CHAPTER 31
Two days later Kate was meeting with John and Jeremy.
‘What will I do she thought. Should I say anything to him she wondered as she got dressed. This is ridiculous.’
‘Dan, I’m sorry for even thinking this. I don’t know what’s come over me. I still love you darling, but I miss being with a man. I want to feel that again. Not in the drunken stupor and disillusioned way I was with James, but a proper relationship. Is that so wrong?’
She was completely confused and swung back and forth between thinking it was a terrible idea to wanting to come straight out and ask him on a date. On top of it all she felt horribly guilty and really didn’t think she could confide this one in her Dad.
Taking care with her clothes she put on a pair of jeans that always made her feel curvy in all the right places and a subtle green satin wrap top that hugged her slim figure perfectly.
‘Not bad’ she thought surveying herself in the mirror. The doorbell made her jump, ‘no time to change now anyway,’ she thought as she made her way downstairs.
‘Hi guys, come on in,’ Jeremy kissed her on the cheek and John nodded curtly. That was a bit odd she thought.
‘Let’s get down to business folks,’ John spoke as soon as they entered the kitchen. He had barely looked at Kate.
‘Take it easy there John, can we get the coffee on first,’ Jeremy looked at Kate.
‘Ye sure Jeremy, sorry. It’s just a busy time for us. Patrick can’t be here again today but sends his regards and I’m filling him in on everything afterwards.’
‘No problem son,’ Jeremy slapped his back, ‘sit yourself down there and we’ll get started.’
‘I thought it best to inform you myself, but the boss is taking me off the case. We don’t have the manpower to offer anymore,’ he looked pointedly at Kate. She tried to hide her disappointment.
‘That’s a shame John. But I guess you’ve coached us enough now for the interviews and the Spanish Investigators are still working on it.’
‘Ye Kate, I guess so,’ he sounded annoyed.
‘Not happy with the decision John?’ enquired Jeremy.
‘Ah, its grand Jeremy, I’d prefer to be staying on, but I know the Boss needs me elsewhere. I’m being transferred from the department completely. These missing women in Wicklow are draining every resource.’
‘That’s totally understandable son. We’ll miss your help but sure we’ll stay in touch anyhow.’
‘Would you like a coffee John?’
‘Sure that would be great Kate thanks.’
Jeremy’s phone rang and he left the kitchen.
‘Kate?’ John stood and walked towards her.
‘Yes?’ she turned and faced him. He was standing so close she could feel his breath on her face.
‘I need to ask you something.’
‘Em, sure, what is it?’ her heart beat quicken in her chest and her breathing became a little shallower. The physical reaction of her body took her by surprise as she tried to steady herself by the sink.
‘Please don’t take offence, but would you like to go for a drink sometime?’
Kate smiled softly and let out a breath.
‘ I’d love to.’
‘Eh, you would?’ John stammered.
‘Not the answer you were expecting I presume.’ Kate smiled up at him and his soft brown eyes looking back at her gave her waves of excitement in her stomach.
‘No, but that’s great. I’ll…
Jeremy hurried excitedly into the kitchen interrupting Kate and John.
‘That was Jack. He’s going to call on the landline now. He’s in Spain. They’ve charged four guys with the bombings.’
Kate smiled at John as his hand skimmed hers when she handed him his coffee.
After they left Kate sat on the bottom stair for a long time thinking about what had happened.
‘I need to be careful.’ She thought to herself. ‘This one has the capacity to break my heart. Where did those feeling come from all of a sudden?’
‘Dan…I…’ she faltered, not sure this was something she could share with him.
‘Em, I, Oh Dan this is difficult for me. I still love you. But why is this happening if I still love you? I don’t understand.’
As she sat silently the daylight faded and the shadows cast across her hallway sent pockets of eerie light into the room. A long while later Kate raised her head and a picture on the wall that was lit by the moonlight caught her eye. It was the three of them at Alex’s first birthday party. They looked so happy together and Kate nodded her head slowly as she made her way over to the picture.
