Lakefront and Mrs. Grey

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Forward

In the Winter of 1913 at the ripe old age of fifteen years Kathleen Caoimhe O’Flynn stepped upon the North America shores from Ireland. Running from the English like many of her kind, she was by now a pitiful sight. Thin, hungry and carrying all she owned in a small cloth bag she was nothing more than another forgettable immigrant. For to those looking upon her from the outside she was just another dumb Irish farm girl escaping the troubles. Yet to those about her there was a different opinion. Small though it was, room was made for her where possible. She did not suffer the pressing crush as others did, or not so badly. For her stance, her words all warned those about her as to her true makeup. She was of those, and even though she was but a wee child, she was too dangerous for any of them to harm.

Hours after landing Kathleen was pulled from the masses by a blue suited police officer. Fearing at first that she would be sent back to Ireland and a waiting cell Kathleen was stunned when the officer turned to a well dressed American. “This be your niece then sir” the officer asked.

“Aye yes officer. That would be my Patty. Her father and my wife both will be upset with me for missing her coming down the gangplank. So Patty, ready to leave these huddled masses and come to your new home?”

Not quite knowing what was going on but aware she wouldn’t get a better deal today Kathleen agreed. She handed over her small bag for the officer to inspect, then allowed herself to be led out of that stinking building into the sunlight. “Your not being my Uncle” she announced as soon as they were away from prying ears. “So why would you be wanting me.”

“My name is Tommy Grey. I’m an enforcer for one of the mobs here in town” the man answered. “I need a wife. An Irish wife. I liked your eyes so I chose you. Now, you can run, which is fine by me. I’ll have another girl within the half hour. Or you can be my wife and live a much better life.”

“And what be making you think I wont run? Now, or later.”

“Money” Tommy admitted. “I have it. You need it. Give me ten years of your life. You can leave then and I’ll find a new girl. Deal?”

“Ten years? Mah fathers a doin the thirty. Ten is nothing. A deal then.” She shook his hand on it. Thus was her future decided. She had married for desperation, not love. Her new American husband Tommy Grey had married her for much different reasons. Kathleen’s maiden name of O’Flynn now gave him prestige in the Irish community. An outsider yes, but now one of their own now. She was also an orphan immigrant, thus he knew that she would be totally dependent upon him, so if need be easily disposable. He was soon molding the apparently impressionable young Irish emigrant into a tool for his own use. Unaware that her family were long members of the Óglaigh na hÉireann, or Irish Republican Army. That as such she was well used to the violence he began exposing her too and more. Much more. Thus while Tommy Grey believed that he was molding the perfect female enforcer, he was in fact only feeding a hunger that already existed.

Kathleen had eagerly learned her husbands craft, for in Ireland a woman did what her husband wanted. And learn well she did, eventually equaling her husband in ability and local respect. Then one day Tommy’s best friend was caught by Big Ears Walton. With Walton's latest girl. Louis liked the young girls and Molly Walton was all of sixteen. With an angry man already shooting at him Louis Williams vanished, with Big Ears girl and a large amount of his money.

Kathleen happily took the contract Big Ears offered. Within days she was a perfectly believable weeping friend at her husbands best friends funeral. Louis had been predictable to a fault. Big Ears was as well, he’d buried his now dead wife with her lover in a coffin meant for one. He had his money back, what Louis hadn’t spent, and women were a dime a dozen anyway. At the funeral those few Italian women who attended quickly noted they had nothing over the Irish for acting.

And then, while everyone was at the funeral Tommy grabbed Big Ears money that he had just recovered from Louis. When Kathleen returned home it was to be grabbed by her husband and dragged to his car. Unsure what was going on she followed without much complaint, until they were on the train. Then Tommy informed her of ‘his great getaway.’ Angered, she waited for her turn to explain the ways of mob life.