𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

𝟐𝟒

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟒

"You're in here early," Maeve said, ignoring the fact Arthur had just snorted cocaine off the bar. "Yeah, i know. Someone has to open up don't they?" He said, standing from the seat and approaching the front doors.

"Yeah..that's my job?" She said, slipping behind the bar and grabbing a cloth.

Only seconds later after Arthur returned to the bar, a woman walked in. "Cleaning jobs gone, vacancy is filled." He told her, accepting the bottle of whiskey off Maeve.

"I'm not a cleaner," she paused, "but i have come to clean away some dirt." The woman's voice was shaking and both Maeve an Arthur looked at her, confused as she pointed a gun at them.

Arthur placed the bottle down and sighed. "Why don't you put that away before it goes off?" He suggested.

"You killed my son! You peaky bastard!" She shouted, "you beat and beat him and beat him!"

Arthur stared at the floor, "your son was a boxer."

"No!" She sobbed, "he was a boy, Who got into a ring with an animal," her hands shook. "Yeah ain't that the truth," Arthur said lowly. The woman took a deep breath, "i've come to stop you..because the coppers and nobody else will.."

Arthur stood and took a few steps forward. "If you're gonna use it, point that thing at my head, that's where the trouble is. Gut shot soldiers take half a day to die. I've seen them, walking around with their guts in their arms like dirty washing- hold that gun up and do it!" He shouted. "Fucking do it!"

Maeve felt underneath the bar, trying to find the gun that Tommy kept there.

"Do it!" He repeated. Nothing. Arthur grabbed his glass, "i'm gonna finish my drink. You can finish it with me if you like?"

The gun fired and Maeve ducked, hearing the glass behind her shatter. Anger filled him and he grabbed the gun from her hand, pretending to hit her with it and forcing her to sit. "That's my fucking daughter, that could've fucking hit her!" He shouted.

Which was ironic considering he'd killed the woman's son. Maeve slowly stood straight and placed down a glass, "pull a stunt like that again an i'll fucking kill you too!" Arthur threatened, emptying the bullets from the gun.

He slid the glass toward her and nodded. "Now look, look at me. We've got a fund, for you. You'll get paid weekly. And i know it won't bring back your son and i know that. You have other sons..you do, i have one daughter. We will find them work, you won't have to work-"

She cut him off by standing and flipping the table. "Right get out!" Maeve snapped, "fucking get out."

"Somebody has got to stop you people."

Maeve stepped around the bar and pointed a finger at the woman, "i said leave." The woman walked out, soon followed by John. "Who broke the fucking mirror? Seven years bad luck that is," he said plainly, nodding at Maeve and walking through to the back room.

Maeve stood behind Arthur and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright dad.."

-

Maeve, Finn and Isiah sat around a table in the snug, the air filled with smoke. "Play on," Maeve nodded, holding her cards close to her chest.