1 month later
Everyone danced around inside the Garrison, laughing as Isiah and Micheal lifted up Florence despite the fight she put up. "Eighteen today" Micheal shouted.
"Put me down" she laughed, gripping onto their shoulders.
Over the years she'd been in Small Heath, she'd developed feelings for Isiah, but they were both too stubborn to admit it. Until Isiah got too drunk, got into a fight and turned up outside the betting den, in need of help. It just so happened that it was Florence inside the den that night. And as you do when you're drunk, he spoke truthfully about how he felt.
And ever since that night they'd been going out with each other, sneaking around.
Tommy smiled, for the first time in a while, sipping his whiskey. "All right that's enough, you'll make her sick" Arthur chuckled, helping the girl down.
"Thank you, Arthur" she let out a breath. "Right, a toast" he shouted, lifting up his glass. "To Florence, the one i always needed" he said drunkenly.
His words were true, and meant a lot. Florence was the person Arthur always needed. All he ever wanted was for someone to be there, to understand him and help without making him feel like an idiot. And that's exactly what Florence was.
Everyone raised their glasses and cheered. Florence turned red and looked down
"Happy birthday" Isiah flung an arm around her shoulders, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Thank you" she smiled. Florence kept close to him as she watched Ada dance around with Polly.
Micheal stood in the corner beside Finn, talking.
Time had passed and Tommy approached the two, "Can i steal you from a moment?" he asked her. She looked up at Isiah and he nodded. Her and Tommy walked into the snug.
"Right, tonight is the only night i've been able to get you away from everyone"
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Somethings going to happen, Florence. People are going to get into a lot of trouble. But when that time comes, you will be one of the only ones who remain safe with a protected reputation" he said quietly. "I'm not following" she frowned.
"I can't tell you too much, Flo, but just trust me, ok? You'll know when the time comes, but you will be fine. Everyone will be fine"
He turned, opening the door.
"Tommy" she whispered. "Tommy what has happened?"
-
2 weeks later
Everyone sat in Tommy's office, waiting for him to speak.
"Before I begin, I want to let you know I made a mistake. I made a mistake, and I want to apologise to all of you. Arthur, you warned me against getting involved in Russian business, and you were right."
Arthur hummed.
"I doubted your wife, for that, I am sorry. Linda, I have added 3,000 here, in the hope you will forgive me."
Linda stood, taking the money. "Apology accepted"
"Esme, I doubted you as well.
"Now John has got innocent lives on his conscience. Ordinary working men..." she hissed.
"Yeah, alright Esme, got it" John stopped her. "No she's alright" Tommy said. "You and Arthur are gonna have to share that burden. But i hope the house that you can buy with this," he tossed money in front of John.
"Can become a place of contemplation. Perhaps redemption"
John took the money and returned to his seat.
"Charlie, for lost tools and dangerous goods and Curly's wise words. Johnny, for board and lodgings." he tossed money at them.
"Lizzie." He whispered, handing her money. She scowled and threw it at him.
"Michael, for the killings. Five for cutting and five for shooting. Florence for the killing of Angel Changretta and all the help you've provided over the three years" He tossed money to Florence who caught it, laying Michaels on the table.
Polly and Michael's eyes widened. "Fucking what?" Micheal asked, turning to his sister. Florence's heart pounded as she realised Tommy had outed her to her mother.
"You made my daughter a fucking blinder?" she hissed. "Mum" Florence sighed, holding her forehead.
"No, Tommy." Polly stood. "What? Tell me, eh? This is who I am!" He shouted.
"And this is all I can give you for what you have given to me. For your hearts and your souls. Last month, I nearly lost my son. You should fucking understand that. For what, eh? For what? For this? For this?" he ranted.
"And I know that you all want me to say that I will change, that this fսck¡ng business will change." he mocked.
