means. ‘ ‘
“And you tried to kill him?”
“And he me.”
“I assumed you must have been friends.”
“We were He taught me a great deal.” He shrugged. “I went through the purity of violence phase, the kind of Marxist revolutionary who’d kill the Pope if he thought it would further the cause.
Liam was more old-fashioned. He wanted to meet his enemy face-to-face like a soldier of the revolution.
We didn’t agree to differ. Shots were exchanged and
we parted, both of us the worse for wear.”
“And you regret that?”
“Oh, yes, the greatest man I ever knew in my life.”
“He must be pretty old by now.” “Eighty-five next birthday.” “Good God!” she said blankly. BARRY HAD OWNED THE OLD FARMHOUSE JUST outside the village of Ballybum fifteen miles north of Dublin for years. He rented the land to a local farmer, a Sinn Fein sympathizer, and used the house itself oy for the occasional weekend since the death of his wife.
When he unlocked the front door and led the way in, there wa a smell of damp. Kathleen Ryan shivered.
“God, you could catch your death here.”
“The fire’s laid in the sitting room and in the kitchen stove, t’11 light them up ald we’ll be fine in no time.” He had a carrier bag.n his hand, and he went into the stone-flagged ldtcben and put the bag on the table. “Fresh bread, milk, eggs and bacon.
You could make us a fry-up, girl.”
“You can make your own bloody fry-up.”
He smiled. “The hot one Kathleen Ryan, aren’t you? Suit yourself.”
He opened the stove and put a match to it and turned. Michael Ryan was leaning against the wall, hands in pockets, an intent look on his face.
“Sure and you’d like to shoot me, wouldn’t you, Michael?” z33 “Nothing would suit me better.” Barry laughed and turned to thў girl. “Well, at least you could make us a nice cup of tea.” He went out into tl hall and found So!lazo hanging up his rainoat. Mori was in the sitting room putting a match to the log fire. It was pleasant enough,- a few rugs scattered on the flagged floor. There was a dining table with six chairs, a sofa and large wing-backed chairs on either side of the fire, and the ceiling was beameL There was a statue of the Virgin Mary on the mantelpiece and a picture on the wall.
“I didn’t know you were a religious man, Mr.
Barry?” “That was my wife, God rest her. Mass on most nornings when she could manage it. She worried about me, Mr. Sollazo. All those wild years in the movement.” He shook his head. “The hard time I gave her.” “And where.are our friends?” “In the kitchen. Don’t worry. The backdoor is locked and I’ve got’he keys of the brake.” He raised his voice. “Where’s that tea?”
KTEEN, WAITING FOR TE KETTLE TO on the stove, was talking quietly to her uncle. “Have you had your pill?”
‘Then just take it slowly and don’t upset yourself.
The last thing we need at this moment in time is you on your back.” “All right, girl,” he said, “don’t fuss.”
z34
She made the tea and discovering a jar of instant coffee, spooned some into two mugs and added hot water. It was at that moment that Barry called. She put everything on a tray and they went through.
“Coffee for you two,” she told Sollazo. “Only the instant variety, but you’ll have to make do.”
Mori tasted it and made a face. “Disgusting.” Barry laughed. “You can’t have everything in this life, son. You should try the tea. Two things the Irish
do extremely well, brew Guinness and make tea.” Kathleen poured. “There you go, then.”
Barry took one of the cups and sipped his tea.
“And that’s grand, the cup that cheers. I’ll just finish it in peace and then we’ll get down to business.” KATHLEEN, HER UNCLE, AND SOLLAZO LEANED on the table and watched as Barry unfolded a large scale map of the east coast of Ireland including both the Republic and Ulster..
“Here we are at Ballyburn. Now, up through Dun-dalk into County Down, and you see Drumdonald and Scotstown. That’s the area where you landed. Now all I need are the bearings for the position of Irish Rose.” He looked at Ryan. “What was it again, Michael?”