ChapterTwenty-Seven

Ruby

Ididn’t seem to be asleep that long when I’m woken up by my phone vibrating on the nightstand. I groan and open my eyes, pleased to see that not only did Declan stay, but he is also sleeping. However, it doesn’t last long, when I lean over him to grab my phone.

“What? Fuck? What?” he says, sitting upright and knocking the phone out of my hand.

“David,” I say, retrieving it from the tangled bed sheets.

“Oh,” he says, rubbing his face. “Fuck, I haven’t slept like that…ever…”

“Must be me,” I reply lightly with a smile and then answer the video call. “What’s up?” I ask, suddenly getting a sliver of cold down my spine. David’s face is grim.

“Hey, listen, we can’t leave today. We can’t go back home yet,” he says calmly but firmly.

“Why not?” I ask with a frown.

“What’s happened?” Declan demands, practically shoving me out of the way so he can see David on the screen.

“Do you mind?” I grumble and shove him back a bit so that half our faces are visible to David on the other side.

“The police have swung by Widows looking for you,” David says.

“Why?” I ask quietly.

“They found your card in…” he pauses and then growls out, “Smith’s stuff at the station, plus the statement from the last time he came by after you were attacked by Jake's guy. They want to talk to you as a person of interest in Smith’s disappearance, according to the Banker. Who, BTDubs, is not impressed he’s had to deal with the po-po in your absence.”

“Fuck,” I groan and exchange a wary look with Declan. “What does this mean?”

“It means, we stay here for a bit longer until I can figure something out,” Declan says, and then looks towards the door when there is a loud, official sounding knock on the front door downstairs.

“Shit,” he mumbles and leaps off the bed.

In fight or flight mode, I pick flight and jump up, dragging my bag out from under the bed. I start throwing clothes into it as Declan comes back and confirms my worst fears.

“It’s the Garda,” he says.

“Who is that banging on my door at this hour?” Mary calls from her room down the hallway.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I mutter. “Can they arrest me? It’s a different country. I don’t know the rules…” I start to not exactly panic, but it’s definitely got the adrenaline going.

“We don’t know they are here for you. They might be here about Cillian,” Declan says, but ruins his half-assed reassurance by helping me throw stuff into the bag. “We have to get out of here.”

“No shit,” I hiss as Mary’s footsteps sound outside the door and then go down the stairs.

“Mam, wait,” Declan calls out and follows her.

I yank my shoes on, grateful that I’m in ‘running-away’ clothes and drag my coat on.

“Rubes? Rubes? What is going on?” David’s muffled voice is coming from the bed somewhere.

I pull the covers back and snatch up the phone. “Trouble,” I mutter and scooping up my bag, I follow Declan down the stairs.

“It’s the Garda,” Declan is explaining to his mom in a whisper.

“Who are they here for? You or her?” she asks.

I grimace. This is going to hell in a handbasket.