Divided Loyalties (10 page)

Her hopes soared when his eyes snapped open and focused on her.  Raising a shaky, bloodied hand he touched her face.  Then his eyes closed and his hand dropped to his side.

“Danny,” she cried.

Wiping the blood from his lips she began blowing air into his lungs but she was bleeding herself and everything went hazy.  The pain in her shoulder intensified as Battler’s massive hand clamped down on the wound to stem the blood loss but she fought against oblivion as she desperately tried to revive her husband.  The wail of sirens approaching filled the air then suddenly they were surrounded by armed police.

“Help him please,” she yelled at the paramedics racing towards them.

Battler clutched her to him as they lay Danny out flat and attempted to resuscitate him.  Rachel sobbed her heart out when he failed to respond to all their efforts.  Eventually the paramedics looked at each other and shook their heads.

“No,” she screamed.  “You have to keep trying.”

“Rachel…,” said Battler softly.

“Keep trying.  He’s not dead.”

Battler turned her face to look into his serious blue eyes.  “Rach, he’s gone.”

She sank into his arms, weeping and screaming, Battler’s face threatening to crack.

The paramedics turned their attention to the ragged hole in her shoulder and she sat quietly, little sobs and gasps escaping her lips, her eyes never leaving Danny’s body.  Her sobs intensified when he was covered with a sheet.

“He won’t be able to breathe,” she murmured, knowing it was irrational. 

Now the police had given the all-clear quite a crowd had gathered and Battler pulled her closer to shield her from their prying eyes, rage filling him when he saw people holding up mobile phones to film the scene, pointing at the blood stained sheet covering Danny’s body.

When the paramedics attempted to get Rachel into the ambulance she protested vigorously.

“No, I want to stay with him.”

“Rachel, you need to go to hospital,” said Battler firmly.

“I’m not leaving him.”

Suddenly Benton was kneeling before her, his expression gentle and the contrast was such that she went silent.

“Rachel, we can’t move him until forensics are finished and they need to do their job if we’re going to catch who did this.  I promise you can see him later.”

She nodded dumbly and allowed the paramedics to lead her to the ambulance.

“Battler?” she called helplessly.

“I’m here Sweetheart,” he said, climbing in beside her.

She strained to see the shape beneath the sheet just one last time until the doors slammed shut, blocking it out.

CHAPTER 10

Mikey hung up the phone after his conversation with Battler feeling dazed and sick.  Why couldn’t he have given this task to someone else?

“What’s up Mikey?” frowned Dolores.  “You look terrible.”

“Tell the staff to go home.  We’re not opening tonight.”

“Why not?”

“Danny’s dead.”

Dolores dropped the glass she was polishing and stared at him in astonishment. 

“How?”

“He was shot,” he croaked.

“Rachel?”

“She was shot too but she’s okay.”

Before leaving the club he made a few calls and arranged for Alex, Beth, Jez, Ryan and Bruiser to meet up at Martina’s house.  He parked at the end of the street where he could see the house and waited until everyone had arrived before going in himself.  This wasn’t news he wanted to break more than once.

He entered to find them all waiting curiously but they weren’t unduly worried, not after all the impromptu family meetings they’d had over the years.  He looked at Leah fast asleep in the cot in the corner and swallowed down the lump in his throat.

Martina’s stomach lurched when she saw Mikey’s expression.  “What’s happened?  Why aren’t Danny and Rachel here?”

He searched for words of sensitivity and tact but when they didn’t come he decided to come right out with it.

“Battler phoned me from St Mary’s.  Rachel and Danny have been shot.”

The six faces looking at him turned bloodless.

“Are they alright?” said Alex.

“Rachel was hit in the shoulder.  She lost some blood but she’ll be okay.  But Danny…Christ I’m sorry.  He’s dead.”

There was a moment of deathly silence as they all attempted to process this information before Martina’s scream split the air.  Alex attempted to comfort her but he was too overwhelmed with his own grief.  Little Leah started to cry, scared by the high emotion around her and Beth picked her up and cuddled her, which soothed her.

“That can’t be right,” Alex croaked.  “They only went out for lunch.”

“Battler was there, he saw it all.  It was quick,” he ended, voice cracking.

“Have they got who did it?” said Bruiser, startling them all.

“No.  The police closed off the street.  It seems they’re doing a thorough job trying to find the bastard.”

Martina shot to her feet, shaking and crying.  “I want to see him.  I want to see my boy.”

“It’s alright Mum, I’ll take you,” soothed Alex, embracing her.

“You’re in no fit state to drive,” said Mikey.  “I’ll run you in.  Can we leave Leah with the next door neighbour?  She shouldn’t see Rachel yet, she’s too upset.”

