And it was busy. It didn't matter what day of the week it was, the Birdcage belonged to the emergency services. Police, Fire and Ambulance frequented its doors. They never slept, so neither did this building. Offering a safe harbour for those who often offered such to others in need.
I'd hoped, when I'd buried the ledger here, that the likes of Roan McLaren would never set foot within the Birdcage's walls. It hadn't been easy, McLaren's book of bad deeds didn't fit inside my jeans pocket. I'd had to smuggle it inside hidden in a tote bag, then when the patrons - many of which were off duty cops - celebrated the New Year with drinks and kisses and confetti spraying revelry, I'd ducked down onto my knees and pried a corner brick out of the side of the courtyard wall.
My fingertips had been scraped bloody, but I'd scouted the location out before I'd planned my move, so with the use of a file the brick had come loose, allowing me to slide the bundled ledger into a gap beneath the wall. I'd never checked on it since, like I had my mementoes box full of photos at the Salt Water Baths. I'd had to trust the location was a deterrent more than the actual hole I'd buried the book in.
And now I was back, to retrieve it. To finally use it as I had intended it to be used all those years ago. Risking more than just me to see justice done. I shook my head on that thought, thinking of Daisy and what dangers this could bring my daughter was not wise right now. I had to do this. If I didn't, McLaren would never be stopped.
Nick straightened up from his recline on the vehicle and glanced at the rest of us.
"All right," he said, reaching out a hand to clasp Eva's. "We're happy to be here, yeah? It's a fucking bar and we're heading in to get drunk."
I guess that was his idea of a pep talk. Kelly made a scoffing sound, but we all dutifully put smiles on our faces and walked as a unit towards the front door. Nick and Eva led the way, the cowgirl offering one last encouraging smile over her shoulder. Kelly looping her arm casually through mine, as though we really were out for a night on the town, ready to party.
My heart thundered in my chest, my pulse flickering so rapidly that I could actually feel it at the base of my neck. I couldn't find the ice, but I reminded myself that I had other shields I could use. Fuck Roan McLaren. And fuck my dead husband too.
"Cheer up, sweet pea," Kelly murmured from out the side of her mouth. "We can really get shitfaced once we're back at Abi and Ben's."
I forced a smile back on my lips, thinking rage as a shield probably wasn't the best. But what else did I have? My ice had long since thawed being around these people, hatred was all I had left now.
We made a brief stop at the well attended main bar, grabbing beers all round, and then headed straight out to the courtyard. Discovering it was a popular destination for a lot of pub-crawlers tonight. My eyes darted over the jovial faces, wondering which ones were cops, which ones were innocent bystanders. And which ones were here to see me dead, or the ledger destroyed.
Even anger couldn't stop the panic from surfacing. I was drowning and I had lost all sense of land.
Until I saw him. Standing in the corner, exactly where the ledger was hidden. But he couldn't have known that fact. I'd never told him where in the Birdcage I'd buried the book, only that we'd need to either distract the patrons, or hide me while I retrieved it. But somehow, Pierce had chosen the exact location I'd placed that blasted book in.
My eyes met his, and for a moment the world stopped spinning. The water stopped lapping at my mouth and nose. And my heart forgot to beat. A small smirk graced his lips, the brown of his eyes shining like whiskey through cut glass. He had a beer in his hand and had been talking to a man I didn't know. Probably an off duty cop; there were plenty here to chose from.
The guy Pierce had been talking to turned to see what had caught his attention and said something I didn't have a chance of catching. We were still physically too far away to hear and my eyes were all for Ryan, so lip reading was out. Ryan chuckled, saying something in reply, which made the other guy bark out a sound of laughter and then down the rest of his drink.
By the time we reached their corner he was saying, "I'll go grab another beer then. Leave you to it."
Pierce didn't take his eyes off me, just grunted an affirmative and nodded his head.
"I'd wish you luck," the guy said, his eyes flicking between Pierce and me. "But I don't think you need it. Introduce me next time, eh?"
Pierce didn't even offer a response, but thankfully the guy hadn't expected one. He simply smiled and walked back inside the main building, leaving me alone with Pierce. Huh? I glanced around, noticing Nick, Eva and Kelly had stopped several feet back, keeping an eye on us, but making a show of animated conversation capturing a few admiring glances from various outdoor tables.