Myrtle had noticed that Pearl was spending more and more time in her room in between her shifts at The Garrison. Assuming it was the stress from the new job or perhaps home sickness she made sure to always bring her food or refill her teacup when it was empty. Pearl continuously thanked her and continuously told her that she needn't bother herself; to which Myrtle always responded that it was her motherly instinct.

In reality Pearl was spending that time writing correspondence to Grenfeld and drawing up plans. Nonetheless, she fell on never ending dead ends in her plans - knowing that what she really needed was the information from Tommy. Also knowing the only way she could get close enough to Tommy to obtain that information was to give up Grace.

She'd been close to telling Tommy a few times over the past twenty-four hours, walking over to Watery Lane and then turning around and going home. Every time she got close she thought about the possibilities of what could happen to Grace and then every time she returned home she remembered that Grace was working with Inspector Campbell. This internal conflict had completely consumed her thoughts, so much so that she didn't even notice that Grace hadn't turned up at work until about midday.

Once she had realised she went straight to Harry.

"She said she 'ad a family emergency" he responded, nonchalantly.

Well that obviously wasn't the case. Pearl knew if Grace had taken the whole day off then it was something important.

"Oi Pearl, can I 'av a chat?" Harry motioned towards the back room, holding the door open for her to walk through. Pearl nodded as she stepped in.

"I just wanted to give ya a quick word of warning. We 'ad some fenians in 'ere yesterday makin' a scene. Look, we don't want no trouble, so on Mr Shelby's orders if any come in 'ere then you're to serve 'em silently. Do not say a word. Same goes for Grace''

Pearl's brow furrowed as she listened, "Fenians? Don't they normally hang about the Black Swan?"

"Well ye but they had some business in 'ere yesterday with Mr Shelby. It's better we don't ask questions, so if any come in just keep ya head down"

"Yes that's no problem, Harry. Head down, get on with it" Pearl confirmed and Harry gave her a small smile before opening up the door again to let her out.

She could only think of one reason why Tommy would have business with members of the IRA. They're going after fucking guns. The crown, the blinders, the IRA - does anyone else want to get in her way?

Pearl naturally assumed that Grace had caught wind of this and was investigating, not only on orders but for herself. She had a justified personal reason why she'd want to go after members of the IRA and Pearl decided to do a little investigating herself.

On her lunch break she decided to head out and look for Grace. She had an hour for lunch and so thought the best use of her minimal time would be to head over to The Black Swan.

As Pearl walked she realised she was heading out the Peaky Blinders main territory and going closer towards Digbeth. Of course there were still coppers here on their payroll and they kept an eye on these streets but it seemed as though the further she walked the more people she saw who had been outcast by the blinders.

Fifteen minutes later Pearl approached the outside of the pub and spotted a familiar blonde head. Just where Pearl thought she'd be.

Grace was standing behind a wooden cart filled with metal as she peered around the corner, watching someone. She started to move forward and therefore so did Pearl. However, to her misfortune, as she walked past the pub a rowdy group of men all spilled out onto the street and Pearl lost sight of Grace. She elbowed through the men who were all too drunk to take any notice and felt repulsed at the overwhelming smell of beer at only just past two o'clock. Once the men cleared she couldn't see Grace anywhere. Nonetheless, the road only went one way and Pearl started to run forward.

The road split into a back alley behind some houses. Still, she couldn't see Grace - her vision clouded by half walls that had been reduced to rubble and washing lines. Pearl slumped against the bricks when a thick Irish accent rang through the air, "PRODDY BITCH!"

Pearl moved towards the voice but before she could get there she was stopped by the sound of a gunshot slashing the silence, followed by the sound of flapping wings of birds that had been startled by the noise. Pearl ran forward from the wall worried that Grace had been injured. Instead, she saw Grace walking backwards from a gap between the houses with blood trickling towards her feet.

"Grace... what have you done?" Pearl breathed and Grace spun towards her, pointing her gun.

