Could maybe take it off’n your hands. For the right price, that is. You have a rent in mind?”
“I’m sure it will suit him. What’s his name?” Cait did not elaborate on what she was going to do with the house, letting him think what he wanted.
“Shawn. His new bride will be Leona. She’s a foreigner like yourself, an American. I’ll send him by to you to interview sometime. You let me know when you’re feeling up to it.”
“Mr. Flanagan, maybe he could...do you think he could drive me around a bit? I can rent a car for him if he doesn’t have one. I want to...I need to talk to my aunt.” She flushed, afraid he would think she was crazy for wanting to talk to her dead aunt, but he seemed to understand.
“You just leave it to me, missus. Shawn will be here tomorrow if’n you think you’ll be ready. He has a lorry and it will get you there in some comfort.” She agreed and he set off. She hobbled back over to the chair and sat down.
She realized she should have invited him in and felt bad for not doing so.
Snuggling down into her chair, she cried herself to sleep.
~~~
Cait got up at two o’clock in the morning, the time change and sleeping in the chair waking her. She looked around the room and decided to get going.
There was a lot to be done and she just wanted it done.
Starting in the bedroom, she began taking things out of the closet, which was not much, and sorting them out. She didn’t know why she started in the hardest room for her, but figured maybe it had to do with getting the hard part over first.
The packing boxes she had had delivered had been put in all the rooms she had asked, along with all the box tape and bubble wrap. She put all the clothes in the bedroom and the bath into four big boxes and marked them, charity. She didn’t strip the bed yet, knowing she would take a nap sometime before Shawn showed up at noon.
The bath was next. This room was where her aunt had put on her talc, and the smell brought her to tears. When Cait had found the small poof, she held it to her face and sobbed like a baby. There were a few things in this room she put aside for a box to go to the United States.
At eleven-thirty, she had everything packed and marked for where they were to go. It had taken longer because she had to move around on the crutch she had to use because of her leg.
The cabinets were all empty and there was only a jug of water in the fridge and her glass on the counter. Her gun, a small revolver, she put on the counter with some stationary she had found in the bedroom. Everything else had been either put into boxes or into the trash barrel out from the house. She was putting a tag on the vacuum cleaner when Shawn arrived.
~CHAPTER 24~
Spencer’s plane landed at nine that same morning. He and his mom and Meggie had been on a plane for the past fourteen hours and he was exhausted. It had taken everything he had in him not to sob with joy at being this much closer to Cait. By eleven, they were in their hotel.
Nicky and Devin had worked for two days to figure out where Cait had been taken. And he wouldn’t have been sure they had figured it out if Donald had not mentioned that Aunt Dee had arrived in Ireland just fine when he had stopped by one day for a beer. Spencer still chuckled when he thought of the captain trying to not give anything away while giving them all the necessary information they needed.
“Yeah. The funeral home in Shelton, Ireland said they received the casket just fine. Said she’d be laid to rest in Shelton, Ireland on Tuesday morning. Ever been to Ireland? Me either, but I think if I were going to visit, I’d be heading to Shelton, Ireland.”
“Is there an airport in Shelton, Captain?”
Spencer looked at Nicky, confused. Why should he care if there was an airport? Did he think Aunt Dee was going to take flying lessons? Then he looked at the captain again.
“Holy shit!” Finally getting it, Spencer stood up. “She’s in Ireland.” Donald shook his head, finished his beer, and left.
Within ten minutes, Spencer had booked three seats on the next plane out.
Dan stayed to keep the boys in school for their last few weeks and his mom decided to go to help care for Meggie while he went to convince Cait to come back with him.
The little hotel they were booked in was beautiful. Meggie, never one to be shy, went to play with the owner’s grandchildren in the back yard while his mother took a nap. Spencer sat in one of the outdoor chairs and watched her while the owner’s son, Daniel Taylor, tried to explain to him how to get to the O’Malley house.
“Dinna think anyone was coming this year, what with the funeral and all.
Missus O’Malley will surely be missed. My momma loved her dearly; they went to school together. The whole town turned out for her wake. I hear tell Paddy had a policeman’s honor. He was a good man too.”
