A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy Read Free Book Online

have grown away from his old ways, that he could find new friends and a different way of living.
    But Rigger was barely home a few weeks when Nuala realised that her son had indeed made contact with those boys he could find from the old days. Some of them were not around any more. Two were in gaol, one on the run – possibly in England – and the others under the fairly constant and watchful eye of the Guards.
    Rigger had been warned from every side about the danger of getting a criminal record if he offended again.
    He went out early and came home late with no explanation or description of how he spent his time. One night she heard shouting and running and doors banging and she lay shaking in the dark waiting for the arrival of the Guards with their sirens wailing. But nobody came.
    Next morning she was drawn and anxious but Rigger had obviously slept well and seemed unconcerned. She was relieved when he told her that he was going to look for a job.
    Nasey was surprised to see Rigger come into the butcher’s shop with two of his friends. Surprised and not altogether pleased.
    But Rigger had come to ask was there any casual work going, could they clean up the yard, for example?
    Nasey was pleased to see some interest in legitimate work, and he ran to Mr Malone asking if they could have a couple of hours’ work. And to give them their due, they did the job well. Nasey reported it all to Nuala with pleasure. The lads had done the job, got a few euro and gone away well satisfied.
    Nuala began to breathe properly again. Perhaps she had been overanxious about nothing.
    Two nights later, Nasey was taking his late-night walk and passed the butcher’s shop. He looked up automatically at the burglar alarm and saw to his astonishment that it was not turned on. Never had he left the premises without switching it to ‘Active’. Horrified, he let himself in and heard sounds at the back of the shop from the cold room.
    As he went in he saw three men lifting carcasses of beef into a van which was parked in the back yard.
    He ran towards them and one of the men dropped a great side of meat and came at him with a crowbar.
    ‘What are you doing?’ Nasey cried. As the man was about to hit him, from nowhere a voice shouted, ‘Leave him, leave him, for Christ’s sake.’
    The blow was stopped and Nasey recognised his protector was in fact his nephew Rigger.
    ‘I don’t believe it, Rigger.’ Nasey was nearly in tears. ‘You were paid for your work and you came back to steal their meat.’
    ‘Shut up, Nasey, you big eejit. Just get out of here. You were never here, do you hear me? Just go home and say nothing. No harm done.’
    ‘I can’t. I can’t let Mr Malone’s livelihood be taken like this . . .’
    ‘He’s well insured, Nasey. Have some sense, man.’
    ‘You can’t do this. What are you going to do with the carcasses?’
    ‘Cut them up. Sell them along the Mountainview Estates. Everyone round there wants cheap meat. Nasey, get out of here, will you?’
    ‘I’m not going and I’m not going to forget it.’
    ‘Rigger, either you shut him up or I will,’ one of the others said.
    Nasey felt himself being pushed out the door, and he could feel Rigger’s breath hot on his face.
    ‘Jesus, Nasey, have you an ounce of sense? They’d beat the side of your head in. Get out . Run. RUN!’
    Nasey ran all the way to Nuala’s house and told her what had happened. White-faced, the two of them sat drinking mugs of tea.
    ‘Even if I don’t tell Mr Malone, he’ll know anyway. He’s not a fool. Who else would have been able to come in and see the lie of the land and suss the place out except those three? And he knows that Rigger is my nephew.’
    ‘I’m so sorry, Nasey,’ Nuala wept.
    ‘We have to think what to do with him. He’ll go to gaol over this,’ Nasey said.
    ‘It’s all my fault. I should have been able to control him. I was too busy making money for him. Saving for an education that he’ll never