CHAPTER FORTY FOUR – BEHIND BARS

A week before …

Leo sat at his desk in London going through a stack of files. It had all been reported to death. Breixt, boring, the world was sick of it. Too soon to tackle the next Olympics, essentially one had just finished. The Queen's birthday, ok maybe. North Korea stopping all nuclear testing, now here was a story but could he get travel clearance in time, it was doubtful. Leo pushed back his chair and stood up to stretch. He slipped his coat around his shoulders and walked out.

Around the corner from the newspaper building was a small café. Leo ordered a beer and a sandwich with a packet of crisps and sat himself down with his tablet. He opened up the app for Irish news and started to read about the land he had left behind.

PUBLICAN DIES IS FREAK ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT

Pub owner Aidan Kelly dies after being struck by lightning when attempting to correct a faulty satellite dish during last week's major storm. While many witnesses tried to resuscitate Kelly his body was declared Dead on Arrival.

Leo skipped on.

Fate of Fitzgerald's pub in Ballykissangel, Co Wicklow, now hangs in the balance as a new owner has not come forward. Like many rural towns in Ireland the pub is often the focal point of central activity.

Leo put the tablet down and took a swig of beer, "I'll be dammed," he muttered to himself."

Leo stood in Cildargan next to his Audi coupe rental car. The last time he was here was to claim identity for Assumpta's body, it was not a place he would have ever saw himself returning to any time soon, and yet here he was. He exited the police station with little news other than Aidan's death had been ruled as an accident. He walked into the Edward Arms pub across the road, ordered a pint and placed a call to his editor in London.

The barman watched intently as Leo let his editor know there was no further updates but he would be calling back in this evening with hopefully a more promising result. The barman handed Leo his pint.

"Are you here to investigate that accident in Ballyk?" he asked.

"Something like that, do you know has the place opened yet?"
"Now that I'm not sure but it has a new owner sure enough."
"Already? Who is it?"
"Sure it be a Fitzgerald."
"Are you sure?"

"An American, her name is Anne, long lost cousin of the original family."
"Did she buy it off them or?"
"Now that I don't know, you would be better off going to Ballyk yourself, mind you, they may not talk to you if you are the reporting type."
"I think I'll be ok."
"Suit yourself.

Leo parked his car in front of Fitzgerald's and pounded on the door. No answer. He stopped into Hendley's to buy a pack of cigarettes and asked a few questions but the kid behind the counter didn't have much information. He walked up to the top of the road to the church and found it eerily quiet where was everyone? He made his way back towards his car when he heard two people saying good byes, he ran as fast as his feet would take him before the two locals went inside.