By the time we land at Belfast airport almost eleven hours later it’s the early hours of the morning, local time. I turn on my cell as soon as we land and call Shane who takes longer than expected to answer.
“Hey,” he breathes.
“You found her yet?”
“No,” he says and my heart sinks in my chest. I shake my head to Liam and Mikey who sit watching my face for clues. “It’s a shame Liam couldn’t make it, but he needs his rest, and I suppose someone needs to look after things back home.”
I frown as I turn to Liam sitting beside. He is right here and Shane knows that he boarded this plane with me. So what the fuck is going on?
I press a finger to my lips indicating he should stay quiet before I answer. “Yeah, a damn shame.”
“I’m heading back to the hotel with Paul. Can you and Mikey come straight there and we can plan our next move?”
“Of course we will. See you in an hour, bro.”
I end the call and put my cell back into my pocket.
“What was that about?” Liam asks.
“For some reason, Shane wanted whoever he was with to think that you stayed back home,” I say to Liam.
“Why?” he frowns at me.
“Because then you’re our secret weapon,” Mikey suggests. “If nobody knows you’re here then…” he shrugs. He doesn’t need to finish the sentence for us to know what he means. An invisible man is an asset.
“You know who he was with?” Liam asks.
“No. Except for Paul, I think.”
“Uncle Paul?” Mikey asks.
“Yeah. Shane said he was going to ask him to help. But I wonder who else was with them?”
“I’m sure we’ll find out soon,” Liam says. “So, what I shall I do? Stay in the car?”
I nod. “In the car and out of sight. I’ll fill you in on the plan as soon as I know what it is.”
“Maybe he knows something that he couldn’t say?” Liam offers, his face full of hope and I feel a flicker of it too.
“I certainly fucking hope so.”
