𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐃 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

81

Polly walked barefoot to where they stood. "Sorry for calling the meeting here but the location is part of the deal" Tommy said.

"What fucking deal?" Arthur asked. "How does it feel to be barefoot in the mud again Pol?"

"Makes me feel young. What fucking deal?"

"Four boats, four days up the Grand Union from Poplar to here. Half the cargo is coal, underneath is pure opium crystal"

"Opium?" Polly asked. "I vote against it"

"They can't use trucks cause the Chinese drivers get stopped by the police" he argued. "They need to get it out of London cause all the warehouses are being searched by Customs. The seven tons is bound for San Francisco, but the outward ship doesn't sail for seven days from Liverpool. They need somewhere safe to store it, all we have to do is take it up the canal and keep it there for a week"

"We don't fuck with the Chinese, Tom. Dad always said it" Arthur said. "It's business, Arthur"

"Ask yourself, would you turn down £250,000? To drive four boats up the canal with no prospect of inspection?"

"I vote against it Tom"

"Polly, £250,00 that's half of what Micheal lost in Chicago. I will ask him to take charge of this business"

"Michaels position will be reinstated in the company?" she asked.

"His period of quarantine will be over"

"Arthur think about it, four boats sailing up the cut smelling of woodsmoke and bacon"

"Which ones of Charlie's Gypsy diddicoy friends do you trust, Tom, eh?" Arthur asked. "With a cargo worth a million pounds"

"I've already made provision. I'm needed at a meeting. Let's vote. Those in favour" Arthur hummed, Polly raised her hand. "Motion carried. Arthur, tell Charlie we need four boats, four tons of coal before it gets dark"

-

Ada rushed to the door. "What's happened?" she asked as Tommy walked in. "Nothings happened, i'm alright" he sighed. She closed the door.

"Do you want a drink"

"No"

"No" she asked. "No i have some information for the intelligence officer. Our conversation with Mosley. He's planning to put forward proposals on building works. He wants the communists to consider his new party as fraternal, which means his activities are now a part of your official remit. Yeah?"

"Mr Shelby it's 2 am, you can make your report any time" Ben laughed. "Why don't you stay tonight" Ada suggested. "No."

"I'll leave you two, to, goodnight" Ben dismissed himself.

Tommy sighed, pacing. "I stood on a bridge tonight, Ada, and i looked down and Grace was there but she was still alive"

"Tom have you still been taking laudanum?" she asked.

"And the fucking name of the barge was the January" he whispered. "Our dads boat, one i was born on. We've never gotten off it. Never fucking will"

"Dr Brooke said you never arrived for your appointment Tom"

"There's nothing in his books of any use to a man like me. They talk about guilty, eh, what fucking guilt"

"The black barge" Ada said.

"No. No that's not it" he said. "He had it right, Mosley, he said forbidding is forbidden to us. We can do anything. Nothing can stop us. But there is a part of me that is unfamiliar to myself and i keep finding myself there and only the January can get me away"

"At least try the doctors again, Tom"

He looked down. "At least throw away your opium it's that that causes your visions"

"When that kid of yours arrives, Ada, do me a favour and keep it away from me" he whispered, turning to leave.

-

"Fucking ballet?" Micheal asked, "Wanted to impress someone" Polly shrugged.

"And i'm invited?"

"You and Gina," she whispered. "Why?" Micheal asked. "Because he wants to give you the chance to come back properly."

Micheal looked at the contract she pushed toward him. "Coal haulage?"

"Yeah. Tommy wants you to reopen those books and become managing director"

"So i've come back from Detroit to become a coal man?"

"The first delivery is bound for San Francisco. But if it works, Tommy thinks he can find distribution for it here" Polly said. "And this, um, this coal, is it snow white?" he asked.

"No, golden brown"

"Fuck" he whispered. "This is your opportunity Micheal. There is more money in this than there is in all the other parts of our business put together"

He stood up,"Tommy knows what opium does to people"

"He knows what whiskey does for people" Polly said, holding up her glass. "Got an O.B.E for selling it"

"I'll speak to Gina"

"You'll what" Polly scoffed. "i'll consult my wife"

"Your father ran this business for a bit. 1901 he shipped coal, real coal. Just coal. And his fingernails and his eyelids and ears were black with us. The merchants would offer them one price" she stood. "And they'd only pay half cause they could and that was wrong Micheal"

She grabbed a handful of coal from the fireplace, walking to him and shoving it in his hand.

"Run your hands through it, get it under your skin and see if Gina will let you lay a finger on her" she said.

"I think Golden brown is more to her taste" Polly said. "Especially when you tell her how much money your going to earn"