Daring, Charming , Real

Ch. 15

Part of me expected Thomas to be home whenever we returned. But, he wasn't. Then I held my breath at every corner I passed through the halls as I expected him to be lurking behind one of them. It wasn't until three days later that Thomas made an appearance. It was getting late into the evening as Niccoli and I began to clean up the office for closing when my talkie roared to life from the corner. 

"Mother Goose is home." Finn's voice came nearly as a whisper and then disappeared completely. 

My eyes widened at the words and I heard Jon bounding down the hallway before throwing himself into my office. The three of us looked at each other collectively and almost in unison said "Art museum." 

Merely seconds later, the front door swung open and Thomas sped down the hallway his footsteps echoing off each wall. Finn was at his side, his jacket tucked tightly in Tommy's palm as he was being drug into the end office. Thomas commanded we all follow him into his office without so much as to look in our direction. 

Jon and Niccoli waited for my lead which made the entire thing worse. Just as I had led us into the heist, I led us into the office and awaited the excruciating interrogation. Finn's eyes scanned each of us trying to read our reactions but didn't speak a word as Tommy lit up a cigarette. The smoke bellowed from his lips and rolled in the air before meeting with the ceiling. I watched him lean back on his desk and cross his arms over his chest looking over our lineup. The muscles in his jaw feathered as he spoke.

"Niccoli. What has been done since I was gone?" He questioned.

"Well uh sir, Emilia and I have been running numbers for the other-"

"No. Not business. What else?" 

"Finn asked us to take him to an Art exhibit downtown so I figured it would be a good chance for all of us to get out." 

Thomas said nothing only nodded and took a long draw off of his cigarette. His gaze fell upon Jon next and he cocked his head slightly to the side as if he was asking him the same thing. Jon's eyes darted nervously before clearing his throat.

"I checked on the company at the docks for-" He started but Thomas shook his head no before he finished. So he started a new sentence altogether," Finn seemed excited about the art and I wanted a day to get away so I went with them."

The tension began to build over the room as each of them turned to me. Thomas motioned for me to plead my case without removing the cigarette from his lips or speaking through it. He remained silent. 

"I spent the day at the Art museum. Then we played cards for a few hours before bed." It was all I could manage before he nodded once more and started to circle the large cedar desk he was leaning on. He took the cigarette from between his lips and laced it in between two fingers before blowing the smoke slowly through the air. 

"I'll give it to you, Emilia. You have some loyal fucking pets on your side." He scoffed before looking deep into my eyes. My body froze in place unable to move out from his gaze, "You know I even asked Arthur, I said 'Arthur do you think Emilia is up to no fucking good?' and you know what he said? 'Get out of your head, Tommy.'" He chuckled finally turning his gaze away from mine.

"What are you accusing us of?" I crossed my arms over my chest trying to pull the confidence out from the depths of my being. Although it wasn't working well, my words seemed to give him a glimmer of doubt in his own thoughts.

"See I knew something wasn't right when I got home. I could just .. sense it. When I asked Mary she spouted off bullshit about an art exhibit and then ran away when I demanded more. But that's not what settled it." He shook his head, "Cause see then I find a pair of my trousers sewed up in different measurements that look oddly small enough to fit you, Emilia."