Blue Eyes

27

          For what it was worth, Alfie wanted desperately to stay at Margate. There would come a time where he would come to rest eternally there. But he wouldn't lie down until there was nothing left to do. And he had plenty to do.

Whispers were starting to become louder. Although they were whispers about the Shelbys, it was inevitably going to affect everyone within their grasp. More than ever, that included Alfie.

Rumors were just that, rumors. But Alfie learned it was wise to always keep an open ear when it came to rumors about Tommy. If they were false then there was no harm, no foul. But more often than not, listening to rumors brought him valuable information.

Ella and Alfie were quiet on their way back to London, returning with one more dog than they'd left with. Ella was at ease once she knew her brother would take care of their Scotland Yard issue. Alfie was uneasy by the phone call he'd had with Ollie the night before they left.

Something about Italians. Something about Americans.

A vendetta was the last thing he wanted to get involved with. The Shelbys had dug their own graves. Unfortunately, they'd also dug one for Ella.

"Did anything happen at Tommy's wedding?" Alfie asked halfway through the drive back to London.

"His wedding?" Ella frowned and thought about her brother's wedding to her late sister-in-law. Grace's funeral felt like a lifetime ago, the wedding felt even more distant. "Not that I can remember." She shrugged. "I left early."

"Does the name Angel or Vincente Changretta sound familiar?"

"Changretta..." Ella perked up. "That was our teacher's name. She was lovely. Of course, my brothers were such a terror for her but she liked me. Always snuck me sweets because Ada and I were more behaved than they ever were. I believe her husband was named Vincente." She tried to recall the long muddled memories of her childhood.

Alfie's lips pursed and he grunted grimly. "Both of them ended up dead. The wife, your teacher disappeared I think."

The hairs on Ella's arm rose. "Dead...do they know who-" She blinked and grimaced. Italians had killed Grace. But Ella never knew they were working under the orders of the Changrettas. She hadn't been around to find out about the feud with Angel that revolved around Tommy's wedding. She'd been blissfully pining after the man in the driver's seat beside her. "My brothers."

He nodded. "One can only speculate."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Oh give me a break, of course, it was them. For fuck's sake." She scrubbed a hand over her face. It felt like all the relaxation from Margate was tossed out the car window in an instant. Mention of her brothers tended to do that. "Why are you bringing that up now?"

"Ollie called me last night, told me about some rumors that've been flying 'round." He explained. "Rumors 'bout Angel's brother."

Ella shut her eyes and took a few deep breaths. "He wants revenge."

"Well, s'all us folk know innit? They kill one of our men, I kill one of theirs. Then it cycles 'bout 'till we're all fucking worm food." He attempted to be light-hearted about it but she clearly wasn't in the mood.

She peered over at him. "Should I be worried?"

Alfie gripped the steering wheel and kept his eyes steady on the road in front of them. "No, love." His tone didn't match the words of comfort. But Ella didn't call him out. "You don't hafta worry about anything."