To Be Alone | Tommy Shelby

Chapter 30

Celia was still waiting for him to return. It had been a bit since the shots were fired, and Tommy hadn't shown his face in the stands. She did see the men that he brought along with him to clean up Sabini's posts, and by the looks of it, they were making out well. Still, she wouldn't feel better until she saw his face and physically confirmed that he was ok.

"I need to go," Polly then stated, standing from her seat.

"Where are you going?" Celia asked for more details, really not wanting to be left alone at the moment.

"I have business I have to attend to," Polly was vague with her answer, and Celia sighed, knowing that this was all she'd be getting. "Stay here," Polly told her then. What else was she going to do though? So Celia watched as Polly moved through the row and walked up the steps to the concourse, leaving her sitting by herself. She couldn't help but feel tears prick her eyes, and she got a feeling down deep in her gut that something wasn't right.

Tommy looked about finished with everything as two coppers dragged him out of the building and to a truck, one leading them with a pistol pointed back at his arrestee. He didn't know why they were making such a big deal out of this...it wasn't like he was resisting.

"Take his hat and gun," the man with the weapon ordered, now standing in the back of the truck. "Get in then," he then ordered Tommy once said things had been taken, and Tommy listened, no emotion on his face as he heaved himself in and sat down, his own revolver, the one that didn't fucking work, being pointed at him now. One of the remaining men got into the back, and both guns were still aimed in Tommy's direction as the doors to the truck shut and everything went black. The engine started up then, and the truck began moving to who the hell knows where.

Celia had had enough of waiting. She needed to find someone she knew, and she needed to do it fast. So she stood from her seat and moved throughout the concourse in hopes that a familiar face would pop up. It didn't take long for her to hear Arthur's distinct voice coming from one of the bar areas. So she stepped in, seeing John in the middle of hugging Lizzie, who looked like she had been put through hell. Arthur was sitting at one of the tables, a drink in his hand as he grinned. "Oi, Celia! Have you seen Tom anywhere?" he asked once he saw her approaching.

"No. I was wondering if you did," she shook her head, sending a look of concern in Lizzie's direction, "are you ok, Lizzie?" she asked.

"Things didn't go quite as planned. Tommy got to me late and then struggled with the soldier because his gun didn't go off. They fought and he killed the Field Marshal with his own gun," Lizzie gave them a rundown of what had happened, her voice shaky. "I don't know where he went afterwards. He told me to leave."

"Things went off without a hitch for us. We took Sabini's lisences and burned them. All bets made on these races will now go to the Peaky Blinders," Arthur reported on how him and his men got on with their assignment, a proud smile on his face.

The conversation was cut short before anyone could respond by Polly walking into the room then. Celia's eyes widened when she noticed a circle of red in the middle of her white, striped coat. "Are you ok, Pol?! Are you bleeding?" she frantically asked as she moved to the older woman's side.

"No, I'm not bleeding. We need to go, Celia," she answered, her voice bare of emotion. Celia furrowed her brows, almost wanting to dispute the statement and wait for Tommy, but the look in Polly's eyes told her that her argument would be wasted. So she nodded and followed the other woman out of the grounds and to the car. The others were left there with confused expressions on their faces, but nobody said anything as they surely also heard in Polly's voice that her statement wasn't up for contention.

"I killed the inspector," Polly stated the second they were in the car. Her voice still held no emotion, and she stared straight out in front of her as she spoke. Celia looked at her with wide eyes, not knowing what she was to say.