Boston
"Any word on my nephews?" Sibeal asked as he walked in the room and he closed the door behind him.
"None," Paul said.
Smecker had been on the phone with some contacts in the FBI, Warden Maxwell, the Mayor's office and the Governor's office since Connor and Murphy had escaped prison and he leaned back in the chair.
"It's like they vanished into thin air," he said as he stretched his arms up.
"I've been checkin' th'news. There are no stories about them escapin' prison."
"That's because the Governor's office put a media blackout on their escape."
"Makes sense. It would cause a panic."
"Or theories that he had the Saints secretly killed."
"What about th'Yakavettas? Aren't they gonna wonder what happened with Vincenzo Yakavetta?"
"According to my source. They were told he was transferred to another prison."
"I still don't get how Connor an' Murphy were able t'escape th'prison."
He knew he had to act like he had no idea how Connor and Murphy escaped or how he now knew where they were and he saw Smecker trying to read his face for any sort of reaction.
"I still think someone broke them out," Paul said.
"Someone other than us?"
"Yeah."
"Who?"
"I was thinking it was you. Now I think it was Bloom. From the information I was able to gather. She cracked when the FBI questioned her."
"I see."
Eunice had told Sibeal the same thing and she asked him to forgive her. He still hadn't forgiven her, but understood why she did what she did.
"And I think I know who might have helped her," Paul said.
"You do?" Sibeal asked.
"Yeah."
Smecker stood as he headed for the door, opened the door and he turned to look at Sibeal
"Let's go," Paul said and Sibeal walked to him. They left the room as Sibeal sighed and he looked at Smecker.
"What did happen to Eunice?" Sibeal asked.
"I have no idea."
Smecker walked faster as Sibeal frowned and he sent out a little prayer for Eunice's safety.
McGinty's
The door opened as the smoke and loud music filled the air and Smecker scanned the room with his eyes. He had read the report about Greenly's death at the bar and he lightly shook his head. Sibeal followed him inside as they headed for the bar and Doc looked at them.
"May I help you?" Doc asked. He and the men at the bar felt uneasy as Smecker sat down on Connor's usual spot and Doc glared at him. "Get up."
"Why?" Paul asked.
"That seat's reserved," one of the men said.
"For who?"
"For a friend. If you don't want trouble then get your ass up," the other man said with a growl.
"What about this one?" Paul asked, pointing to Murphy's usual spot.
"That's reserved, too," the first man said as he stood and Smecker looked at him. "Get the fuck up!"
"What if I don't, Sunshine?!" he asked with a smug look.
"Smecker…," Sibeal warned with a sigh.
"Did he just call you "Smecker"?" Doc asked.
Connor and Murphy had told Doc about Smecker and Smecker saw the anger in Doc' eyes. Before he could answer, Doc picked up the rifle he had behind the bar and he pointed the rifle at him.
"Get yer fuckin' ass out of my bar!" Doc said, wrapping his right index finger over the trigger. Sighing, Sibeal pointed to the door and Smecker stood up. He headed for the door when he went outside and the door closed behind him. Sibeal looked at Doc when Doc lowered the rifle and Doc sighed.
"Sorry, Father. I shouldn't have pointed my rifle at you," Doc said in a soft voice.
"It's alright. My nephews told me you had a bit of a temper," Sibeal said with a smile.
"Your nephews?"
"Connor an' Murphy."
Doc watched Sibeal head for the door when Sibeal left the room and Doc looked at the men. Sibeal walked to Smecker as they headed down the sidewalk and Smecker frowned.
"He knows something," Paul said in a soft voice while looking back at the bar.
"I don't think so," Sibeal said.
"He does! Shit. I should have him brought in for questioning."
"He wouldn't say anythin'."
"How do you know?"
"Gratitude."
"Gratitude?"
"Aye. If it wasn't fer my nephews? He would have lost his bar to th'Russian mafia."
"I remember reading about that."
"If it had been me? I would do anythin' t'repay them. Even protect them from people like us."
"Daman."
They walked on when the sudden sound of footsteps approaching them made Smecker turn around and a fist punched him in the face. Smecker fell unconscious to the sidewalk as Sibeal looked at the men and one of them walked toward him.
