I've already given away my favorite drink. I love lemonade! But not pink lemonade, or raspberry lemonade or any of those other things, just plain old fashion lemonade. I also have yet to find a lemon flavored alcoholic drink I don't enjoy.

Also, I apologies for the delay in posting this, I've been doing some editing to the earlier chapters, nothing big just grammar work and a handful of spelling errors. Little things like that. Here it is and as always, I hope you enjoy.

*My translator stopped working "grumblepoutwhine", so for the sake of ease, since I'm betting most of us don't read Celtic anyways. Anything written in (brackets) was said in Celtic.

"Te Amo"

Chapter 5

Pov- Julie

I was drawn from my sleep by a string of raspy coughs and for a split second couldn't figure out who'd be in my room making all of that noise. Then I remembered, Shilo. I sat up in a heartbeat and found her sitting next to me, taking slow deep breaths.

"You alright?" I asked, hitting the bedside lamp.

She opened her mouth to speak again and coughed. Once she'd calmed back down she looked at me and nodded. I slid out of the bed, shivering as my bare feet hit the cool floor and hurried into the kitchen. Ella, our resident food fairy, had left stuff in my fridge for us. I grabbed a couple of bottles of water and sat back down next to Shilo.

She took the bottle I offered her and tilted her head back to drink. Her throat was a mess of dark bruising and red stitches. "Thanks." She said, her voice still harsh after the water.

"No problem, how's it feel?"

She laid back down on the bed and wiggled under the covers. "Warm and toasty, you should come back to bed."

I grinned at her. "Pulling the tigers tail," I warned. "I almost jumped you last night." I thought I'd be embarrassed to admit that, but I was glad to see the ease with which we had been able to talk last night was still here.

She sat back up, leaning against the headboard and took another long pull from her water bottle. "Say's the girl who wants to eat my stars." She said with a smirk, her eye's glinting playfully when I huffed at her.

"You enjoyed the image of that little fantasy as much as I did. Don't even try to deny it." I defended myself, then our playful flirting was cut off by the roar of my stomach.

She grinned. "We never ate dinner last night."

I wondered back to the kitchen and pulled a couple of wrapped sandwiches out of the fridge along with another round of water. I moved back to my side of the bed and passed her a sandwich. "Think you can manage that?" I asked, hoping the food wouldn't hurt her throat.

She nodded. "It's not so bad after the water." She said carefully massaging at her neck. "The stitches kind of hurt though."

"We can call Bobby up with some pain meds after we eat."

We both dug into our food then, enjoying the quiet of the morning and the comfortable companionship. Shilo set her food away after only half and turned back to her water bottle. "Ok, I lied." She admitted, her voice scratchy and shallow. "Swallowing hurts."

"I bet it's sore for a while, that guy almost strangled you."

I cleaned up after our improvised diner and saw it was only five in the morning. I sent Bobby a text with a request for pain meds when he was up. I plugged my phone in and turned around, leaning against the counter. Shilo had lain back down in my bed, her red hair spilled around her shoulders and the earth tone bed sheets.

She rolled over to face me and caught me watching her. She opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off. "Yes, I see something I like." I said, beating her to the answer of her favorite question.

She grinned at me. "Good to know, however that is not what I was going to ask this time." I raised an eyebrow for her to continue. "I was just remembering a conversation we had a few nights ago." She said. "When I asked you why the men here all call you Tiger."

My turn to grin. "I was wondering when you were going to bring that up again."

"I believe you mentioned a tattoo of your own?" She asked. "I was hoping that since you seem so enthralled by my ink, I might get to enjoy yours."

I pushed off from the counter and moved over to the bed. I sat down near her knees with my back to her and pulled off my shirt. It felt like déjà vu of the night before, only our places were now reversed. I felt the bed shift as she scooted closer. Her knees on either side of my hips and I shivered when her warm finger touched my back.

I'd gotten my tattoo for my ninetieth birthday without my mother's knowledge. She still didn't know I had it, unless Ranger had told her. The full-bodied tiger was poised along my back, his front paw starting at the base of my neck and the tip of his tail ending at the bottom of my spine. He was facing my body; his claw's out to make it look like he was holding onto me, but his head was turned in profile so everyone could see his face.

I shivered again when she traced a finger lightly down my spine. I turned my head to see her reaction and she smiled at me. "He's beautiful." Her fingers started to move again tracing along the flames that licked around his paws and the stripes that coated his body. I'd added no color to the tattoo, afraid that orange ink might not come out well with my darker skin tone.

When her finger hit the bottom of my bra, she paused. "Would you mind if I unclipped this?" She asked her voice soft and questioning. I shook my head, not trusting my voice, and crossed my arms over my chest to keep it in place as her fingers easily undid the hooks.

