Not Just A 'Shelby'

Chapter 41: Deals to be made.

"I'll only be a few more days." She kissed the top of Emerald's head as she sat the sleepy girl in the front seat of the car Ollie had brought to Small Heath. "I'll be heading back with Tommy when he goes to see the men to the bakery."

She hugged Ollie as he kept a straight face to her, wanting her to come with them but knowing that she wouldn't back out on a promise. He kissed the top of her head and released her, moving around the vehicle to sit in the driver's seat. She watched them as they moved down the lane until they had turned the corner.

She headed back inside, sitting at the table to make herself breakfast. Two young women moved down the stairs as they looked Dot in the eye, embarrassed that they had been seen. Tommy followed shortly after them, wearing his boxers and an unbuttoned shirt.

"Nice to see you had a good night, Thomas." She commented, watching him rub the sleep from his eyes.

"Eh, it was alright." He commented, moving to grab the coffee Dot had made.

"What is our plans today?" She questioned, moving through the paper fairly quickly seeming as though everything going on in the town was boring, even the races.

"Going to the Garrison today. Have meetings all day. Then we'll go meet with Kitchen." He answered blankly.

"You're telling me you don't even know if we have bakers yet?"

"We will by the end of today." Tommy spoke, sipping his drink.

"And if we don't?"

"We will."

She finished her cup as she rose from her seat, moving through the rooms and up the stairs.

She wore a dress with a turtleneck and long sleeves. It was floor length, but had a large slit moving up to her midthigh. She threw on her black heels and climbed back down the stairs to see Tom already dressed in his suit. "We're not playing Grim today, sister." He commented on her choice of clothing.

"I'm always playing Grim, Thomas." She smirked, grabbing her coat and leaving out the door for her brother to follow.

They walked side by side to the Garrison, where the rest of the family sat. Tom and Dot moved into the snug, Tom sitting in his chair while Dot sat on the end in between him and John. John slid her a whiskey while they smoked and looked at papers.

"What are we doing here?" She questioned, sipping her whiskey.

"We're picking men to get stood up. Helping the coppers get men while keeping our boys out of the cells." Arthur answered from behind his paper.

"Well, I'm going to need more whiskey then. Dot moved to the window at the bar.

After going through at least 20 men, she had enough of their games, seems as the other three brothers had too.

"Finn!" Tom yelled out at his brother. He poked his head in the snug. "How many more?"

"Only three, Tommy."

"Alright, send one in." He spoke.

Dot watched as Finn opened the door, for a scrawny kid, no older than 18.

"Alright then, Name?" Arthur yelled at the kid as Dot gave him a once over as she smoked.

"Digbeth Kid." He spoke timidly.

Arthur looked up from his paper. "The Dig...? What are you? a boxer?"

He shook his head. "Digbeth kid, like Billy the kid."

Arthur scoffed as Tom turned his attention now to the kid. "Spend a lot of time at the pictures, eh?" The kid nodded. "Cowboy pictures? Tom Mix? Yeah?"