‘Very well, but take this.’

Harry slipped an envelope into Cormac’s pocket.

‘What is it?’

‘It’s the address to my house. None of the clowns around here know where it is. I don’t want any of them to see it. If they see a house with more than 4 bedrooms, they think the owner’s a drug dealer! Besides, it’s on the other side of Lisburn, so it may as well be a million miles away from here.’

‘How many bedrooms do you have?

‘Nine.’

‘Christ, Harry! What do you do?’

‘I make money, wherever and however I can. Then I spend it whenever and on whatever I want. It’s a simple philosophy, but it makes me happy. It’s a shame a few more of the idiots around here hadn’t followed my lead instead of blowing each other to hell and back.’

As they walked down the hill towards the village, Cormac had a thought.

‘I don’t think Roisin would be too happy to see me.’

‘What happened between you and Bernadette is between you and Bernadette and anyway, Roisin does what the boss tells her, know what I mean?’

‘That’s not how I remember Roisin, Harry.’

Harry glanced at him sheepishly.

‘Yeah, you’re right. What I meant to say was Roisin is in New York looking after some business. There’s only me and our Claire staying at the house at the minute. We’re going to Dublin tomorrow for a few days, so you and Annie can have the run of the house if you fancy it. The offer is there if you want it.’

When they reached his mother’s house, Cormac finally found the courage to ask Harry the question he’d wanted to ask from the moment he saw him last night.

‘How is Bernadette?’

‘Cormac, you’re my friend, and God knows it’s been great to see you, but I’d like to hang on to my bollocks, and I’m afraid Roisin has promised to remove them slowly and painfully if I discuss anything about her sister with you!’

5

Cormac opened the front door and called to Annie. He walked through the narrow hall and into the kitchen. With coffee in hand, he made his way to the bottom of the stairs and called Annie again. He heard voices coming from the living room. It sounded like someone was in pain. He pushed the door gently.

‘Hello?’

He got no reply. He shouted louder.

‘Hello?’

Still there was no reply.

Cormac walked gingerly into the middle of the little room until he could see clearly what was producing the awful screeching sound. Annie lay sprawled across the settee, iPod at full volume, squawking along to some unrecognisable dirge. Although already running late for lunch at Maggie’s, Cormac took a seat opposite her. He could not resist an opportunity to be in the company of his darling girl. As he sat, he thought of the many times he’d watched her sleeping as a child. He remembered the countless times when she was a little girl when he would deliberately walk a step behind her and take simple pleasure in her mere existence. He was proud that she had grown into the beautiful woman he knew she would always become. She had a wonderful mind, a wicked sense of humour and a caring nature. She opened her eyes.