After Louisa had left the van, she started walking down the sidewalk when she thought she heard someone walking behind her and she stopped. The air was suddenly ice cold when she caught the scent of tobacco and whiskey and she felt like someone was standing behind her.
"Go back to th'bar, lass. They need you," Noah's voice said in her right ear and she spun around. No one was behind her as she ran down the sidewalk and she headed for McGinty's.
McGinty's
To Margaret, the world had slowed down.
She watched Baker fire his gun three times and Murphy, Connor and Smecker fell to the floor.
She didn't remember taking the gun out of her holster as she fired the gun and she shot Baker twice in the chest and once in stomach.
His body fell to the floor when the world returned to normal and she heard someone running in the bar.
"No!" Louisa shouted as she ran into the room and she dodged the people who tried to stop her. She knelt down next to Murphy while one of the medics tried to examine him and she pushed the medic away. "Stay away from him!"
"Let them do their job," Romeo said. He gently put his arms around her after he had knelt down next to her and she buried her face in his neck.
Margaret went to kneel next to Connor as she glared at the medic and she looked down at Connor. He looked so peaceful as she sighed then she glared at Dolly and Duffy.
"Miss Stone, what do you want us to do with these guys?" a man asked.
"I want them taken in for questioning," she said through her teeth as she tried not to shoot Duffy and Dolly.
"Wait! Are you arresting us!?" Duffy demanded.
"Be grateful I don't have you shot!"
Dolly and Duffy were led out of the room as she looked down at Connor and he smiled up at her after he half opened his eyes.
"That's my girl," Connor whispered. She leaned down to kiss his lips as he took in a deep breath through his nose then he winced and a small moan came from his lips. "Christ."
"Lord's name." Murphy grumbled while Louisa let go of Romeo and she moved closer to Murphy. He opened his eyes as she leaned over to kiss him and he blinked his eyes a few times.
"What do you see?" Louisa whispered.
"I see you," he said, grinning.
"You scared the fuck out of me."
"Did you ferget what I'm wearin'?" he asked while the medic opened the black Navy peacoat. Murphy was wearing black body armor as the medic carefully moved the zipper down and he moved the body armor to expose Murphy's chest. He used a pair of scissors to cut the black sweater when he moved the material back and the medic frowned.
"That's his da's name," Louisa asked after the medic saw the tattoo.
"Oh," the medic said and he started examining Murphy.
Connor had been watching them while the medic examined him and Connor noticed Margaret was holding his left hand.
"Sorry fer scarin' you," Connor said.
"I wasn't scared," Margaret said.
"Pull th'other leg," he said with a grin and she softly laughed.
"Alright, I was scared."
"Remember what I said when you gave these t'us?" he asked as he glanced down at the body armor.
"You said you loved me."
"Aye….," he said as he went silent and she wondered what was wrong.
"Tell her," Murphy said.
"Tell me what?" she asked. Connor wiggled two fingers for her to come closer as she leaned closer and she placed her right ear next to his lips.
"I really do love you," Connor whispered. She felt her heart pounding as she moved back and he waited for her to say something. She was looking at the people gathered in the room while she had an internal conversation with herself and she blinked. She leaned closer until the tips of their noses touched and she smiled.
"I really love you, too," she whispered.
"Say that again."
She couldn't believe he was flirting with her. She felt him rubbing the tip of her nose with the tip of his nose and she blushed.
"I love you."
"A little louder."
She didn't care if everyone was watching as she kissed the tip of his nose then she leaned back, placed her left hand against his chest and she could barely feel his heart thumping against the palm of her hand.
"I love you," she said and he placed his right hand on top of her hand while he looked at Murphy.
"Did you hear that?"
"No, I'm fuckin' deaf," Murphy said and Louisa lightly tapped her fingers against his chest.
"Miss Stone, the ambulances and coroner cars are here," someone said and Margaret nodded.
"I want guards meet us at the hospital," Margaret said while she stood and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Also, I want detailed autopsy reports on Detective Baker and Mister Smecker as well as a full investigation into Detective Baker's background."
"Yes, Miss Stone."
The coroners carefully loaded Baker and Smecker's bodies into the body bags then onto the stretchers when they left the room and she knelt down next to Connor. He was looked up at the ceiling when his eyes moved to look at her and she brushed her fingers through his hair.
"Y'know, when I hear about police officers gettin' shot while wearin' shit like this, I wonder if it hurts. Now I know. It fuckin' does," Connor said.
