Public Secrets
Chapter 79 : the sisters with the kind eyes and firm hands, back to morning prayers and grammar less

the sisters with the kind eyes and firm hands, back to morning prayers

and grammar lessons.

She glanced back as her father peeled into "Soldier Blues." It was

another song about the war, its hard-edged lyrics set to a harderedged

beat. She didn't know why it appealed to her. Perhaps it was P.M."s

cymbal-cras.h.i.+ng style or Stevie's frantic, blood-pumping guitar. But

when Johnno's voice merged with Brian's, she lifted her camera.

She liked to take pictures. It never occurred to her that the camera

was too expensive and difficult to master for a child of her age. Just

as it had never occurred to her that giving it had been a sop to Brian's

guilt for tucking her away in an obscure school.

"Emma."

She turned to study a tall, dark man. He wasn't one of the bodyguards,

she realized, but there was something familiar about his face. Then she

remembered. She smiled a little because he had been kind when he'd come

to see her in the hospital, and he hadn't embarra.s.sed her when she'd

cried on his shoulder.

"Do you remember me?" Lou asked her.

"Yes. You're the policeman."

"That's right." He put a hand on the boy beside him, trying to draw his

son's attention away from the group rehearsing. "This is Michael. I

told you about him."

She brightened even more, but was too shy to ask him about rollerskating

off rooftops. "h.e.l.lo."

"Hi." He gave her a quick glance, a fleeting smile. It was all he could

spare before his eyes were riveted to the four men in the center of the

hall.

"We need the horns," Brian began when he signaled a halt. "Can't get

the frill sound without them." His heart stopped when he spotted the man

beside Emma, then sl(ywly, thickly began beating again. "Lieutenant."

"Mr. McAvoy." After a quick warning glance at his son, Lou crossed the

hall. "I'm sorry to interrupt your rehearsal, but I wanted to speak to

you again, and your daughter, if possible."

"Do you-"

"No. I have very little to add to what you already know. But if I

could have a few minutes of your time?"

"Sure. You chaps want to go for lunch? I'll catch up with you."

"I could hang around," Johnno offered.

"No." Brian gave his shoulder a quick squeeze. "Thanks."

Emma caught the look in Michael's eyes. She'd seen the same expression

in those of the girls at school when they'd discovered who her father

was. Her lips curved a little. She liked his face, the slightly

crooked nose, the clear gray eyes.

"Would you like to meet them?"

Michael had to wipe his sweaty palms on his jeans. "Yeah. That'd be

boss."

"I hope you don't mind," Lou said to Brian as he noted that Emma had

spared him from asking. "I brought my son along. Not strictly

procedure, but-"

"I understand." Brian took a long, envious look at the boy as Michael