A/N: Yeah, so my Meyer and Charlie need a lot of work (I ain't even gonna try Benny...) This is a plot chapter. More "Richard corruption" in the next chapter.

Special Delivery

Richard went to a small diner not far from his boarding house and stepped into the phone booth, asking the operator to connect him to a number in New York. When Meyer Lansky answered, Richard stated his request.

"I believe we can easily accommodate that. But wouldn't it be easier for you to go through Nucky?"

"Mm, I'd rather he...not know."

"I see. You're in luck, because as it happens, Charlie and I will be in Atlantic City this weekend. Perhaps we could get together?"

"Mm, yes."

"Until then," Meyer said, hanging up.

Richard went home, took a bath, then took care of some of his daily duties. He made collections, took orders, paid a visit to Nucky's office although he avoided dealing with the man himself. Richard handed everything to Eddie Kessler, bid the overworked man a good evening, then headed home after that, not that there was anything remotely exciting to do there, but because he had nothing else to do. There was a boy sitting on the stoop, maybe nine years old. When he saw Richard he hopped up and said "You Mr. Harrow?"

"Mm, yes." Richard replied.

The boy pulled his cap of and pulled a folded piece of paper out, handing it to Richard. "It's from Miss Cat," the boy explained helpfully. "She said I was to wait in case you're gonna send a reply." Richard opened the note, read it and shook his head, his mouth turned up in a slight grin. He refolded the note, pulled out his wallet and pulled out a five dollar bill, trying to hand both to the boy. "You, mm. Didn't see me. Go on home, now."

The boy quickly held his hands up and refused to take the letter and money"Mister, I ain't gonna lie to Miss Cat. Not for five bucks. Not for five hundred, neither. I ain't gonna lie to her for nothin'" He looked around then leaned close to Richard and said quietly "She kilt a man for lyin' to her!"

"Did she, mm, now?"

"Uh-huh. See this guy, he lied to her about somethin' that he was gonna do for her, and he didn't do it or somethin' and she ended up killin' him by puttin' his eye out and he bled to death all over the kitchen or maybe it was the office but yeah, she kilt him. I don't wanna get kilt, Mister. I ain't even kissed a girl yet! I know which one I wanna kiss though. Miss Opal. She's real pretty. When I'm old enough, that's what I'm gonna do! Then I'll ask her to marry me, if she ain't already married." He paused for a moment, a look of deep thought on his face, then he added "But if she is married, maybe I can fight her man to the death, or somethin'. Girls like that kinda stuff, don't they? They think it's romantic, or somethin'."

"I think. Mm, it would depend on. The girl. Some might...not like the. Mm, thought of it. You might want. To check, mm. With her before you. Do anything...rash." Richard wondered why he, of all people, was giving advice about women to a young boy. As far as he was concerned, he was the furthest thing from an expert that you could get and still be human.

"I'll ask her," the boy said, nodding as if Richard had just explained the mysteries of life. "I still got a few years before I can kiss her, but it'd be good to know so I can make plans. Thanks! Say, whaddaya want me to tell Miss Cat? 'Cause, I gotta tell her I saw you."

"Just tell her, mm. I said. Thank you, and may. Mm, take her...up on it. Some time."

"Okay!" And the boy hopped off the steps and hit the sidewalk running. Richard watched him disappear, smiling ruefully to himself as he wished he was nine again. To be that young, and innocent, with an entire lifetime still ahead.

Richard went up to his room and pulled Cat's note from his pocket, giving it a quick re-read

Anytime you feel like spending a night in a bed that fits you, you're more than welcome to join me.

