Page 4 of Hidden Daughters (Detective Lottie Parker #15)

COUNTY GALWAY

The car was warm as Lottie drove behind Boyd on their way to Connemara for his sister’s wedding the coming weekend.

They’d brought both cars because he had to go home later in the week to pick up his son, who was staying with Kirby and his girlfriend, and Lottie didn’t want to be stuck in the wilds with no transport of her own.

They’d decided to make a holiday out of the break away. She wondered how that would go.

She hit the hands-free phone. ‘Can we stop soon? I need to pee.’

They turned off the motorway at Ballinasloe and parked at an imposing hotel. After using the bathroom, she entered the roomy lounge bar and joined Boyd, who’d ordered coffee and sandwiches.

‘It’s no more than a two-hour drive,’ he said. ‘You should have gone to the toilet before we left.’

‘You’d think I was a child,’ she said, unable to hide a grin.

‘You act like one at times.’

She swatted his arm playfully. He was joking, but still, it rankled a little.

It had been Boyd’s idea to take the time off.

Lottie hadn’t been sure about being away from her family for an entire week, but they were due to arrive on Sunday, the day of the wedding.

And if she was fully truthful with herself, she would miss her job too.

Their food and drinks arrived.

‘Grace will be delighted to see us,’ Boyd said. ‘She wants you to help her with the last-minute arrangements.’

‘I’m not sure I’ll be any use to her, but I’ll try.’ She had only met Boyd’s sister a handful of times and figured Grace wasn’t the easiest person to get along with. Then again, neither was she. ‘Have you even met Bryan yet?’

‘No, but he sounds grand on the phone. A real farmer.’

‘Whatever that means,’ she said.

‘Down-to-earth. No airs and graces. Nice man.’

‘I hope he is, because I wouldn’t like Grace to get hurt.’

‘Neither would I,’ Boyd said. ‘He seems sound anyhow.’

She picked at her sandwich, feeling uneasy. ‘I wish we’d booked a hotel for the week. I’m a bit iffy about staying with people I don’t really know.’

‘Grace would be insulted if we didn’t stay with them.’ Boyd wiped his mouth with a napkin. ‘Are you finished? We need to get back on the road. Grace said she’d have lunch ready for us.’

‘I’ll just use the bathroom again so that you won’t be cribbing at me.’