"Doc wants to talk to you," the man said with an angry looked on his face. Sibeal watched the men pick Smecker off the ground as they headed down the sidewalk and he followed them.
McGinty's
The first thing Smecker noticed was he sitting down. He then noticed he had been tied to a chair and a gag was tied around his mouth. The second thing he noticed was the pain moving over his jaw. The final thing he noticed was he couldn't really see. A sack had been placed over his head and he growled as he tried to get loose.
"Looks like he's awake," made him look up and he heard someone walking closer.
"Want me to knock him out again?"
"Nah. Just keep an eye on him."
Smecker heard footsteps walking away and he growled, wondering where Sibeal was.
In the office, Doc poured the whiskey in the glass when he picked up the glass then he walked to Sibeal. Sibeal was sitting on the chair in front of the desk and Doc leaned against the edge of the desk.
"Drink up," Doc said, taking a long drink of whiskey. Sibeal sniffed the whiskey when he took a drink and a soft burning sensation moved down his throat after he swallowed.
"Smooth," Sibeal said with a smile. Doc saw a little bit of Connor in Sibeal as Doc nodded then he placed the glass on the desk.
"Are you really their uncle? Shit. Oh. Sorry, Father," Doc said.
"That's alright. I have a member of my congregation who has yer condition. To answer yer question. Aye. I am their uncle."
"The lads… Connor an' Murphy… They never talked much about their family."
"They were told not to."
"Why?"
Sibeal told him about his brother, how Sibeal had to bring the twins to America in order to protect them from an old enemy and Doc gave him a shocked look.
"Damn," Doc whispered.
"They consider you a father… Or an uncle," Sibeal said, softly.
Doc widened his eyes as Sibeal sighed and Sibeal lowered his head.
"When they were in exile… They talked a lot about their lives here. One of the people they talked about was you," Sibeal said after taking a drink of whiskey.
"I thought of them as sons," Doc said, taking a drink of whiskey.
"That's good. They needed someone t'keep them in line."
"It wasn't easy."
Both of them laughed and Doc shook his head.
"You wouldn't happen t'know where they are, would you?" Sibeal asked.
"I'm sorry. But I don't."
"Did they did come here?"
"No. The last I saw of 'em was when they left with that Mexican of theirs."
"What about that police detective who was killed?"
"Aye. I did hear about that," Doc said as he crossed himself. "I wasn't sure if they would let me reopen the bar. Guess they weren't that upset about his death."
Sibeal heard the honesty in his voice when he stood then he headed for the door.
"Just so you know… I am glad you were lookin' after them all these years," Sibeal said
"Uh, Father. What did happen to them?"
"They were arrested fer killin' some FBI agents."
"Why did they do that!?"
"They were set up."
"What happened after they were arrested?"
"They were sent t'prison"
"Did you help them escape?"
"Aye. I did."
"Are they alright?"
"I pray they are. Where is my associate?"
"He's in the storage room. Do you want me to let him go?"
"In th'mornin'."
"Would you mind if we roughed him up a little?"
"Be my guest."
"Is he a danger to them?"
"Aye. He is."
"Do you trust him?"
"No."
Doc watched Sibeal leave the room when Doc shot back the rest of the whiskey and a low growl filled his throat. He slammed the glass down on the desk when he walked out of the room and he saw two men standing in front of the storage room. Walking closer, Doc nodded and one of the men opened the door.
In the storage room, Smecker heard footsteps when his head snapped up and the footsteps stopped. Smecker pulled on the rope holding him to chair when he felt the hood being pulled back and he gasped when someone punched him hard in the stomach. He felt the bile rising as he started panting and the fist slammed into his stomach a second time. He grunted after he was hit in the face several times then the world went black.
"Is he still alive?" Doc asked. The man examined Smecker then nodded and Doc punched Smecker one more time in the face before he turned, heading for the door. "Make sure he stays out until morning."
"Then what?" one of the men asked.
"Rough him up a little more then take him to the hospital."
The men looked at Smecker while Doc headed back to the bar then he looked at the bruises on his knuckles. Sighing, Doc shook his head then he sent out a prayer for Connor and Murphy's safety.
