Heartless

by Vi Carter

  “Of course.” I open the door and Connor jumps out.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  LIAM

  I check my rearview mirror, to see Connor walking away from the hotel that I had met Tom in. The ringing of my phone fill’s the car. Finn’s name flashes up on the screen.

  “Yes Finn.” I pull back onto the road and leave Carrickmacross.

  “Are you nearly home? It’s Darragh, he’s been arrested.”

  I feel as exasperated as Finn sounds. “Which station is he being held in?” I take a right out of the town and start towards home.

  “Navan. He was really drunk and shouting about stupid stuff.”

  “What stupid stuff?” I ask, driving faster.

  There’s a long pause. “Finn?” I control my voice.

  “I think he … hurt someone. Like really badly.”

  “Did he say he did?”

  “Not in so many words. But he just kept ranting about how he didn’t mean it.”

  Darragh was becoming a huge problem. “I’m on my way to Navan. Are you still with Svetlana?”

  “Of course. She kind of witnessed Darragh’s meltdown.”

  “Why was he arrested?”

  Finn breathes deeply into the phone. “He rang the Gardai himself, saying he hurt someone, and when they got here, he gave them nothing but abuse.”

  “I’ll be home shortly.” I hang up.

  ***

  I sign the slip to get Darragh out of jail. “What’s the charges?” I ask Gardai Weldon. He was on my payroll.

  “Nothing much. Wasting Gardai time mostly.”

  “He didn’t say anything when he got here?” I push the clipboard back to him.

  “No, he had withdrawn his previous claim of hurting someone, saying he was messing with us.”

  I nod.

  Gardai Weldon leaves to get Darragh.

  I don’t have to wait long before a smiling Darragh appears in front of Gardai Weldon. They don’t remove his handcuffs until he is in front of me. His disheveled clothes and bloodied nose has me glaring at Weldon.

  “Was he touched?”

  “No. He arrived like this.” Gardai Weldon’s casual response, and Darragh’s snort have me relaxing.

  “Thanks for bailing me out.” Darragh was high, and right now I couldn’t look at him as he climbed into my jeep. Once I’m in, I don’t start the jeep but lock the doors.

  Darragh snorts. “What’s this? An attempted kidnapping?”

  “No Darragh. This is a warning.” I look at Darragh now.

  He no longer smiles. “Why did I do it?” his voice breaks.

  “Where is Ciara?”

  Darragh’s eyes widen in surprise before they dim. “You think I hurt her?”

  It was a possibility with Darragh. “No.”

  “She broke up with me.” Darragh takes a box of cigarettes and a lighter out of his pocket.

  “Don’t light that up in my jeep. You think she’ll want you back now.”

  “How the fuck should I know.” His foot strikes out kicking my dash and I let him have his tantrum. Gardai Brady walks past the jeep and I salute him.

  Once Darragh calms down, I speak again. “Do I need to sign you in somewhere?”

  “What? Hide the fuck up away?” Darragh throws his fags at the dash. They bounce off easily and land on the floor.

  “I don’t exactly have time for your outbursts. Is it possible that you could try not to attract the attention of the Gardai?” My temper is slipping and it isn’t something I am used to.

  “I don’t know, Liam.” Darragh’s eyes waver.

  I start the jeep.

  “I destroy everything,” he’s whispering now.

  I leave the Gardai station and Darragh picks up his fag box. I’m aware of him removing the fag but I don’t stop him, as he lights it up.

  “Why did I do it?” he asks while blowing smoke out the window.

  I loosen my tie and flicker a glance at him. He’s staring out the window, one of his feet is on the leather seat. I’ll have to get my jeep cleaned.

  “How did I do it?” He’s holding his hands in front of him and the gesture is obvious to me. His hands are wrapped around an invisible neck. “Why won’t you tell me?” He looks at me now.

  “I need you to stop this.”