“I’ll ask her to come round,” said Beth.  “She can watch Alfie too.”  The woman next door had been a trusted friend of Martina’s for years with four kids of her own, so she was well-qualified.

Alex just nodded, content to let someone else take over everything.

“Jesus, I’m sorry,” said Ryan, looking stunned.  “What can we do?”

“Can you keep an eye on the businesses?” replied Alex.

“Of course.”

Ryan watched them go, desperate to see Rachel but that would have to wait.  He must respect Alex’s wishes.

Battler had never been scared before but he was now.  Rachel’s reaction to Danny’s death was terrifying, gravitating from violent screaming fits to a quiet, almost catatonic state and he was well out of his depth.  On top of that he was grieving too, he’d known Danny since he was a babe in arms.

He was relieved when the family entered the room, Beth and Mikey shell-shocked, Martina clinging onto Alex desperately and sobbing.  Rachel, who had gone silent, burst into tears.

Martina released her son to embrace her, mindful of her injury.

“Oh you poor girl,” wept Martina, stroking her hair.  “How’s your shoulder?”

Rachel didn’t appear to hear her question.  “He died in my arms Martina.  I tried to revive him but the wound was too severe, I couldn’t help him.  He opened his eyes and looked at me then he died.”

Alex slumped into a chair, his head in his hands.  Beth moved to comfort him and he pulled her to him and clung onto her for dear life.  Mikey stood by Rachel’s side, eyes glittering with unshed tears.

“Who…did this?” gasped Martina.

“I don’t know,” replied Rachel.  “I didn’t even realise what had happened at first.  There was a bang then pain in my shoulder.  Danny…he was bleeding from the chest, he fell…”  Unable to continue she dissolved into tears.

“We’ll find who did this,” said Alex darkly.  “We’ll find them and put a bullet in their fucking chest.”

Beth flinched.  She didn’t like this sort of talk, she preferred to pretend that Alex was just a businessman with no homicidal tendencies, she couldn’t deal with it like Rachel could.

Rachel grasped Martina’s hands.  “I want to see him, please.  They made me leave him lying on the pavement…I didn’t want to leave him.”

Martina managed to control her own grief long enough to help her traumatised daughter-in-law.  “Of course you can see him, I’ll make damn sure of it, I promise you.”

Rachel nodded, tears streaming down her face.  “Oh God, what about Leah?” 

This was too much for Martina, whose control snapped and she disintegrated.  Both women clung to each other as they screamed and wept.  The others became so concerned they called in a doctor who sedated them both, taking Martina to the room next door to lie down. 

Beth left to collect Leah and Alfie from the neighbour’s.  Alex, Mikey, Battler and Bruiser stayed behind, watching Rachel sleep.

“The bullet hit Rachel first,” said Battler quietly, breaking the silence.  “I saw the whole thing.  The shot came from a roof somewhere on the opposite side of the road to the restaurant and down.  It went in Rachel’s shoulder and through her into Danny.”

“How can you be sure it didn’t hit Danny first?” said Mikey.

“Because it didn’t come out his back.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed.  “Are you saying she was the intended target?”

“Maybe.”

“If that’s so, why did it hit her in the shoulder?” said Mikey.  “Whoever did it might have been after Danny and just not cared that she was in the way.”

“As the shot rang out Danny kissed Rachel and turned her slightly.  I think he saved her life,” explained Battler.

Alex sighed and closed his eyes.  “No one tells Rachel that, she’ll only blame herself.  Alright?”

The three men nodded.

“It doesn’t make sense,” said Mikey.  “Why would someone want to kill Rachel?”

“Perhaps they were after them both?” said Battler.  “There was a second shot that just missed Rachel.”

“Have you told the police this?”

“Yeah, they collared me at the scene.”

“Talk to our contacts, I want to be kept up to date with the police investigation,” said Alex.  “I want this fucker before they get to him, understand?  Bruiser, you stay here and guard Rachel.  Don’t let anyone near her you don’t know and who isn’t staff.”

Bruiser nodded in understanding and settled back into a chair for the duration.  As Battler rose his jacket fell open to reveal his blood stained shirt and Alex winced.

“It’s Rachel’s,” he explained, buttoning it up to hide the stain before leaving.

“Someone should call Rachel’s parents,” said Mikey quietly.  “Want me to do it?”

“Please,” replied Alex.

“Okay.  Alex, I’m so sorry.”

Alex swallowed hard, holding back his tears with every ounce of his considerable strength.  “I know.  Bruiser, could you give me a few minutes?”

