kathleen O'Neill.

'I think you two have already met,' said Bryant to Avedissian.

Avedissian got up and smiled at Kathleen who smiled back and said that it was nice to see him again. He enquired about her health and noted that the bruising to her face had subsided a good deal. Jarvis was introduced to her and they all sat down again.

Bryant said, 'It was Miss O'Neill who gave us the information about the ransom demand to the IRA. Apparently they were offered the child for some twenty-five million dollars just after he was taken but their leader, O'Donnell, hesitated for presumably the reasons that have been mentioned. But now there has been a change in the leadership. Kell is in command and he wants to bargain for the boy.'

'How does Miss O'Neill know all this?' asked Jarvis.

'I am Martin O'Neill's sister,' replied Kathleen O'Neill.

Bryant read the look on Jarvis's face and said, 'You are obviously wondering why we should believe a single word that the sister of one of the most wanted men in the province says?'

'Frankly, yes.’

‘Apart from the information that Miss O'Neill has given us about the ransom demand she also told us of a new alliance between the IRA and the INLA. She warned us that the INLA were going to hit the banks last Friday and which ones. She was largely responsible for our success in wiping them out in their attempt to raise money for the ransom.'

Avedissian turned to Kathleen O'Neill and asked simply, 'Why?'

'My brother, like Kevin O'Donnell, wanted the IRA to have nothing to do with this business. In fact O'Donnell ordered him to give the ransom note to the British but Kell found out.'

'What happened to your brother?'

'Kell had him shot before my eyes,’ replied Kathleen, looking down at her knees.

'But you managed to escape?'

'I was to be shot too, but the man detailed to do it had other plans for me first.'

'He was the one who beat you up?'

'Yes. After he raped me he fell asleep. I managed to knock him out and get away before he came round.'

'You've had a horrific experience,’ said Avedissian softly.

'I dare say the O'Neill family have been responsible for some horrific experiences of other people in their time,’ said Bryant coldly.

'So what happens now?' asked Jarvis.

'Two days ago the IRA placed an ad in The Times indicating their willingness to negotiate with the kidnappers. Our people will stay close.'

'Where will the IRA get the money?' asked Avedissian.

'Certainly not from the banks,’ said Bryant with a cold smile. It will have to come from outside interests.'