Page 77 of Dublin's Danger Dancer

“Ah, if I hadn’t done it, someone else would have done. You know of all the drug and girl busts I’ve done. The flow only pauses for two hours before some other low-life scrum replaces whoever’s been arrested. I work with the grain and not against it.”

I hurl saliva from the back of my throat and spit angrily in his face. The saliva mixes with blood and dirt dripping down his chin.

“You’re a feckin gobshite. I haven’t got a clue who you are.”

“When the guards find out what you’ve done to me, they’re going to make your life a living hell,” sneers Fergus.

“You mean when you tell them after they dredge your body up from the river Liffey?” asks Liam.

Liam turns his attention to Freddie. “So when I told you to shut that whole side of the business down?” he cocks an eyebrow.

Ferg laughs until Liam lands a punch under his chin.

“And lose €500 million a year. You were off your head if you think I’d do that. Ya da would be turning in his grave if he knew how you were running the business he worked his fingers to the bone to build.”

“Let that fucker turn. Maybe he’ll make some room for you to join him.”

Freddie picks up his gun, but Liam is faster. A bullet casing strikes the floor as Freddie clutches his bleeding foot.

“Your mother wouldn’t have wanted this. She was a good woman.”

“She was trafficked into this country with feckin chains around her ankles. You stole her from everything and everyone she’d ever loved.”

“She was happy with your da. And she loved you. God, did she love you.”

“And you and da couldn’t stand that, so you had me plant a car bomb to kill her. But now is a good time to tell you, I killed your beloved brother. I killed da.”

“That prick Connor Lafferty killed ya da. That’s why he fled Dublin. That’s why he walks around London with a ton of security.”

“No, I killed my da. I took his gun and I shot him. And now I’m going to do the same to you.”

“As much as I’m loving the family revelations, I have dinner plans with Anastasia and she’s a real bitch if I’m late.” Admir says.

“Shut up!” Liam shouts. “This doesn’t make any sense. I never saw him at the house. But you say he’s on the payroll.”

Liam backs away from him regarding him carefully.

“He is one of the coppers we use to traffic the girls.” Freddie says.

Admir steps forward. “It’s a sophisticated network. Every time there’s a raid on a nightclub, the police kidnap a few girls. Sometimes parents come looking for them, sometimes not, presuming they’ve gone off with someone. It’s really the perfect setup. “

“And this bastard has a house in St Tropez off the money we paid him.” Freddie sneers, holding his foot.

I feel like someone’s rubbed stinging nettles over my arterial valves.

“What does any of this have to do with me?”

“Give it up, officer,” says Admir. “He told us you were one of his undercover operatives. The best, he says. “Your cover is blown. And now you will die.” He points the gun at me.

Liam steps in front of him. ‘If anyone is going to kill her. It will be me." He pushes Admir’s gun down to the floor.

Fergus is barely conscious as Liam rounds the back of him and puts his arm under his chin, pulling him into a headlock.

“Tell me now that she is one of yours and we can work together,” Liam says, raising his eyes at me. His once soft clear blue eyes are bloodshot, angry and out for my blood.

“I met her last night. They made me say what I just said.” Fergus protests.

“You lying son of a bitch.” Freddie takes his gun points at Fergus’ foot and shoots. The bullet goes straight through and disappears beneath into the hull of the ship.

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