Page 278 of Keeping 13

“Do you do it?” Ollie asked.

“I’m starting secondary school in September,” Tadhg replied nonchalantly. “What do you think?”

“So?” Shannon said, eyeing her brother suspiciously. “What does starting secondary school have to do with kissing?”

“Just that I know what I’m talking about,” Tadhg told her. “And that’s all I’m saying on the matter.”

“Johnny—” My father’s voice filled my ears, and I tore my gaze off Shannon and her brothers before hurrying into the hallway after him.

“What’s going on?” I asked, watching him warily as he nodded and answered whoever was on the phone to him with one-word responses. “Da?”

“Come here,” he mouthed, gesturing for me to follow him.

A nervous tremor rolled down my spine as I trailed after him, not stopping until we were in the kitchen with the door closed behind us.

“Thanks a million for calling me, Billy,” Dad said into the phone. “I will… Yes…yes, I know, man. I understand. Thanks. Yeah, I’ll see you there.” Hanging up, he looked at me and sighed heavily. “Johnny—” His voice cracked. Shaking his head, he placed the phone on the kitchen island and exhaled a pained breath before saying, “Sit down, son.”

And Iknew. I knew right there in that very moment that something terrible was going to come out of his mouth.

“Da,” I bit out, shaking like an ivy leaf. “What’s going on?”

“Johnny—” Releasing another pained sigh, my father walked over and steered me to a stool. “I need you to sit down, son.”

Fuck.

Feeling weak, I sank down on a stool at the island and dropped my head in my hands. “Just tell me,” I choked out, clenching my eyes shut. “Just say it. Please.”

“That was Billy Collins on the phone,” Dad explained, taking the stool opposite mine. “Do you remember Billy? I went to school with him. We were great friends. He’s been over here a few times with his wife for dinner—”

“I know he’s the superintendent at the station, Da,” I choked out, knowing exactly who my father was talking about. His Garda buddy. “What did he say?”

Dad nodded stiffly. “He’s sending a car over here. They’ll be with us shortly.” Dad glanced down at his phone that was lighting up again. “I called Darren, too. He’s on the way.”

“Are they taking them back?” I growled, flicking my gaze up to meet his. “Are you seriously going to let them take those kids back to that fucking house?”

“No, Johnny,” Dad replied calmly. “That’s not what’s—”

“She’s not going anywhere,” I hissed, feeling anxious and wildly protective. “I don’t give a shite what you, Darren, or any bleeding Gards say. You’re not taking Shannon back there. I’m keeping her here with me!”

“Nobody is taking anyone back there,” Dad coaxed. “I promise, son, so just calm down.”

“Then why are the Gards coming here?” I demanded.

“They need to take your statements,” Dad replied softly.

“Statements forwhat?” I gaped at him. “Am I in trouble for taking them? Because their ma told me to—” My words broke off and I dragged in several deep breaths before continuing, “She told me to go, Da,” I hissed, shuddering at the memory of Mrs. Lynch’s haunted eyes looking into mine. “She said, ‘Take them’!”

Tears filled my father’s eyes and I blanched. “Oh fuck, it’s bad, isn’t it?” I choked out, jerking off the stool. “What’s happening here?” Trembling, I backed away from the island, knowing in my heart something bad was going on. “Did he hurt her?” Pain speared through me at the thought. “Is that it? Is she in the hospital?”

“Johnny, just breathe—”

“I don’t understand what’s happening here!” I roared, feeling my heart hammer violently against my rib cage. “Just tell me what’s going on, Da!”

“There was a fire at the Lynch house.”

“What?” My heart stopped dead in my chest. “No, no, no.” I shook my head, rejecting the words coming out of his mouth. “I was there less than two hours ago, Da. There was no fire!”

“Therewasa fire, Johnny,” Dad told me. “When you showed up here with the children and I called Billy, he was already at the scene of a fire in Elk’s Terrace. By the time the emergency services arrived, the house was up in flames.”

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