Page 13 of Dublin Debacle

Emily crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ll need more than that.”

For a long moment, he met and held her direct gaze.

Just when he opened his mouth to say something, Aoife appeared. “Emily, your uncle is conscious and wants to speak to you.”

Emily sprang to her feet. “How is he?” she asked as she fell in step with the doctor and headed down the hallway.

“Based on his level of pain, he’s probably got a couple of broken ribs. He’s breathing normally, so I don’t think his lungs are damaged, and his heartbeat is strong and steady. He’s bruised all over and has a concussion. I don’t think he has any internal bleeding, but I want to keep an eye on him. If his heart rate and blood pressure tank, we need to get him to a hospital.”

“I understand and agree,” Emily said quietly as they approached the open door to the bedroom where her uncle lay.

Her uncle lay as still as death.

Emily entered the room, her breath lodged in her throat. As she reached the bed, she took his hand in hers. “Uncle Paddy,” she spoke softly.

His fingers flexed in her hand, and his eyelids blinked open. “Em, my dear girl,” he said, his voice raspy and barely understandable.

“Uncle, I need to know who did this,” she said.

He shook his head and winced, closing his eyes again. “I don’t know. They wore masks.”

“Why did they come after you? Surely you know that,” she leaned closer. “When you came through the pub, you knew you were being followed. By whom and why?”

The old man lay still, his eyes closed. For a long moment, Emily thought he’d slipped into unconsciousness again.

Then he sighed. “You and your brother are not safe. Warn Finn.”

“Warn him about what?” Emily asked. “Uncle Paddy, what’s happening?”

“He’ll know,” her uncle said, and his hand went limp.

“Uncle Paddy?” she asked, her eyes filling with tears. “Uncle?” She looked at Aoife.

The doctor touched her stethoscope to the old man’s chest. “He’s breathing, and his heartbeat is steady. I gave him a powerful painkiller. It appears to have taken effect.” She straightened. “I’ll keep him here until he’s well enough to be moved to his own place.”

“But you heard him, my brother and I aren’t safe. Uncle Paddy isn’t safe. If whoever is behind this attack finds my uncle here, you’re not safe.”

“The only way you can get him out of here now is on a stretcher,” Aoife said. “He’s down for the night. I suggest you get some sleep and come back in the morning.”

Emily shook her head. “I can’t leave you here unprotected.”

“I’ll stay,” a voice said from the hallway.

Emily and Aoife turned toward Jack.

“This isn’t even your problem,” Emily said.

“I’m not leaving the two of you to defend a sick man.” He lifted his chin toward the doctor. “Do you own a gun?”

Aoife shook her head. “No.”

Jack’s gaze shifted to Emily, one eyebrow cocked.

“No,” she said. “We can lock the doors and call the Garda if anyone tries to break in.”

“Someone could break in, kill all three of you and leave with plenty of time to be long gone before the Garda arrives.”

Emily opened her mouth to insist they could take care of themselves, but she knew what he said was true. With no weapons to defend themselves, men like those she’d encountered behind the pub that night would have no problem breaking in and subduing them. In this case, size mattered.

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