THE LALLYBROCH MURDERS

CHAPTER 22

Barry, who was always punctual, had arrived even earlier than usual; truth was it had been quite some time since he had a date and nerves were beginning to get the better of him. He headed straight to the bar and got himself a drink and began to prepare himself for the evening ahead. A few very short minutes later he heard a voice from behind him.

‘Well good evening handsome.’ He turned around to see the smiling face of Katie greeting him.

‘Good even…Oh, my God, you look incredible.’ He had planned to tell her that regardless but this was a pure reaction; she really did take his breath away.

Katie’s smile widened even further as she gave him a twirl. ‘Why thank you very much. You’re looking rather delectable yourself,’ she responded.

Without having said a word the barman placed a glass of white wine on the bar where Barry was standing.

‘Evening Katie,’ he said, ‘Everything well I trust?’

‘Fantastic, thank Malcolm,’ Katie responded. ‘Told you I knew it well,’ she told Barry, giving him a wink. Barry reached into his jacket for his wallet. ‘No, please it fine,’ Katie told him putting her hand on his arm preventing him from withdrawing out the money. ‘But thank you anyway.’

‘No problem.’ They both shared a smile with each other as they made and held eye contact for a brief moment.

‘Shall we go and sit down?’ Barry asked.

‘Sure,’ Katie responded and led them both over to an empty table, placing the drinks onto the coasters.

‘May I?’ Barry asked her sliding a chair out from under the table.

‘Oh a gentleman Huh?’ Katie smiled. ‘Well aren’t I the lucky one.’

‘I kind of feel the luck is on my side, but I’ll certainly take that,’ Barry told her as she sat down. He walked around the table taking a seat opposite her. ‘So how was the rest of your day?’ He asked her, trying to get the conversation going.

‘Really good,’ she answered. ‘It was my day off from work, which is always nice but then the cutest detectives came round to ask me some questions about a case he is working on.’ Barry couldn’t help but laugh.

‘And yours?’ she asked.

‘Excellent,’ he told her.

‘Went to visit a potential witness earlier, turned out to be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.’

‘Oh really,’ Katie said trying to hide her delight, and the blush that stained her cheeks, although not really doing a great job on that one. ‘Was she very helpful?’ she asked.

‘Very much so, actually. Not only did she help with the case but she was the perfect host as well. Best interview I’ve ever had really.’ Now they were both laughing together.

Katie handed Barry a menu. ‘Well I already know what I’m having so have a look through that and see what sounds good to you.’

Barry gave out a little chuckle. ‘I feel I should apologize,’ he told her.

‘When I suggested this place I er, well, I thought it would be handy being so close by. But I didn’t realize you were a regular here.’

‘Oh no, not at all,’ Katie reassured him. ‘It’s absolutely fine, really. If I thought it would be uncomfortable I would have suggested somewhere else. Besides I love it here. And anyway don’t you guys always tell women to meet strange men in familiar surroundings?’

Barry proper belly laughed at that one ‘Touché,’ he replied, ‘Very good’ giving her a nod. She responded by giving him the sweetest of smiles although there was a real hint of devilishness about it too. He already had the feeling there was something very special about this woman and felt like he needed to pinch himself being at the same table.

Barry looked over the menu before finding what he wanted and then his gaze landed right back on the woman sitting across the table from him.

He fought to keep the negative thoughts rolling through his mind about how he thought she could do better and just focused on her. He wanted to enjoy all that tonight had brought. And as he heard the music from another part of the place, he smiled at her.

‘Maybe we eat, and talk some more, you’d honour me with a dance?’ Her blush and the quick glance downward told him everything he needed to know; that she want that as badly as he did.  And he couldn’t but find her even more attractive with that red staining her cheeks.

‘I’d love that. I always want to dance when I do come, but no one ever asks.’

‘I find that to be such a shame,’ he told her and it was the absolute truth. No one was as stunning as she was, he thought, so to not ask her to dance was a major crime in his book.

The rest of the date continued in very much the same way, the two of them really seemed to hit it off. And while the restaurant was nearby and with it being such a nice evening, Katie had decided to walk back home and she gratefully accepted Barry’s offer to see her home safely. And once the dancing was done and their feet were sore from twirling around the floor, the two of them left the restaurant and headed off together.

‘Well you already told me you had a good day, I hope the evening topped it off adequately?’ Katie asked playfully.

‘Oh without question, wonderful food, even better company,’ Barry told her. Katie took a step to her left moving in closer to Barry who responded by putting his arm around her shoulders. A few short steps later, she returned the compliment by wrapping her arm around his waist and tilting her head to one side, allowing it to rest on the shoulder of her date.

As they arrived back at Katie’s home, she spun around in a kind of dance move, attempting to end face to face with Barry. Unfortunately, she somehow got her feet tangled up tripping herself. Barry’s quick reactions were well up to the challenge, though, and he caught her in both arms, safely before hitting the ground.

They both paused briefly gazing into each other’s eyes before he slowly pulled her back up to her feet. As he did so Katie wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself towards him until their lips met in a passionate embrace. They both felt the magic and shared one more kiss before they pulled apart, both of their foreheads resting on each other. They shared gazes again while Barry gently stroked her cheek with the tip of his thumb.

‘I don’t normally do this but would you like to come in?’ Katie asked hesitantly.

‘Yes, that would be wonderful thank you,’ Barry answered smiling while still maintaining eye contact, his heart in his throat. It had been a while for either of them and yet they knew it would be just magically.

Katie turned her back to him, and took his hand as she led him in to her house again, and back to the part he hadn’t seen before, her bedroom. He watched her, watched as she the blush travelled from her cheeks, down her neck and over the top of her dress and his mouth went dry. It would be even more beautiful ending to their night. The following morning, Barry woke up the buzz of his cell phone in his pocket.

He reached over for it, seeing a picture of the courthouse that was sent from Liam.