by Linda Coles
“I’m just meeting up with Brocc from the garage, we’re going to go and have chat with his sister, so only local, but I’ll need the car. I’m meeting him at seven but just in case the timings don’t work, that’s the taxi part. I could be back here in time anyway.”
“Okay.”
“I just hope she finally sees sense, and I get some answers.”
Chapter 66
As Brocc and Chrissy walked up the path towards his sister’s place, Chrissy noticed the curtain twitch. She must’ve heard the car door slam. When they reached the door, it opened and a woman looking almost identical to Brocc stood waiting. If she remembered Chrissy from her recent purchase in the sweater shop, her face never gave anything away. She wore a cast on her leg and another on her wrist. Chrissy figured it must be difficult to get around and certainly tiring for the older women who looked much older than she had when she’d first seen her only a few days before. Pain registered on Bronagh’s forehead as deep wrinkles – or was that confusion?
“I didn’t know I was having visitors, Brocc. You should have told me, I would have baked a cake.” The two women smiled at one another and Chrissy went inside.
“Not sure how you’d manage to bake a cake with one arm and one leg out of use,” said Brocc. “I hope you’ve been resting today?”
“Stop fussing,” she said, but it was light-hearted banter. “Put the kettle on, will you?” Bronagh obviously had no idea why Chrissy was tagging along. Brocc disappeared for a moment then returned. The pair waited until Bronagh made herself comfortable in the small living room. A roaring open fire made it feel stuffy, and with three bodies in the room, Chrissy soon felt like she was overheating.
“Please, take a seat,” said Bronagh. “What can I do for you? I’m assuming this isn’t a purely social visit?” she asked, looking at Brocc for confirmation.
“I’ll check the kettle,” said Brocc, as if it would help him avoid all involvement. Perhaps he’d thought his sister would talk to Chrissy a bit more openly without him being present. After all, she had said he wouldn’t understand. Maybe it was a woman’s thing? “I’ll go and wet some tea,” he said and left the two women to it.
“How do you know Brocc?” said Bronagh, opening the conversation.
“I don’t really if I’m honest. I only met him yesterday, but we do have something very much in common. And that’s what I want to talk to you about, if I may.”
“Oh?” She adjusted herself in her seat while she waited for Chrissy to go on.
“It is complicated, I’m not entirely sure where to start,” she said – or was she buying time?
“I find the best place is usually the beginning,” Bronagh said with a kind smile. “What’s on your mind? I can see something is.”
“I know you’re involved in something and I also know you won’t tell Brocc for reasons of your own. Now, I don’t know if that’s because it’ll put others in danger or you in danger or quite what might happen.” Chrissy paused to allow the older woman to cotton on to what she was talking about. The older woman faded back into her chair. Chrissy could almost see the shutters closing in her eyes.
“I see.”
“Look, I don’t care about your reasons, but I do care that the little abandoned boy who should be in the system, being looked after, is not, and I know that you’ve got something to do with that. I don’t how you fit in, but I’m going to get to the bottom of it. I’m just hoping with all my heart he’s safe.”
“You don’t know what you’re meddling in,” said Bronagh.
“Then try me,” said Chrissy. “I’m guessing it’s illegal?”
“Kind of. But let me assure you the little boy is being safely taken care of. If you’re thinking I’m involved in one of those filthy rings that do unspeakable things to young children, you’re wrong. It’s nothing like that. I’m no angel, but I’m no monster either.” Flames from the fire danced in the woman’s eyes as she leaned forward to deliver her speech. Chrissy believed her.
“Then why don’t you tell me exactly what’s going on. Has he been kidnapped? It’s not right he’s not with his parents, wherever they are.”
“You’ll just have to take my word for it that all is well, and the boy is safe. It’s your meddling that could put him and others in danger, so please, just leave it well alone if you want to help.”
The discussion wasn’t exactly going how she’d planned it, but seeing as how the conversation was taking a more direct approach, Chrissy boxed on.
