Irish Stewed Read Online Free Page B

waiting area, and at the sound of his voice, I turned in time to see the sergeant send a laser gaze around the neighborhood. “Who saw what, where they were, what they know about the deceased. You know the routine. Statements, contact information, blah, blah, blah. And when you’re done with that—”
    Before he had a chance to finish, the front door of the restaurant opened and Declan hurried over. He crouched down in front of Sophie and took her hands in his.
    “I saw the police cars. Is everything all right?”
    “Obviously not.” I shouldn’t have had to point that out, so really, I didn’t deserve the condescending little half smile he shot my way.
    “Well . . .” Oberlin stepped back, his weight against one foot, and aimed a look at Declan. “Doesn’t it figure? There’s trouble, and look who’s here.”
    When he got to his feet, that funny little half smile never faded from Declan’s face. “Nice to see you, too, Gus. What’s going on?”
    “A murder, that’s what’s going on.” Since they were pretending I was invisible, I stood up and stepped between Declan and Oberlin. “Some guy called the Lance of Justice.”
    Declan pursed his lips and let out a long, low whistle. “That ought to stir things up around here.”
    “You would know.” Over my head, Oberlin glared in his direction.
    Declan was nearly as tall as the detective, and though he was broad, he wasn’t anywhere near as burly. That didn’t stop him from trading the cop look for look.
    “Just being neighborly,” Declan said.
    “As always,” Oberlin shot back.
    “Just like you were neighborly earlier tonight?” I asked, and don’t think I didn’t notice that this got Oberlin’s attention.
    He shifted his gaze from Declan to me. “What are you talking about?”
    “He stopped in,” I said, indicating Declan with the tip of my head. “About an hour ago. Right before we found the body. He said it was because he saw the lights on and he wondered what was going on.”
    “That would be because I saw the lights on and wondered what was going on.” Declan crossed his arms over his chest and his black leather jacket creaked.
    “He also said he was going to go back across the street when he left here, but when he did finally leave—”
    The clink of metal on metal interrupted me as the paramedics wheeled a cart out the door of the restaurant. There was a black body bag strapped to the gurney, a round hump at the end where Jack Lancer’s head was and the squared-off outline of his feet showing at the other end.
    Instantly, the TV camera lights outside swung our way and we all squinted.
    Except for Sophie. She looked like she was about to be sick.
    “I don’t suppose there’s any way around this,” Oberlin grumbled. “Vultures, every one of them.”
    He opened the door, then stepped back and out of sight of the cameras, allowing the paramedics to leave with the body. The cameras followed the gurney to the ambulance and when they did, Oberlin looked back my way.
    “So what was it you were saying?” he asked me.
    “I was saying that while you’re taking statements, you might want to take his.” I didn’t have to point to Declan; he was standing right beside me. I looked up at him. “He was here earlier this evening, too. And when he left, he went—”
    “I know you’ve got plenty to do.” I would have thought Declan had forgotten me completely, I mean, what with the way he talked to Oberlin as if I weren’t there, but his hand clamped over my arm. “And I’m sure you need to talk to Sophie and Laurel some more. But they’re going to be in the way here and they don’t need this crazy publicity.” He tugged me toward the door. “I’ll take them across the street and you can be sure I’ll keep the newshounds away from them. When you need them, you’ll find them over at the Irish store.”

Chapter 3
    D eclan opened the front door of the shop and stepped back to allow first Sophie then me inside.
    “Welcome