“Well, it was wrong. She should have lived to be a hundred. Time…The time wasn’t right, not for us, not at all.” Kat started sobbing, and he held her tightly again. There was little else he could say or do. He looked at Caer, feeling helpless.
She rose. “Kat, you may want to rest for a bit. It’s all right to cry, though. We cry because we miss people. But we have to believe that there is a plan, and a time and a place where we’ll meet one another again, where we’ll see them again and all will be well.”
Kat drew away from him and looked at Caer. “Do you really believe that? You sound so sure….” She actually managed a smile. “So…Aunt Bridey died in peace, and the banshee came for her just like she expected?”
“Aye,” Caer agreed gravely, and flashed a glance at Zach. “She was Irish, so the banshee came for her and showed her the way, so she wouldn’t be afraid. And as she left, she left behind all pain, and she left behind age, and her soul was as young and beautiful as ever she was.”
Kat released Zach and walked over to hug Caer, who hugged her in return. “It’s all right to mourn—in fact, we need to. But we need to celebrate, as well. She’s gone home.”
Kat nodded.
Zach straightened. “I have to go call my brothers. They’ll want to be here for the funeral.”
“Of course,” Kat said.
In his own room, he called Jeremy, who assured him that he would get in contact with Aidan, and that they would be there as soon as possible.
Then he went downstairs. People were already starting to arrive to tell Sean how sorry they were, although Sean himself wasn’t back yet.
It was all right. Marni was dealing with everything.
Zach slipped out and headed for the police station.
Morrissey was back in his office. “I’m sorry about Bridey O’Riley,” he said, “but…we’ve got another murder on our hands, so you’ll have convey my condolences for now.”
“Of course,” Zach told him.
“Awkward time, isn’t it?” Morrissey asked him.
“Yes,” Zach said flatly. “There should be something to do. But there isn’t.”
“There is.”
“What?”
“That young man you told to call me is in with a few of my men. They’re going through the tapes from the grocery store. Why don’t you go in and see if you can help his memory along?”
With the presumed murder of Gary Swipes, Zach was suddenly worried that any association with the case might be dangerous for Jorey, who probably hadn’t thought to keep it a secret that he was talking to the police. Which meant word could reach the killer. Damn, he should have thought of that.
Morrissey stared at him, his eyes narrowing. “Who knew that you were digging up Cow Cay?” he asked.
“Caer Cavannaugh,” he said. “And you.” He stared at Morrissey, who stared back at him.
Zach couldn’t prevent the unbidden thought that came to him.
Morrissey. No. Impossible. No one could put on that smooth an act.
Oh yeah?
Anything was possible. He’d learned that through the years.
“I don’t know if it’s even relevant or not,” Morrissey said. “Although, it’s one of two things. Someone knew that the island was being guarded and went out there anyway to do or get…something, figuring he’d deal with the guard if he had to. Or that same person headed out to the island, stumbled onto Gary and felt he had no choice but to kill him. All of which gets us precisely nowhere.”
“I’ll step in with Jorey. Maybe my presence will help,” Zach said.
Morrissey nodded and rose. “Follow me.”
Jorey and two policemen were in one of the interrogation rooms, watching videos. Jorey smiled when he saw Zach. “Hey, Mr. Flynn.”
“Jorey, thanks for trying to help.”
One of the officers suddenly spoke up. “Look. There’s Amanda O’Riley.”
“And Kat,” Zach said.
“And there’s Clara. I recognize half the city,” Jorey said, shaking his head with dismay. Then he froze. “There—look. There’s the guy who went out with Eddie that day!”
16
It was a sad household, Caer thought.
The O’Rileys’ place in the community was obvious; people stopped by the house all through the day, quietly, respectfully, and with genuine warmth.
Once Kat had fallen asleep, there was little for Caer to do except sit in her own room or wander around the house, but she was lonely in her room, and Marni had the house under control. She didn’t want to leave Kat alone forever, but she didn’t want to just stay around doing nothing. It had already been a long and painful day.
Finally she decided that even though it was a bit of a walk on a cold day, she was going to head down to the charter office, which was officially closed due to Bridey’s death, and see what she could discover there.
It was a longer walk than she’d realized. Maybe in summer it was pleasant, but today she was cold.
And empty.
It wasn’t surprising that Michael had assigned her to assist Bridey. Age would always be man’s enemy; no matter how science progressed, there would always be things that robbed a man of life, and life of its value.
The human body was not immortal.