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“Nope,” I replied, keeping my voice calm as I climbed out of the car. “I’m just heading home now, so I’m going to have to hang up.”

“Okay, thanks for calling.”

“You called me, Shan,” I reminded her as I rounded the garden wall, heading for the house.

“Oh…yeah, right. Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I chuckled to myself, imagining her blushing. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Bye, Johnny.”

“Bye, baby.” Hanging up, I slid my phone into my pocket and crouched down in front of the window. Less than a minute later, the net curtain twitched and a pair of big chocolate-colored eyes locked on mine.

Sean, I mentally noted as the toddler stared through the glass at me, face solemn and streaked with dirt.

“Hey,” I mouthed, waving at him.

He didn’t respond.

He just stood there, staring back at me.

Unsure of what to do, I placed my hand against the windowpane and held my breath. Seconds ticked by, and just when I thought the baby had turned to stone, he pressed his small, chubby hand against the glass, mirroring mine.

Smiling, I slowly stood back up, knowing that I needed to get back in my car and far away from this house but moving toward the front door anyway. Knocking softly, I waited for a response, forcing down the urge to storm inside and demand to know what the fuck was going on.

Finally, the door opened inward, and I was faced with the same tiny blond boy from the window. “Hey, Sean,” I said in my best coaxing voice. “How are you?”

Another boy, no more than eleven or twelve, rushed toward us then, intercepting the toddler and sweeping him into his arms. Swinging around, he locked his mistrusting glare on me. “Get out.”

“How’s it going?” I heard myself say as I retreated a couple of steps. “I’m Johnny.”

“Yeah? Well, fuck off, Johnny.”

Jaw twitching, I swallowed down a snarky response and tried again. “You’re Tadhg, right?” I hoped like fuck I had the name right. “I’m your sister’s boyfriend. And I know your brother Joey, too.”

A third boy appeared then, peeking around what I knew was their kitchen doorway. “You’rethatJohnny?” he asked in a small, hopeful voice. “Shannon really likes you.”

“Don’t talk to him, Ollie,” Tadhg said coldly. He turned his hard stare on me and hissed, “Leave.”

I wasn’t leaving.

Icouldn’t.

“Where’s your mother?” I asked.

“Mind your fucking business,” Tadhg spat out.

Christ, this kid was almost as feral as Joey.

“Where’s Joey?”

No answer.

“Are you guys home alone?”

With a scathing glare, Tadhg moved to swing the door shut on me.

I reached out and stopped it from closing. “You can tell me where she is,” I said calmly. “Or you can tell the Gardaí.”

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