Page 175 of Dirty Padraig: Dirty Dusters

JAINE

The O’Connell Home, Darling, New York

“We needto stop meeting like this.”

I smile at Tim’s words, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t reach my eyes.

Is it all over now? I’m not sure I can go through another day like yesterday. A day I thought would be my last.

A wave of nausea suddenly grips me. I heave, and my head is expertly lifted so I can vomit bile into a white paper bowl. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been sick. The first time around it contained the recording device which I immediately switched off.

All I can smell is dirt. All I can taste is dirt. As I suspected, my eye is fully closed up today.

“How is Irish, Tim?”

“Padraig is fine. He’s suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation, but he’ll be back to his normal self in a couple of days. Like you, he’s been throwing up regularly.”

“And Eoin?”

“He has some damage to his hands. Running into a burning building to rescue a disaster-prone couple will do that to you. Thankfully the damage isn’t as bad as we first feared.”

“We’re not a couple.”

A pause. “If you say so.”

“Where is Eoin?”

“He’s upstairs. He’s been returning the favor.”

I frown.

“He’s been your Florence Nightingale this time around. He’s refusing to go home until he knows you’re okay.”

“Why?”

I say the word out loud unintentionally. If he doesn’t love me. If he doesn’t care about me. If he cheated on me. Then why?

“Perhaps you need to have a heart-to-heart, Jaine. With both of them.”

“I will.” And this time, I mean it.

* * *

“Dylan.”

“It’s good to hear from you, Jaine.”

Tears prick my eyes. I can tell he means it. How would my death have affected him and the others? At the time, it didn’t matter. I didn’t care. I just wanted the risks to my children to end. I just wanted the pain of losing Irish and Eoin to end. It turns out I didn’t lose them after all.

They almost lost me.

“I called to update you. I’ve messaged Nate. He’s confident he has enough ammunition to convict Luciano. He’s agreed to deal with you moving forward. I’ve given him your contact details.”

“The DA wants to speak to me personally? What if I say something I shouldn’t?” He sounds nervous.

“You won’t. If you do, he’ll pretend he didn’t hear it.”

“That’s decent of him.”

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