The Obsidian Dagger Read Online Free PDF Page B

ray of hope breaks through the clouds and lets us know that God’s still watching.”
    â€œA rainbow, he means,” clarified drinking buddy.
    â€œYes, a rainbow, you daft twit. Of course they knew I was talking about a rainbow, for heaven’s sake.” Finnagan composed himself and continued. “It touches down in the middle of Corways and something magical happens.”
    Now it was Brendan’s turn to interrupt. “Let me guess—there are little Leprechauns running around in green hats and suits with beards and a big pot of gold ripe for the taking. That about right?”
    Molly sent him a quizzical look. “Are you sure you’re not from around here?”
    â€œIt’s true!” hollered Finnagan. “I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Little people in green, dancing around catching light.”
    Grizzly nodded his confirmation. “The truth, he tells.”
    Brendan looked the guy in the eye. “You’ve seen it too?”
    Grizzly considered it and then said, “Well, no, but he tells the story so convincingly.”
    Brendan chuckled. “Well, thanks for the story.”
    Ewen placed two plates in front of the O’Neals. “I knew he would go on and on about that, so I fetched you the day’s special.”
    Brendan eyed Finnagan as he returned to his dark corner, pipe still burning and bouts of coughing overtaking his mumblings. “Leprechauns,” he scoffed. “Doesn’t that guy know that smoking will kill him?“
    Lizzie put her mouth close to Brendan’s ear and whispered, “Do you think our ancestors were really Leprechauns?”
    â€œSure. It might explain why you’re so short.”
    Lizzie’s eyes widened in absolute shock. “What?”
    He just shook his head. “Just eat your food.”
    â€¦
    The patrons of Ewen’s Pub were so enraptured with the tale and the interaction with visitors that none of them noticed his arrival. Normally people would shudder and immediately move away from him, but not on this occasion. The dark stranger had slipped into the pub unnoticed and watched the entire scene. The crazy man’s tale had confirmed his suspicions about the family and he smiled a rare smile. The time had finally arrived and the O’Neal’s homecoming was the sign that he had been waiting for.
    â€¦
    An hour later the O’Neal kids emerged from Ewen’s Pub. The food was a traditional Irish meal that neither one could remember the name of, but both found to be less than tasty. They ate the dishes out of politeness. They were not going to add to the rude-American image.
    â€œWhat I wouldn’t give for some chicken fingers,” commented Lizzie.
    â€œI would have just taken chicken anything.” Brendan looked down the street at the gas station and frowned. “There’s that Ferrari that splashed us. Let’s go let the air out of his tires.”
    â€œYeah,” grinned Lizzie.
    They began walking that direction, but froze when they saw a behemoth, bodybuilder-type guy with a puffy blonde mullet arrogantly strut out to the driver’s side. He had a beef jerky stick in his mouth and a bottle of water in his hand.
    â€œWhoa,” said Brendan pulling up short. “That is one big dude.”
    â€œYeah, but let’s take him down anyway.” Lizzie caught Brendan’s look of panic and added, “What? He’s eating beef jerky and I am starving for something American.”
    As the Ferrari peeled out and disappeared from sight, Brendan turned back towards Gordy’s Place. “Let’s go.”
    Lizzie followed, a forelorned look on her face. “Hey, you don’t think those stories we heard were true, do you?”
    â€œNo, they’re just stories. They’re probably just trying to freak us out.”
    Brendan walked on and Lizzie lumbered behind, the thought of beef jerky dancing through her