𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟐

Madeline walked, John close behind her as they entered the hall where the fight was set to be happening. His hand hovered on her lower back and he glared at anyone who looked her way. "Mr Shelby," A man greeted, nodding his head.

John raised his eyebrows in greeting and guided Madeline to their seats.

She was sat between John and Theodore, Ada on the other side and Polly beside her. Madeline scanned the room, weary of her surroundings. She crossed her legs and watched as Bonnie Gold climbed into the ring.

"Is this fight fixed?" She whispered to John. He hummed. "Most probably."

It wasn't long until Arthur was snorting cocaine from the back of his hand and Madeline winced as Bonnie seemed to be taking majority of the hits. Multiple rounds seemed to pass and the bell rang. Aberama Gold was quick to lecture his son.

Her eyes looked back to Arthur who seemed to be rather distressed. Tommy was trying to assure him that everything was fine but Arthur wasn't having any of it.

"Come on Bonnie, lad!" John shouted, hands cupping his mouth.

Madeline cleared her throat. "Excuse me," she said, getting up to follow Ada to the toilets. Ada slowed and waited for her to catch up. "How are you feeling recently?" Ada asked as they pushed open the door where Linda and Polly already were.

"Much better." Madeline said honestly, standing before the mirror and taking her lipstick to reapply it.

"Pol, this fight is fixed isn't it? Poor gypsy boy is getting battered out there." Ada complained, she looked between everyone, "right, you said you had some news."

Polly grinned. "Lizzie has some news."

Lizzie gasped. "Polly."

Madeline raised a brow.

"Tell her whilst the men are screaming for blood." Polly said, "have a swig, you're going to need it." She shoved the bottle of alcohol into Ada's hand. "Oh, it can't be that bad." Madeline defended.

"I'm up the duff." Lizzie said.

Madeline and Ada locked gaze, wide eyed. Ada almost choked.

"And it's Tommy's." Lizzie added.

Madeline winced. "Oh, maybe it is that bad." She whispered but nobody heard her. "How far gone are you?" Ada asked. Lizzie turned. "If I were going to London, i'd be in Coventry." She said.

"And are you carrying on past Coventry?"

"All the way to fucking Piccadilly Circus." Lizzie grinned. Maddie smiled slightly. "Well, congratulations Lizzie." She said honestly, "it only gets worse from now." She joked.

Ada chuckled. "Have you found out whether she's having a boy or a girl, Pol?"

"No."

"Go on then."

Polly walked forward and caught Lizzie by surprise when she touched her breast. "It's a girl." She said, "Call her Ruby, Ruby Shelby. She'll be a star in a Hollywood movie." Polly smiled proudly.

Ada tutted. "Congratulations."

-

The fight was moving on swiftly and Madeline was growing bored. She had noticed how Arthur had disappeared along with Tommy and Polly who seemed to follow after him. "Do you think something had happened?" Asked Madeline. John leaned in to hear her better. He shrugged. "It wouldn't surprise me." He said.

Madeline hummed and John took her hand.

Soon enough, Tommy and Polly returned but without Arthur. Thinking nothing of it, she watched as Polly went to inform Linda of something. Lizzie had walked off to Tommy. Linda had horror all over her face.

Madeline grew weary and she looked around, seeing Tommy whispering something to Finn.

The young Shelby shook his head in disbelief, his eyes wide. Tommy held his brother and mumbled quiet words to him.

"John, what's going on?" Madeline asked, standing up. He frowned and looked around. He didn't know what she was on about. Tommy made a b-line for John and grabbed him shoulder. "Tom what's happening?" John asked.

"Arthur's dead." The words fell from Tommy's mouth like complete poison. John's face fell automatically. Madeline had heard the words and cupped her mouth, a hand on her stomach as she grew sick. Tommy just stared at John who slowly shook his head. "No." He said, "no he ain't. He can't be." John tried to shove past Tommy but Tommy kept him in place. "John i'm sorry."

John looked at Madeline and her heart broke at the look on his face.

"He can't be." John denied, shaking his head. "Tommy that ain't funny— don't joke about that alright?" He continued.

But Tommy was serious. He was so serious.

"You're not joking are you?" John asked with hesitance. Tommy shook his head and John stuck his tongue to the side of his cheek, backing away slightly. Madeline grew cautious of what he would do in retaliation to this.

But he just stood there, staring. Not moving. Not saying a word.

"John—" Maddie touched his arm. He slowly rolled his head to the side to look at her. "John?" She asked. He was there but.. not really.

-

Madeline walked into the house behind John and watched him carefully. He was yet to react properly to the news of his brother. He stood by the stairs, a hand on the bannister as it began to hit him.

John's breath hitched and he placed a hand on his chest as he felt a pain shoot throughout it. Madeline made her way to him and put a hand on his back. John inhaled sharply, wincing as he did so. He tilted his head back in hopes to stop tears from falling. Madeline held his face. "Oh, John." She whispered with sympathy.

He squeezed his eyes closed and leaned his forehead on her shoulder, arms loosely draped around her waist.

