𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

40

"Cleared out the rest of the Italians out the south of the city."

"They mostly went to the Black Country but we told Betty Kitchens to keep her moving" John interrupted.

"And Betty sends her condolences"

"What about the old man?" Tommy asked. "We interrogated his boys"

"Yeah he went to Liverpool" John added. "He's waiting for an Immigrant ship to New York"

"When?"

"Berthed Ship sails Saturday"

"All right, i have contacts, people in Cunard and Liverpool. They'll have passenger lists, they can get you into the point of departure. You pick him up, and you bring him to me. Who's he got travelling with him"

"His wife" Arthur said quietly, looking down. "What?"

"His wife" he said louder. "So shoot her and bring him to me" Tommy shrugged. John looked at Arthur. "Tommy Mrs Changretta was a teacher at our school"

"She's a good woman, Tom, a good woman"

Tommy nodded. "Well if she's a good woman then she'll go to heaven, eh, Arthur?"

"Just do what's on the list, nothing else. Then burn it. Don't speak in the phones, the secret service is listening"

"I want the old man alive, i want to do it myself"

Both Arthur and John had regret on their faces. "Come on John"

"Tommy if you haven't got a bird here, you're gonna have to tell us something."

"Ask Polly"

"Not Micheal?" John asked. "What?" Tommy frowned. "Not Michael, no?"

"No not Micheal no. He deals with legitimate business"

"You saw him before us" John reminded him. "John not now" Arthur said. "Wait, what did you say" Tom asked him. "You saw Micheal, before us" He raised his voice. "Fucks sake John"

"Because, John, legitimate business is the priority."

"Since when?" he shouted. "Since my fucking wife took a bullet, meant for me" he shouted, pointed at John.

"Oh yeah, okay. So secret service, secret fucking service. Blah blah blah but you don't tell us shit" John said. "We're a couple of fucking toy soldiers, do this john, do that. Kill your fucking teacher John"

"This is how it's gonna be. All right, listen to me. There's going to be a little war in a little place that no one gives a fuck about" Tommy said, "and the side that is gonna lose needs a bit of help and they're willing to pay"

"When that business is done, legitimate business is the priority, now do what's on the list and fuck off"

John left the office.

-

"The thing is, we all naturally came in here, where the servants eat" Ada said, referring to where they were seated. "It's nothing to do with politics either, it's fucking freezing in the big room" John says.

"John, mind your language in front of Karl" Polly warned. "Ada we're in the servants quarters, because it's where the fucking booze is kept" Arthur laughed.

John patted his shoulder.

"Arthur find better words"

"When my wife's drunk she can't speak fucking English." he laughed. "John" Polly scolded again. Micheal entered the kitchen and Johns mood dropped.

"You dealt with it?" Pol asked him. "Incentives, no threats" he said. "Implied consequences without specific referent to physical harm"

"That's why your Michael is the boss" Arthur nodded. "He's knows better words, right, Pol?"

"Since when was i your boss Arthur?"

"First the boss meets you then the workers meet you" John said. "John, give it a rest. It's not the time." Delilah said.

"When did either of you two do a days work" Finn asked earning a laugh out of Ada.

"In the old days, Finn, family meetings used to be all of us together"

"Arthur shut up" Ada said. "Now me and John, we're just fucking bin men whose duty it is to obey" he mocked. "Arthur shut up, Finn go and get us cigars" Polly pointed.

-

Delilah sat on her bad, laying on her back and staring at the ceiling. There was a pit of sadness at the bottom of her stomach as she walked from her room, down stairs.

She sniffed, opening the door to Tommy's office.

He didn't look up, he continued looking at the paper in front of me. "Are you not going to bed?" she asked, hovering at the door. "No," he said bluntly.

Her eyes flickered. "You need to sleep.."

"I've got work to do."

"Dad" she pleaded. He threw his fist into the the table, standing to his feet. "What?" he shouted. Delilah's face dropped slightly.

Tommy walked over to where his whiskey sat.

"You need to rest. I understand that you're hurting, so am i. Grace was the closest thing i had to a mum..."

"Go away, Delilah" he huffed, sipping from the glass.

Lilah's eyes grew glossy. "Dad please," she begged. He turned away from her. "Please," she repeated, a single tear falling down her face. "I need my dad" she whispered.

Tommy paused, stopping in front of his desk 'i need my dad,' the words repeated in his head.

Tommy glanced over his shoulder, looking at her. "I need you right now dad" Delilah's voice was shaky. Thomas heart pounded and he walked forward, placing his glass down.

Before her emotions got ahold of her, she quickly took a few steps and wrapped her arms around Tommy, leaning her head on his chest. He hesitated before wrapping an arm around her. "Me and Charlie need you to be here." she muttered.

Thomas placed his chin on the top of her chest.

"My girl, i need time." Tommy said, closing his eyes.

"Take as long as you need but please, stop shutting me out. Remember when i let you in, let you help me? You need to let me in and let me help you."