𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓

"What the bloody hell happened to you?" Maeve hissed as she entered the kitchen where Arthur sat, Ada shoving a wet cloth into Johns hand. "John wipe the blood out of his eye."

"Since when did you give orders?"

"I'm a trained nurse," she hummed, walking around the table. Both Maeve and Arthur chuckled, "don't make me laugh. It hurts my face."

"I bloody am!" Ada argued. "You went to one first aid class in the church hall and got thrown out for giggling." Maeve raised her eyebrows.

John threw his arm around his nieces shoulder and grinned. "Not before i learned how to stop someone choking," Ada continued.

"I'm not bloody choking am i?" Arthur huffed, wincing when Polly pressed an cloth to his eye. "You will be when i wrap this cloth round ya neck."

The door slammed and Tommy came through, bottle of whiskey in hand. "Let me see him- all right have this. Give me that," Arthur hissed in pain when Tommy wiped his face with an alcohol soaked cloth.

Maeve winced and bit her tongue. "Said Mr Churchill sent him to Birmingham, national interest he said. Something about a robbery. Said he wants us to help him."

"We don't help coppers," both Maeve and John said in unison.

"He knew all about our war records, said we're patriots like him. Wants us to be his eyes and ears. I said- i said we would have a family meeting and take a vote."

Tommy stared at him blankly. "Well why not, hm? We've got truck with feniens or communists. What's wrong with you? What the fucks wrong with him lately?"

"If i knew i'd buy the cure from the chemist," Polly huffed.

"Dad, we aren't helping out coppers, especially not ones who do stuff like this," Maeve pulled a chair opposite him. "It makes no sense," she shook her head.

-

Maeve swore as John pulled her hair. "Oi, you two don't be causing trouble." Tommy warned, looking at them through the rear view mirror. "Yeah, John." Maeve crossed her arms.

"Shut up you ginge," he whispered, leaning forward. She gasped dramatically and smacked his arm, "there's nothing wrong with being ginger, John! At least i've not got a dodgy haircut like you."

"Ay, that was the barbers fault!" He argued. Arthur sniggered in the front seat and looked out at the road as they drove. "Arthur, are you not going to tell them?"

"No, because she'll win. It'll be John crying and i'd pay to see that."

"Arthur your daughter is fucking feral!" John squealed, interrupting them both. Arthur turned around, "why what's she done?" He asked.

John held up the back of his hand, "she fucking scratched me!"

"Yeah but i would've done it with a blade if you weren't my favourite uncle." She shrugged, leaning back proudly, John let out a breath and stared at her, "don't give if you can't take, Uncle John."

"Shut up, Maeve."

Arthur laughed again and Tommy parked the car. "Remember, Maeve, you're only here to keep an eye on the horse whilst we speak with Johnny Dogs. No causing issues." Tommy said as they all got out.

"What do you take me for? A wild animal?"

"Yes." John said bluntly. Maeve ignored him and shoved her peaky cap onto her head, following them up the small hill to where the Lee camp was.

"Tommy!" Johnny Dogs smiled brightly as they approached, "Tommy, how the hell are ya?"

"All the better getting the city's smoke out me lungs." Tommy placed his hands into his pockets. Maeve squinted, shielding her eyes from the sun. "I thought you became a bit too grand for us," Johnny said.

"I've been busy." Tom said, joining him. "I'm riding with the Lee family now." Johnny said. "I heard. Myself i'd rather live among pigs," Tommy raised his voice.

"Come on, Tommy. No disputes. So this is your first fair since France?"

The rest of their conversation was drowned out when Maeve noticed a Lee boy staring at her and whispering with his friend. She squinted and looked at the horse beside them and took it as an opportunity to go over.

"What're you looking at?" She asked. Both boys exchanged a glance with each other. "I'm talking to you."

"Me an my brother were just wondering which one of us would be able to take you out-" the smaller one said confidently. "Well, i don't really like cleaning up horse shit and i wouldn't class that as going out, so i'll pass." She insulted.

"Told ya they were peaky bastards. The lot of them, can tell. Arrogant fuckers." The other spat.

"Shut your mouth, you've probably got rabies." She retorted, kicking a stone before turning on her heels and joining her family. "What're they doing?" she whispered to John when she realised that both Johnny and Tommy were staring down at something in the grass.

"Flipping coins," he said.

"Tommy i knew it, you bloody idiot!" Arthur shouted when Tommy placed the car keys into Johnny's hand. "Shut up, Arthur, i won."

"Right.."

"I promised Johnny i'd let him have a spin of the car if he lost." Tommy informed them.

Another three Lee brothers who had been stood a distance away began laughing and Maeve tilted her head. "Are you Lee boys laughing at my dad?" She walked forward. So did they.

"Maeve." Tommy warned. "Are you?" She asked when they said nothing. They all stared her dead in the eye. "Maeve, Maeve! Arthur get ya fucking daughter." Johnny marched forward.

"I asked you a question," she leaned toward them.

"Come on, it's just a crack. Get your family out of 'ere and go on to the fair before you start a war, eh?" Johnny whispered to her. She remained in her place and he began speaking to the brothers in Romani.