"And here I thought you were a tough guy," she teased and he smiled.
"Are you fliterin' with me, Miss Stone?"
"Yes. Yes, I am."
Louisa noticed the look Murphy was giving Connor and Margaret when his eyes locked with hers and she brushed her fingers through his hair.
"I thought I told you t'go fer a walk," Murphy said.
"I did go for a walk," Louisa said while the EMTs walked in the room and they headed for Murphy and Connor. "Can we talk about this later?"
"Aye," he said and the EMT knelt down next to him.
"Be careful with them." Margaret ordered after the EMTs loaded Murphy and Connor on the stretchers.
"Yes, Miss Stone," the EMT said. After Connor and Murphy were placed on the stretchers, Margaret, Louisa and Romeo followed them out of the room, but no one noticed the door to the upstairs storage room slowly closing.
A few minutes later, Margaret, Louisa and Romeo sat on the vinyl covered seats in the waiting room when the doctor taking care of Connor and Murphy walked in the room and Margaret stood up.
"Hello, I'm Doctor Michaels." Doctor Andrew Michaels said.
"How are Connor and Murphy MacManus?" Margaret asked.
"They have been examined, but we need to take them to X-ray to learn the full extent of their injuries."
"Can we see them?" Louisa asked.
"She's Murphy MacManus' wife," Margaret explained.
"Yes. Follow me," Andrew said and they walked down the hallway. They stopped at the door to one of the examination rooms and Louisa saw the guards standing in front of the rooms. "Murphy MacManus is in there."
"They were supposed to be put in the same room."
Louisa saw the fear in the doctor's eyes from the cold stare Margaret was giving him and he swallowed the lump in his throat.
"They will be after they return from X-ray," Doctor Michaels said while Louisa walked in the examination room and she headed for the examination bed.
Murphy was sitting up at a slight angle while a pulse clip was connected to his right index finger and a blood pressure cup was wrapped around his right bicep. An intravenous drip needle was taped to his left forearm and she looked up at the plastic bag dangling from the chrome pole next to the bed. She admitted he looked cute in the white hospital gown and he was covered with several blankets. She looked at the screen to the heart monitor when she heard him clear his throat and she glanced at him. She walked to him then she reached down and she took hold of his left hand.
"How are you feeling?" Louisa asked.
"Much better now that you're here," he said with a small grin. The grin faded when he saw the dim light in her eyes and he wrapped their fingers together. "Lou, what's wrong?"
"You nearly died. That's what's wrong. Even though I knew you were ok, seeing you lying there…"
She lowered her head when she let go of his hand, turned and she balled her hands into fists. Suddenly, the alarm sounded from the heart monitor when Andrew, Romeo, Margaret and a nurse ran into the room and Louisa turned to look at Murphy. He had removed the leads connected to his chest, the blood pressure cup and the pulse clip before he pushed himself up and he was sitting on the edge of the examination bed. He held his arms out as she hugged him and she placed her head against his. Andrew walked closer when she moved back and he saw the guilty looks on their faces.
"Sorry about that," Murphy said as the nurse helped him lie down and Andrew examined him.
Margaret left the room when she walked into the next examination room and she looked at Connor.
Connor was sitting up at a slight angle while a pulse clip was connected to his right index finger and a blood pressure cup was wrapped around his right bicep. An intravenous drip needle was taped to his left forearm and she looked up at the plastic bag dangling from the chrome pole next to the bed.
"What happened!?" Connor asked. He had felt sadness and worry coming from Murphy then he heard the alarm and Margaret walked to the examination bed, taking his left hand.
"Murphy tried to get out of bed," she said and he snorted a laugh then he moaned.
"Why am I not surprised," he said and she wrapped their fingers together. The nurse entered the room when she walked to the examination bed and she stood next to Margaret.
"Sorry, but we're going to take him and his brother up to X-ray now," the nurse said.
"Can she go with me?" Connor asked.
"Sure."
Connor watched as she unhooked him from the heart monitor then she connected him to the heart monitor at the back of the examination bed and she pushed the examination bed toward the doorway. They entered the hallway after he saw Louisa and Romeo following Murphy's examination bed down the hallway and Connor leaned his head back against the pillows.
"Hey, Slowpoke, wanna go a little faster!? I've got things t'do," he called out and Margaret softly laughed. Slowly, Murphy raised his right arm when he flipped his middle finger at Connor and Connor smiled.
