Page 42 of Fatal Thrill
“I’m out of my element here. Usually we know who the bad guys are and how to take them down. Terrorists and shit are easy. They’re bad, they die. International jewelry thieves? Crosses, curses, and Irish people? What the hell do I know aboutthat?”
An older woman in a dress and knit leggings with her graying hair in a bun came out on the porch with a rug. Lorna Doyle shook it out, not seeming to care about the brisk air, and beat it a couple times on the railing before going back inside. “At this point, don’t kill anyone and we should be okay. I’ll let you know when to pull thetrigger.”
“I want to do some target practice from the highest parapet at the castle before we leave. I bet I can hit something a couple miles away from upthere.”
And draw more attention to themselves. Seemed like a good idea. “Not sure Kieran will be too excited about that, but after we’re done here, you canask.”
Colton snorted, not keen on asking permission from anyone. “What do you think?” He stuffed his gun into his jacket out of sight. “You want me outside on guard or do you want to tag team the oldlady?”
Jon pulled his dark hair into a tiny bun at the back of his skull and slipped on his knit cap. “Let’s tag team, but get out the parabolic mic first. Once we talk to her and leave, I want to know if she calls anyone or signals them some way about our visit. We’ll do a little eavesdropping from out here. That’s the only way we’ll know for sure if she or her husband areinvolved.”
He’d rather plant some bugs inside the house, but Kieran hadn’t been stocked with those. The mic was their best option on thisrun.
“The pub’s open for business already.” Colton eyed it like he was suddenly thirsty. “Maybe we can grab a pintafterwards.”
Bells liked to get a rise out of anyone and everyone. Jon rarely let it get to him, but his usually long fuse was short this morning. Maybe because life had changed for him and suddenly this mission held a lot more weight. “It’s not even nine a.m., and need I remind you, we’re on a mission, not a sightseeingtrip?”
A laugh. “Come on, man. You know I’m yanking your chain. I just hope Beatrice doesn’t send Moe to help out. Fuck, all I heard on the flight was about the differences between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The Midlands and the West Midlands and how you better not confuse them, blah, fucking blah. I got a history lesson I didn’t need nor want. My ears are still bleeding. I’m a simple idiot from Oklahoma. I can’t take more of thatshit.”
Moe was still on call with the plane in case they needed to bug out quickly. He actually might have been better with the locals, understanding the culture and language far better than either Jon or Colton. “You were a Navy SEAL, just like Moe, and in case you haven’t figured it out, he’s as American as youare.”
Colton looked surprised. “What’s the accent forthen?”
“He’s got British roots, and I guess he likes to make itknown.”
“Fucking asshole. I knew he wasfaking.”
Anyone Colton talked trash about, he actually liked. Jon checked his weapon, hiding his knowing smile. “Let’s dothis.”
The inside of the Red Hen was cozy and warm. A bell tinkled overhead and Jon and Colton wiped their feet on the rug. The woman in the dress appeared, wiping her hands on an apron. Her full cheeks were lined with wrinkles and her smile was genuine, although Jon could see her sizing them up in seconds. “Hello, boys.” She looked like the locals but her accent was much lighter. “What brings you to the Red Hen? Visiting our fair town? Sightseeing? Antiquing? You’re in luck. I had a recent cancellation, some dirty birds. Can I set you up with aroom?”
Colton gave her a weird look and immediately stepped away from Jon as if he had cooties. “Oh, we’re not…together, like you know, partners or whatever. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. We just work together. None of that other…stuff.”
Jon rolled his eyes. Shelby had sent photos of Sean and Finn to his phone so he showed Lorna the one of Sean first. “Do you recognize this man? He and his son had reservations lastweek.”
The smile faded and her eyes narrowed as they came back up to Jon’s. Her accent thickened ever so slightly. “You be a friend of ’is?”
“Of the family.”Sort of. Jon swiped the screen to Finn’s picture. “This is his son. Recognizehim?”
“I certainly do remember them.” Her eyes went hard, features set. “They snuck out o’ here in the middle of the night and didn’t pay their bill. Claimed to be O’Sullivans from America, but more like them dirty Sullies from up the road. Tinkers, the lot o’them.”
Jon wondered if the disappearing act was before or after Finn had been kidnapped. “While they were here, did they mention looking for a treasure? Or visiting the familyhome?”
“Dunno.” The wrinkles around her eyes grew deeper as she studied him. “You gonna make it right with their bill,dear?”
If he didn’t, he wasn’t getting any more information out of her, that was obvious. She might look like Mrs. Claus, but she knew how to extort thesituation.
He dug into his pocket. “How much do theyowe?”
She sashayed behind a small counter, setting reading glasses on the end of her nose before pulling out a basket of papers. Licking the tip of one index finger, she used it to sort through them, one at a time. Jon felt Colton’s annoyance from three feetaway.
“Aye, here it is.” Lorna looked at Jon over her glasses and showed him thebill.
It was in scribbled handwriting, but he made out the charges and realized he didn’t have enough euros on him. He took a pen from the holder on the counter and scribbled Rory’s number on the bill. “Contact this guy and he’ll pay it, I promise. Just tell him Nickleback saidto.”
Her pale brows furrowed and she slowly slid the paperwork back into the basket. “The only thing I remember about Mr. O’Sullivan was that he met with another man outside on the porch. Ferris was his name. He bought the old haunted castle up the road, Blackrock. Although why anyone would want that awful place, I haven’t a bloodyidea.”
“Hauntedcastle?”
