Merchants with Evil Intent (26 page)

      
Declan swatted the sand off his clothes
and sighed. “This Border collie, by nature, doesna bark a lot, plus she knows
you, you eejit!”

      
“My, someone’s grumpy,” Ian teased.

      
“I don’t like being tackled when I’m deep
in thought,” growled Declan, shaking the sand from his hair.

      
“Are you considering getting a hair cut?
It’s getting powerfully long. When we were wrestling I thought for certain I
made a mistake and tackled a gel,” Ian laughed.

      
Declan turned and stood nose to nose with
his little brother. “You sorely test my mood, boyo.” He turned and stormed
towards the house, Nellie in tow.

      
Declan strode into the house and went to
the refrigerator grabbing two bottles of beer. He opened one and took a long
pull before Ian entered.

      
“Are we alone or do ya have buzzies?”

      
Declan handed Ian a beer and strode into
den. “It’s just us.” He sat on his favorite recliner and motioned for Ian to
join him.

      
Declan studied his brother as he glanced
around the room. They could be mistaken as twins except for the fact he wore
his hair down to his collar whereas Ian’s hair was short.

      
“So, what brings you to my little patch
of heaven?”

      
Ian grinned and sat on a hunter green
couch. “Ma’s worried aboot ya; says you came home actin’ strange.”

      
Declan rolled his eyes. “I’m no’ actin’
strange!”

      
“She thinks maybe you’re dissatisfied
with your life here.”

      
“Life is grand! Now, can we move to
another topic?”

      
“I’m here for official business,” he
grinned.

      
Declan sat forward, resting his elbows on
his knees. “Go on.”

      
“A bloke is wanted for kidnapping for a
ring of human traffickers in Chicago. The bloke was dating a gel and she flew
here to get away from him. Why here? I’ve no clue. It seems extreme, dontcha
think?”

      
Declan lifted a thick eyebrow, “So, it’s
your job to nab the suspect?”

      
Ian laughed. “No, I’m supposed to find
the gel and take her into protective custody. She’s the daughter of a cop out
there.”

      
Declan’s pulse quickened and he moved
closer to the edge of the recliner.
“The gel’s name Ian?”

      
Ian’s brows knitted together.
“Camryn O’Mara, why?”

      
Declan pinched the bridge of his nose
between his thumb and forefinger. “Christ!”

      
“Do ya know her?” Ian asked, bewildered.

      
“Aye.
I saw her
earlier today in town.”

      
“Great! Let’s go get her!”

      
“I didna say I know where she is, only
that I saw her,” Declan sighed and took another long pull from his bottle.

      
“How?”

      
“I met her in Chicago and now I can’t get
the bloody gel out of me mind!” Declan bellowed.

      
“Ma was right,” Ian laughed.

      
Declan finished his bottle. “Right aboot
what?”

      
“She said you were in love and that’s why
you’re acting so neddy.”

*
     
*
     
*

      
Camryn awoke early and couldn’t fall back
to sleep.

      
Stupid Declan.

      
She twisted her auburn hair around her
finger. She should be mad at herself. She’s the one who pushed him away. How
could she blame him for driving past her?

      
She slammed herself against the mattress
pulling the covers over her head. According to the clock on the night stand she
tossed and turned for an hour.

      
She flipped on the lamp and pulled out
her laptop.

      
She received an e-mail from her mom and
promptly responded.

      
Things
are fine. Getting an adaptor for my cell phone is on my list of things to do
today. Mickey has been very kind and is going above and beyond what John hired
him to do. I had him drive me to County Wexford. I’m near the water and Mickey
said it’s St. George’s Channel. It’s beautiful here and surprise, surprise, NO
rain! Don’t worry; I don’t plan on getting too comfortable here. I still need
time alone, even if Viktor is looking for me. It’s a big country and he’s not
that smart. I promise to call soon. Love you both!

      
She read the newspaper on-line and
growled when she saw Josh’s name headlining a story she should’ve written.

      
She didn’t want to think anymore about it
so she clicked onto Facebook and noticed a friend request. Clicking on the icon
she was surprised to see Dylan’s name.

      
She leaned against the headboard. It’d been
a while since she thought of him. They were high school sweethearts.

      
They shared a mutual fondness for hockey
and between her dad and his they went to many games together.

      
After graduation they spent as much time
together as possible because they were going to different colleges.

      
He was her first and only love. He
respected her wishes to hold off on sex until they married, which they both
thought would happen.

      
Time and distance apart took a toll on
their relationship. At first they talked every day on the phone; then once a
week until eventually not at all.

      
She saw him a year ago in a shopping
mall. He was in deep conversation with a blond and walked past Camryn, not
noticing her.

      
It hurt like hell.

      
Even now, she blinked back tears.

      
Ah, what could it hurt? She pressed the
‘accept’ button.

