Free Captured Heart by Angelica Siren Page A

while Ronan and Darren exchanged pleasantries about our trip and how nice their apartment was. Belfast looked like just another city from here, but I knew this place was far more than that. This was the seat of centuries of violence and resentment for the Irish people on both sides of the border. At times it was still a dangerous place - something that's a bit hard to imagine when you're just getting used to 21st century Dublin.
    Lila brought us a couple of beers and announced that dinner would be served momentarily. I noticed that she'd put on a long, flowing skirt though her bikini top remained the only thing she had on above the waist. Back in Baltimore, some people would call her a "free spirit". Here in Ireland she was just a bit weird. She was friendly and pleasant to guests though, and around here that counts for more than anything.
    Dinner, it turned out, was Lila's attempt at making fried chicken. Apparently she'd taken it upon herself to research traditional American cuisine in advance of our visit and wanted to make sure I felt at home. Of course, I didn't grow up eating soul food and I've never even been south of the Mason-Dixon line, but it was a nice gesture all the same.
    "Darren said we should go out for dinner," she explained, "but I knew you're be tired from the road and I wanted to make sure you had some food you were used to."
    I smiled and played along. I'd been in Ireland for months, so this was pretty far from being "what I was used to". I didn't mind though. I was hungry and looking forward to the meal and also to getting to know our curious hosts as well.
    "So," Lila said as she piled potatoes onto my plate, "You're from America, then?"
    "Yes," I told her, "Baltimore, actually. That's in Maryland."
    "Ohhh that's just lovely," she said. I could tell immediately that she'd never actually seen Baltimore. "Lovely" wasn't a word that was usually used to describe it. Most people know it either for the crab cakes or Jon Waters movies - neither of which being cause for use of that particular word. At least she was making an effort though. Darren had barely acknowledged me. He and Ronan had been talking in low tones since we arrived. From the bits of conversation I was able to hear, they were discussing rumors and news about friends in common and where in the world they'd all ended up.
    "Well," Lila told me, "I hope you'll be liking Belfast. I've lived here all my life and there's no place like it in the world."
    I smiled, catching the unintended subtext of what she was saying. If she'd never been anywhere else, I had my doubts about whether Belfast was as truly unique as she made it sound. Still, I wasn't going to jump to any conclusions. If this place could produce a character like her then it must have some life to it that couldn't be accounted for by the gray skies and gray buildings.
    "What are you two doing up here aside from visiting us?" she asked. I was stumped for a moment. I didn't know how much of the real story Ronan had told Darren or whether Darren had relayed any or all of that information to Lila. I didn't want to come right out and say that Ronan was here to fight an underground crime war or anything like that, even if it was true and she seemed like the sort of person who was open to new experiences and strange behavior. Fortunately Ronan caught her question and interceded on my behalf.
    "My da lives up here and he and I are doin ' a bit of business together for the next few weeks," he said. "He's trying to open a new company and needs my helping hands."
    When he said it, I could see Darren's eyes narrowing. I guessed that he knew more of the truth than his wife did - or at least he suspected more of the truth. If the two of them had known one another for so long, then it seemed likely that Darren had a good idea of just what kind of business Ronan and Terry were mixed up in.
    Dinner and conversation continued throughout the evening. The chicken was maybe a bit strange and the side dishes