Without A Trace

Twelve.

Rolling up to the cottage it already feels like a breath of fresh air. Its gorgeous white exterior with wooden accents, completely surrounded by lush greenery. Its in the middle of absolutely nowhere and its covered by beautiful lush trees and theres a river that flows in the backyard in the garden. These boys are going to relax and have fun even if it fuckin kills them. The girls and I pile out while the boys carry in our luggage. I unlock the wooden door and push it open. The boys take the luggage to the perspective rooms and the girls I get started on lunch.

"Thank God Wanda went shopping for us ahead of time, makes life much easier," I say getting out bread and cheese for grilled cheeses. The boys come back out and sit at the bar area causing me to look up at them.

"Wheres Thomas?" I ask making their lunch. "You know what? I dont even want to know," I say shaking my head. I hand each of the boys a plate and light a cigarette before walking around the cottage opening the large windows letting in the fresh breeze.

"You always loved it here," Thomas said leaning against the doorway.

"I'll always love it here," I say looking back at him. "Lunch is on the table for you."

He nods his head softly before walking back to the kitchen. Shortly after I'm joined by the girls as I walk outside and open the windows to the big day room. The girls and I take a seat enjoying all the sunlight thats beaming into the day room.

"Fuckin peaceful here," Anna says pulling her legs up looking outside.

"Its a nice break from the shit hole we live in eh?" I say with a smile.

"I spoke with Michael and the boys shortly before we left," Ivy says pulling out her cigarettes. "They have to do some work while they're here, but it will be just communicating with John and Aurthur. No hands on shit while we're here."

"That we fuckin know of," I say listening to the birds, feeling the sun warm on my face. "Who wants to get drunk tonight?" I say looking at the girls.

The boys come filing out and take a seat across from us, handing us each a glass. "We have to talk," Tommy says looking at us.

"I was just talking but the floor is yours," I say taking a puff of my cigarette.

"Cora," Lewis says firmly, meeting my gaze. I stop talking and look at the boys.

"Well go on then," Ivy says crossing her legs.

Thomas reaches into his pocket and pulls out three bullets, handing one to each of us, with our names etched in on them.

I look at it and then slowly back at my husband, "Where did you get these," I say with a slight shake in my voice.

"The day after our wedding," Lewis chimes in swirling his glass. "Annas was left for me at the races, Ivys was left for Michael outside of your old house in London, and Coras was left outside of the stables by the docks for Tommy."

The girls and I sit there silent. Unsure of what to think of all this new found information.

"Thats why you won't let me at the races," Anna says quietly, running her thumb over the cool piece of brass.

"The first time you girls did a cover up for us was a couple days prior. And you did one hell of a job. Better than any of us could have ever done," Lewis says with a half ass smile.

"We can't tell you who sent these, but we wanted to show you why we're so adamant about you three staying on the low. Why we only let you go certain places without us there. Why every time you go into town John or someone has to go with you. Its not a trust thing. Because we all know you bitches are tougher than half the men in that bloody town," Michael says taking drag from his cigarette.

"If we ever lost any of you," Tommy says looking at us girls, "This family would fall apart. And there would be a bloody fuckin war ahead of them. For as big of assholes we are, you three are the glue to this family. I dont give a fuck what Pol says. You three made this family be a family," he says with a small smile.

I sit there quietly for a minute, "Not to ruin the mood or anything, but are you fucking sick?" I ask Tommy furrowing my brows at him.

Tommy takes the bullets back from each of us and puts them back in his pocket, "So from now on when we say no, dont fuckin argue with us aye?"

"Unless it deserves to be argued about," Ivy says taking a sip of her drink.

Tommy walks to the bar and grabs a bottle of champagne. He walks back out to the day room and pops the cork off of it, holding it up and looking around the room, "Well with that out of the way, cheers everyone." We all raise our glasses with him. "Lets start this fuckin holiday," he says before taking a big drink from the bottle while the rest of us throw hack our whiskey and set the glasses down.

"Who's getting drunk first? My vote is Michael," I say with a smile.

"Michael," Tommy chimes in sitting next to me.

"Michael," Lewis and Anna both say at the same time.

Michael looks at them and narrows his eyes, "To hell with all of you. I think it will be Thomas."

I laugh and cover my mouth at his comment, "Thomas Shelby? Be drunk? That'll be the fuckin day. Pip will get drunk before Thomas ever does."

"Ivy? Cast your vote love," Lewis says wrapping his arm around Annas shoulders on the back of her chair.

Ivy sits looking at each of us for a moment before cracking a smile, "I also agree, Michael."