Page 50 of Dublin Debacle

Jack grabbed the man beneath the shoulders. “It might be time to get some help from my Brotherhood Protectors team. I’ll give them a call as soon as we get this guy moved.”

Finn lifted the man by the ankles. Between the two men, they carried him into the drainage ditch and several yards further away from the apartment building.

Emily followed.

After they laid him down beneath a scrubby bush, all three of them scrambled up the banks of the ditch and returned to the parking lot.

“Get in my car,” Emily said. “I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Finn followed her to the Mercedes and cursed when he saw the writing sprayed across the finish. “Bastards. They hit you again?”

“Not me personally,” Emily said.

Finn clenched his fists. “It’s only a matter of time. They’re getting bolder and attacking more often. Something has to be done about the Radical Nationalists.”

“Do we know for certain that they were the ones who attacked you?” Emily asked.

“Who else could it be?” Finn flung his hands in the air. “They hate Travellers.” His lips pressed into a tight line. “And we hate them.”

Jack climbed into the passenger seat. Emily slipped behind the steering wheel and started the engine.

Once Finn dropped into the back seat, Emily drove out of the parking lot.

Emily glanced at her brother in the rearview mirror before returning her gaze to the road ahead. “Finn, you’ve been hanging around Rory and his bunch, right?”

“Yeah?” he murmured. “So?”

“Is it possible someone from his group is stirring up trouble?” she asked.

“Why would you ask that?” Finn leaned forward. “Do you think the Travellers, a nomadic people, like having their families hiding in a basement because they’re afraid they’ll be attacked on the streets? What purpose would it serve to make the Radicals hate them any more than they already do?”

“I don’t know,” Emily said.

“It’s the Radicals who are serving up hatred on social media platforms,” Finn said. “Have you seen some of the messages they’ve been posting?”

Emily nodded. “That’s just it. We’ve seen messages supposedly posted by Travellers spreading the same kinds of things.”

Finn shook his head. “It’s not coming from the Travellers. They get enough bad press without throwing gasoline on the fire.”

As Jack listened to Emily and Finn, he composed a text to the Brotherhood Protectors International lead, Ace Hammerson, explaining what had been happening and how he suspected they might need assistance soon if the situation spiraled out of control. At the very least, he wanted guidance on what to do with the dead man. He sent the message, wondering what Ace’s reaction would be when he read the part about them moving the body when they should have called the Garda and let them handle it.

He hoped by the time Ace got the text, Lucie would have a match on the facial recognition database.

“Do you get the feeling the attackers aren’t members of the Radical Nationalists or the Travellers?” Jack voiced his thoughts aloud.

Emily and Finn turned to stare at him.

“If not either of them, then who?” Emily asked.

“And why?” Finn added.

“That’s a good question.” Jack glanced over his shoulder at Finn and then across to Emily. “You two have been in this country longer than I have. Who would benefit most by stirring up trouble between the Travellers and the Radical Nationalists?”

“No one,” Emily said. “It would be insane.”

“Maybe it’s someone who still dreams of making Ireland one nation only?” Finn said.

“If that were the case, wouldn’t they move the fight to Northern Ireland?” Jack said, playing Devil’s advocate.

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