The Falling Man

Chapter 36

Tommy POV

As I say goodbye to Ethel I head inside the racecourse. I sent Jeremiah to bring Lizzie to me. I needed her for the plan and at this moment she was nowhere to be found. I smoke my cigarette and wait anxiously. "Found the lost sheep." I hear beside me. "Come on, Lizzie." I wave the found woman over. She approaches me and asks, "What do you think?" "About what?" I ask her confused. "About the dress." "Undo two buttons. Come on." I tell her quickly before walking away gesturing her to follow me.

We make our way into one of the nice rooms housing the toffs as May calls them. The room is nicely decorated with even a fountain covered in yellow flowers in the middle of it. "Oh, Tommy, I never thought I'd see the like of this." Lizzie says observing the fancy room. "Yeah." I respond shortly, my mind too many other places. "But I do know that I'm here to work, so you may have noticed, I haven't taken a drink." She says to me as we walk through towards the fountain. A nicely dressed server passes us, "Well, here. Take this. You might need it." I say passing her a drink off the man's tray and taking a seat at a nearby table.

"What's the work you want me to do here today, Tommy? To take your notes on a meeting?" She asks me, I'm assuming already knowing the answer. "No, Lizzie, you're not here to take notes." I respond pulling out a new cigarette feeling bad for the woman sat opposite myself but it needed to happen for my plan to work. "My shorthand won't be required?" She asks sarcastically with a glare. "Lizzie...There's a man here, and I need him separated from the crowd and taken to a quiet place." I tell her. "A quiet place." She says shaking her head with a scowl, sipping her drink.

"Lizzie, I know what I said." "Yeah, you know...You know, you told me I shouldn't do that kind of work anymore." She tells me with a sad expression. "I just need you to isolate him, is all." I respond to her. "No exceptions, you said." "I've drawn a map, all right, of where exactly you need to take him." I say pulling the map out of my coat and passing it to her. "For months I've made no exceptions because you told me not to." She says now angry. "Lizzie... just keep him busy at the place marked with an X, and I'll get to you before he can start, I promise, all right?" I tell her seriously as she averts her eyes away as though she is about to cry.

"Mustn't smudge my eyes. He might not like that." She croaks out. "Lizzie, this is the only time. After this, never again...All right? I'll pay you an extra five..." "Do not talk to me about money now. Not right now, or I swear I'll break this glass in your eyes...No exceptions has been no hardship. Do you know why?" She tells me. I spot the man in question to my left, my attention focused on him, making sure he doesn't leave before I can send Lizzie over. "Hmm?" I ask her not hearing the last bit of what she said. "It doesn't matter...Who is he?" She asks.

"To your right, a soldier...He's smoking a cigarette. Just be alone with him at three, when the race starts, and I'll do the rest. Yeah?" I ask her. "Got a piece of chalk?" She asks. "Chalk?" I repeat back. "It's how the soldiers know. It doesn't matter, just give me the fucking chalk." She demands. I pull a piece out of my pocket and pass it to her taking another drag off my cigarette. "Lizzie, it's going to be all right, eh? I'll get to you, I promise. Before it can start, I will be there." I state to her before standing up, taking my leave out of the fancy room, leaving Lizzie to do her part.

As I leave the room I can hear the loud chattering of the many race goers and an announcement over the PA. "Ladies and gentlemen, the race will begin in four minutes. Please make your way trackside." I head over to the bar as the rest of the room clears. "Shouldn't you be busy?" I hear a familiar voice ask. I don't have to look to know it's Ray. "When you plan something well, there's no need to rush." I state to the Irish man. "Do you know something? I actually trust you to do this...Do you think there might be some measure of respect developing between us?" He asks before another announcement rings through the PA.