HUMBLE BEGINNINGS || T. SHELBY (1)

TWENTY-NINE (EDITED)

"Very nice. Where did you get the gun belt?" Thomas asked, sitting back down in his chair.

"My sister made it, out of an old blacksmith's apron. My mum did most of the stitching. She's not my real mum, but..."

"She does what mothers do. So she made you a gunbelt," Tabitha finished, giving a faint smile.

"Yes, ma'am," the kid said, nodding his head at the woman.

"My mum does that when my father's belts get old and torn. Made one for my brother as well."

"Alright there mother's boy. There's the door," Arthur said, looking down at his newspaper. "On you go. We're looking for..."

Thomas held his hand up to his bother, cutting him off.

"Have you ever been arrested?" Thomas asked.

"Yeah," the kid answered hesitant.

"Yeah?"

Then he shook his head, "no."

"Good. You're the first bloke we've had in her today with no criminal record," Thomas stated. "Arthur, we can stand him up. Do you know what it means? The new Home Secretary wants something done about illegal gambling."

"Damn right," John said, slamming his hand on the table.

"About bloody time," Arthur said.

"So we help our coppers make their quota of convictions by having men stood up to be arrested," Thomas explained to the kid. "First offence, you'll get a week inside. We'll give you five quid for your trouble. How does that sound, cowboy?"

"Yeah," the kids nodded, giving a small smile.

"Good. Write your address down for Finn on your way out."

That's when the kid's smiled faded. "I can't write."

"That's alright, Finn can't read," John said.

"No matter how hard you try," Tabitha sighed, making John snicker. "I tried to teach him, but..."

"Don't worry," Arthur told the kid.

"Just tell him your address and we'll send someone 'round," Thomas said.

"If...The sheriff don't run you out of town first," John said, pointing at the kid.

"Good man."

The kid then left, and Arthur looked back down at his newspaper.

"Oh, I don't know, Tom. Kids these days," Arthur said with doubt.

"Hmm," Thomas hummed, looking down at his newspaper with one hand while the other was on Tabitha's knee. "They didn't fight. So they're different. They stay kids."

After the interviews were over, Thomas and Tabitha, along with Arthur and John went down Watery Lane. The entire way, Arthur and John were joking around with their guns and with the name Digbeth Kid, acting like children. The couple chuckled at the two, holding hands as they walked together.

"Run for the hills! It's the Digbeth Kid!" Arthur shouted as him and John ran inside the Shelby home.

They ran into the kitchen as John shouted, "get out or I will shoot your fucking head off!!!!"

"Times up! Pew!"

John lowered his gun when he realized Polly was with a young male visitor. Thomas and Tabitha walked in when Arthur lowered his gun after seeing the young man. Tabitha smiled happily with Thomas' arm around her shoulder as they looked at Polly and the lad.