With the obstacle out of her way, she continued her path up my back, leaving goose bumps behind. "Tiger, definitely makes sense now." She said. "I think this is very appropriate for you."

I never got the chance to ask her why she thought that. At that moment someone knocked gently on my bedroom door and I jumped liked I'd been taserd. I felt Shilo pull away from me and was mad our moment had been interrupted.

I quickly righted my bra and pulled my shirt down, moving towards the door. Bobby was standing in the hallway and he grinned at me when I glared out at him. "Morning!"

I narrowed my eyes at him. He was freshly shaved and washed, looking bright and chipper this morning. I hadn't expected him to get my text so quickly.

He raised an eyebrow when I didn't move aside and let him in. "Didn't you get my text?" He asked. "I said I was on my way up. I didn't interrupt anything I hope?" He added the last part with a shit-eating grin and I debated on hitting him.

"Come on in."

He followed me into the room and stopped when he saw Shilo still comfortably lounged on my bed in her bra, her yoga pants slung low on her hips. "Slumber party?" He asked.

I hit him.

He pulled away from me and rubbed at his arm, fainting injury. "Now is that any way to treat your favorite uncle, who is going out of his way to make a house call with your medication? I could have made you come down stairs to me."

"Pretty sure Tank is my favorite right now." I mumbled.

"That hurts Niña." He said, passing me a couple of pills. "And to think you've always been my very favorite niece."

I rolled my eyes. I was Bobby's only niece, and technically, we weren't even related. Bobby had a small family with no brothers or sister and his wife was unable to give him children of his own. I took the pills and sat down next to Shilo again, noting the blush on her cheeks. She was probably debating wither or not to go along with Bobby's guess that we had spent the night together or making up an excuse for being in my room at this unbearably early hour.

I put her out of her misery. I trusted Bobby not to take this info and go running back to Ranger before I'd had the chance to talk to him, and I would have to talk to him eventually. I knew after last night that I was going to go as far with this relationship as Shilo would let me. Professional distance could kiss my ass. "Shilo fell asleep here last night." I told him. "Nothing scandalous happened."

Bobby smirked at me, passing Shilo a set of pills too. "Did I imply that I believed illicit activities had gone down here?" He asked. "Your both adults, your business is your own. Don't mind a nosy old man."

I rolled my eyes again. "Thanks for the med's. Now get out."

"Not a chance." He said. "Since I conveniently have you both sitting right here, I need to check your stitches too."

He started with my head, poking along the lump I had there and giving his all clear that it looked fine. Then he moved to Shilo's side and had her lay down. She tilted her head back so he could see her neck and I was glad to see that she looked more comfortable with him then she had the first night he'd gone over her injuries.

Bobby scowled as he checked over the bruises; he had a particular tick when it came to domestic violence cases that RangeMan helped with. He didn't believe that men should hurt women for any reason. It was easy to see the outline of her attackers hand on the left side of her neck, the right side was pink from her cut and dotted with neat, little black stitches.

"The stitches look alright." He said. "But, the bruising is going to take awhile to heal. I'll have Ella send down some tea and honey when she wakes up. I would suggest sticking with soup for the day so you don't aggravate your throat."

She nodded along and he stood up. "Alright, relax and maybe try to get some more sleep, its early. I'll be around the building all day so call me if you need anything."

"Thanks." Shilo said.

I gave him a quick hug. "Bye."

I shut the door behind him and moved back to the bed. Shilo sipped slowly at her water bottle and looked up at me. "You're not worried about him telling Ranger I stayed the night are you?"

I shrugged. "No, Bobby wouldn't tell him unless he think I'm in danger."

She relaxed a bit and turned on her side to face me. I propped myself up on my elbow and touched her neck. "I'm sorry about your necklace." I told her, letting my finger ghost down the trail of stitches.

She glanced down at my hand and shivered. "Do you know if it was found in the alley?" She asked.

"No, I did ask Tank to look for it thought. I haven't heard back from him yet. If it is found it will have to be collected as evidence though, you wouldn't be able to get it back until the case is closed."

She gave me a small smile. "Thanks,"

"It's important to you."

She nodded. "It belonged to my grandfather." She said. "It's the only thing I have left from before the accident." Her eyes hardened the way they always did when she relived memories of that night.

"I'm sorry I keep bringing that night up."

She shrugged. "It's alright; mostly I've excepted what happened."

"Mostly?"

She nodded. "It's always bothered me, not knowing why the fire happened."

"They never found a cause?"

She shook her head, and I watched her eyes flash again before she dropped down onto her back and closed her eyes.

Pov- Shilo

In the official police report, the cause of the house fire had been labeled the cause of 'faulty wiring' in the attic. My guess was small grade explosives, planted while we were out that day. I really didn't remember that night to well. I just remembered waking up in a room full of smoke and stumbling into the hallway. I suppose I should be grateful I woke up at all.

