Contents ( 83)
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- SEVENTY-FIVE
- SEVENTY-SIX
- SEVENTY-SEVEN
- SEVENTY-EIGHT
- SEVENTY-NINE
- Acknowledgements
- OUT NOW IN PAPERBACK
Michael stopped speaking. He had taken it far enough.
Kash had looked down again at the suggestion of O’Driscoll summoning him to the scene. In the same moment his visible discomfort returned. Michael read the body language for what it was. Confirmation that the ‘second possibility’ was not a possibility at all. It was the truth.
Michael tapped Draper’s hand and indicated towards Kash with a movement of his head. A signal for her to step in.
‘Is that what happened, Simon?’ Draper’s voice was light as she performed the delicate balancing act between charm and authority. She did so expertly. ‘Were you forced to collect O’Driscoll? To drive him away? Is that what happened?’
Kash looked up, deep into Draper’s eyes. Michael could see that he wanted to answer, to give Draper the thing she sought
Between us we’re breaking through.
‘You can tell us, Simon,’ Draper continued. ‘You’re safe now. O’Driscoll can’t touch you. Just tell us and we’ll make sure it stays that way.’
Michael watched as Draper worked. The effect on Kash could not be clearer. Or more understandable. Draper’s charms had worked on far more confident men, Michael knew. Directed against a bullied, inexperienced boy when the rest of world was against him? Kash did not stand a chance.
Thank God she’s on his side, Michael thought.
‘I . . . I can’t.’ Finally Kash spoke. ‘I want to. I swear I do. But I can’t. If I tell you the truth about what happened then I’ll end up dead. I know I will.’
‘How, Simon?’ Michael stepped in. ‘If you tell us the truth then Darren O’Driscoll will be in prison for the rest of his life. He can’t hurt you from where he’ll be.’
‘He’s not the only O’Driscoll, Mr Devlin.’
Kash’s answer was simple. Darren’s brother, Patrick. A man willing to threaten Michael in the street.
Michael had not found Patrick intimidating. But Kash would. Michael now regretted that he had not given in to his instinct and hospitalised Patrick O’Driscoll when he had the chance. Not for himself, or even for Sarah, but for the scared boy sitting across from him now.
‘I don’t want you to worry about Patrick O’Driscoll.’ Kash raised his head. He seemed surprised that Michael knew the name. ‘He’s not worth your time, Simon. And he’s definitely not worth a life sentence.’
Kash shook his head. His eyes began to fill with tears.
‘I can’t talk about any of this,’ he said. ‘I really can’t. I just want to go back to my cell.’
‘Simon, I . . .’
‘I want to go back to my cell, Mr Devlin. Please.’
Michael studied Kash, wondering if now was the time to push the issue. He quickly concluded that it was not.
‘OK, Simon. You go. We’ll see you in the morning.’
‘Thank you, Mr Devlin.’
Kash rose to his feet and reached out his right hand. It was the first time he had instigated a shake. Michael returned the gesture and felt Kash’s small hand disappear into his own.