“Where is he?”
“I’m not telling you where he is. Like I said, he’s quite safe but you need to leave it alone. Don’t get involved.”
“So who took him then? It wasn’t family services. Tilly Murphy doesn’t work there.”
“You have been digging, haven’t you? And no, she doesn’t.”
“Tell me where Sergeant Staines fits in then?” Chrissy waited for recognition to that piece of information and got it.
“I’m not saying any more, so if that’s what you’ve come to talk about, you’ve had a wasted visit.” She crossed her good arm with her bad and they rested awkwardly on her stomach. At that moment Brocc walked into the room carrying a tray, three mugs of tea.
“I just made some, I don’t know what everyone wants,” he said, placing it down along with the bowl of sugar. Chrissy glanced at him and shook her head gently. It would have been difficult not to pick up the vibe that had settled on the room in his absence.
“Now come on, Bron,” he said. “This is getting silly, because I tell you, she’ll go to the Guards.”
“I wouldn’t do that,” said Bronagh. “Not if you really want to help.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“Like I just told your friend, there’s too much at stake, too many lives could get hurt, so please just leave it be. The boy’s safe. That’s all I will tell you.”
Chrissy, figuring the woman wasn’t going to budge on her decision to talk any time soon, changed the subject unexpectedly.
“May I just use your bathroom, please?”
Bronagh looked confused for a moment but said, “Of course, upstairs on the left.”
Chrissy left the room and took the opportunity to climb the stairs, looking as she went, trying to peer inside the rooms that had doors open. It was obvious and easy to spot Bronagh’s own bedroom. The pink eiderdown folded back on the bed, her dressing gown hanging on the wardrobe door, a pot of moisture cream on the bedside cabinet. It was a room that was used regularly. As she got to the top of the stairs, she could see the bathroom, but it wasn’t the room she was interested in, just an excuse. She strode on to another door and turned the handle, hoping it wouldn’t creak. She stepped inside and took a quick look around. It was set up with a small single bed, a set of drawers, and in the opposite corner sat a baby’s cot. A freestanding wardrobe was the only other item in the room that was visible. The decor was generic but childish. It certainly wasn’t a spare room for an adult to sleep in. She pulled open the wardrobe door and peered inside. An array of clothes and children’s belongings hung there and she quickly rifled through. Sat at the bottom was a box of toys, everything from a small soft duck to a pickup truck that would be pushed around the living room floor by a toddler perhaps. There were nappies, shoes, blankets, everything a child might use from newborn to around the age of about ten. Why? But she’d been upstairs a while and seen enough so she left the room silently and went to the bathroom where she flushed the toilet before heading back downstairs. As she entered the living room, it wasn’t hard to feel the atmosphere, tense words had obviously been exchanged, though she hadn’t heard any.
Chrissy took a seat and looked Bronagh straight in the eye before asking, “So, how many children come to stay here Bronagh?”
The woman was instantly angry. “You’ve no right to be snooping. You didn’t really need the bathroom, did you?”
“Tell me where he is,” said Chrissy. “Or you’ll leave me with no choice but to talk to the Guard
s and believe me, I will.” Nobody spoke, each waiting for another to fill the void. Sparks flickered from the fireplace, a crackle as a piece of wood fell down into the fire, tiny explosions contained in the grate.
“I don’t know exactly where he is. But I know he’s with safe people.” Bronagh clearly wasn’t going to be deterred, her bond to whomever she was protecting was as strong as glue.
“Has he gone somewhere near Cork by chance?” Once again Bronagh’s anger flashed in her eyes as she turned to Chrissy and stared her down. There was the answer she needed. Chrissy rose, there was little point asking anything else.
“I’ll show myself out,” she said, leaving Brocc open-mouthed. While he likely wanted to remain loyal to his sister, the child’s situation supposedly concerned him too. Just whose side was he on?
Chrissy hadn’t the energy to convince him either way.
She was on her own.