Ryan had found me, crying in the hall, and carried me out to the backyard. He'd left me there, told me not to run off, and had gone back inside to look for Peter. The next thing I remembered was waking up in the hospital all alone. A man, I'd only meet a couple of times before, was there to collect me and I left the country with him the next night.

Col. Lowry and my father had been friends for years. They'd meet at some conference or other and kept in touch. Apparently, my father had listed Col. Lowry as a contact in case a next of kin couldn't be found in an emergence. Later, I learned that my father had also told Col. Lowry about my family's fighting with the O'Donnell's, so he would know encase he ever got 'the call.' At the time he probably never guessed that a police officer from Ireland would call to tell him that his friend's daughter had been left orphaned and he was the only person available to keep her from winding up in child services.

"What are you thinking about?"

I glanced up; she'd been so quiet, that for a moment, I'd lost myself in my own ponderings. Julie was lying on her side next to me, watching me with calculating eyes.

"Nothing," I said easily, trying to relax my stiff shoulders.

"Nothing, wouldn't upset you this much." She pressed, proving how well she could read my face even when I tried to keep things hidden.

I shrugged. "I was just thinking about Col. Lowry."

"You don't like him very much do you?" She asked.

I shook my head quickly. "It's not that I don't like him." I said quickly. "I respect him a lot and I'm grateful he took me in when he did, because he sure didn't have too. We just don't get along very well."

"Why did Col. Lowry adopt you?" She asked. "If he already had so many children of his own and I know he's not from Ireland."

"Friend of the family." I said. "He knew my dad for years, even before I was born. They called him after the accident and he flew out to get me. Apparently, he was on my next of kin list."

"Why don't you get along?"

I smirked remembering other people asking the same question. "Because we're both bull stubborn, pig headed, jack asses who expect to be treated with respect. We always clashed heads and as I got older, I started to fight back more vocally. I don't take orders well, never have, and he doesn't except anything less than total obedience.

The thing I'm most grateful for is the fact that he always pushed all of us kids to be independent, strong, individuals. He treated me like one of his own children, but made sure I remembered my birth family. He encouraged me to keep up on my Celt and told me all kinds of stories about trips he'd taken with my dad and the times he'd meet my mom. He made sure I remembered where I'd come from and who I was."

"Tell me more about your family." She asked. She had lain down on her stomach next to me, and was flush against my side.

"That's a lot of people to cover." I told her. "Every star on my back has a name and a story."

She reached over and took my left hand, running her finger over the small collection of stars there. "Start with this one," She said rubbing her thumb over the largest one at the base of my hand. "We can move on from there."

I nodded. "The top one is for my father, Brian. Under him is my mom, and the five of us kids. I have a picture back home. I wish I would have thought to bring it with me." Oh! I sat up quickly. "Let me go get my laptop, I do have a picture."

She let go of my hand and I pulled on the shirt I'd rejected last night to scuttle across the hallway. In my room I grabbed my laptop case and took a second to brush my teeth before heading back over. Lester caught me opening Julie's door and grinned at me. I waved and shut the door quickly behind me.

Julie hadn't moved, but when I sat down and opened the laptop on my lap she sat up next to me and watched.

"You have a lot of security." She pointed out as I entered in a third password.

I nodded. "I'm a hacker," I reminded her. "I have a lot of powerful systems on my computer and I don't need someone using them against me." If I could, I'd have a finger print scanner attached, but I wasn't sure how to do that. Yet.

I flipped through a few files and finally found the small collection of pictures I had saved there. I pulled up an old picture from when I was seven. It was the only one I had of my full family. "That's my Dad." I told her pointing him out in the picture.

My father was a tall man with black hair and dark eyes. He had on a soft smile as he looked over at my mom. My mom's name was Emily, and she was standing at his side with my youngest brother, Peter, in her arms. In front of them were my other brothers and I. I pointed out each one and gave her names. "Theo's the oldest and the only one, besides me, who got mom's red hair. That's James with his arms crossed and Ryan next to him. They'd been fighting about something before the photo was taken that's why James looks mad, he lost."

"Ryan's the one who saved you right?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, he carried me outside and went back in for little Peter, there in my mom's arms. He was only one or two in this photo."

"Who's the man next to your father?"

"That's Col. Lowry, seventeen years ago, He was visiting us. This is one of his photo's, that's the only reason I have it. I lost my Dad, Theo, and James about six months after this shot was taken. It was also the last time I saw Col. Lowry before he came back to get me."

"What happened to your Dad?"

I bit back the growl in my chest and worked to keep from shouted 'O'Donnell happened!' "Car accident," I said once I was sure I could control my voice. "They were sideswiped on their way home by an oncoming car. Dad lost control and they went off the side of a bridge. It took rescue workers to long to get the car out of the water. No one escaped."