The next morning – the Golden Cactus Ranch
Diego and the gray wolf stood at the bottom of the stairs when the screen door opened and Murphy and Connor walked outside. Connor placed on his sunglasses when he walked down the stairs and Murphy leaned against the porch railing. Diego noticed they were wearing jeans, black leather belts, white denim shirts and Connor had his snakeskin boots on his feet and Murphy had brown work boots on his feet.
"Ready?" Diego asked.
"Aye," Connor said, turning to Murphy. Murphy pushed off the porch railing as he walked down the stairs then he went to stand next to Connor.
"Let's go," Diego said.
Diego made a small whistle as Devil followed him and Connor and Murphy started walking. Diego showed them around the ranch when they came to the milking shed and they walked inside. Several cows were hooked up to milking machines, but Connor and Murphy noticed the cows had enough room to move if they needed to and the soft hushing sound of the milking machines filled the air.
"Doesn't that hurt them?" Murphy asked.
"Nope," Diego said with a shake of his head then he explained how the milking machines worked. Murphy walked over to one of the stalls as the cow nibbled on some dry grass and he noticed the cow looked content.
"Murphy," made him look at Connor and Diego as Murphy headed for them and they walked by the milking machines. They walked outside when Hank, Jeff and Kenny walked toward them and Diego noticed the angry looks on their faces.
"What the fuck are they doing here!?" Hank asked.
"Daisy sent them," Diego said.
"And you hired 'em?" Jeff asked.
"Yep."
Connor and Murphy tensed up while Hank walked to stand toe-to-toe with Connor and they locked eyes.
"Ain't no way they're gonna be able to do shit," Hank said.
"We've worked on a ranch before," Connor said in a calm tone while using his surfer accent. Diego stepped between them as he pointed and they turned, walking away. Connor and Murphy followed him as Diego led them to the cowshed and they walked inside. Murphy walked to the stall when he looked at the large cow and the cow softly mooed.
"Here," Diego said, handing them some work gloves, plastic goggles, safety masks to cover their noses and mouth and rubber boots to put over their boots. They got dressed as they walked to the stalls and Connor saw the shovels.
"What now?" Connor asked.
"Time to shovel the shit," Hank said with a grin.
"Where do we put the shit?"
"In here," Diego said as he pointed to the wheelbarrow. He watched them go to work while Hank, Jeff and Kenny walked to him and Hank smiled.
"Twenty bucks they quit after ten minutes," Hank said.
"They're not gonna last five," Jeff said and Kenny nodded.
Connor had brought the wheelbarrow into the stall as he glared at them and Murphy snorted a breath of air. They watched Connor and Murphy clean the stalls then Connor walked to Hank and Connor blinked the sweat out of his eyes.
"Looks like we lasted longer than ten minutes," Connor said, taking off the work gloves and he held out his left hand. "Pay up."
"What?" Hank asked.
"You bet twenty that we wouldn't last ten minutes. We did."
"I was talking to them not you, Asshole."
"Pay 'em," Diego said and they gave him a stunned look.
"Are you fuckin' kiddin' us?!" Kenny asked.
"Do it."
Hank, Jeff and Kenny growled as they handed Connor six twenty-dollar bills and Connor wrapped his fingers around the money. Grinning, he walked back to Murphy and he handed half of the money to Murphy after Murphy removed the gloves.
"Let's go," Diego said, pointing to the door. Hank, Kenny and Jeff watched them leave as Hank snorted a breath of air and folded his arms over his chest.
Outside, Diego led Connor and Murphy by the paddocks when Murphy stopped, leaned his forearms on the top railing and he looked at the calves grazing on the grass. One of the calves headed for the fence when Murphy knelt down on his launches and the calf look at him.
"Hey," Murphy said with a grin.
"Murphy," made him stand up as he walked to Connor and they started walking. A loud mooing and grunting sound stopped them as Connor and Murphy looked at Diego and Diego sighed.
"What was that?" Connor asked.
The mooing and snorting became louder when a loud cracking sound split the air and Diego growled.
"Fuck," Diego grumbled and he removed the walkie-talkie from his belt and he pushed the button. "Hank!? I need you, Kenny, Jeff and the others at Paddock Thirteen."
"Right," Hank's voice said and Diego put the walkie-talkie back on his belt.
"Paddock Thirteen? Isn't that unlucky?" Murphy asked.
