Arthur Quinn and Hell's Keeper by Alan Early Read Free Book Online Page A

granddad-shaped groove in the padding. Even though he was far too young to legally have a driver’s licence, Ex was more than capable behind the wheel and no one paid him a second glance as they sat parked outside Heuston Station.
    When Arthur had hung up on Ash that morning, she’d instantly called Ellie with her findings and told her of his plan to meet up.
    â€˜There’s just one problem,’ Ash had said when she’d explained everything.
    â€˜What’s that?’
    â€˜I have to shake off Detective Morrissey. He’s outside right now. If I head directly for the train station he’ll realise something is going on.’
    â€˜Hmm … I have an idea.’
    They went to school as normal. Ash and Max took the bus and met Ellie and Ex outside the busy Belmont School. They smiled and chatted, laughing nonchalantly.
    â€˜Can you see him?’ Ash asked with a big false grin on her face.
    â€˜He’s parked a hundred yards away,’ answered Ex, who was also wearing a strained smile. Anyone who saw them would think he was looking at Ash, but in reality he was staring right past her at Morrissey’s red Toyota. As Ash had expected, the Garda had followed them.
    â€˜We’ll go into class,’ said Ellie, just as pleasantly as the other two, ‘and stay until morning break. Then we’ll sneak off. He can’t wait for us all day.’
    â€˜Won’t Miss Keegan be looking for us then?’ Ash pointed out, thinking of their soon-to-be worried teacher.
    â€˜Of course. But I’d rather have her searching for us than Morrissey.’
    â€˜Remember, Max,’ warned Ash, ‘you can’t tell anyone where we’ve gone.’
    â€˜Can’t I come, though?’
    â€˜No. It’ll be easier to get away with less of us going. You have to stay.’
    The school bell rang, beckoning them all inside.
    â€˜Just keep schtum,’ Ellie reminded him as they followed everyone into the school.
    Although they had only intended on spending the first two hours of the day in class, time seemed to drag. Miss Keegan’s lessons – which usually managed to be both fun and informative – felt like torture today. Ash found herself peeking at her phone every couple of minutes – either to check the time or to see if there was any further movement on the webcam signal. An hour into the class, the signal stopped moving just on the coastline of the city. At the docks, Ash realised. She glanced at Ellie and Ex; they, too, seemed distracted. Ex was tapping his fingers on the desk impatiently while his sister kept pulling back her sleeve to look at the time. Luckily no one else in the class seemed to pick up on the tension emanating from them.
    Eventually the bell rang for morning break. The class thronged out excitedly, none more pleased than Ash, Ellie and Ex. From the front schoolyard, where the balls and Frisbees were soaring through the air, they could see the main road. A few cars were parked there but they saw no sign of Detective Morrissey’s red Toyota. They stood by the south-facing school wall, waiting anxiously. Then, when the bell rang to announce the end of break-time, they took their chance and sprinted off school property. During the hustle and bustle following break, no one saw them go.
    Ex had driven that morning and left the Beetle in a car park half a mile from the school. Ash saw the sense in parking it so far away: Detective Morrissey had seen Ash with the Lavenders and might know their car, so it was best to keep it out of sight. The three of them piled in and Ex sped off towards the city centre.
    With just a little time to spare before Arthur’s train was due, they’d stopped in Smithfield, parking by the Viking Experience. Ash had got out of the car and told the others to wait. She’d walked to the high-walled enclosure in the middle of the cobblestoned Smithfield Square. Murals of Viking life adorned each wall. It