𝙏𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙮-𝙊𝙣𝙚. 𝘖𝘩, 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘺
...
A THREAT IS USUALLY ONE OF TWO THINGS, empty or earnest; Empty meaning the words that were said were just jumbled up without intention, while earnest meaning the words said were strategic, genuine, and intended to be followed through. And the little voice in the back of Elizabeth's head continues to tell her that the one she received the night prior was earnest.
Running on zero hours of sleep, Elizabeth chose to go about her regular day the next day: helping those who knocked on her door and visiting her regulars who needed her medical assistance but couldn't go to her. Although she rarely let her personal troubles impede on her work life, throughout her day the prior words of Mr. Campbell rang and repeated while the bruise on her neck pounding to the melody that was the beat of her heart.
The choice to go about her regular day after the night she had endured was a hard yet easy choice for the Alder girl. Easy because for one she herself didn't know the whereabouts of the stolen goods, and second and most importantly because her mind was already made up that she would not sell out on the Shelby family. The family that welcomed her back with open arms even after what she did; her family. And hard because the repercussions of her choice, she knew, would be painful in one way or another as this wasn't her first encounter with the man.
Just a few weeks ago
As Elizabeth walked down the streets of Small Heath, the word robbery continued to cycle around and around. Having just left the Shelby home after patching up Arthur Shelby Junior, Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder; what could the man that did that much damage over speculation look like? A strong, young man who is determined to make it higher in the books? Or a well-aged man who's morals have escaped him as a result of working so long? Maybe somewhere in between.
After the family meeting, it didn't seem as if Thomas was interested in the offer his older brother was sent with. Although it didn't seem like much of a hassle to be someone's eyes and ears, Arthur was always one to be a little too soft or generous when it came to helping and lending a hand, often times to those who don't deserve it.
As she turns the corner to head towards The Garrison, a hand his placed on her shoulder. The Alder girl spins around with caution to see who has stopped her, and she is met with an older looking gentleman who wears a long tan trench coat and black bowler hat. "Sorry ma'am", the man says as he talks the pipe out of his mouth, "I hear you are a nurse."
"I am", she replies as she holds her shoulders up to stay confident in front of this man she has never seen before.
"I was curious if you'd be able to take a look at this", the man says as he holds out his right hand which revels itself to be cut-up and bruised along the top knuckles.
"How'd this happen now?", Elizabeth asks.
"Just a little scuffle is all", he replies.
"Well, it doesn't appear to be broken if that's what you're worried about", she says, "What's your name? I haven't seen you around here."
"Where are my manners", the man says, "Chester Campbell."
"Where are you from Mr. Campbell?", Elizabeth asks.
"Just dropping by", he replies.
"People don't just drop to by to smell the flowers in this town Mr. Campbell", she says with a slight sarcastic laugh.
"Curious now are you nurse?", he says with a smirk.
"Just like to know a little bit about my patients", she replies, "I think you could understand that."
"On business", Mr. Campbell says with a nod, "By Mr. Churchill."
"Mr. Churchill eh", Elizabeth echoes as she attempts to be impressed, as she clearly remembers Arthur saying the man that threatened and beat him up was sent by Mr. Churchill.
"Yes, something very important is in this town", he says, "But you didn't hear that from me."
Elizabeth says silent as she seems to have put the pieces together, "You know those Peaky Blinders and Shelby's eh?", Mr. Campbell asks.
"Not really", Elizabeth lies.
"Not really", he repeats, "Seeming you just left their house, I would've assumed otherwise."
Elizabeth gives a squinted eye look at the man who stands in front of her in the tan trench coat and bowler hat, "Mr. Shelby needed medical assistance, I am a nurse", she responds, "Poor thing was beat bloody, like torture."
Mr. Campbell stands silent for a moment as he takes a puff of his pipe, "The world we live in eh, come home from a bloody war just to be tortured when you come home", she laughs, "Imagine that."
Mr. Campbell lets out a chuckle as he puts his bruised hand back in his pocket. "Put it on ice and it should heal up fine", Elizabeth says as she takes a few steps away, "And Mr. Campbell", she says as she stops in her tracks and he too turns to look back at her, "I recommend not punching anyone or anything in the mean time, if you could do that."
...
After the long work day, Elizabeth found herself home quite quickly after her end-of-the-day drink at The Garrsion. She would usually stay for a couple drinks, sometimes until the sun went down. But today she had only one before departing, the light from the sun still in the sky as she walked through her front door. The thought of being out in the night that was coming gave the Alder girl an uneasy feeling in her stomach; not because she was scared of the dark, but because she did not plan on answering to the inspector's threat.
Who does that man think he is? Thinking he can just tell me what to do, try to scare me or something; the girl thinks to herself in hopes to ease the growing angst.
In the safety of her home, Elizabeth lets out a slight breath as if she was half holding it in all day. Just after her breath, a faint noise coming from somewhere in the Alder home can be heard. The girl in her home becomes as still as stone as she tries to listen better, and more shuffling up above can be heard. Living alone has its perks, but it also has more than a few downsides; such as when you hear a noise from inside your home, it's almost always someone or something that is uninvited.
Warily, Elizabeth walks towards the stairs and up, grabbing the small handgun of hers from the kitchen drawer along the way. As she ascends towards the noises, they become louder and more distinct: rummaging, drawers opening and closing, metal clinking back and forth.
