"A knife?" Thadius turns and stares at Getika, "Dis one o' yer knives, mon cheri." Thadius doesn't touch it and hovers over Geoffrey's body.
Getika looks up in shock, "One of mine? The table they were all on!" She gets up and walks over to Thadius and looks down in shock.
"Don't mean it you, Cheri, but it do mean that somebody got em. Means we need to get dem knives and stuff out o' here. Get rid of Geoffrey's gun too."
"I'll take care of them." Dan says softly, he had taken care of his brothers during the Great War. Both his siblings and those of his unit who went over the top with him, virtually all had fallen.
He goes to pick up the men with reverence and to move them across the side of the hall. Laying them out as the old vicar had taught him. The baker's hand is stayed by the motion of Thadius, he does want to disturb any evidence.
"Stay yo' hand, Dan." Thadius says, "Lets see what all missin' first." Thadius suggests they search their things to see what all is missing now.
Tina looks tearfully towards Clarence where he lay, she had really expected the votes would go tied and neither he nor Clara would be killed. She sniffles a bit, and looks towards Geoffry sadly the poor fellow. Then she moves over to Clara "I... I'm sorry Clarence... after he turned on you so quickly I really thought he was one of them..." She says a little quieter "I feel bad saying so... but all the same I'm glad it wasn't you..."
She lets out a slow breath "I'm sorry Clara, I would move people... but I'm not strong enough" It's not clear whether she means physically or emotionally, could very well be either. She looks to the baker as he goes about moving the bodies "Thank you Mr. Dan..."
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"And so the plot thickens. If we do not play our cards just right the enemy will have complete superiority over us."
Dan looks from the dead bodies to the rest of the group. 'So half of who's left are Mafia' he half mumbles.
"True Hamish, we have to lynch someone. Whilst at the same time ensure we don't make another mistake." Dan concludes sadly. "Though if we get lucky, the vigilante's can protect us still."
"Leastways we got a better shot at hangin' a mafier now," Clara says grimly from her chair.
"the vigilante's can protect us still."
"I might be willing to exchange some information for protection."
"I'm sure you'll be pertekted, Mister Hamish. Badgerman will watch over ya." Clara looks around at those still gathered. "Won't he? Or she?"
She shakes her head, muttering, "Howcome menfolk allus think it's men who do the pertektin? Ain't they ever seed a momma dog with her pups?"
Tina moves over to Getika, a hesitant hand reaching out to lightly touch the woman's arm "Sister... even if it was your weapon used I hope you don't blame yourself." She looks about at the others, at Clara, Dan and Hamish as they speak. She knows they're right, they couldn't make any mistakes... but that didn't make things any easier "I'm scared" she said simply, though that much was probably obvious, likely they all were.
"You t'ink dat'd work? Maybe I jus' a pessimist, but I be thinkin' if'n we wait, somebody else just gon' get stabbed o' shot." Thadius looks over the bodies, "Well, ain't nothin' different on Geoffrey that I kin tell, 'ceptin' the knife. Mon amis, Clarence got a pocket full o' gold here. Musta found a leprechaun." Thadius clatters the coins on the floor.
Getika shook her head a few times at the sight of her dagger in the blood brother and breathes out while trying to get her wits about herself. Then Tina comes over to her and the native looks over to the young lady before giving her a hug, "Sister." She says back and holds her tight, "Clara is right about a momma with their young but sisters are the same too. I'm scared too."
She looks to the others as they speak of no one dying then considers, "We could abstain from voting. The mafia may attack but at least then we wouldn't be the ones doing the killing."
As Thadius mentions the knife Getika feels sad considering it was hers and if she hadn't left them on the table they would not have been used.
"As much as I'd like a bloodless night, I'm not sure it'd happen." Dan says sadly; "They are vicious and cruel, taking our friends from us. We need Hamish's information."
"Now we don't want to have both protectors' guarding him, especially since his identity is not confirmed and the Mafia know this strategy." Furrowing his brow he thinks of the best way. "Maybe if the man or woman, with the later or earlier alphabetical name protects him."
"Basically, plainly speaking, we decide that either Clara or Tina wouldn't protect him?" the baker wonders.
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"I meant one body not two, I suspect the mafia to keep killing, but we the good people of this town are currently zero for three, in baseball we would be out, it would be time to take the field, so to speak."
"Hammish has risked much and certainly has been protected, Dan has also done much and likely earned protection, and it seems that the mafia is aware of who is being protected and is not targeting them on purpose, that purpose being to find the protectors, and remove them first."
"Yes, we take to the field and stop the hits." Dan resolves, his pale face becoming brighter at the prospect of stopping the murders.