"I'm sorry." She said.

I shook my head. "Not like it was your fault."

"No," She agreed. "But, I always seem to bring up sad memories when I ask you questions."

"There are a lot of sad memories in my past." I admitted. "It might make you feel better to know that I've shared things with you that I've never told anyone outside of Col. Lowry and his boys."

"Why me?" She asked.

I turned my head to face her and waited until she looked at me with those big brown eyes. "Because I trust you."

She smiled and leaned over to kiss the underside of my jaw. "I'm glad." She said. "I want you to be able to tell me everything. Know that I'd never betray that trust."

We settled down then and Julie fell asleep, tucked into my side. I closed my eyes, but couldn't stop my mind from racing. It was six, early enough to head down stairs, but Ranger only wanted us to take a half-shift today and I wasn't quite ready to leave Julie. After another half-hour of failed attempts to sleep, I opened my laptop. I needed to do something productive or I'd develop a twitch.

I started with some search programs, finding one in particular I hoped with help me finally identify the name belonging to the crest we'd taken off O'Donnell's man. I started by searching for any, and all, news articles released that included the O'Donnell family and then got a list of other family names mentioned in those same stories. Once I had the list it just became a game of finding a crest for each one and comparing them.

When Julie opened her eyes again, at eight, I'd found it.

"Did you get any sleep?" She asked, pushing herself to her knees and glancing at my screen. "What's that?"

"Nope," I smiled at her. "I found it."

"No way." She spun around and sat next to me so she could see better. "Who is he?"

"The family name has been Americanized, that's why we didn't find it right away. The original Irish name is ó Loinsigh, but that strand of the name has since been lost. However, nearly a hundred years ago a branch of the family moved here, to the states, and the name was Americanized into the name Lynch." I explained showing her the crest I'd pulled up, a blue fox guarding the top of a shield decorated with clovers.

I showed her a few of the articles I'd found where the names O'Donnell and Lynch were mentioned together. Apparently, the Lynch family had been pirating guns across the ocean for years, to sell on the black market, and the O'Donnell's were believed to be their counterpart working from Ireland, sending them the guns. Of course, the articles were all assumptions, I couldn't find a case that had actually stuck. There also seemed to be a recurring theme of witnesses who went missing before they could testify.

"So maybe that's why they're in Trenton." Julie said. "Something's going on with the gun ring and some of the O'Donnell's came over here to investigate."

I nodded. "Maybe, I don't know if this info will help us catch Michael, but it might give a clue as to what they're doing."

"I wonder what guns have to do with a kidnapping."

I'd forgotten that part. When I'd spoken to O'Donnell's man he'd said the family was here to get someone. He hadn't been positive it was a kidnapping, but he'd said it was likely. If this was about guns, why would they take someone?

There was a knock on the door and Ella let herself in, bringing with her a tray of goodies for us to eat for breakfast. There were soft scrambled eggs, some fresh, warm muffins and a bowl of fruit. Along with the food, she'd brought in tea with honey, as Bobby had promised, and said it would make my throat feel better.

We thanked her for the meal and dug in, trying to come up with more theories about what the O'Donnell's were doing based off the info I'd found.

"I'll text Dad and have him and the core team meet with us after lunch down on five." She said. "They'll want to know what you've found; maybe they have more info now too."

I nodded along and we ate together. After breakfast, we split up to shower in our own rooms and get dressed. I let myself back into her room once I was ready for the day in my RangeMan uniform and found her working with her hair in the bathroom.

"Want me to show you that bun?" I asked.

She nodded. "Could you?"

I took her brush from her and brought a stood from the kitchen into the bathroom so she could see what I was doing in the mirror. First, I pulled her hair into a high pony-tail and brushed it free of tangles.

"It's been a long time since someone brushed my hair for me." She said, giving me a small smile. "I forgot how nice it feels."

I nodded back, remembering how she'd taken care of me last night. I'd been dead tiered as we settled in for bed and had been planning on just leaving my hair up since I didn't have the energy to deal with it. It had been a long time since anyone had taken care of me the way she had.

"I still owe you a massage."

I braded her hair and twisted it up into a neat little bun, pinning it all around the base so it would stay in place. When I was done, I waved my hands and said 'Ta Da!'

She grinned. "Thanks."

Julie texted Ranger and he called us down stairs immediately. We found the usually contingent of mainstream RangeMen waiting for us in five's largest meeting room. I hooked my laptop up to a monitory on the wall and started pulling up the stories I'd found.

Ranger made a fast phone call and hoped that within the hour we'd have a name to put with the man being held at TPD. Ranger was particularly interested in the possibility of this being a gun ring, but like Julie and I, couldn't see how that tied to a kidnapping. The new information gave everyone a burst of hope that we would find something and everyone left the room eager to start working.

