Page 179 of The Texas Sterling Collection
Declan was monitoring Ailbe. He wanted this plan to succeed and didn’t want Ailbe’s confidence in the students to screw things up. “Say…let’s go out to Galway Racecourse this weekend. I enjoy seeing the nags run, and it’s fun to bet a bob or two on one of the steeds.”
“Sounds like fierce fun. How about Saturday? We can go for lunch and watch the horses run in the afternoon.”
“That’d be grand!”
Ailbe and Declan finished their drinks and walked out into the chilly fall air. Ailbe’s students would have the weekend to ponder over the death of their classmate, and Declan would have the weekend to glow in his accomplishment. The big win was coming.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
5:30 and already dark out. The Thursday afternoon shopping trip ended with a martini back in their flat. Wyl watched over Rod’s shoulder as he scrolled through online information about Garda.
“Now that we have a connection in Gardaí, I wanted to see how law enforcement works here.” Rod continued to scroll, sipping the Boru vodka martini, the closest the Irish had to Tito’s. “An Garda Síochána is the national law enforcement agency in Ireland. The term for a single officer is Garda. Any multiples of offices or officers are Gardaí.”
“Anything interesting?” Wyl rested one hand on Rod’s shoulder and jiggled his martini with the other, making the ice tinkle against the glass.
“Commissioner Seamus Kane is the top official in An Garda Síochána. General Steinburg mentioned him in our Pentagon meeting. Somehow, we’ve connected with top officials in both countries.” Rod’s voice quivered as he spoke. “I also found information for the local Galway office where Chief Superintendent O’Brien is. I’ll send this address to our cellphones, so we have it.”
“You are totally getting into this mission, babe.” Wyl stroked the back of Rod’s neck with his thumb. “I like that you want to know more about who we are dealing with. It gives me confidence about our success.” He squeezed Rod’s shoulder. “Are you about ready to go to Wilde’s?”
“Fifteen months ago, I was a professor and college administrator, minding my own business and looking at another ten years at the school, maybe more. Then this handsome rancher strides into my classroom and lassos me. Now I’m married to him, the half-owner of a big ranch, a sensation in San Francisco, tagged by the government into service and given the rank of colonel, and shipped off to a foreign country on a covert mission with international implications.” He chuckled. “A trip to Wilde’s Pub is definitely in order.”
They put on their coats and went out into the chilly Irish evening.
* * *
The drive to Wilde’s took minutes. Inside, they sat in an empty booth with a good view of the stage.
A barman came to take their order. “What’ll you have, gents?”
“We’ll have pints of Guinness,” Rod said, “and a couple of menus.”
“The menu is on the board above the bar,” the barman thumbed over his shoulder. “I’ll have your Guinness straight away.”
“The Irish Stew looks tempting.” Wyl perused the blackboard menu. “And they have steak on the menu.”
“I’m up for the stew,” Rod said. The glasses of Guinness arrived.
“Two Irish Stews,” Wyl said to the barman, “and bring us water, too.”
“Excellent, sir. I’ll have that right out.”
The barman left, and the two took in their surroundings. The stage was empty.
Wyl inspected the crowd. “I wonder if one of these guys is James Pearson?”
“Hard to tell,” Rod said. “We’ll know when he goes to the stage to begin his set.”
“Hey, look, a guitar on stage,” Wyl chuckled. “I bet his first lesson wasn’t interrupted by an unexpected kiss.”
Rod laughed as they both remembered their first kiss. They never finished that guitar lesson.
Two steaming bowls of Irish Stew arrived, along with a plate of bread and two glasses of water. After inhaling the delicious aroma of the stew, they dug in.
As they ate, they watched a man making the rounds, chatting with others in the pub. He soon approached their booth.
“Good evening, gentlemen. I’m James Pearson. Welcome to Wilde’s.”
“Good evening, James. I’m Wyl Sterling, and this is my husband, Rod,” Wyl extended his hand.
