Always Seeking Better Ch. 03

Christine and I had formed two plans in fact. One had been for Janey and did not trigger any result, but Eve's had. Despite seeing death too often there was a tear in my eye today. Yet, I couldn't see what else I could have done. The matter had to be resolved. When I came up with the plan I thought the odds were against Eve's involvement. The fact it was Eve, also raised several other questions. Was her renting from me, then coming to see me a coincidence or had she and her friends organised that too? Had she thought I was her ticket to the inner circle of the Enterprise? I supposed Eamon's team would find out, perhaps with Christine as the interrogator, that was a detail I did not want to know. The Enterprise was skilled at finding out peoples' secrets. That was one of the activities I had never wanted involvement with and one of the reasons for wanting out when I did. A fight on the streets was one thing, but the systematic inducement of pain and breaking down of a person was something else entirely. My musings were interrupted by Eamon and Christine entering the room.

"Davey, where have you been all this time? When are you coming back? I always had a soft spot for you. There's always a place at the top table for you my boy. You were always the brainy one. Your plan worked a treat. We got the bastards all right and it was not that difficult to get them to talk."

"Eamon, you've always been good to me and I love you. But no, I have not changed my mind. This life ain't for me."

Eamon looked genuinely sad for a moment,

"Davey, I am really sorry you're not coming back. If my lovely niece failed to persuade you though, l knew an old fart like me had no chance. I hear you're becoming a property millionaire nowadays, maybe you're being the clever one yet again."

After a brief pause he continued, " I'm far too old to change though. Davey, be assured you will always be under our protection."

Christine came close and spoke quietly, "My sentimental lover, I agree it's a bit sad. There's no way we could let her go and you know it well. If we had though it would not only be in the bed she would have screwed you and drained you. That's something too you know deep down."

Christine was right of course. I did know it. Yet I would remember Eve and my brief time together especially during lonely nights. I was offered the best Irish whiskey by Eamon. Though it was still morning, I accepted, one did not risk offence to the King of the South Side. We talked of old acquaintances and toasted outrageous gigs we had pulled.

It was Christine who decided that we should bring the meeting to a close. She asked, "Do you still have the same mobile number?"

She knew the answer because I had called her several times over the last few days. Christine was sending a message by reversing the roles from the last time we had this conversation. I played along and asked why she thought she might need it.

"Just in case late one night there is something I need doing and I think you are the only man who can do it right," was the answer.

I had never been sure how much Eamon knew about the relationship between Christine and me when I was working for him. Those years ago when I was one of the young men trying to prove my worth to Eamon I had nightmares about what he might do if he discovered why his niece and I often didn't stay around for celebrations after the successful gigs. I still don't know what he'd have done then for that matter. It seemed it was no secret between Christine and him now. At that moment, for the first time it occurred to me that him. Knowing might have been the reason why I had been allowed to leave. Either he knew all along or Christine had persuaded him to let me go by telling him.

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