I talk with the men in line at my desk giving me their money for the next horse race, one of the other employees dumping a hat of coins all over my paper, I stare up at him.
"Put that shit somewhere else." I swipe all the money off my desk, the man glares and begins cleaning it up.
I take a slow drag off my cigarette my eyes following Tommy as he steps inside the building.
"Tommy Tommy!" John runs over to him.
"They're all here Monaghan boy." He points to all the men.
"That's what I like to hear, Johnny boy." Tommy pats his shoulder.
"Pol wants to see you." I shout to Tommy over the line of men, Tommy hurries toward the green doors. The conversation lasted a minute before Tommy threw on his jacket and ran out of the building.
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Family stuff happened that day, it was so serious I wasn't allowed in the room.
And that's saying something.
The next day I was sat in the secluded room in the garrison with Tommy, John, Arthur, and one other random worker from the betting house.
A pretty barmaid delivers the drinks I haven't seen before, I give her a smile as she gives me my drink.
"Did you want whiskey as well?" She asks Tommy.
"No, just beer." He replies.
"Why no whiskey, Tommy? Are you expecting trouble?" Arthur asks as he moves closer to me trying to look at my cards.
"Fuckin cheater! Stay over there!" I hide my cards pushing my hand on his shoulder causing Tommy to give me a weird look.
"Jesus Christ, Tommy, what the hell made you let them sing?" John blurts out referring to the group of men in the main bar singing like dying pigs.
Tommy doesn't answer and I glance at the barmaid. Light bulb.
"All right twenty is the play. Come on." Arthur says putting his arm around me, I glare.
"What did make you change your mind, though, Tommy?" Arthur adds onto Johns words.
Tommy glances at the bar maid as she leaves "about bloody time Tommy." John says
"Time for what?" Tom waves his hand.
John smirks "time you took yourself a woman."
"Just play the bloody hand." Tommy hits his cig
"You stay the way you are, tommy. Remember what dad used to say. Fast woman and slow horses."
"Will ruin your life." John and Arthur say in unison.
Light comes through the bar window. "Coppers." John says.
Tommy shakes his head "no."
I hear the bartender from the main room "holy shit, it's Billy Kimber."
I sit up putting my gun into my holster but Arthur pulls me back into my seat.
"Is there any man here named Shelby?" Kimber yells from the other room.
When silence filled the room a single gunshot rung off.
"I said is there any man here named Shelby?" He asked again.
