TROUBLE - peaky blinders

03. new friends and family foes

"Ah, Miss Shelby, I presume."

The girl hid her grimace as she placed down her book. The man's tone was condescending as the bang of tables being toppled in the den rung throughout the building.

"Inspector," Clara stated, her mind unscrambling the pieces of the puzzle.

"You know who I am?" He mused, his lip quirking up as the coppers continued their rage in the den.

"It's only fair." She shrugged, kicking her legs up onto the table, (a move which Pol would kill her for). "You know who I am, I know who you are. Even playing field."

"Well, what else do you know, huh?"

Clara scoffed as he approached her, pushing her legs off the table as he stood over her. Her body leant back against the wood of her chair, as the man glared down at her.

Rule number two; when dealing with coppers, relax and don't let them know you're stressed. They feed on it.

"Well, I know a lot." Clara shrugged, "I know that my brothers will have your head for destroying the den, I know that today is cloudy, I know that the grass is green and the sky is blue. I know that fish like—" The girl was cut off as a copper slammed his hands down onto her shoulders, holding her back firmly against the chair. The girl bit back a wince at the heavy pressure the man's fingers were applying, as they dug into her skin.

"I'm under good authority that you Peaky Blinder devils know something, and my question will be answered." The Inspector hissed, his temper overflowing as the girl scrunched up her nose in disdain.

"I'm sorry, Inspector, but that question was very broad." Clara finally smirked, her heart racing as the adrenaline of the situation set in. "How was I to know what answer to give ya?"

"Where are the guns?" The man questioned, still towering over the girl who was fighting the urge to squirm and break free.

"Which ones?" She sniped, "—or are we talking about the ones that'll be in my brothers' hands when they find out you raided all of these houses and interrogated their 'defenceless', little sister?"

"The stolen guns!"

"Oh..."

"So, you do know something."

"Know something about what?"

"The stolen guns!" The man snapped, his hands slamming down on the kitchen table.

"What stolen guns?" The girl prattled back, as she bit back a smile at the man's red face. A loud crack echoed throughout the room. It took a few moments for Clara to realise that the man had hit her. She arrogantly cocked her head to the side, her eyes pushing back burning tears as her cheek flushed crimson and began to throb. "Do you take pride in hitting children, Mr Chief Inspector? I can't imagine it offers you any consolation."

Rule number three, (this time with a little Clara twist), if given the chance to wind up a person of authority, charge ahead with full force.

She wasn't sure if her brothers would approve of this rule but they weren't exactly there, were they?

"Miss Shelby—"

The man's harsh voice was interrupted as the four coppers from before reentered the kitchen, all empty-handed. Clara watched as one stepped forward and spoke in hushed tones to the Inspector.