Angel Kiss - Laura Jane Cassidy [63]
‘About twenty minutes ago. I think he was watching us from round the back. This whole thing is stressing me out. I think Jacki and I should go back to Dublin for a week or two until the house is ready.’
A week or two? No, I couldn’t do that. I had to stay here. The door of the station swung open and Peter Mulvey popped his head in. He was wearing a black suit with a white shirt, the collar unbuttoned.
‘Michael, are you free later for a round of golf?’ he said before he had even stepped inside. Then he saw us and nodded in our direction. ‘Hello, ladies,’ he said. ‘Sorry for interrupting.’
‘Don’t be trailing mud into my station,’ said Michael, pointing at Peter’s mucky shoes. Peter wiped his feet on the mat and pushed his sunglasses up on to his head. ‘Ah, will you calm down, Michael,’ he said. ‘And what are a beautiful pair like ye doing hanging out in this dump?’ He walked over and stood between the two of us.
‘We’re having a bit of trouble,’ said Mum. ‘We’ve had an intruder …’
‘Oh dear,’ said Peter.
‘No prizes for guessing who,’ said Michael, rolling his eyes. Peter gave him a knowing nod. Almost everyone seemed to have suspicions about Des. I still couldn’t believe nobody had told us. Michael wasn’t doing much to curb Mum’s fears.
This meant that I might actually have to accept that I couldn’t stay in Avarna. It was so unfair.
‘We’re going back to Dublin,’ added Mum. ‘I won’t feel safe until the house is finished.’
‘Now don’t be too rash. You’re very welcome to stay at our house,’ said Peter. ‘You’ll be safe there. We have electric gates, CCTV, an alarm system –’
‘Really?’ I said. This might be a good solution. The Mulveys’ house was huge … Mum and I could both stay there. I was glad Peter had come into the station.
‘Thanks, but we don’t want to burden you,’ said Mum. ‘We should go back to Dublin. We can stay with my mother for a week or two.’
I should have known Mum wouldn’t accept. She’d always been reluctant to accept help from people, especially people she didn’t know well. She was used to sorting everything out herself, used to being totally independent.
‘But you’re trying to finish your house, aren’t you?’ said Peter. ‘You won’t be able to do that if you’re back in Dublin. And you wouldn’t be a burden. I’m sure Anne won’t mind. We have three spare rooms. You’ve met my wife, Anne, haven’t you?’
‘Yes,’ said Mum. ‘But really I –’
‘I think it would be a good idea for you to stay at the Mulveys’,’ said Michael. ‘And neither of you go walking around the mines or the forest by yourselves. We all know what that man is capable of.’
Mum looked frightened. Peter placed his hand gently on her back.
‘Come on,’ he said. ‘You’re in no fit state to drive anywhere, let alone Dublin. Come on back to my house and I’ll make you a cup of tea. And you can think about my offer.’
Please say yes, I thought. Please, please say yes.
‘OK,’ said Mum, trying to compose herself. ‘Thanks very much, Peter.’
I couldn’t believe it. She was actually considering taking his help. Maybe it was because Sergeant Reynolds had advised her to. Or maybe it was because the stress of everything had just become too much. I didn’t really care what the reason was though. All I cared about was that I might get to stay.
Chapter 20
Anne Mulvey placed a mug on the table in front of Mum. Mum smiled and took a sip. After twenty minutes of convincing, Mum had decided to take Peter up on his offer. I was so relieved. Now I sat at the Mulveys’ kitchen table, buttering my slice of toast.
‘Are you sure you wouldn’t like a cappuccino, Jacki?’ asked Anne.
‘No, thanks, tea’s fine,’ I replied. The modern kitchen screamed expensive, but it had a lived-in feel, with a stack of dishes beside the sink and a pile of dirt beside the dustbin, still waiting to be swept up and disposed of. It certainly was a lot tidier than it had been at the party the week before, when empty beer cans had covered the counter.
‘You’re sure