Page 128 of The Thief
I understand his anger, share it even. Murphy's betrayal has put Alastríona in more danger, given Trace information he shouldn't have. But I also understand fear and pain; the moment when courage breaks under professional torture.
"Murphy wasn't one of us," I say quietly. "He was a pub owner who gave shelter to a girl who needed help. He wasn't trained for interrogation, wasn't prepared for what they'd do to him."
"That's supposed to excuse it?" Danny growls.
"That's supposed to explain it. There's a difference."
Henry raises a hand, cutting off Danny's response. "What's done is done. Murphy made his choice, paid his price. Our job now is dealing with the consequences."
"Which are?"
"Trace knows too much information about her and Killian. He'll know how deeply we'll protect her."
"He already knew that. This just confirms details."
"Details matter. They give him leverage, give him ways to hurt us which we hadn't considered."
Denis leans forward. "There's something else. The level of information Trace has been receiving suggests someone much closer to our operations."
"Murphy?" Danny asks with a raised brow.
"No. Murphy knew about Alastríona, but not about our business. Not about security protocols, safe houses, operational details. Someone else has been feeding Trace intelligence for months."
The mole. The traitor in our midst we've been trying to identify.
"Any progress on narrowing down suspects?" I ask, knowing that we need it today.
"Some. We've been talking with Maverick and Stephen. They've been analyzing the financial records you recovered. Payment schedules, amounts, timing. Building a profile of the leak."
Henry slides a folder across the desk. Inside, bank records show regular payments to an account registered under a shell company. Two hundred thousand euros over six months.
"Professional money," Malcolm observes. "Enough to make betrayal worthwhile, not enough to draw attention."
"Payment schedule suggests regular intelligence drops. Weekly meetings, specific amounts for specific information."
"Any idea who's been receiving these payments?"
"We've narrowed it down to people with access to the information Trace has been getting. That gives us about a dozen suspects."
A dozen people. Men I've worked with, trusted, called brothers in some cases. One of them has been selling us out for months.
"Want to share the list?"
Denis produces another document and hands it over. Twelve names, twelve men who've had access to sensitive information. I recognize them all.
"Shit," I breathe, reading through the names.
"Problem?"
"There are five of our men on this." There are seven Gallagher men and five Houlihan. Fuck.
"Which makes this harder, not easier."
The door opens, admitting Stephen, Maverick, and Emmanuel. Their women must be settled elsewhere, because they look ready for serious business.
"Sorry we're late," Stephen says. "Had to arrange security for the women."
"Where are they?"
