A Long Way Back (Unfinished Business #2) - Barbara Elsborg Page 0,89
to button up his shirt, the door of the changing rooms opened again and Mick and Baz walked in.
“We lost because of you, you wanker.” Baz kicked at the back of Killian’s knee and he fell to the floor with a groan.
Killian pushed himself up again and when the next blow came, he flung one of his own and hit Mick’s cheek. He was surprised that he wasn’t hit back, until he realised what Baz was doing with his school bag. The bastard tipped everything out, kicked his books around on the dirty floor and laughed while he did it.
“Do that essay for Wes or this will happen again.” Mick pulled out the pages from one of Killian’s folders and flung them around the room.
The pair walked out and Killian frantically gathered everything up and put his things back in his bag. He slipped on his blazer and coat, picked up his school bag and his sports bag, wrapping his bloody T-shirt inside his rugby top, and hurried out. Oh God. His life was over. No way would Iron Balls keep quiet. Even with that threat.
It was chucking it down with rain again when Killian left the building. There was no sign of his brother when he reached the gate. Oh damn. His mother would be furious with him. Forget that Ru was the one who’d chosen to walk home alone. It was Killian who’d get the blame.
But had he left or gone back to his classroom to get something? To use the toilet? Pick up a book he’d forgotten? Killian ran to Ru’s school but the front door was locked, so he ran home, ignoring the pain in his body, his aching knee. Please don’t let him have gone back via the wood. Or if he had—please don’t let him tell Mum he went that way.
He ran as fast as he could, his bags banging his sore back, hoping he’d catch up with Ru, but he didn’t. Only his mother’s car was parked on the drive. At least his father wasn’t home yet. Killian hurried to the back door and pushed it open. His mother was in the kitchen.
“Where’s your brother?” His mother peered over Killian’s shoulder.
Killian bit back his gasp of shock. “I thought he’d be here.”
“You’re supposed to walk home together.” The snap in her voice made Killian gulp. “When did you last see him?” She dried her hands on the tea towel as she walked across the kitchen. “Have you been fighting?”
“He was outside the gates. I told him to wait. I’d just finished games. I needed to shower because I was covered in mud. Rugby was rough. Ru had gone when I came out.”
Her brow furrowed.
“I did tell him to wait.”
Killian heard his father’s car pull up.
“I went to his school, but the door was locked,” he spoke quickly. “He wanted to come back to look for Bela with Dad. I ran home. I thought he’d be here.”
Her face turned chalky white. Killian wanted to say that Ru was probably coming via the shop or maybe he’d seen a friend and gone to his house or maybe gone to look for Bela himself, but he was all too aware that there was little likelihood of any of those things being true. This house had rules, even for Ru.
“Patrick!” she shouted.
His father strode into the kitchen; a tall guy, big, swarthy and muscular with a filthy mouth and an even worse temper. Apart from the dark hair, Killian couldn’t see any of himself in his father and that was a relief. He listened as his mother repeated what he’d said, then his father made him go over everything again.
“You’re supposed to come home together,” his father snapped.
“He promised to wait.”
“Then why didn’t he?” His mother was wringing her hands.
“He said Dad was going to help him find Bela, and he knew Dad had to be at work by six. Maybe he just didn’t want to wait, but I was quick.”
Please open the door and walk in, Ru.
But he didn’t.
Chapter Fourteen
INK FINISHED THE GLASS OF water and put it down on the floor, trying to hide his wince of pain.
“Did you read about the case?” he asked.
Tay shook his head. “But I knew about it. It was all over the news for a while. Then again a year later at the trial.”
“Can you remember what you thought?”
“Only that I didn’t understand why anyone would do that.”