𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐃𝐄 ♚ 𝙩. 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙗𝙮

ⅻ - 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦

"Arthur Shelby?" Glen started, his voice visibly nervous, he was fearful Eli was alluding to a mistake on his part. "I have it here in the diary - 12.00pm meeting with-"

"I know, Glen." Eli interrupted, setting the glass down with a thunk as he leaned his forearms on the table, better revealing his impeccably smart navy blue suit.

"However, Thomas Shelby was also present." He advised his admin, and Glen looked at his boss in complete disillusion.

Everyone knew the feared and famed Thomas Shelby. The bookmaker turned politician, who also happened to be a millionaire and had his fingers dipped in multiple businesses. Mr Groves could not fashion why on earth the affluent and well progressed Thomas Shelby would want to hassle himself with something as meagre as his brother's club.

"I'm as stunned as you are," Eli chuckled nonchalantly, the ever present droll sounding tones ringing in his deep Sheffield accent. "But I guessed he was probably there to act as the real brains for his brother." Eli clicked his tongue against his teeth in a musing manner as he shook his head. "I reckon Arthur Shelby ain't quite right enough upstairs to handle the proper meetings."

"... right, of course." Groves cleared his throat and pulled his smart round spectacles out of their leather case, placing them on the end of his nose. "What exactly did you learn?"

"Not a lot really, thankfully they did buy the ruse of me 'wanting to help'." Eli chuckled valiantly to himself, "they've got no reason to suspect otherwise? They know I helped the Humbug, and Cook's - but didn't once think that the blokes running it are practically my kin." Eli was smirking proudly to himself at the events unfolding.

"And of course sir, it's far from common knowledge that Mr Cook or Mr Helders are childhood friends of yours." Added Glen, who felt like a praises puppy when he earned a smile and a nod from Eli.

"Exactly!" Valentine toasted his tumbler to the secretary, "I reckon wiping that Eden Club off the mark might be easier than I initially thought." He hummed, voice muffled as the amber liquid of the whisky once again lapped at his tongue.

There were a few quiet moments as Eli set his empty glass down onto the polished wood table, the ice almost melted as it caught the reflection of the glassy chandeliers draped from the ceiling.

Glen cocked his head, fingers pressed together in a steeple shape. "So what exactly is the next move?" He asked curiously, pushing his glasses up to bridge of his nose with his index finger.

Valentine paused for a moment, staring down at the melting ice in his glass as he chewed his lip in thought. It did not take him long to formulate the next steps.

"I keep reeling them in. Make them believe I'm not just giving them help or advice but... friendship as well." Eli advised his PA, watching as the little man scribbled some notes down in a planner, the scratching of the pen prevalent in the otherwise fairly quiet surroundings.

"I... I also noticed they've got a new girl in there." Eli cleared his throat, the change in his tone causing Groves to glance up at him - the man's blue eyes enlarged somewhat by the lenses in his glasses.

"Oh really! Besides Miss Ebson?"

"Yeah, besides that wop." Eli disregarded. He had heard the excitement surrounding Scarlett Ebson and was envious that an American wop could draw such a crowd like that in a club.

"I asked a mate to go and spend a couple of nights in the club," Eli informed Glen, "said she's a fantastic singer. London girl too." His voice sounded much more approving, a positivity linked as the image of when he laid eyes on Verity flashed up in his mind.