Page 16 of Hold a Candle

Jamie put the phone on the table. “Go ahead, Pauley. Ye can talk now. Darro and Angus are here with Lucerne and Poppy.”

“Mr. MacCandish? I guess Jamie has told ye what happened. I spoke with Luca earlier this evening and he didn’t like the idea of leaving town, but now he’s on board if ye are okay with it. He’s pretty scared.”

“I’m very sorry for what happened, but I’ll be blunt, detective,” Darro growled. “Yer son is welcome at Neamh, but I’ll no tolerate any nonsense, and he’ll have to obey everything he’s told for the safety of everyone here. I have my wife and children that I no wish to put at risk if he’s mixed up in something nefarious that he won’t give up.”

“I understand yer concerns,” Pauley replied in a defeated tone. “Given the situation, I’m sorry to have bothered ye. I’ll just take an extended vacation and leave the country with him on my own until the hearing. I can protect him myself if I have to.”

“Nay,” Darro replied sternly. “A woman on her own isn’t a good thing, even if she is a trained policewoman. And as a mother, yer personal feelings would interfere with the protective detail ye would be providing. Ye’d best bring him here.”

“Excuse me?” Pauley’s voice was suddenly defensive and disbelieving.

Knowing Darro’s blunt, no-nonsense attitude might put Pauley’s independent back up, Jamie quickly intervened. “Pauley, Darro has suggested that Luca work with Dal, the lad who is interning at Neamh to get his vet license. I believe Dal would be a good influence on him since they are close to the same age. What do ye say?”

“Aye,” Angus added his two cents, albeit facetiously. “We all know Darro needs to work on his people skills, but trust me, we can look after yer lad, detective. I’ve got two lads of my own, and I know how secretive they can be at times. He’ll be safe here at Neamh.”

Darro rolled his eyes but he didn’t say anything else.

Jamie knew Darro meant exactly what he said, but he was still a kind and generous man. He just wasn’t very soft in his approach to people. That attitude had its good and bad points, but the men at Neamh respected him without question.

“Mr. MacCandish?” Pauley questioned, her voice sounding slightly angry, doubtful and hopeful all wrapped into one.

Jamie figured she was trying to swallow her pride because she was desperate to keep Luca safe. Otherwise, she’d probably tell Darro where he could put his people skills. His lips quirked in amusement.

“Detective MacBride, ye are a friend of Jamie’s and he’s family,” Darro replied a little kindlier. “Here at Neamh, we look after our own, so bring yer son now if ye like.”

“I’ll be headed that way shortly then,” she replied after a slight hesitation.

“Are ye sure ye don’t want me to come in and drive back with ye?” Jamie asked.

“Nay, I-I’ll be fine. Mica will follow me out of town and then turn back if I don’t have a tail.”

“Let us know when ye are on the way. I’ll be sending two trucks that way now to watch for ye and make sure ye don’t get followed,” Darro ordered. “The trucks will be white and have Heaven’s Gate on the side so ye know it’s us.”

“Again, thank ye, Mr. MacCandish,” Pauley replied gratefully.

“It’s Darro, and ye are welcome. Be careful.”

Pauley hung up on her end and Jamie slipped his phone into his pocket, well aware of the somber, yet curious and speculative gazes on him.

“Dessert?” he asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Darro chuckled and stared at Angus. “For once it isn’t ye asking for dessert, ye old coot.”

“I was gettin’ around to it,” Angus protested.

Lucerne and Poppy giggled.

Then Jamie turned serious. “Thank ye, Darro, for opening yer home on Luca’s behalf. I really do appreciate it.”

“Like I said, ye are family, Jamie, and we protect our own.”

No one mentioned the elephant in the room, and Jamie was thankful they didn’t press him for more details about Pauley. Their relationship was just beginning and he was a very private person. He was just thankful they were all willing to rally around when it was important to him.

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