Page 183 of The Thief
"Always."
The warehouse empties gradually until it's just the four of us—Maverick, Stephen, Emmanuel, and me. The core of what we've become, the foundation everything else will be built on.
"So," Maverick says, approaching our small group. "How'd I do?"
"Like you've been doing it for years," I tell him honestly.
"Felt like it too. Weird how natural it seemed once I got started."
"That's the blood," Stephen says. "Jer's blood. Leadership runs in the family."
Maverick nods, but I can see the weight settling on his shoulders. The responsibility, the knowledge that twenty-three men and their families are now depending on his decisions.
"Freddie," he says. "Got a minute?"
"Sure."
We walk toward the office space Jer used to maintain in the back of the house. Same desk, same chair, same filing cabinets full of records that would send half of Dublin to prison.
"I need to ask you something," Maverick says once we're alone.
"Ask away."
"Are you good with this? Really? I know you and Jer were close. Closer than family, in some ways. If you wanted to challenge my leadership, now would be the time."
The question catches me off guard. Not because it's unexpected, but because it shows how well Maverick understands the dynamics at play.
"I don't want to lead," I tell him. "Never have. I'm good at what I do because I can focus on the work itself instead of worrying about politics."
"You sure? Because this is your chance. The men respect you. They'd follow you if you asked them to."
"They'd follow me into a job, sure. But following someone on a score is different from following them in life. I'm not built for that kind of responsibility."
Maverick studies my face, looking for signs of deception or hidden ambition. He won't find any. I'm being completely honest.
"Besides," I continue, "Jer spent years grooming you for this. Teaching you about leadership, about the bigger picture.”
"You think I'm ready?"
"I think you just proved it. The way you handled that meeting, the appointments you made, the tone you set—that was professional leadership. The kind Jer would recognize and respect."
Relief crosses Maverick's face. He'd been carrying doubt, uncertainty about whether he was the right choice. Natural enough after everything that's happened.
"Thank you," he says. "For backing me. For staying loyal."
"Family stays loyal. That's what Jer taught us."
"Speaking of family, how's Alastríona doing? Really?"
The question brings me back to why I'm eager to finish up here and get home to the woman who's become my anchor in this chaotic world.
"Better. She’s still processing everything that happened, still dealing with the grief. But she's strong. Stronger than she knows."
"Henry's death hit her hard."
"Of course it did. She'd just started to accept him as family, and then Trace took that away from her. But she's not running. She's not hiding. She's facing it head-on."
"Good. We're going to need that strength in the days ahead."
