𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃
chapter 32
1 month later

Everyone danced around inside the Garrison, laughing as Isiah and Micheal lifted up Florence despite the fight she put up. "Eighteen today." Micheal shouted.

"Put me down!" she laughed, gripping onto their shoulders.

Over the years she'd been in Small Heath, she'd developed feelings for Isiah, but they were both too stubborn to admit it. Until Isiah got too drunk, got into a fight and turned up outside the betting den, in need of help. It just so happened that it was Florence inside the den that night. And as you do when you're drunk, he spoke truthfully about how he felt.

And ever since that night they'd been going out with each other, sneaking around.

Tommy smiled, for the first time in a while, sipping his whiskey. "All right that's enough, you'll make her sick." Arthur chuckled, helping the girl down.

"Thank you, Arthur." she let out a breath. "Right, a toast." he shouted, lifting up his glass. "To Florence, the one i always needed." he said drunkenly.

His words were true, and meant a lot. Florence was the person Arthur always needed. All he ever wanted was for someone to be there, to understand him and help without making him feel like an idiot. And that's exactly what Florence was.

Everyone raised their glasses and cheered. Florence turned red and looked down

"Happy birthday!" Isiah flung an arm around her shoulders, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you," she smiled. Florence kept close to him as she watched Ada dance around with Polly.

Micheal stood in the corner beside Finn, talking.

Time had passed and Tommy approached the two, "Can i steal you from a moment?" he asked her. She looked up at Isiah and he nodded. Her and Tommy walked into the snug.

"Right, tonight is the only night i've been able to get you away from everyone."

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Somethings going to happen, Florence. People are going to get into a lot of trouble. But when that time comes, you will be one of the only ones who remain safe with a protected reputation." he said quietly. "I'm not following." she frowned.

"I can't tell you too much, Flo, but just trust me, ok? You'll know when the time comes, but you will be fine. Everyone will be fine."

He turned, opening the door.

"Tommy?" she whispered. "Tommy what has happened?"

-
2 weeks later

The whole family had gathered in Tommy's office as well as Isiah, Johnny and Jeremiah and Lizzie. Florence felt uneasy as she looked around.

"Before I begin, I want to let you know I made a mistake. I made a mistake, and I want to apologise to all of you. Arthur, you warned me against getting involved in Russian business, and you were right. I doubted your wife, for that, I am sorry. Linda, I have added 3,000 here, in the hope you will forgive me." Tommy said.

"Apology accepted." Linda said smugly as she took the money.

"Esme, I doubted you as well." Tommy admitted. "Now John has got innocent lives on his conscience. Ordinary working men..." she spat. "Yeah, alright Esme, got it." John cut in. "No she's right." Tommy said. "You and Arthur are gonna have to share that burden. But i hope the house that you can buy with this," he pushed the money toward John for him to take it. "Can become a place of contemplation. Perhaps redemption."

Silence for a slight moment.

"Charlie, for lost tools and dangerous goods and Curly's wise words. Johnny, for board and lodgings." he said. "Lizzie." He moved on and gave her the money. She stared at it with a foul expression on her face.

"Michael, for the killings. Five for cutting and five for shooting. Florence for the killing of Angel Changretta and all the help you've provided over the three years." He tossed money to Florence who caught it, laying Michaels on the table.

Polly and Michael's eyes widened. "Fucking what?" Micheal asked, turning to his sister. Florence's heart pounded as she realised Tommy had outed her to her mother.

"You made my daughter a fucking blinder?" she hissed. "Mum—" Florence sighed, holding her forehead. "No, Tommy." Polly stood. "What? Tell me, eh? This is who I am!" He shouted. "And this is all I can give you for what you have given to me. For your hearts and your souls. Last month, I nearly lost my son. You should fucking understand that. For what, eh? For what? For this? For this?" he shouted. "And I know that you all want me to say that I will change, that this fսck¡ng business will change." he said.

"But I've learnt something these last few days. Those bastards. Those bastards are worse than us. Politicians, fucking judges, lords and ladies. They are worse than us. And they will never admit us to their palaces no matter how legitimate we become. Because of who we are, because of who we fսck¡ng are because of where we are fucking from."

