Lovers Not Without Sin | Dutch van der Linde x OC

Chapter 41

The rain finally decided to be merciful, ending the month on a positive note following an unusually prolonged period of April showers. It afforded the opportunity to spread maps and documents on the outside table instead of being cramped in Dutch's tent for the upcoming job that had kept everyone's spirits high despite how much extra work was having to be done. With the air fresh thanks to the showers and an overall positive mood, it felt like it was going to be a good day.

A break from Dutch was something Ada had needed, making no more attempts to go into his tent and he quickly grew aware of her disposition and, to her surprise, made no more advances her way. While she thought she'd be bothered by it, returning to earth and enjoying her solitude proved how mentally taxing the situation had become. Instead, they made small talk when necessary, acting as two passing ships in the night and leaving a bittersweet feeling in their wake. In a way though, it's been nice. It's allowed some form of clarity to spark in her mind, accepting that maybe he never would love her and even having her think about attempting to move on from him entirely and accept her losses.

Idly sharpening her knife, Ada sits back on a crate while ideas are thrown across the table about the lead on Colm O'Driscoll and his gang. A train job, as is usually the case with the very large scores, but being carried out in a slightly different fashion to what everyone is used to. It had been Hosea's idea to let the O'Driscoll's have the train, despite Dutch's protest, and instead steal it right from under their noses. Big reward for little risk was how he described it, no crimes to be traced back to them and a way of giving Colm the finger at the same time. That was the part that got Dutch on board.

"You're sure it's tonight?" he asks, looking at Bill through uncertain eyes.

"Yes! Me and Arthur have been digging into this for a while, it's tonight alright."

"Okay," Dutch sits back, "I just want to be sure."

"We've got this! It'll be easy: run in there, kill the bastards then steal their money!"

"You can't just run in there," Ada interjects. "How common is it that you know where the O'Driscoll's are hiding before they've upped and moved elsewhere? Those snakes slither from pit to pit about every other day."

"Spoken like a true Pinkerton," Bill smarms and Ada scoffs, returning her attention to her knife. "It's ironic," he laughs, "you'd probably be real good at that job of yours now that you've actually lived in a gang."

"Yeah?" she flickers her eyes up to him and pauses her motions. "Well, if I ever go back, I'll be sure to tell them to come for you first."

"Alright you two, this isn't helping anything," Hosea leans forward on his elbows, studying the map. "Back to the plan. Ada's right, you can't just let loose in their camp. You said they got a load of patrols around the area?" he looks to Arthur who nods his head.

"Yeah," he motions to a few areas on the map, "did some scoutin' and they got far too many. We'll struggle to sneak in there, I imagine they keep the loot in this cabin," he points to the middle of the map, "once they know we're there they'll make off with it."

"So, they can't know you're around..." Hosea hums, fiddling with his neckerchief and looking to the ground in case some inspiration worms its way out from the soil.

Observing the tense faces around the table, an idea finds its way into Ada's mind. "What if we had a distraction?"

Tense turns to intrigue as they look round at her. "What d'you have in mind?" asks Dutch.

"Use me," she shrugs.

"No," Hosea's answer is immediate.

"Hold on," Dutch holds his hand up to him. "At least let her explain."