Chapter Twenty-Two #2
At least I hope it looks that way, even though I feel far from it.
“Look, I’m sure Henry will be home very soon, Mrs. Dunn. He’s probably not missing.”
Mrs. Dunn fumbles with a hankie and blows her nose, a worried crease sharply etched between her eyebrows. I have to pull on all my sensitivity training, so I don’t frighten the elderly lady. The last thing I want is to push too hard. She slumps in her wheelchair, deflated, her chin wobbling.
“He’s never been gone for so long before.”
I nod and glance down at the half-finished report on the desk. “You stated that it’s been an hour since you last saw him?”
Her face bobs up and down so quickly that I’m worried she’ll pull a muscle. “Yes, that’s right. It’s not like him. He usually stays close to me and the house.”
I nod slowly. “I see. But…” I take a deep breath, trying to find my patience. “Since Henry’s a cat, he’s bound to go on walkabouts that sometimes take him farther away from home. I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”
I glance at Franny and take a step back.
“Are you sure, Detective?”
“Positive.” I fold the unfinished report in half and tuck the paper in my back pocket. “He knows where his home is.”
She opens her mouth, but Franny steps in before the older woman gets a word out. “I’ll come by after work and check he’s come back, Mrs. Dunn. Don’t you worry about a thing.”
I let out a low sigh of relief and turn on my heel to make my escape.
The headache from earlier has returned with full force, pounding in my temples, and I fist my hands at my sides.
Even though I feel the telltale signs of my rising temper, I make a beeline towards my boss’s office.
I rap my knuckles on the door and open it before waiting for an answer.
O’Neills sits at his desk, head turned to his laptop, but he looks up when I enter it. He furrows his brows.
“I never thought I’d get to the point where I’d work at a station where I’d be expected to file a missing person’s report for runaway pets,” I rant.
“That’s not why I agreed to come here, for God’s sake.
” From the corner of my eye, a shadow moves, alerting me that we’re not alone, and I jerk my head to face the stranger.
I stiffen, and a small sound escapes my throat.
It can’t be.
“Colin?”
My ex-fiancé tips an imaginary hat at me, a move so out of character for him that I have to work hard on not snorting in disbelief.
“Hello, Maeve.”
I stiffen my spine and move closer to the desk, deliberately ignoring the two-faced lying snake, focusing on my boss instead.
“What’s going on, Sir?”
He scratches his chin, eyes flickering between the two of us. “Fitzpatrick here has news about the man who shot you.”
I cross my arms, hating that I have no choice but to talk with him. “Well?”
Colin pushes off the bookshelf he so comfortably leaned on and takes a few steps towards me. I don’t want him within two metres of me, but I don’t back down. He buttons his blazer, eyes speculative as he stops in front of me. I raise my chin and force my face to remain blank.
I can’t let him see that his visit has rattled me. I won’t give him the satisfaction.
“We haven’t caught him yet, I’m afraid. But some leads showed up, telling us that he left Dublin a couple of weeks ago.”
I narrow my eyes. “So? That little nugget of information warrants a visit to Cloonmara?”
He smirks, his eyes the same cold, detached blue they always are when he’s in police mode. “Not exactly. They say he’s in Cork, and since that isn’t that far from your new home, we needed to take a trip down here.”
I look back at my boss. “Do you think I need to be worried?”
He shakes his head. “Not yet, no, but I think it’s smart of Fitzpatrick to come here to investigate.”
I drum my fingers on my arm, nodding slowly.
It makes sense. I bloody well wish it didn’t, but had our roles been reversed, I’d have done the same. I breathe deeply and throw him a quick glance.
“You’re not staying here, are you?” I ask.
Colin chuckles and puts his hands in his pockets, shaking his head.
“God, no. I’m heading back to Cork tonight. I only wanted to tell you the news in person. I…” He glances at my boss, then back at me. “I still care about your safety. That won’t change.”
This time, I have no choice but to bite down on my lip to prevent my laughter spilling out.
“Right. Well. Have a safe trip back.” I turn to my boss, and he gives me an almost imperceptible nod. “I’ll just go get back to work on the graffiti case, Sir.”
Please take the hint. Let me get out of here.
He narrows his eyes, and I do my best not to let him rattle me.
“Some kids at it again?”
“I think so, but I don’t know yet.”
He waves a hand at the door and then picks up a pen as he sits up straighter in his chair. “Let me know your findings when you get somewhere.”
“Will do.”
Without a glance in Colin’s direction, I turn and escape the tension in the office. All I want is to find a quiet room, preferably cloaked in darkness, without anyone interrupting me with their burning questions.
I should’ve known I wouldn’t be that lucky, because Colin’s right on my heels.
“Maeve, wait a minute.”
“I don’t have time to chat.”
“Come on, honey.”
“No!” I whirl around to face him, trembling so much that my finger shakes as I jab it into his chest. “You do not get to call me that anymore, Colin. You don’t have the right!”
He holds up his hands. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“Run back to Helena and leave me the hell alone. I don’t want to see you or hear from you ever again. Is that understood?”
He straightens his tie, eyes darting everywhere instead of doing the exact thing I need him to.
To look me in the eye and apologise for what he did.
But he never did and he never will.
I shake my head slowly. “You’re a coward,” I spit, moving toe-to-toe with him. “What did I ever see in you? I wasted three years with you, and you don’t even have the decency to say you’re sorry.”
His throat works, but his eyes remain blank.
Nothing.
“Goodbye, Colin.”
I turn on a shaky breath, holding my head high as I pass my colleagues, who have all stopped what they were doing to watch my confrontation with my ex.
My head is pounding from the adrenaline, leaving me feeling like a limp noodle.
When I reach Sarah, she gives me a warm smile, and I sigh deeply, touched by her support.
My hands tremor at the thought of Joe getting closer, but what’s worse is the fact that I can’t work out why he’s so intent in his pursuit of me.
Now the adrenaline rush is over, my eyes well up, almost blinding me, and I pick up the pace. I need to be alone. My breath hitches, and I almost stumble into a comforting set of arms.
“Don’t fret.” Franny tucks me into her side, leading me down to the ladies’ room. “I’ve got you.”
“Thank you.” My voice breaks on the final word, and embarrassment washes over me.
“Don’t mention it. And don’t you feel that you have to explain anything to me, or to anyone else, for that matter, dear. We won’t pry, but we’re here for you.”
She opens the door, and with a gentle nudge, she pushes me into the room. I give her a wobbly smile, and her eyes crinkle at the corners.
“Take all the time you need, Maeve.”
With that, she closes the door, and on a low sob, I lean my hands on the sink, burying my mouth against my shoulder to muffle out the sound of my old heartbreak.
I let out all the pain he brought me, and the hurt I brought on myself for staying with him even when I knew in the depths of my soul that we’d never be a right fit for each other.
As my tears slow down, I make a vow to myself.
This is the last time I’ll ever cry over Colin Fitzpatrick.
From now on, I’m going to forget he ever existed.
And I’m going to look to the future.
Whatever it brings me, I’ll face it head-on.
And I’ll enjoy every moment of it.