ARTHUR, FINN and Isiah sat around a table. Sat opposite a man called Billy.
Arthur poured a glass. "Really meaningful, you know, a heartfelt song" Arthur rambled. "I like it, i really do" Arthur nodded. "Boys. This here is Billy Grade, man i was telling you about," he said. "Billy, this here is my kid brother, Finn" he tapped Finn. "Hey". Billy whispered.

"Have a drink, Billy"

"I can't, my voice is.."

"Drink, Bill" Arthur told him. He nodded, hesitantly drinking. "You boys won't remember but i remember when Billy here made a living on the football pitch"

Billy laughed. "Yeah that was a long time ago Mr Shelby"

"What a left foot, eh?" Arthur said. "Yeah" Billy chuckled. "And then what, manager, right?" Arthur hummed.

"Yeah, and now i'm a singer"

"Are ya?" he joked. "Every football team in England..knows Billy Grade, and he knows a few people too don't you Bill, hm?"

"One or two" he whispered.

"Useful," Arthur told Finn. "Very useful. But what do you do Bill, eh? You're in here singing or whatever you call it, in shithole pubs in Birmingham" Arthur tutted.

"That's no way to make a living, boys. Degrading"

"I love it" Billy said. "I really do, i love it. And thank you by the way for inviting me here tonight i really appreciate it-"

"Don't thank me. I didn't invite you here to sing. I wanna listen to music i'll buy a record. That's what i do. Real singer, you know, melody, tune"

"So what is it that you want, exactly"

Isiah watched, amused. "Finn will explain the nature of my proposition, you'll listen to him won't you Bill?" he shrugged.

"Yeah of course" Billy whispered.

Arthur stood. "I'll leave you with the bottle, hm" he said,

"What proposition?" he asked. Finn leaned forward. "Right what i want from you Billy, is to write down a name and a number next to everyone of those football teams, yeah" he placed a paper down.

"Why?"

"People like to bet on those kind of things these days," Finn told him. "We're gambling enterprise" Isiah told him. "I know who you are" Billy cut him off. "To fix a horse race, you give the outsider a bit of cocaine, to fix a football match you give the goal keeper 20 pounds."

Finn stared at him. Billy chuckled nervously, picking up the pen.

"You're a peaky blinder now, Billy" Finn whispered. "Hm,"

-

"What have you got there?" Arthur asked Linda. "I've written a letter" He hummed at her response. "Who for?"

"For you and Lizzie has written one to Tommy"

"Well, can i read it?" he asked. "It's not finished yet, i'm getting rid of the parts i wrote when i was drunk. By the way i stopped drinking and your bottles of snow i poured down the lavatory" she said. "When i was drunk i was too hard on you, it's not your fault"

Arthur sat forward. "So, that letters about me is it?"

"Yeah"

He sighed. "And about me, about the future about the company. Lizzie and I-"

"Sat here and made things worse for the last few hours, hm?" he stood up. "Yeah? and we've come up with a plan" she said with a shaky voice. "You've come up with a plan, hm?" he leaned close.

"Lizzie said Tommy won't live two more years like this he's gone too far"

"Is that what Lizzie says? Really now?" he leaned forward. "Well how far has he gone, Linda?" he asked. "He's lost all the legitimate money in America"

"No, no that was Micheal" he corrected her.

"He's fixing races, he's fixing football." she shook her head. "Following the financial crisis, Linda, the Shelby Company Limited has to find other sources of cash income"

Linda grew scared. "Tommy went into China Town he's selling out the communists to the British intelligence. And all the time every day he gets more and more famous but that's okay because if anyone puts two and two together" she said, throwing down a newspaper which spoke about the killing of Mr Levitt.

"That wasn't us" he pointed. She chuckled. "It's not fucking us"

"It's going to blow up, Arthur. It can't sustain, you know it" she shouted. He grabbed her. "Oh yeah? And what do you know? You've worked it all out you and fucking Lizzie have it all planned out, is that right?" he grabbed the letters, throwing them to the fire.

-

"You don't want to eat?" Lizzie asked Tommy. "No"

"You've got calls?" she asked. "Yeah" he sighed. "It's Rubys birthday today, Tommy" she said, blowing out smoke. "Do you know why i took her to Arthur's? She says she's scared of you, when she knows you're not coming home she's a different kid."

"But i've bought a cake and i want you there, we're in the drawing room"

"Lizzie." she stopped. "I'm in a room, and they're coming at me. But it's okay i want them too, last thing i want is silence. Standing up there in silence and someone says sorry about all that noise, all that dust, all that mud, and all that fucking blood. And you say don't be sorry, it's all i can do now" he paused.

"You want me to write this down? Want me to write you a fucking letter?" he asked. "Me and Arthur can't write it down because they haven't invented the fucking words. We don't have the fucking words"

He walked to her. "And the worst thing is i could've stayed in school but we volunteered, still don't have the fucking words"

Lizzie looked down. "Should you choose to depart, Tommy, either by your own hand or someone else's, the person who would take your place is me. Legally, financially, everything. I need to know there'd be something left"

"Well you know, Lizzie, in my head i still pay you for it. So" he shrugged. "Good look with me"

The phone rang. "I have business" he pointed.

-

"Cassidy, there's someone here asking for you. Said he's called Micheal Gray." James spoke, walking past her. She groaned, holding her head up as she walked downstairs.

"What do you want, Micheal?"

"To talk."

"There's nothing to talk about." She shrugged, placing her hands on her hips. "Cassie, please."

"I don't understand what there is to talk about."

"Everything. You and me." He argued. "Micheal. There is no you and me. You're married and so am I. I have a child. You and Gina seem smitten." She mocked.

"Don't be so bitter, Cass."

That angered her.

"Micheal you shouldn't be here." She said, knowing if they looked each other a certain way, one of them would end up being fucked by the other, no care in the world if James watched them.

"Whatever you're feeling, Cassie. I'm feeling the same. I can read you like a book." He stepped closer, slowly placing his fingers on her bare arms. Shivers climbed up her spine.

"Micheal," she whispered, avoiding his eyes.

"Not a day passed by over these five years where i didn't think about you." He admitted. "I may be married to Gina, but she's not you, not even close," he leaned beside her ear.

Her skin burned as he touched her arm. She longed for him.

She forced her eyes closed.

"Let it be like how it was, Cassie. Sneaking around, adrenaline rushing through us at the thought of people catching us. Let it happen." His words were soft, quiet. "You and I both know that we want that to happen."

"Micheal," she whispered again. "Don't do this to me,"

"Mum," Adeline rushed through the house, making them step apart from each other. "Mum!" She repeated, tugging at her Mums arm. "Who are you?" The girl frowned, looking at Micheal.

"Oh wait.." the girl whispered, placing a finger on her lips, thinking. "Oh.." she grinned. "You're the boy that's on the picture aren't you?"

"Adeline!" Cassidy scolded.

Micheal grinned. "Adeline," he repeated, "that's a pretty name," he told her, kneeling down to her height. He looked back to Cassidy how held her head in anger. "Now, Adeline, tell me. What picture?"

Adeline laughed, poking his shoulder. "What's your name?"

"I'm Micheal," He told her, offering her a smile.

"Micheal.." She nodded. "Can we be friends? I like you." She told him. Micheal let out a small laugh.

"Yeah..we can be friends." He said, feeling a welcoming presence from the small girl. "Good," she smiled, standing straight.

Micheal too stood straight.

"Adeline go to bed," Cassidy urged, not wanting her to say any more.

"You know where I am, Cass." He said before turning away to the door.