Without A Trace

Thirty.

The next morning I'm sitting at the table with the girls just having our usual morning coffee and chat. The boys come downstairs for the family meeting and I pass out coffee to each of them.

Michael takes the cigarette out of his mouth blowing the smoke out before turning away from the mirror and walking towards the chair taking a seat next to his wife.

"Grace is being held captive in the storage room until the girls get in there and start interrogating her. Theres more going on here than a fuckin broken heart," He says lowering his head before lighting his cigarette. "Lewis, an update at the track please," Thomas says motioning to him.

"Patience is almost ready for Epsom. However I have been notified Campbell has been spotted lurking around the track and the stables," He says with his head turned slightly before looking back at his brother. "But other than that the logs books are perfect and the betting has been going perfectly."

Tommy pinches the bridge of his nose before looking back at him, "Right. Well, Me and the boys will head down to the track for the day with you. We'll set up near the stables and see if we can find anything out about why he's been spending time down there."

"The girls and I will go down there with you. We have to dispose of a few things before the coppers let him waltz through the stables," I say taking a sip of my coffee.

"You three aren't going to the track Cora," Thomas says lowly walking towards the door with the boys. His heavy footsteps echo off the wood floor.

I raise my eyebrows turning around in my chair to look at him. "Thats interesting because if I'm not mistaken," I say sliding my paper calendar off the table squinting my eyes to look at it and point at todays date, "Yep. Its on my schedule to walk my happy fuckin ass down there and do my fuckin job," I say looking back up at him.

Thomas presses his lips together before a smile spreads across his face, bringing his cigarette to his lips, "Alright then, we'll see you at the races," he says before the boys walk out of the house closing the door behind them.

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Down at the tack the girls and I slip into the stables. I walk into Patiences stall and grab the small packets of cocaine out from under her feed bucket and slip them up the sleeve of my jacket. I walk out of the stall and stop when I see Mr. Campbell and a few coppers walk into the barn.

"Mr. Campbell, is there something I can do for you?" I ask leaning against the stall, putting my hands in my pockets.

"Actually Cora there is," He says with a smug smile on his face.

"Thats Mrs. fuckin Shelby to you," Ivy seethes leaning against the other side of the stall. "You will address each of us as such. We don't want to be on a first name basis with someone like you."

"There's something in that stall that I need," He says scanning each of our eyes.

"You're not taking Thomas's fuckin horse I'll tell you that right now. It'll be a cold day in fuckin hell before that happens," I say meeting his gaze.

"I think you know what's in there Mrs. Shelby. And you can either willingly give it to me, or I will forcefully take it from you. Your choice," Campbell says coldly.

"I don't know what you're on about inspector. Go on and have a look for yourself," I say brushing against Ivy, secretly slipping the packets into her belt before moving out of the way with her.

Campbell enters the stall, kicking the dirty hay around with his feet, "Search them," He orders the coppers.

Ivy stands with her back to the one officer, Anna sweeps by and slyly grabs the packets out of her belt and shoving them under the band of her watch. The officers start to pat down Ivy and myself before I turn the opposite direction and pinch the packets out of Annas watch band, smashing them between my fingers. I put my hands behind my head as the officer starts to check the front of my body and I let the packets go, causing them to fall down the back of my shirt and into the open part of Annas boot.

Campbell comes out of the stall and waves his men away, staring down the girls and I. "Where the hell did you put it?" He demands.

"Mr. Campbell I really hate repeating myself," I say lighting a cigarette, "I have no idea what you're talking about. Now if you call me a liar again I will have to have your officers here have a meeting with my husband and his brothers. Not to mention I have your fuckin informant under my thumb," I say looking up at him. "So please Mr. Campbell, you best be on your way before blood gets on your pretty itialian leather shoes," I say pointing to his feet with the cigarette between my fingers.

Campbell exchanges hard glances between me and the girls before walking out of the barn. Lewis watches them leave from up top of the track, staring at them as they walk across the street. Campbell stops and talks to one of them before having the man step behind a vehicle. Lewis narrows his eyes in their direction before seeing the man come out in ordinary clothes and walk back into the arena. Lewis looks over at Authrur and nods his head to him.

Aurthur walks down the stairs and whispers in Tommys ear that there is an undercover mixed in with the crowd. Thomas sets down his drink, "Tell Michael to sit at the back entrance of the stables," he says getting up and meeting Aurthurs gaze, "You stay in here in case Lewis needs you," he says throwing on his jacket and walking out of the room.

I look over at the door and see Thomas walking towards us.

"That was fuckin close Thomas," I say meeting him at the entrance.

"Keep your bloody voice down," He says rudely. "Theres an undercover lurking around. Be mindful of what you three are changing around and disposing of. I have Michael watching the back entrance and I'll be watching the front. Meet me when you're done and we'll discuss what to do from there," He says to me glancing over my shoulder before walking away.

I walk over to the girls and talk lowley while starting to brush Patiences coat, "Theres an undercover somewhere. Ivy you and Anna be quick putting that fake snow in Kimbers horse stall. When you're done you come back here. You don't fuckin look at anyone, and you don't fuckin talk to anyone, got it?" I say glancing at them slightly. They nod their heads and leave me in the stall with the horse.

Ivy meets Michaels glance briefly before walking down to the end of the stables. A few men walk in and head towards Kimbers stall. Anna pretends to trip and fall against the empty stall to her right. She winces in 'pain' and leans on her left side.

"Anna are you okay?!" She leans down and slyly slips the fake cocaine out of one of Annas pleats in her pants.

The two men make their way over to Anna and address their concern asking if shes okay.

"Let me go get her brother I'll be right back," Ivy says quickly to the men before making her way down the stable hallway more. She grabs Michael and pushes him towards the men and Anna.

"Sis are you alright?! The fuck happened here?" He asks making his way over there and talking with the men, occupying their attention.

Ivy slips over to Kimbers stall and reaches in, ruffling the horses mane. She tosses the packets with deadly accuracy, causing them to slip in the crack between the troph and the wall. She walks back over to Anna as her and Michael thank the men for helping and they walk back towards my direction.

I close Patiences stall door and lock it back up before walking back outside towards Thomas. Anna dusts herself off as they follow my direction.

"Is it done?" Thomas asks taking a puff off his cigarette, slinging his arm around me and walking back into the track to make it look casual.

"Thomas you really must stop underestimating me and the girls. Its quite fuckin annoying," I say sitting at the table and lighting myself a cigarette.