Declan shrugged. ‘This will cause a lot of trouble, Michael, but you know that, don’t you?’
Michael was busy feeling the weight of his chosen weapon, moving it from hand to hand. He grinned. ‘I know that, Declan. But even Christie McCarthy will have to accept that this time his boy has trodden on the wrong fucking toes. I can’t swallow this, and neither can you. It was a blatant fucking public outrage. I will sort Christie McCarthy out, if necessary. But, whatever happens, that cunt in there is on his way out.’
Declan shrugged. He had expected this from the off. It was why he had brought the man here, and sent everyone involved home. This was not going to end happily for anyone concerned.
Michael went through to the back office a few minutes later. He had finished his drink first.
The first blow split Kelvin’s head open, the second exposed his brain. He was dead almost immediately, so then Michael concentrated on the man’s body. He was going to make an example of him. No one was going to be in any doubt about what was in store for them if they dared to cross him.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Josephine woke up slowly, and smiled lazily. Michael was asleep beside her, his arm around her waist. She felt her baby move inside her, and she felt a rush of happiness. Every time she felt it moving, she knew that it was still alive. She closed her eyes and said a quick prayer of thanks. She had been saying the rosary every day, the Joyful Mysteries, mostly. She wasn’t comfortable with the others, least of all the Sorrowful Mysteries. She had also been saying the Thirty Days’ Prayer, and the Creed. She had always loved the Creed. It was so beautiful. She prayed to Mary, Our Lady, a mother herself, to please protect her child, and guide it safely into the world. She was sure that her prayers would be answered. If it didn’t happen this time, she was never going to try again; she would accept her barren state, and get on with her life.
She crawled out of the bed, making sure she didn’t wake Michael up. He worked so hard, and she had forced him out of the house the night before. Now she felt bad about that. He was only trying to protect her.
She walked down to the kitchen, and put the kettle on. As usual, she opened the back door to let the air in. She loved that she had such a huge garden, and that it was so beautiful. The gardener came three days a week, and he kept it pristine. She had her own little herb garden, and a small patio that allowed her to sit outside and enjoy her garden at her leisure. She knew how lucky she was to have so much, she really did appreciate what her Michael had given her. She knew just how hard he worked for his family, and how lucky she was to have a man like that.
She made a cup of tea, and sat down at the kitchen table. She caressed her belly; it was really starting to show now. Her mum had to have guessed, but she had not said a word. Josephine loved her for that. Her mum had been her best friend, until she had taken against Michael practically overnight. They were suddenly at loggerheads, but her mother had the sense to know when to retreat, and she had done just that. No one was going to say a word against her Michael without a fight. If she had to make a choice, there would be no competition – Michael would win hands down. Every time her mother tried to slip a criticism in, she turned on her without hesitating. It had worked too. Her mother’s complaints were now few and far between, thank fuck. Her dad loved him at least! As Michael always said, two out of three wasn’t bad.
She sipped her tea. She would kill for a cup of coffee, but apparently it wasn’t good for the baby, so she had stopped drinking it. She heard a car crunch to a stop on the drive. It was only eight a.m. She yawned noisily. Who could this be? It must be one of Michael’s workers. They all seemed to have the code for the gates.
She went through the reception hall, and opened the front door. Two men pushed past her, knocking her backwards.
‘Where is he?’
Josephine looked at the men in her entrance hall, absolutely terrified. They were huge and very aggressive. She recognised one of them, but she couldn’t place him.
‘He’s not here. He hasn’t been home all night.’ She was not going to let them get any advantage over her husband, she knew that much.
‘Look, love, don’t fuck me about. I ain’t in the mood for games. Where the fuck is he?’
Michael was at the top of the stairs, and she looked up at him fearfully. She couldn’t believe it. He didn’t seem to be the least bothered about them coming to his house, her home. He walked slowly down the stairs, saying, ‘Have a bit of respect, lads. My wife’s pregnant.’
Both men looked at her, and she pushed out her belly to emphasise her condition.