The Sweetest of Hearts.1| T.S

•A visitor.

XX. A visitor.

Maude was sitting next to Tommy's bedside, listening to him complain about every little aspect of the hospital room and how much he hated being there. She only nodded along, letting him rant until his heart was content before she'd tell him he'd just have to suck it up and deal with it.

A nurse knocked on the door, catching both Tommy and Maude's attention as she poked her head in. "Ready for a visitor, Mr. Shelby?" She asked Tommy as she raised her eyebrows.

"No." He replied with a huff, having made it very clear that he'd accept no one but Maude inside his room. He didn't want to deal with the fuss of his family just yet.

"I'm here on the King's orders. I'm afraid I must insist." Campbell's voice called out as he stepped into the room, his cane thudding along with his footsteps. The nurse left and Campbell turned towards Maude, nodding at the door behind him. "I would like to speak with Mr. Shelby alone."

Tommy cleared his throat as he shook his head. "She stays." He insisted.

Campbell sighed as he turned to shut the door before stepping further into the room. He glanced at the two big windows that sat side by side on one side of the room. "Ah. You paid extra for daylight." He commented before turning back to Tommy. "The racketeering business must be booming." He said as he stopped in front of Tommy's bed, raising his eyebrows. "Are you not going to thank me for saving your life?"

Tommy stared at the man for a second before pointing at him and then at his cigarettes that lay on a table near the windows. "Pass me cigarettes?" He asked.

Campbell scoffed before walking towards the table, picking up Tommy's cigarettes as well as his box of matches. He kept them in his hand as he returned to Tommy's bed, not giving them to Tommy as he began to speak. "Three nights ago, at the co-operative stables in Montague Street, there was a murder," Campbell spoke. "A man named Duggan." He said as he placed the cigarettes and matches on Tommy's chest. As Campbell turned his back, pacing around the room as he spoke, Tommy shared a knowing look with Maude. "The Oxfordshire constabulary found his body in a shallow grave."

"I need to piss," Tommy informed Campbell before turning to Maude, who had the pleasure of helping him any time he needed to move around. "Maude, help me?" He asked, grunting as he sat up.

Before Maude could even stand to reach for Tommy, Campbell pressed his cane against Tommy's chest, pushing him back down. "I know it was you who carried out the murder of Mr. Duggan," Campbell muttered.

Maude slowly reached for her purse, keeping it close as she eyed Campbell, feeling Tommy's gun inside. Tommy glanced at her, knowing why she had her purse so close, noting that she was ready to shoot Campbell as she glared at him with her top lip pulled into a slight snarl. Even when Campbell lifted his cane from Tommy's chest, Maude's hand remained on her purse, watching him take a seat on one of the chairs by Tommy's bed.

Tommy turned back to Campbell with a hint of a grin on his face as he pulled out a cigarette, lighting it with Maude's help. "Oh, by the way. Grace, she went to New York." He informed Campbell before turning to Maude. "It's New York, right?" He asked

Maude stared at Campbell as she replied to Tommy, nodding her head. "Yes." She confirmed, as they still kept tabs on Grace to ensure she wouldn't return and cause problems again. "A place called, Poughkeepsie."She said as she gave Campbell a smile. There was a lot of gossip when both Campbell and Grace left. The coppers told that the Inspector had feeling for his little spy, but she rejected him and then blew his knee out. "She's married now."

"To a banker. He's rich." Campbell replied with a nod of his head, making Maude smile to know he still kept tabs on the blonde as well. "I'm sure she's very happy." He muttered before standing up, his attention turning back to Tommy. "You have been under my microscope for some weeks now. I have been observing every move you make. And that is why I was on hand to save your life."