The Queen Of Small Heath

Meeting In The Woods.

"Scud, that's five for you. The rest we take to America to invest in legal-acquired property. Assets brought, with untraceable income resold and the profit reinvested to make sure its clean." I tell them. "And after that, I suppose, the whole business will be like that stag hanging up over there, right Tom?" Arthur asks.

"Well, with the profits of this scale, we'll be in a position to stop the off-track business for good." I tell him. "Keep the pubs, stop the protection. Horses for the sport and race days for a lark. I made a promise to Aurora." I say, glancing at my girl. "Now, I also made a promise to Linda." Arthur says. "I know, I can see it in your eyes brother. Part of the reason for doing this last job is so you'll be set up when you decide to walk away." I sigh.

"Look at you, Arthur. A man that wants to live a clean life, but here you are signing up for the biggest robbery of all. I have to hand it to you, Tom. You're a smart man." Charlie speaks. "You in or out, Charlie?" I ask him. "How do we know this foolish man will hand over the diamonds when we're done?" Charlie questions. "We don't, but that's another business. Right, let's cook some meat." I announce, rubbing my hands together, before wrapping my arm around Aurora's waist.

******

Auroras POV

"Oi, Ro, get the phone!" Finn shouts out to me. I roll my eyes at his laziness and make my way to the phone. "Hello?" I ask into the phone. "It's Billy, from the Garrison." The man replies. "Everything alright?" I ask. "Polly, Esme and Lizzie have gone on strike with Linda." He tells me making me laugh. "They've fucking what?" I question.

"They've gone on strike, half of Birmingham is out. Well, the female half. Polly locked up the shop, last I heard she jumped into the bullring, pissed out of her mind talking about a revolution." Billy informs. "Alright, is the pub alright though?" I ask. "Yeah, pub's fine." He tells me and I hang up.

"You ain't going to fucking believe this. The female half of Birmingham have gone on strike, all of them. They've locked up the betting shop, and are in the fucking bullring screaming about a revolution." I tell the boys who look at me shock.

******

"Alright, what do you want? You comes storming in here, acting all pissy, dragging me out of bed for some fucking convention." I say to Lizzie and Esme as they shove me into a kitchen chair. "The strike." Esme states and I roll my eyes. "They are never going to take us seriously if you're acting like everything is fine. Because of how you act, they're taking that as an unanimous opinion." Lizzie tells me.

"So you're acting pissy because I couldn't give two fucks about some bathrooms. See, you they don't take seriously because you're constantly whining. Me they take seriously because I get on with things. We are different people and I'm not going to change how I act because of you." I reply.

"Have they brainwashed you?" Esme exclaims. "We've got told fuck all, just some lap dogs." Lizzie adds. "Correction, you guys know fuck all because if I'm being fucking honest, it's none of your fucking business. It's certainly not yours Lizzie as you're just a worker. Esme, you know what type of family you married into. You've got to turn a blind eye to whatever isn't your business and stick to your jobs. This isn't your job." I say looking between the women.

"You wanna do what I do? Go out there, shooting and stabbing, doing all the physical work? Be my fucking guest, let's see how you whingers handle it." I continue and they both stay quiet. "I didn't think so. It's the way I've been raised. My dad is a gang leader. The reason you guys know fuck all is because you're not involved in it. It is my job as a Peaky Blinder and Tommys wife to know what's happening." I add.

"My husband's involved." Esme argues. "As I said, you are not involved in it. Now, you want some bathrooms?" I say standing up and pouring myself some whiskey. "It's 9am." Lizzie tells me. "And your point is exactly?" I ask her sarcastically. "I need this to put up with you two." I add.

"We want to know about the robbery the guys are planning. Not the factory robbery, the other one." Esme says just as the door opens to reveal Tommy. "John's got a big mouth." Tommy states, pecking my lips. "Actually, Arthur told Linda, who told me." Esme corrects as me and Tommy share a look. "We want to know about the robbery, the one you're not telling the women about." She adds.

"My wife knows, she's a woman." Tommy responds making me smirk. "Doesn't act like one." Esme retorts. "And who defines what a lady should act like. Got the same fucking body parts, my hands have just got blood on them." I say. "What happens when the Russians want revenge? When I am giving birth?" Esme questions.

"Get out, get back to work." Tommy demands, pointing towards the betting den for Esme and Lizzie to leave. "Keep us posted, won't you sister?" Esme says to Polly who nods. "I will." Polly says. "Oh, fucking hell." I scoff downing my glass of whiskey. "So Arthur tells Linda everything, eh?" Tommy says.

"She's stolen his soul and taken it a better place. The suburbs, where men are honest with their wives. And you tell Rory everything." Polly replies. "We can trust Lizzie." She adds and I burst out laugh. "What, Miss-spread-her-legs-for-every-man-she-sees? No, we can't fucking trust her." I spat.

"Yeah and I can't trust Esme. I can't trust the Russians to pay me what they owe me. And I can't trust my own brother to keep his fucking mouth shut. I tell Ror everything because she's my girl and has a right to know and I trust her with my life." Tommy says lighting his cigarette. "Did you make progress last night?" I ask him. "Yeah, I did, baby." He nods.

******

"Ror." Tommys voice sounds through the phone. "Tom?" I question. "They want the robbery to be sabotaged. They don't give a fuck who gets hurt." He tells me. "You alright, Tommy?" I ask concerned. "Did the Arthur and John make a list?" He asks me instead of answering.

"Arthur! John!" I shout. "Why, what's going on Tommy?" I ask but the line hangs up. "Tom? Tommy?" I say but get no reply. "What is it, Rory?" Arthur asks. "Have you made the list Tommy asked you for?" I question. "Gypsies and kin only." John confirms.

******

"Ada, calm down. Deep breathes. Calm down." I tell her as she rambles over the phone. "Hospital. Tommy. London." She breathes, sounding as though she's on the verge of tears. "More words Ada." I tell her.

"Tommy came here, wanted a meeting with someone from the Soviet embassy at 10pm. When he got here, his face was swelled up and he was sweating. He just about got through the meeting, then he collapsed onto the stairs, saying he couldn't see and I needed to call for an ambulance, say he has a fractured skull and internal bleeding, thinks he has a haemorrhage. So now I'm in the hospital, waiting for a doctor to tell me something, what happened?" She rambles, her breath shaky and I feel my heart beating faster.

"I'm not sure, he did something weird when he called me earlier about four, maybe something happened at the meeting." I suggest. "Can you get here please. You know how to handle this." She pleads. "Yeah. What hospital?" I ask and write down the information she gives me.