by Jack July
Seven o’clock that evening, Amy found a parking spot on a side road next to the large concrete wall that surrounded the Knights Pub. She walked along the wall and up the drive, where Court was standing at the door. When he saw her walking across the parking lot, his face beamed. This was not just about him; this was about his family. The story would be passed down through generations about how he escorted the Lady of Castle Dunn. He stood straight and proud, and offered his arm. Amy locked hers into his and gave him a smile, the smile that dropped men to their knees.
It was a slow walk through the pub. Court proudly introduced her to everyone he knew. They made their way to a private back room. She took a seat at the bar, crossed her feet at the ankles and smoothed her skirt. The bartender approached, and Amy requested ice water. When he placed a glass with a straw in front of her, she took a sip and scanned the room. A long table sat in the front with nine chairs and placards, reserved for the Shannon Business Council. The room filled with business owners and community leaders, each with an agenda for the meeting. Issues surrounding the International Airport were clearly the principle topic. A discussion about the expansion of the Technology Park became heated between a group wanting to conserve Shannon as a small town and people wanting to attract big business. The only attention Amy had garnered was some leering from the men. She smiled and ignored it until Court asked permission to speak. When it was granted, he introduced Amy Zielinski, The Lady of Castle Dunn. People stood and clapped while the chair of the Business Council motioned her forward. She hadn’t planned to speak, so she kept it simple.
“Thank you for the kind welcome. My husband and I are enjoying our new home, and we look forward to making many new friends. My interests lie in child advocacy, so if there is anything I can do to help the children of Shannon, feel free to contact me. Again, thank you so much for the kind welcome.”
Everyone stood and clapped again as she took her seat. After the meeting, the members of the town business council introduced themselves and the Irish whiskey flowed. She turned down many offers to buy her drinks. Court whispered to her, “My Lady, it’s a tradition to enjoy a drink with friends, just thought you would like to know.”
Amy glanced off to the far corner of the bar where Allister had been joined by Princeton. Well, just to be polite she thought. Four scotch and waters and a dozen Irish folk songs later, she was buzzed. Court walked her to the parking lot where she thanked him with a hug. She fumbled with her keys. Maybe I should have Princeton drive, she thought. As she cleared the corner of the concrete wall, she heard a scream and several grunts. At the end of a small dead-end alley, two men were beating another smaller man. “HEY!” Amy yelled, “HEY! Get off of him.”
“Piss off, he’s a thief,” said one of the attackers.
No you DIDN’T just tell me to piss off, Amy was thinking, as she kicked off her heels and strode into the fray. A roundhouse kick to the side of the head sent one attacker sprawling across the pavement, as the other jumped up and stepped toward her. Meanwhile the single malt scotch betrayed her sense of balance after the kick, and she fell on her butt. She prepared to sweep the second attacker’s feet when he froze and looked behind her, seeing Allister and Princeton. Princeton produced the small H&K MP-5 submachine gun from under his coat, while Allister shook his head and motioned for them to leave.
The attackers made a quick exit, as Allister lifted Amy to her feet from behind, his hands under her arms. She spun around pushing his arms away and growled, “I didn’t ask for help.”
Meanwhile a small crowd had gathered at the mouth of the alley. Princeton brushed some dirt from the back of her dress and with a smirk said, “Drinking and fighting; doesn’t get more Irish than that. You fit right in. Come, My Lady, I’ll drive you home.”
She looked Allister up and down. She had only seen him from a distance, but he was huge. Then she heard motion behind her as the small man struggled to his feet. “Wait a minute,” she said as she turned to check on the man who had been assaulted. She approached him and said, “Let me get a look at you.”
The man looked at her, and she said, “Well, you are little more than a boy. How old are you?”
He looked up at her and said, “I’ve died, haven’t I. I must be dead because ye be an angel.”
Amy sighed and replied, “Yeah, okay.” Then she lifted his chin while looking at his face, and asked Princeton for a handkerchief. She began to dab the blood away. “That’s a pretty nasty cut above your eye. Let’s get you to a doctor.”
A police officer approached, took one look at the boy and said, “Aye Micky, got your arse beat, did’ja?”
Amy grabbed the boy by his tattered jacket and said, “Officer, I need to get this boy to a doctor.”
“Let the hooligan rot.”
“I will not,” said an increasingly upset Amy.
“And who might ye be?” asked the officer.
Princeton leaned in and whispered something, and the policeman’s demeanor immediately changed. He slightly bowed his head and said, “My Lady, it is an honor.”
“Thank you, now where is the doctor?”
Five minutes later, Amy walked Micky into the front door of the sparse government-run clinic. Allister entered, looked around, walked back out and went to sit in the car. Dutifully watching the front entrance. Two people were waiting. However, there seemed to be no one working there. After an hour wait, Amy stood and walked into the back room, where one nurse was taking care of two patients. “Excuse me, where is the doctor?”
“He should be in shortly. Please wait your turn.”
“You mean to tell me there is no doctor here?”
The nurse shook her head and under her breath said, “Americans.” Then she said, “No, he is not here now. Wait your turn.”
