A/N: Warning: A little violence at the end of the chapter. And, yes, Murphy is allowing Louisa to do something slightly dangerous.
A week passed and Margaret learned of two more break-ins.
One was the pizza place where Rocco had killed some of the Italian Mafia lackies and the other one was the drug house where Noah had ambushed Connor, Murphy and Rocco.
She informed Murphy, Connor, Louisa and Romeo about the break-ins and she explained about the messages which had been left on the walls.
"Are you sure whoever is doing this isn't the same people who framed Connor and Murphy after that priest was killed?" Louisa asked while she sat next to Murphy on the couch and her legs were tucked under her.
"It can't be. We killed them," Murphy said.
"And, from the information I have, the rest of the Yakavetta family have not been seen or have been very active in Boston since," Margaret said while she looked at Connor standing at the window. "Nor has there been much Russian or Chinese Mafia activity."
"Do th'police have any ideas on who's doin' this?" Murphy asked.
"I have spoken with Detectives Duffy and Dolly, but our conversation was interrupted when whoever this is broke into the strip club," Margaret said.
"Why aren't they here helping us figure out what's going on?" Romeo asked.
"They don't want to be involved."
"They don't?" Louisa asked.
"Apparently they are tired of your shit," Margaret said as she looked at Murphy and Murphy smiled.
"Assholes," Connor grumbled.
Margaret looked at him when she walked to Connor as they stood in silence and Murphy pointed to Louisa and Romeo for them to leave the room. They got up as they headed down the hallway and Connor watched their reflections moving in the glass. Margaret looked at him as Connor sighed and he placed the palm of his left hand against the glass.
"I need t'ask a favor," Connor finally said.
"What sort of favor?"
"There is this place I wanna check out, but there is a chance I might have t'do some illegal stuff."
"Like what?"
"Breakin' an' entry."
"I see."
"An' it's not jus' me who's goin'. I wanna take Murphy with me."
"Does he know that he's going?"
"Not yet."
"Do you need anything?"
His eyes went wide as he looked at her and she grinned.
"You're gonna let me do summat illegal?" he asked.
"Would you have still done it if I had said no?"
"Uh, aye, I would."
"What do you need?"
He didn't speak for a few seconds then he grinned and he looked toward the armory.
"We're gonna do what?" Murphy asked as Connor loaded a lockpick kit, four flashlights and four gasmasks into a small tote bag.
"We're gonna break into McGinty's," Connor said.
"Why?"
"Not sure."
"You're not sure?"
"Look, when we were there th'other day, I felt like there was summat wrong."
"Wrong how?"
"Dunno."
Murphy sighed when Margaret walked in the armory and she held something in her arms.
"What's that?" Connor asked.
"It's something I realized was missing."
She held her arms out as they walked to her and she held up two black Navy peacoats. They looked at each other then they looked at her and they took the black Navy peacoats. She watched them put on the black Navy peacoats and she felt liked the world was in slow motion. Connor picked up the small tote bag as they left the armory and she watched them head for the elevator. Margaret was surprised when she saw Romeo, dressed in his black leather jacket, a black t-shirt, black jeans and black leather boots, and Louisa, dressed in her black leather jacket, a black sweater, black jeans and her black ankle boots, standing in front of the elevator door. She didn't say a word as Connor pushed the button and the elevator doors opened. After they had walked in the elevator car and the doors closed, the twins stood side-by-side with Louisa and Romeo standing behind them as they placed the sunglasses on and they looked straight ahead.
McGinty's
Connor knelt in front of the door to the bar as he removed the lockpick kit from the small tote bag and he opened the lockpick kit.
Romeo checked to see if they were being watched as Connor started to pick the lock and Murphy frowned.
"Where'd you learn how t'pick a lock?" Murphy asked.
"I told you. I know shit," Connor said.
Louisa had removed a flashlight from the small tote bag as she held the flashlight steady while Connor used the lockpick tools to unlock the door and a soft clicking sound alerted them the lock was open. Connor put the lockpick tools back into the kit while he placed the lockpick kit back into the small tote bag then he stood and he opened the door. Murphy picked up the small tote bag when Connor removed the other flashlights then he closed the small tote bag. Murphy put the strap over his right shoulder as they walked inside and Connor held the door open.
