The Watchman's Grace

by Craig Johnson

  Brendan watched closely as the trio left their immediate vicinity. Then he sprang into action. First he called for the remaining men in cover to come at his side. Then he ordered Officer Patterson to be restrained. Finally, he went over to speak with Peter Harvey.

  O’Bannon offered his outstretched hand to the rescued man. “Peter Harvey, it is an honor to meet you! My name is Brendan O’Bannon, part of the Free Eire Homeland movement. We take great pleasure in having secured a fellow patriot’s release from those bastards! Welcome back to being a free man.

  “I should add that I sent our trusted man Niall to meet your mother Mary in Kilmarnie. I felt it appropriate she knew what had happened to you, excluding your capture of course. Your mother is owed at least that much.”

  Peter was overwhelmed by the deference shown to him, and welled up emotionally upon hearing his mother’s name. He immediately shook Brendan’s hand in hearty fellowship before speaking.

  “I do not know where to begin Brendan. I owe you and your men my life, for they would have surely executed me. The Common Man Movement has heard of your supporters, and they are a revered group in many quarters. Although our methods for achieving self-government may be different, we share the same passion, same heart and same opposition. For in the end, we shall reach that same goal together!”

  Brendan was beaming in a rare display of true pleasure. “Thank you for the kind words Peter. However, there is something that has been bothering me since I first learned of your capture. How and where did it happen?”

  Peter recalled with great anger the exact place of his kidnap. “After Wheatstone Fields, I was put through an escape network to get out of this country. All was well and good until I came near Castlebar and a place called Meadow Farm. It hurts me so deeply to have been betrayed, but it was there where I was abducted.

  “The owner’s son Riley was heavily complicit. He came to my stone cottage where I lay, pretending to deliver an early meal in the wee hours of morning. On opening the door I was knocked over my head unconscious. I have no proof so far that the rest of his family was involved, but what else can I believe?

  “They took me to the place of a William Cunningham in Castlebar proper. He was working with the British Security Force to gain my capture. He is a vain and greedy man, who had the longtime acquaintance of Major Thurston. That vile Thurston assaulted me before they went off as guests of Cunningham for the evening. Next morning they were quite excited to be taking me back to Dublin.

  “One thing about Wheatstone Fields, Brendan. I did shoot a man down, but they were aiming to kill Duncan Malloy on stage that afternoon! I would never let that happen. As a result I must flee Ireland to safety, or forever be a miserable, wanted man.”

  Brendan was completely satisfied with Peter’s explanation. “Now I have a better picture of the matter. So they held you overnight at Cunningham’s place. Someone informed me previously it is called Newton House. And I know who owns Meadow Farm. That place has been in the Flaherty family for generations!

  “Whatever trust has been placed in their hands has now been severely compromised. I do know a bit about Duncan’s father Aidan, and owe him a favor from way back. Unfortunately, there is a dangerous hole in his network which must be dealt with straight away.”

  Turning about, Brendan gave due complements to his companions. “Well done men! Peter Harvey is back in safe hands, plus we have some insurance with this hostage. Though it seems we have unfinished business to clear up.

  “The traitors in all this remain at large and must be punished. It was calculated treason against the Common Man Movement, which means an action against free rights for all our citizens. They aided those who committed vile murder so are just as guilty. We all know the penalty for treason.

  “Gerard, you and Cathal must go to Castlebar and find out where this Riley Flaherty is. Once he is located we shall know if anyone else is involved. Dylan, you and Finnegan should take this officer back to our quarters. Blindfold and restrain him before you leave. The rest of us will wait here for Gerard and Cathal to return.”

  After listening intently, Peter was very confused as to his own course of action. The original escape route had been turned asunder, while he still needed to vacate Ireland as soon as possible. He spoke with Brendan before preparing to depart.

  “Brendan, I guess it’s now for me to figure a way off the Island. My planned route is no more, though I will not be a burden to your men. I wish you all the best, along with many thanks for what you’ve done for me.”

