Not Just A 'Shelby'

Chapter 52: Can't Control It.

It was early in the morning by the time Dorthea made it back to Small Heath. She had gone straight to the Shelby home when getting in, not wanting to disturb anyone and hoping they had already gotten the news about Arthur from the night before. She laid Emerald in her room, closing the door behind her incase shit hit the fan in other rooms.

She started in the room across the hall looking for her brother, or anyone really. Sometimes if they stayed late, some of the men or even her brothers would borrow rooms upstairs seeing as Tommy was technically the only one to still live in number 7 Watery Lane.

She found his room empty with the bed having been neatly made.

Not worrying about it, she moved down the hall seeing if anyone had been in from the night but all the rooms were well made and seemingly untouched.

Moving down the stairs she looked through the living area, kitchen, and side room finding no one their either.

Opening the curtain that kept the den doors covered she quietly walked in. No lights were on in the Shelby offices, only a light coming from the main area and a smaller office at the end of the hall. She walked towards that office, hearing pencils scratch on paper as she moved closer.

She knocked on the door frame, startling the two in the room.

"Dotty?" Lucas questioned, standing from his chair.

"Hello, boys." She spoke.

"What are you doing here?" James questioned, also having stood from the desk.

"I'm looking for Thomas. Any ideas?"

"Uh, he's in London."

Dorthea's stomach dropped at this.

"In London? Why is he in London? He can't be in London."

"Whoa, he's not in London. He's near London, kind of." Lucas looked from James to Dot.

Dot furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "I'm lost."

"He's with the horse lady. Called John this afternoon and said he wouldn't be back until tomorrow." James finally answered.

Dorthea scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Of course, the night his brother gets arrested for being framed of killing someone."

Lucas and James looked to each other frantically, jumping from their seats to follow her out of the room.

"Wait, John was just here, Finn is with Isaiah. That leaves-"

"Arthur, great observation skills, Thorne." She spoke as she moved quickly through the den, finding a phone.

As she picked up the phone it rang for her.

"Hello?"

"Dorthea? I thought you were in London?" Polly spoke on the other end.

"No something has happened with Arthur. Can you come back to the den right now?"

"I can't." Her voice broke on the other end. "They've taken my son! Campbell took Michael for some fire that burnt down a bar."

Dorthea's face went white as she looked to the two men. "Uh, Polly just stay home. I'll figure it out."

Dorthea slammed the phone down onto the receiver. The stared off towards the wall before Lucas snapped her back to reality.

"What happen?"

"Uh, the bar that Isaiah and Michael were harassed at. Campbell blamed Michael for it burning and picked him up from the house just a few hours ago."