"Fuck," Murphy said as the musty smell hit his nose and Louisa and Romeo coughed. Connor opened the small tote bag when he removed some gasmasks and he held on gasmask in his right hand as he handed one to Murphy, one to Louisa and one to Romeo. They placed the gasmasks on as Connor closer the small tote bag and they shined the light around the room. They walked toward the bar as Murphy started making loud breathing sounds and Connor glared at him.
"Don't do that!" Connor warned.
"Do what?"
"Stop soundin' like Darth Vader."
"I would never do that."
"You did do it in th'middle of th'night when we were kids. It scared th'crap outta me!"
Murphy, Louisa and Romeo laughed as Connor shook his head and Murphy and Connor went to check the bar. The shelves were empty and covered in dust and Murphy shined the light around the room. He stopped at one spot as he looked up at the ceiling and Connor wondered what he was looking at.
"That's where I kissed Lou during the Christmas party," he said, shining his light toward her then up at the ceiling and she looked up.
"I remember," she said with a small smile.
Romeo shined the light toward the office as he pointed and they headed for the door. Murphy shined the light on the lock after he handed Connor the lockpick kit and Connor used the lockpick tools to unlock the door. He placed the lockpick kit back in the small tote bag as they shined the light inside the office and they went inside. They looked around the room when Romeo saw something on the note board and he frowned.
"What's that?" Romeo asked. On the note board was a photograph of Connor, Murphy, Rocco, Louisa, Dorothy and Dixon and they were smiling. Doc had taken the photograph on New Year's Eve and the twins looked at each other. Murphy noticed the cigarette he had in his left hand and his right arm was around Louisa.
"Hmmph," Murphy said.
"What?" Connor asked.
"When was th'last time we smoked?" he asked and Connor saw the cigarette in the photograph.
"I think it was when we had that dream where we talked t'Rocco."
They left the office while Connor closed the door then he shined the light around the room and he walked over to where the booths used to be. He stood in one spot as he shined the light around in a circle and Murphy walked to him.
"This is where our booth use t'be," Connor said. Both of them made a loud sigh as Murphy shined the light toward the delivery room and he nodded his head. They headed for the back of the bar when Connor shined the light up the stairs which lead to the storage room and they looked at each other.
"Let's go upstairs," Connor said.
Murphy tested the stairs as they slowly walked up to the door to the storage room and Connor knelt down. Murphy handed him the lockpick kit then he held the flashlight and Connor started picking the lock. A few minutes later, he put the lockpick kit back in the small tote bag then he stood up and he opened the door. They walked inside while they shone the light around the room and Murphy shined the light on the pool table. His mind replayed some of the good times they had when they lived there and he felt Louisa's fingers touching the fingers of his left hand. They looked around the room when they heard something moving downstairs and they turned the flashlights off. They carefully walked to the top of the stairs when they saw the lights from flashlights and Murphy looked at Connor.
"Oh great," Romeo whispered.
"I knew this was a bad idea," Murphy whispered.
Connor went to check the door to the fire escape, but the door was locked and he saw the angry look on Murphy's face. They heard footsteps as the lights came closer and they went back into the storage room. Connor closed the door behind them when he locked the door as they went to stand against the wall and they tried not to breath too hard. Murphy nudged Connor as Connor shrugged and Murphy rolled his eyes
"What do we do now?" Louisa whispered. Murphy looked at the pool table when he pointed and they quickly ran to the pool table. Connor watched Murphy and Louisa crawl under the pool table then Connor and Romeo went to hide under the pinball machines.
"Are you sure the caller said they saw someone breaking in here?" a man's voice asked.
"Yeah," the other man's voice said.
"Why would someone want to break in here? There is nothing to steal."
"Maybe they were looking for somewhere to sleep."
They heard the sound of the door handle moving as Murphy held onto Louisa and she slid her right arm over his stomach.
"It's locked."
"Maybe whoever broke in is still downstairs. Go check the bathrooms."
"You go check the bathrooms."
"Just go!"
They heard the sounds of footsteps moving away from the door as Connor looked out from under the pinball machine and he saw the light moving under the door.
"Fuck this," the man's voice said and they heard the footsteps walking away.
Connor and Romeo crawled out from under the pinball machines then they headed for the door and Connor slowly unlocked the door. He opened the door as he listened to the silence then he signaled Murphy that it was alright for him and Louisa to coming out of hiding. Murphy growled as he and Louisa crawled out from under the pool table then the four of them walked out of the room and Connor closed the door. They quietly went down the stairs as Connor looked into the bar and he nodded. They headed for the door as Connor checked the door and he sighed.