"But I've learnt something these last few days. Those bastards. Those bastards are worse than us. Politicians, fucking judges, lords and ladies. They are worse than us. And they will never admit us to their palaces no matter how legitimate we become. Because of who we are, because of who we fսck¡ng are because of where we are fucking from."
"Isn't that right Ada?" he asked. "Our Ada knows. She got smart about revolution. And she knows you have to get what you want your own way"
"And Florence, who knows what this family is, who offered to help me do what we do. She made herself one of the biggest helps for our family. Without you and Micheal knowing ." he pointed at his cousin.
"You all knew? And none of you said anything?" Polly asked, looking around the room.
"Lizzie, I want it known, that money was for you because some nights it was you who stopped my heart from breaking, no-one else."
Lizzie stared at him.
"And the rest of you, you took the King's shilling. You took the King'a fucking shilling. When you take the King's shilling, the King expects you to kill."
"Isn't that right Arthur?" he looked at Arthur. He stayed quiet. "Yeah, that's how it works, right John?"
Micheal stood, taking the money. "Thats right" he whispered.
"That's right Pol," he pointed at Micheal, "That's fucking right"
Polly shook her head. "Tommy you've had a bad time we understand. So at an alternative time, when we have all recovers i would like to put before the family, an alternative view of the future of the Shelby Company Limited" she took the money from Micheal.
"A more hopeful view" she continued.
"Which i for one would quite like to hear" Ada spoke. Esme stood. "As would i"
Lizzie agreed.
They all looked at Florence, waiting for her to speak but she said nothing.
"Come on Arthur, train for the dock leaves in one hour" Linda urged. "Then we will get the boat to new york and it'll all be in the past"
"I will be off then Tom" he stood, along with everyone else. Arthur said his goodbyes, finally hugging Florence.
"You can go but you won't get far, Arthur" Tommy said. "Uh, all right tom" Arthur nodded.
"He told me that the Chief Constable of Birmingham has issued a warrant for your arrest. Murder, sedition, conspiracy to cause explosions. John, they're coming for you as well. Murder, conspiracy to cause explosions. Michael.."
Florence's heart sank once more as she waited him to list all the things she'd done.
"What the fuck Tom" Arthur said. Florence stood quickly, her eyes wide. "Tom what are you saying" she asked.
"...for the murder of Hughes." he confined. "Polly.."
"Wait a minute, what the fսck are you." Arthur asked.
"the murder of Chief Inspector Chester Campbell." Tom looked down.
"Why didn't you fսck¡ng tell us, Tom"
He didn't mention her name. This was what he was talking about that night in the Garrison.
"The people we betrayed, they want to bring us down. They control the police, they control the judges, the control the juries, they control the jails. But they do not control..."
Knocks came from the door whilst everyone shouted. "Tommy no" Florence spoke, standing in front of him.
"Look what they did to us. Why didn't you tell us before?" John shouted. "You are my brother." Arthur argued.
"Listen to me. So I've made a deal."
"They will hang us!" Arthur shouted. Florence covered her mouth in shock.
"We will fucking hang" John shouted. "It's all taken care of" Tommy assured.
Isiah stood with wide eyes, looking around. "Tommy you bastard" John shouted.
Everyone began shouting.
"Lizzie, collect up the money and bring it to the cellar. You will all get your money in due course. When the police gets in, do not resist. You go with them, and you do not say anything"
"Arthur, I have made a deal with people even more powerful than our enemies"
"Arthur" Linda shouted from outside.
Linda ran in, going for Tommy. "You did this deliberately! You made this happen to keep us" She shouted at him.
Arthur grabbed her.
"Get off him" Florence screamed as a copper grabbed Micheal. She hit the man over and over, in attempt to get him away from her brother.
"Florence leave it" Finn shouted.
"Micheal" she screamed. She saw Polly get pushed up against a wall and she charged at Tommy.
"You bastard" she shouted, smacking him. He grabbed her wrists, pulling her into a hug. "Tommy my brother will hang, you can't do this" she muttered, watching as they all got dragged away from the house.
"You can't.."