Private Dublin

Chapter 28

I returned to the bedroom and found Andi untying the woman. The man was working on the boy’s bonds. Both children were crying.

I went to the girl and started loosening the cord that bound her ankles.

“It’s okay,” I said soothingly. “They’ve gone.”

“Dad,” the boy said, as his father freed him. He threw his arms around the man’s neck and sobbed into his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” the man told his son. “I’m so sorry.”

“They could have killed us, Noah,” the woman said tearfully.

“Are you okay?” he asked anxiously.

She nodded. “Sore. But I’ll live.” She turned to her children. “Mummy is alright, kids.”

Andi untied her wrists and she hurried over to the man and their son. A moment later, when I’d freed her, the girl joined them.

“I’m sorry,” the man said, embracing them all. “I should never have...” His voice trailed off when he registered Andi and me. “Thank you so much,” he told us. “Thanks, both of you.”

“If you hadn’t come,” the woman added, “I don’t even want to think about what might have happened.”

She drew her children closer.

“Mr. and Mrs. Kearney?” Andi asked.

It was reasonable to guess the stud farm was named after the family.

The man nodded. “Noah and Mary. This is our girl, Molly, and our boy, Ben. Are you okay, Ben?” He returned his attention to the boy.

“It hurts,” Ben cried, rubbing his back.

“We need to take him to the hospital,” Mary told her husband.

He nodded. “It’s not safe here. Take the children to the car and I’ll get some things.”

Mary looked at us uncertainly, as though we might interfere with the family’s plans.

I stood to one side. “I’m not here to force you to do anything,” I assured her. “You can leave anytime.”

She ushered the children to their feet and steered them from the room. I heard them sobbing all the way down the stairs.

Noah went to a walk-in wardrobe and got busy throwing belongings into a large holdall.

“Why isn’t it safe for you here?” I asked. “What did those men want, Mr. Kearney?”

He paused and moved to the doorway.

“You a cop?” he asked. “You’re a Yank, that’s for sure.”

“I’m not a cop,” I replied. “But I am an American.”

“Fed?” he suggested, sizing me up.

I shook my head. “I’m a private investigator. My name is Jack Morgan, and this is my associate, Andrea Harris.”

He frowned. “I might be many things, but I’m no grass,” he said, before he resumed packing.

“Those men hurt your family,” Andi responded with more than a hint of exasperation. “If we hadn’t been here...”

Noah glanced anxiously at the doorway. “Which is exactly why I’m no grass. What do you think they’ll do to me next if they find out I’ve been talking to the likes of you?”

“We would never betray your confidence,” Andi assured him.

Noah sneered. “And exactly what have I done to deserve such undying loyalty? Who are you again? You don’t know these people. What they’re capable of.”

I stepped forward and produced my phone. “I know exactly what they’re capable of. They’ve already tried to kill me more than once. My girlfriend was shot by this man.” I held up a photo of the man we knew as Colm Finlay. “I think he’s connected to the gang who were here tonight.”

Noah frowned at the picture and, in the quiet that followed, I heard Mary yell from outside.

“Come on, Noah!”

“I know those were dangerous men, Mr. Kearney,” I said. “Please tell us what they wanted with a horse breeder.”

“It’s because they’re dangerous that I can’t tell you,” he replied, sounding exasperated and clearly itching to be gone.

“They tortured your wife and terrorized your kids,” I countered. “Why?”

Still he hesitated to speak.

“And your best solution is to run away, is it? Believe me, that never solves a problem like this,” I told him. “I want to stop them doing the same thing to innocent people. Help me.”

He wavered, and I could see he was wrestling with his conscience.

“Please, Mr. Kearney, if you can tell us anything at all,” I said.

“I’m no grass, but you’ll find what you’re after at the Ballycorus at Leopardstown tomorrow,” he said in a low voice.

With that he slung the holdall over his shoulder and headed for the door. He stopped on the threshold and glanced back.

“Check the winners’ enclosure after the second race. You’ll find your answers there,” he said. He hesitated then added, “And thank you again for what you did tonight. I mean that.”

He gave us a respectful nod and left to join his family.