"Only if you get too close," Diego said. He made a soft whistle as he and Devil ran off and Murphy and Connor looked at each other. Shrugging their shoulders, they went to catch up with Diego. They heard the loud snorting and mooing when they arrived at Paddock Thirteen and Diego climbed up the ladder connected to the cement wall. He looked down at the large bull clawing at the ground and he sighed. "Dammit."
"Boss!" Hank called out and Diego looked down at him. Hank tossed up the rifle armed with the tranquillizer darts and Diego caught the rifle. The bull snorted as the bull kicked the wall and Diego nearly fell off the ladder. He dropped the rifle, but Connor caught the rifle and Diego climbed down the ladder.
"Shit," Diego whispered.
"What's behind this wall?" Connor asked, using his surfer accent.
"Brutus."
"What's Brutus?"
"A bull."
"You're afraid of a bull?"
"This ain't no ordinary bull," Jeff said.
"Damn thing's evil," Kenny said.
Connor looked at the rifle, the ladder then at them. After placing the strap of the rifle over his right shoulder, he started climbing the ladder and Murphy held onto the ladder while looking up at him. Connor heard the mooing, snorting and grunting when he reached the top of the wall, sat down, held the rifle in his hands and he looked through the scope. The bull had a brown hide, black horns and tail and Connor could see some scars along the bull's back and sides. The bull snorted and clawed at the ground as Connor sighed and he adjusted his hold on the rifle.
"What the fuck is he doin'?" Kenny asked.
"Gettin' himself killed," Jeff said.
"Twenty bucks he misses," Hank said.
Connor ignored them as he licked his lips and his left index finger brushed against the trigger. The bull snorted and paced as Connor took aim and he held his breath. Pulling the trigger, Connor heard the soft pop and the tranquillizer dart hit Brutus in its right side. Brutus bellowed as the bull started running and Connor checked the rifle. He saw the second tranquillizer dart as he armed the rifle, took aim and he notice Brutus was slowing down. Holding his breath, Connor fired the rifle and the tranquillizer dart hit Brutus in its left side. Brutus bellowed again as the bull slowly staggered to one side then the other and the bull sank to the ground. Connor lowered the rifle as he watched the bull lower its head and Connor slid the strap to the rifle over his left shoulder.
"Fuck," Diego whispered. He was watching Brutus from the small, fenced gap in the wall and Connor climbed down the ladder. Connor walked to Hank, Jeff and Kenny when he held out his left hand and he wiggled his fingers. "Pay him."
Hank, Jeff and Kenny handed the money to Connor as Connor looked at Murphy and Murphy walked to him. He placed his left elbow on Connor's right shoulder as Murphy crossed one ankle over the other and Hank, Jeff and Kenny frowned.
"Where'd you learn how to do that?" Diego asked.
"Back when we were raising sheep. Sometimes they got out of hand," Connor lied.
Diego gave Connor a skeptical look as he nodded then Diego looked at Kenny, Jeff and Hank.
"Go check to see if Brutus is ok," Diego said.
Connor and Murphy smiled at the shocked looks on their faces as Hank, Jeff and Kenny headed for the gate to Brutus' paddock then Diego motioned for Connor and Murphy to follow him. They walked in silence as Connor glanced at him and Diego flexed his fingers.
"Should've killed that damn thing," Diego grumbled.
"I didn't have any bullets," Connor said with a small grin then his face fell from the glare Diego gave him.
"I meant a long time ago. Son of a bitch has been nothing, but trouble since the day it arrived."
"Why'd you buy it in th'first place?" Murphy asked.
"We didn't buy it. Brutus was born here."
"Why didn't you sell it?"
"No one wanted it."
They looked at each other as Diego walked a little faster and Connor shrugged his shoulders. They went to catch up with him as the grey wolf moved next to Murphy and wagged its tail back and forth.
A short time later, they arrived at the stable as they walked inside and Diego led them to the horses. Connor looked at the chestnut horse and Murphy looked at the gray mare and Connor reached out his left hand for the chestnut horse to sniff. The chestnut horse let Connor rubbed its nose then the horse lightly nudged him in the chest. Murphy held out his right hand for the gray mare to sniff as the gray mare stood still and he lightly rubbed its nose.
