Special Weapons and Tactics Ch. 07

We went on out and I asked "Where's Kevin?"

"He's in the van outside. He seems a tad shy around strangers. Doesn't want his face known or something."

Two of his people dressed in standard TacOps gear went in the bedroom and ignored the O'Donnells while starting to take "Gettysburg" down.

"Guard those two assholes but don't do anything else yet. I need to talk to Kevin."

I followed the painting out to the van. Kevin had come prepared with a vehicle large enough to transport it. Suzy stayed right with me as I talked to him through the open window. It was dark outside by now.

"What's the damage?" I asked.

"Our guys are all OK. Two of them got shot in the leg before everyone gave up. Nothing fatal."

"I was thinking maybe you should take the ex-Mrs. Butler back with you. In fact, I insist. OK?"

He was silent for a few seconds.

"And John O'Donnell?"

"I think us Cajuns can handle John OK..."

"And the others?"

"They're just hired help. Maybe one of your guys can explain their boss has abandoned them and it might be better if they just handle their injuries on their own and seek employment elsewhere - unless they WANT to be implicated in a $50 million dollar robbery with multiple homicides? Your call on that. Just make sure we're all safely away from here before they have freedom..."

"Yes."

Pretty soon I watched two of Kevin's men gently carry Wendy out and place her in the back of the van with the painting. She was ungagged but still handcuffed. Wise men, I thought. Just maybe George could save her, if he wanted too, anymore at all. I gave him a chance. I knew John O'Donnell would never corrupt her again.

Billy and Jake carried the bleeding and moaning John O'Donnell out and the now zip tied guard who had molested my Suzy started to say something - until I smashed him across the head with that 1911. A nice gun, I was definitely keeping it. None of the other O'Donnell guards said a word.

Andy and Suzy and I left together in one vehicle. Another of Jenny's cousins I never quite got the name of was riding shotgun and I held Suzy in the back seat all the way home.

Billy and Jake and a couple other "cousins" left in their SUV with John O'Donnell trussed up in the back. JFO was going to mysteriously disappear and never be heard from again. Maybe the rumor would spread he had joined his son Sam in some beach paradise with both enjoying their ill gotten gains or merely escaping some really bad people types they had pissed off once. REALLY bad types. Like a Mom who really loved her children and wouldn't stand for them being threatened by anyone at all - especially "rich and powerful" scumbags. And the Mom's timid small dicked husband.

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Epilogue.

It was a year later. Frenchie was all recovered physically, if not quite emotionally. He still partied pretty hard and seldom lacked for female companionship whenever he wanted. But that didn't seem to be very often. And no one ever became any kind of steady, after Gigi. He never divorced Gigi but the funny thing maybe was Gigi never got around to divorcing him either. She made a bit of a splash in the entertainment media for a while. She was the "new heartthrob" of one of those Ryan something actors - almost an A-list one - as Jenny tried to explain it to me. And she was going to be "introduced" in his latest movie now filming in New Orleans. She also did some modeling for magazines and even had a music video produced and released with talk of a "new Taylor Swift" kind of up and coming singer. Then news of her just faded out. Her 15 minutes was up? Even before one movie was completed and released? So much for La-La Land...

Karen Rigby was also fully recovered but no longer the best - fastest and longest middle distance - runner in my unit. The newest rookie was - a smaller kind of skinny redheaded kid of Irish heritage who evidently ran cross-country all thru High School - before he signed up for the Marines and became an excellent LRRP sniper. He was tough as nails as well as fast. I recruited him for the unit and he joined us right after he graduated from the police academy. That was a piece of cake for him. Now if only Andy could teach him how to REALLY shoot.

Karen never did marry her fiance and they parted on OK terms, as far as I heard. I think her and Frenchie had a little "friends with benefits" thing for a while but they handled it very professionally and that also never became an issue I ever needed to officially notice. Now Karen and one of her dates occasionally showed up at the family monthly parties - still going strong. And Frenchie and her often just danced and laughed together for a bit there.

There were other O'Donnell's in that clan - but John was definitely the head snake and it pretty much collapsed on itself after John and Sam's mysterious disappearances. I'm pretty sure George Butler tried real hard to help Wendy. Drug rehab and the best psychiatrists money could rent - but beyond that he wasn't personally interested anymore and she dropped off the radar. She did get a divorce from her second husband, John, who had "abandoned" her but the strict pre-nup agreement terms were enforced and she didn't get a whole lot of money out of it, relatively speaking. Maybe disappearing herself was the best thing she could do.

George Butler got all his paintings back and just announced it was a private business deal and could not or would not identify who he was dealing with. Word got out that mostly justice had been served and all efforts were directed nationwide to finding those two ex-Houston SWAT officers and their "Jane Doe" female accomplice. They were on the FBI's "ten most wanted" list.

The two perps we had caught were convicted and were now on Alabama's death row. Their lawyers tried to cut a deal but it turned out they really knew nothing of interest and had no leverage. Too bad for them.

Susan bought a large farmhouse and about 20 surrounding acres just about a mile down the road from Jenny's. I kept my apartment in Mobile since it came in handy at times when things got real busy at work - but mostly I stayed at Susan's where our kids where, every night and almost always right on time after scheduled work hours. This also gave us a little bit of cover we weren't actually "living in sin" as unmarried man and woman. Turned out we needn't worry so much about that.

Susan and I were planning a Memorial Day weekend wedding in our local parish Catholic Church. Since all our best friends now were Catholic we decided we'd join too! It was surprising how difficult this turned out to be. Like almost a year in RCIA classes. I actually found it interesting and Susan really enjoyed the intellectual aspects of it. Turns out Christianity is actually a pretty deep subject, at least Roman Catholic Christianity is, based on all 2000 years of it's history.

Well, in Catholic theological marital doctrine we were STILL considered married, and our previous marriages didn't need any theological Church annulments - since we were only married to each other before. OTOH, that marriage was never a Church consecrated marriage and our May marriage this year would be that. We HAD been accepted into the Church just this past Easter, with about 50 other folks - mostly teens at their own official Confirmations.

Our kids were all now attending a Catholic school. I was worried most about Kimberley but she seemed to adjust best. She was now WAY into volleyball and on her Middle School's team as well as a private club. Susan was definitely a "volleyball Mom" and me the proud Dad and there at her games and tournament weekends whenever I could possibly make it.

It was going to be a BIG wedding and probably a 3 day reception party. Susan and I weren't going on any honeymoon until later. We weren't about to miss THAT party with our friends and family coming in from all over. Chicago, St. Louis, a few of my other Army buddies from various parts of the country - and LOTS of remote Cajun relatives from all over - Louisiana and Mississippi and even Florida. Seems Susan and I were honorary Cajuns now - and proud of it.

Oh, and Jack Carter? He never showed up again, as far as I know. If he had, and cornered Susan alone now, I just felt sorry for him. He was undoubtedly now dickless and may have just joined John and Sam in some tropical paradise. Ah well. Laissez les bons temps rouler!