RAFFERTY FINALLY CALLED a halt at 10.00 p m. He was nearly home before he remembered his promise to Llewellyn. He'd have rung his Ma and asked her about accommodating Llewellyn's mother, but, even if he'd thought of it, he'd had no chance during the day and he knew his Ma hated getting telephone calls late at night; she always expected disaster. For some inexplicable reason, she didn’t harbour the same suspicions about visitors at a similar late hour.
But a promise was a promise. She'd still be up, he knew, as she rarely went to bed before midnight. With a tired sigh, he turned the car and made for her home.
He opened the door with his key, shouting, 'It's only me,' as he shut the front door, and opened the one to the living room.
His Ma was sitting in her armchair, staring into space,
