34 - Caomhnóir

 

“We may be in a bit of trouble,” Keegan said, his lips pressed against Thom’s ear while watching where they were going.

 

“Meaning,” Thom mouthed after turning to look at him.

 

Rather than replying, Thom leaned over to tap the cabdriver on the shoulder. “You’re going the wrong way.”

 

The driver ignored him, speeding up instead.

 

“Definitely trouble. Hunker down, and I mean on the floor.”

 

Keegan didn’t wait to see if Thom obeyed as he climbed into the front seat of the cab. The driver continued staring straight ahead, as if totally unaware that he had company, which suited Keegan just fine. With one hand, Keegan grabbed the steering wheel, using the other to land a powerful blow to the driver’s jaw, slamming his head against the side window. Keegan immediately stomped his foot down onto the driver’s foot, which was on the brake, and steered the vehicle towards the curb, ignoring the honking horns of the cars around them.

 

The second he had the cab stopped, Keegan was out the passenger door, slinging open the back door. Thom was beside him seconds later. Keegan grabbed his hand, practically dragging him into the nearest shop. “Back door,” Keegan shouted to the startled clerk. The woman pointed and he and Thom raced to it and out into an alley.

 

Keegan tried two other doors before finding one that would open. Still holding tightly to Thom’s hand, he pulled him inside.

 

If he hadn’t been so frightened, Thom might have laughed. They were obviously in the back of a sex toys shop, something he hadn’t expected to find in a city like Limerick. Keegan was not in the least amused. All he wanted to do was get them away safely and then try to figure out what was going on.

 

He was just about to move to the front of the shop when a clerk appeared, pointing to a door at the side of the room. Keegan cocked an eyebrow in question and the clerk shook his head, thumbing towards the shop’s entrance. Keegan saw the shadow of a man thrown by the light from outside, nodded sharply, and he and Thom quickly went through the door.

 

They found a flight of stairs. Racing up them, they arrived in a short hall on the second floor of the shop. At the end was another flight of stairs leading to the roof. Moments later they were outside. Holding up a hand to tell Thom to wait, Keegan stepped to the edge, lying down flat before peering over. He waited there until a man came out of the shop, looking around before getting into to a car idling at the curb a few hundred yards away. Once the car pulled into traffic and drove off, Keegan returned to where Thom stood.

 

“It seems Darius has taken a leave of absence too, probably without letting Alasdair know if I don’t miss my guess. And he’s got someone helping him.”

 

“Damn it!” Thom growled as he followed Keegan back into the building. “Someone you know?”

 

“I didn’t recognize him, no. But it was definitely Darius driving.” He quickly told Thom what he’d seen. By then they were back down in the shop. He strode to the front to find the clerk watching them from behind the counter.

 

“So that man was looking for the two of you,” the young man said. “At least he believed me when I told him that the backdoor was always locked and alarmed.” He smiled slightly. “I’m hoping you’re the good guys.”

 

“Aye. Thanks for not giving us away,” Keegan replied.

 

“Welcome. I’ve seen him around at some of the locals. He’s a bad one, always causing trouble if he can. In case you’re going looking for him, his name is Donal. I’ve got no idea what the last name is.”

 

“Thanks again. Any problem with us leaving the way we came in?” When the young man shook his head, Keegan and Thom returned to the alley.