Little Redhead

Chapter Six: Derby Day Decisions

Hal was the first to spot Tommy. He marched across the street smoking, heading straight for them. He nudged his best friend in the ribs from his place on one side of the truck. Once again, Hal wouldn't be travelling with the others. He was to be taking Stan and Luce, who were still getting things ready with Cece. The duo had barely spent a moment apart since Stanley had returned. Cece thought it was adorable, and Hal got the distinct impression she would fight anyone who tried to separate the two best friends ever again.

'You're late,' said John as way of greeting.

'I had business,' said Tommy simply.

Arthur was on him in an instant, hugging him. 'The fuck d'you get me out of that?'

'I need you today, brother,' Tommy assured him. 'And pulled some strings. You all right?'

'I am now,' Arthur said.

'So, Arthur's back in charge now?' asked John, not bothering to hide the bitterness behind his voice.

'He's in charge of you and you're both in charge of him,' said Tommy, nodding to Finn. 'Look-out duties only today.'

'Tommy, I'm getting sick of this –'

'Finn,' said Tommy sharply, 'you don't obey orders, you don't come. Johnny Dogs.' He ignored the sulk that Finn was throwing completely, and Hal shared a quick smirk with John.

'Tommy?'

'Your boys will meet us there?'

'The Lees will be there, Captain,' Johnny assured him.

'"Captain?"' asked Tommy, almost uncertainly.

'Aye, we promoted you,' Johnny Dogs told him, earning a couple of chuckles. 'Well, the boys decided you're no longer like a Sergeant Major. Fucking those rich women and using those fancy words.' Tommy cleared his throat; Hal was instantly on edge, he could see that the Shelbys were in a similar state of uncertainty. Was the joke funny or some underlying Lee dig despite how Esme and John were married? Despite how it was only Johnny Dogs actually voicing it? 'I'd say you're more like a captain these days.'

'Fine, well, I'll take it as a compliment,' said Tommy, watching the ash of his cigarette falling to the floor. 'Just don't bloody shoot me. Hal?'

Hal nodded, shifted his cap. 'I'll keep an eye on them,' he vowed, patting John on the shoulder before heading back home, knowing that he had to make sure that the others were all right. Part of him had assumed that Tommy wouldn't let them near the racetracks, that there was too much happening for him to feel comfortable with that. But Billy Kimber had brought the fight to them before, and he wasn't going to let someone else try pulling that shit with them again.

'Let's go to the Derby, boys.' Tommy's voice had an undertone of mild jubilation behind it; something to rally the troops.

'Right then!' called Arthur. 'Load 'em up.'

Part of Hal wanted to go with the others, he wanted to help with Sabini's men. But he knew Stanley and Luce needed to be protected, knew there was no way of keeping them away from it fully. He just hoped her brother wouldn't be one of Sabini's men this time; and if he was that he didn't have to face off against one of them properly. But he had an awful feeling that he might just be, and that was something he had no way of protecting Luce against no matter his best intentions.

***

Luce hovered near the horse, watched as Stan went about checking her over with the two men that May had brought. She tried not to think about the crowds of people that were close. The liveliness of the whole thing that she was missing out on just to make sure Stan wasn't alone; because of her own mild fear of how close at hand Sabini and his men were. With how close Wilf might be. She'd wanted nothing more than to get lost in the crowd, in the excitement of it all, but for once there were other things on her mind to stay that particular desire.