"He can't be dead— I won't believe it." He choked over his words. She couldn't find anything to say, she didn't know what to say. Nothing she could say would bring Arthur Shelby back to them.

Nothing at all.

He was gone and that was that.

"I'm going to kill those bastards.." he croaked. Madeline just nodded, her lips trembling. She believed him. Given the chance, John would go after them. All of them. If it meant bringing justice to his family, that's what he would do.

Even if it was the last thing he ever did.

-

That next day, the whole of Watery Lane stood, heads bowed and sorrow expressions painting across their feathers. They all watched as the carriage that held Arthur's body moved along the lane.

Madeline held onto John's arm sadly as he stared, stone cold face. He was biting down hard on his tongue, his eyes shifting toward Linda. She seemed rather at peace despite the circumstance and it irked John in a way he couldn't explain. He could quite put his finger on what was wrong but something was definitely unusual.

He looked down at his feet and shook his head, inhaling sharply.

John felt a small hand reach for his and he looked. James was staring up at him, his hand squeezing his father's tightly. John felt his heart pound and he leaned down to pick up his son, holding him close.

"It'll be alright, dad." The boy whispered, staring across the road to look at his uncle.

John frowned slightly and said nothing.

Maddie locked eyes with Theodore from across the way and he just shook his head slowly. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath. The loss of Arthur Shelby felt like time had stopped. Like, completely stopped. The look on everybody's faces was pure horror and regret.

"Something's off.." John whispered to his wife. She looked at him and tilted her head. "What do you mean?" She asked. John tutted and bit the inside of his cheek. "Something just doesn't feel right." He expanded.

Madeline began thinking but nothing seemed to come to mind, she didn't notice anything weird but she left John to his thoughts.

That afternoon dragged on as if time had slowed and it was torturous for John. The funeral filled him with nothing but sorrow. Once returning back to Polly's old home on Watery Lane, he sat in a chair and just stared at the table.

Maddie watched him carefully whilst the children were playing on the carpet, Theo and Ada watching over them. "How did it happen?" She asked Ada quietly. Ada knew what she meant and took a deep breath. "He had his throat cut with a wire." She said. Maddie winced and picked at the skin around her fingernails. "I thought Tommy had it all under control? He always has it under control."

"Yeah, well. Not this time." Theo sighed.

"It's hit him hard." Maddie referred to John. "I'm worried."

Ada looked at her brother with sad eyes. "Him and Arthur were always the closest pair. Johns lost his best friend." Ada said. Maddie nodded in agreement. "What do I tell the children?" She asked them both. Ada watched the kids and began thinking. "Don't. At least not yet."

"They're too young to understand anyway." Theo said.

"Not Katie." Maddie said. "She seems to know a lot more than we think she does. She's a smart girl that one." She nodded to herself. "She'll start asking about her Uncle Arthur."

"So, when she does, tell her what has happened." Ada offered.

"I suppose that's the only option really." Maddie breathed. "God— it'll break her heart." She felt a pit of nerves in her stomach as it turned, making her feel ill. The whole thing had started to sink in properly and it made Madeline feel physically ill.
"Oh.. poor Linda and Billy." She placed her fingers to her bottom lip. "Oh, I can't imagine.." she grew slightly upset and Theo tutted, going to his sister to console her before she could get too emotional.

"It's gonna be alright, Mads."

"Is it? Everybody seems to say that but then another thing seems to happen. It's just trouble after trouble nowadays and i'm growing sick of it. I'm growing sick of all of it. All the tears, the smoke. This god forsaken city." She shook her head, "I want to wash my hands clean of it all." She said, "Tommy said that I can do that but when? Am I supposed to wait until they kill my husband too?"

Ada looked at her with worry as Madeline ranted.

"They ain't gonna kill him." Theo told her. "I'll tell you that for free." He said. Madeline locked eyes with him and noticed the strange look in his blue eyes. "You know something.." she said, frowning slightly and standing up slowly. Madeline pointed a finger at her little brother. "You know something Theo and you're not telling me. What do you know?"

He closed his eyes in frustration and turned away.

"Theodore." Madeline warned. "What do you know?"

He looked at Ada and she shrugged, unable to help him out. He inhaled sharply and walked to the doors to close them and prevent John hearing. "Tommy plans to kill Luca Changretta today— they're having a meeting and Luca is expecting to have all the Shelby business signed over to him but Tommy has been paying Luca's men to work against him. They're going to kill Luca and it'll be Arthur who fires the gun."

Her eyes widened and mouth fell open. "He's not dead?"

Theodore shook his head. "He isn't dead. He almost died but no.. no he isn't dead. They've put on this big performance to make Luca think that he has won the war but it's all going to be flipped on him at the last moment."

"I have to tell John—" She began.

"No." Theo said quickly. "You can't. Not yet. John will go looking— you know it, I know it, Ada knows it. He won't believe you until he's seen it. We don't know who Luca has watching us.. if somebody hears that Arthur is alive, everything could fail."

She nodded slowly, realising he was right. "When's the meeting?"

Theodore glanced at the clock. "Right now."

not proof read. apologies for late update ive had writers block. This story is almost finished. I'm kinda sad about it.