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Reilly chuckled. They were sprawled out across the sofa in the living room, listening to a Clannad CD.
Laura jumped up and cleared away the takeaway cartons before returning with two beers. She cuddled up next to Reilly.
“How’s Stewart? It must be hard for him. Christmas, the anniversary of Sarah’s death.”
“Something’s bothering him. I wouldn’t put it all down to Sarah’s death.”
Laura straightened up. “Why do you say that?”
“Little things. You know how professional he is. Nothing escapes him. The harder the case, the more he thrives on it. He doesn’t seem himself at the moment, though. His temper is a little shorter. He’s distracted. He’s not thinking as quick as usual.” Reilly sighed. He didn’t like to see his friend so preoccupied.
“Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. Take today. There was an incident on the grounds of a church. We met up with an old vagrant…”
“That would have been enough to distract him.”
“I could tell he didn’t want to be near him. In fact, the vagrant was no threat at all. Didn’t even attempt to come near us. But there was a genuine fear in Stewart’s eyes. The man clearly had something to tell us, but the boss man hung back.”
“Did you ask him why?”
“No. The only reason I persuaded him to listen was because the vagrant reminded me of old Seamus.”
“Old Seamus. I miss him.”
Seamus was Laura’s grandfather. When Sean Reilly was seven years old, he and his family had moved to the beautiful golden coastline known as Giant’s Causeway, in a town called Portballintrae. Sean struck up a friendship with the old man, a wise old bird who taught him valuable lessons about life.
“Anything else?”
Reilly took a long swig of his beer. “Nothing you can put your finger on. He’s just distracted in general.”
“I can think of something that’s capable of causing such a distraction.”
“Oh, you can, can you? And what would that be?”
“Sounds to me like he may have met someone.”
Reilly nearly choked on his beer. “Would you listen to yourself? This is Stewart Gardener we’re talking about. There’s only been one woman for him, always will be.”
“You listen to yourself, Sean Reilly! He’s only human. He’s been without close companionship for a year now. Maybe he feels it’s time, and he’s found someone. Which is why he’s distracted.”
“I think you’ve been drinking with the faeries back home. I’m telling you there’s no woman in the boss man’s life. He doesn’t have the time. Dear God, he’s not so much as looked at another woman since Sarah.”
“Have it your way, but you’ll see I’m right, so you will!”
Chapter Thirty-five
With the meal long since finished, Gardener and the minister had made themselves comfortable in the living room. Dimmed wall lights and the soft music had created a relaxed atmosphere. She’d talked about her job and he’d listened intently, but he still didn’t know a lot about the real person behind the collar.
“What really influenced your decision to become a minister?” asked Gardener.
“My aunt,” Jacqueline paused. “Well, I call her my aunt, but she’s my great aunt really. She’s my grandmother’s sister, not my mother’s.
“I’d like you to meet her, Stewart. She’s been a tower of strength to me since my mother passed away. I think you’d like each other. She’s lived her entire life according to the Bible. But one thing she doesn’t do is force her opinions on you. On anyone, really.
“I was angry when my mother died. I blamed everyone, including myself. Sometimes I thought she’d died because of me, because of something I’d done. I couldn’t work out what. It’s funny the things you think when you’re a child. If your parents argue and they mention your name, you think you’ve caused it. My aunt pulled me through.”
Jacqueline sipped her wine. “She was only a baby when the family left Romania and came to England. They had no money, nowhere to live, but above all, they knew God would look after them. When I realized how much strength and conviction her faith had given her, I knew that it could work for me. She leads a very simple life, asks nothing of anyone, and she’s so happy. When that finally sunk in, I knew it was what I wanted. To be just like her.”
