Page 69 of Hidden Daughters (Detective Lottie Parker #15)

By the time Bryan returned to the house, Grace had made three floral wreaths, though she needed just one. She heard his jeep drive into the yard, but it was another five minutes before he ventured inside with the dog at his heels.

‘Where were you?’ she asked, sounding like a nagging wife, even though she hadn’t meant to sound like that and she was not yet his wife. Might never be. That thought filled her with sadness.

‘I drove around.’ He filled the dog’s bowl, then plugged in the kettle. ‘There’s so much going on, I don’t know what to do with myself.’

‘You could have stayed here and talked to me.’

‘With your brother and Lottie around? Impossible.’

She found herself smiling conspiratorially. ‘You don’t have to worry about them for the time being. Mark went back to Ragmullin to get Sergio. He won’t return until tomorrow. And I sent Lottie Parker away.’

‘Sent her away? Where?’

‘I think she went to a hotel. I honestly don’t care where she is. I couldn’t stand having her in our house any longer. She is a pain, that woman.’

‘But—’

‘She thinks you are a murderer. Can you believe that, Bryan?’

‘I don’t blame her, to be honest. Things don’t look good for me.’

‘Why would you say that?’ She twisted round on the chair to look up at him.

‘I’ve been interviewed by the guards twice, arrested once. They’ll be back for me.’

‘If you’ve done nothing wrong, what have you to be afraid of? And take off those boots. You’re trailing muck over the floor. I mopped it fifteen minutes ago. Where were you, to get in such a state?’

Grace surprised herself with how she was able to talk to him. Usually she was a listener, and it had served her well over the years. You could learn a lot by just keeping your ears open and your mouth shut.

‘Told you, I just drove around, and then I walked the fields with Tess and along the beach. My head is in bits, Grace. I’m so afraid.’

‘Why would you be? You’ve got a good solicitor. The guards can go and shite.’

He laughed.

‘What’s funny?’

‘That’s so un-Grace-like.’

‘It’s time I stood up for myself and for you. People will walk all over us if we let them.’

She felt his hands wrap around her neck as he leaned into her back where she sat. She could smell his sweat, the odour of the sheep and the fields, even the sea. He kissed her hair.

‘What are you making there?’ He was looking over her shoulder, his voice a little too harsh in her ear.

‘Attempting to make a wreath for my veil. But I’m not sure…’

‘Not sure of what?’

‘If we should get married at all?’

He released her and sat on the chair beside her. ‘Why not?’

‘Because people are getting murdered and you are a suspect.’

‘I didn’t kill anyone.’

‘I know that.’ She twisted round to look at him. ‘But how do we convince other people?’

‘I shouldn’t have to convince anyone. Grace,’ he took her hand in his, ‘I honestly don’t know what to do.’

‘You need to eat,’ she said, ‘but I haven’t cooked anything.’

‘Don’t worry about it. We can go out somewhere.’

‘We can’t do that. I can’t face people staring at us.’

‘They won’t stare.’

She pulled her hand free of his. ‘They will. Until you can clear your name. Have you told me the truth about that DNA?’

‘I told you the reason for it. I did some work at that cottage. So it’s perfectly legitimate that my DNA would be found there.’

‘No, I mean you being some sort of relation to Imelda Conroy.’

‘I really don’t know what it means. I told you all this the other night.’

‘You did. Could she be the sister you told me about. Your younger sister?’

‘I’m not sure the age works.’

‘Maybe a daughter of your sister then?’

‘Anything is possible,’ he said. ‘I lost all contact with my family until I inherited the farm from my brother when he died. My father had bequeathed it to him.’

‘You could try some of those sites. I read about them. Ancestry something or other.’ She suddenly felt excited.

‘The thing is, Grace, I really don’t want to find anyone. I’m content with my life here with you. I can do without the complications.’

‘What complications?’

‘There’s something else I haven’t told you.’

She felt stuck to the chair, frozen in place, with an irrational urge overtaking her. She wanted to smash the three little floral wreaths she had made. ‘I am not sure I want to hear what you have to say.’

‘But I have to tell you this. There is another possibility for the DNA. I was hoping Lottie could find out something for me, and I would have told you then. But events have surpassed all that now.’

‘I’m not liking this, Bryan O’Shaughnessy,’ Grace said, ‘and you haven’t even told me yet.’

He took her hands again, and she felt the callused skin press against her soft flesh. She could hear Tess barking furiously outside.

‘The thing is, mo ghrá , a lifetime ago I had this girlfriend?—’

A knock came on the door, interrupting him, before it was pushed in.

‘Bryan O’Shaughnessy, you are a fucking murderer and I want to know what you’ve done with my wife.’

Grace looked on in horror as Denis Wilson grabbed Bryan by the collar and hauled him up from the chair. Tess circled them, barking.

Bryan was bigger and stronger than the other man. With one punch he landed Wilson back out the door he’d just come in through.

And she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.