Truly Mrs Shelby [T. Shelby || Peaky Blinders || Shelby's Girl Book 3]

- 4 -

At the Lanchester Motor Company, Tommy and Astella walked through the factory floor as the men continued working around them. They made their way to an office, Tommy opened the door and Astella walked in front and Tommy followed after her. A man, Mr Nutley, behind a desk looked at them as they looked at him, "Your brothers came to my house. They said the Peaky Blinders had business with me," Mr Nutley said.

Tommy stuffed his hands in his pockets as they walked up to the desk, "You're not afraid of us," Tommy said as he pulled a chair over and they both sat down as they both got themselves a cigarette, lighting them.

Mr Nutley looked at them both, "So, what is it you want from a simple working man?" Mr Nutley asked.

"Fear," Thunder rumbled outside, "Poor Mr Nutley drank too much. He went for a piss on the train tracks that run behind the factory. Train came," Astella looked at Tommy as he smoked his cigarette and looked at Mr Nutley, "They found his body in Saltley broken into bits," Tommy said.

"I know what you do. Tell me what you want," Mr Nutley said.

Tommy turned the chair to face blueprints and pointed at it, "There. The lot's complete warehouse. Bays four, five and six. You have the keys?" Tommy said.

"Yes, I have the keys," Mr Nutley said.

"What's in bay four, Mr Nutley?" Astella asked.

"Completed types 40s and types 21s waiting for the paint shop," Mr Nutley said and Tommy nodded.

"Bay five?" Astella asked.

"Paint shop and parts," Mr Nutley said.

"Uh-huh," Tommy said.

"So, it's bay six," Astella said as she looked at the blueprints and looked at her husband.

"Indeed," Tommy nodded.

"What is?" Mr Nutley asked as he looked between the married couple.

Tommy smoked his cigarette, "Give us the keys to bay six," Tommy said.

"It's just old stock in storage," Mr Nutley said.

Astella looked at Mr Nutley and smiled a little, "Give us the keys to bay six, please, Mr Nutley," Astella said and Tommy glanced at her.

Mr Nutley looked at her and sighed before standing up, Astella looked at Tommy and lightly marked off a five in a tally form in midair with a smirk, causing her husband to roll his eyes. 

Mr Nutley walked over to the keys and the married couple watched him in the corner of their eyes, as he walked over to them and they stood up, Mr Nutley handed the keys to Tommy who pocketed the keys and then handed Mr Nutley an envelope of money, "For your trouble," Tommy said.

"Give it to your charity," Mr Nutley moved to the side and Astella walked past him as Tommy put the envelope in the pocket in the man's dungarees and then walked up to his wife, "I'm only doing this for the safety of my safety," Mr Nutley said.

Astella glanced back at him, "As are we, Mr Nutley. Thank you for your time," Astella said and walked out of the office as Tommy followed her and they walked through the factory.

The two of them held hands as they looked at bay six, they saw that it wasn't covered with a sheet as the others. Tommy climbed up the ladder first and Astella followed him as he helped her onto the platform. Astella watched as Tommy walked over to a door, he opened it, crouching down, turned on a light and looked inside to see the controls. He sighed and turned the light off, stood up and looked at Astella, "Come on," Tommy said and he got down, holding his arms out as he steadied Astella as she got down.