𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

67

Arthur, Finn and Isiah sat around a table. Sat opposite a man called Billy.

Arthur poured a glass. "Really meaningful, you know, a heartfelt song" Arthur rambled.

"I like it, i really do" Arthur nodded. "Boys. This here is Billy Grade, man i was telling you about," he said. "Billy, this here is my kid brother, Finn" he tapped Finn. "Hey". Billy whispered.

"Have a drink, Billy"

"I can't, my voice is.."

"Drink, Bill" Arthur told him. He nodded, hesitantly drinking. "You boys won't remember but i remember when Billy here made a living on the football pitch"

Billy laughed. "Yeah that was a long time ago Mr Shelby"

"What a left food, eh?" Arthur said. "Yeah" Billy chuckled. "And then what, manager, right?" Arthur hummed.

"Yeah, and now i'm a singer"

"Are ya?" he joked. "Every football team in England..knows Billy Grade, and he knows a few people too don't you Bill, hm?"

"One or two" he whispered.

"Useful," Arthur told Finn. "Very useful. But what do you do Bill, eh? You're in here singing or whatever you call it, in shithole pubs in Birmingham" Arthur tutted.

"That's no way to make a living, boys. Degrading"

"I love it" Billy said. "I really do, i love it. And thank you by the way for inviting me here tonight i really appreciate it-"

"Don't thank me. I didn't invite you here to sing. I wanna listen to music i'll buy a record. That's what i do. Real singer, you know, melody, tune"

"So what is it that you want, exactly"

Isiah watched, amused. "Finn will explain the nature of my proposition, you'll listen to him won't you Bill?" he shrugged.

"Yeah of course" Billy whispered.

Arthur stood. "I'll leave you with the bottle, hm" he said,

"What proposition?" he asked. Finn leaned forward. "Right what i want from you Billy, is to write down a name and a number next to everyone of those football teams, yeah" he placed a paper down.

"Why?"

"People like to bet on those kind of things these days," Finn told him. "We're gambling enterprise" Isiah told him. "I know who you are" Billy cut him off. "To fix a horse race, you give the outsider a bit of cocaine, to fix a football match you give the goal keeper 20 pounds."

Finn stared at him. Billy chuckled nervously, picking up the pen.

"You're a peaky blinder now, Billy" Finn whispered. "Hm,"

-

"What have you got there?" Arthur asked Linda. "I've written a letter" He hummed at her response. "Who for?"

"For you and Lizzie has written one to Tommy"

"Well, can i read it?" he asked. "It's not finished yet, i'm getting rid of the parts i wrote when i was drunk. By the way i stopped drinking and your bottles of snow i poured down the lavatory" she said. "When i was drunk i was too hard on you, it's not your fault"

Arthur sat forward. "So, that letters about me is it?"

"Yeah"

He sighed. "And about me, about the future about the company. Lizzie and I-"

"Sat here and made things worse for the last few hours, hm?" he stood up. "Yeah? and we've come up with a plan" she said with a shaky voice. "You've come up with a plan, hm?" he leaned close.