"To bad we can't talk to him again." Lester pointed out. "It would have been nice to interrogate him with this new info."

Ranger called Julie and I to wait while the other's left the room and Steph was with him. Stephanie was going to bring me over to TPD again today so I could give my statement on the fight in the alley. My necklace had not been found at the scene.

"I'm sorry Shilo." Julie said. "He must have carried it with him into the van."

Ranger shrugged. "The van hasn't been found yet, if it shows up I'll let you know."

"Thanks," I said. "I'm not sorry I was wearing it." I told him. "But, I am sorry I broke your rule about jewelry in the field." and that I pushed Julie into breaking her word to you as well. I kept that last part to myself, no need for him to know that bit yet.

He nodded. "What's done is done. If you leave now, you can probably get out of TPD in an hour."

I nodded. "Alright."

"I'll go with you." Julie offered. "You know, for emotional support."

Ranger shook his head. "You've already given your report. There's a stack of searches at your desk if you're feeling up to work."

"Alright."

She gave me a small smile and headed out to the main floor. Steph and I headed straight down to the garage, I wanted to get this over with. We took one of the black SUV's and Steph parked near the back door. We let ourselves in and had our badges checked.

Steph led the way to Detective Morelli's office. It was hard to look at him this time without remembering that he'd once dated Stephanie. I wonder what had drawn her to him? I guess he was sort of handsome, for a man.

"You seem to be getting into a lot of trouble." He said, smiling at me. "Work with Manoso long enough and you might just get yourself killed."

I nodded. "Job hazard."

"I'll be doing your statement today. We got in a gang homicide last night so everyone's wrapped up at the moment. Steph you can wait for her in my office if you want."

Stephanie smiled, but declined his offer, choosing instead to go and look for a couple of other people she knew who worked here so she could say hello.

I followed Detective Morelli into the same room I'd done my last statement in and he started with all of the basic questions. "Why were you in the alley?" "How did you find O'Donnell?" "Explain the events that led to your injuries?" "Had I seen the license plate of the van?" "Would I recognize the man who'd attacked me?" blah blah blah.

I answered everything, honestly and completely with neat short explanations. I recounted everything I could remember to the fight up until I passed out and then mentioned waking up at the hospital. He took a couple of photos of my neck and said he could get copies of the medical records from Bobby for the report.

I moved to stand up once he turned off the recording device that had been taping my statement, but he called my name.

"Actually Miss Lowry, there is one more thing I was hoping to talk to you about."

I nodded, "I thought there might be."

"I assume then that Ranger has told you about our phone calls?"

I nodded. "You want a translator too."

"Yes," He said simply. "We've been calling other departments around the state, but it turns out its difficult to find someone proficient at the language."

"Celt's not exactly common in the states." I agreed.

He nodded. "The department was wondering if you might be willing to lend your services to our investigation as well."

"Won't my contributions be contaminated if I'm also working for RangeMan?"

He shrugged. "RangeMan is solely responsible for finding Michael O'Donnell because of his current status as FTA. The TPD have since expanded our investigation. The guns that were taken off O'Donnell in his initial charge were found to be connected to a string of illegal guns found in New York a few months ago. That case is still active and now we're helping out. Michael O'Donnell is still wanted for questioning in two murder charges, but now we're hoping to bring the whole lot of them in and find a way to connect them to the New York guns. This family is turning out to have their fingers in a lot of different pies and I want them out of Trenton before a mob war breaks out."

"What would I be doing for you exactly?" I asked. "It's not like you have a phone number I can use to call these guys up and ask them if they're importing unregistered firearms and god knows what else across the country."

He nodded. "You would only be part of our investigation on an interpreter level. No fieldwork. We'll bring in anyone we want you to talk to and you would help with our interrogations here at the station."

"You want me to start with the man RangeMan handed over?"

He nodded. "That would be step one. From what we understand he didn't say much during his time at RangeMan, but what he did say was said only to you. We believe your contributions to this case would be invaluable, and you would be compensated for your time."

My first instinct was to shut him down. I didn't like cops. However, another little voice in my head was thinking that this could be a great way to work both sides. I could pick and chose which information I shared with the TPD and give Ranger anything that would help him find Michael. It would also give me more time to talk to Lynch, now that I had some real info on him. He might be willing to share more about the possible kidnapping if I could get him to trust me. It wouldn't be the first time I'd played both sides.

I nodded, "Would I be allowed to talk to Stephanie and Ranger first?" I asked. "I want to make sure he's alright with my attention being divided."

He shrugged. "The sooner we can start the better and if you would like, we don't have to tell Manoso you're helping us."