  Brendan looked back at Peter in complete surprise. “There is nowhere for you to go! They would have you picked up again within an hour or two at most. I am not letting you leave my sight until you are safe away. With us you are protected. Trust me; once we fix up this breach in Aidan’s network, we will have a path for you to follow.”

  Peter knew Brendan spoke with reason. He had hardly a clue where to continue from their present position. As fate brought him into Brendan’s care, he decided to follow through with him for the time being.

  “Then it’s settled. I will travel on with your men until we are in a better position to assess my situation.”

  Brendan nodded in agreement before addressing the remaining party. “I figure Gerard and Cathal will take over three hours to reach Castlebar. So at the earliest they will not return until late afternoon. We may as well catch up on rest in the meantime. I shall take first watch for oncoming parties.”

  All were grateful to take advantage of the quiet time. For the next eight hours or so, they rotated their watch to catch up on needed rest. Then, as early evening approached, Darragh woke Brendan from his soft slumber.

  “I see Gerard and Cathal approaching! Best wake up everyone to hear if they were successful.”

  Brendan went about them, calling the men to attention. Soon they formed a circle around Gerard and Cathal, eagerly anticipating their account.

  “You’ve made it back in good time,” remarked Brendan. “I do hope your efforts were not in vain.”

  “We used a faster route off the main roads,” answered Gerard. “On arrival in Castlebar we sought directions to Meadow Farm. When we came upon the place there was an air of some distress. Then a hired hand greeted us on the grounds. When I asked to speak with Riley Flaherty he became strangely silent.”

  “Damn it!” shouted Brendan in frustration. “So now we have to spend time to seek him out ourselves.”

  “That’s what we thought at first,” replied Cathal. “Then out of the corner of my eye I spotted Harry O’Connor from my home town! We were lads back a ways before he left to find work in Castlebar. When I greeted him we made fast company again. But when I asked about Riley Flaherty he too went awkward.

  “Ah, his queer silence didn’t throw me off. You know my nature Brendan. I reasoned with him that it was most urgent I find Riley to pass along a vital message. Pressing five pounds sterling in his hands did not hurt either! Even then, he had mortal fear in his eyes.

  “Well, seems he heard on good word that Riley Flaherty had left the family farm. He’s now holed up in an old plot they own outside Ballina, an abandoned farm called Sheehan’s Rest. Once we’re in Ballina a local resident can give us further directions.

  “Harry did not know why but kept saying the family was in great fear for Riley’s safety. Then he made me promise to keep quiet on all this. His job at Meadow Farm paid well, and he has a young family to feed.”

  Brendan's face turned from pained anguish to unbridled joy. He gave both Cathal and Gerard hearty hugs.

  “Do you know how important that information is? If we find Riley Flaherty the Common Man Movement will have their traitor! And I will have paid Aidan Malloy just due for his crucial assistance in the past!

  “Listen here men; we have no time to waste. Tie the Security Force officers’ three horses to sturdy trees under cover of this grove. Pack up, get ready to r
ide on Ballina, and prepare for any manner of encounter. Currently we are just outside Tubbercurry. Riding slightly north of due west, we shall make it in just over two hours.”

  With great haste the men performed their assigned tasks. Soon all seven were mounted and awaiting further instructions.

  “Let’s get on with a hard ride to Ballina!” ordered Brendan. “We must make it there before the traitor escapes. Both movements for self-government depend on upholding one code for all, without exception.

  “Besides, we have no idea what else has been conveyed to those British Security officers about our tactics. Who knows the end toll of his deception? Riley Flaherty must pay for his transgressions once and for all!”

  Their posse made a determined rush through the rugged pageantry ahead. Austere swaths of barren land contrasted with deep lough and distant mountain rise. Life seemed elemental in this timeless landscape. Its grasp on one’s mood colored an individual’s primal relationship with land, water and endless night sky. They chased the fading light westwards as though life itself were at stake.

