"Morning," Romeo said as he stood in front of the stove and Margaret walked in the kitchen. Murphy and Louisa were sitting at the kitchen table while she sat on Murphy's lap and they were reading the morning newspaper. Connor walked to Margaret as he handed her the white coffee mug and he gave her a wink.
"Good morning," Margaret said, taking a sip of coffee.
"Do you have any idea who kept movin' Romeo around?" Murphy asked, looking up from the article he was reading.
"Yes, I do. It was the FBI," Margaret said while she and Connor walked to the kitchen table and he held the chair out for her to sit down. He moved the chair in then he sat down and Romeo walked to the kitchen table with a frying pan in his hand.
"What would the FBI want with me?" Romeo asked as he served breakfast then he went back to get the rest of the food.
"I don't think it was the FBI, but someone who works for them."
"Or they used to," Connor said as he cut the fork into the omelet and he placed the piece of the omelet in his mouth.
"Are you talkin' about Smecker?" Murphy asked and Connor nodded.
"Do you mean Paul Smecker?" Margaret asked.
"You know him?" Louisa asked.
"I heard of him. He was one of the best agents the FBI had. I was saddened to hear of his death," she said as Romeo finished serving breakfast then he sat down and the twins looked at each other.
"He's not dead," Connor said. He explained about seeing Smecker at the prison as she frowned and she pressed her lips together.
"Are you sure he was one of the nuns?"
"Aye, I'm sure."
"Did he know about you?" she asked, looking at Louisa.
"No," Louisa said.
"Why would this Smecker guy want to keep me around?" Romeo said, sipped on some orange juice.
"My guess is you were going to be bait," Margaret said.
"Bait?" Connor asked while Murphy slid him a section of the newspaper.
"Yes. If he is still looking for you, he would use Romeo being alive to cox you out of hiding."
"Like when that guy killed that priest and blame the murder on the Saints?" Romeo asked and she nodded.
"If I'm t'be honest, that wasn't much coxin' us out of hidin' as much as it was savin' our sanity," Murphy said when he looked at Louisa and he sighed. "Not that havin' you there wasn't savin' it, too."
"I know that," Louisa said, carding the side of his head and Margaret smiled.
"If he is th'one who's doin' all this, do you know where he is?" Connor asked.
"No. It's like chasing a ghost or a shadow," Margaret said and she looked out the window while she took a long drink of coffee.
Boston
Smecker stood at the window as he looked out at the people walking by and he took a sip of the whiskey from the glass in his hand. He had bought the twin's former apartment and he had been careful when he went outside. He was also careful with who he talked to, but the people he spoke to had no idea where the Saints were. Some even told him they had no idea who the Saints were.
"Assholes," he whispered. He shot back the rest of the whiskey when he placed the glass in the sink and he headed for the door. He had dressed in black boots, black jeans, a black leather belt, a black sweater and a black knit cap. He wore a black wig and a false moustache and he put on dark lens sunglasses. He opened the door as he left the apartment and he closed the door. He headed for the elevator when he pushed the button to summon the elevator and the doors opened as he walked inside the elevator car. He pushed the buttons as the doors closed and he watched the number moving. When the doors opened, he walked out of the elevator car and he left the building. He looked around when he headed down the sidewalk and he placed his hands in the jean pockets. Suddenly, he felt something against the middle of his back and he cured himself for not brining a gun.
"If you turn around or do anything, you'll be dead before you hit the ground," the voice from behind him said and he noticed they were using a voice changer.
"Mind telling me what this all about?" he said while he walked by some people, but no one looked at him or whoever it was behind him.
"No."
They kept walking when he felt whatever was against his back poke him to turn to the left as they went into an alleyway and he saw the open doors to a black van. He felt a sharp push as he went to the van and he got inside. The last thing he felt was something slamming into the back of his head while the world went black and he fell forward. The doors to the van slammed shut then the black van slowly left the alleyway and the black van headed down the street.
