Page 156 of Hidden Daughters

‘Five minutes out of your time,’ Kirby said.

‘Can’t you do it on your way home?’

‘Can’t you?’

‘I’ll go,’ Martina said. ‘But I’ll need a senior officer with me.’

‘Okay, okay.’ McKeown threw his arms heavenwards. ‘I’ll go with you.’

‘Fine, but keep your mouth shut and your hands to yourself on the drive over,’ she warned. ‘I’ve your wife on speed dial.’

‘Thanks, guys,’ Kirby said, and made his escape.

89

CONNEMARA

The sky was darkening quickly, with a mist rolling in from the sea. Lottie shivered, clutched her hands to her arms and turned to go back inside. Boyd was walking towards her holding a mug of tea.

‘That looked like a cosy chat,’ he said.

She smiled, glad he’d brought her a drink. Then he raised the mug to his own lips and drank. Oh-oh, she thought, this is not good. Like sister, like brother.

‘He was just filling me in on what Assumpta wrote in her notebooks.’

‘You’ve been spending a lot of time with Matt Mooney this week. A lot more time than you’ve spent with me.’

‘Are you jealous?’ She knew she shouldn’t have said it. Too late now.

‘For fuck’s sake, Lottie. What’s going on with you?’ He tipped the mug, intentionally spilling the remainder of his tea.

‘Nothing’s going on. I’m not the one who’s jealous.’ She felt a slow white fury build in her chest. He was out of order. She prayed he’d stop now, rather than making things worse. But of course he kept talking.

‘You insisted on putting yourself in danger when there was no need for it, for Christ’s sake.’

‘Mooney asked me for help on day one. Then he was struggling, so I helped where I could.’

‘He got assistance from Dublin. He didn’t need your “help”.’ Boyd even did air quotes, and this incensed her further.

‘You are a pain in the hole when you’re like this, Mark Boyd. There’s no talking sense to you.’

He sighed. ‘I really think we are done, Lottie.’

She heard the finality in his tone. Her lips quivered as her rage quickly died. This was not good.

‘We were going to buy a house together,’ she said. ‘We were to get married. Blend our families. Live happily ever after and all that. What happened to us?’

‘You. You happened. You can’t help yourself. You have to get involved even when it’s nothing to do with you.’

‘That’s unfair.’

‘Is it?’ He walked in small circles and turned to face her, waving the empty mug. ‘Can you deny it?’

She couldn’t. Not really. Her shoulders slumped. ‘I do what I have to do. Surely you know me by now?’

‘I thought I did, Lottie. I really thought I knew the real you. I thought you were able to prioritise me and your family, but no. I was wrong. The only thing you prioritise is your work. Do you want to know what I think?’

‘I suppose you’re going to tell me.’ She was resigned to whatever nail he was about to put in their relationship coffin.

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