The Citadel

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Book excerpt

Chapter One

The Hole in the Wall restaurant in Dublin was a centuries-old pub that had been lavishly refurbished along its journey into the 21st century. A sign above the entrance announcing the Mc Caffreys Lounge and Bar gave credit where due, and the family-owned business was all about Irish hospitality toward tourists and locals who streamed through its halls. It was early evening along Blackhorse Avenue, and two groups stood on opposite ends of the sidewalk for a short while before signaling they would meet inside. They had reserved tables and were sure their business discussion would be drowned by the lively crowd.

The lovely waitress with the tight-fitting ‘Keep Calm’ souvenir T-shirt was wary of the situation as she arrived to take orders at the three tables in the rear corner. The six black-leathered men were grim-faced, one man at each table on either side of the corner where the other four were seated. This smelled of a gang meeting but she knew far better than to call attention to the scene. She knew of men who had their faces bashed in for such indiscretion.