Chapter 67
Chrissy was absolutely seething as she reached the road and her car by the kerb. Brocc hadn’t left with her; he’d have to make his own way back to the garage to get his vehicle and she was sorry about that, but she couldn’t hang around and wait for him to decide which side he was actually on. When she’d last felt so mad and worked up at another human being she couldn’t quite remember. The woman had been so calm the whole time except when she’d realised Chrissy knew so much more than that Flynn was missing. Cork, that’s where she needed to go and first thing in the morning. Bronagh had assured her that the child was safe, but with whatever she was mixed up in, could she be sure? She certainly didn’t want the Guards to be involved, that much was obvious.
Brocc’s voice called down from the front step. “Hang on,” he shouted and made his way towards her awkwardly, he wasn’t built for hurrying. She glanced up at his face to see if she could figure out what he was thinking, but he slipped inside the passenger seat uninvited, making it impossible. Chrissy joined him, the pair of them sitting there in silence, staring straight ahead through the windscreen. Orange lights from nearby street lamps gave them both an eerie glow. Chrissy didn’t feel much like speaking, she felt more like shouting but that wouldn’t get them anywhere. After what seemed like a couple of minutes, Brocc finally spoke in a low voice, by which time Chrissy was beginning to feel a little calmer.
“Looks like we’ve no choice but to involve the guards,” he said. “We can’t go harassing others she knows from her phone, and we can’t prove she is involved in a crime, but if it’s the only way to get the boy home safe then we have to take that chance. If she really wants to look out for him, she has to cooperate.”
Chrissy turned to him in the semi-darkness, “You sure about this?”
“I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my time. I don’t want to add to them and always be wondering about a little boy that vanished, what happened to him.”
Chrissy started the engine and drove back to his garage. Little was said along the way and when they pulled up outside, he got out then bent down and stuck his head in to say goodbye. “Let me know what you decide to do next,” he said. “You’ve got my number.”
“I can tell you that right now. I’m going to drive down tomorrow first thing and see what I can find out at the address. Then I’ll take it from there.”
“If that’s what you think’s best.”
“I’ve no idea of what’s best actually, Brocc, but I’ve got to follow the only real lead I have.”
“That you have. Then have a good night,” he said and slammed the door shut and headed over to his own vehicle parked on his forecourt. It was not far off eight o’clock. She’d just got time to quickly nip back to the house, slip into something more suitable and still be at the restaurant around about on time. She dropped Adam a text to tell him to cancel a taxi, she’d take them after all. He texted a response.
Great, see you soon, not cancelling the taxi. You’ll probably want to have a drink too.
Damn right she would. And more than one. She texted back: See you shortly.
As soon as she got back to the house, she went straight to their room, having almost bolted through the living room where the three had gathered for a pre-dinner drink. Nobody said a word. Nobody asked a question and five minutes later she appeared wearing a pale blue dress that hugged every inch of her figure, hair tied up loosely with blonde tendrils cascading to her jawline. A light application of make-up and a pair of diamond studs in her ears and she was ready. Adam whistled his approval as she walked back into the room. “You look stunning, Mrs Livingstone,” he said, openly looking her up and down. It wasn’t often she dressed up, but when she did heads turned just as much as they did for Julie.
“I concur,” said Richard rather formally and Chrissy couldn’t help but laugh and she gave an exaggerated curtsy.
“Are we all ready now?” asked Julie.
Just at that moment a car horn pipped outside and the four headed out to the taxi together.
Chrissy did her best to enjoy the evening and be present in mind as well as body. Nobody asked any questions about where she’d been earlier which she was thankful for. Maybe Adam had made something up about where she’d gone, mainly for Richard’s benefit, since he was the only person out of the loop. While he knew of her day job, Chrissy often felt his disapproval, that she was ‘playing at it’, and it irked her. Best to leave him out of it.
