Page 43 of Shadows Reel

It was in the shape of a shield with a ribbon below it. The shield was severed diagonally by a white lightning bolt. On the top left of the bolt were six white parachutes on a field of blue. On the bottom right of the bolt was solid green with the wordCurraheein formal script on the ribbon.

It meant nothing to Joe, but he took a photo of it.

He carefully refolded the shirt top and placed it exactly as he’d found it, then sealed up the locker and slid it back under the bed.

—

Steck’s window slid downas Joe approached the SUV. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

“Not really, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to ask Norwood to analyze a footlocker under Bert Kizer’s bed. There might be some stray prints on it.”

“Gotcha.”

“See you in a minute with that pizza,” Joe said.

As he opened the door to his pickup, Joe’s phone chimed with a text message. Marybeth.

We’re starving. Are you on your way?

He replied:

Yup. Gotsidetracked.

THURSDAY,

NOVEMBER 24

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;

Surely the Second Coming is at hand.

—William Butler Yeats, “The SecondComing”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Gargoyle

Marybeth snapped open one eye in the dark, reached for her phone on the bed stand, and looked at the screen. It was four thirty-three. She was on her side in bed with her back to Joe. As usual, they were spooning. His left leg was on top of her left thigh and his arm was thrown over her shoulder. He was deeply asleep, which she chalked up to his full and exhausting day, as well as the two bourbons he’d had when he got back with the pizza.

As gently as she could, she disentangled herself and slipped out from beneath the covers. He moaned and asked her what was up.

“Nothing,” she said. “I’m going to put the turkey in the oven. Go back to sleep.”

“Mmmmmmm.”

It didn’t take much convincing. Joe could sleep anywhere, anytime.

She pulled on her robe and slippers and quietly shut the bedroom door behind her.

Marybeth liked how her house felt to her as she padded down the hallway. She loved it that all three of her daughters would be back together in less than six hours. It would be loud, it would be raucous, and she knew she’d love every minute of it.

She was wide-awake and happy.

—

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