34. Chapter 34
Connor
“Ithought we got rid of you,” Mickey said when I stepped through the front door of The Barley Stone, like it didn’t come with an armed welcome. This time, it didn’t matter if I was welcome or not.
“I’m here on unfinished business.” Outside the door, Captain Hoover waited with back-up and a signed warrant.
The Cassidy brothers exchanged an amused look and a laugh before Luca stepped forward. “And what business is that?” he asked, walking forward like a predator on the prowl. I wasn’t the prey he was looking for.
“I’m finally putting you behind bars.” I grinned, laughing. Mickey pulled his gun out, and when he did, so did his shadows. “You’re going to want to put those away.”
“What charges?” Mickey asked. When he tucked his gun away, I was surprised. I was less surprised nobody else followed the same move.
“Possession and distribution of drugs, cocaine specifically, a fuck ton of it. There’s also the money laundering. Collusion.” I held my fingers up while I counted the charges. “Oh, and kidnapping with the intent of harm.”
Mickey and Luca glared, and the redder their faces got, the more I felt like I’d won. “You have no proof.” They had to know that was a lie.
“Oh, I have plenty of proof. You can thank O’Malley.
He gave us everything. Poor sucker thought he was getting immunity.
You should’ve seen him spilling your secrets like it was his own personal podcast.” I smirked when Mickey had to visually hold himself back.
“All for a deal the agent wasn’t able to offer. ”
“You sure you want to do this, Murphy? You won’t keep us away long, and you know the consequences that come with this.” Was he threatening me? I wanted to see him do it again, but from behind bars next time.
I waved him off casually while he sneered. “We have the whole family, every last fucking one of you.” And I had all the evidence I needed to keep them away for a long time. At least long enough.
“Our network runs deeper than you may realize,” Mickey warned, stalking forward so the dusty light from one of the windows illuminated him. “I’d hate to see you make the wrong move and something happen to your pretty girlfriend. Oh, wait…she’s not your girlfriend anymore, is she?”
“I think you forget I know exactly how deep your network runs. I helped bury the goddamn line, remember?” I clenched my hands into controlled fists at my sides. “Stay away from Grace. Never mention her again. Accept it. You lose this time, Mickey.”
“Fuck you, Connor,” Mickey said, spit flying from his lips as he cursed me.
I looked toward the door. “Come on in. You can get these guys the fuck out of here.”
The door opened, and Captain Hoover and the rest of the team flooded in. Each click of the cuffs felt like satisfaction. “So you going to tell me I was right now?” I asked him while he watched his squad arrest the Cassidy crime family, one man at a time.
“Nope,” he said, but the smirk said it for him. “But I’ll tell you that you did good work.”
“And maybe that you should’ve listened to me sooner.” I winked at him while Mickey snarled at us.
Captain Hoover shook his head. “Don’t push your luck, Murphy.”
“Look, I appreciate everything you’ve given me, but I can’t do this anymore.” I’ll quit tomorrow. I shrugged, smiling as a sense of relief flowed over me. The Captain looked at me like I’d said something he never thought he’d hear. Maybe he didn’t think I would leave. “I’m out.”
“You should think about this.” I expected him to gear up to convince me to stay. I was also prepared to hold my decision.
“I already did,” I said confidently while the last of the Cassidys were escorted from the bar and officers started to search the place. “I know what I want to do. I’ll turn my badge in when we get back to the station.”
Captain Hoover looked disappointed for a second, but I knew he got it. I knew he had thought about doing the same thing himself more than once. Something always got him to stay. “I hope everything works out for you,” he said, reaching his hand out.
I shook his hand, not completely sure how it would all unfold from here. “I hope so too.”