  “No!” My dash is abused as he kicks it several times. His fag sends sparks around my jeep and I jam on the brakes, stopping in the middle of the road. A car blares behind us, but I just want Darragh and his madness away from me. I lean across and open the door. He’s bewildered until I push him out onto the side of the road. He lands in a ditch and I’m breathing heavily as I throw his half-lit cigarette at him. The car behind us continues to blare. Sitting up straight, I stare at the driver in my rear-view mirror and he takes his hand off the horn, and moves past us. We glare at each other and once he’s gone, I grip the steering wheel, I close my eyes. Taking a deep breath in through my nose I release it through my mouth, I repeat this several times. Movement sounds and the jeep dips. I glance at Darragh as he closes the door and puts on his seatbelt, not saying a word. I put back on my own and start driving again.

  My phone has ashes on it and I brush them off before dialing Sam’s number. He answers on the third ring.

  “Has there been any movement?”

  “Nothing unusual, Boss,” Sam says.

  “Be careful that they don’t spot you. They spotted Gregor.” I inform Sam, turning down the main street of Navan.

  “Is he okay?” Sam asks.

  “I received his hands in a box. So I’ll say no.”

  “Fuck sake.”

  I glance at Darragh, as he stares silently out the window.

  “Keep me informed of any movement.”

  “Yes, no problem boss.”

  I end the call with Sam and pull into the carpark of Navan Hospital.

  “Have you visited father?”

  Darragh looks at me like I materialized from thin air. “No.”

  “Well, now you will.” I unbuckle my belt and get out of the jeep. Darragh’s still in his seat and stares at me. I rap my knuckles against the window and he gets out.

  “I don’t want to see him.”

  I ignore his attempts at sulking and enter the hospital. Father’s been kept in a private wing of the ICU.

  The room is silent except for the machinery that he’s wired up to. Everything is keeping him in a coma. Darragh closes the door softly behind him. Pulling the blind back, he glances out the window.

  “What are you watching for?” I ask as I move around the bed and stare down at father. He looks peaceful.

  “I got into a bit of trouble here a while ago.”

  “Of course you did.” I close the top button of father’s pajamas.

  “Look what they have done to our family, Darragh.” Opening my suit jacket, I pull a chair over to father’s bed and sit down.

  Darragh shifts uncomfortably at the door, half of his attention still on the staff and visitors who move past the window.

  “Darragh.”

  He lets the blind go and looks at me, and then at father. “I don’t like hospitals.”

  “Nobody likes hospitals, Darragh. I want you to really think about your actions. You could be trying to help us figure out who tried to kill our father instead of roiling up the Gardai.”

  Guilt finally shines in his eyes. “I fucked up.”

  I raise a hand.

  Darragh exhales loudly.

  “Am I boring you?” When he doesn’t respond, I continue standing up. “I brought you here so you can see first-hand what they did to our family. An Chlann.” I move closer to Darragh. “They are picking us off one by one.” I take another step. “They won’t stop until there is nothing left and all of this will have been for nothing.”

  Darragh shakes his head, so I grip the back of his neck to keep him focused. “I need you.” I release him and step aside. “He needs you.” I point at father.

  The door opens and Shane st
eps in. His eyes linger on me and Darragh before he glances at father and shuts the door.

  “How is he today?”

  “I haven’t spoken to the nurse yet.” I walk back to the chair and sit down.

  “Are you okay?” Shane glances at Darragh, but his voice holds more contempt than care.

  “Yeah. I’m just going out for a smoke.” Darragh leaves quickly, and I hope even a small amount of what I said sinks in.

  Shane pulls a chair up the opposite side of father. “I heard he had gotten arrested again.”

  I stare at Shane, wondering how well I really know him. “I think you should be more concerned with your own actions.”

  He sits forward. “Is that so?” Both eyebrows raise high.

  “Yes, Shane it is. I want to know about this boy you killed. Why you killed him? Why you kept it from our family?” I could keep listing questions for him, but I had made my point.

  Shane runs his hand across his mouth. “I didn’t mean it.”

  “Oh well, that’s all that matters.” I sit forward joining my hands together trying to keep my composure. “I trusted you above them all and you lied and betrayed me.” I sit back as surprise lights up Shane’s eyes at my outburst.

