Liam was waiting outside the school gates. He waved at the CRV and ran towards it, sports bag banging on his hip. He frowned when he saw that Shepherd was driving. He pulled open the passenger door, climbed into the front seat, dropped his bag in the back and fastened his seatbelt. ‘Where’s Katra?’
‘I said I’d pick you up today. We can go and have a burger.’ Shepherd put the CRV in gear and pulled away from the kerb.
‘You said we’d play football yesterday,’ said Liam sullenly.
‘I got held up,’ said Shepherd. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Where were you?’
‘I had to go and see someone and they were late.’
‘It was a pinkie promise,’ said Liam, folding his arms and staring straight ahead.
‘I know.’
‘Pinkie promises are real promises.’
‘I meant it when I promised, I really did, but something happened.’
‘And you didn’t even get up this morning.’
‘I was tired.’
‘It’s like you don’t care.’
‘I care, Liam. Of course I care – I’m your dad.’
‘You don’t always act like my dad.’
Shepherd felt as if he’d been punched in the stomach. He didn’t know what to say, because he knew that Liam was right. Recently he hadn’t been behaving much like a father. He was a policeman who happened to have a son, and more often than not his son ended up playing second fiddle to the job.
‘Do you want McDonald’s or Burger King? Or we could have KFC?’
‘I don’t like KFC much.’
‘McDonald’s, then? Or Burger King?’
‘McDonald’s, I guess.’
Shepherd drove to the nearest branch and they went inside. Liam ordered a Big Mac, fries and a Coke. Shepherd had a cheeseburger. They sat at a table by the window. ‘How was school?’
‘School’s school,’ said Liam.
‘I was hoping for a bit more information than that,’ said Shepherd.
‘We did geography. And literature.’
‘Yeah, what are you reading?’
‘Anthony Horowitz’s new Alex Rider book.’
‘Alex Rider?’
‘He’s great. He’s a kid who’s a secret agent. He does the coolest stuff.’
‘And you read that at school?’
‘Yes.’
‘In my day we did Dickens and Jane Austen.’
‘Who?’
‘Never mind,’ said Shepherd. ‘What does he do, this Alex Rider?’
‘Fights bad guys and saves the world.’
‘And how old is he?’
‘He’s a teenager.’
Shepherd grinned. ‘And you believe that a teenager can save the world?’
Liam raised his eyebrows. ‘They’re books, Dad. Stories.’
Shepherd rarely spoke to his son about his work. He hadn’t told Sue much, either. Not the details. Not that every now and again his life was on the line, that he’d looked down the barrels of several guns, and that while he hadn’t actually saved the world he had fought more than a few bad guys. Part of him wanted to tell his son a few war stories, to see his eyes light up with excitement, but he didn’t want Liam to know how dangerous his work was. In the real world, heroes didn’t get shot in the chest and live to fight another day. Fist fights hurt like hell, and when you did shoot someone you never forgot the way the body slumped to the ground and the blood pumped out of them as they died. There was nothing glamorous about violence, although Shepherd couldn’t deny the adrenaline rush it gave him.
‘What about we go and play football tonight?’ asked Liam.
‘Sure,’ said Shepherd. ‘We can have a kickabout.’ Liam grinned. Then Shepherd remembered Major Gannon. ‘I’m sorry, Liam,’ he said. ‘I’ve got to meet someone.’ Liam’s face fell. ‘I’m really sorry. It’s important.’
‘It’s always important,’ said Liam. He put down what was left of his burger.
‘Come on, finish your Big Mac and we’ll buy you some comics. Maybe a new game for your PlayStation.’
‘I’m not hungry,’ said Liam.
‘Tomorrow’s Saturday. We can play football then.’
‘Whatever.’
Shepherd could see he was close to tears. ‘Liam…’
‘I want to go home.’
Shepherd reached over to ruffle his son’s hair, but Liam leaned back, out of reach. Then he pushed himself out of his chair and headed for the door.