Chapter 3

The men walked through the front door of the Orchard House and inside were two men in black coats sitting at a table and next to the man sitting on the left is a third chair and in front was another one.

The two men are Philip and Tony Bolt and they know what was to become of them probably end up like their little brother or worse but that rests in the man in front of them.

"So you are the Bolt brothers, well what's left of you since your ridiculous attempts of drawing me into your orchard house and probably make me sign a contract of transition of property to you right?" William moved to sit down in front of them and looked over at the empty chair. 

"Poor child." Said William as he pointed at the seat.

Philip stood from his chair aggravated.

"First you killed him, now you insult him!?"

"Brother calm down please." Tony beckoned his eldest to sit down.

"What is it that you want Mr Freeman to clear up this unfortunate misunderstanding?" Tony asked gently to appease William.

"Unfortunate misunderstanding? Your brother died to protect you and here you call this situation a 'misunderstanding' . I actually feel sorry for him for having brothers like you which hurts. You know I have a younger sibling and if any cunt dares to lay a finger on her I would drill his joints with lead as I pull him across the floor to paint her name."

William looked at Tony with disgust as he stood and gestured for the man next to him to hand him something.

"This is what I want for now." William presented a piece of paper that consolidated his ownership of the Bolt company and shipment of Beer from Durabell towards a city called Alusta located in the South side of Albion.

Philip again raised himself up.

"Hell no, we will lose everything! As the oldest of the Bolt household I refuse to sign this!"

"Well I could have lost everything if you were to succeed so I find it fair and it doesn't matter if you don't sign it Philip. Isn't that right Tony?"

Philp's blood ran cold as he heard William's words and turned to his brother.

"T-tony. No…Please no" Philip looked at his brother in shock.

Tony, filled with tears, responded "sorry Phil, he threatened my family."

Philp raged at Tony's betrayal. "I am your family! What about me!? What about Brian. What about our father's legacy?" Tony averted his eyes from Philp in shame and guilt as he was shellfish or was he just trying to save his wife and daughter?

"So I guess I have the person that will sign the paper which means…" William pulls his colt pistol and aims for Philip's head.

The blood of Philip was on the table and on Tony's face as he looked at his elder brother's corpse drop to the ground just like he watched his little brother's as well ; he did not mind that the next one will be him, just not his wife or daughter.

Tony signs the transition without hesitation on his face.

"Pleasure doing business with you and also I am so sorry for your loss. I will have the boys pick up flowers and cover expenses for the funeral." William grabbed the paper, rolled it up and left a drained Tony who gave up everything from property to his siblings for one reason: his family.

The afternoon reached and the wind carried the leaves to direct them on poor Brian's body and the cars left the gate of the orchard house ending the chaotic morning of Durabell.

-16th August 1921-

In the middle of a breezy afternoon in a busy street stood a blue house that is compact with four windows and a red door. Inside the house was a woman with hazel coloured eyes and brown hair who was cooking some steak as she has been practising for weeks and the evidence was her burnt fingers.

As she was cooking the steak a knock can be heard.

*knock*

She turned off the stove and ran out of the kitchen and looked through the window. It was a man with a black coat and a hat.

She opens the door.

"Well well what did you get yourself into now?"

"I handled some business at the office." William replied.

"Really? I heard a different story, something to do with a crazy man holding a woman hostage at the pub? Tingles your memory perhaps?" 

William breathed in and responded, shaking his head. Then he picked up the smell of burning.

"What you doing back there?"

"Oh I forgot to mention that Jack is going to come today in a few minutes or so."

"Oh your boyfriend I am glad to put a face on the name." William responds as he lights a cigarette.

"More like putting a name to his grave."

"Olivia I don't care for your love life, I just care about who you hang around with." William blows out a smoke and then a knock is heard.

"That must be him, you can lecture me later and please put that thing out." she goes to the door as. William puts it out in the nearest plant.

Olivia enters with Jack, a young man in his early 20s with blue eyes and black hair wearing an aqua coloured coat.

"Bill, this is Jack and Jack this is my older brother William." Olivia anxiously introduced them.

The two shake hands.

"Jack Doyle. Pleasure to meet you." 

"William Freeman, likewise."

"Olivia could you please go for a moment. I wish to speak to our guest here, you know, big brother talk."

Olivia reluctantly leaves the room and it is now quiet and all that can be heard is the flicker of matches.

"So, how did you and Olivia meet?" William broke the silence with a question.

"Well she works for my father's company and I was visiting from Alusta to check-."

"-the shipments." William finished Jack's words.

"I know and I am going to ask you another question: how much does a ticket cost for Aulsta?"

Jack confused at first answered

"five slivers" William opened his wallet and pulled out 15 Marc.

"Here is the deal I am offering you. You will take that money and catch the earliest boat back to Aulsta and trust me I am doing you a favour here."

Jack was about to respond but Olivia came into the room and she saw the 15 Marcs of paper and glared at her brother.

"What is this?"

"Haha… it was actually a game we were playing, you know betting." William said with a smile.

"What did you bet on?" 

"arm wrestling right Jack?" William begged with his eyes to Jack.

"Yes." Jack smiled as he looked at Olivia.

William walked towards Jack and put his hand on his shoulder and squeezed it.

"Tough guy you have here. Haha… anyways let's forget about this shall we? And let's eat."

William put back the Marc notes in jacket coat pocket.

"OK. I have been practising so I hope you like it but please give your honest opinion. " Olivia gives an excited smile as she brings two plates with steaks that were half roasted like coal in the factories.

William looked at it and looked at Jack who hesitated to grab a fork and glared at him in a commanding look which motivated Jack to grab the fork and knife to eat the half burnt steak like William did.

"So do you like it?" Olivia is looking for approval.

"Yes, very good." Said Jack as painfully swallowed the sliced meat.

After the not so amusing dinner William invited Jack to 'Rose's Revenge' for a drink and once inside the pub had the same indecency but with a sort of charm to it as paintings of white roses filled the walls to represent a destitute of hope to the place and to William's heart.

The two men sat in the corner of the bar with whiskies and as William drank his with one shot Jack took his time to ease his nervousness.

"I know why you brought me here and it's because of the options to leave Olivia… and I have made my decision I will not go back to home for I will stay here or I will take her 

with me."

William lights a cigarette and blows out a smoke as he sighed.

"I know. If you are as determined to taste my sister's cooking skills you might as well be determined to die for her. Which I am not going to ask because that question is answered through proof."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you ever shot a gun before?"

"When I was 12 my father taught me to handle a rifle for hunting but why are you asking me this William."

"Call me Bill and you will meet me at Butcher's House at 10:00 in Crofts Lane. I will send you a car." William got up and grabbed his coat.

"Why?" Jack tries to follow as he pulls out money to pay.

"Don't bother. The drinks are paid by the house." William left, leaving Jack's question unanswered and leaving Jack to wonder. 'Does he even know my address?'