"Isn't that right Ada?" he turned. "Our Ada knows. She got smart about revolution. And she knows you have to get what you want your own way. And Florence, who knows what this family is, who offered to help me do what we do. She made herself one of the biggest helps for our family. Without you and Micheal knowing." he pointed at his cousin.

"You all knew? And none of you said anything?" Polly asked, looking around the room.

"Lizzie, I want it known, that money was for you because some nights it was you who stopped my heart from breaking, no-one else."

Lizzie stared at him.

"And the rest of you, you took the King's shilling. You took the King'a fucking shilling. When you take the King's shilling, the King expects you to kill. Isn't that right Arthur?" he looked at his brother. He stayed quiet. "Yeah, that's how it works, right John?"

Micheal stood up and took the money from the table. "Thats right" he whispered.

"That's right Pol," Tommy said, "That's fucking right."

"Tommy you've had a bad time we understand. So at an alternative time, when we have all recovers i would like to put before the family, an alternative view of the future of the Shelby Company Limited" she took the money from Micheal. "A more hopeful view" she continued.

"Which i for one would quite like to hear." Ada spoke. Esme stood. "As would i." Lizzie agreed.

They all looked at Florence, waiting for her to speak but she said nothing.

"Come on Arthur, train for the dock leaves in one hour—" Linda said as she stood. "Then we will get the boat to new york and it'll all be in the past."

"I will be off then Tom," he stood sheepishly. Everybody else followed. Arthur began saying goodbye and he finally got to Florence. He held her shoulder and just smiled. "Thank you." He whispered to her. She just nodded once.

"You can go but you won't get far, Arthur" Tommy said. "Uh, all right Tom." Arthur laughed slightly.

"I spoke to Moss. He told me that the Chief Constable of Birmingham has issued a warrant for your arrest. Murder, sedition, conspiracy to cause explosions. John, they're coming for you as well. Murder, conspiracy to cause explosions. Michael.."

Florence's heart sank once more as she waited him to list all the things she'd done.

"What the fuck Tom?" Arthur said. Florence shook her head slowly and looked around the room. "Tommy what do you mean? What is this?"

He took a breath. "Micheal for the murder of Hughes and Polly for the murder of Chief Inspector Campbell." He said.

"Wait a minute, what the fսck are you—" Arthur tried to argue but couldn't get his words out.

"Why didn't you fսck¡ng tell us, Tom?" Everybody burst out into arguing and panicked words.

Tommy didn't mention Florence's name. This was what he was talking about that night in the Garrison. She didn't understand.

"The people we betrayed, they want to bring us down. They control the police, they control the judges, the control the juries, they control the jails. But they do not control—" She drowned out his words when knocks came from the from door.

"Tommy no," Florence spoke, standing in front of him. "Look what they did to us. Why didn't you tell us before?" John shouted. "You are my brother." Arthur argued.

"Listen to me. I've made a deal."

"They will hang us!" Arthur shouted. Florence covered her mouth in shock.

"We will fucking hang!" John shouted. "It's all taken care of." Tommy assured. Isiah stood with wide eyes, looking around. "Tommy you bastard!" John shouted. Florence pushed away from Isiah and went to Michael.

"Lizzie, collect up the money and bring it to the cellar. You will all get your money in due course. When the police gets in, do not resist. You go with them, and you do not say anything.Arthur, I have made a deal with people even more powerful than our enemies."

"Arthur!" Linda shouted from outside.

"Get off him!" Florence screamed as a copper grabbed Micheal. She hit the man over and over, in attempt to get him away from her brother. Her voice broke and she held onto his arm. She was shoved away and she shouted. "No— no please leave him alone!"

"Florence!" Finn shouted. "Florence come on." He tired to get her away. "Micheal!" she screamed. She saw Polly get pushed up against a wall and she charged at Tommy.

"You bastard." she shouted, smacking him. He grabbed her wrists, pulling her into a hug. "Tommy my brother will hang, you can't do this!" she muttered, watching as they all got dragged away from the house.

"You can't.."