Page 123 of Working for the Mob

“N-No,” he stammered.

“Then you gotta sit here and keep Jamie company.”

“I can at least drive. I––”

Three sharp knocks on the glass door caught all of our attention.

Three women waited outside. I instantly recognized the frizzy hair of Miss Dunham, dressed in a thick coat. Next to her, clad in a large overcoat that didn’t hide her flowery print dress and matching bucket hat, stood Mrs. Jenkins. And Mrs. Brighton hovered in the back.

“Ladies, it’s good to see you,” I said, with the door half open. “But we’re closed on Sundays.”

I pointed at the sign, just in case. Although they knew the whole town was closed Sundays.

Miss Dunham shook her head and pushed through the door with surprising strength.

“We’re not here for the damn coffee,” she said. “We’re here for the girls. Genevieve. Lucy. Cissy stopped by and told us you’d be here.”

Jamie threw me an apologetic shrug.

“I’m sure they’ll be touched, but we’re kind of in the middle of something,” I started, but Mrs. Jenkins cut me off.

“I won the women’s rifle contest fifteen years in a row out in Turnersville,” she said, and I ducked my head after she swung a shotgun out from under her overcoat.

She pumped the shotgun with two clicks. “I can handle myself.”

“You’re hired,” Lance said, with no hesitation. Officer Brighton shook his head while Mrs. Brighton nodded.

“Now hang on, Mrs. Jenkins. Are you sure your cataracts won’t get in the way?” I asked. I had to put a stop to this now. Someone had to be the grown up in the room.

Mrs. Jenkins swung the shotgun and aimed it threateningly close to me. “How about you test me out with some target practice. I’ll give you ten seconds to run, but just a warning: I aim low.”

I instinctively positioned my nether region behind a chair. “But we can’t just send the two of you into a gunfight. We––”

“Art Necci, I’ve been shooting coyotes off the farm since before you were born,” Miss Dunham said, and shot me a stern glare she had never used on me before.

“Those two girls have made themselves part of this town. They’re one of us now,” Virginia Brighton said.

”And if you think you can stop us from going with you, I’m joining Mrs. Jenkins in target practice,” Miss Dunham said.

I looked to the others for backup, but Henry just fiddled with his thumbs while Jamie and Mr. Baker kept their eyes glued on the floor.

I shook my head, defeated. We were about to send elderly ladies into a mob fight.

“Are you going as well, Mrs. Brighton?” I asked, but she just shook her head.

“I’ll stay here with Jamie and Mr. Baker. For protection,” Mrs. Brighton said, and flashed a revolver from her purse.

“But Georgie,” Mrs. Brighton said, and gave her husband a stern glare. “You make sure to bring those girls home. You got it?”

George wilted under the stare and gulped. He nodded to his wife and said, “Just tell me what I’m doing.”

“Good,” Lance said. “Because we have to leave in two minutes.”

Chapter 38 – Genevieve

Agoofy smile adorned the chin-strapped face of Barney Valuncia as he walked through the door. He held a tray in one hand and a bucket in the other.

“Hello, you naughty girls,” Barney said in his bullfrog voice. He placed the tray on the table and brought over a plate with biscuits and some water. “I just came to offer you some refreshments and … well, hey! Larry didn’t tell me that you were here, Ms. Casey. How have you been?”

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