The House of Ashes by Stuart Neville

Author:Stuart Neville
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Soho Press
Published: 2021-08-04T22:01:08+00:00

21: Mary

It was the same policeman I’d seen before. I knew his face. So handsome. I saw him take a step closer to the window. He looked at Esther, all confused, like he saw a ghost standing there. Esther started to shake. I think she might have been tittering, I’m not sure.

Says Daddy Tam, No, no, no, no, no.

Over and over and over again like if he said it enough times he could magic that policeman away. He grabbed my arm and tried to pull me over to the door, but I did a thing I’d never done before: I stood my ground.

Says I, He’ll see you.

Daddy Tam let go of my arm then and just stood there, breathing hard. I never seen him afeart before, but there he was, near in a panic. The policeman came right up to the window, put his nose to the glass, with his hands around his eyes so he could see better. He looked at us a wee moment then he waved and pointed to the front door.

Daddy Tam didn’t move, just stood there, panting like a dog. Only I knew he would’ve hit me a clip, I would’ve tittered just like Esther.

Daddy Ivan appeared in the kitchen door and says, Oh, Jesus. He looked at Tam, then back at the window. Says he, Pull yourself together, boy, or we’re ruined. I’ll go to him.

While Daddy Tam bolted and locked the door to the cellar, Daddy Ivan went out to the hall and I heard him unlock the front door. Then I heard voices, low so I couldn’t make out the words. I walked closer to Esther so I could see through the door, see what was happening. Daddy Tam tried to grab at my sleeve, but I slapped his hand away. I never would’ve dared do that before, never ever, but now I did, because here was the policeman and he was going to take us all away from here, me and Esther and Mummy Joy and Mummy Noreen, he was going to take us out of here to a good place where no one would hurt us.

Daddy Ivan let the policeman into the hall, then he followed him into the kitchen. The policeman didn’t have his hat on him, and his shirt collar was unbuttoned, and his tie was loose. There was a smell off him that I’d smelled before, a sweet smell on his breath, like Daddy Tam’s when he was drunk and thran, and his eyes were red and watery.

Says he, Tam, how are ye? Then he looks at us, the steaming bathtub. Who’s this then?

Daddy Ivan was behind him. Says he, These are my sister’s grandchildren. They’re just here to visit for a lock o’ days.

Daddy Tam came between me and Esther and took us each by the hand.

Says he, Just here for a lock o’ days to help out about the place.

Says the policeman, Oh, aye? Nice to meet you, girls. Here, I was supposed to pick up some beef from the butcher’s for the missus, but I sort of didn’t get around to it.

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