"I have more concrete evidence this time around. There is one person here who has managed to divert my attention away even though I had suspected them all along. However, when a certain blood brother was found dead I realized that something didn't add up. Upon further investigation I have confirmed that my suspicions were indeed correct in the first place."
Tina hugs the native woman back with a bit of a sigh, relaxing somewhat in the comfort and security she provides. She considers what Thadius said about Clarence finding a leprechaun, and speaks up meekly "But he wasn't mafia, why would he have so much gold?"
When she hears Dan say her name her eyes widen a bit and she looks towards him, the mention of her name reminding her that she can't just relax into her sister. She pays closer attention to the conversation as it goes on. The little shoemaker carefully moves away from Getika's hug, and takes a seat near her and Dan "Yes we need to stop them now, and make sure our protectors stay hidden. They're our last defense..."
She turns to listen to Hamish as mentions he has information to share.
The native glances at Thadius wondering about the gold he shows is in Clarence's pocket and raises a brow questioningly. Tina had a good question about why he would have so much gold then whispers to the shoemaker.
[b]"Evidence needed is." Getika says as Tina moves from her. She wonders at that but says nothing as she takes a seat and waits for someone to come up with anything.
"Badgerman and the Chicken kin keep a eye out fer bad guys if we don't want to vote. Mebbe nobody gits kilt no more, huh?"
"Just some gold coins, look old by the look of 'em. This one say dat it from back in the sixties's. Maybe he a collector?" Thadius muses, "I hear dat dem nawthin' folk be tryin' to get gold out o' circulation. Dey alread' be doin' it to silvah." Thadius scratches his chin, watching Getika and Tina converse.
"Please share Hammish what you have discovered."
"OH NO!, I was assurances first. I know how things work around here. My livability is a prized possession and I don't plan on pointing fingers if I have to worry about the backlash."
"I'd 'spect Badgerman ta pertekt ya, Mister Hamish, then the Chicken could pertekt him. They gon' want you alive, right? It's the folk who ain't got no information what's in danger."
"Thadius, do you think it was a payment for services received. Old Clarences land is in a right spot near the road, possibly bootlegger territory." Dan says in his spot between the two ladies; "Miss Clara did you see owt on t' roads?"
"Or maybe it's old War gold, I done 'eard me summat about an old wagon wi' some in." he adds, slightly ignoring Hamish as he cannot reassure him.
"Who know?," Thadius says, "Maybe it is jus' a red herrin'"
"But who'd be cunning enough to plant them on 'im." Dan wonders; "And rich enough t' not care about their loss?"
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"Hammish you hast painted a target upon yourself by claiming such knowledge, how can either protector assure you without revelation of themselves?"
"We have a chance at one of them, let us not be listening to your dying breath to guess once more.....I implore you to aid us and trust the protectors!"
"No tellin' cause deez coins be ol' as dirt. Deez from da time o' our great grand-pappies. Like I say, maybe he one of dem numistmatists. You know, philately. Collec-shion?" Thadius replies to Dan as he watches Hamish and the Duke argue with annoyance. He places the coins on the table with the rest of everything produced.
Getika wonders aloud, "In Willard's writings what be? Did Willard write anything helpful?"
Dan picks out one of the coins and examines it. The thick width and rough stamping smoothed out over the years. Rotating it in his fingers it catches the light, a dull and heavy yellow. "Wonder if this is ancient? From the Maztecian peoples of the Central Continentals?"
He leans over towards Getika and shows her the coin; "Is this from your people?" he says softly. Althoough he also shifts position slightly to allow Tina to look, with a soft murmur to both.
"Although I wonder if Clarence stumbled on hoard of t' coins? Ms Baker, has he tried to pass any in your shop?" The baker asks the lady.
"We only accept our national currency. Ancient coins are too hard to value. And checks of course." Coraline answered distractedly.
"Hammish you hast painted a target upon yourself by claiming such knowledge, how can either protector assure you without revelation of themselves?"
"We have a chance at one of them, let us not be listening to your dying breath to guess once more.....I implore you to aid us and trust the protectors!"
"I'm surprised I've made it this long already."
"I've suspected you all along Thadius. I'll admit that I had a slip earlier but I wont be making the same mistake twice. You tried to peg me as the Butcher when it was really you all along! You killed Sheriff Rastley along with so many others. Now it is my time to exact revenge, and with that I might be able to cope with the guilt of not saving my friend."
"I can return to having a normal life."
Rasping his chin, Dan thinks "Maybe Clarence done found himself an ancient cache of coins. I did hear that the Union army done be dragging some. They found 'em at the plains of Thorri, when raiding t' temple."
The baker had picked up some of the local lore in the last few years; but does a double take at Hamishes words. "Thadius, say it ain't so...." he looks to the gentleman aghast.
