The Devil in the Window

Chapter Four

The next morning, Tommy and Catherine came into town after dropping Charles and Ruby off at school. Catherine walked to the Garrison, approached Lizzie while saying.

"Morning." Lizzie smiled at her, then spoke.

"Why, hello Willie. Couldn't resist?"

"The whiskey? No, I couldn't resist." Catherine joked to avoid Lizzie's idiotic flirt; Lizzie seemed a little disappointed when she asked.

"Oh, quick question. Do you have any children of your own?" Catherine nods as she pulled a cigarette, then said.

"I do, a young boy. His mother passed when he was born." Lizzie poured a glass of whiskey for her, then asked.

"Were you two married?"

"No, we were having an affair. I was her paramour, you could say." Catherine told Lizzie a series of lies until Tommy entered the bar, Lizzie smiled as she greeted him.

"Tommy, Willie was just telling me about his son, Roy."

"I don't really care, Lizzie." Tommy grumbled before turning to Catherine and demanded.

"Willie, come with me to my office." Tommy and Catherine left the bar, they went to Tommy's office, Tommy sat in his leather chair as Catherine sat in a chair that was across from his.

"I want you to stop this assignment, she's trying to pick you apart with every detail you give her." Tommy said as he leans back in his chair, Catherine scoffed.

"You're nervous, dear?" Tommy nods as his wife continued.

"Thomas Shelby? Nervous? That's a rare occasion, yet, I don't know what problem is. You and I both know that I'm an excellent liar."

"That's the problem." Tommy responded before Catherine could carry her rant on, he surmised.

"Lizzie knows that, she knows that your flaws are unnoticeable to a copper's eyes." Catherine shrugged then asked her husband.

"What am I supposed to do till she's handled?"

"We could have another child." Tommy suggested, the moment that 'child' rolled off Tommy's tongue, the world slowed down around her. A child? Catherine thought. But we already have three children, why would he want more? For them to carry on his legacy?

"Catherine? Are you alright?" Tommy asked with concern, Catherine nodded as a tear rolled down her cheek, she stormed out of her husband's office, then made her way to the stables.

Catherine sat with her horse, Arion who was asleep in the hay, until Tommy entered the stable while panting like he ran all the way from the parking spot.

"There you are. Why did you storm off?" Catherine looked at him like he should know, then sassed.

"I think you know why."

"Because of the idea of having another child?" Thomas responded, Catherine nodded with gloom, then her husband took her out to the parking spot while groaning.

"For fook sake, Catherine. The world is a dangerous place. You and I both know that we need this business in order to survive. I want them to carry our legacy so that their children can be as appreciative as they are now." Catherine sighed then croaked

"I know that, but I also know that you almost died because someone else messed up. Do you want to go to the grave with that thought running through your head? The thought of our children being in trouble and we can't do anything about it?"

"Catherine!" Tommy snapped, then sighed.

"You don't understand the struggles of this fooking company, you weren't even in the country for four years, yet you act like you're in control of everything." Catherine slapped her husband's cheek with all of her strength, Tommy gawked at her with a hand of the cheek that she slapped, then Catherine growled as she grabbed Tommy's grey tunic.

"My nationality has nothing to do with this! I'm angry with you because you're treating me like some baby-maker, I'm not like Lizzie or Grace." Tommy's eyes revealed the six years of pain, Catherine's grip loosened as she watched her husband cry for the first time. Tommy wrapped his arms around Catherine's torso as she wrapped her arms around his neck, she whispered.

"I'm sorry, baby. You're right, I may not understand everything."

"No, you're right. I don't know what I was thinking, we have three children anyway." Tommy responded quietly, the couple let go of each other, then drove back to work.