I Found You

Part 6. Billy Kimber.

The next day came, just as quick as I had closed my eyes the night before. The boys went to work and I myself was at work. Today was a busy day, it was really packed today for some reason, nothing to my knowledge as to why, but I didn't question it. As I sometimes, like it when it's busy, as it helps the shift go quicker. Besides, we had to be on our best behaviour, as the Peaky Boys where sat in the snug, their own private room whilst they are within here.

The pub was alive with sing-song one of the woman had kicked it off by singing, Come Joesphine In My Flying Machine, very loudly at the top of her lungs, it made all the men within the room join in with her.

Come Josephine in my flying machine
Going up she goes, up she goes
Balance yourself like a bird on a beam
In the air she goes, there she goes
Up, up a little bit higher
Oh, my, the moon is on fire
Come Josephine in my flying machine
Going up all on, goodbye

Oh, say, let us fly girl
Where dear? To the sky girl
Oh you flying machine
Jump in, Miss Josephine
Come Josephine in my flying machine
Going up all on, goodbye

Of course I had to be the push over, that had to go and tend to the Peaky Boys and that meant waiting on them hand and foot. I poured a bucket of beer and walked over to the snug and opened the door. They were all sat around the tables, smoking, smoking so much infact that when I inhaled, it sharply caught the back of my throat, I nearly had a coughing fit. He stopped chatting for a moment and quickly gave me a sidewards glance, but I chose to ignore him, as I placed the bucket onto the table.

"Did ya want whiskey anarl?". I asked them. "No just beer". He told me, as he shook his head. "Why no whiskey Tommy?". The older brother Arthur asked him. "Are you expecting trouble?". He then added. I tried not to listen as I carried on pouring the beer into glasses for them. "Jesus Christ Tommy, what the hell made you let them sing?". The middle brother John asked him. "It's like their strangling cats out there". He continued. Making me purse my lips together, to prevent me from laughing out loud, to his comment. Then he did it again, he smiled, his smile was so beautiful, but I tried to make it less obvious that I was staring at him, whilst he did so, before taking a drag off his cigarette.

"Alright, 20 is the play come on". Arthur said, as he was talking about the game they were playing. "And what did make you change your mind though Tommy?". Arthur asked him. And that was all I heard before I had finished pouring thr drinks and decided on not out staying my welcome and I left them too it. As I felt his gaze upon me again, as I left the room and went onto serving the other punters out the front. The sound from the rowdy drunk crowd got louder and no one noticed or heard anyone else come into the pub. Suddenly, the crowd went silent and they all parted like the sea parts with the shore. I wonder what was happening.

Then from over the parting crowd, I saw two unfamiliar men, standing at each side of the front door of the pub and to my horror, they both were holding guns, one was holding a machine gun and the other was holding a pistol. My eyes went wide and my breathing began to quicken, it felt like my heart was going to explode, out of my chest. The silence was interrupted by Harry. "Holy shit, it's Billy Kimber!". Was all he said, his eyes not leaving the door frame. At that point my blood turned cold and I wanted to run out of here, as fast as I could, I hate confrontations and I don't like to witness them either, but I couldn't move. My feet seemed glued to the spot, my legs would move.

Suddenly, from put of the double doors, came a man, with dark hair and a mustache, he wasn't too short, but he also wasn't too tall either. He walked futher into the pub, before stopping near in the middle. "Is there any man here named Shelby?!". He shouted out and addressed the crowd. My eyes then quickly darted towards the snug window, but then I pulled them back again, to look at the man, for I thought if I stared in that direction, it might give the game away, as to where they were. No one answered him, the silence within the room echoed around the walls.