surprise her with news of her mother, at the moment it seems like I would have raised for hopes for nothing."
"Do you have her date of birth?"
"Yes, it's on her adoption certificate. Why?"
"I have a friend who knows a bit about genealogical research. I can ask him to search through the birth records, if you want."
"That would be awesome. Thank you so much."
* * * * *
Ryan gave himself a mental kick as soon as he made the offer. No distractions , he'd told Enya. But was offering to help someone with their family history research a distraction? All he had to do was give Declan the details, and ask him to contact Kara if and when he discovered anything. He didn't need to be involved at all.
If she hadn't been sitting by his side after they left the restaurant and he drove along the coast road, he would have let out a hollow laugh. Not involved? Well, maybe not yet, but he could easily let himself be pulled into getting to know her better.
"This area's known as the Gaeltacht ," he said, in an effort to stay away from any personal topics. He didn't need to know anything more about her.
"What does that mean?"
"Between here and Clifden, most people speak the Irish language rather than English."
They continued to talk about the language and the Connemara area as he drove north to Maam Cross and along the N59 to Clifden.
No distractions. The words drummed through his mind, but somehow the problems of stolen goods, and of Tom Wild and Patrick Walsh's large cardboard box receded into a misty haze.
When he turned into the lane leading to Mist Na Mara, Kara looked around at him. "Would you like to join us for supper? I think we're having lasagna this evening."
He had to summon up all his willpower to shake his head. "Thanks for the offer, but I'll probably be meeting up with some friends later."
"Oh, okay."
He knew he hadn't imagined the fleeting disappointment that crossed her face, but went on quickly, "Write down your phone number, and your mother's date of birth, and I'll see what Declan can find out."
"Is that the genealogist?"
"It is. I'll ask him to call you."
"Okay, thanks."
She scribbled her number and the date on a piece of paper she tore from a small notebook and handed it to him when he stopped outside the house. "I doubt he'll be able to trace her when I don't even have her birth name or her mother's name."
"No harm in trying."
She gave him a wan smile. "That's true. Anyway, thank you so much for bringing me back here. May I give you something toward the cost of the gas? Oh, I mean petrol, don't I?"
As she brought out her wallet, he reached his hand out to stop her but jerked back when his fingers touched her warm skin. "No need. My pleasure. I was driving back from Galway anyway."
"Okay, thanks. I'm sure we'll need your taxi service again next time we go to the pub."
He handed her one of his cards. "Call me direct when you do."
"Will do. Bye for now."
After watching her as she headed to the front door of the grey stone house, he turned his car around and drove back down the driveway toward the road. At the main gate, he stopped and exhaled deeply. He should be feeling well satisfied that he'd learnt the lesson from his past and was directing his concentration to the current investigation. Tomorrow he'd chat to Tom Wild and see what else he could…
Dammit! Stop codding yourself, Ryan.
Kara had lit a spark that was different from anything he'd ever felt before. He'd wanted to accept her invitation to supper, wanted to spend more time with her, wanted to put his arm around her and reassure her that somehow they would find out about her mother. He accelerated along the narrow lane toward the main road and closed his mind to everything else he wanted.
Once he pulled up outside his apartment above the hardware store, he scrolled through the contact list on his phone, and hit the number he needed. It rang a couple of times before Declan Collins, his assigned contact at Galway Garda HQ, answered.
"Dec,
"Do you have her date of birth?"
"Yes, it's on her adoption certificate. Why?"
"I have a friend who knows a bit about genealogical research. I can ask him to search through the birth records, if you want."
"That would be awesome. Thank you so much."
* * * * *
Ryan gave himself a mental kick as soon as he made the offer. No distractions , he'd told Enya. But was offering to help someone with their family history research a distraction? All he had to do was give Declan the details, and ask him to contact Kara if and when he discovered anything. He didn't need to be involved at all.
If she hadn't been sitting by his side after they left the restaurant and he drove along the coast road, he would have let out a hollow laugh. Not involved? Well, maybe not yet, but he could easily let himself be pulled into getting to know her better.
"This area's known as the Gaeltacht ," he said, in an effort to stay away from any personal topics. He didn't need to know anything more about her.
"What does that mean?"
"Between here and Clifden, most people speak the Irish language rather than English."
They continued to talk about the language and the Connemara area as he drove north to Maam Cross and along the N59 to Clifden.
No distractions. The words drummed through his mind, but somehow the problems of stolen goods, and of Tom Wild and Patrick Walsh's large cardboard box receded into a misty haze.
When he turned into the lane leading to Mist Na Mara, Kara looked around at him. "Would you like to join us for supper? I think we're having lasagna this evening."
He had to summon up all his willpower to shake his head. "Thanks for the offer, but I'll probably be meeting up with some friends later."
"Oh, okay."
He knew he hadn't imagined the fleeting disappointment that crossed her face, but went on quickly, "Write down your phone number, and your mother's date of birth, and I'll see what Declan can find out."
"Is that the genealogist?"
"It is. I'll ask him to call you."
"Okay, thanks."
She scribbled her number and the date on a piece of paper she tore from a small notebook and handed it to him when he stopped outside the house. "I doubt he'll be able to trace her when I don't even have her birth name or her mother's name."
"No harm in trying."
She gave him a wan smile. "That's true. Anyway, thank you so much for bringing me back here. May I give you something toward the cost of the gas? Oh, I mean petrol, don't I?"
As she brought out her wallet, he reached his hand out to stop her but jerked back when his fingers touched her warm skin. "No need. My pleasure. I was driving back from Galway anyway."
"Okay, thanks. I'm sure we'll need your taxi service again next time we go to the pub."
He handed her one of his cards. "Call me direct when you do."
"Will do. Bye for now."
After watching her as she headed to the front door of the grey stone house, he turned his car around and drove back down the driveway toward the road. At the main gate, he stopped and exhaled deeply. He should be feeling well satisfied that he'd learnt the lesson from his past and was directing his concentration to the current investigation. Tomorrow he'd chat to Tom Wild and see what else he could…
Dammit! Stop codding yourself, Ryan.
Kara had lit a spark that was different from anything he'd ever felt before. He'd wanted to accept her invitation to supper, wanted to spend more time with her, wanted to put his arm around her and reassure her that somehow they would find out about her mother. He accelerated along the narrow lane toward the main road and closed his mind to everything else he wanted.
Once he pulled up outside his apartment above the hardware store, he scrolled through the contact list on his phone, and hit the number he needed. It rang a couple of times before Declan Collins, his assigned contact at Galway Garda HQ, answered.
"Dec,
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