"Yeah but their mum was a diddicoy whore," one said, referring to the Shelby brothers mother. That's when Tommy took his cap from his head and swung it forward, Arthur and John following.

Maeve took a step backward and watched the scene unfold. "Go get in the car," Johnny grabbed her aggressively and forced the keys into her hands. "Get off," Maeve demanded, shrugging his hands off her.

She slowly walked backward, still watching as her uncles and dad beat the absolute shit out of the Lee brothers, blood flying everywhere.

-

"We told you no trouble." Arthur repeated, slamming the door and joining his daughter in the betting den. "And they were laughing at my family, what was I supposed to do?"

"You were supposed to not cause trouble!" he raised his voice. Maeve's face didn't change once. His anger never phased her.

"Now you stay 'ere, i'm going with Tommy to the bloody fair. If i find out you've caused any more trouble, you'll be grounded." He pointed a finger at her.

Maeve watched him walk away and put her feet onto the table, taking out a cigarette and lighting it. At least half an hour had passed before she heard commotion outside, screams erupting. That was enough for her to pull back the curtain and look at what was going on.

Copper's on horses were breaking down doors and raiding houses, dragging people out of their homes.

"Shit-" She said loudly, quickly putting out her cigarette and swinging the betting shop doors open and rushing into Arthur's office. She rooted through the cupboards and took the cash boxes and betting books before kneeling down and lifting up a floor board that sat under his desk.

She shoved each valuable item the police could possible want into the gap in the floor and placed the carpet back over it. Maeve then returned to her place in the kitchen and it was only seconds before the door swung open.

"Police!" A man shouted, two others following after him and completely ignoring her presence. Another, older man entered. The same man from the night previous.

He automatically laid eyes on her and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "You won't find anything here," she shrugged.

He hummed. "You lot only ever come when the boys are at the fair. It's funny really, shows you think women are weak."

The man tilted his head and crossed his arms. "And who might you be?"

A loud laugh fell from her mouth, "you're asking me that question in my own home? Who do you think you are?"

"I'm Inspector Campbell-"

"I know who you are it was a rhetorical question you bastard." Maeve replied quickly, cutting him off. He blinked a few times at the young girls attitude. "And for your information i'm Maeve Shelby."

"I though the sister was called Ada."

"I'm not the sister, i'm a daughter." She corrected. Campbell took a long hard look at her before the cogs began turning. Dark red hair, hazel eyes. Arthur Shelby's daughter.

"You're not very bright, are you?" Maeve insulted, looking at the mess the Copper's had created. "And i hope you'll be cleaning this up. It's not polite to do stuff like this y'know."

He said nothing. "Right, you're well boring. So if you've got nothing to say you can leave. But i hope you know my Aunt Pol will be furious with this mess."

Campbell stared at her for so long that even the coppers grew uncomfortable. "People like you need putting down, dogs the lot of you." She insulted, standing up. "Considering you came through the door, i assume you know where it is." Maeve hummed.

One of the police men cleared their throats and Campbell looked down and nodded. "If you hear anything about stolen guns, do let me know."

"If it's got anything to do with my family, my mouth will be sealed. I'm not a grass." She whispered as he walked past her and out of the house.

The moment they'd all stepped out, she quickly slammed the door closed and locked it. How was she supposed to explain the fucking mess? "Guess i'll start now then.." she whispered to herself, kicking a piece of broken glass across the floor.

"What the fuck.." Maeve heard a voice and what sounded like the crunching of glass. "Maeve?" Another voice called out.

"In 'ere," Maeve sighed, standing and wiping her hands on her clothes. Max and Thea entered, a confused expression on their face. "There were some leftovers..from the bakery, thought you'd like them." Thea said, placing the basket onto the table.

Max examined the room, "you going to tell us what's happened?"

"That new fucking cooper raided our house. Left a right mess," Maeve let out a stressed breath and sat down. "Something about a robbery- i don't know."

"We'll help clean up," Thea nodded, "won't we Max." She nudged her friend and he hummed, "yeah..yeah we'll help."

-

The whole of the Shelby family had gathered around the table, all unsure what to say. "The coppers said Arthur agreed to it when he was arrested. Said the Peaky Blinders cleared off to the fair so they could do it," Polly said.

"I never said anything to that copper about smashing up bloody houses- oh and interrogating my fucking daughter!" Arthur snapped.

"All right, what pubs did they do?" Tommy asked. "The Guns, the Chains, The Marquis." Polly said sternly, "all the ones that pay you to protect them. The only one they didn't touch was the Garrison. Make sure people think we were in on it. He's smart, this copper. So go on, drink your beers and get out, better show people you're still the cocks of the walk."

Maeve looked between her aunt and her dad and crossed her arms. "So what..what's this about then?" She asked. Polly and Tommy looked at her, "out. You need to know nothing of this." Polly said.

Maeve looked at her dad in hopes he'd back he'd go but he just held his hands up, "Pol's right, come on you. Out. You can come the Garrison with me," He grabbed her shoulder.

Maeve hated being left out of things, especially family business. She liked knowing what was going on at all times. So of course, this was not a situation she was liking.

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