Page 107 of Calling Frank O'Hare

It struck Frank that Finn had asked almost the exact same question he’d asked Benoit. He’d shaped it differently but what he’d meant was had Benoit managed to do the thing Frank had failed to do? And now Finn was asking, had Netta succeeded where Ellen had failed. ‘Very much so.’

‘And Fred there, is he a good companion?’

Fred was hoovering up the crumbs on the floor with his great long tongue. At the mention of his name his head shot up and he cocked it to one side, his dopey gaze fixed on Finn.

‘He’s the best,’ said Frank.

‘We talk about getting dogs, me and the lads. Ren’s dog died last year. He’s lonely without him.’

‘They’re your new gang, Ren and Rebel,’ said Frank.

‘I guess so. Except this one’s a more equal partnership. Don’t worry though. I still have time for the old gang.’

‘When you see Rebel again, tell him I found it. He’ll know what I mean.’

Martin came back into the room, looking a bit brighter. ‘She’s agreed to see me and talk next week after the kids go back to school. She’s taken them to Portrush to see her family, so I’ve time to sort out a return. Ma and Da will let me stay at theirs. I tried calling them but there’s no answer at home, or on Da’s mobile.’

‘Probably out shopping or something. Have you tried Siobhan?’ said Frank.

Martin pretended to shudder. ‘Not sure I’m ready for the Siobhan effect just yet.’

Frank tried her number. It went straight to voicemail. ‘No answer. I haven’t had a reply to the message I sent her either. Probably nothing. We’ll try again later. What do you fellas want to do today?’

‘It would be nice to go back to the old places, like when we used to visit before,’ said Martin.

Frank smiled. ‘I was thinking the same thing. A lot of them are gone now but there’s one pub still standing, and you already know the landlord.’

Frank let Martin and Finn go into the Hope and Anchor first. It had had a couple of minor refurbs since they’d last set foot in it, but it was still pretty much as it was the last time they came.

Adrian was behind the bar. He saw them and his face broke into a big, broad grin. ‘Well look what the cat dragged in. It’s the Three Amigos. Older, wiser and twice as ugly.’ Netta had called them that too, except she hadn’t laced it with sarcasm. But he expected nothing else from Adrian, his oldest and dearest friend. Although, now that he’d seen his brother and cousin in a new light, Frank might have to think about revising that description.

69

The full initiation

Frank had messaged Netta to ask if she’d take care of Fred when she got home, as they were spending the afternoon at the Hope and Anchor. Shortly after, he sent her a picture of the three of them with Adrian, all looking more than a little merry. She took this to mean Martin and Frank’s differences had been resolved.

She went into Frank’s first to collect Fred and took him round to hers. Having sent the dogs out to the garden, she made a cup of tea and put her feet up. It had been a busy day, a few minutes quiet wouldn’t hurt. She closed her eyes, all set to drift away, but a knock on the door put an immediate stop to it.

She opened it to a party of three. Her heart sank. She’d accidentally answered the knock of the God-Squad. Normally she did a sneaky look from behind the curtains to ascertain whether she needed to pretend she was out, but she’d been caught on the hop. When she noticed the absence of literature or briefcases about their persons, she relaxed slightly. Two of them were at least eighty, so they probably weren’t sales people either.

‘Am I speaking to Netta?’ said the youngest, a woman who could have been anywhere between fifty and early sixties. She was rubbish at guessing peoples ages, especially when they looked as good as this woman. There was one crucial factor she hadn’t missed though. The woman’s accent was from Northern Ireland. What with that and the cabin-sized suitcases they had with them, a light bulb switched on in her head.

‘You are,’ she said.

‘Hello. I’m Siobhan. Frank’s sister.’

‘Hello, Siobhan. And you must be Mr and Mrs O’Hare.’ Netta’s former corporate past resurfaced and she shook their hands. ‘Frank and the others are out at the moment, but please come in.’

She showed them into the lounge. ‘Let me take your coats. Would you like some tea or coffee?’

‘Tea would be lovely,’ said Mrs O’Hare. ‘We’ve come straight from the airport. They don’t know how to make a good cup.’

‘No pressure then,’ laughed Netta. Mrs O’Hare frowned. Oh dear. Perhaps wait a while before she told any more nervous jokes. ‘Make yourselves at home. I’ll put the kettle on.’

‘I’ll come and help you.’ Siobhan followed her into the kitchen. ‘Sorry to have just turned up on your doorstep like this. We thought they’d be in.’

‘Not a problem. There are biscuits in that tin, if you want to put some on a plate. Unless you’d prefer something more substantial?’

---