Shamrocks and Secrets (28 page)

“
So what was your payoff?
”

Douce looked at the ground and then slumped to the floor. The puddle of blood was larger now and his skin was turning pale.

When he didn
’
t answer, I raised my gun and fired two shots into his right knee. His screams did nothing but piss me off. The only thing keeping him alive right now was my need for more answers.

“
Boss asked you a question, Douce,
”
Tonto prodded.

“
Once Christi was gone and you followed her, I wouldn
’
t have to make my child support payments anymore. Things would go back to the way they were before Christi,
”
he gasped out.

Listening to Douce tell me how he only wanted Christi out of the picture because of a few dollars he had to pay for the care of his children was the straw that broke me. Giggles was my niece, she loved her Aunt Christi and would be devastated if something would have happened to her. Douce didn
’
t deserve to have the privilege of calling himself that beautiful child
’
s father.

My next move shocked even me. I found my foot planted in the center of Douce
’
s chest, slamming his back flat to the cold stone floor, my gun pointed between his shocked eyes.

“
You don
’
t deserve that child,
”
I growled, my foot shoving harder into his chest.
“
You need to know that after today, you
’
ll only be a faded memory to the mother of that little girl since you were too much of a selfish son of a bitch to get to know your own daughter. Giggles
’
true daddy will be there for her instead.
”
My foot pressed harder into his chest.

“
Her daddy will take her to the park and buy her ice cream. Her daddy will bandage up her scraped knees and help her with her homework. Her daddy will comfort her when her first crush breaks her heart, while Uncle Patrick crushes his skull. Her daddy will clap for her at graduation and drive her to college. He
’
ll walk her down the aisle at her wedding and hold her first child with tender care. Her daddy will love her Mother like the most precious thing in the world that she is. But you, you
’
ll be rotting like the piece of worthless shit you are.
”

Removing my foot, I bent down so that my face was only inches from his.
“
But first, you
’
re going to call your buddy, Anthony Porchelli, and tell him to get over here quick. Tell him there
’
s a big problem with Christi. Don
’
t worry; you won
’
t be lying.
”

Douce
’
s breathing was rapid but this time he didn
’
t hesitate as he reached into his pocket, retrieved his phone, and dialed.
“
Dude, you gotta get here quick. I think the bitch is dead,
”
he said and hung up.

I steadied my breathing as I let his words settle. Looking him square in his face, I spoke the final words he would ever hear.
“
No, she
’
s not, but you are.
”

I could see the flash from the bullets being fired into Douce
’
s skull. Blood and brains were splattered in all directions. No one said a single word, as the smell of gunpowder lingered in the room, the final shell casing was spinning on the floor. Douce was dead and I could now tell my Christi that he could never hurt her again.

Now to wait for Anthony Porchelli
. H
is death wouldn
’
t be so quick.

“
Angus!
”
I heard Shamus shout from outside the door.

“
In here, Brother!
”
Angus shouted back.

The door slowly opened and in walked a pissed off-looking Shamus, followed closely by a tired-looking Frankie.

“
Angus, I
’
ve been calling you for hours,
”
Shamus said as he took a look around the room, his eyes finally landing on a dead Douce.
“
Is that
…
?
”

“
Yes, it
’
s Douce, although it
’
s a good thing he won
’
t be having a funeral. Even his mother couldn
’
t identify him.
”
Angus explained.

Shamus shrugged as he continued to look at the faceless man that lay on the ground,
“
Guess he pissed you off once too many, huh, Boss?
”

No one said a word as every eye was now on me.
“
He assisted in the kidnapping of Christi.
”

Shamus
’
s eyes were now bulging.
“
Did he at least tell you where she is?
”

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, the memory of her lying in Angus
’
s arms still fresh in my mind.
“
He had her here on the cold wet floor, she was still in the clothes from the wedding and he
’
d starved and beat her
. M
y father took her to the hospital.
”

“
Is she
…
?
”
Frankie
’
s tiny voice spoke from behind Shamus.

“
She
’
s alive, just barely,
”
Matthew spoke from my right.

“
Boss, can I ask why you two are still here? I mean shouldn
’
t you be at the hospital?
”

I looked at Shamus, but Matthew began to speak before I could.
“
Patrick and I are waiting for the ones responsible for this. He made a promise that he
’
d take care of them so she won
’
t be afraid when she wakes up. I
’
m waiting to see if one of the men is the man who
’
s responsible for the death of my oldest daughter. If I
’
m correct in my suspicions, I want to deal with him myself.
”

I turned to look at Matthew,
“
You think this Jeremiah and Jimmy are the same? The man that killed your Colleen?
”

“
I
’
m fairly certain of it. Christi said Jimmy is what Colleen always called him.
”

“
What are you doing here?
”
Angus questioned Shamus.