  “I’m sorry, Liam. I thought I had made the best decision at the time. It was an unlucky blow. I hid the body with Brian and Connor found out. He killed Brian, and told me if I did something in return for him he would tell the RA it was Brian. So I agreed.”

  Shane looks away now, and I’m wondering what exactly he had to do for Connor. When he doesn’t offer up that bit of information, I have to ask.

  “What did Connor have you do for him?”

  Shane stands and so do I. He isn’t getting away that easily.

  “Find out who killed mam.” His words are low.

  I laugh, really laugh.

  Shane looks so unsure now. “Liam.”

  I hold up my hands. “Am I your number one suspect?”

  Shane rubs his mouth again while tilting his head. “Come on Liam, don’t say that.”

  “I want to hear what my brother Shane has been conspiring behind my back.”

  Shane plays with his ring on his thumb finger, something he often does when he thinks of her. “Connor said that father was beating her.”

  I deflate at his words and remember who I am. Buttoning up my suit jacket, I compose myself.

  “He wasn’t lying,” I answer.

  Shane pales further. “You knew.”

  “We were children.” I answer, knowing it’s really no defence.

  “I would have killed him.” He’s pointing at father in the bed.

  “Really?”

  His brows furrow. “Yes, really Liam. Why didn’t you say something?”

  The door opens and a nurse steps in. She glances from me to Shane with a forced smile.

  “I’m just checking on Mr. O’Reagan.”

  I step further away from the bed. “Of course.”

  Shane moves closer to the door and he doesn’t look away from me. We stare at each other as the nurse checks Father’s vitals. I can see how uncomfortable we are making her. She drops the blood pressure pump twice and nearly knocks the stand over. After a few moments and some notes in a chart that rests at the bottom of the bed, she excuses herself with a tight smile and red cheeks.

  “You should have told us.” Shane picks right back up where we left off. He was right, I should have told someone, but she had made me promise not to. I was the eldest. I had to protect her secret.

  “She always said it wouldn’t happen again, or he didn’t mean it.”

  Shane moves quickly over Father’s lying figure.

  “Do you want to hurt him?” I ask.

  “It won’t bring her back.” He finally answers after a few moments of silence.

  “You need to distance yourself from Connor.”

  Shane’s head snaps up. “I don’t exactly hang out with him.”

  “Tom is going to have you killed one way or another.” I point at father, “He might be our only hope of saving you.”

  The door opens again and Darragh arrives looking a little more grounded. He’s tidied himself up a bit and more color has entered his cheeks.

  “Are you ready to go?” I ask Darragh.

  He nods eagerly.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  SVETLANA

  The couch doesn’t feel as comfortable as it normally does. Maybe it’s the fact that Finn’s here and he’s trying to make small talk, but failing miserably. He doesn’t want to be here and every time his phone bleeps he happily leaves to answer it. Liam’s been gone for hours and each time I hear Finn’s phone ring, I’m praying it’s him.

  “Are you hungry?” Finn asks for the tenth time. Each time I’ve said no.

  “Yeah, actually I am.”

  Finn looks relieved. “What can I get you?”

  “Rice with red sauce would be nice.” My stomach grumbles. It’s something I love having but haven’t had it since arriving in Ireland.

  “Rice with red sauce?” Finn repeats and his lip curls up in disgust.

  “It’s fine if you don’t have it.” I pull my feet up on the couch closer to me.

  “No, I can do that.” He moves towards Liam’s kitchen.

  “He doesn’t have rice.” I inform Finn.

  He gives me a shaky smile. “I can go upstairs and cook it for you. I’ll only be ten minutes.”

  “Take your time,” I say with a genuine smile. He’s out of the room quickly. Poor guy.

  I lie back on the couch, and it’s funny that I like the silence that this space offers. I thought I hated it, but what I hate more is small talk. I wasn’t very good at it. Especially with one of Liam’s brothers. They looked at me like I was some alien. They looked at Liam in a pretty similar way.

