Chapter 53: I Could Not Foresee This Thing Happening to You

(The Rolling Stones)

When she quietly entered the room, she found Connor lying on the bed, nursing a black eye and bloody knuckles. She quickly searched for Murphy, and found him sitting on the bathroom floor, keeping his head down. His nose was bleeding; drops were forming a dark red pool between his bent up legs, and he was doing nothing to stop it. They both looked like they had lost the fight.

As much as she wanted to feel sorry for them, all she managed to think was how mad she was at them. They should be supporting each other in a time like this, yet they behaved like apes.

Murphy only glimpsed at her before he averted his eyes when she entered the bathroom. She dumped the sandwich and half of the ice rolled up in a towel at his feet. He felt too shitty to even acknowledge her presence. Fine. She didn't feel like talking to him either right now.

She returned to the bedroom. Connor had sat up to watch her warily. He extended a hand to her and opened his mouth to talk, but she simply tossed the food and ice on his lap before she turned away from him. He probably would argue that he was trying to defend her, but she knew it wasn't ultimately true. He had lashed out at Murphy just like Murphy had at her, and he had only managed to hurt her more.

When she slumped on the chair by the window, she saw him clench his fist, reining back his own anger, and he laid back down, mumbling curses.

She could have left the room; she certainly didn't want to be near them right now, and there was no way she was going to lie on this bed with him. Though she didn't want to go too far. The chair was a good compromise. She curled up in a ball and closed her eyes. They only needed time.

Tomorrow. She'd forgive them tomorrow. When they'd all have time to mellow out.

She woke up cold and alone in the early morning. They were arguing downstairs, so she guardedly walked down; everything but a fight, please…

"Ye two can't risk it right now," she heard Noah's heavy brogue say to the twins.

"Ye just said ye're on parole. Ye can't be caught driving a suspicious van!"

"What's going on?"

Three pairs of similar blue eyes turned to her, before Murphy's turned away and Connor's shot down to the floor.

"Come down and have some coffee, dear." Noah helpfully said.

Part of her wanted nothing but to fly away from this place. She couldn't deal with this. Half of her thought she needed to force a hug on them until everything was alright again; the other half thought she might slap them silly the moment they'd open their mouth.

When Connor spoke, though, she just buried her eyes into her fresh cup of coffee.

"I called Smecker this morning. He told us we need to get rid of the van ASAP. It got caught on CCTV near Yakavetta's house and the police is searching for it. They only have a partial plate, but it's better to be safe. He told us how to do it discreetly and everything. But Noah, here, says it's too risky for us to show ourselves driving it. While he's the one with a record."

"If ye're checked by the police, Son, they could link ye to the other murders."

"We don't have much choice, do we? We can't leave it on the street. I'm just going to dump it on the old docks, swipe the thing and come back. Easy."

"I'll do it."

The three piercing pair of eyes turned briskly to her again.

"No ye won't." Murphy grumbled, opening his mouth for the first time.

She glared at him. "Aye I will. No one will ever believe I'm linked to any of these slaughters."

"Tin', it's too risky-" Connor started but she ignored him.

"Ye just said it was easy. If there's a control, I'll play dumb, tell them I'm driving this thing for work."

"We won't let ye-"

"Ye think, with the way ye two are looking this morning, ye won't draw attention to yerselves?" she pointed at their mangled faces, swelled, cut and bruised.

"What if the mob is looking for it too?" Murphy spat.

"Then, it's another reason I should do it. They know ye; they don't know me."

"Tin'-"

"There is no argument. I'm going."

They were upset, however, as she'd say, they had no argument. So they both turned to Noah like kids expecting their father to be on their side.

"They're right, dear. It is dangerous and-"

"I heard ye're on parole, right? So, I don't even know why we're still talking. Ye three have to remain free; ye have a job to finish." She made sure both boys understood what she meant: they had Rocco to avenge. So they couldn't take that kind of risk. She could.

She set her mug on the table; she'd just remembered that the van keys were still in her pocket anyway. So, if they wanted to stop her, they'd have to wrestle them out of her. And neither boys dared to touch her this morning.

She grabbed the ammonia in one of the duffel bags, some cleaning rags for the prints, her coat from the hanger and, when Noah had given her all the specifics despite the twins queasy looks, she walked to the door. Though she hated that they parted on bad terms, it would have to wait until this was dealt with.

The fresh air would do her good; she'd use it to cool down so, when she'd get back, she would take the time to make peace with both of them, and help them through their grief. Right now, even their concern was pissing her off.

Still, she took pity on them and turned one last time before leaving. Both boys were standing, having taken a few steps toward her with clenched fists, without being so bold as to get in her way.

"I'll be right back, I promise."

After only one hour, Murphy was losing his mind. After two, Connor was compulsively calling Smecker, to no avail: he didn't know anything. After three, even Noah had to admit something was definitely awry. They went out with his car, looking for her, but couldn't find her. Only the van was right where she was supposed to dump it.

By the time the evening came, their anguish was palpable. No one could talk without Murphy blowing up in their face, and Connor had lapsed into complete silence, except when he laconically called Smecker every half hour. Thankfully, Noah was remaining practical; he managed to keep them from doing anything too stupid. Though even he had to face the facts and his own dread:

She had disappeared.