"I won't sneak around behind his back." I said flatly. I was already doing that with Julie. I didn't need to give the man more reasons to hate me. "Just give me two minutes."

I stood up before he could call me back and let myself into the hallway. Stephanie was down the hall talking to another officer and she waved to me when she saw me. She excused herself from her conversation and met me halfway. "What's up?" She asked seriously. "You look like you have a question."

I nodded. "Morelli asked me to help TPD with the case."

"I told you they would." She said. "What's he offering you?"

"Money, I was thinking it might actually be a good thing." I quickly explained about the expanded investigation that TPD was running on the O'Donnell family and how we might be able to get more information if I was running all of the interrogations.

She nodded. "I think it's a good idea, let me call Ranger and catch him up."

While Steph was on the phone Morelli and another detective caught me in the hall. I'd been pacing a bit so they managed to corner me against the wall, away from Stephanie.

"So is Manoso going to let you play with us too?" Joe asked. I was starting to think Julie was right. Morelli and Ranger might be able to get along in the field, but they weren't friends.

"Ranger doesn't make my choices for me." I said sharply. "I merely wanted his opinion before I agreed to work with you since he did higher me first."

Both detectives smiled at that and I smirked. Let them think I wasn't a big fan of Ranger, it might get them to share more information with me. Rule one, when playing both sides, is to give both sides the opinion that you want the same things as them.

"I'm glad to hear that." The second detective said. "So what do you say?"

Stephanie was off the phone, standing a yard away, listening in on our conversation. At his question, she caught my eye and nodded once that I should go along with it. Apparently, Ranger liked my idea too. "When do we start?" I asked.

The second detective smiled and introduced himself as Detective Sullen. He was leading the investigation on the O'Donnell mess. "Right away, if you have the time. We'd like you to speak with the man RangeMan gave us as soon as possible."

I nodded. "Alright, but you can't use my real name during any of these investigations." I said, I didn't need anyone in league with the O'Donnell's to be able to trace me back to the name Connalay. I didn't know how he'd gotten my name, but if Ranger could find it on accident so could someone else. "When I spoke with him at RangeMan I called myself Sarah."

"Any specific reasons why?" Morelli asked.

"I've done undercover work with Special Force." I explained simply, noting the way his eyebrow rose when I admitted that. "I keep my real name close to my cuff as it were. If I'm going to do this I want another identity to use in front of these men for my own protection."

Sullen nodded eagerly. "Easy enough how does Sarah Roger's sound?"

"Fine."

Detective Sullen waved for me to follow him and Detective Morelli fell back to talk with Stephanie. Probably going to tell her she could leave since I would be staying for a while.

I was following Detective Sullen down a flight of stairs when my RangeMan phone buzzed in my pocket with a message from Stephanie.

'Zero got a hit- His names Gavin Lynch."

Good, knowing his name might shock him into spilling something he'd neglected to tell me before. I erased the message and tucked my phone away.

Sullen led me into a room similar to the one at RangeMan. There were a couple of officers sitting around the recording equipment and, through a two-way window, I could see into the interrogation room. There was a single table and chair set up in the center and it was empty.

"We have him in a holding cell." Sullen said when he caught me eyeing the empty room. "So far we haven't managed to find a name for him. I'll have one of the boy's go get him for us."

Sullen left the room and I moved closer to the window. "How is the room monitored?" I asked.

"Cameras in all four corners," One of the officer's explained, standing next to me so he could point them out. "And that thing in the center of the ceiling is the recording equipment. If a mouse farts in that room, we'll hear it."

Good set up.

"You'll wear an ear piece so we can talk to you from this room and an Officer will be posted inside at the door." The other man added. "We can bring in a chair for you if you'd like."

I nodded, "That would be nice actually." This time around, I was going to do more questioning, rather than push on mostly empty threats. I had a feeling that Gavin might just be willing to talk to me, if I could get him to trust me. He'd seemed genuinely afraid that the O'Donnell's would seek retribution against him.

The door in the interrogation room opened and two officers lead Gavin Lynch inside. They cuffed him to the table and left, leaving him alone to sweat under the bright overhead lights. Detective Sullen came in and showed me the earpiece.

"If you can get him talking, I'll feed you specific questions we want answered." He explained.

"Has he said anything at all?" I asked.

Sullen shook his head. "No"

"Just some yelling when we brought him in. Bunch of gibberish." One of the officers at the table said with a chuckle. "It was pretty outrageous; he sounded like a crazy leprechaun."

I scowled and Detective Sullen was the only one looking at me to catch the change in my mood. "It might be best if ye didn't insult me language right before I help you, you ungrateful Gall." I said, laying my accent on thick, hands on hips, eyes narrowed. Leprechaun my ass.