He nodded and followed Mikey out.  Only when they’d all gone did he give way to his grief.

Benton burst into Richard Spencer’s office to find him sat at his desk, swigging whisky.

“Superintendent,” he beamed.  “Please, join me for a celebratory drink.”

“I don’t consider murder something to celebrate.”

“But Danny Maguire’s dead.”

“Yes I know, I attended the scene personally.”

“I thought you’d be pleased.”

Benton planted his hands on the desk and loomed over him.  “Are you responsible?”

“What?” frowned Richard.

“Did you hire someone to take him out?”

“No, of course not.”

Benton looked doubtful.  “You said you’d sort him out personally and a week later Danny Maguire’s dead.  I’ll only ask you one more time and if you lie to me then I can’t protect you.  Did you arrange to have him killed?”

“I wish I had but no, I didn’t.”

Benton regarded him suspiciously.

“I didn’t, I promise.”

“Alright, I believe you,” he sighed, straightening up and running his hands through his hair.

“He’s involved with a lot of dangerous people.  He must have pissed someone off.”

“Perhaps.”

“I heard Rachel was shot too but it didn’t say how badly injured she was.”

“She’ll be fine, the bullet went through her shoulder.”

“Oh bugger, it would have been nice to get rid of them both.”

“You think it nice a little girl be left orphaned?”

“Better that than grow up with parents like those two.”

“There’s going to be a shit storm now.  If it had been Rachel who’d died it would have been different but Danny’s death has left a power vacuum, which is when all the lower orders try their luck.  They’ll try and take everything from the Maguires while their family’s in disarray.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Ryan Law himself attempts it.  Rachel would have been strong enough to put a stop to that, she was practically Danny’s second.  Now there’s going to be a sodding bloodbath.”

“What about Alex?”

“He’s not his brother or his dad, he’s weaker than them.  He might have it in him to put on a strong front and hold everything together until Rachel’s better but I’m not so sure.  The one thing I do know is that the Maguires will be out for blood now.  They will tear this city apart hunting Danny’s killer and they won’t give a shit who gets in their way.”

“Good.  Let the lot of them kill each other.”

“That’s not how it works.  In cases like this innocent people get caught in the crossfire.  Oh Jesus Richard, you’d better be telling me the truth because if you are behind this they will come after you.  They may come after you anyway.”

Richard turned pale with fear.  “I wasn’t.  Christ if you don’t believe me then they certainly won‘t.”

“I suggest you hire some extra security because they might come calling.  If I know Rachel Maguire the moment she’s back on her feet she’ll be on the rampage.  You have been warned.”

With that Benton stalked from the office, leaving a shaken Richard to refill his whisky glass with a trembling hand.

When Rachel woke from an eight hour sleep she demanded to be taken to Danny.  Alex was the one who wheeled her down to the morgue.  She hated being in a wheelchair but was too weak to walk, her left arm held in a sling.

“Want me to come in with you?” said Alex gently but reluctantly.  He’d seen plenty of dead bodies in his time but he didn’t want to see his little brother’s.

“No thanks.  I want to be alone.”

“Okay.  I’ll wait right here.”

The mortuary attendant held the door open and she wheeled herself inside.  Her heart hammered in her chest as he respectfully folded back the sheet to reveal Danny’s face before discreetly withdrawing.

A whimper escaped her lips, he hardly looked like her husband anymore.  All that about corpses looking like they were just sleeping was bullshit.  He was an empty shell, the man himself gone.  She ran her fingers through his hair, which was still soft and thick.  Closing her eyes she imagined they were at home in bed and he was sleeping.  If she couldn’t sleep she’d often lie awake watching him and stroking his hair, it soothed her.  After Terry and Jake attacked them and he almost died she appreciated every single second with him.  When she opened her eyes from the sweet dream to the empty vessel lying on the mortuary slab she started to cry.  Her eyes travelled to the sheet hiding his strong chest, which she loved to nuzzle into, knowing it was ravaged by the Y-shaped scar of the autopsy.  They would have taken out his organs to weigh them, looked into the contents of his stomach and seen the remains of the pasta he’d demolished at lunch that wouldn’t have had time to digest, the same meal during which they’d planned their future together, the business they were going to build up, the baby they were going to have that would never be born. 

Grasping his cold lifeless hand she wept, wondering how she’d find the will to go on without him.  She sat there for so long the mortuary attendant returned and stood there uncertainly.

“I’m sorry Mrs Maguire but it’s time,” he eventually said.

“Just a bit longer, please.”

“I’m afraid there are others waiting to see him.”

Rachel realised she was being selfish.  Of course Martina would want to see him but she couldn’t find it in herself to leave him.