Another hour went by before the doctor finally walked in. A little hangover had started to kick in, and Amy was agitated. She asked, “Are you the doctor?”
“Yes.”
“So you just leave the clinic unattended when you feel like it?”
“No, I’m new here so I am pulling two shifts. I have been on duty all day. I just wanted to eat and get some rest.”
Amy checked her anger, took a breath and said, “I’m sorry, I’ve been waiting a long time, and I have an injured child.”
The doctor smiled, nodded, and motioned them into the back. He stopped, held out his hand and said, “And your name is?”
“Mrs. Amy Zielinski.”
“Well, it is nice to meet you. My name is Doctor Wirths, Adolf Wirths.”
Chapter 27
Sweat poured down Amy’s face as she ran across the Irish countryside. Her hangover was nearly gone, as the alcohol worked its way out her pores. That won’t happen again anytime soon, she thought. Then her mind shifted to Micky, the battered fourteen year old she’d brought home with her. Princeton did a little checking for her, and indeed he was a petty thief. He was also a homeless orphan, which explained the need to steal: the boy had to eat. Princeton warned her he would not be like any child she knew because he was hard. The streets made him that way.
She finished her workout, showered and dressed in her uniform: hoody, jeans and work boots. She walked outside, across the drawbridge and flagged down Luther, who gave her a ride to the gatekeeper’s house. She walked inside to the kitchen where Princeton stood at the stove cooking, and Micky was shoveling down ham and eggs.
Amy smiled and said, “Good morning, Princeton.”
Princeton turned around without smiling and said, “My Lady.”
She sat at the table next to Micky and said, “How’s breakfast?”
He barely looked up, grunted and continued to eat like someone who didn’t get to eat often. Amy looked back at Princeton and asked, “Coffee?”
Princeton nodded and said, “Yes, My Lady, would you like some breakfast?”
“Thought you would never
ask,” she replied.
“So, Micky, did you sleep well?”
He nodded and continued to eat. She reached over and gently held the arm that held the fork, “Micky, when we are spoken to, we take a moment to stop what we are doing and answer.”
“Yeah, yeah, fine,” said Micky without looking at her.
Princeton said sternly, “Young man, that would be, ‘Yes, My Lady’.”
“Yes, My Lady,” he said quickly.
“So, what are your plans for today?” asked Amy.
Princeton spoke first and said, “He will finish breakfast, and I’ll drop him off where we found him.”
Amy tilted her head with a little nod then asked Micky, “Is that what you want?”
“Yeah. I mean, yes My Lady, that’s fine.”
“Then where will you go?”
Micky shrugged and said, “Wherever.”
She stared at the young man for a while longer and said “Princeton, is there room for him to stay here?”
Princeton dropped the spatula in the pan and stammered, “Um, well ah, My Lady I’m, ah…”
“That’s what I thought, plenty of room,” said Amy with a smile.
Princeton continued to stammer, “My Lady, um I don’t think you, ah…”
Amy arched her eyebrows and shot Princeton a look that said I know you’re not arguing with me.
Princeton sighed and nodded in defeat. Amy softened her look and said, “Princeton, when he is finished with breakfast, take him to his room, show him how you want it kept and teach him to make his bed.”
“Yes, My Lady,” replied Princeton.
Micky gazed at her in shock, not quite sure what was going on. Amy put on a stern face of her own. With a voice an octave lower she said, “I understand what you had to do on the streets to survive. I can see past that. However, if you steal from me, I’ll have Princeton tie a rock around your neck and throw you in the Shannon, understood?”
Micky nodded and said, “Yes, My Lady.”
Amy focused on Micky’s wound. She motioned him forward and slowly pulled the bandage from over his eye. “That’s going to leave a scar,” said Princeton.
Amy nodded and said, “Yeah, but like my Uncle Jack used to tell my brother Joseph, wounds heal, and chicks dig scars.”
Princeton gave a little laugh and Amy said, “Bring him to the inner courtyard when you are finished.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Amy leaned over and gave Micky a little kiss on the forehead and said, “I’ll see you later.”
She stood up and was heading for the front door when Micky spoke up and said, “My Lady?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
Amy shook her head and said, “Don’t thank me yet. This isn’t going to be a vacation. I have expectations of you.”
That made Princeton smile.
The following evening Bogus called from the Shannon Airport. “I’ll be home in minutes my darling.”
“You’d better hurry,” she purred, “Don’t make me start without you.”
“Oh my, you do learn fast.”
“You have no idea,” she said with a low sexy voice, then hung up.
She had gained confidence in the bedroom and spent the time to learn what he liked. With that confidence came her own vocalization about what she wanted. When he entered the bedroom, she sat on the side of the bed with her legs crossed. She had applied just a little light makeup with his favorite lipstick. She worked for the classy look without being slutty: silk stockings with garters, a short silk teddy and six-inch red stilettos, one dangling from her toe while his favorite song, “Time of the Season” by the Zombies, played in the background. On the nightstand was a bucket of ice, his favorite Scotch, a bowel of strawberries and whipped cream.
