by Alexa Land
I looked around and asked, “Did the boys come along?”
“Jayden did,” Charlie told me. “He headed straight to the backyard fire pit with our nephew Josh and a few other kids. We told Joely he could bring his girlfriend, but apparently they had other plans tonight.”
My phone began to ring, and when I pulled it from my pocket and frowned at the caller ID, Ignacio asked, “Is everything okay?”
“It’s my father. He usually only calls me on Christmas and my birthday. If this is meant to be my holiday call, he’s nine days early.” I checked my watch and added, “Also, it’s past three a.m. in Dublin. Why on earth would he be calling me at that hour?”
Dante asked, “Aren’t you going to answer it?”
“I won’t be able to hear him over everything that’s going on in here. Mind if I go upstairs to that bedroom you mentioned, so I can call him back?” Dante told me which room was his, and I turned to Ignacio and said, “I won’t be long.” I kissed his cheek, and then I wove through the crowd to the curved staircase at the back of the foyer.
By the time I reached the navy blue and white bedroom on the second floor, my father had left a voicemail, which simply said, “This is your father. Call me.” I sat on the narrow bed and dialed his number, and he answered with, “I need you to come to Dublin, boy.” His voice never changed. It was deep and demanding, with a thick Irish brogue. It used to intimidate me as a kid. Now his habit of ordering me around just annoyed me.
“Hello to you, too.”
“I don’t have time to be mucking about with pleasantries. I need your help.”
“With what?”
“I’ll tell you when you get here.”
I knit my brows and said, “So, you expect me to drop everything and rush to Ireland just because you said so, but you can’t be bothered to tell me why. As if there’s a chance in hell I’d say yes to that.”
“Jaysus you’re stubborn, just like your mum.”
“You probably recall how well ordering her around worked out. Why would you think it’d work any better on me?”
His voice rose. “Are you coming or not? You know I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important!”
My voice rose, too. “Tell me why and I might consider it.”
“Because I’ve been accused of burning down my pub for the insurance money, and I need you to prove I didn’t do it. This is exactly why you got all that fancy schooling, so let’s see you put it to good use for a change.”
“I put it to good use every damn day, with my job at the San Francisco Police Department!”
“You don’t have to remind me you became a copper. I’ve not forgotten.”
My father’s side of the family had a long criminal history, and so did he. That was why he took my choice of a career as a personal insult. He’d allegedly cleaned up his act about five years ago, when he opened a pub with his oldest friend Jack, who I used to call Uncle Jackie when I was a kid. But becoming a legitimate business owner hadn’t altered his opinion of law enforcement in the least. My scowl deepened, and I asked, “Did you do it?”
“No! If I had, why would I be calling you to prove my innocence?”
“I don’t know why you’re calling me at all! You must know any evidence I found wouldn’t be legally admissible. This is a job for local law enforcement, no matter what you think of them.”
He sounded exasperated. “You think I don’t know that? I may not have attended university like you, but I’m not a complete dingwop! The coppers already conducted their investigation, and they said it was arson. I need you to prove them wrong, not for the insurance check, but to clear my name!”
“Clear your name? Your rap sheet is as long as my arm.”
“That’s all in the past. I’ve tried to go legit, you know that!”
Interesting that he said ‘tried to’ instead of just telling me he no longer broke the law. “Are you facing jail time, and was anyone hurt? Also, were other properties destroyed in the fire?”
“No to all of that. The cops questioned me for days and tried their damnedest, but they couldn’t make it stick. I got myself a good lawyer, and he showed them my financial records, which proved the pub was actually quite profitable. It was also woefully underinsured, so there was no motivation there. Finally, they were forced to let me off the hook. They said I could kiss the insurance money goodbye though, because no company would pay out with an arson finding, no matter who was to blame. Long story short, I’ll be fine, but my magnificent pub went up in smoke, along with my hopes and dreams.”
I sighed at that, since he was obviously trying to get me to feel sorry for him. After a pause, I asked, “What if I find it really was arson? I wouldn’t be in a position to identify another suspect, because again, I have no jurisdiction over there. In fact, my interference would probably be enough to get the case thrown out of court.”
“It can’t have been arson. Nobody had any motive.”
“And yet, somebody burned it down.”
Now it was his turn to sigh. “Why are you assuming it was arson?”
“Because the police said it was.”
“But most of these local coppers are crooked as the day is long, and they shouldn’t be believed!”
“According to you,” I said. “Also, this doesn’t make sense. You’re not being charged with a crime, the insurance money is gone no matter what I find, given the police report, and that bit about clearing your name sounds like a load of horseshit, since you’ve never cared what anyone thought about you.”
After a pause, he said, “There’s this woman….”
“Isn’t there always?”
“This one’s different. I’ve been seeing Jackie’s sister Caroline for the better part of a year, and I was going to propose to her on Christmas. I had the ring and everything. But now, she thinks I burned down the pub for the insurance money, and she won’t take my calls and refuses to meet with me.”
