Page 51 of Dublin Debacle

Emily shook her head. “It makes no sense to get the two factions fired up and angry with each other. If they wanted to unify North and South, picking fights between the Radicals and Travellers won’t accomplish anything.”

“Unless whoever is pushing the narrative is creating a distraction for something else?” Jack glanced back at Finn again. “Anything going on in Dublin they might want people to ignore or miss?”

Finn frowned. “Not that I can recall. And we hear a lot of the rumors on the wharf.”

Jack nodded. “It wouldn’t hurt to keep our eyes and ears open for something unusual looming on the horizon.”

“In the meantime,” Emily said, “we’re here.” She pulled into the hospital parking lot as the gray light of predawn crept over the city.

“Tell Ciara we’re thinking about her,” Emily said. “If you or Ciara needs anything, let me know.”

“Where are you going?” Finn asked.

“I want to check on Uncle Paddy,” she said. “Hopefully, he’s awake and feeling better.”

“Be careful, Sis. I don’t know what’s happening or why, but there are a lot of angry people in Dublin right now.”

Emily stared at her brother in the rearview mirror. “Same goes for you. Don’t get caught up in mob mentality with Rory and his friends. We might not have all the right information, which could mean someone is manipulating both sides of this equation.”

Finn reached for her hand over the back of the seat. “Love you, Em.”

She clasped his hand and smiled at him through the reflection. “Love you, too, Finn.”

Her brother pushed open the car door, jumped out and hurried toward the hospital entrance.

“You don’t want to check on Ciara?” Jack asked.

“I want to see Uncle Paddy. If he’s awake, he might remember something or have a clue as to why this is happening.” Emily shifted into reverse, backed out of the parking space and headed for Dr. Kelly’s place.

“You might want to park behind the doctor’s building,” Jack said. “With the new paint job, your vehicle is highly conspicuous.”

Emily nodded and drove around to the back of the building into an alley.

They climbed out of the Mercedes and pushed through a garden gate into the townhouse’s small backyard. Jack knocked sharply on the back door.

Moments later, a curtain shifted in a window beside the door. The click of a deadbolt being unlocked sounded. Peter Atkins pulled open the door. “Collins, Ms. O’Brien.” He stepped aside and allowed them to enter.

Standing further back in the hallway, Dr. Aoife Kelly smiled at Jack and Emily.

“Good morning, Aoife,” Emily said with a smile. “We’re sorry to drop by so early, but we wanted to check on my uncle.”

“I’m glad you did,” Aoife held the door wide. “Please, come in. Your uncle is awake, hungry and cranky. Maybe you can distract him while I prepare breakfast for him.”

“Sounds like he’s feeling better. We’ll do our best to distract him. Go. Do what you need to,” Emily said and ducked into the room where they’d taken her uncle the night before.

Jack fell in step with Peter Atkins as they followed Emily into the room.

“Em, my darling child,” Paddy O’Brien called out in a booming voice. “Did you come to spring me from this prison and its warden?” He threw aside his blanket and started to swing his legs over the side.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Emily touched a hand to his legs, stalling his effort to climb out of bed. “Stay,” she said.

“I already have one woman giving me orders,” her uncle groused, “I don’t need another.” With Emily standing at his bedside, Paddy couldn’t get up and loom over her with his bushy eyebrows like he did when he wasn’t getting his way. The old man sighed. “I’m not sick. I don’t need to stay in bed all day, every day.”

“I don’t expect you to.” Emily smiled and laid a hand on her uncle’s arm. “Are you ready to tell me why you were attacked and who attacked you?”

Uncle Paddy closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I might have information they want.”

Jack moved closer to Paddy’s bedside. “What information?”

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