The Fey

by Claudia Hall Christian

CHAPTER TWELVE

  August 19—6:17 A.M.

  Denver, Colorado

  “They are here,” John said.

  “Cool,” Alex said. She hopped to the entryway of their home, where she hugged Raz. “Good morning.”

  “Still unmarried?” he asked.

  “Sort of. How was the shooting range?”

  “We worked on this stuff instead.” Raz caught her eyes and kissed her cheek. “Are you all right?”

  Alex shrugged.

  “Thanks for taking care of this crap.”

  “It’s my job.” Raz scooped her into a hug. “I’m so sorry.”

  Alex took a breath and nodded. He stepped back and touched her face. She smiled.

  “I brought some bagels,” he said. “We made them sit handcuffed in the car while I went in. They are not very cheerful.”

  “Great. John made some fruit salad. I can make . . .”

  “That’s all right. I’ll make breakfast,” Raz said. “I’d rather not die today.”

  “I’m not that bad. I took that class you gave me for Christmas. I can . . .”

  He raised an eyebrow, and she pretended to punch him. He laughed.

  “How about if I take care of the PIRA, and you get breakfast?”

  “Good,” Raz said. “Hey, John.”

  The men hugged in greeting.

  Alex walked out to the SUV, where three Homeland Security agents waited with Cian Kelly and his red-haired friend. The PIRA members were sitting in the back seat with black hoods over their heads and their hands cuffed in front of them. When Alex approached the vehicle, two agents stepped out of the SUV and dragged the men from the vehicle. Alex walked with the men up the porch and into the house. With a nod, the Homeland Security agents unlocked their handcuffs and left the house. Alex waited until the SUV pulled away before removing their hoods.

  “Welcome to our home,” she said.

  Ben walked in the door. He leaned in to kiss Alex’s cheek and squeezed her arm. He moved past them into the kitchen for a cup of coffee.

  “Breakfast is almost ready,” Alex continued. “Would you like some tea?”

  “What the fuck is this?” Cian Kelly asked.

  “In this country, when family comes for a visit, we invite them to a meal,” Alex said.

  The red-haired man laughed. “That’s it then. Spend some time terrified by the American government and then it’s, ‘Come in. Have a cup of tea.’”

  Alex raised her eyebrows.

  “Do come in,” John said. He came and put his arm around Alex. She looked at him, and he kissed her nose. “We understand that you’d like to talk.”

  “What the fuck? I was just in handcuffs,” Cian said.

  Alex smiled.

  “Come on, Cian. I’m hungry, and the food smells delicious,” the red-haired man said. “I’m Eoin Mac Kinney.”

  “I’m Alex Drayson. Nice to meet you. This is my husband, John Drayson. And my brother Max Hargreaves.” Max was walking down the hall from the kitchen. He hugged Alex, and they pressed their foreheads together. “Max, this is John’s brother Cian.”

  “Hey, nice to meet you. Come in.” Max led Cian and Eoin to the dining-room table. “Make yourself at home. I’ll get some tea.”

  “Please have a seat,” Alex said.

  Cian glared at them.

  “I can always send you back,” she said.

  Cian sat down.

  “We’re happy to be here, Mrs. Fey. Thank you for having us to breakfast,” Eoin said, with a laugh. He sat next to Cian.

  Max brought a pot of Irish Breakfast tea and set it in front of Cian. Eoin poured himself a cup of tea.

  “How do we know it’s not drugged?” Cian sniffed at the pot of tea.

  Raz came in, carrying a plate of eggs and sausages.

  “And the Homeland guy is making breakfast?” Cian pushed himself away from the table.

  “I don’t know what your problem is, brother, but, please, eat with us,” John said.

  “Hey, don’t start without me,” Matthew said, coming in the front door. Alex stood to greet him in the entryway. She hugged him hello. “Sorry I’m late. I was . . .” he cleared his throat and shrugged his eyebrows, “detained.”

  “Sounds like you are enjoying your new off-base status,” Alex said.

  “I love my new job pleasing your sister. I mean, working with you,” he said.

  Alex kissed his cheek. “Come meet John’s brother and his friend.”

  Matthew reached for her hand. “You okay?”

  Alex nodded. Holding hands, they walked into the dining-room.

  “Hey, I want to be greeted like that,” Eoin said.

  Cian rolled his eyes at Eoin. “They’re trying to fool us into revealing more than we want to. Well, you won’t get anything from me.”

  Alex laughed. “I don’t need to get anything from you. I know everything there is to know about Cian Kelly. It’s my understanding that you have some questions for us. That’s why we are here. To answer your questions.”

  Alex and Matthew sat down. Breakfast was passed around the table. Ben came in from the back deck and sat in the chair next to Cian. Alex passed the coffee in Ben’s direction. They chatted and ate while Cian and Eoin watched them. Finally, Eoin put some eggs on his plate and began to eat. Cian watched Eoin for a moment before filling his plate.

  “Would you like to ask your questions?” Alex asked.

  Cian’s eyes shot over to her. He swallowed the food in his mouth and cleared his throat.

