Choking On Sapphires

CoS Pt. 4: 60 Feet Tall

  Song for this chapter is 60 Feet Tall by The Dead Weather.
This chapter contains graphic violence and some canon-typical slurring.  

"I wonder what she's gonna do this time," John mutters from the far end of the table, picking at his nails, huffing out a laugh. "Oh, I bet she's wearin' red today, brothers." he says, laughing to himself.

"Oh, come on now, John, don't start." Arthur scolds his younger brother, turning his head to him but not his eyes. Arthur was blankly staring into the grain of the table.

"I'm sure it'll be a red dress day from speaking with her on the telephone." Tommy chimes in, glaring at them both as he walks back and forth across the floor of the Garrison.

"And how are you still livin'? You of all of us should hope she's not in red today. You're the one that got all balled up and conned her into this mess." John retorts.

"I did not con her and since you can not strangle anyone through the telephone, I am still alive and I still have to deal with this, so shut up and let me handle it." he answers, his voice low.

"She's gonna be so fuckin' mad." Arthur mumbles, not so much in retort but he felt bad for you. "I'd put my money on red today." As much as he did enjoy your lethal escapades together, when it was just one of you angry without the other, there was no fun to be had by either of you.

"What'd you do to her, Thomas?" Alfie shouts as he comes up the back hallway into the bar.

"It's not so much me as Sabini." Tommy says, shaking the hand holding a cigarette towards Alfie.

"What a twist of the truth that is." Arthur replies, nervous in anticipation of your iminent arrival.

"What is it you've lured me into today, Tommy?" Alfie's tone is scolding, pulling up a chair to the far side of a long table sat in the middle of a cleared Garrison.

"Alfie. I've invited you as a mediator of sorts. I figured she might be more inclined to behave herself if you're here. A living witness as to what happens to us here today. I believe you are the only among us to have not wronged her in some way."

"Yet." Arthur says in a vaguely intimidating way. Alfie narrows his eyes in question at the man ignoring his presence otherwise across the room.

Tommy stops to stand in the space between the two chairs to his left next to his brothers and Alfie. "I went through with an alternative plan from what I had discussed with her previously." his fingertips rest on the top of the table, his head up as he speaks with no enthusiasm.

"No, she fuckin' told you this would happen if you let the Italians in on it. Her words exactly." Arthur interupts, his voice much less somber than it was.

"I remember her words, Arthur." Tommy says with a sigh, closing his eyes for a moment. He takes a deep breath and goes back to explaining the situation, his words directed at only Alfie. "I lied to her and said I wouldn't ask for the Italians help to scope out a place for her that she's had her eye on robbing. But, it was in their territory and I didn't want to deal with them being fuckin' pricks about it. It was a very ambitious job. Even for her." he takes a moment to push back feeling bad about what he'd done. "The fuckin' Italians get spooked and kill every guard on duty. Now the place is sealed tighter than a tomb and there is no way in for the foreseeable future." the last part comes out faster than the rest.

"And?" Alfie demands, being able to tell he isn't getting the full extent to the cause of your anger.

"And they stole things while they were in there that they are refusing to hand over." his head dips as he adds the last words, laced with annoyance.