"It had to be done" her voice was shaky and her hair was still sprawled across her face, "the IRA, they wanted the guns. We couldn't let them get ahold of the guns"

She could tell that Grace was shaken and rambling so Pearl put her hands up in surrender, just as she had done with Danny before he'd met his fatal end, and she moved closer.

In that moment Pearl wondered if that was Grace's first time taking a life.

"What guns, Grace?"

Grace ran a hand over her face and marched closer to Pearl, gun still aimed, "You know what guns, Pearl! I know who you are. Campbell told me. Just like I know, you know who I am. Why else would you be here?"

Pearl sighed and put her hands down, "It's not what you think-"

"Stop lying" Grace seethed as she placed both hands on the gun to steady herself.

"Grace, really I'm not"

"STOP LYING!" she erupted and fired the gun, shooting the wall beside Pearl.

Pearl instantly reacted as bits of brick hit her shoulder and she grabbed her own revolver with a much firmer grip, "Fine. If you want to do it this way... but this was your choice"

The pair started to side step each other both ready to shoot, "You know who I am-"

"I know who your father was"

Pearl tensed at the mention of her father and her face unknowingly formed into a scowl, "I'm not my father"

Grace scoffed, "Might as well be. I wonder what Mr Grenfeld is planning to do with those guns, I hardly expect it's charitable. You're no saint, stop acting like it"

"Yeah, you're right" Pearl pressed down her thumb, cocking the gun. Any sympathy she had for Grace was gone, Grace had used her, she was just an obstacle now. "I'm no saint - but I am fair. I'm going to tell Mr Shelby about you either way, however, I'm willing to give you the chance to leave before he finds out. Tonight."

Grace's eyes widened for a split second before settling back and straightening her shoulders, "I'm not going anywhere, at least not before I've taken you in. You see I'm an agent of the crown, you're just some back alley gangster"

"You have nothing on me. You think I might be working for someone. It's just speculation" Pearl almost laughed as she closed the gap between the two women, so that their guns were side by side practically pressed to the other's nose. "You, on the other hand, may be an agent of the crown but you've killed a man, Grace. This isn't Belfast - we don't shoot to kill here. At least not legally"

Grace stumbled back slightly at her words and that's when Pearl knew she had the highground, "I really am sorry. Just remember you chose this"

Grace's finger started to squeeze the trigger but she wasn't quick enough. In one swift motion Pearl swung her revolver to the side knocking Grace's, causing it to fly across the street and land far out of reach. She then lifted her own gun and brought the back end of it down into Grace's temple, hitting it in just the right spot that would knock her out for a while.

Grace's body slumped and Pearl grabbed underneath her arms before she hit the ground. She dragged Grace through the mud, placing her up against the corner of a house and resting her head on one of the walls.

Pearl crouched down in front of Grace looking at her unconscious face. There was a small amount of blood trickling from Grace's temple and Pearl reached out to wipe it off with her thumb, reminding her of when Grace had done the same for only a few days ago. Pearl watched her hands closely as she rubbed the blood between her thumb and forefinger for a moment before wiping it off against the wall. She'd done what she had to - and the funny thing was she didn't feel an ounce of remorse. She then stood up and looked around, noticing the foot of the man Grace had killed sticking out by the side of a house. Pearl turned her back on the two bodies and trudged her way back to The Garrison.

As Pearl wandered back through the streets she received a few odd looks but she paid them no mind. She was consumed by thoughts of Grace and how she'd judged her character so poorly. Grace had been so gentile but today it seemed like something had just snapped; she was erratic and flustered. Pearl also wondered why they would hire an operative with such an unreliable temperament.

She hadn't realised the state she was in when she returned. The fabric over her left shoulder looked torn and tattered from the brick debris, there was a thick rim of mud around the hem of her skirt and her hair was mildly dishevelled with fly-aways covering her head. Harry looked over her condition in shock as she walked in.

