𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐃 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

6

Lottie crept through the front door, stopping when she heard arguing between Polly and Thomas.

"I ran this business for five years" Polly shouted. "Yeah, while i was away fighting, remember"

"When i learnt some things, such as, you strike when your enemy is weak. I thought you came here to talk family business" he stood from his seat.

Lottie peaked her head around the corner, catching a glance at the two.

"I'll deal with it, you're too busy taking over the world" Polly scoffed, walking away. "Polly"

"If it's about Ada, i need to know" he demanded. Polly pulled out a letter. "Ada wants you to give Freddie this letter"

What were they talking about? What had happened to Ada?

"She wants Freddie to know she's having his baby"

Lottie's jaw dropped. Ada was pregnant, with Freddie Thorne's baby. And Tommy wasn't..going mad?

-

Lottie sat beside her brothers, rolling her eyes at the singing from outside the snug. "Shuffle these cards and-" Arthur began.

The barmaid walked in. "Did you want whiskey as well." she asked, looking at Lottie. "No just beer"

"Why no whiskey Tommy? Are you expecting trouble" Arthur asked. "Can they shut up" Lottie groaned, listening to the crowd inside the pub.

"Jesus Christ, Tommy, what the hell made you let them sing" John chuckled, backing up his younger sister. "It's like they're strangling cats out there"

"I'm leaving, can't stand another second of this" Lottie told them, standing up. "Oh sit down" Arthur scolded, throwing a card at her.

She shot him a look and glanced out the frosted windows as car lights shine through. "Coppers?" Arthur asked.

Tommy shook his head. "No"

The whole pub fell silence as footsteps approached. "Who's here?" Lottie questioned.

"Is there any man here named Shelby" a man asked. Tommy stood up, along with Arthur.

"Lottie, when we leave this room, go home, stay there" Tommy instructed. John frowned slightly. "Would it not be safer for her to stay in here" he asked.

Tommy shook his head.

"Need to make sure Finn is okay, along with Pol and Ada"

A gun shot sounded causing Lottie to jump. "Any fucking need for that" she laughed.

"I said, is there any man here named Shelby" he repeated. Lottie opened the door. "He's fucking here calm ye tits" she laughed at the man with the funny hair and walked past him, out to the front of the Garrison.

John covered his mouth with his fist, stopping his laughs.

"Harry get these men a drink. Everyone else go home" Tommy instructed. People ran from the Garrison.

"You go home" Tommy pointed at the blonde barmaid. "But mr fenton said-"

"I said go home"

"I've never approved of women in pubs, but when they look like that" Kimber grinned, watching the blonde woman.

"You said you wanted men called shelby" Tommy reminded him.

"You've got three of them"

Arthur continued pouring drinks whilst Thomas lit a cigarette, John staring at the other men.

"Right, i'd never heard of you then i did hear of you. Some little diddicoy razor gang so i thought to myself 'so what?'" He began. "But then you fuck me over so now you have my undivided attention"

"By the way which one am i talking to? Who's the boss"

"Well i'm the oldest" Arthur told him. He laughed. "Clearly"

"Are you laughing at my brother" John raised his eyebrows. "Right he's the oldest, you're the thickest" he pointed at the two.

"I'm told the boss is called Tommy and i'm guessing that's you, cause you're looking me up and down like i'm a fucking tart" he spat.

"I want to know what you want" Tommy nodded, staring into his eyes.

"There were suspicious betting patterns at Kempton Park" the other man stated. "A horse called Monaghan Boy"

"He won by a length twice then finished last. With three thousand pounds bet on him"

"Which one am i talking to?" Tommy mocked. "Which one of you is the boss"

"I am mr kimber's adviser and accountant" the man on the left stated. "And i'm the fucking boss. Okay right end of parley" Kimber stood.

"You fixed a race without my permission" he raised his voice. "You fucking Gypsy scum"

He continued shouted, bragging about who he was and talking nonsense. Tommy chucked a bullet at him, his own name engraved in it.

He began telling him the story about the current feud with the Lee family which made Mr Kimber wait and listen.

Kimber threw a coin onto the floor.

"Pick it up Pikey"

All three brothers stared at him. Tommy began kneeling, John standing. "Sit, sit down" Tommy said quietly, raising a hand to his brother.

Thomas picked it up from the floor. "For your ceiling" he said before exiting the pub. "Thank you, Mr Kimber" Thomas shouted as he walks out. "He's a fucking prick he is" John shook his head, downing the last of his whiskey.