The Rules. Kerry Barnes

yer know, how they all descend and take away bit by bit whatever’s on offer, but you just don’t see them unless there’s a mass. It’s similar to that.’

      ‘Give me examples.’

      ‘We’ve had an issue with our gun imports. Since Willie, Lou, and Staffie got banged up, the gun trade has been reduced to nothing. But Staffie was kind enough to give us their arms contact so that we could carry on with the business.’

      Zara nodded for him to continue.

      ‘Well, currently, our supplier has gone quiet. We’ve no way of contacting him, as the phone lines are dead. And I’ve got an update on what I told you yesterday. Now, three more of your restaurants are vacant. They fecking literally shut down overnight. No fecker knows where the managers went. I walked into Satiro’s place and it was abandoned. The tables were laid, the kitchen was clean, and even the food was prepped, ready for customers, and yet there was no one in sight. And Nico and his sons left, with no warning as well. They just upped and went. Even that moody bugger Gino has gone. Luckily, the restaurants were locked with a closed sign on the door, or you wouldn’t have a business standing. The looters would have been in.’

      ‘Okay, right, so they haven’t destroyed the business. They, whoever they are, have just run my dealers out of town. That’s not a problem I’m concerned about for now. However, what I am livid over is that they have hurt Neil, and that I won’t take lightly, so I want—’

      Shamus raised his hand. ‘Wait, that’s not all, Zara. Raymondo gave away all the codes to the arcades. Every one of them was robbed in one night. They smashed the feck out of the machines, took all the money, and no one, and I mean no one, has a fecking clue who’s behind it, except we know it’s some black guys.’

      ‘You what? Raymondo? Why did he do that?’

      Shamus lowered his head. ‘’Cos one of the fecking bastards held a fecking knife to his baby’s throat. Some cunt dragged his baby from her pram and held a fecking six-inch blade to her neck.’

      ‘Jesus wept,’ shrieked Zara, her eyes on stalks. ‘Scumbags, fucking scumbags.’ She could feel her anger rising, and her need for answers overruled her patience. ‘What else, Shamus?’

      ‘We’ve had trouble back in Ireland too. It seems more than a coincidence, but that’s just my opinion. We have a set-up, counterfeits, yer know. Well, the two sites got burned down. Our pub, when I say our pub, I mean our meeting ground – Uncle Davey’s office, as he calls it – that too was burned down. So, in short, we’ve been attacked on all sides. Yet this gang or gangs or whoever the feck they are, are going in really heavy, and they are recklessly disrespectful. Jesus Christ, who the feck rips a baby from her pram, eh?’ He rubbed his stubbly chin.

      Zara was taking it all in, her mind processing the ramifications of the reckless takeover. ‘And you seriously have no fucking clue who’s behind it?’

      Shamus shook his head. ‘Only that they’re black, maybe Yardies. Yet, rough as feck they may be, I don’t think they’ve the brain power to run a racket like yours. Sorry, I mean ours. Someone else is backing them, and for the life of us, we don’t know who. We thought since Mikey’s out of prison, he could do some digging. He still knows anyone who’s anyone. Surely, he would have a clue?’

      Zara inhaled a deep lungful of air. ‘No, leave Mike out of it. He’s got his own business to deal with. I’m gonna sort this.’

      Shamus raised his eyebrow as he looked over at the tiny woman. What the hell could she do, really? He didn’t argue but nodded. ‘I’ve got to get back to the hospital. Davey will need a break. He’s been up all night.’

      Zara was staring off into space. Then she jumped out of her thoughts. ‘Shall I come?’

      The offer was kind, but Shamus knew it would only bring further worry. Davey and Neil hadn’t seen the state of Zara. It would just add to their concerns.