      
The puck was now on his ice.

*
     
*
     
*

      
“Bingo!” Viktor yelled when he opened
Camryn’s sent e-mail folder.
County Wexford.
He pulled
up directions on the internet. Shit. It was a big friggin’ county! She could be
anywhere.

      
He reread the message. She was near the
water which helped to narrow it down.

      
He stood and laced his fingers together
and pushed his arms out.

      
Not
that smart.
For some
reason those words stung.

*
     
*
     
*

      
Declan tossed and turned in bed. What
were the circumstances that lead her to Ireland? Was it him? He punched his
pillow. ‘Course it wasna him. The gel hadna even returned his calls.

      
He rolled onto his back and put his hands
behind his head. He agreed to help Ian find her. First thing in the morning
they’d check the three B&B’s in town and if those turned up fruitless,
they’d expand their search to nearby towns.

      
He rolled over, satisfied with his plan
of action and fell into a deep sleep.

      
Declan.

      
Declan.
Wake up!

      
He rolled over and nearly smashed Nellie
beneath him. She got up, snorting in disgust.

      
His eyebrows furrowed when he didn’t see
anyone in his room. Aye, must be dreamin’, he thought, laying his head on the
pillow.

      
Declan?

      
He bolted upright and peered through the
darkness. “Eoghan, if you’re feckin’ with me…”

      
A white mist came towards him, slowly
melding into a human form.

      
Declan blinked his eyes several times.
He’d never seen Eoghan perform such a trick before and was in no mood for it
now.

      
“Be off with ya, ya silly ghost!” he
growled.

      
“I’m not a ghost,” she laughed, edging
closer.

      
“Maggie?” he croaked.

      
“Yes, lad.”

      
Declan’s eyebrows furrowed.
“But how?”
He shook his head, unable to wrap his mind around
what he witnessed.

      
She sat next to him on the bed and patted
his arm. “I’m sorry about this. I know this is a lot for you to digest, but you
need to buck up. My baby girl needs help.”

      
“Camryn?”

      
She nodded and began to fade.

      
“Wait! How will I find her?” he yelled to
her vanishing form.

      
Her voice whispered, “Look for Lois
Lane.”

      
“Lois
Lane? That doesna make any feckin’ sense!” he growled to an empty room.

*
     
*
     
*

      
Camryn awoke to a gentle tapping against
her door. She got out of bed, checked her image in the mirror and quickly ran a
brush through her hair.

      
“Who is it?”

      
“Mickey. I’ve got somethin’ for ya.”

      
She opened the door and Mickey’s mouth
gaped. She was wearing a red tank top and red plaid men’s boxers.

      
Feeling self-conscious, she wrapped her
arms around herself. “Um, you said you had something?”

      
“Er, right,” he blushed, handing her a
white paper bag.

      
She wondered if it was one of Ireland’s
famous pastries. Instead it was an electrical adapter. Not edible, but just as
wonderful.

      
“Mickey! How awesome are you?” she
squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck, turning his cheeks as red as his
hair.

      
Mickey’s mouth went dry. He wasna used to
scantily clad women doing such things. Not that he minded. It felt kind o’ nice
and she smelled good.

      
A level of uneasiness caused her to pull
away from him.

      
He cleared his throat in embarrassment.
“Right then.
Do you know how to work it?” he asked, pointing
at the adapter.

      
“Think so. I just insert my plug into
this and then into the wall, right?”

      
“Aye.
Miz Gordon
already served breakfast, but saved a few scones for ya.”

      
Her stomach growled in response. “I’ll be
right there.” Mickey nodded and turned to leave.
“Uh,
Mickey?”

      
He turned.
“Aye?”

      
She held the adapter. “Thanks, again.
What do I owe you?”

      
He grinned, “Nothin’. Your old man paid
for it.”

      
“What?”

      
Mickey shrugged. “I called ‘im last
night, to let ‘im know you were okay and why ya didna call. He told me to take
ya to the airport, that he’d have a ticket waitin’ for ya.”

      
Her eyebrow lifted and her lips pursed.
Mickey held up a hand.

      
“I argued with ‘im. Told ‘im ya didna
want to go back. He told me he didna care and then he bloody hung up on me.
Beggin’ your pardon, but he’s an arse.”

      
Camryn crossed her arms over her chest
and narrowed her eyes. “I. Am. Not.
Going.
To.
The.
Airport.
Got it?”

      
“Good ting, ‘cause neither am I,” Mickey
grinned as he walked away.

      
She threw on a pair of blue jeans and a
green v-neck sweater and sat on the edge of the bed and put on her socks and
shoes.

      
She brushed her teeth and threw on a
little make-up before making her way to the kitchen.

      
Mickey was already in the kitchen helping
himself
to a scone when she arrived.