When The Boys Are Away

Part 56

It was deathly silent, and Harlow dropped the gun to the floor. It clattered harshly against the polished floorboards; wood that had too many times been scrubbed clean of blood. 

Alfie stood a metre or so away, watching the woman as she glanced up at him with a terrified expression. The gunshot hadn't come from her, it hadn't even come from that room. 

All she could think about was Arthur. 

"What the fuck was that?" Harlow spluttered frantically, her head automatically twisting towards the door as she began to make her way over to it. Alfie moved over at the same time, panicking that the presence of Harlow could ruin everything. 

It would ruin the plans he had, his plot to side with Sabini and betray Tommy and the Peaky Blinders. Harlow Winters was the one problem that he could not avoid. 

She was the one person he didn't want to hurt.

"Stay here." Alfie ordered, brushing past her shoulder as Harlow attempted to leave. His large frame blocked the door, giving her no way out. However, with a stern attitude and her stubborn nature, they both knew that was never going to happen. 

"Alfie, let me out of this room right now. I swear to god." Harlow gritted her teeth, staring angrily at the man as he remained in the entrance, holding his hand up to stop her attempting to leave. 

A few cries could be heard from outside the office, shouting from Alfie's men, and as far as Harlow could make out, police officers too. The sudden intrusion of outsider authority distracted Alfie for a millisecond as he attempted to listen, and that gave Harlow time to dive around his figure, leach the door open and take in the chaos that was occurring outside. 

Harlow ran forward as a huge ruckus emerged into the factory, and she gasped as six police officers began dragging Arthur from the meeting room. Their actions were rough and demanding as the Shelby shouted obscenities and pulled forcefully backwards. 

Harlow pulled away immediately as she felt Alfie's hand touch her shoulder, instead rushing to attempt to help Arthur, in a legal way where she would not be restrained herself. 

The moment the Shelby spotted her, he began rambling quickly, "Harlow, they set us up. They've framed me for murder when they shot Billy Kitchen right in front of me! Tell Tommy to fucking get me out! Solomons fucking betrayed us, he's working with Sabini." 

Harlow followed Arthur and the violent police officers who they threw him into the back of a police van, and from there, she could do nothing but watch with tears in her eyes as one of her oldest friends was taken away from her. If Tommy couldn't get him out, Arthur would be hanged; not just because Solomons had framed him for murder, but for all the previous convictions that would arise. 

He was in a very dangerous situation, and there was only one person to blame. 

"How fucking could you?" Harlow screamed wildly as she stamped back up the stairs, pointing her finger accusingly straight at Alfie as he held a stoic expression, yet a guilty gleam in his eye. He knew that betraying the Shelby's wouldn't be easy, but Harlow had certainly threw a spanner into the works. He had never felt a feeling of regret so strongly. 

"He could be fucking hanged because of you." Harlow sobbed through her anger, sticking her fingers straight into Alfie's chest forcefully. A group of Alfie's men had gathered a few metres behind, including Olly, but frankly Harlow couldn't care less about any of them. 

In that moment, Alfie knew he had two ways to go about the problem. 

He could either apologise, which was something unheard of for him, but at least he could try to restore his partnership with the Shelby's. Most importantly, he could heal the divide between himself and Harlow, allowing potential for a future, and whoever knew what else.