Read Online Beneath an Irish Sky (Choc Lit) by Isabella Connor - Free Book Online
Authors: Isabella Connor
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fast.’
Maybe. Luke recalled the journey. Darkness. Silence in the car, apart from the swish of faulty windscreen wipers. Had it been Annie’s fault? The rain
was
interfering with her vision, and she
was
driving fast because a traffic jam had held them up. They had to catch the last ferry to Wales. Waiting hours for the next one was too risky. If Joe and Liam had followed them …
‘Had she been drinking?’
‘She fuckin’ had not! She never drank. Don’t you dare say that about my mother or …’
‘Luke! Don’t get yourself upset.’
That was all he needed. Jack Stewart poking his nose in. Mind, he’d wanted to punch that policeman which wouldn’t have been the best move.
‘Good advice,’ said Connolly, ‘because that temper got you in trouble once before, didn’t it, Luke?’
That hadn’t taken long, then. Jack seemed to be ignoring the comment, though, and came to stand by his chair. Probably expected it.
‘My wife’s blood tests revealed no traces of alcohol. As I’m sure you already know.’
‘Your wife?’ said Connolly.
The look of surprise on the Guard’s face was a treat.
‘Yes. I’m Jack Stewart. Annie was my wife, and Luke is my son.’
Jack’s hand on his shoulder made Luke cringe, but it was a great performance so he’d put up with it.
‘We’re both deeply distressed by what’s happened, as I’m sure you’ll appreciate. Luke has told you all he knows. He needs to rest now.’
Jack moved to the door and held it open. The policemen glanced at each other then headed out, but Connolly fired a parting shot. ‘One other thing. The car your mother was driving was registered to Joseph Kiernan of the same address. A relative, I presume?’
‘Not much gets past you, does it?’ Luke hoped his sarcastic tone masked his growing panic.
Connolly scowled. ‘We’ve left a message for him to get in touch. He’s got several outstanding parking fines. Why don’t you jog his memory about them?’
It wasn’t the smug look of satisfaction on the man’s face that made Luke feel sick, but the knowledge the police had been trying to track down Joe. It was unlikely the Guards would find out his uncle’s whereabouts from any Travellers, but if word somehow got back to them about the accident, Joe might well turn up here at St Aidan’s. Mad as hell, and swinging his fists. Then Luke would have a lot more than a damaged knee and bruised ribs to worry about.
After the door swung shut behind the Guards, Luke turned to Jack. ‘When can we leave? Tomorrow?’ It hurt his pride to have to go along with Jack’s idea but he needed an escape route.
‘You want to come to England?’ Jack looked surprised. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Tryin’ to talk me out of it already? Don’t worry, it’ll only be till I can manage by myself.’
‘I’ll have to check with the doctor to make sure you’re fit to travel,’ said Jack.
‘If you don’t get me out of here soon, I’ll discharge myself.’ Luke meant it, even though trying to make it on his own wouldn’t be easy. But he’d do it if he had to.
Jack nodded. ‘I’ll arrange the earliest flight home I can.’
Home. Where was home now? It had only been Ennis because his mother was there and she needed him. Most of the time it felt like prison. Now he belonged nowhere. He’d go with Jack Stewart to England, but he wouldn’t belong there either, among people who’d made his mother feel worthless. Still, part of him wanted to meet the rest of the Stewarts. To see the shock on their faces, the panic in their eyes when they thought he’d be staying around. It would be worth going just to see that.
‘Luke?’
What now? Couldn’t the man just leave him in peace?
‘We need to discuss the funeral.’
He’d wondered about that. Supposed Annie would have to be buried in Dublin since nothing on God’s earth would drag him back to Ennis. Travellers preferred to be buried in earth that had known them and Annie hadn’t known Dublin that
Maybe. Luke recalled the journey. Darkness. Silence in the car, apart from the swish of faulty windscreen wipers. Had it been Annie’s fault? The rain
was
interfering with her vision, and she
was
driving fast because a traffic jam had held them up. They had to catch the last ferry to Wales. Waiting hours for the next one was too risky. If Joe and Liam had followed them …
‘Had she been drinking?’
‘She fuckin’ had not! She never drank. Don’t you dare say that about my mother or …’
‘Luke! Don’t get yourself upset.’
That was all he needed. Jack Stewart poking his nose in. Mind, he’d wanted to punch that policeman which wouldn’t have been the best move.
‘Good advice,’ said Connolly, ‘because that temper got you in trouble once before, didn’t it, Luke?’
That hadn’t taken long, then. Jack seemed to be ignoring the comment, though, and came to stand by his chair. Probably expected it.
‘My wife’s blood tests revealed no traces of alcohol. As I’m sure you already know.’
‘Your wife?’ said Connolly.
The look of surprise on the Guard’s face was a treat.
‘Yes. I’m Jack Stewart. Annie was my wife, and Luke is my son.’
Jack’s hand on his shoulder made Luke cringe, but it was a great performance so he’d put up with it.
‘We’re both deeply distressed by what’s happened, as I’m sure you’ll appreciate. Luke has told you all he knows. He needs to rest now.’
Jack moved to the door and held it open. The policemen glanced at each other then headed out, but Connolly fired a parting shot. ‘One other thing. The car your mother was driving was registered to Joseph Kiernan of the same address. A relative, I presume?’
‘Not much gets past you, does it?’ Luke hoped his sarcastic tone masked his growing panic.
Connolly scowled. ‘We’ve left a message for him to get in touch. He’s got several outstanding parking fines. Why don’t you jog his memory about them?’
It wasn’t the smug look of satisfaction on the man’s face that made Luke feel sick, but the knowledge the police had been trying to track down Joe. It was unlikely the Guards would find out his uncle’s whereabouts from any Travellers, but if word somehow got back to them about the accident, Joe might well turn up here at St Aidan’s. Mad as hell, and swinging his fists. Then Luke would have a lot more than a damaged knee and bruised ribs to worry about.
After the door swung shut behind the Guards, Luke turned to Jack. ‘When can we leave? Tomorrow?’ It hurt his pride to have to go along with Jack’s idea but he needed an escape route.
‘You want to come to England?’ Jack looked surprised. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Tryin’ to talk me out of it already? Don’t worry, it’ll only be till I can manage by myself.’
‘I’ll have to check with the doctor to make sure you’re fit to travel,’ said Jack.
‘If you don’t get me out of here soon, I’ll discharge myself.’ Luke meant it, even though trying to make it on his own wouldn’t be easy. But he’d do it if he had to.
Jack nodded. ‘I’ll arrange the earliest flight home I can.’
Home. Where was home now? It had only been Ennis because his mother was there and she needed him. Most of the time it felt like prison. Now he belonged nowhere. He’d go with Jack Stewart to England, but he wouldn’t belong there either, among people who’d made his mother feel worthless. Still, part of him wanted to meet the rest of the Stewarts. To see the shock on their faces, the panic in their eyes when they thought he’d be staying around. It would be worth going just to see that.
‘Luke?’
What now? Couldn’t the man just leave him in peace?
‘We need to discuss the funeral.’
He’d wondered about that. Supposed Annie would have to be buried in Dublin since nothing on God’s earth would drag him back to Ennis. Travellers preferred to be buried in earth that had known them and Annie hadn’t known Dublin that
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