  The sound of footsteps has me ready to bang my head against the wall. “No rice, I take it?” I ask, sitting up.

  Crystal blue eyes stare down at me and my throat tightens as I scurry into a sitting position. “What are you doing here?” It’s whispered, but Holic hears me.

  “I was worried about you.” He hasn’t moved. I can’t see his hands, they’re stuffed in his pockets. I try to focus on him.

  “Did my uncle send you?” The shock of seeing him is starting to wear off. Each thud of my heart sounds loud. I don’t want to glance at the door, the fear of Finn walking in here is making it hard not to.

  “No. I wanted to make sure you’re okay.” Holic shifts, it’s the first time I see insecurity in his stance.

  “You’ve seen me and I’m fine,” I say, and his eyes shoot around the space, he steps back away from me, allowing me to breathe a little.

  “They have you hidden in a basement.” His sharp eyes shoot back to me. “Is no one watching you?”

  I shake my head and pull the sleeves of my jumper down over my whitening knuckles. “You need to leave now, Holic.”

  His brows draw down. “You don’t want to come with me?”

  “Of course I do. It’s just that I can’t.”

  Holic takes a step closer and fear wraps around my spine. I hold perfectly still as he removes his hands from his pockets. His missing finger is a reminder of his disobedience. He grips my face and a whimper leaves my lips.

  “Holic please.”

  He taps my face gently but repeatedly until my heart threatens to come out of my chest. “Why are you lying to me?”

  “I’m not. I swear.”

  “You don’t want to leave.” The accusation has him tightening his fingers on my face.

  “I can’t leave. You know that.” I say as my vision wavers. Holic’s fingers tighten on my throat. “Please Holic,” I beg again.

  “You’re different.”

  My cheeks flame. That’s not possible, he couldn’t tell that I was no longer a virgin. I hadn’t changed in any other way. But him knowing that, wasn’t possible. A new fear skitters up my back and drapes itself across my shoulders.

  “It�
��s me, Svetlana.”

  Holic loosens his grip on me. “No, it’s not Svetlana. What have they done to you?”

  My heart pounds until black spots start to fill my vision. A cold sweat forms on the back of my neck. “Nothing. It’s me.”

  “Did they interfere with you?”

  I pull away from Holic’s hold. “You’re being paranoid and you need to leave.”

  Something changes in his stance and his hands curl around my shoulders, forcing me down on the couch. His crystal blue eyes shine with a madness that has me pushing against him.

  “Get off me,” I demand, but he doesn’t budge.

  “You gave yourself to them?”

  “Get off me.”

  “You gave yourself to them? Was it so they wouldn’t force you?” My skin is crawling with Holic this close to me, and he sounded insane, like he was trying to rationalize this situation.

  “My uncle gave me to them. So let me up.” I remind him, but he’s shaking his head, his hands seem to sink deeper into my shoulders.

  “They shouldn’t have touched you. You are coming with me.”

  I’m on my feet in one sweep movement. Holic’s hand grips mine and I can’t help but focus on the missing finger.

  “He’ll kill you.”

  “I don’t care.” Yanking my arm, he walks towards the door that opens. My bowl of rice bounces off the floor as Finn looks at Holic.

  “Holic please,” I plead, knowing that it wouldn’t matter to Holic. “Let’s just go. You and me, he’s a nobody.”

  Holic doesn’t speak but stares at Finn, who slowly raises his hands.

  “Look buddy, I don’t want trouble, but you can’t take her.”

  Holic shoves me behind him. Two knives slip from their holders on his back.

  Finn pales, and I’m ready to throw up on the floor.

  “Is he the one who touched you?” Holic speaks in Czech to me. Finn’s nervous eyes flicker around the room.

  “No. Please Holic, let's just go.” I speak in English.

  “I can’t let you leave with him.” Finn widens his arms and tilts his head like he has a chance of stopping this. Holic moves closer to Finn.

  “Holic, my uncle won’t be happy.” My stern words have him pausing. I widen my eyes at Finn, he needs to run, he has no idea who he is dealing with.