“Yes, he was. I’m actually here to see Caitlynne. Do you know if she’s staying there or not? The hospital said that’s where they thought she’d go after she had been released.”
“Oh, aye. My uncle Shawn, he’s the caretaker for the house when they don’t be in town. He said she called the other day and had them bring out some food and such. Aye, she’s there.”
When Daniel offered to take him up to the house, Spencer could have leapt for joy. He felt a compelling need to see her that he could not explain. After his mother woke up and agreed to keep an eye on Meggie, he was off again.
Spencer was nervous when they stopped in front of the little house. He couldn’t seem to make himself move. What if she told him to fuck off, which he had no doubt that she would, but he had already decided that he was not going to give up. He loved her and needed her.
“You can go on in. There isn’t a lock on the door—never needed one around here. Shamus won’t have come back yet, or he’d be parked here in the turnout.
It’s a fair piece to the cemetery and back.” Daniel had called his uncle to see if he had heard of Miss Caitlynne having plans for the day and he had told them that she was going up to talk to her Aunt Dee. If’n you need a ride back to the hotel, just give me a call. Just tell Mary Katherine to connect you to the hotel; she’ll know the number.”
Spencer got out and walked up to the porch. He was amazed at the riot of colors in the flower beds out front and along the sides of the house. He tried the door knob and when it turned easily enough, he turned and waved Daniel off.
There were boxes everywhere. All marked with one thing or another. The house felt...well, empty, he supposed, and realized that except for the few pieces of heavy furniture, it was. He pulled out is cell phone and called his mom to tell her that he had made it and that she was not home.
“I bet it’s a lovely house, out there in the heather fields. Mrs. Taylor said that an O’Malley has lived in this town since the early twelfth century. She said that it’s tiny, though, not big enough for a family.”
“Yeah, it’s tiny. But it probably seems smaller because of all the boxes. It looks like she’s been busy. Everything is all...huh, there’s a box here with Meggie’s name on it.” He wanted to open it, but didn’t know what Cait would think if he did. She was mad enough at him already.
“Meggie?” He was surprised at the tone and dreaded what she had meant by it. “Spencer, look around the house and tell me what you see. All the rooms, even the bath, I want you to pull back the curtain and look.”
“Mom? What is it? I can hear the concern and worry in your voice.”
“Just look for me. Tell me what’s in the bath. Are there towels hanging up, any soap or shampoo in the dish?”
“No. Nothing. Mom, your worrying me now. The bed is stripped and there are no linens in the room. She’s probably already packed them to leave. Her things are packed too. Maybe she was coming home, you think?” When she didn’t answer, Spencer’s heart started to pound.
“What’s in the kitchen? The refrigerator? Anything in the cabinets?” she asked instead.
“No, a jug of water in the fridge and a glass on the counter, and nothing else.
Mom, what is it, what are you thinking?”
“Spencer, I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think Caitlynne is coming home. I think, oh dear, I hope I’m wrong, but I think she’s gone there to kill herself. I’ve been around enough of these types of cases when the living relative of a tragic loss feels that they are to blame. And we both know that’s what she’s feeling.
Look at how she went in to get Meggie—seemingly without fear. And that nice young boy, what did he say his uncle said? That she was looking for someone to take the house? Oh, son, she can’t do this; you can’t let her.”
“I won’t, Mom. I’ll...she won’t.” Spencer closed his phone and sat on the sheet-covered chair.
He knew his mother was right. And this was his fault. He had driven her to this point by blaming her for Meggie’s kidnapping. And what had she said to Donald? That she was sorry Meggie had been hurt. Like she it was her fault.
Damn it all to hell.
He didn’t know how long he had been sitting there when he heard a vehicle pull up. He stood and started for the door, but was afraid if she saw him, she would bolt again. Spencer needed her where he could hold her. And beat her ass if she did not listen to him.
Spencer waited until he heard the car pulling away, the sound of the engine growing faint. He stepped out the door to her house when he heard her crutches on the steps.
“Hello, O’Malley. How’s it going?”
~~~
Cait nearly fell backward, and might have if Spencer hadn’t grabbed her. It felt so good to be in his arms that she swayed into his warmth. Then she pulled back and did fall.
