Animal Instinct | Peaky Blinders [Thomas Shelby]

04 - Tax Collector

Samuel Walsh was a completely unremarkable man.

            He was one of the hundreds of Irish immigrants in Birmingham who migrated to escape the war's collateral damage. But, as it turns out, he was just as poor and hungry in England as he was in Ireland, simply because he lacked any skill that could set him apart from others just like him.

The only thing he really knew how to do was plant potatoes, and most of his customers could agree that they were always either too firm or too watery.

No one recognized him from the newspapers, not even Thomas, whose ability to remember a face was uncanny. The only person who knew anything about him was John's nine-year-old daughter, Katie, who came downstairs for a glass of water in her night dress, but stopped instantly when she heard his name come up in the conversation.

"I know 'im. Mister Walsh is Julie's father," she said, glancing at the group of adults congregated in the kitchen from her place in the doorway. They were all frowning and glancing between each other nervously and Katie could tell she had walked into a very serious conversation, and she was instantly fascinated.     

John did not seem so pleased. "You're supposed to be sleeping, Katie. This is adult business."

"Sorry," Katie grumbled, though not sounding so apologetic. "I was looking for a glass of water."

"No water," Esme shook her head firmly. "You're out of clean sheets and we don't need another accident."

"Thanks, Esme, why don't you go and tell the bloody King about my accidents while you're at it." She glared at her step-mother, her pink cheeks a sharp contrast to her white hair.

"Give the girl a chance to speak." Thomas said from the table and John was too tired to protest as his older brother beckoned the little girl over. He scooted his chair back, giving her enough room to slide over his leg, allowing her to see the newspaper on the table in front of him. "Miss Katie, do you know what this is?"

"A newspaper, duh."

Katie's eyes instantly pinned on the black-on-white picture of a man sitting a top a large, black stallion. The horse was decorated with ribbons and roses, and its rider was wearing a large, extravagant hat that shadowed half of his face, but the girl could easily make out the rounded face and crooked nose of the farmer she had seen once or twice walking her old friend to school. 

"Yup. That's him," she said with absolute certainty. "I played with Julie once or twice after school, but I don't like her anymore. She said my hair was weird." She reached up to touch the tangled mess with an insecure frown. 

"You see, Katie, this man made front page news and I'd very much like to speak to him. Do you happen to know where I can find him?" Thomas asked, sounding almost wary, and Katie could only guess that he was exhausted as he sounded.