Contents
Chapter Twenty
Overview
After Mart’s death, Cal gathers Senan, Francie, P.J., and Bobby. The men first plan violent revenge on Tommy but Cal dismantles each option’s risks.
Revealing witnesses and photos tying Tommy to Rachel’s death and Mart’s sabotage, Cal persuades them to leverage this evidence to force Tommy to kill the land deal, honoring Mart’s last wish.
Summary
Paramedics remove Mart’s body after the sabotaged tractor rollover. Cal photographs the booby-trapped hole and hidden dirt, then summons Senan, P.J., and Francie, and invites Bobby despite hostility. The men gather at Cal’s, grieving and furious, and immediately vow to abduct or kill Tommy that night.
Cal methodically challenges each plan: alarms, loyal Guards, identifiable builds, cameras, phone traces, and the logistics of snatching or shooting. Tension spikes as Senan and Francie push for action, but Cal insists any violent move will land them in prison and might not stop the land grab.
Cal unveils evidence: witnesses saw Tommy heading to the old bridge when Rachel died; Trey and Kate saw Tommy after 2 a.m. going toward Mart’s land with a spade; Cal’s photos show the fresh hole and displaced soil. The men grasp that Tommy erred for once, yet distrust taking this to local Guards who favor him.
Cal outlines two paths: bring the case to a Dublin detective and risk it being buried, or confront Tommy directly—demand he torpedo his investors and council support for the megafarm or they go to the Guards. Though it means Tommy may evade punishment for Mart and Rachel, it protects the land.
Citing Mart’s last wish to use the evidence, Cal argues this is their best shot. The men accept, choosing a united confrontation over revenge or official channels. Senan closes the meeting by rising to move on the plan.
Who Appears
- CalFormer detective; organizes the men, reveals witnesses and photos, and redirects vengeance into a strategic confrontation with Tommy.
- SenanFiercely loyal to Mart; urges abduction or killing, then agrees to Cal’s plan to confront Tommy together.
- FrancieHot-headed and practical; pushes violent options, then grudgingly accepts blackmail approach honoring Mart’s wish.
- P.J.Steady friend; brings the winch, defends Bobby, and supports the collective decision to confront Tommy.
- BobbyShaken but present; backs Cal’s leverage plan after initial hostility from others.
- Tommy MoynihanAntagonist; implicated by eyewitnesses and Cal’s photos in Rachel’s death and Mart’s sabotage; target of planned confrontation.
- MartVictim; dies in a staged tractor rollover, his last wish guiding the group’s nonviolent strategy.