Aunt Lil’s face was set, rigid. All the colour had left it. ‘And now this has happened to Tom?’

Angel nodded.

Lil shot to her feet and rounded on her niece. ‘And would you mind explaining to me why the fuck you haven’t told the police about this?’

Angel shrugged hopelessly. ‘I didn’t know what that man was talking about. I thought he was just some crazy drunk.’

‘Christ, Angel!’ Lil walked a pace away, then turned back, her face almost demented. ‘Didn’t Dora tell you the story?’

‘No. What? What story?’

‘I just told you. There was a court case. Dora’s first boyfriend, your dad, was fitted up – by Frank – for the murder of another gang leader. Then things caught up with Frank and he went down for it anyway, because Donny Maguire put pressure on Dora so she stood up in court as the star witness for the prosecution. She reckoned Frank was threatening revenge even as they led him down to the cells. And now you’re telling me this.’

‘Miss O’Brien?’ A tall thin man in green red-spattered coveralls and a cap had come along the corridor and was now standing there looking from Lil to Angel and back again. There was a face mask pushed down around his neck. ‘Mr Sibley’s relative?’

Angel stood up. ‘Yes. I’m Miss O’Brien, Mr Sibley’s cousin. This is his mother.’

‘I’m pleased to say the operation was successful. It’s early days, but the pressure has been released, the bleeding has stopped, and it’s looking promising.’

‘Oh thank Christ,’ said Lil, crying again.

‘And you know . . .’ started the surgeon.

‘Yes?’ prompted Angel when he paused.

‘If you haven’t already, you should really talk to the police about this.’

‘Yes,’ said Angel, limp and almost giddy with relief. ‘I’m going to.’

141

Fiona Maguire was due in for her weekly visit at the cop shop, to talk – as she always did – to Paddy, and to ask if there was any progress being made in finding her missing husband. As Farmer came in from the rain at the front of the station, shaking out his coat, he saw two seated drunks having an argument and a woman at the desk talking to Doug the desk sergeant.

The woman was a shock. She turned her blonde head when he came inside and stared at him with enormous lamp-like blue eyes. He tried not to gawp back like an idiot, but it was difficult. She was so damned beautiful. He’d known a few truly beautiful women over the years and almost without exception they were crazy bitches, best avoided, vain and shallow. This one? When you looked into those eyes you saw something more; a sweetness, a vulnerability.

She looked away from him, then glanced back. Just for a moment. Then he got his legs moving and passed through the inner door and from there into the main office and on to his own. Fiona was there, chatting to Paddy, as expected. She glanced up and smiled. A sane, normal smile. Farmer went into his office and closed the door and sat down at his desk, still a bit dazzled by that absolute honey he’d seen out front talking to Doug.