  “Before you start, we already talked to the IRA. If there’s something you want to know, you can ask. Then we have a problem that we think you can help us with.”

  “Who are these guys?” Eoin asked.

  “To me?” Alex asked. “That’s Arthur Rasmussen. We call him, ‘Raz.’ He’s my partner when I work for Homeland Security, and our boss is called ‘Ben.’ My mother calls him ‘Benjamin.’ He trained me. This is my twin, Max. And this is my old friend Matthew. He’s just started working with me.”

  “Why are they here?” Eoin asked.

  “Curiosity,” Ben said. “I’ve known John since he was Max’s roommate at university. We have a couple of questions to ask.”

  “And you?”

  “My boss told me to be here,” Matthew said.

  Alex laughed.

  Cian Kelly looked at Alex, holding her eyes for a full minute, and then nodded slightly. He glanced at John and looked down at his plate.

  “You sorted this with . . .”

  “Yes,” Alex said. “John spoke with him this morning. He is satisfied.”

  “What did you tell him?” Cian’s voice shifted in a way that made Alex look up. Cian saw her look and added, “He’s my brother first.”

  Alex smiled.

  “He asked about Da, mostly,” John said. “He wanted to know about me—what I was doing, what kind of a person I am. I guess because of Alex. Then he told me that some of the people I used to interact with would be happier if I didn’t remember those interactions.”

  “The Troubles are over, Johnny,” Cian said. “It’s strange for us natives, but many of our old friends are legitimate business people now.”

  “Native?” John asked.

  Cian, Alex, and Raz opened their mouths to reply, but Ben spoke first.

  “Native IRA. You and Cian were born into the high ranks of the Provisional Irish Republican Army.”

  “Some groups you can join,” Raz added. “The upper ranks of the IRA? You have to be born into that.”

  “We take care of our own, Johnny,” Cian said. “What about Eimilie?”

  “It’s one of the questions we have for you and Eoin,” Alex said.

  She nodded to Raz. Raz reached into his bag and pulled out a stack of photos.

  “Who is this man?” Alex asked.

  Raz handed the photos one at a time to Eoin, who passed them to Cian.

  “Isn’t that Johnny?” Cian asked. “It looks like him.”

>   “It’s not him,” Alex said.

  “How can you be certain?” Eoin said.

  Alex looked up to see Ben watching her. He smiled and nodded to encourage her to proceed.

  “I’ve been John’s lover for more than twelve years. This is not John,” Alex said. She picked up a photo. “You might have to be a woman to notice it, but John is right-handed. This man is left-handed.”

  “The rings are the same,” Cian said.

  Alex pulled John’s wedding ring from the middle finger on her right hand and passed the gold band to Cian.

  “This man is wearing a plain gold wedding band, and John wore a plain gold wedding band.”

  “Look at that,” Eoin said. “The rings are the same, but different. Cian, I think this is . . .”

  Eoin looked at Cian. He shook his head slightly.

  “No holding out,” Ben said, in even tones. “You are free men at the will of an upper-level Homeland Security agent. It’s wise to be forthright.”

  “The man you spoke with? He has a son called Néall,” Eoin said. “Néall is very . . . active.”

  “Does he look like John?” Alex asked.

  Eoin and Cian shared another look.

  “I’ve known Cian since primary. We grew up together, but Néall . . . he’s. . . .”

  “There’s a rumor that Johnny has a different Da,” Cian said. “Da was in Maze for most of the year before Johnny was born. Ma visited, but . . .” Cian shrugged.

  John looked at Cian and then at Ben. Ben did not look up from his coffee cup. Ben’s lack of eye contact told John all he needed to know.

  “That’s why they thought I killed Da?” John asked. “That’s why they beat me. They said I killed our father.”

  “Did you?” Cian asked.

  “I don’t think so,” John said. “No. It’s not that I didn’t want to kill him. He could be . . .”

  “Cruel. He was especially cruel to you,” Cian said.

  John looked over to Alex. Holding her eyes, he said, “I was capable of killing him, but . . . I mean, I think he was dead . . . I know I did not set that bomb. Alex said that intelligence believes that Da set the bomb. But bombs were also your work, Cian.”

  Cian nodded.

  “Why would Néall blackmail John?” Alex asked.

  “It’s probably just Eimilie,” Eoin said. “She probably tried to catch Néall, but Néall couldn’t give a crap. His wife would just point her toward the back of the line.”

  “Of lovers?” Raz asked.

  Eoin nodded. “He’s a busy boy.”

  “It’s a small island,” Cian said. “We all share a look. Johnny and Néall look a bit alike. Johnny is taller than all of us . . .”

  “Combined,” Eoin added

  “He was always more aggressive, smarter. Ma used to say that he was the best of all of us, which is probably why he’s supposed to have a different father.”

  Alex began clearing plates from the table. Raz took the stack of plates from her, and they walked into the kitchen. Alex started making a pot of coffee.

  “What do you think?” Raz asked.

