Page 32 of Dublin Debacle

Ciara backed into the store room, closed the door and switched on the flashlight.

“Why did you bring us here, Ciara?” Emily asked.

The young college student’s jaw tightened. “You needed to know what was going on. Finn didn’t want to worry you after your father died, but he’s in deep, following Rory. It’s not that he promotes violence, he just wants to know who’s behind the masked attacks.”

A range of emotions washed over Emily’s face. “I really need to talk to my brother,” she said softly.

“Do you know where we can find him?” Jack asked.

Ciara nodded. “He’s at work on the wharf. He’ll be there another couple of hours. But be careful. The wharf can be a hotbed of skirmishes breaking out between Travellers and the Radical Nationalists.”

When Emily glanced up into Jack’s eyes, his gut knotted. “You want to go there, don’t you?”

She nodded. “Yes. I need to speak with Finn.”

He sighed. “I hoped you’d change your mind.”

“I have to go. My brother could be in over his head,” Emily said.

Ciara nodded. “I can already tell you that he is.”

Great, Jack thought. He bet he didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of talking Emily out of going to this hotbed of danger.

Ciara led the way back through the tunnel and into the pub. She stopped in the back room, hung the flashlight on the hook and closed the door so that it blended into the wall.

She gave Emily a tentative smile. “I’m glad I finally got to meet you. Finn talks about you all the time. He’s very proud of his sister and sad you had to take on the burden of the family when your mother died. He loves you very much.”

Emily’s eyes welled with unshed tears. “He has a funny way of showing it. He didn’t take long after my father’s accident to leave home, and I haven’t seen much of him since.”

Ciara’s head dipped. “We met shortly after he left your home. He wanted to learn more about his father’s past, his people and our community.” She smiled shyly. “I wanted to learn more about his life in the United States. We discovered we have a lot in common. Music, the desire to travel, family.” She glanced up. “He worries about you but thinks it best to stay away and limit communication, especially since he’s working to gain Rory’s trust and that of his group of angry young people. Finn might not welcome your visit to his work site.”

“I need to see him. Our uncle was attacked last night,” Emily said. “He asked me to warn Finn.”

Ciara’s eyes widened. “Uncle Paddy?”

Emily nodded.

“What did he want to warn Finn about?” Ciara asked.

“That’s just it,” Emily glanced toward Jack.

“We don’t know,” Jack finished. “We hoped Finn would tell us. Maybe we can help.”

The young Traveller’s forehead creased. “I don’t know. Finn and I talk about almost everything, but sometimes, I think he holds back. I figure he’ll tell me what he thinks I need to know.”

“Are you aware of the posts on social media blaming Travellers for the attacks on Radical Nationals?” Jack asked.

The young woman’s lips pressed into a tight line. “I am. They’re lies. You heard our leader, Tristan. He doesn’t advocate for violence.” She frowned. “Although I don’t know if Rory and his gang have started fighting back. I also see the posts blaming Radical Nationalists for the attacks on Travellers. I’d be more willing to believe those.”

“Do you know if one of your own is sending out the posts blaming the Nationalists for the violence?” Jack asked.

Ciara shook her head. “Whoever is posting changes his name, but I can tell it’s the same person based on the content. The members of our community who have that kind of technical skill are few, and they wouldn’t be sending them out of the shelter. There’s no reception there.” Her eyes narrowed. “Why do you ask?”

“The posts are getting more intense. We think they’re being used to recruit people on both sides.”

“Which could lead to an all-out war, or at least the return of the Troubles…?” Ciara drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’ll look around. If I find someone posting such things, I’ll let you know. Although I don’t know what you can do about it.”

“Knowing who is fanning the flames might help us come up with a plan to arrest the spread before the fire burns out of control.” Jack’s lips twisted. “Anything you learn could help.”

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