The officer who'd spoken glanced back at me and had the decency to look ashamed. "Sorry." He said.

"What's a Gall?" Sullen asked.

"Outsider, foreigner, non-Irish folk. It's not meant as an insulting term, but it can be used as one."

Once I was hooked up and Sullen had tested my ear piece I walked into the interrogation room. The officer who hadn't insulted me came too, standing near the door.

Gavin looked up at me and smiled. "Bhí mé ag suil a fheieann tú arís Sarah." (I was hoping I'd get to see you again, Sarah.)

I smiled and moved farther into the room, taking the seat opposite him, which had been brought in for me. "Dia duit Gavin, tá sé go maith a fheicann tá chomh maith." (Hello Gavin, it's good to see you as well.)

His smiled faltered for only a moment, but he recovered. "Òs rud é go bhfuil a fhios agat ainm dom bfhéidir, is féidir liom mo bracer ar ais?" (Since you know my name perhaps, I can have my bracer back.)

I shrugged, understanding his wish for the bracelet back now that I'd lost my own pendant. I told him I'd see what I could do, but since he was being held for a murder investigation it wasn't likely they would let me give it back, especially once TPD found out we'd taken it from him.

He frowned. (They have nothing to hold me to those charges, you know as well as I that they will have no choice but to release me soon.)

I nodded (Most likely.)

"Good, you got him talking fast." Sullen said in my ear. "Ask him if he knows anything about a gun ring. Who are the O'Donnell's working with in Trenton?"

(Why have you not told them I speak English?) Gavin asked me, leaning back in his seat. (Are you working for the police or those Bounty Hunter men? What is your part in this?)

I shrugged, mirroring his relaxed posture, no need to mention the gun at my lower back or the knife in my boot. For the moment, I ignored Sullen. (I work for myself, they pay me to talk to you. I get the money wither you answer their questions or not. As for my part. This is my job, nothing more.)

(I doubt that.) He raised an eyebrow at me. (Aren't you going to ask me more about Michael O'Donnell?)

(Do you have more to tell me? You said he was a spoiled brat, I think that covers his part in this story pretty well.)

He nodded. (Then what are you after? What did they send you in here to talk to me about?)

I leaned forward, elbows on the table. (I want to know more about the person you mentioned before) I said. (You said the O'Donnell's were here to get someone, you made it sound like they were planning to kidnap someone. Who? Why?)

He shook his head, (The older O'Donnell's are the ones after this kid. I don't know who he is; some guy they want to talk to. They say he's got something that belongs to the O'Donnell family. Personally, I think some of the older O'Donnell's are off their rockers. All hung up in the old world. It's Michael and his cousins that are taking over the family business.)

(The guns?) I guessed.

He shrugged. (Maybe, I will tell you nothing that condemns my own family.)

The Lynch's were the ones who ran the guns here in the states. The O'Donnell's were supposed to be their connection across the sea. So why where they here? I knew from the set of his jaw and the hard turn of his eye, he wouldn't break on this front. Gavin would tell me nothing that would endanger his own family, even at the cost of his life. Another fine example of stubborn Irish pride.

"Did he know about the guns?" Sullen asked in my ear. I wasn't sure how he expected me to answer him. "Ask him about meeting places." He continued. "Where can we catch them with the guns? Would he testify in court? We can cut a deal with him." I ignored Sullen again. I was starting to think Sullen was a moron.

After a moment, I figured the best way to keep Gavin talking to me was to return my attention back to the O'Donnell's. He seemed willing, for the most part, to spill his information on them. (A kid or an adult?) I asked for clarification. We would need to move faster if they were after a child.

He shrugged. (Mid twenties, I think they said. That's younger then me so I say kid.)

(You're sure it's a boy?)

He nodded. (Yes.)

(Do you have a name?)

He shook his head. (No)

(Location?)

(Somewhere nearby. I know they had men watching him, but last I knew they hadn't approached him yet.)

(Is he in danger?)

Gavin nodded. (Anyone who doesn't listen to the O'Donnell's, or get's in their way, is in trouble, wither he knows it yet or not.)

(Are you afraid they'll kill you when you are released from here?)

(Michael already gunned down one of my brothers in order to clean up loose ends.) He said and the anger in his eyes darkened. Gavin didn't like the O'Donnell's anymore; if he ever had to start with. (That shows you how important we are to them.)

(You could always strike a deal.) I said. (RangeMan or TPD would probably grant you security in exchange for your continued cooperation.)

He smirked, (The only one I've cooperated with is you.)

(Not too late,)

He shook his head. (I will not deal, and I will speak with no one, but you.)

(Why me?)

He looked me over for a moment and I fought not to fidget in my seat. After a moment he smirked. (You are from the Heartland.) He said. Heartland in this case meaning Ireland. (You understand what these men cannot. Family, above all else, is sacred.)

