Not Just A 'Shelby'

Chapter 50: War Against Them.

Dorthea sat in her reading window with 5 glasses of whiskey. Tommy had joined her in the room sometime that afternoon. About 20 minutes before anyone else had made it to number 7 Watery Lane. As the door opened, the number three and one siblings arrived along with the matriarch.

"You all right?" Polly asked, looking between Tom and Dotty. Tom sat his paper down while Dorthea stood from her seat. Arthur and John had shed their coats, forming a circle around the filled glasses with the others.

"What is it? Just us?" Arthur questioned looking between them.

"Just us." Tom replied.

"Are we celebrating?" Polly asked as Dot handed each of them a glass.

"Just taste this." She answered. John and Pol took sips from their drinks. Arthur was the first to down the whole glass. "What do you think, Arthur?"

"Yeah, it's good." He sighed after finishing his drink. "Too good to serve at the Garrison. I suppose we could shift it to the toffs Eden club." He looked from Tom to Dorthea, who was smirking at her brother. "Why, what is it?"

Tommy pointed to his brother, cigarette in hand. "That is part of an export drive." Arthur reached for the bottle as John downed his as well. "We now have a secure warehouse in Camden Town."

"Thanks to yours truly." Dot added.

"And," Tom continued. "a secure passage to the Poplar Docks."

"Also thanks to yours truly." Dot added again.

"Yes, thank you for buried history with Black Country boys." John added, raising his glass.

"Yeah, thank God." Dorthea downed her alcohol right after, earning an eye from Polly.

"So, on Monday morning, we'll be sending out our first export crate. A crate of Riley car spares bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia." Tommy finished.

"Where there's Prohibition?" Polly asked.

Tommy pointed to her. "Where there is Prohibition."

"All over Canada and America, people are making their own booze, in bath tubs." Dorthea spoke. "But rich people in New York, in Toronto and Boston are still paying a lot of money for the real stuff." She raised her glass, showing off the golden liquid. "This stuff."

"So on Monday, the first Shelby Company crate will contain 1000 Riley carburetors, but hidden in the packing will be 500 bottles of the finest quality single malt Scotch whiskey." Tommy finished his speech on the Shelby Limited whiskey. Arthur whistled gleefully at John as the two smirked at each other. "We Shelbys have a license granted by the minister of the Empire himself, which means our crates won't be searched.

"And, Polly," Dorthea added. "all the whiskey will be packed at the docks, so Michael can do the books without being involved." The two women smiled at each other.

"Like I've been telling you all for a year now. Motor cars are the future." Throwing his Cigarette at the ash tray, he motioned for the siblings to get to work. Arthur off to London, John working the board, and Dorthea to fix the books.

Over in Camden town, things had been getting strange. Men crossing sides of their enemies, all to form alliances against another. Like they say, women make men do strange things.

Dorthea had been sat at her desk for hours, all leading to the closing of the shop.

"Dorthea?" Lovelock called.

"Yes?"

"We locked up the shop. Scudboat and I are heading to the Garrison before our watch. James is here if you need anything." He answered, tipping his hat to her.