  With no time for slacking, it proved a blessing all were possessed of superior riding technique. Even Peter exhibited certain deftness on his mount with solid intermediate skills. In short, they would not be held back by anything except the swiftness of their horses.

  Time literally flew past as they approached the town limits of Ballina. Once again the irony was not lost on Peter. Ballina was the scene of their first large rally for the Common Man Movement. Now it represented the place where his Judas sought shelter.

  On arriving in town center, Gerard entered three drinking establishments before finding a local who knew the whereabouts of Sheehan’s Rest. He showed his appreciation by paying the old farmer’s next pint before sprinting outside to a waiting posse.

  “I have the directions Brendan,” Gerard called out. “It is too much to relate, so everyone stay close as I follow the signposts given me. We have a half hour ride into pitch night of isolated, unfamiliar countryside, so be very careful.”

  Riding at this time of night played on the hidden fears in everyone’s mind. Each man recognized the cover of darkness would be both a strength and weakness in their hunt for Riley Flaherty. Remaining undetected, they would be able to surprise their quarry. Though if by chance an alert eye spotted their advance, it would be easy enough for others to plot a bloody ambush.

  As they carried over this desolate, windswept stretch of barren, an anxious shiver shot through Peter’s spine. The eerie similarities were unmistakable. Here was a mirror of the hardscrabble ground that clung to quiet desperation like his old Kilmarnie. In Peter’s mind, such an environment illustrated the desperate need for assistance to those starving on such unforgiving terrain.

  Soon Gerard turned back to the rest of his companions. “This group of boulders marks the property boundary for Sheehan’s Rest. The homestead is still a ways ahead, but is surrounded by nothing except flat land. So we will have no cover if someone lays in wait.”

  Brendan contemplated the safest course of action. “I do not want to go riding ahead on our horses in case they make noise on hard ground, giving our stealth away. Then we would all be easy prey for our unseen enemy.

  “Peter, I will leave you with Keenan to watch over the horses. We shall tie them to those two large trees just behind these boulders. You both must keep constant vigil in case someone takes them and leaves us stranded.”

  “We understand Brendan,” Peter replied. “I assume Keenan’s armed if force is needed? After Wheatstone Fields I refuse to have a weapon.”

  “Yes he is Peter. Okay gentlemen, time to resume our mission. Peter, Keenan, if all goes well we will meet you back here soon enough.”

  Brendan motioned the group to gather close for further instructions. “Listen carefully men. I want to be very cautious as we move in. There is no telling what may be inside those buildings. We may be greeted by a hail of bullets from a Security Force setup.

  “Remember they are trained professionals in all aspects of warfare. An ambush in this wide open place would quickly cut us down. There is a lack of cover and a clear line of sight for any concealed shooters.

  “When we are in range, only Gerard and I will continue on to enter the buildings. The rest of you will stay back and await my signal. If there is any trouble whatsoever, one of you is to run back and get Peter Harvey to safety!”

  Every man nodded in agreement before commencing the risky advance. With Gerard at his near side they trekked over scraggly ancient landscape. Each careful step brought tension higher, while precious stakes grew accordingly.

  The party drew ever closer as they soon spotted two structures emerge from inky night. These would appear to be the house and barn of Sheehan’s Rest. Now within sight of the main home, Brendan gave a signal for his party to halt their advance, save Gerard.

  Brendan and Gerard agreed to cover the old barn as their first objective. Coming nearer, they made a split approach to come along each side of it. Both relied on previous military training to guide their stealth.

  They executed with exacting precision a quick reconnaissance outside of the building. Encountering no impediments, they returned to the front entrance. Here, with guns ready, they braced each side of the barn door to enter.

  At that precise moment Brendan’s heart leapt into his mouth. A resounding “shree” scream filled the night air as two barn owls left their perch atop the roof above, taking everyone by complete surprise.