"Don't tell me it's locked," Romeo said.
"Alright, I won't. Where is the tote bag?" Connor asked.
"I left it upstairs," Murphy said.
"Go get it."
Murphy shoved Connor when he went back upstairs and Connor leaned against the door. Murphy came back a few minutes later when he shoved the small tote bag at him and Connor removed the lockpick kit. Murphy turned the flashlight on as he shone the light on the lock and Connor knelt down. A few minutes later, Connor stood as he placed the lockpick kit, gasmasks and the flashlights back in the small tote bag and Connor opened the door. He peeked his head out as he nodded and they left the building. Connor closed the door as they headed down the sidewalk and Murphy held Louisa against his side.
"Except for nearly getting caught by the cops, that was kind of fun," Louisa said and Murphy arched an eyebrow.
"Don't get used to it," he said and she nodded while she leaned her head against his upper arm.
Standing in front of the whiteboard, Margaret was looking the photographs of the places where they had found the message when she crossed her arms over her chest and the soft pinging from the elevator made her turn. The elevator doors slid open while the twins walked out of the elevator car and she saw the anger on Murphy's face.
"What happened?" Margaret asked.
"We nearly got caught," Murphy said while Louisa and Romeo went to hang up their leather jackets and Margaret saw the anger in his eyes.
"Hey! How was I supposed t'know someone would call the cops?!" Connor asked as he placed the small tote bag on the couch and he removed his black Navy peacoat.
"Someone call the police?" Margaret asked.
"Aye," Murphy said and he went to place his black Navy peacoat in the closet.
"We had t'hide in th'upstairs storage room. Luckily, I locked th'door or they would've found us," Connor said while walking to Margaret and she gave him an angry look. "What?"
Sighing, she rolled her eyes and he shrugged.
"Did you find anything?" Margaret asked.
"We found a lot of dust an' an old photo in Doc's office," Murphy said.
"A photo?" Margaret asked.
"It was an old photo of me, Connor, Lou, Dorothy, Dix and Rocco."
"Who are Dorothy and Dix?"
Louisa knew Margaret had been informed about what happened to her and Norman as she explained who Dorothy and Dixon were and Margaret nodded.
"We need t'go back and check the delivery room." Connor said as he removed his black Navy peacoat then he went to put the black Navy peacoat in the closet.
"Not tonight," Margaret said and he nodded.
Louisa went to stand next to Margaret as she looked at the photographs and she titled her head side-to-side. She had learned to spot differences in photographs and she reached over to move the first two photographs.
"Why did you do that?" Margaret asked.
"They're out of order," Louisa said as she pointed to the first two photographs. "See, this one is the newspaper article about what happened to Connor and Murphy the day after Saint Patrick's Day and this shows what happens."
"She's right," Connor said. Romeo had gone into the kitchen to get something to eat as he held the white paper box of Chinese noodles in his right hand and he walked to the whiteboard, titling his head to one side.
"But it was found in your old apartment," Margaret said.
"Maybe it was put there to lead you to the alley," Romeo said, using the fork to scoop some noodles into his mouth. They looked at him as he chewed then he swallowed and he frowned. "What?"
"You're right," Margaret said and he grinned.
"But what about th'hotel where we killed those Russian guys? You didn't find a message there," Murphy said.
"That's because there are people staying in that room."
"Someone was stayin' at our place, too," Connor said.
"True."
"Did whoever was living there return after the break-in?" Louisa asked.
"No."
"Weird."
"What about the hospital you guys went to after Connor jumped off the roof?" Romeo asked, looking at Connor.
"Th'only one who knew which hospital we went to was Doc," Connor said.
"What about the precinct? You guys spent the night there," Louisa said.
"No, there wasn't any break-in or messages found there either," Margaret said.
"Hunh. You'd think, if whoever's doing this is following a pattern, they would have gone there," Romeo said as he scooped in another mouthful of noodles.
"He's right," Louisa said.
"But they went to th'strip club an' th'pizza place," Connor said, looking at the photographs.
"What happened at th'pizza place had nothin' t'do with us. Rocco did that." Murphy said.
"Aye, he did."
"Hold on. You weren't there?" Margaret asked as she looked at the photograph of the pizza place.
"Nope, we were doin' summat else."
"What about the drug house?"
"That's where we got ambushed by…"
"By who?" Romeo asked, slightly widening his eyes.