The next morning, the elevator doors opened while Margaret, Romeo and Louisa walked out into the hallway and they walked down the hallway. Louisa had a plastic bag in her left hand and Margaret was holding onto two file folders. Margaret looked at the guards standing on either side of the door to Murphy and Connor's room and she showed the guards her identification. Louisa and Romeo had been given identification cards as they showed the identification cards to the guards and one of the guards opened the door. They walked in the room as the guard closed the door and Louisa looked at Murphy and Connor.
Connor was awake as he sat at a slight angle and he was watching the television. Murphy was asleep and Louisa noticed the sweet look on his face. The heart monitors, pulse clips, blood pressure cups and the intravenous drips were gone and both of them had bandages wrapped around their chests.
"Hi," Connor said in a soft voice as he turned the volume off and Margaret walked to the bed. She lightly kissed his lips when she carefully sat on the edge of the bed and Romeo sat on the chair next to the bed.
Louisa walked to Murphy's bed when she placed the plastic bag on the small table near the bed then she leaned over and she brushed her fingers through Murphy's hair. He moaned a little as he sighed while his eyes opened and his eyes locked with hers.
"Hullo," Murphy said with a sleepy tone.
"Hello," Louisa said.
"Is that fer me?" he asked, glancing at the plastic bag.
"Yeah," she said, picking up the plastic bag and she opened the plastic bag. She removed a few motorcycle magazines and a small plush black cat and he held the plush cat in his hands after she handed the plush cat to him. She got up when she walked to the other bed and she handed Connor some comic books.
"Don't I get a stuff kitty?" Connor asked. She reached into the plastic bag when she removed a small plush teddy bear wearing doctor scrubs and he smiled.
"Did the doctor tell you anything?" Romeo asked.
"He said we're fine. Jus' a few bruised ribs."
"Did he say when you can be discharged?" Louisa asked.
"He said maybe Friday."
"What's that?" Murphy asked, pointing to the file folders Margaret was holding.
"These are the autopsy reports on Smecker and Baker," Margaret said as she placed one of the file folders on the small table then she opened the other file folder.
"Baker shot Smecker," Connor said.
"Yes, that's true, but Smecker was also suffering from the injuries due to multiple beatings, dehydration and lack of food."
"Do they know who did that to him?" Romeo asked.
"Yes, it was Baker."
"Baker?" Louisa asked while she sat on the edge of Murphy's bed.
"I'll tell you about that it in second. What is really interesting is what we found out about Detectives Duffy."
"What did you find out?"
"We had gotten warrants to search Detective Dolly and Duffy's homes and their desks at the precinct. It turns out Detective Duffy had Smecker's passports."
"Passports? He had more than one?" Connor asked.
"Yes, he did."
"Did Duffy say why he had them?" Murphy asked.
"No, he and Dolly said they won't talk until they have a lawyer."
"So, they're coverin' their asses," Connor said.
"Yes."
"What's goin' t'happen t'them?"
"Or do we wanna know?" Romeo asked.
Louisa noticed the serious look on Murphy's face as she squeezed his fingers and he sighed.
"What's wrong?" Louisa asked.
"I was jus' thinkin' about Smecker," Murphy said.
"Aye, he might have been overenthusiastic when it came t'us an' our callin', but he didn't deserve t'die like that," Connor said while the guard opened the door and a nurse walked in the room.
"Sorry, but I need to examine them," she said.
"We'll wait outside," Margaret said as she picked up the file folders and she led Romeo and Louisa out of the room. They went to sit in the visiting lounge as she stood at the window and she looked out at the cloudy sky.
Boston Logan International Airport
People walked by them while Eunice and Sibeal stood looking at the flight listings and Eunice looked down at the nun's clothing she was wearing.
"I still can't believe they did that," she said, softly.
"It had t'be done."
"But he wasn't evil."
"Aye, he wasn't."
"Then why kill him?"
"He failed t'deliver th'Saints t'them."
"He, we, didn't know where the Saints were."
"Which is why we are goin' into hidin'."
"Are you saying they'll send someone after us?!"
Sibeal nodded. She looked around with her eyes when he headed for the ticket counter and she quickly followed him. After he bought the tickets and they cleared security, they headed for the departure gate and they sat down on the chairs.
"What about Baker?" she asked.
"There is no need t'worry. No one will associate him with us," Sibeal said.
"No, I mean what if he was wearing body armor and he survived being shot? Do you think they'll send him after us?"
"I dunno," he said. He closed his eyes as he started praying and she did the same.