Two hours later, Detective Dolly, Detective Duffy and their new partner, Detective Mike Baker, walked out of the elevator car and they headed down the hallway. The landlord had called the station to report a break-in in one of the apartments and they saw the officers standing outside the apartment. They showed the officers their identifications before they went inside the apartment and they looked at the spartanly furnished room. They examined the apartment when Dolly found several passports hidden in the dresser drawer and he showed them to Duffy. Even though the photographs looked different, they recognized Smecker and they looked at each other.
"Find anything?" Baker asked while he opened the wardrobe and he looked at the clothes.
"Nope," Duffy said, sliding the passports into his suit jacket pocket. He turned to leave when he saw the newspaper article pinned to the wall with a butcher knife and he walked to the couch. He placed on a pair of vinyl gloves when he carefully removed the butcher knife from the wall and he took hold of the newspaper article. "Dolly, take a look at this."
Dolly and Baker walked to him as Duffy showed them the newspaper article and Dolly frowned.
"That's the story about…," Dolly said and Duffy nodded. The article was about what happened to Murphy and Connor the day after Saint Patrick's Day and at the bottom of the article was THEY WILL PAY!.
Costa Rica
The wind moved through Murphy's hair while he sat on the hillside and a thin mist swirled around him. Louisa knelt in the grass as she took some photographs of him and he lightly tilted his head while he smiled at her. She loved how photogenic he was, but he just laughed when she suggested he should do some modeling.
"Are you jus' gonna take photos of me?" he asked.
"I can't help it. I love my subject," she teased. She stood as she looked around then she took some photographs of the mist covered landscape. It felt like they were all alone in the world and the mist lightly moved over her skin. He got up when he stretched his arms over his head and she saw a peek of his stomach when his shirt rose up. He gave her a blank look as he walked to her and he took the camera out of her hands. She had taught him how to use the camera as he took a few photographs of her then he handed her the camera back.
"Let's go," he said. She followed him to the motorcycle as she placed the camera in the small storage on the back of the motorcycle and he locked the small storage. He handed her the helmet as she placed the helmet on then he placed on the other helmet. He mounted the motorcycle when he pushed the button to start the engine and she went to sit behind him. She held onto his waist as he steered the motorcycle down the trail and the mist swirled around them.
Margaret stood in the doorway as she watched the motorcycle moved down the road and she felt her stomach lurch when Murphy slowly stood up. He sat back down as he steered the motorcycle toward the driveway and he turned the engine off. They removed the helmets then he helped Louisa off the motorcycle and Margaret walked toward them.
"Do you have to do that?" Margaret asked.
"Do what?" Murphy asked.
"Stand up while you're riding your bike."
"Can't help it if my butt gets tired."
She softly laughed as they headed for the front door and they went inside. She closed the door while Murphy placed the helmets on the shelf near the door and Louisa helped him take off his leather jacket. She removed her leather jacket then she placed the leather jackets in the closet and Murphy noticed the look on Margaret's face.
"What's wrong?" Murphy asked.
"Follow me," she said as they headed across the living room then they headed down the hallway. Connor and Romeo were in the meeting room as they sat at the circular table and Murphy and Louisa sat down. Margaret stood at the head of the table as she placed the palms of her hands on the top of the table and she looked at them. "I have been contacted by one my agents in Boston. It appears someone broke into your old apartment."
"That's happened before," Connor said.
"Yes, but this time something was left."
"What sort of summat?" Murphy asked.
"It was a newspaper article about what happened to you the day after Saint Patrick's Day in nineteen ninety-nine."
"You mean the article about those Russian mafia guys who broke in their apartment and nearly killed them?" Louisa asked while her fingers lightly moved over the faded scar on Murphy's right wrist.
"Yes."
"Do they know who left it?" Connor asked.
"No."
"Was it taped to th'wall or summat?"
"It was pinned to the wall with a butcher knife."
"Were there any prints on th'knife?"
"No, it was wiped clean. As was the newspaper article."
"Do they know who was livin' there?" Murphy asked.
"The landlord said he didn't remember."
"Aye, of course he wouldn't remember. Most of th'people livin' there were in th'country illegally," Connor said.
"Do we know who is in charge of the investigation?" Louisa asked.
"Yes, it's Detectives Duffy and Dolly and Baker," Margaret said.