He looked at his pathetic little bed, thought about that large, soft bed of Cat's, and knew it was a very tempting offer, but one he couldn't afford to take up to much because that would be playing into Cat's hands. He knew she was manipulating him. He wasn't an idiot. He knew that was how things worked . Use whoever you could to get what you want. Nucky was using him to get Cat out. Cat was using him to get back at Nucky. And they both thought Richard was too stupid to realize it. He didn't know why people seemed to think he was a simpleton...did they assume he'd lost half his wits along with half his face? Was it because he so rarely said anything? Or perhaps because when he did say something, it took him so long to get it out? No one knew him before his injury, so they didn't know that he'd always been the kind of person to give a great deal of thought to something before he gave an answer, no one to know that he'd always been quiet, spoke only when directly spoken to or really felt the need to voice his opinion. The only time he could think of where he had initiated the conversation was that day in the hospital when he had first met Jimmy. But that had been different. Although he wasn't one who believed in fate, he firmly believed that he and Jimmy had been destined to meet. He'd known it the moment their eyes had locked. He sometimes wondered if he was supposed to save Jimmy...if he was, what was the fate of someone who failed at the task life at set for them? He sometimes wondered if Jimmy had been meant to save him...if that was the case, what now, now that Jimmy was gone? Sometimes he wondered if it even mattered.

He pushed those thoughts away for the times being. Now was not a good time to let the melancholia settle over him. Not when he was stuck between Nucky and Cat... Not when they both though he was working against the other. He had to keep his wits about him. He would like to have been able to detach himself emotionally from the situation, like he did with everything else unpleasant he had to deal with. And while he could somewhat do so with Nucky (anger at Jimmy's death still ran through him, although he could logically look at it from Nucky's point of view and understand that it was the only answer to Jimmy's betrayal. But the part of him that had found a brother in Jimmy hurt. Even all these months later.) But emotional detachment from Cat? Couldn't be done. That was part of her trade, after all. And although Richard had no experience with anyone like Cat he was willing to bet she was top notch at what she did if she could raise so many emotions in someone as emotionally traumatized as he was.

He still didn't know how he felt about her. This morning, when she'd been so sad and worried about the fate not only of her house but the entire neighborhood, Richard had sincerely wanted to fold his arms around her and tell her it would be alright. Instead, he had told her he wanted to take Nucky down. He wasn't sure what had possessed him to tell her that. But he had and there was nothing to be done for it now. He was just going to have to walk the very thin line between the two, try to maneuver them the way he wanted, much like they were doing to him.

He did whatever he could to not think of the matter for the next couple of days. He just went about his business, and when Nucky asked how matters with Cat were progressing, Richard gave a vague 'They're moving the way I want them' and left it at that.

When Friday came, Richard found himself standing behind Nucky while Nucky talked with Arnold Rothstein, who had Meyer Lansky and Charlie Luciano standing behind him. Meyer was almost as still as Richard, but Charlie was getting fidgety. Meyer nudged his friend with his elbow, then shot a long suffering look at Richard, as if to say 'See what I have to put up with? Every day, man...every day.' Richard's mouth ticked up into a brief smile. He couldn't help but like Meyer. The little man was polite, quick, and preferred to find a logical, calm solution to things if possible. He also treated Richard with respect, and Richard remembered how, at Jimmy's funeral, Meyer had come up to him, placed his hand on Richard's arm, and simply shook his head sadly. There had been tears in the short man's eyes, and that meant a great deal to Richard.

Charlie wasn't as easy to like, although he had a certain charm that could win over even the hardest heart, if he put his mind to it. But he was too sure of himself, too confident in his good looks and youth. Charlie could anger quickly and tended to say the first thing that came to mind, not thinking how it might affect things. Charlie wasn't as friendly to Richard as Meyer, but the two men had such vastly different personalities that it was understandable.

"Join me for dinner, Arnold," Nucky was saying. "Margaret would be delighted to see you."

"It will be my pleasure," Arnold replied. He looked back at Charlie and Meyer and said "I trust you boys can stay out of trouble for the evening." Charlie gave an innocent grin that was anything but coming from beneath those dark brows while Meyer said "Of course, A.R." He sounded sincere.

"Richard," Nucky said before he could step away. "I need you to take care of this before tomorrow morning." He handed Richard an envelope that had been sitting on his desk. Richard nodded as he took the envelope, then he walked out of the office with Meyer and Charlie.

"We got Benny waitin' for us," Charlie said, once there were quite a few doors between them and their bosses. "He's got the truck with what you asked for."

"Mm, thank you," Richard said. "We can. Head there...now. Mm, if you. Like?"

Cat was in the kitchen with Candy and Violet when a truck marked Switzer Bros. Produce pulled up in the alley behind the house.

