𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐃 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

28

Polly slowly walked back to the house, hugging her clothes to her body. She dug through her pockets looking for the keys, stopping suddenly when she saw a young boy stood outside the house.

"Excuse me?" he asked, "i'm looking for someone called Elizabeth Gray"

She froze.

"I was told she lived here at number 17" he took his cap off, fixing his hair. "I came last night but nobody was here"

"So i waited"

"What do you want with Elizabeth Gray?" she asked, her heart rate increasing. "I think she might be my mother"

The keys fell from Polly's hands. Micheal quickly knelt down, picking them up.

-

Tommy, Arthur and John sat inside the snug, Lottie reading a newspaper. Men lined up inside the Garrison.

"Next" Finn shouted.

A sheepish looking boy walked in, hat on his head. He took the hat off, looking at them.

"All right then" Arthur sat straight. "Name?" John asked. "Digbeth Kid" he nodded.

"The Dig-" Arthur began, looking over at John and Lottie.

"What are you, a boxer?" he asked. "Digbeth Kid like Billy the kid" The boy nodded. John stifled a laugh.

"Spend a lot of time at the pictures, eh?" Tom asked. "Cowboy pictures? Tom mix? Yeah?"

He nodded slowly. He pulled his jacket back, holding a gun. Lottie pulled the knife from her boot, Arthur getting ready to pull his gun.

"Wait, wait" he put his hand up, "it's not a real gun"

Lottie lowered her knife, frowning.

"Let's have a look then, eh?" Tommy stood, "Its made of wood" he told them.  Tommy took it from the boys pocket.

He chuckled, pointing it at Arthur. "Very nice" Tom nodded. "Where did you get the gun belt"

"My sister made it out of an old blacksmith's apron" he held his hat tightly. "Mum did most the stitching"

"More than what i can do" Lottie sniggered, looking back at the newspaper.

"She's not my real mum, but"

"She does what mothers do" Tommy finished his sentence. "So she made you a gun belt"

"All right there mothers boy" Arthur interrupted. "There's the door on you to, we're looking-"

Tommy stopped him.

"You ever been arrested"

The boy shook his head. "Good"

"Your the first bloke we've had in here without a criminal record. Arthur we can stand him up"

"You know what that means?"

He shook his head again. "The new home secretary wants something done, about an illegal gambling"

"Damn right" John put out his cigarette. "So we help our coppers make their convictions by having men stood up to be arrested"