In My Blood // Alfie Solomons

Russians

Alfie stood by the window, waiting patiently.

'Good morning Mr. Solomons' Tommy said moving to pour himself a drink.

'It is' Alfie agreed, Tommy looked up from his drink. 'it's a nice little place you got here Thomas' Alfie went on, still looking out the window as Tommy poured himself another drink. 'what is it a foreclosure of a gambling debt from some poor young lord who are you pumped full of opium in one of your casinos? Or is it just tittle tattle?' He turned to Tommy.

'Is Olivia her?' tommy questioned Alfie didn't answer. 'you want a drink?'

'Nah man I don't touch it. Your housekeeper said you're not allowed to drink.' Alfie reminded him 'she said that you're suffering from so many ancient injuries from your sporting life that your head is like some sort of smashed vase... one that has been stuck back together by a horse.' Tommy nodded sitting down lighting a smoke. 'Now word in London is that you can be found wandering the streets of Birmingham stark naked throwing away money,' Alfie informed him. 'You talk to dead people. Also that you believe you are powerful enough to summon up Jews. Or a very particular standing up to the gentile wilderness where in you live and order them around... to do your fucking bidding mate.'

'And still you came.' Tommy told him, 'I did however request Olivia as well.' Tommy repeated hoping she was somewhere around here. He hadn't seen her since she visited in Birmingham and polly was outraged at that. that her daughter left after two measly days and wasn't seen again for months. Wasn't heard from in months. Tommy had no business in Camden town and polly kept getting the run around when she went to see Amelia. Saying that she needed to leave and there was no one by that name and to fuck off gypsy scum.

'Yeah well you know I was passing wasn't I?'

'Do you know some thing Alfie... this morning I tried to read the paper and I realized that the only constant consequence of my terrible accident is that I now need glasses.' he told Alfie.

'Right. Right well I know a man' Alfie said pulling out his own glasses 'He can make you a pair of these he is a magician mate. He is a magician. So not only will you be able to read your newspaper but you will also be able to see into the future,' Alfie joked 'now I know this right because he made this pair here for me. So you don't have to worry about telling me what this is all about because I have already seen it. You're fucking about with the Russians aren't you silly boy?' Alfie questioned.

'Alfie this place is- oh hello Mr. Shelby.' Livy said coming into the office.

'Tommy.' He corrected giving her a hug, she didn't tense up when he hugged her she hugged him back gently before moving past him to Alfie.

'Ello Kitten,' he kissed her cheek as ollie walked in.

'your place is like a palace.' Livy told tommy. 'we were coming back from the loo when we got turned around.' Livy admitted.

'you should see the gardens,' tommy told her.

'could i?' she questioned hopefully.

'Michael is here, I will have him show you and Ollie around while we discuss business.' Tommy told her. she nodded happily.

++++++

'Boys you remember Alfie right?' tommy questioned as his brothers walked in.

'Arthur!' Arthur turned around 'Arthur shalom!' Alfie said holding back a grin. 'shalom.'

'Alfie' Arthur said softly.

'Shalom... I owe you a little something don't I? I do. Come on sit down, come here sit down here.' Alfie told him sitting next to him and holding his hand. 'All right listen to me. I want you to know that whatever happened between us back then... that was business.' Alfie told him 'it was just business all right? And I also want you to know that I have made my apologies via my own God for abusing a very holy day to enact my own personal vendetta.' he looked to tommy. 'Im sorry mate and now I would also like to extend my personal apologies onto you.' Alfie told him and Arthur looked to tommy. 'right? I hear that you have brought Jesus into your life.'

'Oh you heard that?' Arthur said still looking at Alfie.

'Yeah that's beautiful, that's wonderful that is lovely, isn't it?' Alfie said sitting very close to him, 'that is lovely. And I was wondering how does that work for you on a day today considering your line of work mate?' Arthur focused on Tommy.

'Your apology is accepted...' arthur said slowly.

'Cause I hear you are right fucking nuisance with it. Hello... You see what I'm saying, is that every man he craves certainty doesn't he? He craves a certainty even if that certainty is not yours right...' Arthur gripped a crystal glass bowl next to him, dragged it closer and closer wanting to bash Alfie over the head with it. 'Well I mean... It's fucking fanciful mate isn't it?' Arthur put the bowl down still looking to Tommy. He turned to face Alfie for the first time since sitting down and got up close and personal.

'I'm old testament,' he informed Alfie.

'divine fucking hell look at that now!' still nose to nose. 'That scares me more. Yeah. Congratulations!' Alfie grinned over at tommy. 'See that man right, he will murder and Mame for you with God on his side. Yeah. You don't wanna let him go.' Alfie told tommy.

'If we're gonna do business with this fucker I demand to know why!' Arthur told him

'Right,' Tommy said, 'well, while I was in the hospital I formulated a plan,' he told them all 'and this is how it's gonna work. So the Russians cannot be trusted to pay us we are going to take what is ours. We need to see what's in their treasury and that is why we need Mr. Solomons.'