"What the hell?" Cat asked, her brows coming together as she frowned. Why was the truck pulling up here? When she saw Richard hop out of the cab, it didn't necessarily make sense, but she relaxed some. She stepped out onto the back stoop and watched curiously as Richard and three men she didn't know (or possibly one man and two boys, the short one and the gangly one looked rather young) went to the back of the truck and each pulled out a crate and brought it up to the house.

"What's all this?" Cat asked as the men (well, three men and a boy...the lanky one couldn't have been a day over sixteen, the short one didn't look much older but he was definitely a man) approached. Richard gave the crate a gentle shake, and she heard the unmistakable sound liquid filled glass bottles make when they clanked together. Her blue eyes widened and her beautiful lips parted in surprise.

"You got it?" she asked, a grin spreading across her face. Richard nodded "Oh, Richard!" The look of delight on her face was remarkable to Richard, and he felt pleased with himself for making her so happy. "Here, come on in," she said, holding the door open and letting the men carry the crates inside. They set them down where there was free space. Cat looked at the crate Richard set down and smiled. It was marked 'Olives' "Cute," she said, a small laugh in her voice. Richard smiled back at her, and the smile brought out faint laugh lines around his eye, indication that once upon a time, he had been a happy young man. "I thought...you, mm. Would appreciate. It," he said.

"What's so funny?" Charlie asked as he set his crate down on the counter next to Violet, who was busy mentally undressing the dark haired man.

"I don't think you really want to find out," Cat said after she looked at him for a long moment. "I don't think it's your thing."

"What ain't my thing?"

"Me," Cat replied simply.

"What's that got to do with olives?" Violet leaned in and whispered in Charlie's ear, taking the opportunity to run her fingers through his soft, glossy hair as she did so. When she was done, Charlie looked at Richard and said "So when you came up to New York a few weeks ago lookin' like you'd gone ten rounds with Dempsey, and you're explanation was 'cat fight', you meant her?" Richard nodded. Charlie regarded Cat carefully. She eyed him coolly, knowing he was trying to decided if he wanted to try her. "You might be my kinda thing," he finally said.

"Any time you want to find out..." Cat offered.

"I'm free at the moment."

"Ahem? Perhaps we could conclude our business before you go tear each other to pieces?" Meyer said.

"What are your terms?" Cat asked.

"First, I'm interested to know why you couldn't just get this from Nucky."

"I have reasons," Cat said. "Why is it any business of yours?"

Meyer leaned his elbow on the crate and said "Because I do not need to get in trouble with my boss for doing something that goes against the interests of one of his associates."

"Then you might as well take it back, because I assure you, putting that booze in my hands very much goes against Nucky's interests."

"Why?"

"He's trying to get me out so he can tear down this neighborhood. So he won't sell me liquor. I'm trying to fight him, save the neighborhood."

"Why?" Charlie said. "It's just a buncha buildings."

"No, it's not!" Cat cried. "This is our home! This is where we were born, where we lived, were we'll die. My family has has run this house for four generations. Don't tell me it's just a bunch of buildings!"

Her passionate outburst brought color to her cheeks and a light in her eyes that Richard found alluring and almost irresistible. It made him want his declaration to stand against Nucky to be the truth of things.

"Nucky is not one to take defiance well," Meyer said, looking at Richard. Richard couldn't hold the man's eyes. They were both thinking of Jimmy. Maybe they were both thinking of Richard, too.

"I know," Cat said. "But I'm not one to just give in, and Nucky knows it. I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of going down without a fight." Her back was straight, her jaw set stubbornly. She gave Meyer a hard, steady look. It was a long, tense moment in that kitchen. Cat knew the fate of her house, and of the entire neighborhood, was more or less in the hands of this man. He could very easily take that liquor back, and that would be the end of it.

Meyer studied Cat for a long moment, then looked to Richard.

"You know how this could end," Meyer warned. Richard nodded and said "I have, mm. Thought this out."

Meyer looked like he wanted to say more, perhaps give Richard warning that he would end up just like Jimmy. But something in the tall marksman's eye stilled his tongue.

