Who's Your Paddy?

Chapter 32

"Annie, phone fer ya. It's Paul!" Liam shouted from the foyer below. It was later in the day than I was used to rising and I'd just stepped out of the shower.

I peeked my towel wrapped head over the stair rail. "Talk to him a sec? I'll be right down."

To anyone stumbling in off the street, Liam and I would appear quite normal. Of course, we had a very long talk after the fight the night before and in many ways, we found common ground again. After deep apologies all around for casting doubt, expressing fear and for generally stupid outbursts, we found a way to become united in purpose. But not so much in logistics.

With the slimy underbelly of the press having us both in it's crosshairs, we were anything but normal under the surface.

In practical matters of how to handle the situation, we agreed to disagree. Having more than his fair share of bad experiences with the press, he wanted to spare us the indignities of the harsh spotlight and say nothing. I, on the other hand, took it personal. I didn't doubt my own ability to wallow in the slime and come out smelling like roses, but I also felt I had something to prove.

I wasn't quite willing to admit what, or to whom I was proving anything to, but at the core of my discomfort was the lone question of trust.

Wrapped in a terry cloth robe, I entered the living room in time to hear Liam describing my stitches and black eye, the latter of which I noted in the foggy bathroom mirror, had begun to yellow around the edges.

"Ah, speakin' of the devil, the Goddess arrives. Listen, good talkin' to ya mate, we'll see ya next week," he listened a moment, nodding his head. "Aye, dinner an drinks on me. Yep. Later."

Liam handed me the phone. I pulled the towel off my head and plopped on the couch.

"Afternoon, Paul."

"Morning. Early fucking morning too."

"Oh yeah, sorry."

"This has to be a quickie, I'm off to the commissioner's breakfast event."

"No prob, just glad you got all my emails."

"I'd do anything to help, you know that. But knowing why made it a lot more fun. Oh, and I've been watching the wire, there's nothing."

"Nothing at all?"

"I dug around on the AP exchange and talked to my friend in the London office. None of it's making it's way over here."

"Perfect. Did he agree to send the teaser?"

"Yeah. Your little reporter friend, Ryan, should already have it."

"He's agreed to meet me, so I might not need it," I said.

Paul snorted. "He's a piece of shit. Use everything ya can. What about the other two reporters?"

"One."

"Thought you said there were three following you guys around?"

"Right, but one of those works under an O'Malley Publishing subsidiary. Liam's uncle Bernard is taking care of him."

"Righteous. Hope he hangs the fucker by his balls."

"I don't care as long as he's out of the picture. And the last one is going to have a little marriage problem. Or actually, I should say another problem."

"You found something on him?"

"Sort of. Liam's uncle has been digging around too. Said the guy was clean as a whistle except for a infidelity rumor. Seems our little weasel had a problem keeping things zipped in the past."