"You were only gone an hour"

He gained the attention of the few people who were sat in the pub who all proceeded to look around at Pearl. Although, before she could respond she noticed that the door to the private booth was wide open with Arthur sat inside, a slightly baffled expression on his face.

He stood up and strolled over to her. "What the bloody hell happened to ya"

Pearl ignored his question, consumed by her need to tell Tommy - and soon, "Arthur, where's Tommy? I need to speak with him"

He looked at her a little longer, presumably amused by her curt words and blank expression.

"Yeah alright love. Follow me" he gestured towards the door, "Harry, I'll be keeping ya barmaid for the rest of the day"

Harry was left with his mouth agape being left, once again, without a barmaid.

Arthur stole glances across at Pearl as they walked through the streets, "So, what did happen? A bloke didn't do this did he?"

"No" she kept her gaze straight forward, too busy planning exactly what she was going to say to Tommy, "I tripped"

She heard a deep chuckle emit from Arthur's lips, "That's one 'ell of of a trip"

"Yes, well turns out heels aren't as functional as the advertisements suggest"

The pair didn't say any more as they approached Watery Lane. Arthur pushed the door open for Pearl to walk through, to which she looked at him and quirked her eyebrow, "You're letting me into your house?"

"No, I'm taking you to Tom's office" he once again laughed at her expression, "Come on"

Arthur led her through the living room where a woman was lounging on one of the sofas, newspaper in hand. She placed the paper down on her lap and looked at the floor behind Pearl with a pained expression, "Careful, you're dragging mud everywhere. Aunt Pol'll go mad"

Pearl apologetically looked at the woman as she lifted up her skirt slightly, "Sorry"

The woman swung her legs off of the sofa and leant forward, looking at Pearl with the same keen eyes as the rest of the Shelby family, "Who are you?"

"I'm Pearl Moore"

This caused the woman to smile as she sunk back into the sofa, "Pearl Moore. I've heard about you. I'm Ada"

Pearl noticed Arthur roll his eyes beside her and he started pushing her shoulder towards the door. As Pearl stepped through into the kitchen she heard Ada shout from the living room, "Oi, Arthur!"

"Don't mind our Ada, she's... spirited" he said with a raise of his eyebrows.

He carried on through the kitchen and pulled apart the curtains revealing green double doors with chipping paint. Arthur pushed the doors open and Pearl was instantly hit by the buzzing atmosphere inside.

There were people everywhere, all rushing about. She noticed multiple boards with what seemed to be the scores of all the recent horse races. John stood at the front huddled over a table with a few other men, gesticulating wildly as he spoke. When the doors opened he looked up and smiled as soon as he spotted Pearl. John strolled over with his thumbs hooked into his braces and a toothpick between his teeth." 'Ello Pearl. Delivering drinks now are ya?"

Arthur carried on moving her through the crowds as John now followed, "She's here for Tom"

"Is that right?" John looked at his brother and then at Pearl with a smirk.

Arthur gave him a smack up the head which knocked his cap crooked, "Shutup. He's in there Pearl"

He pointed towards an office with large windows looking inside. She saw Tommy sat rifling through papers and files, his eyes focused and his jaw clenched as he worked.

Pearl stepped forward and rapped on the door. Tommy's head instantly shot up and once he recognised Pearl he waved her in. Tommy relaxed back into his chair once she'd entered and shut the door behind her.

His eyes raked across her figure, noticing the state she was in and raising an inquisitive brow.

"I tripped" she said as she lifted her skirt and swayed it round slightly, looking at the amount of mud she'd actually managed to pick up when she'd lugged Grace across the alley.

Tommy motioned for her to take a seat and once she'd sat down Pearl tucked her hair behind her ears, attempting to force it into a somewhat presentable manner.

"What can I do for you?" he lit up and inhaled a cigarette, his eyes never leaving Pearl's.

"Actually this is more about what I can do for you" Tommy's brow furrowed, "Or what I can give to you more like. Information, that is"

"What could you have to tell me that I don't already know, ey?" Cockiness was threaded throughout his voice as he tapped the ash off of his cigarette.

