My ears perked up above the loud men in the betting shop, my pen stopped in its tracks when John, one of the three brothers greeted Thomas.
"Tommy! Tommy! Tommy, look at the book." John comes down the stairs cigarette in hand.
John whips around the table to Tommy picking up a large red book, he opens it.
"Look, all on Monaghan boy." He points to a page.
"Tommy! Get in here now." My eyes dart across the room To Arthur standing in his office door way, he was pissed.
"Good work, John." Tommy pats John's shoulder before entering Arthur's office. Arthur had slammed the door so hard it didn't even shut, left slightly cracked.
I stared at the paper on my desk drowning out the rowdy men around me listening to their conversation.
"Now, you was seen doing the powder trick. Down at the garrison courts." Arthur says as he pours himself a drink.
I try to secretly look over my shoulder through the office window.
"Times are hard." Tommy shakes his head.
"People need a reason to lay a bet."
"There was a Chinese." Arthur sips his whiskey.
"The washer woman says she's a witch. It helps them believe." Tommy replies.
I raise my eyebrow. Witch?
"We don't mess with the Chinese." Arthur curls his fist on his desk.
"Look at the book—" Tommy gets cut off.
"Chinese have cutters of their own." He grits his teeth.
"We agreed Arthur, I'm taking charge of drumming up new money." Tommy tilts his head.
Arthur stares at him rubbing his hands together and fiddling with his gold rings "What if Monaghan boy wins, Tommy? You fixing races now? Do you have permission from Billy Kimber to be fixing races, hmm?"
He leans forward "What's got into you? You think we can take on the Chinese and Billy Kimber." He sighs "Billy's got a blood army!"
"I think, Arthur. That's what I do." Tommy approaches his desk leaning forward "I think, so that you don't have to." Arthur shakes his head at Tommy.
"There's news from Belfast." Arthur says. Tommy stops at the door saying nothing before opening it and leaving.
I watch Tommy leave his office glancing at Arthur through the door quickly turning back when he glances at me and stands up. He rushes out of his office stopping a few feet from Tommy.
"I'm calling a family council tonight at eight o'clock, I want all of us there! You hear me? Troubles comin." He says as Tommy walk away through the double green doors.
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I stood around the side of a brick building my back against the wall, I took a slow drag from my cigarette as I watched Polly stand in front of me, gun in hand. She shifted with it angrily as she waited.
John whips the corner toothpick in mouth, confidence on his face until the barrel of that gun was against his temple, I roll my eyes dropping my cigarette smooshing it out with the heel of my shoe.
