Without A Trace

Thirty-Two.

Once the girls get back to the track they make their way back to the table and take a seat. Anna raises her eyes to meet mine before quickly glancing at Thomas and then back at mine again.

"Well? What did she say?" I ask putting out my cigarette in the silver ashtray before leaning back in my chair.

"She's been hired by Zamira Eden. Shes been scoping everything out to look at what trades we get and what ports our trades go out to," Anna says leaning against Lewis.

"Like that same one that Churchill told us about?" I ask with my brow furrowed.

"That would be it," Ivy chimes in resting her hand on Michaels knee. "Did you find anything out about the undercover?" She asks exchanging glances with the boys.

"He's one of Campbells men like we thought, but hes also a scout for that Eden group," Thomas says exchanging hard glances with Ivy and Anna. He takes a few puffs off his cigarette before putting it out in the ash tray.

Ivy glances down and notices Thomas's bloodied knuckles as his hand is wrapped around his whiskey glass. Not just slightly bloodied, its excessive.

I get up from the table and grab John, "Come on, I have to get downstairs and get Patience ready for the next race." I lean down and give Thomas a quick kiss before walking away from the table and down the wooden staircase.

"Ivy," Thomas starts looking over at her. His icy blue eyes mean business as he looks up from his glass at her and sits up slightly in his chair. "What all did Grace tell you."

Ivy sits there before glancing at Michael. The smoke from his cigarette gathers in her nostrils as he stares back at her, also in total business mode.

She looks back over at Thomas before licking her dry lips softly before hesitantly opening her mouth to speak, "Zamira wants to kill Cora, Tom."

He nods his head slightly at her before looking back down at his glass. He taps the edge of it softly before looking over at Michael, "Take Aurthur and Lewis and go finish the job. Let Zamira know that we know Michael," he says coldly, clenching his jaw while he looks at his brother.

Michael nods, "Of course Tom," he says before getting up from the table with Aurthur and Lewis. Thomas looks back at Anna and Ivy, "You two keep close watch on Cora. Don't let her go anywhere without at least someone. And shes not to know about any of this." He says taking a drag out of his cigarette, "Lord fuckin knows what would happen if she did."

I come back to the table and take a seat with John. "Wheres the rest of the boys?" I ask looking around before looking at Thomas.

He meets my gaze, "Finishing up business. They'll be back soon." He takes his handkerchief out of his pocket and wraps it tightly around his knuckles, trying to get the bleeding to subdue.

I glance around the table and shake my head leaning back in my seat, "I dont know who's fuckin dying, but the lot of ya are making my ass fuckin uncomfortable."

"I'm already dead," Thomas says looking over at me.

I furrow my brow at him before rolling my eyes watching down at the track, "You need to shove a rainbow up your ass or something then."

Ivy and Anna cant help but crack a smile and laugh softly at my joke to my husband.

I stand up and lean against the railing looking down at our horse, "This is it Tom. Our first race to see what shes really got," I say excitedly.

Thomas gets up and leans behind me peering down at the track. Ivy and Anna join me at my side also watching the race. I grip the railing of the wooden guard as the starting gunshot goes off. Patience is first out of the gate and races down the track. I glance up at the commotion of women wailing in the background. I turn my head to the side and see them huddled around someone laying on the ground.

"Tom," I say gripping his wrist catching his attention.

Thomas turns his attention over to the group of people and makes his way over there with me and the girls.

"Come on now get out of the fuckin way," I yell out to the people as I'm shoving past them. Once my eyes land on the man laying on the ground I stop in my tracks. My heart beats in my ears as I whip around and grab Anna wrapping my arm around her neck/shoulders, pushing her back away from the crowd.

"Cora wha-" She says before looking down and seeing her husband. His hair dyed red, and his eyes glazed over. He slowly looks over at his wife, his breathing is heavily.

A scream radiates out of her body, as Ivy and I both push against Anna.

I look back to Thomas as he meets my gaze pulling his brothers head into his lap. He screams at me to get her out of here but the sound of his voice doesn't fill my ears. I cant hear anything besides the constant ringing.

I pull Anna back to the table on top of me, keeping my arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders and neck. Anna fights hard to get out of my grip but I reach up and pull her head down onto my shoulder, "Anna that's enough. Lewis is fine, Tommys there. Hes going to be fine come on now relax," I say looking up at Ivy. "Come on if you dont calm down we'll have to get your medicine and we haven't had to use it for a long time now Anna, relax."

Anna cries out for Lewis as tears stream down her face. She starts to become unbearable for me to hold onto and I nod at Ivy. She reaches in her holster and pulls out a syringe before taking the safey cap off.

I tighten my grip on her head, a tear rolls down my cheek as Anna starts screaming "No" at the sight of the needle.

"Its okay Anna its okay, it'll be just for a second then everything will be okay," I say wrapping my legs around hers.

Ivy walks up moving the hair out of the way, sticking the needle in her neck. Anna screams to stop as Ivy slowly injects the medicine into her system. Before too long Anna lays there on top of me, her breathing slows as she fights to stay awake.

"See? Its alright," I say breathing slightly heavily before stroking her brown hair slightly. "Tommys taking care of him, so we're gonna take care of you."