  “What in hell was that awful noise?” Keenan asked Peter. “Such a racket when Brendan and Gerard are approaching those buildings! If anyone has been brought to attention it will be tragic indeed.”

  Those last words hung in chilled evening air as Peter was thankful the horses did not react. Meanwhile, Brendan had motioned Gerard to a sudden halt. Each waited to see if the sharp noise stirred anyone to attention inside. Seeing nothing to dissuade them, Brendan signaled to enter. The game was now afoot.

  Brendan flung open the old door, head and body crouched near to ground. Sweeping the interior with cocked pistol, Gerard entered right behind, though not as low to provide a higher line of sight. For the rest of their party waiting some distance away, all they could do was pray.

  Brendan could spot no signs of human use, let alone a current inhabitant. Thoroughly they checked every area of this abandoned building before continuing their search upstairs in the hayloft. After an extensive sweep of the entire area, Brendan went over to his frustrated search partner.

  “Gerard, it looks as though this building has not been in use for years. Did you notice anything in particular?”

  “Other than stale air mixed into fouled floorboards all is clear,” he replied sarcastically. “If we find nothing inside the home, we’re too late. Then who knows where he got off to?”

  “There is one piece of good news in all this,” Brendan assessed. “If the Security Force had a presence here, we would have come across them by now. No way would professionals allow us this far into their perimeter without some controlled resistance. Are you ready to move on the house?”

  “No time like the present,” Gerard agreed.

  The pair crept towards an old stone bungalow, which still remained a fairly decent structure. Standing on either side of its weathered door, Brendan burst through forcefully, in similar fashion to the barn. Gerard was first to spot recent footprints on the musty floor. He motioned at Brendan to take note.

  Now on heightened alert, they went room to room in a coordinated sweep. As it happened, those footprints followed out the crude kitchen to a back entrance. Unfortunately, everywhere else yielded no sign of Riley Flaherty.

  “This makes no sense to me,” remarked Brendan while standing beside Gerard. “Those prints are fresh, which means Cathal’s information was spot on. I hate to say it Gerard, but we’re missing something here.”

  “Brendan, w
e searched every square inch! It’s not a large place. Look at it. There’s barely enough room to eat in here.”

  Brendan immediately flashed a crackling broad smile towards his search partner. “There it is Gerard! Those prints lead outside, but we know the barn is empty. So tell me something. Where would a family store its food in a place like this?”

  Gerard quickly caught on. “We have not come across a cold cellar have we? So there must be an entrance to one out the back door! Let’s go find it.”

  Enduring thick darkness, both men looked around the perimeter of the bungalow. It did not take long for Brendan to spot two thick doors with iron hinges angled on the home’s rear. He hurriedly motioned for Gerard to come over.

  Fortunately no lock appeared to secure the heavy doors. Brendan took hold of one and lifted it open. Soon gaining focus, he spotted a rickety ladder which dug into an earthen floor for support. After making sure Gerard stood guard above, he had no choice but to descend the steps without cover.

  When his feet touched bottom he gazed around. Immediately Brendan spotted an old partition wall lined with shelves from floor to ceiling. Moving closer, he went to see what was at the other side. On rounding the near corner, he felt a stinging blow to his head and lost complete consciousness.

  Gerard was waiting patiently for Brendan to return from the cellar. When five minutes passed with no sight of him, he became a touch worried. Moving to the open hatch, he called down for his admired leader.

  “Brendan, are you okay down there?” he called into the darkness below.

  At first he received no response. Then, as he prepared to shout louder, a young man’s voice rose from the depths of stillness.

  “Hello sir, you need to come down this instant! Your friend seems to have injured himself quite badly.”

  Gerard was stunned to hear the young man’s voice, instinctively knowing it must belong to Riley Flaherty. Immediately he came down the open steps. Halfway there, he felt both his ankles grabbed by two strong hands, pulling him roughly over the remaining rungs. He barely realized what had transpired before being knocked unconscious.