He dropped his overnight bag on the floor and smiled the smile of a man who had it all. He fumbled with his shirt, then ran out of patience. His shirt buttons made a light clatter as they bounced across the stone floor. She giggled as he hopped a little trying to get his socks off. Then he slowed, knelt in front of her, took her face in his hands and gave her the longest, hottest kiss he knew how to give.
Three hours later they lay side by side, chests heaving and covered in each other’s sweat. She reached over to the end table, dipped a strawberry in the whipped cream and popped it in his mouth, then rolled back on top of him. “Drink, my dear?”
“Yes, please.”
She sat up and poured him a drink while he arranged the pillows so they could sit leaning against the headboard. She snuggled close and put her head on his shoulder while he took a sip. He put his arm around her shoulders and began to play with her hair, “I understand you have made your presence known in Shannon.”
“Uh oh,” she said under her breath while feigning a little embarrassment. “What did you hear?”
“Oh, something about cavorting with a portly older man with a stylish comb-over, followed by an evening of drinking and singing, topped off with a brawl in an alley.”
She nodded, looked at him with a sheepish smile and said “It sounds terrible when you put it like that.”
He arched a single eyebrow, gave her a knowing smirk and said, “So?”
She let out a deep breath and said, “Yes, it’s all true.”
Bogus let out a little chortle and said, “I’m not your father so I won’t lecture you. However, there is more than one reason not to be behaving in such a manner.”
“Yes, I know. I was just lonely. I wanted to be around people. It’s odd for me to feel that way because I’ve always been such a loner, but this place can get really big and really quiet.”
“So you want some friends?”
“Well, yeah.”
“All right, I shall get you some.”
She elbowed him in the side and said, “Stop it, you can’t buy friends.”
“I said nothing about buying them. Do you think you are the only woman in your position? I can introduce you to some friends who may share your interests like horses, swimming, exercising or whatever. That’s up to you. Another downside of this life is, whom do you trust? I trust you, Manchin and my family. The list is very short because it has to be. Now, as I said, there are other people in your position. I’m quite sure you would enjoy their company, and I am very sure they will be charmed by you.”
“Oh, okay, why not? I do miss my family.”
“Funny you should mention that. I spoke to Carla Jo, and many of them will be coming for Christmas.”
“REALLY?”
“Yes.”
She hugged him, gave him a kiss and said, “I love you so much.”
They sat for a while longer listening to music while Bogus polished off another drink. Suddenly something occurred to him. He gently lifted her chin up where he could see her eyes, and in a not so jovial voice said, “What’s this I hear about you picking up strays?”
“Strays? What do you mean?”
“You know, the one in the Gatekeeper’s house.”
“Oh, yeah, Micky.”
“So you’ve named it already.”
“It’s not an it, it’s a he, and he is a homeless orphan. Am I detecting a bad attitude about this?”
“What I understand is he’s a hardened felon in a small package.”
Amy pulled her head away from his and said with a little force “No, what you need to understand is, he’s a boy who’s had an extremely difficult life.”
Oh bloody hell, there’s that big heart I so love. Back up, Bogus, he thought. He nodded and gave her an understanding smile and said, “So, what are your plans?”
Whew, that was close she thought. “I had Richard put him on the payroll. He works with Constance and Shamus. I told them to work him just hard enough so that the bed feels good to him. He doesn’t go to town unsupervised, and i
f he does anything illegal he is out. I’ve also noticed Princeton taking up a bit of a fatherly role.”
“Princeton? Really? Then what?” asked Bogus.
“I’m not sure yet. I do know this. You can tell much about a person by how hard they work, but we’ll see. I would like to get him in school.”
“I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” said Bogus.
“Yeah. Um, I wanted to ask you something.”
“Yes?”
“I would like to build a homeless shelter for children in Shannon.”
“Well, see, there it is. Something the Lady of Castle Dunn should be doing.”
“Really?” she said excitedly, “It would be okay to spend the money?”
“It’s your money, too; whatever you want is fine with me.”
She turned quickly, straddling his lap and nearly spilling his drink. She put her hands on the top of the headboard, and began to kiss his face and neck. He set his drink on the nightstand, and she said, “You know what else? I really like my cars.”
“I thought you would.”
“You know what else?” She said while rhythmically moving her hips on his lap.
“What?”
“I think I want to fool around some more.”
“Well, if you insist.” said Bogus through a big smile. He firmly grabbed her hips when a pulsing buzz came from the large wooden wardrobe. She sat up and her whole demeanor changed. She climbed off him, walked to the wardrobe and opened it. She flipped open the lid on the sat phone case, picked up the receiver and listened. She heard three words, “Fenian, come home.”
Chapter 28
It took a few hours to make the complete transition from Mrs. Amy Zielinski to Fenian but somewhere over the Atlantic she was there. It was much easier for Fenian to to become Amy when warranted than it was for Amy to become Fenian. Bogus had a Gulfstream IV, her Gulfstream IV, painted dark gray with black tail numbers that would be difficult to read. She could travel in relative anonymity without having to fly commercial. After a quick ride to Langley in a chauffeured SUV, she strode the halls taking in the sights, sounds and smells of her second home. It was clean, an antiseptic kind of clean. Everything was in order, and everyone seemingly had a purpose. It was those things that made her comfortable.