As she reaches the top, the noises reveal themselves to be coming from Benjamin's old room. The grip on the gun becomes tighter as Elizabeth could feel her hands begin to clam up. Who was on the other side of the door was a mystery, one that had to be solved despite the Alder girl's admiration for dismissal and avoidance. Could it be Inspector Campbell, or one of his men — digging around for false hope or information. Or perhaps looking for collateral in case of dismissal of the threat. Maybe a Peaky Blinder — sent by one of the brothers for reasons unknown. Or it could very well just be some stranger inside her home, looking for loose coins or things to trade in for coins. In a town such as Small Heath, the list is never ending.
After contemplating for a few moments, Elizabeth musters up enough courage. As she clicks the gun to prepare to shoot, her hand is swift as it opens the door. Pointing the gun out in front of her, a man in a suit appears on the other side of the door who quickly jumps and turns around; the face revealing itself being John Shelby.
Eyes wide, John puts his hands up, "L-Liz I... I didn't think you'd... I didn't take anything, I swear", he says.
With a sigh of relief, Elizabeth brings the gun in her hand down, away from the Shelby boy in front of her. Although uninvited, seeing a Shelby was a relief. "John, what the hell!", the girl exclaims as her heart begins to regulate itself and the blood pumping through her veins.
"Polly mentioned you always brought a few things while travelling just in case", John says as he looks up at the girl, eyes noticeably watery and red, "Heard some people say you had morphine and sulfa, even opium."
"What would you need any of those for eh?", Elizabeth says softly as she can see the boy in front of her stand in shame.
"Same as anyone else who needs 'em", the man says as he places a syringe down on the dresser, "Pain in the head or what not."
The Alder girl places the gun down on the dresser as there was clearly no need for it anymore. John walks over the the bed and takes a seat down in silence. As Elizabeth inspects the boy who is sat in front of her, tiredness and sadness can be seen and felt emitting from the otherwise chippy young Shelby.
"I know I said I would help with the kids, I—", "It's not that", John says to quickly dismiss the golden haired girl's thought that she was the cause of his pain, "It's Lizzie", John says.
With confusion, Elizabeth sits beside the boy on the bed, head turned to listen for elaboration. "I spoke to Tommy again, I was going to take Lizzie and the kids out to the country to celebrate getting the license", he continues with his head down, "And he told me... he told me that he went to her and offered her money... in exchange for... for services... and she said yes."
With a brief pause Elizabeth gives a sympathetic look, but it is missed by the Shelby boy who keeps his head hung low, "I didn't believe him. I didn't want to", he begins again, "But I spoke to her, to Lizzie. I told her what Tommy told me, and she said 'your brother Tommy is a dirty liar'. But then I spoke to her sister and her cousin, bought them a couple of drinks... 'just a few regulars' they said, 'to keep the wolf from the door, she still sees a couple of regulars'...", he trails off.
To comfort, Elizabeth rests a gentle hand on the back of John. Although not happy for his pain, Elizabeth found happiness that the boy felt comfortable enough to share his troubles with her. "You must think I'm an idiot", he says with pain and embarrassment in his tone and the girl shakes her head.
"Oh John boy, I think you're the first Shelby in history to have a legal licence for anything", she smiles, and a small smile can be seen on the his face as well. Elizabeth knew well that the boy sitting beside her was hurting, and not in a way the medical drugs she carried would fix.
"Did you call it off?", she asks, just for confirmation of assumption, and John gives a nod of his head.
"Good", Elizabeth says, "I think just one Liz in your life is good enough anyways", she jokes as she gives the man a little shove.
A small smile along with a muffled laugh escapes the red-eyed Shelby boy. Although not said, the presence of the golden haired girl brought comfort to the second youngest Shelby brother; much like it did to every Shelby brother in one way or another. It was just something about the Alder girl that made him feel like he could tell her anything and not be judged or yelled at. Having sense talking into is good in some cases, but sometimes what a man needs is to just speak and feel comforted whether he admits it or not; which is exactly what John boy knew he could get from the golden haired girl.
...
Notably hours past the 24-hour mark of the time Elizabeth was supposed to meet the Inspector, regarding the whereabouts of the stolen goods, Mr. Campbell taps his foot as he sits at a table inside The Garrison which was empty. Invited by Mr. Shelby, the Inspector sits with an unknown man beside him, awaiting for the Shelby man to arrive. Although Mr. Campbell likes to think of himself as a moral man, part of him deep down knows this not to be true. Something inside him told him the Alder girl would not follow through with his request, even if he threatened her as he did; which is why he is sat where he is in that moment, pre-prepared.
The doors to The Garrison swing open, the two men looking up to see Thomas Shelby walking towards them with a cigarette in hand.
Slightly startled to see two men and not one, Thomas manages to keep his composure as he proceeds towards them. "Glad you decided to join us", Mr. Campbell says to the man in the peaky cap.
"You're in my pub", Thomas replies, "You wouldn't be in here if it weren't for me. Who is this?"
"How rude of me", the Inspector says as he stands up from his seat, the unknown man mirroring him, "Mr. Shelby, this is Mr. Flander", he says with a devilish smile. And for the first time since he stepped into this exact pub a few weeks ago and saw his golden haired girl, Thomas Shelby is caught off guard.
"Good to meet you Mr. Shelby", Mr. Flander says as he extends his hand out with a smile, "I've heard many things of you."
...
[ Chapter Status: Not Edited]
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authors note: here's a quick little chapter for you all. i hope you're all enjoying this story so far! i cannot thank you guys enough for the endless support and love. it turtle motivates me, seeing people enjoy reading this story. i hope to have another update soon!! thank you again!