While liqueurs and chocolates were served, she gazed around the table at her family. It wasn’t often they went to such formal dining places together, occasionally was enough since she found it all a little pompous in truth, but looking round at Julie and the two smartly dressed men, it was nice to be able to do so for a change. Life wasn’t all about her choices, it was about compromise with those she loved and lived with. And there were often plenty of them. The trivial as well as the larger things, the things that perhaps she’d do differently if she lived on her own. The downside of being by herself would have been never having anyone to share a laugh with, to smile with, share a joke with, or even to share the dishwashing with. While it was nice having a bit of time on her own, loneliness was a different matter and she was glad she’d found her soulmate in Adam. No, she didn’t do too badly at all, she was happy with her lot. Adam was a good man and the rest of the family, too, for most of the time. It’d been a great holiday despite the saddening discovery early on, and it would be a shame when it was over and it was time to head back. It would be good to see her own boys again though, she’d missed them. Maybe tomorrow she’d find out just what had happened to young Flynn.
Chapter 68
Chrissy lay in bed, looking up at the ceiling, thinking back to the really quite enchanting and relaxing evening she’d had in the restaurant. It had been right up Julie and Richard’s street, though Adam and Chrissy had found themselves enjoying it just as much as they had. With wonderful food and even better company, it had been a roaring success and Chrissy smiled to herself in the darkness at Adam’s reaction when she’d walked through all dressed up. She knew he appreciated it, and it was a great confidence boost to know she still scrubbed up well. Having had two children, it was easy to wear their casual influence on her sleeve and live in jogging bottoms for the rest of her life. No, she should do it more often. Her mind wandered to the journey the following morning and hogging the car all day, which wasn’t fair. She needed an alternative, but there were no car hire companies in the village. It was too small, plus it was too last minute now to figure out getting one. Brocc and his garage sprang to mind – maybe he had a spare he could lend her? Or, indeed, could she borrow his car, perhaps giving him some petrol money to cover it? She reached over gently so as not to disturb Adam and picked her phone up off the bedside cabinet and sent a text to Brocc. Even if he was sound asleep, he’d get it first thing. There was nothing to be done before then anyway. A moment later and the reply came through.
What time do you need it?
Hope to leave about seven, will that work?
I’ll drop it yours at seven. Addr
ess? Will you drop me to the garage?
She gave him the details. The least I can do. Thank you!
With the vehicle sorted, she felt better about leaving everybody again since she’d be gone for most of the day. It was a good three hours down there and depending on what she found, she didn’t know how long she’d stay. Perhaps she’d take an overnight bag? No, Brocc would need his car back. One day would have to do. She slipped the phone back onto the cabinet, then turned on her side. In no time at all she’d drifted off into a deep sleep filled with green fields and a woolly looking dog. That was something else she’d still to take care of, they couldn’t possibly take him back home with them.
Friday
Chapter 69
It was never hard for Chrissy to get up in the morning. She was always the early bird and usually the first in the kitchen making coffee. Today was no different. As the rest of the house slept after a relatively late night at the restaurant, Chrissy busied herself buttering toast then took her breakfast to sit in the window and watch the weather outside. It was going to be another wet, grey day, but that didn’t much matter since she’d be in the car for a chunk of it. Plus, it could be doing anything on the south-east coast of Ireland.
When she was ready to go, she grabbed her bag and began walking up the lane to meet Brocc. She’d written a quick note to Adam that he’d find on waking, knowing again that he’d understand, but she knew she was pushing his patience now. It wasn’t like she was working a paid case. He hadn’t said as much, he never would. She’d given the address of where she was going and said she’d see him later on and to have fun whatever they chose to do without her. She’d agreed to tell all later, hopefully she’d have some news.
She spotted Brocc’s old vehicle coming towards her down the narrow lane; it had seen better days. It suited the older man really and she couldn’t grumble at his offer for her to use it. As long as it had a radio to keep her company on the journey, that’s all she could hope for. The car pulled over a little and when it came to a standstill, she walked round to the driver’s side and Brocc shifted over. For an older car, it was surprisingly clean.
