𝐃𝐨 𝐈 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰? , ᵐⁱᶜʰᵉᵃˡ ᵍʳᵃʸ

41. Dangerous Plans

ARTHUR AND FINN WALKED INTO THE GARRISON, "You're not eating right. You're not eating right. You're not getting the natural things in you, boy, that's what it is, always." Arthur said, walking into the back room of the Garrison with Finn.

"You bearing up, Arthur?" Polly asked.

"Bearing up for what? Bearing up to being free, Pol. Another glass, eh? Another glass of so what." Arthur grunted.

"Are you all right, Charlie?"

"Mad bastard Barney kicked me
in the shin when I woke him up." Charlie groaned, sitting in a chair.

"Where is the mad bastard?" Curly asked.

"He's tied to a lamp post outside
with three Lee boys, shitting themselves." Charlie said.

Tommy walked in. "First of all, an apology from Lizzie - she can't be here. Charles has a violin concert. Also, a welcome to Mr Aberama Gold. He and Polly are to be married in three weeks, with my blessing. From now on, Aberama will be welcome at our meetings. First item of business, a bereavement. Colonel Ben Younger, who may perhaps have become a member of this family, was taken from us, four days ago, by dark forces. We've made some investigations, and we think we know who planted the bomb."

Cassidy walked in behind him, taking a seat beside Arthur.

"In the meantime, our thoughts are with Ada and the baby inside of her, who may one day sit at these meetings, but hopefully under happier circumstances. Let's drink to happier circumstances."

"Yeah" Arthur said loudly. "To Ada" he said.

"Item number two. An announcement, regarding Michael." Tommy continued.

"Before you go on, Tommy, there's something I'd like to say to the whole family directly, regarding finances and the future of this company. According to your own estimations, this new venture of the delivery and shipment of opium will bring into the company around £2 million per year. Therefore, due to the amounts involved, I think this company should be restructured."

"Micheal, i think this can wait till outside the family meeting" Polly stopped him.

"Restructured in what way?" Tommy asked. "Because of the amounts of
money involved, shipment and dispatch will become the primary source of income to the company. It's simple mathematics." Gina spoke.

Micheal stood, glancing at Gina. "And with the help of my wife, I will organise an expansion into America, where the narcotics business is just beginning to grow. See, I have very good contacts in Detroit, New York, Boston, who I've already spoken to about this."

Wife. That word was like a bullet to Cassidy.

"And Gina has family who are very
experienced in this kind of business."

"According to the conversations
I've had with them, with a regular supply of pure opium from China, within a short space of time, the American narcotics business will bring in 20 million per annum. Enough money for you to all enjoy an easing of the burden you all now feel."

"See, I know that the scars
and the wounds, they're on the inside,
not on the outside. And as a member of the new generation, I'm able to take that great burden off your weary shoulders. A new decade is coming. There'll be new opportunities in new territories. More money than we've ever had before. Tommy, you can still do the good work that deep down you want to do."

He looked at Polly. "Mum, you can get married and live in that big house. Cassidy you can continue providing for orphans. Arthur, you can be the man that Linda wants you to be."

"Fuck Linda" Arthur whispered.

"Finn." Micheal stepped forward. "You've proved yourself, you're part of the new generation. You could come to New York with me"

Gina pulled out a file, handing it to Micheal. "Here is my proposal. A full restructuring of the company. I will be managing director, and you can me non executive chairman. But under an assumed name to protect your reputation. I found the name of a dead man. You will be registered as Mr Jones" He said.

"You will each receive a percentage
of the profits as an annuity, and you will no longer have to engage in any of the associated activities."

Tommy stared at him blankly.

"Take a look at the future, Tommy. At least read it with an open mind."

"It's cold in here, Micheal" Tommy said, throwing the file in the fire. Curly began laughing and a smug grin appeared on Cassidy's face.

"Tommy, the Americans want to deal with me"

"Item number three-" Tommy shouted.

"Tell him the truth" Gina interrupted. "Go on, he can take it" Micheal looked down. "Tell me the truth, Micheal."

"Yeah, Micheal, tell the truth." Cassidy said, lifting an eyebrow.

"The Americans don't want to deal with an old fashioned backstreet razor gang. Those days are done"

"Tommy" Isiah burst in. "he's bitten through the fucking rope, they've got him cornered but they need help" he said. "Go and get him" Tommy shouted.

"I'm doing this for you Tommy" Micheal said.

"It's time and you know it" he said. "Tommy mums leaving, Johns dead, Arthur needs help." Micheal said. "Ada's man was killed in your own backyard cause you fucked up"

Tommy grabbed a bottle of whiskey and threw it into the fire. Gina gasped.

"Go on Tom" Micheal said, holding a switch knife in front of him. "Go on, cut me like the good old days, or, see this for what it is. A natural succession that someday must happen."

Cassidy pushed her chair away, standing.

Tommy breathed deeply. "I gave you an opportunity, Micheal, and you betrayed me. Don't be here when i get back" he clicked in front of Ginas face. "You. You can tell your family-"

"Let me guess. Don't fuck with the peaky blinders"

"Shut up, Gina." Cassidy said quietly, following Tommy out of the pub.

-

"All right, item number three" Tommy sighed, looking down at the floor. An introduction. Except now you've already met the man i was gonna introduce. In France he was a comrade"

"What the fuck does he know, Tom?" Johnny scoffed.

"He's a man we can use, Johnny."

"For what? Put him in a ring with a bear and take bets on the outcome?" Aberama asked. "I tell you i wouldn't put much money on the bear"

"Aberama..that man is a trained Royal Marines sniper. Furthermore, he has a criminal profile, which will make his actions explicable to the police."

"What actions?" Charlie asked.

"A killing" he said. "And since when did you worry about the police?" Aberama asked. "Barney Thomason, is gonna kill an MP. Possibly the future prime minister of Great Britain."

"What the fuck Tom" Charlie said.

"After the killing, there will be an investigation by Special Branch and intelligence forces. There'll be a lot of powerful people as angry as fucking hornets. We need there to be no connections to us. Barney Thomason is registered as criminally insane he broke out, he's an old solider. He has known grievances. No one will question that the assassination was carried out by a single gun man acting alone"

"And you'd sacrifice an old comrade?" he asked.

"If they catch him, they won't hang him, on grounds of insanity. Just send him back to where i found him. He'll have had a very eventful holiday that he'll probably believe never really happened."

"And where will this killing take place?"

"There you go" Arthur stood, placing paper on the table. "He'll be on stage,"

"With lots of witnesses" Aberama whispered.

"During the rally, there will be an anti-fascist demonstration. Amidst the confusion, a shot will be fired."