Page 43 of An Angel’s Share (The Greystone Family: Greystone Brothers #1)

Aoife

Oh God, California. The scene of the crime.

My crime against Jonno. I’m so embarrassed about what I did.

What I intended to do. I know I’m bright red, my embarrassment there for all to see.

The cask storage company—I never got there.

Landed and went out with my university friend.

Shopping, hairdressers, cinema, bars and more bars. Then the club where I met Jonno.

The next day, I stood outside that pharmacy for over an hour.

They thought I was some sort of pharmacy stalker.

Red or black. Miss Roulette. Take it, don’t take it.

Baby or no baby. I was so freaked out by my decision to let chance take its course, I hopped on a plane home to New York.

I told everyone I’d been to the company.

I needed a cover story. And when I confessed about my sperm donor, I told Mammy it was at a clinic in California.

So many lies. Oh, what a web we weave. Shakespeare had that right. Maybe I’ll dump Seamus and Dervla, call my baby William, or Willamina .

I never even went near the storage company, but I’ve lied twice now about it. Covering for my lack of fortitude.

I should have contacted Jonno. Who contemplates having a baby and leaving the other party in the dark for their own ends? Me. Dr Aoife O’Clery. I did that. So embarrassing. And shameful. So shameful. I feel so ashamed of myself.

I spoke to the manager, though. At the cask company. He seemed really nice. Said all was very quiet, but that we were nearly full. A bit of space, but not much. Told me we needed to start selling some of the whiskey.

I need to pull myself together and tell the truth.

Confront my demons. If it comes up again, I need to tell my daddy, Marshall, Dermot the truth.

Tell them I never went as I was too busy getting drunk in bars, acting like a university fresher.

Then later, got knocked up in a sex club by a total stranger who turned out to be Jonno Greystone.

Yeah, right. Great conversation starter. Or more likely showstopper.

I get back to the business in hand. “We’re not taking that money,” I state it with authority.

Daddy looks distraught. Is this why he’s been ill?

“We’re defrauding the Trade Board, and while I can’t stop this year, we won’t be doing it again next year.

And any money we get will go back out through charity work in the local area and around Ireland. ”

Patrick starts to splutter. “We will be spending it. I have plans for it. Bonuses for us all. I’ve told the staff they will be getting a windfall double last year.

I can’t go back on that. And I have personally made some seriously good investments that need to be paid for pronto.

So we will be taking that money.” His conviction is undeterred.

“Okay, pay the staff then, but not us. And any remaining, out it goes. It is not going on the balance sheet. It’s fraud, Patrick. Plain and simple. Can’t you see that?” I’m desperately trying for him to see the issues.

“Don’t be ridiculous. We are trading casks of whiskey. We are exporting, we are not lying.” He’s adamant.

“We are by omission. We’re trading with ourselves.

We control the flow to ourselves. We can increase or decrease.

The fact they can’t tell it’s us is just semantics.

It is us. We know it is. We have to give the money up, and not keep it to ourselves.

And it has to stop. In fact, it does, here and now.

” My voice projects my absolute conviction of this course of action.

I look around the room. Daddy and Dermot look embarrassed. They knew and didn’t stop it. Marshall looks shell-shocked. The minions look pissed off with me.

But it’s Jonno's reaction I can’t fathom.

He suddenly looks pale, but the blank look is back, and he’s not looking at me anymore.

The energy he’s been pulsing out at me all meeting has been completely switched off.

It’s just as if he’s switched off a tractor beam.

Before he was pulling me in, now it’s gone. Nothing is coming my way, good or bad.

“Who else knows the real truth about the International Trade Board? About the companies belonging to us, and the cousin on the inside?” I demand. If this gets out, O’Clerys reputation across the world will be shattered.

“Just the people here.” Patrick sweeps his arm around the remaining seated minions.

“None of the other heads of departments? Have any of you told or spoken about this?” They shake their heads. “Suzanne, have you been privy to this discussion?” I swing my head around to the woman cowering in the corner. Patrick looks surprised to see her there. As if he’d forgotten she was.

“I’ve been in the discussions, yes. But I never noted any of it down. It’s not in the minutes. Only the fact we won.” She looks unsure as to whether she’s done the right thing.

Patrick just looks bemused. He does not get it.

“Right, I want NDAs signed by everyone in this room. Including you, Suzanne. And know this, if this ever comes out, I will sue. Regardless of cost. I will also turn over the dealings you’ve done. I’m sure there will be a lovely paper trail of all that whiskey.”