“Damn it, woman. What the hell is the matter with you?” When he picked her up as if she weighted nothing at all, she didn’t think to object to being carted around until they were in the house and he had her laid on the bed.
“What the hell are...how did you...you are going back where you came from right this instant. I did not ask you here.”
“Why?”
That threw her. She just stared at him opened mouth.
Why indeed?
she thought.
“Because I said so. Now...now, you just go. I have things...what are you doing here anyway? You know, I don’t care. Leave.” She started to stand and he pushed her back on the bed. When she lifted her crutch still clutched in her hand, he took it from her and tossed it across the room.
“This is how things are going to go from now on. You will listen to me, and before you get all pissy with me, I said listen to me, not obey.” He started taking off his shirt and when it was unbuttoned, he tossed it to the floor. “That’s not to say that I won’t want you to obey, but as a matter of course, I’ll hope you will.”
“What...why are you getting undressed? You can’t...you need to leave right now, Grant. I have things to do.”
“I’m getting undressed because I’m going to make love with you. And I find that much more enjoyable when we are both naked. And what were your plans for this evening, O’Malley? You’re not going anywhere; you don’t have a car.
You’ve packed everything up. Tell me, love, what where you planning?” He took off his belt and tossed it near the shirt. Cait watched it as it slithered open and lay flat.
“You can’t. You have to...please don’t do this. I need to...please, Spencer. You don’t know how hard...I...they’re all dead because of me. My mother, my uncle, and aunt. I couldn’t even...someone hit Meggie.” Tears streamed down her face and she tried to turn away from him and huddle into the bed.
His heart hurt for her. He gathered her up into his arms and pulled her into his lap, much in the same way he did Meggie when she needed comfort. He held her as she cried her sobs and tears poured from her. When she finally settled, he held her still.
“Meggie is with me—she and my mom. We arrived today and I came straight here to talk to you. My mom, I was on the phone with her when I looked around and she told me...she knew that you that you...O’Malley, I love you. I’ve never loved anyone as much as I do you. I can’t...I can’t tell you how sorry I am that I hurt you.” When she shifted in his arms, he let her lean back, but he didn’t release her.
“Hurt me? How did you...? You didn’t hurt me. I let those men take her. I’m the one who—”
“No you didn’t. O’Malley, for a very smart woman, you are fairly stupid when you want to be, aren’t you? Did you hand Meggie over to them? No, you fought them with all you had. Did you make your aunt and uncle fight with you? No, you did not. Do you think had you have told them to stay safe inside the house they would have? I’m sure you know as well as I do that they wouldn’t have. And had that been your uncle or aunt, you wouldn’t have either.
No, families help each other, and that’s what they did. You got Meggie back for me, yes. But I believe you love her as much as I do and got her for you as well.”
“Of course I love her. And I’m not stupid. I caused this whole thing because I should have stayed in Chicago and then none of you would have been hurt.
Ouch! That hurt.”
He rubbed her bottom where he had just swatted her, and looked down at her. “Unless you want me to do that again, I would strongly suggest that you stop that kind of logic right now. If you had stayed, I would never have fallen in love with you. Now, enough talk. I want you naked in two minutes or there will be hell to pay.”
“There are no sheets out. I’ve packed them all and I’m not having sex with you. You still need to…”
He covered her mouth with his. Her lips were soft and warm and when he nipped at her lower lip, gently, careful of the stitches, she opened for him. Her tongue slid along his in a sensual duel and when he felt her arms go up around his neck, he adjusted her so that he could stretch her out on the bed beneath him.
He knew that making love with her would be a challenge; she had one hand in a cast and her leg in another from her thigh to her knee. Her lip was still swollen and both her eyes were darkened with bruises. He thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. When he pulled away and stood, he wanted to grab scissors and cut her clothing away rather than try to remove them.
There were several boxes in this room and he opened the first one he came to and found the linens. After pulling out towels and pillowcases, he finally found sheets. When he turned around to put them on the bed, Cait was sitting up and unbuttoning her shirt. He watched, the sheets completely forgotten in his hand.