"We've worked with Duffy an' Dolly before. Never heard of this Baker guy," Connor said.
"You've worked with them?" she asked, arching her eyebrows up.
"Well, more like they kept what we did a secret."
"Well, I have been assigned to go to Boston to find…," Margaret said.
"We're goin' with you."
"No, you two are still wanted for murder and Romeo is an escaped prisoner. There is no way I'm…"
"We can wear disguises."
"An' we'll dye our hair," Murphy said.
"You gonna dye your hair blonde?"
"I might."
"Oh, that'll be a sight."
"What do you mean by that!?"
"Nothin', Pony Boy!"
Growling, Murphy got up when he pulled Connor off the chair and he pushed Connor backwards. Growling, Connor dived at Murphy as they landed on the floor and they started rolling on the floor while punching each other.
"Oh brother," Romeo said with a grin.
"Guys! Guys!" Louisa shouted as she and Romeo got up and they tried to separate the twins. They finally got the twins separated as Connor and Murphy sat down and Margaret sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Fine. I will find a way for all of us to go. Until then…," Margaret said.
"No, Lou stays here," Murphy said and Louisa glared at him.
"Will you stop being so protective of me," Louisa said.
"I was…"
She got up when she took his hand and he stood. They walked of the room as she closed the door then she led him down the hallway. She led him to the sliding door to the deck as she opened the door and they walked outside. He watched her close the sliding door as she walked to him and she slid her arms around his waist. Their eyes locked as she looked at the storm coming into the icy blue of his eyes and she arched her eyebrows up.
"I know why you're like this. You keep seeing me as this blind…," she said when he placed his right index finger against her lips and he shook her head.
"I don't see you as th'blind woman standin' in th'hallway all those years ago. I see my wife."
"And I see you. Also, I can take care of myself. You and Connor taught me how to fight. You taught me how to use a gun. But, most importantly, I want to do this."
"All fer one an' one fer all."
"Exactly," she said as she lightly poked him in the chest. He leaned in for a kiss as she slid her arms around his neck and he pressed her against him.
"So, is she goin' with us or not?" Connor called from behind the screen door. Murphy moved back as he turned Louisa around to face Connor and Murphy placed his chin on her left shoulder.
"Aye, she is," Murphy said, smiling sweetly at Louisa.
Boston
The soft pinging sound came from behind the doors to the elevator and the doors slowly opened. Murphy, Connor, Romeo and Louisa left the elevator car as the doors slid closed behind them and they placed the luggage down.
"Damn!" Romeo said as he walked to the large windows and he looked out at the view. Louisa walked to the archway which led to the kitchen as she checked the cupboards, pantry and the refrigerator and she was surprised to see they had enough food to last them a long time. Connor and Murphy noticed the small plaque with two gold hooks embedded in it on the wall near the elevator as they removed their rosaries and they placed the rosaries on the gold hooks.
"This place is…. It's….," Connor said while walking to the white couch and Murphy headed into the kitchen. He watched Louisa looked at the coffee maker and other appliances and he leaned on the archway.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"It makes my loft apartment in New York look like your old apartment," she teased and he laughed.
"Murphy, Lou, get in here! You gotta see this!" Connor called and they left the kitchen. He was standing near what looked like a bookcase as they stood next to Romeo and Connor gave them a smug look. He pushed in one of the books when the bookcase slid into the wall and Murphy and Romeo believed they heard angelic music. The lights came on in the hidden armory as they slowly walked inside and Connor was lightly bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"Shit," Murphy whispered. He walked to the machine gun on a turret and the memory of the machine gun on a turret he had found in the armory when they first went to get weapons appeared in his head. He smiled at pointing the machine gun at Connor after Connor teased him about the knife he had placed in his bag and Murphy moved his hand over the top of the machine gun.
"Yes!" Connor suddenly said and Murphy looked at what he had found. Connor held up a large coil of rope and Murphy lowered his head, shaking it.
"You gotta be kiddn' me," Murphy grumbled.
"Hey, take a look at this!" Romeo said as he held up a chrome plated gun and he pointed it toward Connor.
"Don't point that at me!" Connor said.
"I got the safety on."
