Under a Skellig Sky by Breda Joy

Author:Breda Joy [Joy, Breda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781781997536
Publisher: Poolbeg Press
Published: 2020-05-24T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Arthur slapped a black briefcase down on the kitchen table. Thoughts of Trump and the nuclear button surfaced in Carol’s mind. She elbowed her mother. Neither smiled. They watched him snap the case open and reach inside to take out an old-fashioned dictaphone and a pair of binoculars.

Carol arched an eyebrow. “Tools of the trade?”

Arthur tapped the dictaphone. “This, yes.” He picked up the binoculars. “Birdwatching is my passion. You know, I can identify the likely nesting place of a sedge warbler from a couple of hundred yards.”

“Isn’t that wonderful!” Mary assessed him with all the ease of a bomb-disposal expert approaching a suspicious parcel.

Arthur appeared oblivious to the two women. “This must be a paradise for bird lovers.” He stalked across the kitchen to the window and trained the binoculars on the driveway. “Good lord, what large cats. They’re positive beasts.”

Mary gave a wry smile and murmured, “That’s from all the little birdies they’ve been feasting on.”

Carol tried to convert a snort of laughter into a cough and ended up sounding as if she was choking. She filled a glass with water and gulped it back.

Arthur swirled around. “Are you sure you’re alright?” he said, addressing the dining-room door.

“It’s just nerves really,” she said. “My mother and myself are well aware we’re in the dock, so to speak. I suppose you’ll want to get down to business.”

“Well, you know what they say – innocent until proven guilty.” He guffawed loudly enough to be heard at the Carhan Bridge.

Mary bristled. “I’ll have you know I’ve no intention of submitting myself to the mercies of any kangaroo court.”

“Shhh,” Carol pleaded, but Arthur was marching into the conservatory.

“As I thought, a much better view from here. I just cannot get over these cats. Incredible. How many are there? There must be at least a dozen.”

Carol’s heart was sinking. Surely there weren’t that many of them? They must have recruited their pals from the neighborhood to protest at their eviction. She looked at her mother, twisted her finger to her temple and addressed the Grand Inquisitor’s back. “This entire business has been quite a strain on us. My mother, you must realise, doesn’t enjoy the best of health. The anxiety has affected her blood pressure. You’d do us a great favour by putting us out of our misery as quickly as possible. And you might take on board the fact that we think Margot’s complaint was vexatious to a large degree. Not that that matters now that she has withdrawn it.”

Arthur seemed reluctant to tear himself away from his safari outpost. “For heaven’s sake, you make me sound like the state executioner!” he called into the kitchen.

“I’ve come across some gazebos in my day but this one takes the biscuit,” Mary hissed. “Do you notice he hasn’t looked us in the eye once?”

Suddenly he materialised beside them with the binoculars swinging from a strap around his neck. He plucked up the dictaphone from the table. “Let’s get down to it. I’ll start with the dining room.

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