Chapter Nine
By the time they all got back to the brewery, everyone was feeling the letdown of the evening.
It was almost too easy to take Ria Sanchez down.
When they retrieved the bounty she had been going to ship out, they knew she couldn’t and wouldn’t get away with what she’d done.
Shay had turned her and her bounty over to the proper people and they had taken her away with pleasure.
They had a file on everything they found in that warehouse and this time the charges were going to stick and stick tight.
Shay was sharing a cup of coffee with the brothers and Seamus when Oran got the other brothers on the computer screen.
“We got her brothers, and almost without a fight,” Finn announced.
Then Liam chuckled. “And boy was she mad, yelling and screaming that we couldna take her down as she hadn’t done anything wrong. Well, our man, Shay showed her an image of all her contraband being confiscated. Then she said that what he found at her warehouse wasna just hers.”
Daragh looked confused and asked, “What did she mean by that?”
Shay just shook his head, “She said it belonged to some dangerous men. She looked terrified that they wouldn’t be receiving it.
She’s run through her chances already. And she’s done that before.
The first time she did it, she explained it away by promising her partners another more important shipment.
She had to hustle to get them what they wanted and it cost her big time.
Then the second time she did it, she had to go into hiding until she could get more to please them.
This is her third strike and now she won’t be able to replace her inventory because she’ll be sitting in prison. ”
Darragh just shook his head. “Well, she pulled a FAAFO, didna she?”
Will shook his head. “Fuck around and find out. How do you even know what that means, Uncle?”
“My grandson introduced that concept to me. I think it’s grand. Too funny.” He chuckled. “Covers a lot. And these days there are so many eejits doin’ that same thing.”
“What about her kid?” Cillian asked. “Did he give her away like we thought?”
Shay nodded. “He sure did. The cops had him on an old charge of murder. Matched his DNA. But turning on her won’t do him much good.
The cops found a hell of a lot of meth at his place, plus they got him brandishing an unregistered weapon.
With his record, he shouldn’t have even had a weapon in his possession. They are both screwed now.”
Daragh nodded. “And it couldna have happened to a more fittin mother and son.”
Just then, a loud noise sounded in the background over the Zoom call.
“What the hell is going on back there Daragh?” Finn asked.
Daragh shook his head. “Oh Caira and Sean got back a bit ago from the bank appointment she had today. They brought everything in her mother’s safe deposit box back with them and I think she finally opened it.
That box was plum full of things she has to go through and she found something that upset her I think? ”
“What did she find?” Seamus wanted to know.
“Her birth certificate and she’s a wee bit upset about it,” Daragh told them.
“Why?” Liam asked.
“It lists her real father’s name and that’s something she never knew before,” he explained.
“All her life she thought she was Ford Donnaly’s daughter right up until her own mother told her she wasna his kid but she never told him who her father really was, only that he left her before she was even born.
Then she found out right after her mother died that Ford himself killed her ma for the insurance money. She was on her own from then on.”
“So, who is her da then?” Liam asked.
Just then, Ciara herself came into the frame. “Shay, Are you there?”
“Yeah, I’m here.” Shay came up to the monitor to get into frame as well.
“Can you find someone for me? I think it’s finally time I meet the man that walked out of my life before I was even born.”
“Are you sure that’s what you want to do, find him I mean?” Shay asked softly.
Ciara nodded. “My mom left me a note, she told me they met during the summer and they shared a short time together before he left. She always knew he wasn’t going to stay, so she said she just enjoyed the time they had together.
It wasn’t until after he left that she found out about me.
She didn’t even try to find him but he’s my dad, you know?
He may not want me either but I have to find him.
No, I want to find him and let him know I’m here. Can you help me?”
Shay shook his head slightly. “I can try, but just don’t expect a grand reunion, ok? That way you won’t be surprised when it doesn’t happen.”
Ciara nodded. “I know, but I want to get this done. Then I can move on.”
“Ok, give me his name and I’ll try to find him for you.” Shay sighed hard.
“According to my mom it’s Robert C. Marsden. They met in New Orleans and Robert told her that he was headed home from the service. That’s all I really know about him.”
Shay froze as soon as he heard the name. His eyes narrowed and he swung his gaze around the room until they landed on someone. He surged to his feet and marched over to say, “Robert C. Marsden?”
Arthur froze then slowly turned around to face Shay. “What the hell, Shay?”
Shay reached out and grabbed him by his shirt.
Arthur looked at him dumbfounded. “What the hell?”
“When you were discharged from the Army, did you stop in New Orleans?” Shay stared at him.
Arthur thought back then nodded. “Yeah, I did. Why?”
“Did you meet a woman back then? One you might have stayed a few days with?” Shay looked pissed now.
“Maybe.” Arthur slowly shook his head as he looked confused. “That was a long time ago before I even met my wife, Amy. What business is it to you?”
Shay leaned right into his face to answer, “Because asshole, you might have left a small piece of yourself behind. A small piece that grew up the hard way and she just found out your name.” He let go of Arthur’s shirt.
Arthur went pale as he dropped back down to his chair. “What the hell are you talking about, man?”
“You mean, he’s there?’ A female voice drifted to the two men.
Arthur slowly stood up and made his way to the table with the monitor. He leaned down and stared at the young girl on the screen. “Oh, wow. You look just like your mother.”
From the Zoom call, Daragh gasped just then and leaned forward with his cell phone in his hand. “I’m sorry to interrupt but our brother Cullin in Miami just texted me. Someone shot him outside his brewery and he’s in the hospital.”
Now Liam’s and Finn’s phone both pinged. They had both received messages.
Liam looked up and said, “His son says that they have been given a warning. It’s about Shannon White. Leave her alone or more O’Malleys will get hurt. Only the next bullet will be deadly.”
THE STORY WILL CONTINUE IN BOOK SEVEN