IN BAD FAITH | peaky blinders | T.S

ELEVEN

SMALL HEATH, BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND

MARTHA

11.

The cool air of the premature morning wrapped itself around Martha until her skin stung, but she welcomed it with open arms. The sensation of gentle wind against her neck and face allowed her to breathe properly, and as she walked with Thomas at her side, her mind started to clear.

There was no way any of Sabini's men could have found Bessie. Martha was sure of it. She would've noticed someone following her - she even remembered being the only passengers in the carriage of their train as they arrived in the countryside. From the station, Ed, Beth and Bessie would've had to drive over an hour to reach their little coastal village. The only childhood memories that were worth reminiscing took place in Ed's cottage by the sea. It was so beautiful and innocent and perfect that Martha knew evil could not exist there. Sabini could not reach Bessie in such a place.

She would still use Thomas' telephone, though, to be sure. All she had to do was check on her sister, make sure that she was safe, and then she could focus again. The more she anticipated hearing Bessie's voice, the more confident she felt. The picture of the corpse faded from her mind, the ringing of the gunshot quietened. She breathed with the rhythm of her steps against the pavement to distract herself from the thick silence that lay between her and Thomas.

If there was one thing Tommy hated, it was being confused - and that is all this woman brought him. Questions of who she was and where she came from and why she was meddling in the business of Sabini. He was confused, too, by the drastic turn of events. By her bravery at aiming a gun at his head, by cursing at him and telling him to move. Now they walked alongside each other as though it hadn't happened.

She almost reminded him of Ada. He tried to size her up; stole glances at her as they turned corners. Her dark hair fell to her shoulders and her face was sharp and pointed, yet full at the cheeks like a child.

"In here," he finally spoke, stopping at a building and unlocking the door. It was dark inside, the thin light from the lightening sky outside struggling to penetrate the thick curtains which were draped around the room. Martha was surprised at the place - it looked like a home.

Tommy eyed her up suspiciously, unsure of her wide eyes. He watched as she scanned the room, resting her fingers against the back of the floral sofa.

"My office is this way," he said after a moment.

An office? Martha wondered where he was going, heading towards a large curtained wall, before pulling it open and revealing another room, long and wide and full of things she couldn't quite make out in the relative darkness.

She followed him, for a second considering whether this was a good idea. In fact, it had only just hit her that she was stood with a stranger who had so easily killed the scarred man. Martha had been so caught-up in her fury and hatred for him that she had forgotten quite how unaffected Thomas had been by the whole thing. In the darkness of the early morning she had followed a killer through the streets of an unknown city to his house.

Tommy spun round quickly as if he could hear her internal speculations, almost sending Martha into him. She tried to control her breathing as she stood under his gaze, shadows dancing across his face.

"Before I help you," he said. "I want to know who you are."

She considered lying to him. If he was dangerous - which, quite clearly he was - should she disclose any sort of information to him? He had killed Sabini's man so easily, had multiple weapons on him. And yet who was she to judge? She had been seconds away from pulling the trigger - Martha knew it. She had made a promise to kill the man and she almost pulled through with it.