I sat back and said, “Now I see. But why would she believe me, even if I found out the police were wrong and the fire wasn’t set deliberately? She’d probably think I was lying on your behalf.”
“But Caroline knows and likes you. She was your babysitter when you were a chiseler, do you recall that?” I did remember her, though it took me a moment to decode my father’s Dubliner slang for ‘child’. “She also knows you and I aren’t close, so she wouldn’t think you’d lie for me.”
The part about us not being close stung for some reason, even though it was absolutely true. “If I end up confirming the Dublin P.D.’s findings, won’t that make it worse for you?”
“I don’t see how. She’s already completely cut me off.”
I said, “This all seems like an exercise in futility.”
His tone softened. “Please, Cameron? I’ve got no one else to turn to. I love Caroline, and I need your help to get her to take me back.”
“Why couldn’t you have just led off with that, instead of trying to tell me what to do?”
“Old habits die hard I guess, but I’m trying to change, Cam. Case in point, when have you ever known me to ask for help, not just from you, but from anyone? It wasn’t easy for me to call you up and admit I need something from you, especially since we barely even know each other anymore.”
I murmured, “I don’t know how we drifted so far apart.”
“Maybe it’s fate putting us back in each other’s lives. Think about it: a fire destroyed my business, and that just so happens to be your area of expertise.”
“I don’t believe in fate.”
He said, “Come to Dublin, Cam. Help out your auld man. It’s the Christmas season, after all. Where’s your spirit of giving?”
My father was trying to manipulate me, and I knew it. At the same time, he was right about never asking for help before. I doubted he’d really changed, but I felt guilty about how much I’d shut him out of my life in the past few years. I also found myself more than a little curious about the fire, and I asked, “Has anyone disturbed
the crime scene?”
“No one’s set foot in the pub, not since the cops went through and collected their evidence.”
“When was the fire?”
“Nine days ago.”
“Did the forensics team get the results back from the lab?”
“Just yesterday, but even before that the lead detective told me it was an open-and-shut case. He said he could tell it was arson just by looking, and that the evidence they sent off was a formality.”
I said, “I’m surprised he told you that without lab confirmation.”
“This tosser and I go back years. I think he said it just to ruffle my feathers.”
“Are you allowed back inside yet?”
“Yeah, the police tape came down this afternoon. They said they had all the evidence they needed, and I could start to clean up if I wanted to.”
“Don’t touch anything. I’ll get online in the morning and look for flights. Everything might be booked up, since it’s last minute and the holiday season, but I’ll see what I can do.”
“Actually,” he said, “I bought you a ticket for tomorrow at ten a.m. It’s open-ended, so you can return whenever you’d like.”
“You were that sure I’d say yes?”
“I was optimistic.”
“This may end up being a huge waste of time. I’ll probably just confirm the local jurisdiction’s findings, and Caroline might not listen to a word I have to say.”
“Even if that’s the case, we still can sit down over a pint and catch up on each other’s lives. That’s been long overdue.”
I muttered, “Yeah, okay. Text me the flight details, and I’ll call you when I arrive.”
After we disconnected, I sent a message to my supervisor, requesting some time off and apologizing for the short notice. Then I returned the phone to my pocket and exhaled slowly as I got up and headed for the door. I was surprised to find Ignacio sitting in the hallway, and he looked up at me and asked, “Everything alright?”
“Apparently I’m flying to Dublin tomorrow.” I crossed the hall and sat beside him on the thick, pale carpeting, and we both leaned against the wall. He handed me a cocktail and clinked his glass to mine, and I thanked him before repeating the conversation with my father. “This doesn’t have to take long,” I said. “I can probably get everything wrapped up in twenty-four hours and come right back here.”
“Or I could join you. I’d love to see where you were born.”
“You have that important meeting with SFMOMA on Wednesday.”
“I can fly out afterwards.”
“I really wasn’t planning to stay that long.”
As I took a drink from whatever was in my glass, he said, “Maybe you should, though. You talk about your dad a lot, and I know you feel bad about the fact that the two of you have drifted apart. What if we make plans to stay through Christmas, so you and he can get reacquainted?”
My phone beeped just then, and after I read the message from my supervisor, I sighed and said, “I hate the fact that my department doesn’t even sort of need me these days. My boss suggested I take a couple of weeks off and come back after the holidays, since I have a lot of unused vacation time.”
“So, let’s turn it into more than a family obligation. I bet Ireland is beautiful at Christmas, and you’re overdue for a vacation.”
“Parts of it are breathtaking,” I said, “especially the Irish countryside. My grandfather had this beautiful cottage out in the middle of nowhere, which had been in the family for generations. I’ll never forget the Christmases we all spent there before my parents divorced. They were some of the happiest times of my life.”
“Whatever became of that cottage?”
“My father sold it after his dad died. He always said it was boring out in the country, with nothing to do but count sheep.”
“That’s a shame.”
“It really is.”
