3. Blackwater Creek

Manny, who hadn’t eaten a thing since they had set out earlier that morning pats his stomach and and simply nods as he says Yes.

He leaves his valise by the door but brings in his briefcase holding his papers.

"Jerky suits me just fine - wouldn't mind some more o' that either." says Mickey nodding at his cup before draining it;
"This good stuff."

Jimmy follows Sprouston inside and gladly accepts a piece of fruit - an apple, if available. "Well, it seems ya like this stuff their brewin' well enough, but clearly not the people makin' it. Might I ask, why is that? What kind of trouble are they causing for you folks?" Jimmy sits, not yet taking a bite of the food given to him, and listens for a response.

"Right, okay. So you're sayin' this recipe's some sort of heirloom? Somethin' passed down?"

Manny…seems to lose focus, drinking his whiskey and thinking about food. But something in Dick’s voice makes him pay attention.

'God... Right... The only thing god does for people is take their parents, and Lenny knows just what that feels like.'

He's still confused about the whiskey though, how can it taste so much better, last longer and well and only be made here, even if it's not god there does seem to be some important element of the whiskey that's only available here.

'It's been here for a long time... So it's something natural about the place, maybe just the waters special but that doesn't make to much sense and Lenny hates things he can't make sense of.'

Jimmy nods. "I don't think you're crazy," he says, "no more than the rest of us. So what is it you want? An end to the whiskey? Or you just want the town to benefit from it, instead of just those Carmody's?" He leans in a little closer, "And if we were to take care of that problem, do you have any preference on how we do it?"

Manny thinks back to Hebrew school, and his religious studies classes at Harvard. Something about what Dick was saying just didn’t fit with his theological and historical classes… but it was a long time ago.

Jimmy, the goose that laid the golden egg and all that… If we don’t get the recipe and all the know-how to run that still up there,…

He eyes Dick with a suspicious glare All due respect Mr. Sproutson, without a running concern, your town would get as we say back in Bean Town… ‘Bupkis’.

He eats some jerky and continues I thank you for your hospitality, sir. And again… no offense Mr. Sproutson, what exactly are you bringing to the table besides some apples and dried meats?

None taken. Sure! Sure! Friendship! Yes Mr. Sproutson, and we thank you for that and reciprocate indeed.

He shoots Jimmy a glance

Say uh Jimmy, can I get word with you?

He motions towards the door …in confidence as your lawyer.

Once he gets Jimmy out of earshot of Dick, he whispers to the younger Mcbride Jimmy, what’s the play here? Go in guns blazing and wipe out the Carmodys? If we don’t get the recipe like Declan said…

Manny shudders, thinking about Declan’s bloody arms from the other night.

"Nah, of course not Manny. Don't get your knickers in a twist. Sprouston clearly still wants the booze flowin' and that can align with our interests. The way I see it, we get the recipe, make a copy - for security mind you - then have the locals here keep the flow goin', but in our direction. The way Sprouston has it in for these fellas, if we cut a deal with the Carmody's, they could be yesterday's dinner by the time we start seein' the dividends."

Lenny stands between Dick and Jimmy just far enough away that he can't hear their conversation, thinking about the farm, the distillery probably holds the key, but it's also true that it's probably not wise to take the Bosses brother into a gunfight, what with not letting him die an all.

Perhaps some sort of distraction, though going anywhere about that farm would seem a might suspicious, of the Carmody's are there though maybe someone can distract them over by the stables, pretend to be looking to buy horses or something.

"T'was nice talking to you sir, we'll definitely keep you and the good people here in mind when everything's settled."
He nods to his brother to move out so they can lay out a plan with the others.