CHAPTER 13

Tilly groaned as John dragged her along by her shirt. "John, i don't understand why I have to do this!" She exclaimed, trying to keep up with him. "Cause you can write, Finn can't." He huffed, pushing the door to the Garrison open.

He nodded toward the chair that sat outside the snug. She sighed and sat, crossing her arms.

"All you need to do is write down names and addresses, stop complaining," He flicked her head, leaving her with Finn. Tilly bit her lip, frustrated, taking the pen.

"This is fucking ridiculous," she said quietly, watching men walk in and out of the snug, some giving her an name and address, some walking out without saying a word.

Some time passed and she tiredly sat in her chair, yawning. Finn stood beside her small table, his arms crossed, keeping an eye on the men in front of them.

"Right, next." She called out, sitting up straight. Nobody moved. "Are you deaf? Come on, who's next?" Tilly asked, sitting at her chair, pen in hand.

"Go on," one of them said to a younger boy who sheepishly held his hat, walking into the snug.

Tommy looked up as he closed the door. "All right then, name?" Arthur asked bluntly, placing down his newspaper.

"The Digbeth Kid."

"The dig.." Arthur looked at John who stifled a laugh, blowing out smoke. "What are you, a boxer?" he questioned.

"Digbeth Kid, like Billy the kid."

John and Arthur looked down, chuckling. "Spend a lot of time at the pictures, eh?" Tommy asked, waiting for a reply. All he got was a slight nod. "Cowboy pictures? Tom mix? Yeah?"

The boy pulled back his jacket, revealing a gun inside the holster and both Arthur and John pulled a gun. "What are you doing?"

"Wait, wait..it's not a real gun."

"Let's have a look then eh," Tommy sighed, standing up and taking a closer look.

"It's made of wood."

Tommy chuckled, taking it in his hands and jokingly pointing it at Arthur, "Bang," Arthur reciprocated the action and Tommy pointed it at John, "Bang. Very nice, where'd you get the gun belt?"

"My sister made it out of an old blacksmiths apron. My mum did most the stitching. She's not my real mum but.."

"But she does what mothers do," Tommy cut him off. "So she made you a gun belt."

"All right, there, mothers boy," Arthur mocked, "there's the door, on you go. We're looking-" Tommy raised a hand to stop him talking. "You ever been arrested?"

"Yeah,"

"Yeah?" Tommy questioned.

The boy slowly shook his head, "no," he admired.

"Good. You're the first bloke in here today with no criminal record. Arthur, we can stand him up. You know what that means? The new home secretary wants something done, about illegal gambling."

"Damn right," John chimes in, hitting the table.

"About bloody time."

"We help our coppers make their quote of convictions by having men stood up to be arrested. First offence, you'll get a week inside. We'll give you five quid for your trouble. How does that sound cowboy?"

The boy grinned, nodding. "Yeah,"

"Good. Write your address down for Matilda on the way out." Tommy picked the paper up again.

"I can't write,"

"That's all right, Finn and Tilly can't read." John hummed. That was a lie, well half a lie, only Finn couldn't read.

"Just tell her your address and we'll send someone round."

John pointed a finger at him, "if..the sheriff don't run you out of town first." He joked, laughing slightly.

"Good man," Tommy nodded.

The boy walked out and Arthur sighed. "I don't know Tom, kids these days.."

"They didn't fight, so they're different, they stay kids."

Tilly looked up at the boy as he closed the door. "They said to give you my address," he said. She stared at him blankly, raising her eyebrows, "so go on, don't just stand there, give me your address." She scoffed, picking up the pen once more.

"18 Garrison Lane, Harold Hancox" The boy said.

Matilda carefully wrote it down, pausing when she was unable to write the numbers. She panicked slightly, feeling like an idiot. Her hand hovered over the page, her lips parted as she wracked her brain for the capability to write the number.

"It's just..a fucking number," she whispered, gripping the pen tightly. Finn pushed himself off the wall, nodding for the boy to walk off.

He stood behind her and leaned down, placing his hand over hers and helping her write the number down.

"You need to stop getting so frustrated, Til." He said, returning to where he'd previously been stood. She looked up at him. "I can't help it, I just feel so stupid! I'm seventeen and can't fucking count!"

Finn sighed, "And i can't read, it's fine."

-

Tilly and Finn walked ahead of John, Tommy and Arthur, joking around with each other. The laughs that fell from her mouth was soon replaced with a scream when John picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, running forward.

"Run for the hills, it's Digbeth Kid!" Arthur shouted, chasing after them, his gun in hand.

"John put me down," She begged, hitting his back as her blonde hair covered her eyes. John laughed loudly, pushing the door open and allowing it to slam against the wall. "Get out of town kid or i will shoot your fucking head off," John shouted, gently placing her on the floor, his gun pointed at Arthur.

"Times up," Arthur mimicked a gun going off.

Matilda and John's smiles quickly disappeared as they noticed the boy stood beside the table. She quickly fixed her hair and placed her hands behind her back, giving Arthur a look.

