Moore on her heels. She could feel his presence loom behind her all the way down to Breensâ.
10
 A D EAD D ETECTIVE Â
LATER THAT DAY JIMMY AND SARAH WALKED IN SACKVILLE STREET , Dublinâs grand main street. It was a mild evening, and there were lots of people out. Even the presence of so many Tans and soldiers didnât discourage the crowds. It had been eerie at first, when the sudden increase of armed men in the streets had come. After a while, though, your mind sort of got used to it. It was a case of having to: you couldnât stay locked up in your house all the time.
Jimmy talked to Sarah about the times when theyâd lived nearby. She suspected he was trying to take her mind off things, but it was interesting anyway. Jimmy told her how heâd seen the mobs looting here during the Rising, and the Lancers charging the Post Office. He talked about finding the street in flames as he tried to get home with food heâd found in Ellaâs house, where they all lived now.
Much of Sackville Street had been rebuilt since that time, though the Post Office itself was still only a shell.Sarah tried to imagine what it had been like to live here then, but she couldnât. She remembered being dressed in clothes that were always ragged no matter how often Ma patched them. She recalled days when all sheâd thought about was hunger, and other days when all sheâd thought about was cold. She remembered the smell of the tenements . It was only a few years ago, but mostly her memories of that time were dim. It was as though her mind didnât want to remember.
Tonight Da had sent them out of the house with orders to be home before eight. News of Mooreâs visit had upset him. Earlier, in the basement flat, Mrs Breen had filled Moore and Sarah with cake and talked about Ireland in the old days, before all this unpleasantness. Sarah had watched Moore keenly, but sheâd seen nothing openly suspicious. Sometimes she caught him looking strangely at her. It was odd, but not proof of anything.
Still Da fretted. It would be foolish to panic, he said, but more foolish not to be concerned. He could take no chances. Martin and Simon were due back this evening to discuss things. Da didnât want the children around while they were talking.
Sarah had really wanted to stay. She wanted to know all that was going on. But Jimmy had urged her to come out with him. âThe less we know,â Jimmy said, âthe safer for everyone.â
Another time Sarah might have argued, but now she didnât feel like giving Da more trouble. And it was nice to go walking with Jimmy. She was fond of her brother, even if he was a bit dry sometimes. When he was in a mood like tonightâs he was good company, full of interesting stories. Even if he was just trying to distract her, she didnât mind. In a way, she wanted to be distracted.
âLook,â she said to Jimmy now. âThereâs Hugh Byrne.â
Byrne was walking across Sackville Street towards them. He was looking beyond them, and he was smiling a big smile. Sarah had never seen him look like that before.
âIf we meet him,â Jimmy warned her, âdonât say hello unless he does. He might be working.â
Sarah was annoyed that he felt the need to remind her. But you couldnât take any chances with these things, she supposed. In any case Byrne went by without even seeing them, and was immediately lost to sight in the strolling crowd.
âI never seen him smile like that before,â Sarah said.
They walked on.
âDid you ever hear Da talk about the police charges here during the Lockout?â Jimmy asked.
âHe donât talk much about them times,â she said. âSometimes I wonder if he forgets them.â
âHe remembers them too well,â Jimmy told her. âHeâs just afraid sometimes that theyâll come back. He looks on this as the same fight, you
10
 A D EAD D ETECTIVE Â
LATER THAT DAY JIMMY AND SARAH WALKED IN SACKVILLE STREET , Dublinâs grand main street. It was a mild evening, and there were lots of people out. Even the presence of so many Tans and soldiers didnât discourage the crowds. It had been eerie at first, when the sudden increase of armed men in the streets had come. After a while, though, your mind sort of got used to it. It was a case of having to: you couldnât stay locked up in your house all the time.
Jimmy talked to Sarah about the times when theyâd lived nearby. She suspected he was trying to take her mind off things, but it was interesting anyway. Jimmy told her how heâd seen the mobs looting here during the Rising, and the Lancers charging the Post Office. He talked about finding the street in flames as he tried to get home with food heâd found in Ellaâs house, where they all lived now.
Much of Sackville Street had been rebuilt since that time, though the Post Office itself was still only a shell.Sarah tried to imagine what it had been like to live here then, but she couldnât. She remembered being dressed in clothes that were always ragged no matter how often Ma patched them. She recalled days when all sheâd thought about was hunger, and other days when all sheâd thought about was cold. She remembered the smell of the tenements . It was only a few years ago, but mostly her memories of that time were dim. It was as though her mind didnât want to remember.
Tonight Da had sent them out of the house with orders to be home before eight. News of Mooreâs visit had upset him. Earlier, in the basement flat, Mrs Breen had filled Moore and Sarah with cake and talked about Ireland in the old days, before all this unpleasantness. Sarah had watched Moore keenly, but sheâd seen nothing openly suspicious. Sometimes she caught him looking strangely at her. It was odd, but not proof of anything.
Still Da fretted. It would be foolish to panic, he said, but more foolish not to be concerned. He could take no chances. Martin and Simon were due back this evening to discuss things. Da didnât want the children around while they were talking.
Sarah had really wanted to stay. She wanted to know all that was going on. But Jimmy had urged her to come out with him. âThe less we know,â Jimmy said, âthe safer for everyone.â
Another time Sarah might have argued, but now she didnât feel like giving Da more trouble. And it was nice to go walking with Jimmy. She was fond of her brother, even if he was a bit dry sometimes. When he was in a mood like tonightâs he was good company, full of interesting stories. Even if he was just trying to distract her, she didnât mind. In a way, she wanted to be distracted.
âLook,â she said to Jimmy now. âThereâs Hugh Byrne.â
Byrne was walking across Sackville Street towards them. He was looking beyond them, and he was smiling a big smile. Sarah had never seen him look like that before.
âIf we meet him,â Jimmy warned her, âdonât say hello unless he does. He might be working.â
Sarah was annoyed that he felt the need to remind her. But you couldnât take any chances with these things, she supposed. In any case Byrne went by without even seeing them, and was immediately lost to sight in the strolling crowd.
âI never seen him smile like that before,â Sarah said.
They walked on.
âDid you ever hear Da talk about the police charges here during the Lockout?â Jimmy asked.
âHe donât talk much about them times,â she said. âSometimes I wonder if he forgets them.â
âHe remembers them too well,â Jimmy told her. âHeâs just afraid sometimes that theyâll come back. He looks on this as the same fight, you
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