Then he motioned to my neck. (Who scratched you beautiful?)

(One of our mutual friends.)

He shook his head. (Little girl's best not play in the affairs of crazy old men or they will get hurt. Best to return to your family and forget the name O'Donnell.) I'd been trying to forget the name for years. It wasn't going to happen.

(TPD's not really interested in Michael.) I told him honestly. Not sure why I suddenly wanted to help Gavin, but here I was doing it. He'd struck a chord with me. I had no family and it was because of the O'Donnell's and here Gavin was, trying to protect his own family from the same fate. Can you blame me? (They want to know about the guns.) I continued. (They're working with some police in New York who busted one of your gun rings a few months ago.)

He shook his head and mumbled under his breath. The only word I caught was 'clusterfuck' in English, which lead me to believe he knew about the New York incident. (Your best bet for safety is with RangeMan.) I pressed hoping, without reason, he would believe me. (Better still would be to gather your family, change your name, and run away.)

He raised an eyebrow at me. (You have experience with this?) He asked.

(I don't run) Not anymore.

He nodded his head. (I will say no more, Miss Sarah, if that is your real name. Tell your police friends that I have no information on gun's and never will, even if they keep me in this cell till my bones rot. I will not deal. I do not know where the O'Donnell's are, nor where they meet or who they speak with. I know nothing.)

I nodded, respecting his wishes. (Very well; Goodbye Gavin.)

(Till next time.) He agreed.

I stood and left the room, the officer who'd been watching from the door followed me. I rejoined Detective Sullen in the first room and removed my earpiece. A sick feeling had settled into the pit of my stomach and as I watched another pair of officer's collect Gavin and take him from the room, I knew I was watching a dead man. He wouldn't ask for help, he wouldn't give up his family, he was trapped with no way out.

"Well?" Sullen asked, with all the excitement of a puppy who'd just been asked 'wanna go outside?'

I noted a few more faces in the watching room, including Detective Morelli. "He wouldn't say much." I said. "He doesn't know where the O'Donnell's meet. He wouldn't say who they are speaking with. He wouldn't say anything about the guns. He doesn't want to deal with you or RangeMan," I continued fighting with wither or not I should mention the possibility of a kidnapping. "He won't testify against the O'Donnell's or put blame on his family. I believe he is protection them. He's more afraid of the O'Donnell's then anything, any of us can throw at him. You're not going to get anything out of him and he knows you can't hold him."

"You spoke for an awful long time to get nothing." Morelli said.

I frowned at him. "I didn't say I got nothing. I was saying he didn't answer any of the question's Detective Sullen asked me to speak about. Let me finish, please. He's not a member of the O'Donnell family of this I'm sure. He doesn't like them and in my culture family is everything."

"You don't have to like your family." One of the officers's said. "You just have to live with them."

I shook my head and brushed my hair out of my face. Gavin had been right that they didn't understand. "Not in my country." I pressed. "You don't have to like your family, but family is everything. It is sacred. You don't abandon your family, and you don't turn on them. He told me what little he knew about the O'Donnell's, he wouldn't have done that if he was part of the family."

"What did he say then?" Morelli asked.

I had to tell them. The kidnapping wasn't part of RangeMan's case to catch Michael and it wasn't fair to play with the life of an innocent person when the TPD might be able to do something about it. "He didn't know much about why they are here. He said his job was to watch over Michael. Apparently, he's the family reject. Everyone's got one. He did however say that he believed the O'Donnell's were here on personal business. He thinks they're after someone in the area, he made it sound like they are planning a kidnapping. He didn't know who the victim was, only that he was male and in hes mid-twenties. The O'Donnell's have been watching this man for a few days, but as far as he knows they haven't made any move to approach him yet."

"A kidnapping?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"That complicates things."

Things moved quickly from there. Detective Sullen was very grateful for my help and promised to call if they had anyone else for me to speak with or if Gavin requested my presence with anything. I didn't tell them he spoke English. Detective Morelli escorted me back upstairs and pressed for any more details I knew. I had nothing more, I'd told them everything that related to the case.

He stopped in the hall and waved me forward. A small group of people, in black, were waiting for me in the lobby, reminding me of the pod of support who'd been at the hospital. As I walked towards them, I realized that in my three days in Trenton, I'd not only gotten in more trouble that I had in the last year, I'd finally found a team I could work with. Lester, Hector, Julie and Razor all stood to greet me and we moved together out to the large black SUV waiting for us.

~Darkrose

Question 3- Do you have a nick-name?

*My translator stopped working (grumblepoutwhine), so for the sake of ease, since I'm betting most of us don't read Celtic anyways. Anything written in (brackets) was said in Celtic. I'll post the Celtic words as soon as I get my translator working again.