The Code

Chapter 10

Lebanon, Kansas, Present Day

Peter Durbin regarded Eileen with slightly detached curiosity. "How do you know anything about my sister?" he asked.

She glanced quickly over at Sam for moral support, then turned back to Durbin. "Maura Durbin married a man named Padraic Leahy in 1982. They lived in County Cork, Ireland, until they were killed by a banshee in 1986," she told him.

Peter's face faltered momentarily, and he lifted a hand to his eyes to dab at his eyes, which had misted over. He cleared his throat and regained his previous cool demeanor. "I have to admit I find that a little bit hard to believe, as my sister went through the same training as I did. She would have known how to deal with a banshee."

She ignored him. "The Men of Letters' records show that Edward Durbin II disappeared in 1941 while investigating a case in Ireland. He was never heard from again. So how could he possibly be your father?"

"I assume that you mean the American records, because I assure you my father was quite alive for many years after that. I don't know the details of what's in the records here, nor why they thought he was missing, or dead, or whatever the case may have been."

Ketch cleared his throat. "Can we please get on with this? We're wasting valuable time here. Not that I don't appreciate a good mystery and all, but it won't take them long to figure out that Lady Bevell has gone missing, and once that happens they will be waiting for us."

"I'd be surprised if they haven't already figured it out," Mick added.

Dean walked towards them, pulling out his gun as he went. He pointed it at Ketch's forehead. "You still haven't given us any reason why we should believe your story," he said.

Eileen stepped between Dean and Ketch, holding her hand out in front of the barrel of Dean's gun. She raised an eyebrow at him, and he slowly lowered the gun. "Let's get to the point then," she said, and turned back to Durbin. "I know you already know my name is Eileen Leahy. My mother's name was Maura Leahy, but her maiden name was Maura Durbin. So assuming that you're telling the truth, you are my uncle."

Durbin's eyes widened for a brief second, then narrowed as he took in her appearance. "You are Maura's daughter?" he asked. "I see a slight resemblance, yes, but... how could I never have known about you? Why didn't she tell me?"

"She was trying to protect herself, her husband and her child from the organization," Mick said quietly. "She didn't have much choice but to cut all ties."

"And then she died anyway," Eileen said, "saving my life."

Durbin raised his hands in the air. "May I?" he said to the hunter holding the gun on him. Dean nodded and the hunter relaxed the grip on his gun. Durbin lowered his hands, rose to his feet, and looked directly at Eileen. "I can promise you one thing, Eileen: I would never, ever hurt Maura's child. If what you are telling me is true, I will give my own life to protect yours. Whether that's enough for you, or for any of the others, to believe in my sincerity, and that of my colleagues here, I don't know. But I want this nightmare over, for us, and now especially for you. We need to get this done."

After a quick whispered conversation between the three of them, Dean spoke to the three Brits. "All right. You can come, but you will each stay with one of us at all times. You will hand over your phones, and if you make even the slightest move to communicate with them, or anything even starts to smelly fishy, we will shoot you. Capiche?"

"Understood," answered Durbin.

Ketch looked over at the hunter guarding him. "Am I allowed to stand up now?" he asked.