𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃
chapter 14

Tommy stood beside Major Campbell, putting out his cigarette. "I know what you did to polly, i know what happened to Micheal and Florence in jail." he whispered. "Today, it'll be me dead, or you. But whoever it is, he'll wake up in hell tomorrow." he pointed at Campbell.

"Ladies and gentlemen the runners and riders are.." the loud speaker sounded.

Thomas began walking away, leaving the inspector at the empty bar.

The rest of the Shelby's and peaky blinders kept their eyes on the Coppers, waiting and hoping for them to shift from their current location. "Come on Tommy," Arthur whispered.

Florence kept her gun hidden underneath her skirt, staying close.

"Get every man in uniform around the king!" a copper shouted with panic. Florence snapped her head around to look at the sudden commotion. "All right make ready boys, this is it." John said, watching the coppers move from their place.

They all pulled out their guns. "You four get round the back, take three of your boys-"

John and Arthur walked a separate direction, Florence close behind, the rest of them and began walking to different areas of people who owned betting licenses.

"Go on Florence, him." Arthur pointed. She pulled the gun from the back of her skirt and pointed it. "Your license, now." Arthur said.  The man laughed. "Oh she's only little" he teased. She pressed it into his eye, cocking it. "He asked for your license." she hissed.

The man carefully reached for his pocket and passed it to John who set it on fire.

-

"You did it, kid." John praised with an arm across Florence's shoulders as they walked with each other. She smiled up at him and nodded. "That gun feels like it's apart of my hand now." She joked.

"Yeah don't get used to it. Tommy can take things away just as quick as he gives them." He said slyly, referring to the way Tommy always seemed to take things from him.

"Lizzie!" Arthur shouted, pulling a seat beside the upset woman. "What the fuck are you doing here?" he asked. John joined them. Florence wearily did the same, still feeling uneasy.

"Working for Tommy the same as all of us."The dark haired woman sniffed and loosely held a cigarette between her fingers.

"You work for the Blinders." Arthur nodded. "Hey what happened to you?" John asked, examining her beat up face.

"Fell over." she lied. John tutted and shook his head. "Don't fucking give me that, Lizzie." he pulled her toward him. "Come here, come here, come on." he whispered, embracing her. "Eh, were you working?" he asked her quietly. "It's got to stop Lizzie, Tommys already told you. Toffs at the races are the worse you know that."

She nodded, keeping back tears and missing out the detail about how it was Tommy who had asked her to work today.

"Hey come here, look at me." he gently held her chin. "Cheer up, we won, we took Epsom, kicked the cockneys arses." He laughed lightly.

"Congratu-fucking-lations." she nodded.

"Arthur," Florence held his arm, "somethings really not right." She whispered. "Where's Tommy?" There was a slight tingling against her skin as she spoke.

"You're fine." he assured her. She shook her head, practically begging for him to listen.
"No. Did Tommy not tell you? I'm like Polly, i feel things." She said but Arthur took no notice of her. John was still talking to Lizzie and Arthur was too focused on finishing the glass of whiskey he had just poured.

-

Inspector Campbell stood in the phone booth, dismissing the call when Polly appeared. "Polly," he opened the door. She stepped inside. "Tommy told me you'd be here." she said.

"Then i told tommy it should be me who finished you." She pressed a gun to his stomach. "Small and weak, that's how you like it ain't it, but this time small and weak has a gun. I know what you did to my little girl."

He looked down. "Yeah you wouldn't do that here."

"No?" she asked. "Do you see any coppers, cause i don't they're all around your precious king." He attempted to walk out but she trapped him. "Polly, polly, some part of you-"

"I have no parts." She snapped.

"Some part of you wanted me as well, i know that i felt it. And sure as hell some part of me wants you still. Some part of my soul, curious how that is to me how that should be you. Opposites perhaps? And that..that thing sticking in my heart, you own part of that heart, you do Polly."

"Did my daughter want it too? When you violated her?" She hissed before setting the gun off. "That was for me and my children" she whispered. "Don't fuck with the peaky blinders." She breathed before slowly walking from the phone booth, holding her purse over the blood splatter on her white blazer.