Patrick sputters out, “You’re overreacting. How will anyone know whose company it is? We’re not on the paperwork. It’s a trust, as you directed.”

I’ll kill him. I did not mean for him to use it for fraudulent activities. It was set up to trade to support the business in America, not diddle the Irish International Export division out of money.

I’m about to give Patrick both barrels, when I hear my dad huff a breath out and bend forward in agony. Oh, my God, he’s having a heart attack. He’s clutching his chest and arm, and looks in serious pain.

Marshall jumps out of his chair and rushes forwards to grab him. Jonno directs Suzanne to call an ambulance. Patrick looks horrified, pale and shocked.

I rush towards Daddy, tears in my eyes. No, not my dad, please don’t take him yet.

“Daddy,” I can’t get any more words out.

Christy rushes through the door, coming to stand next to me, taking my hand.

“Get him onto the floor.” Jonno has taken over. “Patrick, pull some cushions from those settees, let’s put them behind his back and shoulders,” Jonno orders. They’re making him comfortable. “Christy, can you check in the house if they have any aspirin?” Jonno asks.

She nods and asks the crooked export cousin to go get it, telling him where it is. He can run faster than her, but she follows him out.

I’m thankful Jonno has taken over. I can’t think, my brain is not working at all. I feel someone come to take my elbow, expecting it to be Liam. But it isn’t, it’s Uncle Dermot. In fact, where is Liam?

“Come sit, niece.” He pulls a chair opposite Daddy and I plonk down into it.

Jonno is kneeling down watching my dad, talking to him constantly, listening to his answers. Marshall’s stood sentry next to him. Considering the circumstances, it’s all very calm. Christy brings the aspirin and then leaves to wait for the ambulance.

Then my mammy arrives. Followed by Liam.

He went to fetch her? What the hell is he doing?

She starts to wail like a banshee, keening, before she nearly collapses into Daddy.

Jonno catches her and pushes her towards Marshall, who tries to take her elbow and steer her into a more safe position.

Liam grabs a chair and she’s seated in it calmly by Marshall.

“The ambulance has been called, Mae. Please calm down. He needs to be calm,” Jonno implores her.

She ignores him and starts the wailing again. He stands, his commanding personality shining through. Only Marshall and I look unsurprised.

“Mae, if you can’t stop, you’ll have to leave. Seamus is the most important person here. If you’re not helping, please leave,” Jonno states in a firm yet fair tone.

Liam bristles. “Do not speak to my mother-in-law like that. Who do you think you are, telling her to leave?”

Why is he so inappropriate? Causing friction at a time like this. Pointless point scoring.

“If either of you can’t remain calm, leave. In fact, if any of you can’t.” He glares around at us all. “Seamus is the most important thing. I’m not arguing. Calm or out.” His glare intensifies on Mammy and Liam, and even Mammy looks a bit cowed.

Christy comes back to tell us the ambulance is here, they are fetching a stretcher. I hear mammy gulp, just about to start sobbing in earnest, and I take her hand. “Please, Mammy, think about Daddy. He needs us calm. He’ll worry about us. Please keep calm.”

Liam huffs out a noise of derision, but I completely ignore him. He can fuck right off with his theatrics and insensitivity.

The paramedics arrive and talk to both Jonno and Dad.

As Dad’s stretchered off, Jonno comes over to us.

“Mae, if you want to go in the ambulance, go now. They’ll be moving fast, so if you’re not sure, wait and we’ll take you.

Aoife, don’t go in the ambulance. Wait and I’ll take you.

They’ve said it can all get a bit frantic, so best for us to go behind and wait. ”

He’s issuing orders like a general commanding new troops who have no clue what they’re doing. Mammy nods and Marshall takes her arm and moves with her following the stretcher, with Dermot at their side.

“Who do you think you are? Ordering us all around,” Liam barks, like a junkyard dog convinced he’s the alpha. “I will take Aoife and Mae, not you. Patrick, call the cars. You can take your dad.” Oh the irony.

Jonno totally ignores the rude interruption and demands, his voice gentling a little when he addresses me.

. “Aoife, can you get together a few items for your dad? Pyjamas, toiletries. Something comfortable for him to wear in the hospital. He’s in suit trousers and shirt, he might want to be a bit more casual. ”

Marshall walks back into the room and takes me in his arms. “I’ll help you, Rua. And let’s get something for your mammy, too. Just in case she stays with him.”

I never even thought of that. My brain has totally frozen. So much for me being a stalwart in a crisis. I’ve totally gone to pieces. Marshall steers me out with Christy and we go in search of items to take with us.