"As it so happens," Meyer said, turning back to Cat, "it would be advantageous to us at the moment for Nucky to be...irritated."

"Honey," Cat said as a smile slowly spread across her face, "leave those crates and I guarantee I will do more than irritate Nucky. What else do you want in return?"

"It's all been taken care of," Meyer replied, giving a nod in Richard's direction. "Charlie, Benny, let's go get the rest of the cases."

"The rest of the cases? There's more?"

"Yes, ma'am," Meyer said. "Give us a minute." And he followed Benny and Charlie outside.

Cat turned to Richard, studied him for a moment, then threw her arms around him.

"Thank you," she said. "I didn't think you meant it. But you really did."

Richard said nothing, held very still in her arms, unsure of whether he should embrace her in return. He wanted to, but he also didn't. He felt an intense level of awkward at the moment. It was instantly raised when her mouth pressed against his. He could feel the silken plumpness of her lips against his, feel the pressure against his mask. He stood still, not exactly petrified but feeling close.

"What happened, mm. To the rule about..no. Kissing. On the, mm...mouth?" he asked when she pulled away.

"It's my house," she said in his ear. "I get to make, or break, the rules as I see fit. Come upstairs. Let me thank you properly."

"I, mm. Have something. I...need to do," he said regretfully. He really did want to go with her. "I could...come back. Mm, later."

"I hope you do," she said as Meyer, Charlie and Benny walked back in, each carrying two cases of liquor, which seeing Meyer do that was amusing because all Cat saw was the top of his forehead over the top of the crate. Richard said good-bye to the men from New York and quietly left the house.

"This should hold you for a while," Meyer said as he set his load down.

"Not for what I have planned," Cat mused. "But I'm sure we can make another arrangement as needed." She looked at Meyer, Charlie, and then Benny. "Gentlemen, please allow the house to show our appreciation. Candy, if you will take care of the young man here," Cat waved her hand at Benny. "You two," she said to Charlie and Meyer. "Come with me please."

Richard walked to a small park a few blocks from Cat's house, sat down on a bench, and listened to the birdsong in the warm, twilight air. He hadn't realized how much she saw as salvation those ten measly cases of booze. But she thought it would be the cure to all of her problems. And maybe it would fix some of them. For a time, anyway. But what about the problems she didn't know she had.

Mainly...him?

He sat and contemplated a scuff mark on his left shoe, trying to think what he was going to do. His comment had been spontaneous, but perhaps he had meant it, deep down. And the way Cat had looked...oh, how that look made him want to help her.

But what could he do? What good was he at anything other than killing? The only way that could be useful was if he could bring himself to kill Nucky. And he couldn't do that. Nucky had been kind to him when he came to Atlantic City, given him a job, given him a place to stay. After Jimmy's death, Nucky had given Richard more work, more responsibility.

Jimmy told me once that you are loyal, and dedicated, Richard. I need men like that working for me. Can you be loyal and dedicated to me, Richard?

Mm,...yes.

He had thought he could. He had thought he'd be able to push aside the pain of Jimmy's murder and for a while he had been able to. But then Nucky had sent him to oust Cat, and now nothing in Richard's head seemed to want to stay quiet, like it used to.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts and pulled the envelope Nucky had given him out of his pocket. He opened it, read the instructions, and thought about what he would need for the job. Nothing to heavy, really. His Colt would be fine. He had time...Nucky said before morning, and it had just turned full dark as Richard sat and contemplated the dilemma facing him. And so he sat a while longer, thought about it all, came no closer to a solution. It was close to midnight when he finally rose from the bench and headed to the address Nucky had written down. As he walked, he pushed aside everything that wasn't needed for the job at hand, any thought except what he was doing at the moment, all emotions, all his humanity. It was dark and lonely in this state, but here, life was so simple. There was no need for thought or compassion, no confusion, no issues, no conflict.

There was only the bang of the door hitting the wall, the weight of the gun in his hand, the sound of it firing, the acrid scent of gunpowder and the coppery tang of blood. He finished the job per Nucky's instructions, checked himself over to make sure he'd gotten no blood on him, then headed back to Cat's house, his body thrumming with a strange energy that begged for release.