"That a bunch of bull plop. Hamish der when Rastley die, and I see what he doin' now. He hopin' dat Badgahman and da Chicken gon' protect him, pullin' protection from somebody dat deserve it, same time he gon' kill a townie... den where we at?" Thadius turns and looks at the Duke, "Remember when he Clarence that I was town? Now he change his vote... suspicious, huh? Now he framin' Getika and tryin' get me killed so he win. Simple as dat."
"Really?" says Dan wanting to believe him, just about following the logic. He looks to Getika, his eyes large not believing that she would be part of the criminal fraternity.
"Have the others you detected Hamish died? Or have you been focussing on Thadius.... you may be wrong?" Dan bites his lip.
"It mean he lyin'. He ain't no detective. Jus like you, Dan. You fool erybody, or at least you think you do... Mistah Crime Boss."
"Dan? A crime boss? That don't rightly seem possible, even if'n his pies is downright sinful. But Mister Cunningham, now, he's got the wool pulled over everbody's eyes. Howcome he don't help before this, huh? I tell you why. 'Cause all he needs is one townfolk kilt and the mafier kin take the rest of us by vote. He didn't say nuthin' 'til he knowed he was safe if one more townie wuz kilt. 'Cause then when they's sure to be a townie, he's proved ta be a mafier, but cain't be lynched no mo. Ain't that right, detective?" She shakes her head reproachfully at Hamish. "Y'ain't no detective. You's a killer."
Dan looks aghast; "You mean to say that you think I'm the Crime boss? And Hamish is my lieutenant? Or are you just throwing accusations out there?" Dan cannot believe it.
"I just think it mighty suspicious, all dem deliveries you get when you already got yo' bakin' supplies. Combine that with that false look you carry, insincerity at its finest. Leave it to a drunk to know insincerity when he see it, mon ami. You play so hard, it really don't help yo' case none." Thadius looks straight into Dan's eyes, then turns to Hamish, "Your game is plain, Mafia."
"Remember when he Clarence that I was town? Now he change his vote... suspicious, huh?
"I've already admitted to my oversight in thinking you were a Townie. You can try and spin my words around as much as you want, it's all you've been doing this whole time. The fact of the matter is you are Mafia. This whole time I thought you were one of the Blood Brothers. You convinced me that Clarence was a bad guy. You even voted for yourself because your conscience cant cope with what you've done. You want to die! You've played your part well as the deceiver, but now the jig is up. You've been caught, just admit to it so I can kill you myself!"
Tina looks at the argument that jumps up when Hamish accuses Thadius, the man's reaction isn't surprising, though his accusation of Dan is. "Mr. Dan the crime boss?" She looks towards the baker beside her then back towards Thadius "I can't believe it... not Mr. Dan. Mr. Hamish I can't say I trust him at all... but, he did tell me in secret that he had evidence indicating you were the second blood brother Thadius. When Geoffry died, it was clear that evidence was fake. Of course he could very well just have been lying to me about the whole thing... it would not be his first lie."
She tries to decide what is the right thing to do "My question is if he's not really the detective he claims how has he gone so long without the real detective accusing him? They would have known immediately that he was lying wouldn't they? Did they maybe confide secretly in someone?"
Thadius face goes from angry to just plain sour as he looks at Hamish, "I bet you'd try that anyway, butcher. Try to hide how ugly you are with that ugly face, but your mind must be scarred up too. Lets not fawget, you weret da one whisperin' ta Clarence a bunch, drivin' him against the rest of us. You made it be kill-o-be-killed."
Thadius turns to Tina, "He playin' you too then, dawlin'. 'Course he ain't da problem. Real problem dat crime-boss, doncha think? Cut the head off the snake and the body will writhe, they gotta figure out who each other is or they'll just be spinnin' round in the circle. The we watch, cause they gotta talk. We gotta find him, and I suspect Mistah Haworth of that. Mistah Cunningham just protectin' his boss."
"That's a clever way of doing it. Ya accuse me and it distracts from Hamish's accusation." Dan retorts quietly. "Doing quite the job, first Gustav, Warren then Clarence."
"Do you mean the early morning deliveries of Clara's? Nowt wrong w' them, I have to get up early whilst tha' is a sluggabed. Ya see hard work as evil? Little wonder you was rifling through Clarences' pockets for gold."
People sure were yelling a lot. What was clear were the protectors of the town were falling down on the job. No one had heard a peep from the vigilantes, if there were such a thing or from the remaining detective.
Coraline sat down. Someone was going to have to think things through. Since everyone knows you can not yell and think at the same time, that meant it was up to her to figure some things out.