He took a sip of his cocktail and said, “Let me arrange our accommodations, alright? I’ll find you a hotel in Dublin, since I’m guessing you won’t want to stay with your father, and after I join you on Thursday, we can move to a place out in the country and stay there through New Year’s.”
“You don’t have to go to all that trouble.”
Ignacio took my hand and said, “Remember what we were saying earlier about taking care of each other? Please let me do this for you, Cam. Let me do it for both of us, since I’ll be enjoying it right along with you.”
“Alright.” I kissed him and said, “Thank you. I wish I had a way to repay your generosity.”
He smiled at me before asking, “Ready to go back downstairs?”
“No, but let’s go anyway.”
It seemed as though the crowd had doubled in the few minutes we were gone. We squeezed into the kitchen, and Ignacio fed me one of his savory pancake appetizers, which was delicious. He looked pleased when I told him that. Everyone appeared to be having a great time, including Nana and Ollie, who were dancing in the middle of the kitchen.
Ignacio decided to follow their lead and draped his arms around my shoulders. The music filtering in from the living room was upbeat, but we slow-danced as I told him, “I’m going to miss you. It’s a long time until Thursday.”
“But you’ll have a lot to distract you, including jet lag, an arson investigation, and fighting with your dad.”
I chuckled and said, “That’s exactly right, actually.”
A few minutes later, we made our way to the makeshift bar in a corner of the kitchen. There was an official bar complete with bartender in the living room, but it seemed like too much effort to try to navigate through the crowd. Dante was in the corner tossing back a shot of bourbon, and I asked, “Everything alright?”
“My cousin Carla is knocked up. She’s three months along, and none of us knew about it until tonight. She refuses to tell anyone who the father is, so I can only imagine what kind of total prizewinner he must be.” Ignacio and I both picked up glasses, and Dante filled them with alcohol before refilling his own.
I asked, “Carla’s what, about thirty?”
“Yeah, so?”
“So she’s a grown woman, and she seemed perfectly happy when I saw her earlier,” I said. “What’s there to worry about?”
“Nothing’s ever simple in this family. There’s a reason Carla’s not revealing the father, and I bet I’m not going to like it. Also, who’s going to look after her and the kid? She likes to think she’s got it all under control, but she doesn’t have a maternal bone in her body. When my brother Mike’s boys were little, I watched Carla trying to change a diaper once. The baby actually got away from her and left a shit trail all the way down the hall. I can never unsee that.” Dante’s gag reflex kicked in, and he pressed a knuckle to his lips.
“There’s a learning curve, but she can do this,” Ignacio said. “I was raised by a single mom, and we had no one but each other. Carla and the baby are lucky, because they have all of you. That kid’s going to grow up surrounded by love.” There was a wistfulness in his eyes, and it made me pull him close. I couldn’t even imagine how lonely he must have been after his mother died.
Just then, somebody yelled, “No, Tom Selleck, come back!” A giant, long-haired mutt in an ugly Christmas sweater bounded into the crowded kitchen. Right on his heels were a tiny Chihuahua in a matching sweater and four teenagers, including Jayden.
The dog reared up on his hind legs, plopped his huge front feet on the kitchen island, and began scarfing appetizers. Meanwhile, the Chihuahua ran up the bigger dog’s back and jumped onto a cheese plate. If I didn’t know better, I’d say they planned it.
Dante lunged after the dogs. He was right about the fact that he was always the one to handle everything. As he grabbed the huge dog’s collar, he yelled, “No, Tom Selleck!” Had someone really named it that? Meanwhile, the Chihuahua grabbed a wedge of cheese and dashed into the open front door of the gingerbread house. Dante reached in after him, which made the mutt bark excitedly.
Dante had been hit in the face by a splatter of crème fraiche, which frankly looked like an epic cum shot. He used his tie to wipe some of it off his nose as he scowled at the wrecked kitchen. A hush had fallen over the stunned crowd.
Jayden and Charlie were standing nearby, and a moment later, they both began to laugh. Then Dante started laughing, too. He picked up the only gingerbread wall that remained on the kitchen island, broke it into three pieces, and shared it with his husband and son. They clinked the confection together like they were making a toast before they began to eat it.
I hugged Ignacio and smiled at him as I said, “You were right about not blowing off the party. This is so much fun.”
Chapter Nine
When Ignacio answered his phone, I said, “You’re the kindest man in all the world. This hotel is unbelievable!”
“Do you like it?”
“I love it, but you shouldn’t have spent so much.”
“You deserve a little luxury. Plus, it’s centrally located, so I thought it’d be perfect for you.”
“This is more than a little luxury. I can’t believe you booked me into a suite! I’ve never experienced anything like this.”
“I just wanted you to be happy.”
“Well, mission accomplished. Thank you. Thanks for having a car and driver waiting for me at the airport, too. That was a nice surprise.”
I could hear the smile in his voice when he said, “My pleasure. I figured it’d be welcome after your dad stuck you in coach for that long flight.”
“I’m just surprised he sprung for the ticket. He’s notoriously cheap.”