He was hers, and she was his. They were a perfect match if only she would message him back so he could tell her.
fifty-five
BÉBHINN
Thomas messaged Bran tolet him know he was outside Bébhinn’s house. She was listening to their conversation since her brother immediately put Gray’s dad on speaker.
Her phone pinged, taking her attention away from the conversation. She wasn’t going to bother looking, but with everything going on, something made her look at the message. It was from Mr. Todd. He was a professor at another Dublin university, TU.
She’d taken a health and wellness class from Mr. Todd her first year at uni. Trinity and TU had several classes that they shared for different degrees. Before the semester was finished, she’d discovered that Mr. Todd was a member of her hiking club.
He’d never messaged her privately before. The group usually discussed hikes in the group chat. Well, Justin messaged her privately, repeatedly, but they had gone to school together for a few years and had a small connection outside the club.
Mr. Todd’s message was odd. Very odd.
Can you meet me at Darling Café? I need to speak to you about something important. I promise to buy you their famous buckwheat pancakes. Your favorite breakfast food! Let me know as soon as you see this.
She was getting ready to respond that she was sorry and that things were crazy busy at the moment, when her fingers stilled. Darling Café was where she and her friends always met. How would he know that? And how would he know her favorite order?
Her hands began to shake until her whole body felt like it was one big spasm. This was not right. This was… She didn’t know exactly, but Mr. Todd?
With jerky movements, she stiffly placed her phone in front of Dagr. He was on alert instantly. “What is this?”
“He’s a TU uni instructor, and a member of The Ramblers Club,” she added hesitantly. “The club never ate at Darling’s. He shouldn’t know I love their buckwheat pancakes.” She could hear how shaky her voice was. Everyone standing by her could too.
Dagr shoved the phone toward Bran and Patrick. “Call MacGregor.”
Everything happened fast after Patrick called Thomas MacGregor. Blair’s dad, Coll, had already noticed a car parked down the street from her townhouse before Patrick warned them about Mr. Todd.
Instead of parking, they circled the block and got the car’s registration plate number. Thomas sent the number to his inspector friend.
Bran finished his conversation, his face tight with anger. “The car is registered to the professor, Mr. Todd.”
“No,” Bébhinn moaned. “Surely, it’s a coincidence.”
“They are detaining him now while MacGregor tracks the camera. We’ll know soon enough.”
fifty-six
DALE TODD
Why didn’t she respond?She’d read the message. Dale could see she’d read it. Maybe her new boyfriend told her no.
Maybe he opened her message, and she had no idea that he was waiting to hear from her. Bébhinn would never blow him off. She always smiled brightest for him.
No matter her current relationship status, he and Bébhinn were connected so deeply that she would eventually find her way back to him. He had considered giving up, giving her up, but he wasn’t a quitter.
He’d been patient for so long. He was strong enough to endure longer.
Something caught Dale’s attention outside his car window. A man looked to be walking straight toward him. He looked in his rearview mirror, about to start his car and leave, when he spotted more people surrounding his car.
“Oh, God,” he whimpered. It was the police. They shouted at him to roll his window down and put his hands up.
He closed his eyes in pain, realizing that he’d been right. Bébhinn never saw his message, and her shitty boyfriend had called Dale in under false pretenses.
Bébhinn probably admitted to that white-haired fuck that she had feelings for Dale, and he couldn’t stand the competition.
He smiled, then, as he manually rolled down his window. This was precisely the type of move that would push Bébhinn into his arms. She would never stay with a bully.
