Sheena looks wistfully at Carson, then the others, but she says nothing. Her face is drawn and pained, for some reason. I wish I knew why. I wish I knew how to make it better.Chapter 12SheenaI don’t know what to do, what to think. It’s as if my entire purpose has been swept out from under me. Until now, I’ve been on a vengeance mission to bring the McCarthys down, and now… if I’m to believe what the priest said… I’ve been misinformed.
I’m deep in my head when Keenan dismisses the meeting, filled with so many thoughts I don’t even know how to begin to sort them.
They can prove they didn’t kill my father.
I’ve been chasing the wrong people.
The O’Gregors are the ones responsible.
It’s up to me to bring vindication to the McCarthys.
This has only just begun.
Just now, Carson told the lot of them his girlfriend’s expecting, and their congrats brought a pang to my chest. I don’t have a support system like this. I have no one.
Nolan rises and takes my hand, a decided firmness to his gaze and tightness to his grip on my hand that gives me pause. I don’t know if he’s angry or just determined, but something tells me I’m about to find out. I try to shove all my thoughts and fears away, but it’s hard.
I can’t believe how stupid I’ve been, how arrogant.
I was set up. I was lied to. And I’ve built my hopes and dreams on a sand castle premise. The tide’s washed everything away.
As we’re leaving the meeting room, Father Finn calls my name. “Sheena.”
I turn to look at him. I knew who he was before I met him, having done my homework. The younger brother of the late Seamus McCarthy, he looks much older than he is. I imagine his dual role as McCarthy clan chaplain and pastor to Holy Family isn’t an easy job.
“Father Finn.”
He sweeps a hand across his brow and runs his fingers through his gray hair.
“Your father was a good man, lass.”
My throat is tight, and my nose tingles. “Aye,” I agree. My voice is husky. “The very best.”
“He didn’t deserve to die the way he did. And it broke my heart to see your mother’s undoing.”
I nod. “Me, too.”
Nolan watches us thoughtfully but doesn’t speak.
“Between your connections and mine, we’ll see to it that social protection leaves them be. I’ve a contact in the main office in Stone City. I imagine you do as well?”
“I know a few people, yes.”
Even though I feel like I need a good, hard cry, another, inexplicable feeling comes over me as well. My heart feels lighter than it has in years. Our meeting today’s shed light on the truth. And now instead of a mission to bring down one family, my job is to vindicate. And I like that. I’ll do my damned best.
“Good,” he says with a sad smile. He pats Nolan’s shoulder. “Nolan’s a good man. Follow his lead, and he won’t steer you wrong.”
I don’t expect this, and it seems Nolan doesn’t either, for we both stare at him as he leaves the room. The others leave until it’s just me, Nolan, and Keenan left.
“Nolan, stay in touch,” Keenan says. “I want a blow by blow.”
Nolan nods. “Aye. I’m sorry, Keenan. Shouldn’t have said what I did.”
Keenan looks to me then Nolan, before he nods his head. “I defied dad once on behalf of Caitlin. And because of that, I’ll forgive what happened.” His eyes meet mine, though he’s addressing Nolan. “See to it she doesn’t interfere, that you do what I’ve asked, and we’ll move past this.”
I now know that Nolan telling Keenan off probably broke some kind of Clan code.
Nolan nods. “Aye. You have my word.”
I’ve heard them say this before. It’s like a McCarthy brother thing.
We leave the room and head for the stairs. I can still hear Fiona, Tiernan, and Sam in the garden. It seems almost surreal, as if I’m existing simultaneously in two separate worlds.
I look out the window. They’re happy as can be, Maeve sitting on the lawn weaving a wreath of flowers from her garden. Fiona’s blowing bubbles with Sam, and Tiernan’s hands are in his pockets as he stares out at the sea in the distance.
To my surprise, Nolan brings us outside to join them. He talks to Maeve, while I chat with Tiernan and Fiona. They don’t know my vendetta against the McCarthys, so there’s nothing to tell them. But I have to put their minds at ease.
“I’ve a job to do,” I tell Tiernan and Fiona. I watch as Sam toddles after a large, iridescent bubble. He squeals when he reaches it and pops it.
“What kind of a job?” Tiernan asks. “And how long will we be here?”
“Just an investigative job, Tiernan,” I tell him. “I’ve promised to vindicate their family in exchange for protection.”