"Here," Diego said, holding out the work gloves, plastic goggles, safety masks to cover their noses and mouth and rubber boots to put over their boots. After they got dressed, he pointed to the shovels near the stalls and they picked up the shovels. They opened the stall doors when they started cleaning the stalls and Hank, Jeff and Kenny walked to Diego.
"Did you check on Brutus?" Diego asked.
"Yeah. Still beathing," Jeff said.
"Did you put him back in his stable?"
"He's lying on the ground. How are we supposed to move him?" Kenny asked.
"Use the lift."
"It's on the other side of the ranch."
"Go get it," Diego said with wide eyes and Devil growled.
"Let them do it. He's the one who drugged the damn thing," Hank said, pointing at Connor.
"We're busy shoveling shit," Connor said.
"Maybe they can do better," Murphy whispered.
"How about this," Connor said, placing the shovel against the wall and he walked to Hank. "We'll give you back all the money you gave us if all of you can clean the stalls in…say…ten minutes."
"Easy," Hank said, opening the stall door. Connor walked by him as Murphy walked out of the other stall and Murphy looked at Connor. Connor pointed to the stall near the door. Murphy walked to the stall when his eyes widened at the sight of a pile of horse dung rising up almost to the window and spreading across the floor. He walked back to his twin when Connor smiled and Murphy snorted a laugh.
Ten minutes later, Hank, Jeff and Kenny were sweating as Hank looked at his watch and he growled.
"Times up," Connor said.
"No. We can do this," Jeff said.
"Don't think so," Connor said. He led them to the stall near the door when they saw the pile of horse dung and their mouths dropped open.
"Oh shit," Hank whispered.
Diego walked to Murphy and Connor when he saw the large pile of horse dung and Diego laughed.
"And here I thought you said the stables were clean. Best get to work. We wouldn't want the Health Department or Animal Control to see this," Diego said. He nodded his head for Connor and Murphy to follow him and they left the stable. Hank glared at them when he turned and he tossed the shovel at Kenny.
"You heard the Boss. Get to work," Hank said. He stormed away as Kenny and Jeff looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and they went to get to work.
Around noon, Diego, Connor and Murphy headed for the house when they walked up the stairs and Diego opened the screen door. They walked inside while Nichole ran down the stairs and she held her teddy bear in her left arm. She headed for Murphy then stopped after smelling the sour smell and she frowned.
"Ew! You're stinky!" Nichole said.
"Aye. We do smell a little ripe," Murphy said with a grin.
"Go take a shower," she said, pointing to the stairs.
"What will you do if we don't?" Connor said with a smug look on his face.
"I'll tell Mommy."
"Uh oh. I guess we better go take a shower then," he said as he looked at Murphy.
"I guess you're right," Murphy agreed.
"What's going on?" Darcy asked as she walked down the hallway then she stopped near Nichole.
"They're stinky, Mommy," Nichole said. Darcy could smell the sour scent coming off of them as she crossed her arms under her breasts and she gave them a blank look.
"We were headin' upstairs t'take a shower," Murphy explained.
"Then get going," Darcy said, pointing to the stairs.
"Diego stinky, too," Nichole explained.
"I was heading up," Diego said.
Darcy and Nichole watched them go upstairs when Darcy saw the anger on Nichole's face and Nichole bounced on the balls of her feet.
"They better take a shower or they don't get any desert," Nichole said when she headed down the hallway and Devil followed her. Smiling, Darcy looked up to the top of the stairs and she saw Murphy standing there.
"Did you need something?" Darcy asked.
"Aye. What do you want us t'do with our clothes?" Murphy asked.
"Put them in the laundry basket in your room. I'll go get it in a bit."
"Right," he said as he walked away and Darcy smiled, sighed and she lightly shook her head.
Upstairs, Diego pulled off the white linen shirt when he saw Annie standing in the doorway and her eyes quickly scanned his body.
"How did it go?" she asked, walking closer.
"Your brothers aren't half bad," he said, tossing the white linen shirt into the laundry basket.
"They didn't cause any trouble?"
"No. But Hank, Jeff and Kenny did."
"Shit," Annie said with a sigh.
He reached to remove his jeans and she light slapped his hands away. She started to unbuckle his jeans and he slid the jeans and cotton briefs down his legs then he stepped out of the jeans and cotton briefs. She took hold of his left hand as they headed for the bathroom and the door closed behind them after they went in the bathroom.