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The drum started to move. To turn. She went with it. Her stomach roiled and fear turned to terror. She was trapped. She was going to die, the second the boiling water came through the tiny holes in the drum.

The first shot of water hit her between the eyes. And then her nose and cheeks. She coiled in horror as she was twirled around, the water rising with the heat. The heat.

The drum turned faster and faster, and before she succumbed to the swirling water, darkness overcame her. She would not see the light again.

71

RAGMULLIN

SATURDAY

The next morning, Kirby reached his home in Ragmullin shortly after 7.30. He was delighted with himself for having had a good night’s sleep and being on the road before six.

Amy was still asleep, so he crept up the stairs, took a shower and pulled on clean clothes. Then he went downstairs to make coffee. Probably created too much noise, because she woke up.

‘Good to see you home, Larry,’ she said, entering the kitchen and wrapping her arms around him.

‘You too. Toast? I’ve the kettle on.’

‘Are you working today?’

‘Unfortunately.’ He put two slices of bread in the toaster, mentally making a note to buy a bigger one. ‘It was a bit of a shit show in Galway.’

‘Boyd told me some of what was going on. He picked up Sergio yesterday. He’s an amazing kid, though he did miss his dad.’

‘How is Boyd?’

‘Hard to know. He said he and Lottie had a row. Between the lines, I think he’s broken up with her. You should talk to him.’

‘And I think we should stay well away from that drama.’ The bread popped up and he began buttering it.

‘Ugh.’ Amy ran from the room.

‘What did I do?’ Confused, he looked around as he heard her slam the bathroom door.

He knocked on the door. ‘Amy pet, what did I do?’

‘Nothing. Sorry.’

‘Are you okay in there?’

‘Give me a minute.’

He thought he heard her retch. A knot of anxiety twisted in his gut.

‘Are you sick?’

Stupid question. He could hear her and hoped he didn’t catch whatever she had. No, he was fine, but he worried about her ongoing health issues. Having been badly injured during the course of a murder case a while back, she still attended physio for her damaged leg. Could there be something much worse than that going on?

‘Amy, please answer me.’

‘The door isn’t locked.’

He entered the confined space. She was sitting on the edge of the bath.

‘Will I call a doctor?’ He kneeled in front of her as she wiped her mouth with a towel. He took it from her and held her hand to stop it shaking.

‘Are you proposing?’ she said with a grin.