Free Conna in Crisis & The Marriage of Ulick by James Kilcullen Page A

secretary.
    ‘Get me a copy of the Directive under which Maggot was closed down—it will be on the Internet.’
    *
    T oby Moore really enjoyed his work at the Haven. He supervised the six ground staff and paid their wages—in cash—every Friday at noon. On Thursdays they cleaned the pool; Friday mornings they trimmed the lawns and tidied up the grounds. Toby drove into Conna and collected the week’s groceries and drink list in Paulo’s. They left, as did Toby, at noon and did not return until Monday morning.
    Some things puzzled him; that wouldn’t be difficult. On Mondays the house was very quiet; the ladies—he couldn’t call them nuns—were resting or, as they said themselves, meditating. They took turns to fly to London or Paris later in the week. They returned with lots of shopping bags. Oddly enough, he was allowed drive them to and from the airport, but his offer to do the Friday and Sunday runs was politely refused.
    Living in the midst of so many beauties was a bit trying for a randy young man with his reputation. Ali, the tan coloured beautiful little Tunisian, he found particularly attractive, although he wouldn’t have refused any of them. She was in charge of the kitchen, always wearing very short dresses; was it just whenever he was around? It was obvious she liked him, making the coffee when he arrived in the mornings and, on occasion, inviting him to lunch.
    One Wednesday afternoon when most of the others were away, he arrived back from Conna to find her swimming alone in the pool. He stood at the side admiring her; she swam close and looked up at him.
    ‘You’re beautiful, Ali,’ he breathed.
    She smiled up at him. ‘Toby, fetch my towel.’
    When she left the pool he put the towel around her and began to dry her back.
    ‘Take me upstairs,’ she grinned.
    ‘That I will.’ He lifted her up and carried her towards the stairs. Woofy, who was nodding off by the pool, raised her head and nodded understandingly.
    Toby carried her down the long blue carpeted hallway to her luxuriously furnished bedroom overlooking the sea. She giggled happily, pulling down his head to kiss him.
    At this time, Dandaboy, the other observer, left—in disgust. So, it seems nuns do after all.
    Later, driving home, a very happy Toby realised that Ali told him she came from Tunisia, but that’s all she told him. However, she wanted to know all about him. When he was leaving she looked up at him with those big shining seductive eyes and said: ‘You will come again.’
    ‘That you may count on.’
    *
    A fter careful consultation with Ulick, Battler submitted his “crap list” as he called it. Crat examined it thoroughly handed him another list.
    ‘Complete this list in triplicate and submit it to me one week from today.’
    He then made out a voucher and put it on the table before his less than admiring subject. It was for 425 euro.
    Battler picked it up.
    ‘What the fuck is this about? I spent my 500 euro.’
    Crat didn’t even look up.
    ‘On Sunday last your were observed fishing on the lake where you caught four brown trout. I estimate their worth at 75 euro. Good day.’
    He rose—infuriated. ‘Did your snivelling informer not tell you I donated those trout to the Clinic in Moycullen?’
    ‘That’s not relevant.’
    ‘One of these days you won’t be relevant.’
    He made his way to Ulick’s office.
    ‘What are we going to do with that little bastard?’
    He shook his head in dismay. ‘I don’t know.’
    *
    S etanta wandered around the house; Ulick had travelled into Galway to see Frankie Carney. Ella was busily running her restaurant and home baking shop. He heard a noise outside. Looking out the window he observed a number of Crat’s troops closing in on the house. He didn’t like this.
    ‘Dan Dan,’ he called.
    Dandaboy was there in an instant.
    ‘What we going to do?’ Setanta asked him.
    ‘We go for run in the country.’
    ‘How we going to get out of here?’ Setanta asked as the troops