Copyright © Mike Phillips
"Round and round she goes
where her car is nobody knows" - CHAPTER 2
Finn the dog sat by the O'kelly's door waiting for his master.
The dog seemed to be always anxious when it was at the O'Kelly
home. It didn't yet understand that it wouldnt be living at
the Pub anymore. Or that Assumpta his master wasnt coming for him.
As Kevin attached the leash to the dogs collar Finn began to get
excited. And almost knocked Kevin down with his anticipation
of going home.
Kevin pulled on the leash as they left home. Even though Finn
seemed to enjoy their walks to his school he still seemed
sad to kevin. Which made him think, "How do you explain to a
dog that it's owner had died?"
With only a few days until school was out for the summer
Kevin was himself excited as they made their way to school.
At least when Kevin could play with the dog full time
maybe that would take both their minds off of Assumpta.
It had taken some convincing for Brendan to allow him to
bring Finn to school. What Kevin wasnt aware of was that in Brendan's
own small way he was trying to make sure that Assumpta's dog
was looked after.
As kevin got close to his friend Feargals house he stopped for
a look to see if anyone was there. Feargal's dad, Enda the rock star
had moved his family away from Ballykissangel awhile back. Feargal
had told him that his Dad's band was getting back together again to
record and tour. But his own Father Padraig had told him that his
fathers girlfriend Aileen made them move to Dublin where he
might find work. And be far from the allure of Assumpta Fitzgerald.
Kevin was too young to know all about the recording royalities
that Enda made his living from, but those royalities had
been growing smaller and smaller as the popularity of their
only hit song faded away.
But he did know all about math, or at least he hoped he did.
Todays test in Brendans class was on just that a complex
theory otherwise known as Algebra.
"C'mon boy, " kevin looked at his pocket watch and noticed
they didn't have as much time to walk as he had originally thought.
So they began to run to school. Finn broke free from him and
raced on
up ahead
of Kevin. As Kevin neared the courtyard of the school he saw the
other boys playing with Finn. As the other children made their
way into the classroom he had heard one of the boys ask
if he was prepared for todays test. He shrugged his
shoulders and said, "As ready as I'll ever be I guess."
**********
The land rover sputtered to a stop in front of Hendley's. First
making sure that her vehicle was in park then making sure to
lock her doors Siobhan started to walk into Kathleen's store.
Kathleen had been starting to get curious about the amount of food
she was consuming. For all outward appearances she looked the
same, she didnt appear pregnant. But she was wearing baggier
than normal clothes to try to conceal her pregnancy. In a way she
felt silly, her a grown woman concealing a pregnancy from the
town gossip. As she walked in the store Kathleen greeted her
with, "You have company visiting visiting you Siobhan?"
"If you only knew." Siobhan thought to herself. "No," she said
outloud. "Just seem to be eating enough for 2 these days."
Kathleen didnt answer her. So Siobhan assumed that she hadnt heard.
But she didnt see Kathleen cock that eyebrow of hers.
Kathleen couldnt wait to get on the phone with Father Macanally.
She had had her suspicions about SIobhan, but know she was sure
of one thing. Siobhan Mehigan was up to no good. She didnt
know how wrong she would turn out to be. Kathleen was thinking
that Brendan Kearney was living with her. She couldnt
have been more wrong. Brendan had been distant from her
ever since she had sprung the news of her being with child.
Siobhan gathered up her usual 2 sacks of groceries, paid cash
for them then shuffled out of the store. With her hands full
and Kathleen not offering any assistance Siobhan backed into
the door to open it. Once she was outside when she stared at
the spot that her land rover had been she knew something was
wrong. Someone had stolen it.
Not knowing what else to do she went back inside Hendleys.
Inside Kathleen had just finished dialing Father Mac's
number in Cilldargen. He was just starting to say Hello as
Kathleen's eyes locked with Siobhans. Without saying a
word she hung up the phone.
Father Mac said hello several more times until in exasperation.
he said, "Assumpta Fitzgerald you better not be haunting me!
Then he
thought to himself, "It had been the right thing for Peter to do,
giving her last rites." He didnt know why he didnt speak out loud,
maybe the thought of Assumpta haunting him was within the realm of
possibility.
This hadnt been the first hang up call,since Assumpta had died.
He prayed it would be the last.
"You ate all that food up already?" Kathleen said with a smile, her
hand still firmly attached to the telephone reciever.
Siobhan didnt even crack a smile. "Call the Gards!" She said. "Some
eejit has stolen me vehicle."
end chapter two
Crime in Ballykissangel? Can Brian Quigley be far
behind? Or for once will he be clean as a whistle.
A algebra test awaits you when chapter 3 arrives. |