"I'm a barmaid we hear things, see things"

"I'm not interested in some drunk ramblings. Whatever it was it was most likely the whiskey talking and I probably already know"

Pearl could never work out why men were so dismissive when a woman had something to say. Like women couldn't possibly know anything they didn't. It was vexing, especially when every woman Pearl had met was ten times more cunning than any man she knew. So far, Tommy was no exemption.

"There's a spy in town Tommy. A spy working for Campbell- for the crown" she tried to make her voice sound panicked and flustered, she thought if she seemed vulnerable then he'd believe her. The male ego is a very intricate thing.

He looked at her for a moment, his face unchanged although she could see the wheels in his brain turning, "How would you know about a spy in Small Heath"

"Because I saw her" Pearl sat and waited for his reaction.

"Her?" There it was. A puzzled look crossed his face.

"Tommy..." she took a breath, "It's Grace" Pearl watched as the shock hit Tommy like a bullet, pushing him back into his seat.

Until it wasn't anymore. Until it changed. Until it was darker. The bullet had ricocheted.

"No" he shook his head and stumped out his cigarette.

Pearl stared at him, baffled.

"Yes. I saw her" she leant forward and clutched the arms of her chair, ''with Inspector Campbell. He told her to get close to you"

"Where was this?" His tone was sharp but not as sharp as his piercing gaze sat above a strong scowl.

"In the art gallery, near the centre of Birmingham"

"We have coppers in that part, they would have picked up on it"

"But they didn't. I did"

His eyes narrowed, "What were you doing there?"

"Following her" Pearl's voice started to grow slightly panicked. However this time, it was genuine.

"Why were you following her?"

This was turning into an interrogation. For some unknown reason, Tommy just wasn't willing to believe it.

"That's beside the point. Tommy, please listen to me. You said you wanted to know if your employees can be trusted, she can't"

"Pearl, that's not possible"

"Why? You can't honestly say you haven't noticed anything odd about her. She disappears all the time, she's shifty about her past" her tone was clipped as she tried to force Tommy to believe her, his stubbornness was aggravating and causing her whole body to tense.

"I've heard enough, Pearl. Get out." His gaze was still piercing and unyielding, she could see the fire burning behind his eyes. He was bordering on eruption.

"No, you're not listening. Campbell gave her a package, he gave her a gun" she was desperate now. Really, really desperate. She had to get Grace out of town before she told everyone who Pearl really was.

"Get. Out." The fire was almost - almost - all consuming.

She lunged forward looking for some kind of understanding in his eyes. There was none. "She killed someone, Tommy!"

"GET OUT!" he slammed his hand against the desk, rattling everything on it and sending a single glass of whiskey hurtling to the floor with a smash.

Pearl stared at him bewildered, the only sound left in the room being the heaving of their chests as they glared at one another. How had she got this so wrong? Clearly the male ego was even more fragile than she originally suspected.

She stood from her chair and straightened her posture, refusing to feel degraded by the man in front of her. Pearl walked to the door and just as she placed her fingertips onto the handle she paused and looked over at him.

"You're making a mistake, Tommy. You're many things but you're not naive. His body is near The Black Swan, in one of the alleys behind the houses. Go see for yourself if you don't believe me."

And with that she stepped through the doorway and shut it behind her. As she walked into the betting den she noticed the buzz in the room had halted, everyone was looking at her - having watched what had just unfolded.

Pearl kept her head held high as she walked out, brushing past the two Shelby brothers who were heading for Tommy's office; presumably to ask what the hell had just gone on. She didn't see Ada as she walked out the house and then stepped onto the street.

The air was cold but she let it nip on the tip of her nose and ears to try and cool herself down from the frustration that was burning a hole in her chest. Pearl lit a cigarette as she started to make her way home, formulating a plan in her head.

How the fuck was she going to keep Grace quiet?