A Nice Place to Die by J. Woollcott

Author:J. Woollcott [J. Woollcott]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Level Best Books
Published: 2022-08-30T00:00:00+00:00

Ryan liked Jenny Watts, a traditional bar on Bangor’s main street. Rose was there when he arrived, and he went straight to the bar and grabbed some drinks. He, for one, needed something to fortify himself. She’d found a nice quiet spot at the back. Her face seemed almost chalk-white in the glow of the pub’s wall lamps.

He put the drinks on the table and sat down. He hesitated, then took a large swallow of whiskey.

“Bridget’s pregnant.”

There, he’d said it. No mucking about, no excuses. He drank the rest of his whiskey in one go.

Rose lifted her wine and took a sip. She didn’t reply.

“I had no idea until now. No idea at all, Rose.”

“You haven’t seen her since we’ve been….” She hesitated. “…going out?”

“If you mean have I been seeing you both at the same time, no. I saw her last Saturday for the first time in ages after I heard her message. That’s when she told me. She’s asked me to decide if I want to be part of it. It’s up to me.”

Rose lifted her glass again and sipped, looking thoughtful. “You’ve decided then, Ryan. I think you have.”

He realised that he had. He could not ignore a child of his. He couldn’t. And his family, Erin, his parents, even if he wanted to, that would not work.

“I’m sorry, Rose. I never meant for…”

“I know. I’m pleased for you. A baby.” She smiled, but only for a moment. “As long as you care for Bridget, and I think you do.”

“It happened before we broke up. I’m an idiot.”

They sat there in silence for a few moments. Rose finally spoke. “It’s funny, but I’m relieved in a way. I thought you had been stringing me along, lying to me, and I was devastated. This was my first real relationship, you probably figured that out, and I felt like a fool.”

“No, no. Don’t think that. It was never that. Look, I don’t want to lose touch. Can I call you to talk sometime? Where are you staying?”

“With my cousin, Anne Magee. I got a message from her when I returned to Kathleen’s flat from your farm. We’ve been estranged from that side of the family for years. Anne heard about the murder on the news. She found my stepfather, Leonard, in Donegal, and he gave her my number at Kathleen’s. We hit it off right away. She has two kids and they’re great. I’m staying with her and her husband here in Bangor until I can plan the funeral.”

“Rose, you understand that might be a while. I can’t release the body, and the coroner won’t either until we’re completely satisfied we have everything we need.”

She nodded. Said nothing.

In the warm, intimate bar, he reached for her hand and thought briefly of their first lunch. She let him hold it for a moment, then slipped it away.

He drove straight home and, with Finn eyeing him disconsolately, drank whiskey in the conservatory. He couldn’t believe he’d said goodbye for good.

He couldn’t

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