Child of Ice (Thomas Shelby)

Chapter Fifteen: Body Count

Polly never gave Thomas the box but dying to know what was inside she did open it.In the velvet red box lay a pair of wedding rings, they looked vintage but they were definitely a pair with a little note. Polly hesitated for a split second but needed to know what the note said in order to make her decision.

I may have never said it out loud but I love you I always will. If we somehow ever meet again I'll be expecting to see these rings again. But if you ever need to find me follow your heart and I'll be there... 

She took a deep breath closing her eyes for a brief moment, she would give Thomas the box when the time was right and that wasn't now. Instead she hid it away under her bed to forget about. She knew how much this would affect Thomas's line of work and his brothers needed him more than ever.Now that Ayla had left it was more than likely that the king would be after her nephews, he didn't need any distractions at this moment in time he needed to do what he was good at and protect.

A month had passed since Ayla left and nothing was the same, weird things were happening in small heath which the Peaky Blinders couldn't even put a finger on. Dead bodies were showing up everywhere, people were disappearing, children leaving home without a word and the town was quieter than usual. People were going home early after work worried of what was going to happen.The garrison was awfully quiet which didn't sit well with the brothers.

"What the fuck is going on it's like a ghost town out there"Arthur shouted. Business was going downhill for them but that wasn't the only thing on their minds.

"Thats nothing Charles Dawson was found dead yesterday morning thats the 8th body this week" Polly reminded them. "poor sod, only 15 years of age" She shook her head in disgust. 

"The funeral is Monday I think we should all go and pay tribute to his family" Grace added from behind the bar polly threw her a weak smile.There was something odd about Grace which Polly didn't like but never made it obvious hiding it in every which way.

"We need to do something about this" John finally said till the door of the garrison bursted open hitting the door stops on either side. Finns face red undoubtably from running at a fast pace, his chest rising and falling rapidly.The look of distress lingered on his face like dirt.

"Aunt Pol, Tommy! you've got to come and see this" he panicked as everyone shot up following the smartly dressed boy into the streets and down the pebbled road, onlookers gathered round in a circle probably looking at something.Gasps and cries from people around them.

"What is it?" Polly tried to follow behind the boys but even the Shelby brothers were disgusted with what they were seeing. 

"Who did this?" Thomas asked Finn who was having a hard time looking at the body, retching every time he looked at the corpse.

"We don't know, she was found like this" Finn admitted, looking anywhere but the body, his body trembled as he spoke.

"How long?" He asked with annoyance in his voice.

"Looks like she's been here over night"John added as everyone inspected the body.John wasn't wrong.

"Get everyone out of here" Arthur instructed and everyone did their bit while Thomas examined the body crouching down to take a closer look. Looking at every detail, he couldn't quiet understand why all of this was happening.

Stone cold as the young girl lay in the middle of the street, her skin paler than milk and her lips bruised, her once long brown locks tangled and stuck to her face with dry blood, her beautiful pink dress torn to pieces it was apparent that her innocence had been taken rather cruelly. This wasn't a normal murder, it was intended to be seen by the Shelby's it was intended to make a scene. Her body was left here to make a point. How did Thomas know this? a string of pearls clasped in the victims hand gave it away, Ayla's pearls but how could this be? Suddenly everything made sense, the killings, the disappearances, the fear.

"What is it mate?" Arthur looked at his distressed brother.The look in his eyes had completely changed and it didn't look good like a red rag to a bull.  

"get the gang together we need a meeting in the Garrison" Tommy snatched the pearls out of her stone cold hands clutching them in his own, his heart now beating out of his chest but no sign of it on his face "10 minutes! And do something with the body quickly!" Thomas said before storming off with the pearls.  

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The gang promptly met up in the garrison 10 minutes after Thomas had demanded.Everybody could see the coldness in Thomas's eyes but couldn't say a word

"Do you know who did it?" Polly asked, taking a smoke out of her pocket and lighting it rather quickly. Thomas was listening but playing with the pearls in his pocket.

"Tommy here thinks he's got a incline" Arthur looked at his disgruntled brother. Everyone in the room fell silent but not for long. 

"Its the king isn't it?" Finn said which surprised Polly. 

"Since when did you become the eye for detail?" She exhaled through her nose letting the clouds of smoke exit. 

"He's not wrong though, its the only thing that makes sense" Thomas stared at nothing. 

"So it was the King?" Arthur asked pouring himself a whiskey and taking a swig. 

"Who else would it be.." Thomas trailed of before pulling the pearls out of his pocket and placing them on the table in front of everyone, attention was drawn to them rather quickly. 

"Look familiar to you?" He looked at Arthur before looking at John. A gasp came from Polly's lips which earned her a glare from the brothers. 

"Ayla's pearls?" She asked looking back up at him.

"I found them in the hands of the victim" Thomas let out a sigh of vexation. 

"Thats not possible" Polly gasped thinking the worst.Thomas just shrugged off what he already knew

"So what do we do?" John asked 

"Look for Ayla obviously!"Polly shouted but regretted it knowing that she would have to come clean about the box Ayla had given her for Thomas. 

"Thats what he wants us to do, he'll draw us out as soon as we find her" John admitted 

"We don't even know where she is! We don't even know if she's alive" Thomas shouted 

Polly bit her lip which she only did when she was hiding something, catching Thomas's attention he didn't let it go. The room now deadly silent again. She could feel the tension growing between herself and Thomas. 

'Something to add Pol?' Thomas asked with a deadly stare.She thought about not telling him for a moment but she didn't want to be the one standing in-between Thomas and the thing he wanted most.

"Before Ayla left she left you a box..." She trailed off. His eyes now piercing through her soul. 

"What box?" He asked through gritted teeth, his jaw clenching a few times. 

"I didn't think it was the right time for it, you need to be focused now that- " Polly said in a motherly tone but got cut off, it was apparent that she cared about Thomas and his feelings but in his mind she didn't have the right to keep this from him. 

"It's not your place Pol, I don't need your pity or your protection..." He trailed off waiting for a reaction. "Where's the box now?" He finally asked 

"At home" Her voice fragile.