The door opened while Romeo, Margaret and Louisa walked back in the room and Louisa walked to Murphy's bed. He was reading one of the motorcycle magazines when he placed the magazine against his chest and she sat on the edge of the bed.
"So, where were we?" Connor asked, watching Margaret walk to the bed and she sat down on the edge of the bed.
"We were talkin' about why Baker wanted t'kill Smecker," Murphy said.
"I am wondering if his killing Smecker was what you two were supposed to witness," Margaret said.
"Why would he want them to witness that?" Louisa asked.
"Maybe he wanted to assure you Smecker was really dead this time."
"Great," Connor said with a sigh then he winced.
"Careful."
He saw the concern in her eyes as he nodded and they became quiet. He used the remote to flip through the channels when he found an action movie and he looked at Margaret.
"I don't think so," she said. He glanced over at Louisa when he nodded then he changed the channel.
"Hey, I wanted to watch that," Romeo said.
"I think we had enough gunfire for one day," Margaret reminded them and Romeo nodded. Connor found a comedy as they became quiet and Margaret moved up so she was sitting closer to Connor.
Later that night, the nurse walked out of the room while the guard held the door open and she gave him a nod. The guard closed the door as Connor looked at the movie and Murphy was looking at the plush cat. Connor noticed how upset Murphy was after Louisa had left and he felt the sadness coming from his twin.
"Call her," Connor said.
"What?" Murphy asked.
"Call Lou."
"Nah, it's late. She's probably in bed."
"Fuck. This is when Lou went back to New York all over again."
"Drop it."
"No, I'm not gonna drop it."
"Ok," he said, placing the plush cat on the small table. "I scared her today."
"I scared Maggie, too."
"She isn't Maggie," he said with a growl then he winced after he sighed. "Sorry."
"Call her."
Murphy looked at the phone sitting on the night table between the beds when he realized he couldn't turn to reach it and he leaned his head against the pillows.
"Hold on," Connor said. He carefully got out of bed while he picked up the phone, walked to Murphy's bed and he handed Murphy the phone. Nodding, Murphy watched him get back in bed and Murphy picked up the receiver. He read the instruction card on how to use the phone when he pushed the buttons then he held the receiver up to his right ear. He waited until someone picked up on the other end and he heard Louisa sighing.
"Hello?" Louisa asked.
"Hullo," Murphy said.
"How did you get hold of the phone? It's on the night table."
"Connor got it fer me," he said as he paused then he pressed his lips into a thin line. "I… I just wanted t'call an' say I'm sorry. I didn't mean t'scare you."
"Yeah, I know."
"Why didn't you go fer a walk like I told you to?"
"I did go for a walk. But something happened."
"What happened?"
"You're not going to believe me."
"Tell me."
He listened as she told him what happened and Connor noticed the confused look on Murphy's face.
"Are you sure it was Da?" Murphy asked.
"What about Da?" Connor asked and Murphy hushed him.
"I smelt the tobacco from the cigars he used to smoke and the scent of whiskey. And I recognized his voice," she said.
"Shit," he said then he explained to Connor what they were talking about.
"I don't understand why he did that."
"I do. You're our angel," he said. He imagined her blushing as he glanced at the ceiling and he heard her making a small laugh. "Don't laugh. You are."
"Damn right, you are," Connor said.
"See?! Connor agrees with me," he said as he yawned then he moaned. "Sorry."
"No, you're tired. Go to sleep," Louisa said.
"I don't wanna."
"Murphy MacManus, if you don't go t'sleep right now, I am gonna call yer ma?" she said and he loved it when she used her accent.
"No! Please! Don't call Ma!" he said with mock fear in his voice and Connor winced as he tried hard not to laugh.
"Then say goodnight."
"Good night."
"I love you."
"I know."
"Now give Connor the phone."
Murphy held out the receiver while Connor carefully got out of bed, walked to Murphy's bed and he took the receiver out of Murphy's hand. He watched Murphy's eyes closing as Murphy made a small sigh and Connor smiled.
"Murphy?"
"No, Connor," Connor said after he held the receiver to his left ear. "Murphy fell asleep."
"Oh. Well, I just wanted to say goodnight."
"Goodnight."
"Night, Connor," she said and she ended the call. He hung up the receiver then he placed the phone back on the night table. He carefully got into bed as he moved the blankets up then he watched Murphy sleeping until his own eyes closed and Connor drifted off to sleep.