Page 61 of Hidden Daughters

‘I wouldn’t be asking if I knew. It’s something to do with him that I don’t know anything about. I want you to tell me what it is.’

‘It’s not my place to say. You will have to ask him.’

‘Is it a big secret, Lottie? I hate secrets.’

‘I do too. Speak with Bryan.’

The door opened and a breathless Bryan almost fell into the kitchen. ‘Grace…’

‘You better tell me what’s going on,’ she said, wet hands on hips, ‘or I’m walking out of here and there will be no wedding.’

‘I’m sorry, Grace, but I need Lottie to come with me.’

‘Is she more important than me?’ A childlike expression came with the pout.

‘No, but I found blood. Up at the old homestead.’ He turned to Lottie. ‘You need to take a look.’

‘Call Detective Sergeant Mooney in Galway HQ,’ Lottie said. ‘I can’t get involved.’

‘You are already involved.’

‘They’ve taken my car. I’ve been warned off. Honestly, Bryan. Just phone Mooney.’

He took out a piece of blue material from his pocket and showed her. ‘I found this.’

‘Oh shit. You’ve handled it. Your DNA could be on it now. You shouldn’t have touched it. Leave it on the table until I get something to put it into. Any freezer bags?’

‘No,’ Grace said, but she took a roll of cling film from the cupboard under the sink, all business now. ‘Will this do?’

‘Yes. Thanks.’ Lottie quickly wrapped the material in the cling film. ‘Will you phone Mooney, Grace? I’ll go with Bryan to see where this was found.’

‘I’m coming with you,’ Grace said.

‘No, stay here,’ Lottie said, more harshly than she’d intended, but Grace seemed not to notice. Her attention was on her fiancé.

‘You owe me an explanation,’ she told him.

‘I do, but later.’

Lottie could see by his demeanour that he was close to admitting defeat.

‘What was this place?’ Lottie asked as they approached the derelict house.

‘My family home. The place I left when they threw me in Knockraw.’

‘Who lived here?’

‘My mother died after the baby was born. So then it was my father, myself, my brother and sister. And the baby, of course.’

‘Why was the house allowed to decay?’

‘Decay is a strong word.’ He paused. ‘The house I live in now was my grandmother’s.’

‘This is your land. Was it all left to you?’

‘I inherited it, yes. It’s a long story.’ They had reached the ruin. ‘That’s where I found the material. And that’s the board with the blood.’

‘And you took the material and touched the piece of timber?’

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