  “We either kill them or invite them into our lives. With Eleazar breathing down my neck, we don’t have a choice to wait and see or get to know them slowly over time. And we can’t risk sending them back. They know too much.” Alex shrugged. “We’ve done the intel. They seem to be good guys. I think we should go ahead.”

  “I agree,” Raz said.

  When Alex returned to the dining-room, they were talking about Eimilie. John’s face was flushed red. He looked down when she came into the room. Matthew stood, blocking Alex’s access to the room, and took her hand. He shot John a disgusted look.

  “Come on, let’s get some coffee,” he said. Before he left the room, he turned to look at John. “I told you what would happen if you fucked up.”

  John looked up at Matthew and then gave a quick nod.

  “What happened?” Alex asked.

  “They were talking about John’s wife. I thought they were talking about you. I was getting offended when . . .”

  Raz touched her shoulder, and moved into the dining-room.

  “I just found out,” she said.

  “Thank God Jesse’s dead. He would have killed John,” Matthew said.

  “Actually, he’s all right about the whole thing. He thinks John’s going to make it all right.” Alex shrugged.

  Matthew crushed her in a hug. “Honey, Jesse’s dead.”

  “Mattie, he’s still here. He’s the one who told me where the soldiers were. He says that you hear him in your head and even talk to him in your head, but you pretend it’s not him.”

  Matthew gave her a long look.

  “I’m sorry about all of this.”

  “Oh, Mattie, me too,” Alex said. “Every single thing I depended on is gone. I mean, what’s next? Max isn’t my twin?”

  “I’m here now,” Matthew said. “And Troy will be here as soon as he finishes up.”

  Alex nodded. “Thanks.”

  “For what?” Matthew asked, pouring a cup of coffee.

  “For being my friend,” she said. “You know, I went from Basic training to Bosnia; from Bosnia to Special Forces training. I married John—or thought I did—the day I left training. I don’t really know what to do. Should I move out? Date other people? Maybe we should get re-married but . . .”

  Raising her shoulders in a shrug, she looked away from him.

  “Alex, you and John have something rare and very special.”

  “It was all a lie.”

  Shaking her head, she began to cry. Matthew swept her into his arms, catching her. After a few moments, she pushed the pain back into its tight box. She let out a breath, kissed his cheek, and stepped back.

  “We have to finish this,” Alex said.

  “What can I do?”

  “You’ve already done it.” Alex arched one eyebrow. “My sister is very hard to please.”

  Matthew burst out laughing.

  Alex winked at him, before carrying the coffee pot back into the dining-room. She noticed John looking at her. She looked away to cover her sadness. John took her hand when she sat down next to him.

  “What happens to us?” Cian asked.

  “I’m glad you brought that up,” Raz said. “We’ve spoken to your associates in Ireland. They are willing to let you move to Denver, if you would like to.”

  Ben tapped two pieces of paper on the table. “These are work visas. They are good for the next year. We believe that a year is a long-enough time for you to sort out what you would like to do with your lives.”

  “And what do you want in exchange for all of this?” Cian asked.

  “I’m going to need help getting this sorted,” John said.

  “I’d do that anyway,” Cian said.

  “My brother, Max, is John’s best friend,” Alex said. “He has offered space in his home—with a few conditions.”

  “You must find work. Everyone works at our house,” Max said. “You must be willing to join the family, which means that you make efforts to make seven o’clock dinner, and you help out around the house. “

  “More than anything,” Raz said. “You must be loyal to us. We are not asking that you give up your other loyalties—just that you are loyal to us.”

  “Who’s in this family?” Eoin looked at Raz.

  “Everyone in this room,” Alex said.

  “You mean we get to move here, have a place to live, find work in America, and join you guys?” Eoin looked at Cian and laughed.

  “I haven’t worked in a long time,” Cian shrugged and looked down.

  “I always wanted to own a bakery,” Eoin said.

  Cian looked at Eoin’s excited face. “How are you going to do that?”

  “We can talk about that as well,” John said.

  “Everyone sitting in this room had someone step in to help them at one time or another,” Max said. “We’d like to extend a little
luck in your direction.”

  “Why don’t you think about it?” Alex asked. “I hate to eat and run, but I’m supposed to meet my family at Mass in . . .” Alex looked at her watch, “Crap, forty minutes. I need to get Alyssa-ed up.”

  “You’re welcome to join us for Mass,” Max said. Wrinkling his nose, he added, “Maybe after a shower.”

  “We don’t have any midget clothing here,” John said.

  “I brought their suitcases,” Raz said.

  “Then we’re set,” Alex said.

  She ran up the stairs to the bathroom. Standing under the warm shower, her sadness rushed forward and tears dropped from her eyes. Her mind repeated the logic—you’re married to John Drayson, not John Kelly—but her heart only felt the betrayal of his lie. When she felt the water pressure shift with someone taking a shower in the basement, she knew she needed to keep moving. Wiping her eyes, she pushed her emotions away again and stepped out of the shower.

  One thing was true: Eleazar was good at his job. He was destroying the very fabric of her life.

  F