Red On Her Hands | Tommy Shelby

Chapter Two

C h a p t e r T w o

"Please stop looking around like that," Harry pleaded as he took another draw of his cigarette.

The Garrison had sat deserted excluding the owner and his barmaid, since the stunt with Danny Wizz-bang an hour previously. The duo had spent the time in silence as they worked together to clean up the mess. Much to their relief, most of the tables and chairs remained intact, however many glasses had been broken during the brawl that would need replaced.

Lynette looked up from the floor boards, pausing from sweeping glass as she looked up at the man in confusion. She removed the lit cigarette from her mouth before speaking to him with a crease between her brows. "Like what?" she questioned.

"Like you're about to stab someone with that broomstick," Harry responded in disbelief as he witnessed the glare she had presented while working vanish within the blink of an eye.

The redhead laughed lightly from her place across the room. "It's not directed at you. I'm just imagining ripping Freddie Thorne's head of his fucking shoulders for what he said earlier."

"To Mr Shelby?"

"No, 'bout Danny," she clarified as she returned to brushing up the debris into piles after letting the cigarette hang from her lip.

Harry also continued to tidy up as he passed on words of wisdom. "You should try stay away from Thomas Shelby, he's a dangerous man. You don't want to be getting tied up into the wrong business."

"Don't you worry about me, Harry. I'm not interested in the gangster life style or the man who runs it."

She was being completely honest with him, but Harry was still hesitant that she was not taking his warning seriously. The Shelby clan had a reputation to uphold in Small Heath, because of this it was easy to get on the wrong side of them. Trouble always followed wherever the Shelby's went.

Any further conversation or warnings were interrupted as the door opened. Lynette looked up in confusion as she wondered who would be visiting the pub, considering all the regulars knew to stay clear for a while after seeing the aftermath of earlier's incident.

She was taken aback by the sight of the small woman who entered, her appearance alone telling her that she did not fit in with the area. The woman was a pretty blonde, wearing a green jacket and skirt which didn't appear cheap. Lynette tried not to be too obvious as she attempted to get a proper look at the woman's face under her hat.

"I'm here about the job as a barmaid," she announced allowing the two workers to identify her as an Irish woman.

Lynette knew that Harry had put out another job advertisement after hiring her, because he wanted someone that could cover if either of them were absent from a shift. She had encouraged him to do this, because she thought it would allow her boss to spent more time with his wife and children.

"Are you mad?" Harry barked after he too had taken in the appearance of the blonde woman. Lynette stayed back and allowed him to handle the situation as the owner.

"Am I what?" the Irish woman asked.

"Do you know about this place?"

"I saw it in an advertisement."

Lynette shrugged to Harry when he looked at her expectedly, clearly hoping that she would step in and help.

"Job's been filled," Harry stated sharply, his tone final as he picked up his broom again.