Murphy saw Louisa looking at the small guns which could be concealed under someone's sleeves and she picked up one of the guns. She pointed the gun as he tapped her right shoulder and she turned, placing her arm down.
"Want me t'show you how t'wear it?" he asked. She nodded and he showed her how it worked. She lightly pushed the small switch resting on her palm and the small gun slid into her hand.
"Wow," she whispered. She placed the gun back on the shelf after Murphy helped her take off the equipment wrapped around her right forearm then they left the armory and Connor pushed the button. The bookcase slid back into place and Murphy noticed Connor had something behind his back.
"Hand it over," Murphy said, holding his hand out. Sighing, Connor handed him the coil of rope as Murphy pushed the book in, the bookcase slid open and he tossed the rope into the room. He pushed the button as the bookcase slid shut and Connor flipped his middle finger at Murphy.
"Come on. Let's go get unpacked," Louisa said and they went to get the luggage.
Dolly, Duffy and Baker stood in the alleyway outside Connor and Murphy's old apartment building and they looked at the graffiti painted on the wall. The graffiti was a badly drawn broken toilet resting on what looked like two men and THEY WILL PAY! was under the graffiti.
"Are you sure no one saw anything?" Dolly asked.
"According to the neighbors, no one was seen going in or out of the alley," Baker said, looking at the information in his notebook. Duffy looked at the graffiti when he thought about what had happened to Connor and Murphy and his mind replayed the memory of how they met Smecker.
"Hey, Duffy, you ok?" Dolly asked.
"Yeah," Duffy said with a nod then he headed down the alleyway. Dolly and Baker frowned as Dolly shrugged and they went to catch up with him.
Later that night, the lights came up as the soft pinging sound came from the elevator as the elevator doors opened and Margaret walked out of the elevator car. The doors closed behind her when she looked around the living room with her eyes and she headed for the white couch. She looked down as she saw Connor sleeping and she resisted the urge to move her fingers through his hair. She looked at the action movie playing on the television then she reached down to remove the remote from his right hand. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open as he quickly rolled off the couch and he stood up in a defense position.
"Shit," he said, lowering his fists and she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Where are the others?" Margaret asked.
"They went t'bed."
"Go wake them up."
"We're awake," Murphy said. She turned to see him standing in front of Louisa with Romeo standing next to him and both Romeo and Murphy pointed guns at her. Murphy had sensed Connor distress and he had gone to wake Romeo.
"Put your guns down."
Murphy didn't move as Romeo lowered the chrome plated gun and Louisa lightly placed her right hand on Murphy's right forearm. He lowered the gun while Margaret rolled her eyes and they walked to the couch.
"Sorry if I scared you, but I have some news," Margaret said, walking around to the front of the couch and she sat down next to Connor. He had turned the television off as Romeo went to sit in the recliner and Murphy and Louisa went to sit on the other couch. Louisa tucked her legs under her as she leaned into Murphy and she placed her head on his right shoulder.
"What sort of news?" Connor asked.
"I was contacted by one of my people. It appears someone left a rather interesting piece of graffiti in an alleyway."
"So?" Romeo asked with a yawn.
"The alleyway happens to be located near your old apartment building," she said, looking at Connor and Murphy.
"What did the graffiti look like?" Louisa asked.
"It had what appeared to be a broken toilet sitting on top of two men."
Murphy and Connor looked at each other as they had a silent conversation and Margaret looked from one twin to the other.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Romeo asked. Connor explained as Romeo's eyes slightly widened and Murphy slid his arms around Louisa. "Shit."
"Would it be ok fer us t'see th'graffitti?" Connor asked.
"Yes, you can. But you need to be careful," Margaret said, feeling guilty for not telling them about the message under the graffiti and on the newspaper article.
"We will," Romeo said, getting up and he headed down the hallway. Murphy slid his arms under Louisa as he carefully picked her up and they went to follow him. Margaret looked at Connor when he handed her the remote control and she turned the television back on. They watched the movie as he glanced at her from time to time and he knew she would talk to him when she was ready. Sighing, he placed his right arm on top of the couch cushion and he smiled when she slid closer and she leaned against him.