Page 127 of Three Widows

His tone worked, because Luke dropped the oranges he was stacking and walked with McKeown out the back door.

He shoved the lad up against the wall and held him there, his forearm tight to his chest.

‘If you don’t tell me what I want to know, I will personally extract each one of your piercings with pliers, and then I’ll start on your teeth, braces or no braces.’

‘Wha… What are you doing, man? Is it not enough one geek manhandles me, he has to send another one?’

Tightening his grip, McKeown said, ‘Only speak when I tell you to speak. Got it?’

Eyes wide, Luke remained silent.

‘You went out front earlier today to have a smoke. Nod if that’s true.’

Luke nodded.

‘You met someone there.’

Another nod.

‘You went across the road to Herbal Heaven.’

A hesitant nod.

‘Who did you speak with?’

An imperceptible shrug.

McKeown loosened his hold slightly. ‘You can talk.’

After a few gulps, Luke said, ‘I can’t say.’

‘If you don’t want to end up in jail for murder, you better tell me.’

‘M-murder? Hey, no way, man. I didn’t kill anyone.’

‘Who did you speak with?’

‘I could end up dead.’

‘That’s a risk you have to take.’ McKeown breathed deeply. He knew that what he was doing was intimidation, but he’d heard that Amy Corcoran was fighting for her life.

Luke shook his head, and his eyes sprouted tears. ‘Man, you’re giving me a death sentence.’

‘Who the fuck did you meet?’

‘She said it was nothing. She gave me fifty euro. Said to tell no one.’

‘Who did?’

‘I don’t know who she was. Fifty euro is fifty euro when you haven’t got it.’

‘What did you have to do for your measly fifty quid?’

‘I had to walk into the shop and unlock the back door. That’s all.’

‘Who was there when you went in?’

‘No one. It was empty. She could have done it herself.’

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