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СКАЧАТЬ ‘They deserve better,’ he said seriously.

      Eva nodded.

      ‘And I,’ he returned to his mock tones, ‘am tired of patrolling the aisles looking for anti-wrinkle moisturisers. I’ve better things to be doing.’

      ‘Like making coffee,’ Kitty said as they stepped out of the elevator.

      ‘Eddie will show you out, Kath-Kitty.’ He nodded his head at the burly security guard standing in the corner.

      The doors closed and Kitty laughed, and they found themselves back on the path outside the IFSC.

      ‘Well,’ Kitty looked at Eva, feeling that she had certainly witnessed something very unusual in there, ‘that was interesting.’

      ‘Was it?’ Eva looked uncertain.

      ‘Mr Webb certainly took to you,’ Kitty said, and Eva’s cheeks pinked.

      ‘Mr Webb shouldn’t be taking to anyone,’ Eva said drily. ‘Mr Webb has a one-year anniversary to celebrate.’

      ‘Is that why you said no to the job?’

      ‘No! If you think I’m in this job to find men then you’re sorely mistaken,’ Eva said, ‘otherwise I would have said yes.’

      They laughed.

      ‘So why did you say no to the job, exactly?’ Kitty asked.

      ‘Would you like to go for a coffee?’

      Kitty weighed up her options. Eva was very nice and her job made for interesting conversation but she wasn’t sure there was anything there unless of course Constance’s story lay in Eva’s personal life. So far, to Kitty’s journalistic eye, there was nothing dramatic or overtly interesting about Eva. Once again Constance had found a subject that Kitty couldn’t yet identify. Kitty thought about the benefits of progressing with the other ninety-eight people on her list – people who had more immediate exciting stories to share – versus spending a few more hours with Eva to ask her about her life. Eva was a lovely girl, but Kitty was under pressure. She needed to move on.

      ‘I won’t take up any more of your time,’ Kitty smiled politely, feeling guilty over Eva’s fallen expression. ‘But before I go, I just have one question.’

      ‘Of course.’ Eva brightened again.

      ‘I was wondering, can you remember the first gift, really memorable gift, that you received that really meant something to you, that perhaps sparked something inside you? Perhaps it sparked this … this desire you have to buy people the perfect gift. That gift could be the reason you got into this … career.’

      Eva looked sad and then her face brightened as the mask came back on again. ‘Yes,’ she said perkily. ‘It was a My Little Pony stable and pony. It was from my grandmother. I was seven years old and I absolutely loved it. I played with it every second of every day.’

      ‘Really?’ Kitty asked, surprised, disappointed even.

      ‘Yes.’ Her mask didn’t budge. ‘Why?’

      ‘I just thought that there was something, something with more meaning, or …’ She looked at her for more but Eva’s face was blank.

      ‘Nope. I really loved that pony,’ she said, her smile tight.

      Eva watched Kitty Logan cycle away from her and she cursed herself. She could tell when she was being dropped like a hot potato. It had happened plenty of times before. Gaby would never forgive her for this one. Her one real opportunity to talk about her business in a way that she wanted and she had blown it. But she couldn’t give Kitty what she wanted. Kitty wanted more, she wanted to get inside Eva’s head, inside her heart. Eva knew she did that to other people, but she didn’t feel comfortable allowing anyone to occupy that place within her. She barely went to that place herself.

      Her phone rang and she sighed and answered it. ‘Hi, Mum.’

      ‘Eva, can you come get me?’ Eva heard the whimper in her voice, the sniff, the weakness, and her heart dropped.

      ‘What happened?’ she asked, her voice thick with dread, knowing already.

      ‘It’s my wrist. I thought it was just a sprain but it’s been hurting me all night. I couldn’t sleep, and so I finally thought I should check it. They said it’s broken.’

      ‘Where are you now?’

      ‘The hospital.’

      ‘Where’s Dad?’

      Silence. Then a quiet, ‘I don’t know. I haven’t seen him today. Bessie brought me to hospital but she had to go to help Clare. She’s just had a baby, she needs help with the boys, and I can’t ask Bessie to come get me again.’

      Eva felt the anger surge through her. Hot, hopeless anger that she could do nothing with, standing on the quays in Dublin city. And it would stay with her, no doubt, all the way back on the train to Galway, until she would arrive at the station, exhausted and drained.

      ‘I’m in Dublin,’ she said. ‘I won’t be home until this evening.’

      ‘That’s fine, I can wait.’

      ‘Why don’t you get a taxi?’

      ‘No. No, thanks. I’ll wait for you.’

      Eva knew she’d say that. She never wanted anyone to see her like that. She would sit in the house until she’d healed, no doubt.

      ‘It will be hours, Mum.’

      ‘I’ll wait for you,’ her mother said with a firmness in her voice. Eva wondered where that strength disappeared to when the time really called for it. ‘I just hope I can get this cast off for your father’s birthday. He’s decided to have a party.’

      ‘When?’ Dread filled Eva again.

      ‘Friday week.’

      ‘Friday week? But …’ she stalled. ‘I can’t make it Friday week. He could have given me some notice at least.’

      ‘Oh, your father will be so disappointed,’ Eva’s mother said in a voice that made Eva’s stomach churn.

      ‘Well, there’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t turn down work – you know what it’s like these days.’ She looked up at the building she had just walked out of with Kitty. ‘Besides, I’ll be in Cork …’

       Chapter Ten

      The address of Archie Hamilton, sixty-seventh on the list of one hundred names, jumped out at Kitty as she made her way home after spending time with Eva. It was Friday evening; she felt it was a good time to call in, people would be home from work, they’d be sitting down to dinner, she would catch them unawares. Apart from Gaby, not one of her voicemails had had a response and she needed to keep moving. The clock was ticking on this story and as another day drew СКАЧАТЬ