“
I got your message that you were going to check on the caverns. When I didn
’
t hear from you and you didn
’
t answer my pages or calls, I got worried. I told Frankie I
’
d take her to lunch, so I thought I
’
d kill two birds with one stone.
”

It was only seconds later that we heard the distinct sound of feminine laughter, followed by the clicking of high heels. Shamus moved himself and Frankie away from the door as the laughter got louder.

The door opened as three figures entered. They were laughing, talking, and joking about the stench permeating the building, as if it were funny. I was going to make certain this was the last time they would ever have anything to laugh about.

My eyes met Anthony Porchelli
’
s first. His expression was one of shock at first, but then a huge smile spread along his thin lips. The man that stood beside him tried to turn and run out the door. I recognized him as Jimmy the Mooch, the low-life that had wanted to work for me years ago. Tonto was quick to slam him to the floor and then pointed his gun in his face.

Anthony Porchelli
’
s eyes never left mine as I cleared the distance between our bodies. His eyes dropped from mine long enough to take in Douce
’
s dead corpse.

“
Ah, I should thank you for that. Less cleanup for me, Malloy.
”

Sophia stood like a deer caught in headlights with her purse on her arm and her phone in her hand. I would deal with her later.

“
That
’
s nothing compared to what
’
s in store for you, Porchelli.
”

He began to laugh as he moved toward me.
“
Don
’
t think for one moment you can touch me. My father would have his men after you in a second,
”
he hissed, his eyes dilated, spit coming off his teeth as he spoke.

“
Not if he can
’
t prove anything,
”
Angus interjected.
“
No one will ever find your bodies.
”

“
My father is an ignorant old man who
’
s ruled by his foolishness of the past, but he does have his sources. They
’
ve been handy in getting me my Christi,
”
he grinned.

He was either trying to piss me off or he was telling the truth, but either way, Porchelli was a dead man.

“
What
’
s that on your arm?
”
Frankie screeched at Sophia.

Everyone in the room turned to see what Frankie was yelling about. I looked directly at her left arm and there it was; the bracelet I had given Christi, Sophia had clearly stolen it from her.

“
It
’
s mine!
”
Sophia shouted as she drew her arm against her chest.
“
It should
’
ve been mine from the start, but that stupid, ugly girl got in our way, Patrick!
”
She whined as she began to walk toward me, like a cat in heat.

“
Stop right there!
”
Frankie warned jumping in front of her.
“
You stole that from my friend and where I come from, there
’
s a punishment for stealing.
”

“
Get out of my way, you washed up whore. Don
’
t you know Patrick only used you to get what he wanted? He never loved you, he was supposed to be mine, but that tramp got in the way!
”

I took a quick step back as Sophia attempted to take yet another step around Frankie, lunging toward me. Frankie was quicker and using her left hand she took the gun that rested in the waistband at Shamus
’
s back, and fir
ed
two shots. Sophia stumbled back hitting the wall behind her, sliding down, and then coming to rest on the dirty floor in a sitting position.

Frankie walked over to where Sophia sat dying, staring up shocked at Frankie
’
s angry face.
“
You don
’
t fuck with my family!
”
Frankie reached down and jerked Sophia
’
s wrist up, removing my bracelet from her arm before she spit in her face.

Sophia looked up at me as she took her last breath and then slumped onto the floor.

“
I never cared for my sister, you know. She was such a spoiled brat, and quite daft, too,
”
Porchelli said with a shrug.

My attention now focused on Porchelli. He was looking at his dead sister with no emotion. Had that been Paige, I would have torn every man in this room apart for hurting her. Porchelli only looked at her as if she was a dirty piece of gum on his shoe.

“
How can you say such a thing? She was your sister!
”
Matthew questioned.

“
She was weak and worthless.
”

“
She was still your sister.
”

“
Perhaps
…”

I was sick of this. I needed to get to the hospital, back to Christi. I had to be there when she awoke so that I could assure her that she was truly safe.

I raised my gun and steadied my grip.
“
I promised
my
Christi the responsible ones would pay. I always keep my promises to her.
”