But she had been wrong. And she had died for her mistake.
Now, only now, while the rest of the world exploded, were the Irish finally learning that each day was new, that no child born today deserved to suffer for the sins of the past.
Far too late for her.
She couldn’t help the yearning, though. She could forego the feel of silk, the taste of honey. There was no place on earth that she could not bear to leave.
But the heart and soul she saw in this man’s eyes, the way he touched her…
She brought a hand to her cheeks. Tears.
She straightened her shoulders. She was what she was. And not only that, but what if he knew? Dear Lord, she could imagine trying to tell him. “I canna stay with you. I am a banshee, you see. Yes, seriously. A howling banshee who comes with the great black coach of Death.”
He would loathe her; he would be repelled.
Tears. She had not shed them in…forever.
She realized that she had reached the wharf.
She looked around and saw that the birds were everywhere.
Poor birds, she thought, even though they unnerved her. She was here to prevent tragedy. Sean was not due to die yet, not for many years. She had been certain that she could protect him, and that with Zachary doing the real work, the investigation, the identity of Sean’s enemy would soon be discovered.
But the birds…
Their presence meant that many people were threatened, and she had watched them arrive with fear.
I’m not equipped for tragedy, she thought. How do I stop what is happening?
She didn’t need to be afraid of the birds themselves, she knew. They were mortal. They lived; they perished.
But their presence in such numbers foretold great tragedy. Nothing so sweet as the passing of a woman as loving as Bridey. They foretold something evil, a mass murder, a blood spree.
For now, she ignored them.
The office door was locked, as she’d expected it to be. Michael might have arranged to get her the proper credentials for a nurse and not a spy, but she had been picking locks for decades.
This one was actually quite easy.
Inside the office, she looked around. Where to start? Was there even anything to discover here?
She began to rifle through the drawers. Carefully.
They rolled back the tape. They enhanced it.
But the quality was grainy, and no matter how much it was blown up, no matter how the pixels were rearranged, there was little they could do to get a clear picture.
But there, on the screen, was the man Jorey had recognized.
He wore a hat pulled low over his eyes and a massive coat, and he had the bushy mustache Jorey had seen.
“Well, it’s something,” Morrissey said.
“Yeah, shave and a haircut, and you’d never know the guy,” Zach said. “The mustache looks fake, anyway. But I’ll tell you one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“I’d lay odds that the man who killed Eddie is the same one trying to kill Sean. If there was video of the aisles, I’d guarantee you’d see this guy putting that glass in those jars, then telling Clara how good a blueberry pie would be. We’re on the right track. He’s after whatever Eddie found, and he’s certain Sean will find it, too, unless he gets Sean out of the picture first.”
“I agree. We’ll get teams out on that island and dig where you suggested,” Morrissey assured him.
“Thanks,” Sean said. “I have to get back to the house.”
“What about me?” Jorey asked. “Do you still need me?”
“No, son, thank you. Thank you very much,” Morrissey told him.
“Jorey, you went above and beyond,” Zach assured him. “I’ll walk you out.”
As they left, Jorey told him, “I’m sorry about Bridey. Everyone who knew her loved her.”
“Thank you. I think Sean is going to be all right. It’s Kat I worry about.”
Jorey looked at him and grinned sheepishly. “Can I make a suggestion?”
“What’s that?”
“I’ve known Kat forever, and whenever anything upsets her, she likes to play her guitar. Maybe you can get her planning the music for Bridey’s memorial service.”
“Thanks, Jorey. I think you have something there.”
Zach looked around. Those damned birds were still everywhere.
Birds. Just birds, he told himself.
“Hell of a thing, those birds, huh?” Jorey asked.
“Yeah, hell of a thing.”
Jorey got in his car, and Zach leaned down to speak to him. “Jorey, do me a favor. Lay low. Stick around other people for now, huh?”
Jorey’s eyes widened. “Why? You think I could be in danger?”
“I think someone is killing people. You just don’t need to be one of those people.”
“I’ll be careful. I like living,” Jorey assured him.
Zach watched him go. He needed to head back to the house, but he decided to take a detour and check out the charter office. He didn’t think that, under the circumstances, anyone would be there, but something urged him to go by anyway.