The missing link
Mick walked into the police station relieved to see his friend Sinead waiting for him. Coffee in one hand the blonde woman narrowed her eyes.
"Morning. Is that coffee for me?"
"Would you feck off." She took a generous gulp, almost burning her mouth. "This Michael Dowd - was convicted of drugs offences in London three years ago. Supplying crack . Assaulting an ex girlfriend when he was 20. Nice guy. Not."
"Convicted of possession with intent of supplying a class A and he's not in prison? How?" Mick followed her back towards the car park.
"Do I look like I know what the judge was thinking?" The broad Dublin accent caught his ears. Mick nodded before getting in the car. Sinead was right, he had more digging to do.
Xxxxx
"Cathy, would you eat something?" Agnes poured tea into mugs as Cathy sat at the kitchen table with Rory.
"No thanks Mammy."
"Cathy, you are wasting away." Cathy shot her brother a dirty look. Rory ignored her as the phone started ringing. Trevor grabbed it before any of the others could. Agnes rested a hand on her chest as she watched her youngest.
"Cathy. Eat," She snapped as Trevor walked into the room.
"Who was it, son? Was it the hospital? Son?"
"It was Betty." Trevor sighed. "Mark."
"Oh God,"
"Calm down Rory. Let the boy speak." A flick of the tea towel silenced him. He rubbed his arm as Trevor sighed. "Go on, Trevor love."
"Mark has improved overnight. The doctors have changed his antibiotics and are going to do some more tests. They think he'll be ok to wake up later. If the tests come back ok."
"Oh thank God." Cathy buried her face in her hands, trying hard not to cry. That was something she hadn't done in a longtime. Brown women didn't do that. Now as she listened to her baby brother she wasn't sure she could stop the tears.
"What tests?"
"Betty said a blood gas. They're doing that now and then a chest X-ray and maybe another brain scan."
"A brain scan?" Buster walked in, his trademark baseball cap in one hand. Cathy nodded.
"Mark."
"Mark is having a brain scan? I thought they did one. What they hoping to find?" Buster looked at his friends.
"A brain, Buster which is more than they could hope to find with you." Agnes shook her head. "Ejit!"
"They want to see if there is anything damaged or shouldn't be there." Trevor explained.
"My boy might have brain damage." Agnes sat down. Cathy closed her eyes. Rory ran from the room as Grandad swore. Trevor nodded.
"No he won't." Buster stated confidently.
"And you know this? How exactly?"
"Because he's Mark Brown. He's one of the good guys. Like Trevor and Cathy. And Dermot. He'll be grand."
"I hope you're right, son." Agnes tapped his arm. "I hope that you're right. Trevor, say a prayer for your brother."
"I will, Mammy." Trevor smiled sadly. "I will."
Xxxxxxx
Betty stood in the waiting room outside the ITU trying not to think what could happen. She was exhausted and worried sick. Memories of Mark rushing home as she cradled Bono in her arms sprung to mind. Bono had been just a wee baby and they had left him to go to London. Cathy had been living on her nerves, badly beaten and mentally not the Cathy Brown she had gone through college with.
"Betty." She was startled from her thoughts as a male voice said her name.
"What the Hell are you doing here?" She got to her feet, ready to scream as the man put his hand over her mouth, pining her to the wall.
"Catherine isn't here, Mark is in no fit state to help so I suggest my darling cousin you shut your mouth." He pressed further as her eyes widened. Smiling he removed his hand, stepping back as Betty punched him in the face. She screamed as he reeled back ready to launch on her as two pairs of arms pulled him back.
"Dermot! Mick!"
"Michael Dowd you are under arrest." Mick proceeded to manhandle the larger man as the Brown brothers and Cathy arrived. He spat and snarled as he pulled himself away from the policeman.
"Catherine."
"It's Cathy Brown. And I'm not scared of you. Not now. Not ever again! I've made my statement to the Guarda and I will again in court. It's over."
"Well, we'll see." He hissed.
"You come after one of the Browns you come after us all." Dermot stated as Buster looked on slightly shell shocked at the sight of Dermot helping a policeman. Buster nodded when he realised what Dermot had said. Mick smiled slightly as he caught Cathy's eye. Moments later her ex husband was carted of to Finglas police station. Cathy watched as Betty collapsed in the chair. Her long blonde hair covered her face as she tried to pull herself together.
"Where's Bono?"
"At the salon with Deano." Rory explained. Betty nodded.
"The triplets?"
"Mrs Nicholson." Agnes stated. "She's their granny too. Let her have some shitty nappies once in a while. Do her good. And Ringo is teething. Those back teeth are a bugger. He'll be all whaa whaa." She waved her hands. "Just like his father. Dermot was teething for years!"
"Mammy!" Cathy snapped.
"Well, he was. And don't get me started."
"Why are you here?" Betty sighed.
"For Mark." Agnes held her hand. "And you, Betty." Betty sniffed as a nurse wearing navy blue scrubs walked in.
"Betty?"
"Oh, this is Karen. She's been nursing Mark." Betty explained.
"And doing a grand job." Agnes smiled at the younger woman. "What's happened?"
"Mark's awake." Betty covered her hand with her mouth. "He's asking for you."
"He remembers me? I."
"He wants to see you. Of course he feckin remembers. Now go on." She urged Betty to follow the nurse knowing things were starting to turn the corner. For the first time since the nightmare had begun things were getting better. Weren't they?
Xxxx
A/n please review.