"You're dead, go down. John!" Arthur said. Tilly quickly looked at Finn who stood behind Tommy, trying not to laugh.

John carefully put his gun away, trying not to laugh out of awkwardness. Arthur looked over his shoulder at Polly and the boy, realisation hitting him. The boy was dressed nicely in a brown three piece suit and a fancy watch. It was the same boy that Finn and Tilly had seen the night prior.

John looked away, snorting and receiving a slap on the arm from Tilly.

"All right then, Polly," Arthur finally spoke. "Who's this?" he snickered.

"Gentlemen? This is your cousin. Polly's son, Micheal."

Arthur straightened his posture, taking the boy's hand as he outstretched his arm. "Pleased to meet you," Micheal spoke, his eyes lingering on Matilda a little longer than he'd like to admit.

She realised who he was, he was the boy from earlier that morning, who sat outside alone.

"I'm Arthur. You've already met me, i used to throw you out the window so John could catch you." Arthur grumbled. "Yeah..i used to put you in a shoe box and kick you down Watery Lane." John added.

Micheal looked down, smirking.

"I bet you're glad to be back." Tommy chimed.

"I don't remember any of it, all i remember is the day they took me away." He said. Polly stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him.

"Well you're here now son." Tommy patted his shoulder. "Welcome to the Shelby Family"

"Later on we'll show you the ropes,"

"Yeah, we'll show you what's what." John agreed. Polly glared at the two.

"Let's leave him be for now," Tommy disagreed, taking his brothers away. "Nice suit," Arthur said.

They all left Polly and Micheal in the dining room, Finn and Tilly rushing ahead.

"That was Polly's son!" She whisper-shouted, leaning close to him as they walked to the betting den. "Fucking hell, never would've expected it," he whispered back, taking his cap off and placing it on the table.

"Madness, pure madness." She nodded, sitting and placing her hand under her chin.

Finn raised an eyebrow, laughing at her strange way of talking.

"Its ya mums birthday tomorrow isn't it?" He asked, grabbing one of the betting books and opening it up. Tilly hummed, nodding. "I'm going to cook something for her tonight, you should join us," she suggested, throwing a pencil at him.

He caught it and shrugged. "Maybe,"

"We should bring everyone else. Shelby and Willows dinner sounds fun," she half joked, hoping he'd agree. He nodded, "that'd be nice." He agreed.

Tilly clapped her hands together, excited. "That's amazing." She grinned, excitement filling her. He smiled slightly and turned, drawing numbers onto the chalk board. 

"Ay, Finn, Tilly!" Isiah burst in, the door slamming against the wall.

The pair jumped and turned to look at him. "Billy's back in town!" He breathed, "him an Harry av got into a fight, something about Billy hitting his new girlfriend!"

Matilda and Finn looked at each other, rushing outside and quickly walking to the small crowd at the end of Watery Lane. Finn caught up to Tilly who'd gotten there before him, pushing through the crowd and looking at Harry who had his younger brother up against the wall.

Finn stood behind her.

"You're a bastard, Billy. A fucking coward!" Harry spat, shaking Billy. Billy turned his face away, spitting blood onto the floor.

"Everyone fuck off." Finn called out, pointing at everyone.

Everyone slowly walked back toward their houses, leaving the brothers, Matilda, Finn and Isiah. "The fuck are they doing here.." Billy hissed, glaring at the three.

Harry looked over his shoulder, his eyes landing on Matilda.

"I wouldn't he surprised if the reason she binned you off was cause you did it to her too." Harry shouted, letting go of Billy's shirt.

Tilly sucked in a breath, taking a step back and colliding with Finn's chest. He placed his hands on either side of her arms, steadying her.

"Did you, eh? I'm fucking talking to you!" He shouted, grabbing Billy by his collar.

He said nothing.

"Yeah, he fucking did." Isiah spoke up, stood beside Finn. "Even ask Finn."

Harry looked at them.

Finn nodded slowly, pulling Tilly back slightly. "Yeah, he fucking cut her, that's what he did." Finn gritted his teeth, keeping an arm around Matilda. She shook her head. "Finn stop."

"An the only reason I didn't kill him was because he'd ran off to London" Finn added.

Billy stood, a guilty look plastered across his face.

"You disgust me," Harry shook his head, taking a few steps away. "Disgust me," he repeated, pointing a finger at his younger brother. "Don't come home," he ordered, "and if i ever hear you've hurt another girl, i'll get Arthur Shelby to beat you to pieces." He threatened, nodding toward Finn and Tilly before he walked off.

Billy wiped the blood from his nose, scowling at Finn, Isiah and Matilda.

"Fuck off," Isiah shook his head.

Finn kept his arm around her shoulder, walking her back toward the shop.

"He's a prick, come on Til, let's go." Finn urged, pulling her along. She stared down at the floor, her heart pounding.

Billy fucking Woods.

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