Page 144 of 5+Us Makes Seven

I slipped the clip out and slammed a new one into the gun as he hit the concrete. Blood poured from fifteen wounds in his chest. He was dead before he hit the floor.

Conall was in the doorway in front of me, his eyes wide with amazement at the scene he’d just witnessed. I aimed my gun at him, eyes glaring.

“Conall! Drop the gun. It’s over. All your men are dead or arrested. Come on, now.” I edged forward.

“Jack. It ain't over until I say it's over! You hear! I got an offer for you. Let's talk, me and you. Make a deal.”

I laughed at him and his pitiful, pleading expression. I looked into his eyes. I saw nothing but an evil man, cornered and begging.

“I’ve got an offer for you, Conall. Drop the gun. Get on the floor. Or, I’ll shoot you. See what I did to your friend here? That could be you too, if you want. Your choice. Ain’t no third option.” I stopped edging forward, clearing my mind as I waited for his response.

“There’s always a third option, Jack! You ain’t taking me down! You don’t get away with screwing with the O’Rourkes!” His arm raised slowly, and I waited with baited breath for him to move.

Then something bizarre happened. A full beer can came flying from the corner of the room, hitting him in the side of the head with a loud, tinny thud. He looked to his right.

“You fu…”

I took my moment and shot him in the right shoulder twice, and the left shoulder once. He staggered back, gun dropping to the floor.

Eden ran into my eyesight and picked Conall’s gun up, eyes blazing as she stared down the sights of the pistol at him.

Good girl. Please don’t shoot him, though. We’ve got him. We can take him down. Make him live out the rest of his miserable life behind bars. I didn’t want to give him the easy way out. I’d see him pay for what he’d done. Justice would be served.

I walked into the room, my gun still trained on Conall as he sat on the bed, gasping in pain, swearing at me softly through gritted teeth.

“Go on then, finish it! Kill me, you fucks! Damn cowards!” He raged at us, mouth foaming as he spat obscenities.

“No, Conall. You ain’t getting off that easy. I’ll see you pay for what you’ve done. Scumbag.” I risked a glance over to Eden. Her hands were shaking with anger. I could tell she wanted to shoot him.

I stepped over and placed a hand onto hers. I gently pushed the gun down.

“It’s over, Eden. We shoot him now, we’re just as bad as he is. Let’s put him behind bars.” She looked up into my eyes, anger lifting as she stared at me. She smiled softly, eyes wide with adoration.

Then she turned to face Conall and suddenly cracked him in the temple with butt of his own pistol, smiling grimly at the sound it made. Conall collapsed, unconscious.

“Damn, I’ve been wanting to do that for a while. That felt good.” She let a breath out slowly.

I smiled at her then went to tie Conall up. I read him his rights with satisfaction, even though he was out cold. Just meant I’d have the pleasure of reading them to him again when he came round.

I put my arm around Eden’s waist and drew her into me, kissing her deeply on the lips.

“Let’s get you out of here, babe,” I said, bringing her into a tight embrace and kissing her on the head.

“I’m glad you’re safe… I… I love you, Eden.”

***

I’d called in the arrest, and Conall had been taken into police custody, albeit at the hospital while he recovered from his wounds. Two grim faced, uniformed cops stood guard at his door. I knew they wanted to kill Conall for murdering Al, but they resisted the urge. They were good guys.

One of the corrupt cops had been caught trying to hide his tracks, disturbing the crime scene at the meth lab and messing with evidence. He’d been caught red-handed and taken in. He said he didn’t know Cathal, who’d recovered from his wounds quicker than I’d expected. Said he’d never seen him before.

Cathal said otherwise. Told us everything. Names, dates. How much money changed hands. Shared the cop’s greed and the promises they’d made to Conall, the way they’d kissed his ass as they took his ill-gotten money. He was angling for a reduced sentence as long as we kept him safe from the clutches of the O’Rourke gang. We agreed, and Cathal sang like a caged bird suddenly released.

Later I’d have the satisfaction of walking into the office and arresting the dirty cops, all of them. I’d finally be clearing the corruption out of the department like pulling weeds from a lawn. The Captain and Lieutenant would be at my side as I read them their rights in turn, shaming them in front of the department.

After the shootout and arrest, I took Eden in to make a quick statement. She complied, saying she was willing to testify what she had on Conall. She recounted everything in detail, head held high, and I’d stared at her proudly as she’d made her statement.

I took her back to her place after we’d finished up the legal side of things. I studied the bullet holes on the car absently as I drove. The memory of the shootout at the meth lab and the motel seemed faded, distant. Surreal. Eden sat quietly in the passenger seat. I squeezed her ample thigh with my hand, trying to repress the arousal rising within me as I occasionally glanced her way.