She heard footsteps approach. Hands grabbed under her armpits and pulled her up into a chair. Whoever it was stayed behind her, out of view. When she tried to look around, he jerked her hair. "Keep your eyes forward!"

"You are Detective Pezzini of the New York Police Department. Tell me what you're doing here."

"Actually, I don't know what I'm doing - here!" Sara spat.

"In Ireland! You know what I mean. Get on with it."

Sara took a breath. "I came to answer any questions that the family of John Patrick Dougherty might have about his death."

"And you didn't come because of Llan An Cailleach?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

A hand grabbed her wrist bearing the Witchblade. "This! Don't waste time lying about it!"

Sara said "This bracelet goes where I go. It's not why I came to Ireland." To herself she added - not directly. Everything is connected.

The inquisitor walked around into her view. "So what do you have to tell the family of John Patrick Dougherty?" Sara recognized him from the photograph she found in John's guitar case. Edward. The brother that was wanted for terrorist activity. The one that the counter terrorists wanted to use John to get to. The one they planned on killing.

"I saw John after he was captured and later when he was murdered. I was there. So I can answer your questions."

Edward looked at her for a moment. "So you know me? Tell me, why were you there?"

Actually what did she want to say anyway? "I screwed you brother and then got him killed" didn't seem polite. Sara was beginning to think this was the hardest thing she had ever done. Usually when she answered the questions of a murder victim's family she was detached, not emotionally involved.

"I. . . tried to rescue John, by ransom or by violence. I failed."

"Who were they?"

"I thought you would know. They kidnapped John to lure you into a trap. They were going to kill both of you."

"I can guess who they were. What of John's killer?"

"I killed her."

Edward nodded. "Did any of them survive?"

"Only the two of us that attempted the rescue."

Edward opened up a little. "All we got back were the ashes. We couldn't see what harm they did to him. Did they torture him? How long did he suffer?"

"It looked like they beat him up some. They shot out his kneecap. It's my fault. They wanted to make sure I took them serious. It was about 10 hours from the time he was kidnapped till he died."

Sara was fighting to hold onto her dignity - "don't start blubbering now" she told herself.

"And then they shot him?"

"No," Sara edited the truth. She still avoided mentioning the Witchblade. "Fiona had a knife that she got from me. She used it to stab John through the heart. His hands were tied."

Sara was really beginning to doubt that it was a good idea to tell Edward the details. There were already enough grievances to keep Ireland split.

Edward looked at her with sympathetic eyes. She had been through a lot and he knew what it felt like. He recognized that they were comrades in pain.

"I truly do appreciate your coming to tell me of John Patrick. It is hard on the family not knowing what happened. We can imagine all kinds of atrocities."

"So why did you drag me here?" Sara asked. "I was looking to talk to you."

"We had an appointment and you missed it." Edward answered.

Sara remembered the time and place information Mrs. Dougherty had written in the flour. "Sorry about that. That was the day I spent in jail because a dead guy turned up on my car."

"Yes, that left us looking for another way to contact you, without your bodyguard. When you took the taxi we grabbed the opportunity - and you."

"Next time skip the needle and drugs, willya?" Sara said wryly. "Can you untie me now?"

Edward smiled and for an instant he resembled John. "Sorry, but I don't trust you to let me walk away. Which I will do in the next few minutes because I know your rescuers are getting near."

Edward came closer, "Before I go I'll tell you I know what that bracelet is. I know who you are."

"What do you know?"

"John told me who he was looking for. Cathain."

"Your mother said that he didn't tell you."

"Back in my drinking days I got him pretty well plastered once and dug it out of him. I had to know why he suddenly turned against me after his coma. But I didn't tell anyone. Bloody likely I'm going to go around saying my crazy younger brother is looking for Cathain, the war goddess!"

"Then you know who he is . . . was."

"Conchobar, same as his stage name. I'm sorry that I misjudged him. In more ways then one! Perhaps he could have been the statesman that made a difference in this bloody mess. And I'm sorry I didn't know his time would be so short. He was Mother's favorite, though she won't admit it. She thought he would be safe when he stopped following in my footsteps. He was going live a peaceful life abroad looking for you. I expected to be gone long before him. "


"In return for telling me about my brother, I will warn you that you're not safe anywhere in Ireland, now that it's known that you have Llan An Cailleach. It would be a great prize for any group to further their cause. And they won't hesitate to kill you to get it."

Sara replied "Yeah. It seems like everyone I meet knows what it is. Here's a warning back at ya. Nottingham is looking for me by now. You don't want to be here when he finds this place."

"Your bodyguard? You are very sure of his capabilities."

"Right. He's the other survivor of my attempt to rescue John."