"By Il Duce," Margaret said. Murphy had explained to him who Il Duce was and Romeo nodded. Connor studied the photographs when he noticed something and he titled his head to one side.
"Summat missin'," Connor said.
"What's missing?"
"Well, t'start with, th'meat packing factory. That's where we used t'work."
"There was no break-on or message."
"What about th'place where we got our weapons?"
"No one knew where it is, but us," Murphy said, pointing at himself, Connor then Romeo.
"What about Rocco's place an' his ma's house?"
"His former apartment was rented to someone else and his mother's house was sold," Margaret said.
"Where are you goin' with all this?" Murphy asked while he looked at Connor.
"All th'places I mentioned are missing one person," Connor said. Margaret thought for a few seconds when she realized who he was talking about and he arched his eyebrows up.
"Who are you talking about?" Romeo said after he had chewed and swallowed another mouthful of noodles.
"Smecker," Margaret said.
"Smecker?" Murphy asked while he walked to the whiteboard and he looked at the photographs.
"Yes. He investigated all these places."
"Didn't he investigate the hotel room where the Russian Mafia guys were killed?" Louisa asked.
"Yes."
"He was also th'one who interrogated us an' he let us spend th'night in th'holdin' cell after I asked him if it was alright t'stay there instead of talkin' to th'press," Murphy said.
"So, that's all the places where he went, right?" Romeo asked, pointing the fork at the whiteboard.
"No, there is one more place," Margaret said as she placed the photograph of the Yakavetta's house on the whiteboard.
"He was there?" Connor asked.
"According to an eyewitness, yes."
Connor and Murphy looked at each other as they had a silent conversation then they looked at the whiteboard.
"No," she said with a shake of her head. "I know you two want to go search the house, but not tonight."
The look they gave her was chilling as she stood her ground and Connor walked to the bookcase. He pushed the book in as the bookcase moved and they walked into the armory. Romeo had gone down the hallway to his room while he walked to the dresser, opened the drawer and he removed the chrome plated gun. He walked out of the room then he walked back to the living room and he held up the gun.
Louisa walked into the armory while Murphy looked at her and he slid two guns with silencers into the holsters he had strapped to his hips. She didn't say anything as she held up his black Navy peacoat and he nodded. She helped him put the black Navy peacoat on and she closed the buttons.
"Damn, you look so sexy in this coat," she whispered and he felt a blush moving across his cheeks.
"Is it givin' you naughty thoughts?" he asked and she nodded.
"I know it's impossible for you to promise me you, Connor and Romeo won't get hurt, but can you promise me to be careful?"
"I can try," he said as he gave her a hug.
"I love you."
"I know," he said while he leaned down and kissed her lips.
Connor looked at them when he put two guns with silencers into the holsters on his hips and he nodded his head. Murphy and Louisa followed him out of the armory and Connor pushed the button. The bookcase closed while Romeo placed on his leather jacket after he had tucked the gun into the back of his jeans and he handed Connor his black Navy peacoat. Turning, Connor put on his black Navy peacoat then he saw Margaret standing behind him and she saw the cold look in his eyes.
"If you are going to do this, you're going to need this," Margaret said, holding up a cord of rope with a grappling hook on the end.
Smiling, he took the cord of rope and she blushed when he lightly kissed her cheek.
"I love you," he whispered and he placed the cord of rope over his right shoulder.
Murphy, Connor and Romeo headed for the elevator when Connor pushed the button as the elevator doors opened and they walked inside the elevator car.
"Uh, Guys, do you remember how to get to the house?" Romeo asked. The twins looked at each other while Connor pushed the button to keep the doors open and Murphy sighed.
"Well, seeing how I know how to get to the house, I guess I'll be going with you," Margaret said, walking to get her black leather jacket out of the closet and she placed the black leather jacket on. She walked in the elevator car while Murphy looked at Louisa and she gave him a sad look. He mouthed "I love you." as she nodded and she sighed as she watched the elevator doors close.
Smecker heard the heavy footsteps coming closer when he felt his hair being pulled back and he growled.
"They nearly found you," the voice said.
"Who the hell are you talking about?" he asked.
"You'll find out soon enough."
"Fuck you."
Smecker felt a sharp pain moving across his jaw after he was hit and his tongue moved over his teeth. A tooth fell onto his tongue as he spit the tooth out and his head was harshly pushed forward. He then felt someone punching his stomach three times as bile rolled up his throat and he blacked out.