Little Croker by Joe O'Brien Page B

well at least they said they’d show your goal, J.’
    Those words pierced Jonathon’s heart like a dagger. He just looked at Danny with his eyes filled with tears.
    Danny had no words of wisdom for his cousin this time. He knew as well as Jonathon that ‘Operation Larry’ was well and truly over and it was time to face the music.
    When the coach arrived back at Littlestown Lawns, Danny and Jonathon kept to their plan.
    Danny walked one way while his cousin walked in the opposite direction. It seemed like a pointless exercise to the boys to keep up the act, but they still had a glimmer of hope that everything would be okay.
    That glimmer of hope was quickly wiped out for Jonathon as his phone began to ring. It wasn’t ‘Mum’ that flashed on the screen this time, but ‘Dad’.
    ‘Danny! Wait up!’ called Jonathon.
    Danny ran back and the two boys looked at the phone as it rang and rang.
    ‘You better answer it,’ said Danny.
    ‘No way!’ said Jonathon.
    ‘He might not know yet.’
    ‘He must!’ cried Jonathon. ‘Father never rings me!’
    The phone stopped ringing. Larry had given up, for the moment. All the worries that Jonathon had about his father knowing were confirmed as the two boys reluctantly made their way to the bus stop.
    ‘There’s Mick Wilde’s son!’ called a woman from one of the gardens to her next door neighbour.
    The two women started clapping and cheering.
    ‘Can we have your autographs, boys? We’re proud of yiz. And, young fella, your goal looked great on the news!’
    ‘Operation Larry’ was definitely out in the open.
    Danny and Jonathon and Splinter were now celebrities, and that was very, very bad news for the cousins. Danny worried about his dad finding out and Jonathon couldn’t get Lowry’s words out of his head – When Father finds out you’re all going to be crucified.
    The two cousins decided to go back to Aylesbridge Close to face Larry’s wrath together.

Chapter 20
Big Trouble
    W hen the boys approached the house they saw that Larry’s Bentley was in the driveway.
    No sooner had their shoes made their first crunch on the driveway than the hall door opened and Regina stormed out.
    ‘Inside you two. Jonathon, you’re in big trouble with your father, young man.’
    She blanked Danny.
    Larry was pacing up and down the lounge with a double brandy in his hand, when the boys walked in.
    Danny being Danny, tried to explain to Larry that it was all his idea, but Larry wasn’t having any of it. As far as he was concerned,Danny wasn’t even in the room.
    Danny’s heart went out to his cousin as he watched Larry deal with his son.
    Jonathon was in tears.
    Danny couldn’t watch any more of this. Although he dreaded his own father finding out about their antics, he knew that Mick would have at least tried to talk to him, and would have given him the chance to explain.
    Just as Danny turned to leave the room, the door bell rang and Regina opened it.
    Danny Wilde’s heart skipped two beats when he saw who walked into the hall.
    Even with a walking stick in hand and Trinity’s mother by his side supporting him, Mick Wilde looked taller and stronger to Danny than he ever had before.
    ‘Dad!’ sighed Danny and he ran over and threw his arms around Mick.
    Larry was still in full swing in the lounge as Mick slowly, but assertively, walked towards the room. 
    ‘Stay here, son,’ he said to Danny, ‘I’ve old business to take care of with your uncle.’
    The second Mick appeared in the lounge there was instant silence, almost as if somebody had flicked a switch and turned Larry off.
    Mick was angry when he saw the state that his nephew was in.
    ‘Go on out to your mammy, Jonathon. Me and your daddy are going have a little chat.’
    Jonathon didn’t look for his father’s approval this time as he rushed out of the room.
    Mick raised his walking stick and pushed the door closed.
    ‘You’ve no business in this house,’ growled Larry.
    Mick didn’t answer straight