Page 68 of Dublin Debacle

Emily grimaced. “I hope you’re right. Otherwise, we’ll have to wait on that date.” She bent and laid the gun on the ground and straightened with her hands in the air.

The Garda, along with members of J2, sorted through the crowd, taking names and letting people go as they cleared them. The Brotherhood Protectors, with their stun guns, bagged four of the mercenaries. From what Orla revealed later, that meant only two escaped. They wouldn’t be back once the funding for their efforts ceased.

Orla was more than ready to talk. When then advised her that she could have an attorney, she said, “Screw attorneys. Screw my brother, and screw men!”

She stood in front of Cormac Faherty, screaming at him. “I worked my ass off for you, and for what? You got all the credit. You got all the glory, the perfect wife and adoring followers. Did they know I wrote your speeches? I managed your campaign. I read through everything to tell you how to vote and why. No. As far as they knew, it was you.”

Her brother shook his head. “If you didn’t want to be my campaign manager, you didn’t have to do it.”

“I didn’t mind, until the one thing I wanted, you ruined for me.”

Her brother frowned. “What was that?”

“Doran Cawley.”

Her brother’s frown deepened. “The financial advisor who was sniffing around you like a dog in heat?”

“Like a man in love,” Orla said. “He loved me, and I loved him until you ruined it. All because he was a Traveller. You talk about peace and equality among the Irish, but you turned him away because he was a Traveller.”

“Doran Cawley? A Traveller?” Cormac Faherty blinked and shook his head. “No, he wasn’t. He was just interested in you to get to me and my bank account.”

“Liar!” Orla screamed. “He loved me, and then he didn’t. All because of you. And when I confronted him, he lied as well. I was so angry.” She bent over, sobs wracking her body. “So angry, I shoved him. When he tried to...tried to...grab my arms. I shoved him again. Then he fell off the bridge into the river.” Orla dropped to her knees, tears streaming from her eyes. “Oh, God. He fell.”

“Doran Cawley was the first Traveller reported murdered,” Jack whispered to Emily. “His death was what started all this.”

Emily leaned into Jack. “I almost feel sorry for Orla. Almost. All she wanted was to be loved. She had good people killed and terrified an entire city. Yeah, nope. I don’t feel sorry for her.”

Jack pulled her into his arms. “It’s over now. Hopefully, the city can get back to normal and the Travellers can come back out of hiding.”

“I hope Rory does right by them and doesn’t breed more hatred.”

“Me, too. They’ve been through enough.” Jack looked around at the O’Briens and his team of Brotherhood Protectors. “Shall we head to the pub?”

“Yes!” his team shouted.

“Drinks on the house,” Seamus said with a grin.

EPILOGUE

Two days later...

Jack laywith Emily spooned against him in her room above the Tap & Tavern. Her father was home and safe. Jack’s assignment was complete, his heart was full and he looked forward to the rest of his life.

“When do you have to go back to England?” Emily asked.

He traced a finger down her arm. “Who said I have to go back to England?”

“Isn’t that where you were staying before your assignment?”

“Yeah, but I was only staying in a bed and breakfast—nothing I was renting long term.” His hand moved to rest on her naked hip. “Why? Are you trying to get rid of me?”

She snuggled closer, her bottom resting against his quickly swelling member. “Not at all. It’s just that your teammates all left yesterday. I thought you’d be leaving with them.”

“With the Brotherhood Protectors, my assignments don’t determine where I live. I might have to travel to different locations, but I can come back to my home base, wherever that might be.”

“That’s nice.” She lay still for a moment, then asked, “Is it possible you might want your home base to be in Ireland?”

“Not a possibility,” he said.

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