‘I understand’ she thought to herself. ‘I understand now.’
‘What will I do she thought. Should I say anything to him she wondered as she got dressed. This is ridiculous.’
‘Dan, I’m sorry for even thinking this. I don’t know what’s come over me. I still love you darling, but I miss being with a man. I want to feel that again. Not in the drunken stupor and disillusioned way I was with James, but a proper relationship. Is that so wrong?’
She was completely confused and swung back and forth between thinking it was a terrible idea to wanting to come straight out and ask him on a date. On top of it all she felt horribly guilty and really didn’t think she could confide this one in her Dad.
Taking care with her clothes she put on a pair of jeans that always made her feel curvy in all the right places and a subtle green satin wrap top that hugged her slim figure perfectly.
‘Not bad’ she thought surveying herself in the mirror. The doorbell made her jump, ‘no time to change now anyway,’ she thought as she made her way downstairs.
‘Hi guys, come on in,’ Jeremy kissed her on the cheek and John nodded curtly. That was a bit odd she thought.
‘Let’s get down to business folks,’ John spoke as soon as they entered the kitchen. He had barely looked at Kate.
‘Take it easy there John, can we get the coffee on first,’ Jeremy looked at Kate.
‘Ye sure Jeremy, sorry. It’s just a busy time for us. Patrick can’t be here again today but sends his regards and I’m filling him in on everything afterwards.’
‘No problem son,’ Jeremy slapped his back, ‘sit yourself down there and we’ll get started.’
‘I thought it best to inform you myself, but the boss is taking me off the case. We don’t have the manpower to offer anymore,’ he looked pointedly at Kate. She tried to hide her disappointment.
‘That’s a shame John. But I guess you’ve coached us enough now for the interviews and the Spanish Investigators are still working on it.’
‘Ye Kate, I guess so,’ he sounded annoyed.
‘Not happy with the decision John?’ enquired Jeremy.
‘Ah, its grand Jeremy, I’d prefer to be staying on, but I know the Boss needs me elsewhere. I’m being transferred from the department completely. These missing women in Wicklow are draining every resource.’
‘That’s totally understandable son. We’ll miss your help but sure we’ll stay in touch anyhow.’
‘Would you like a coffee John?’
‘Sure that would be great Kate thanks.’
Jeremy’s phone rang and he left the kitchen.
‘Kate?’ John stood and walked towards her.
‘Yes?’ she turned and faced him. He was standing so close she could feel his breath on her face.
‘I need to ask you something.’
‘Em, sure, what is it?’ her heart beat quicken in her chest and her breathing became a little shallower. The physical reaction of her body took her by surprise as she tried to steady herself by the sink.
‘Please don’t take offence, but would you like to go for a drink sometime?’
Kate smiled softly and let out a breath.
‘ I’d love to.’
‘Eh, you would?’ John stammered.
‘Not the answer you were expecting I presume.’ Kate smiled up at him and his soft brown eyes looking back at her gave her waves of excitement in her stomach.
‘No, but that’s great. I’ll…
Jeremy hurried excitedly into the kitchen interrupting Kate and John.
‘That was Jack. He’s going to call on the landline now. He’s in Spain. They’ve charged four guys with the bombings.’
Kate smiled at John as his hand skimmed hers when she handed him his coffee.
After they left Kate sat on the bottom stair for a long time thinking about what had happened.
‘I need to be careful.’ She thought to herself. ‘This one has the capacity to break my heart. Where did those feeling come from all of a sudden?’
‘Dan…I…’ she faltered, not sure this was something she could share with him.
‘Em, I, Oh Dan this is difficult for me. I still love you. But why is this happening if I still love you? I don’t understand.’
As she sat silently the daylight faded and the shadows cast across her hallway sent pockets of eerie light into the room. A long while later Kate raised her head and a picture on the wall that was lit by the moonlight caught her eye. It was the three of them at Alex’s first birthday party. They looked so happy together and Kate nodded her head slowly as she made her way over to the picture.
‘I understand’ she thought to herself. ‘I understand now.’
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