Page 37 of Blood in the Water
“And you met after the explosion?” Luca asked. HIs voice was like the rest of him — soothing, measured.
Nolan nodded. “After she checked Seamus into the Westin and got him settled.”
Luca studied him. “And Seamus didn’t know about the two of you before that?”
“Not that we know of,” Nolan said. “I’m willing to bet they had her followed when she left the suite. Whether it was routine or based on some kind of substantive information, I can’t say. But it makes sense.”
“Miss Monaghan is shaken, she leaves the Westin, theytail her to your meeting place, your relationship is confirmed to O’Brien, who dispatches Sean — most likely at Baren Maguire’s urging — to send Bridget a message.” Christophe’s voice was quiet as he laid out the scenario.
“Sounds about right,” Will said.
“And you’re sure he wasn’t just going to quiz you about your relationship?” Farrell asked.
“I can’t be sure of anything,” Nolan said, “but knowing Seamus, he would have held onto that information to use later. The fact that he sent such a strong message with Sean makes me think he either knew Bridget was working with me and I’ve been working with you, or they’re suspicious enough to assume as much.”
“Why not just snatch her off the street?” Luca asked.
“That’s not the way Seamus works,” Will said. “He likes to play, to savor his power. Bringing Bridget into the Cat, humiliating her in front of the other men, having them haul her off to dump her in the bay, that’s a lot of bang for his buck.”
Fury swirled in Nolan’s chest. It wasn’t Will’s fault. He loved Bridget too, was just telling it like it was, but Nolan hated hearing Bridget reduced to a warning for the other men.
“Why not come for you?” Farrell asked, looking at Nolan.
“Coming for Bridget is coming for me,” Nolan said.
A flicker of understanding passed over Farrell’s eyes.
“Now that everyone’s caught up,” Will said, “what do you say we talk about our next move, because I’m feeling a bit of a breeze on my arse with it hanging out like this.”
“We want your input of course,” Christophe said, “but right now our strategy is twofold, turn as many of the men as we can and take over Seamus’s public strongholds.”
“The Cat and the Playpen?” Nolan asked.
“And Palmer’s.” Farrell tapped the map on the coffee table between the sofa and chairs in the tiny sitting area. “Plus any other targets you think would send the right message.”
“When will this go down?” Will asked.
“Twenty-four to forty-eight hours,” Farrell said.
“We want to bring over as many of O’Brien’s men as we can first,” Christophe explained. “It will make the second phase of the operation easier, and it will make takeover of the territory after O’Brien is gone easier as well.”
“Makes sense,” Nolan said. “I take it the guys in the other room are for phase two?”
“We have some men on the street.” Farrell’s tone made it clear questions weren’t welcome.
Then again, Nolan had never given two shits what Farrell wanted.
“In Seamus’s crew?” Nolan asked.
“In and around,” Farrell said.
“Is that recent?” It was hard to imagine the Syndicate had had plants in Seamus’s crew all this time.
“More or less.”
“And you didn’t think to tell us? That it might make things a little easier?”
“Until recently, we weren’t a hundred percent sure you were in the operation to stay,” Christophe said.