Not Just A 'Shelby'

Chapter 12: A new hiding place.

Dorthea decided to take a day off from work today, just to keep herself from thinking about the day before. She had decided to take a stroll around the small town, making sure nothing suspicious was going on. She ended up walking through the Italian part of town, always liking the way they had made their breads. She still hadn't gotten any bread for the house after John had asked for some yesterday.

She was standing at a little shop on the corner of the lane when she heard shouting around the corner. She paid the Italian for the bread and thanked her quickly. She turned around the corner to see Danny Owens stabbing an older man, and running off from him. Dot ran towards the man. She squatted down next to him and pressed to his wound. "You're okay, you're okay." She tried to calm his screaming but it wasn't helping. She turned to two of the Italian gangsters that had heard the commotion and ran in their direction.

"He's going to need stitches, but if you help him fast enough you could save his life." She told them. They nodded their heads and switched positions with the blinder, one man pressing the wound and the other trying to help the man up.

Dorthea watched them take the man away, then turned and sprinted back to Watery Lane.

Dot entered through the front door of the house, knowing if she entered through the betting den she would be bombarded with questions that she didn't know if she could answer. Dot ran into the kitchen, bumping into two people on her way to the sink.

"Oi! D, slow down." Arthur spoke, silence following him as the other person came to grab Dot's hands as she washed them.

"Jesus Christ, Dorthea what have you done now?" Polly angrily asked her.

"I just saved a man's life, Pol. Now let me wash my hands."

"Arthur, go get Tommy." Polly directed the oldest as her rushed into the den.

Polly stood by her niece as she grabbed towels to dry them off.

"Alright Dot, what happened?" Tom asked as her grabbed her now clean hands.

"I was walking in the Italian part of town to get bread for John and the kids when I heard someone screaming. I turned the corner to see Danny stabbing a man, then running off. I tried helping the man. I think he'll live, but it was bad Thomas. If I wouldn't have ran over there, he'd probably be dead and we'd be at war with the Italians."

"She's right. But they still will want some form of revenge. Danny did almost kill him." Polly spoke.

Tom sighed and leaned against the sing. "I'll see what I can do." And with that the family went back to whatever they had been doing before.

Arthur was making lunch for himself, Polly beside him making lunch for Finn. Thomas back to the den with John, and Dot back to keeping her mind off of the bad feeling she had about everything that was new in Small Heath.

♛

Around Midday, Tom walked into the living area, finding Dot lost in a book on hr reading window. "Dot, come on. I have a meeting with the Italians. You're coming with me." She hurriedly put her book down, grabbing her coat and peaky hat and followed Tom out of the house. Their short trek to the meeting place was silent.

"Ah, the Peaky King and Princess." The Italian spoke as they entered the area.

"How is he?" Dot asked, curious to see if the man survived.

"He has a large hole in his stomach, but he will live." The Italian spoke with venom in his words.

"We cannot have a killer running amuck in our city. He is like a rabid dog." The other spoke.