𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, ᵗᵒᵐᵐʸ ˢʰᵉˡᵇʸ (REWRITING)

𝟎𝟎𝟕

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕
𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐦

Adeline tiredly wiped the counters in the now empty pub. The night had been slow— exhausting for that matter. Her head was pounding and her eyes were burning. To her surprise, she hadn't seen Tommy once during her shift.

The days seemed to be moving slowly and she felt as though she was making no progress whatsoever. Grace was doing the work and at first she didn't mind it but Adeline was beginning to feel like a place holder. Neither Campbell nor her father were helping her out or giving her instructions.

A loud bang echoed off the walls as somebody pounded on the Garrison door.

"We're closed!" She called out, hesitantly placing down the rag in her hand. The bangs sounded again and she frustratedly stormed to the door, unlocking it and stumbling backward when Tommy pushed himself inside.

"Leave that open," he cut her off before she could ask any question, walking to the table in the middle of the room and fixing the chairs. He took his cap off and she frowned, reaching for a bottle of whiskey. "No," he raised his hand.

"Are you expecting trouble?" Adeline asked.

"Yeah," Tommy nodded, pulling his gun. "At this hour?" Adeline asked in disbelief. He checked the bullets in the gun. "Midnight is as good an hour as any." He said nonchalantly.

"What's going on?" She now sounded slightly more panicked.

"When the St Andrews bell strikes midnight, two IRA men are going to come through that door." He pointed, "When they have what they want, they plan to kill me. It's your job to stop that happening."

"You could've given me some more warning." She scolded. Adeline dug her nails into her palms.

"Well, I expected Grace to be here, not you. And I just got the message myself, they want to meet here alone."

"And Barmaids don't count?" She asked. He shook his head, "No, Barmaids don't count. You're gonna be in that back room, i'm gonna be sitting there," Thomas pointed. "When I make a toast, you're gonna come out with that thing raised." He nodded toward the gun, "you don't shoot, just point. I do the rest."

She hovered her hand over the gun. "You'll kill them?" She asked. "No, the police want him alive." He corrected.

"The police know about this?!" Her voice raised in volume as she began thinking about how ridiculous the whole situation was.

"Look, just hold it up.." he huffed, standing behind her and lifting up both her arms, readjusting her hands. "Just point, right?"

Her skin tingled under his touch and goosebumps formed across her body. A bell rang out and he looked toward the door. "Right, go. Go on, go," he ushered her to the back room and sat at the table.

Adeline placed her back against the wall, her heart pounding.

Two men entered and Tommy's face didn't change. They sat opposite him and he poured them a drink. "Lost your thirst, eh?" He asked as the man pushed his glass away.

"Just show us where," the other said, referring to what she assumed to be the stolen guns.

"Give me the cash." Tommy demanded. He looked down at the brown paper that was wrapped around the money that they began sliding toward him.