Crown of a Prince (Finn Shelby)

65.

Finally, the clock struck ten to twelve and Ailbhe could leave. Finn was waiting outside the door for her, leaning against the wall and smoking when she joined him.
 
“You alright?” he asked, nodding at her and his expression serious much like Ailbhe’s. She even looked a little anxious.

But she nodded, her nerves soothed a little when he leaned in and pressed a short kiss to her lips for just a second.
 
“Come on” He mumbled, putting the cigarette back between his lips and holding his hand out. She took it, glad of the feeling of his hand around hers as they walked. By the time they reached the Garrison they spotted Tommy, Arthur and Liam coming from the other lane. Niall was in the betting shop, knowing he’d rather stick pins in his eyes than deal with Michael.
 
Tommy spotted their joined hands and nodded at Ailbhe. Maybe she could keep Finn on the rails now, stopping him spiralling out of control like he had in the last few months. Arthur had a knowing smirk on his face when he saw them, knowing that they would rekindle eventually.
 
“Alright, let’s get this shit over with” Tommy sighed, pushing open the back door to The Garrison and striding through.
 
Tommy seemed anxious and wound up. He clearly hadn’t slept since he had seen Ailbhe last night and he had all of the signs of it on his face.
 
She followed the boys into The Garrison where Polly was already waiting, pacing the floor nervously and her tenth cigarette of the last hour in her hand already.
 
“You armed?” She asked them as they filed into the room, standing opposite her against the bar.
 
Tommy looked around nervously, like he expected an enemy to burst out from the snug or jump out from behind a table. He was wound up like a coil and he seemed to radiate a nervous and tense energy.
 
“Yeah” He nodded, as did Arthur, Finn and Liam. Ailbhe stayed silent. Of course, they were armed. They weren’t idiots.
 
Polly’s eyes narrowed as she looked at her four nephews and her Ailbhe.
 
“Will you boys please consider putting your weapons behind the bar, in case feelings begin to run high?”
 
She requested, knowing what the boys were like.
 
Finn rolled his eyes, tensing his jaw.
 
“And why might feelings run high Aunt Pol? Because Michael is a traitor who pissed all our money away and nearly got Tom and Ailbhe killed?” He snapped.
 
Clearly, Finn was already worked up enough. A gun in his hand was the last thing he needed.
 
“Finn, don’t make me regret letting you be here” Tommy shouted, warning him that he was going to have to calm down, even if his heart was in the right place.
 
“Behind the bar? Behind my own fucking bar eh?” Arthur snapped, pulling out his gun and releasing all of the bullets out onto the table in front of him. He threw down the gun, saying he preferred it in front of him and not back behind the bar.
 
Finn huffed, pulling out his own gun and putting up on the bar behind Ailbhe. Liam did the same.
 
“Thomas” Polly warned him, keeping a close eye on her nephew before he finally did as he was told. He put his gun on the bar behind him, not emptying it of bullets and still leaving it within arm’s reach.
 
Polly looked at them, feeling better now they might be able to have a conversation with guns being drawn. Ailbhe kept her head down, not wanting to be there but knowing she had to be.
 
“Ailbhe” Polly’s voice cut through the silence, a warning in her voice.
 
Ailbhe huffed, knowing Polly knew what was tucked under her coat. She pulled her revolver out of the waistband of her skirt, snapping it open and letting the bullets fall from the chamber onto the floor, like drops of rain on a tin roof.
 
Arthur smirked. Ailbhe, who never carried a gun unless she had to, had brought one to a family meeting with Michael. She really must not trust him.
 
“Had a dream about a black cat last night, Pol” Tommy spoke softly and yet there was nothing soft about what he said.
 
Ailbhe knew what a black cat dream meant; they all did. And it wasn’t good. She had been having that dream herself since New York.
 
“A black cat dream means there is a traitor close by. It was you who taught me that” Tommy reminded her, reminding them all that Polly wasn’t wrong about things like that.
 
Polly didn’t react. Her eyes flitted to Ailbhe but the young woman didn’t look back at her. She kept her eyes on the floor.
 
“A black cat can mean lots of things... It can mean you’re hurting yourself, betraying yourself.” Polly tried to reason with him but Ailbhe didn’t believe her.
 
A black cat dream meant there was a traitor nearby. Her father always told her, if you hear hooves think horses, not zebras. In other words, trust your gut and don’t try find room for other answers just because you don’t like the one you got.
 
“Are you seeing things, Thomas?” Polly asked, knowing that he was.
 
Tommy always had more of a sight than the other boys. Polly didn’t know what caused it or why it was Tommy but she could see it when he came home from France. Maybe it was the tunnels, the near death experiences or all the dying he saw. But Tommy came back with more of a sight than his brothers.
 
“Yes I am... very clearly. We both are” Tommy told her, nodding at Ailbhe too.
 
She was seeing things too and everything she saw told her not to believe a fucking word out of Michael’s mouth.
 
They could hear the car approaching outside and had to wait, knowing he was outside the door Ailbhe started to get nervous. What if he was telling the truth? What if Michael wasn’t the traitor? What if it was someone else?
 
Polly opened the door for Michael who unfortunately had brought Gina. They were still dressed like they’d stepped off the streets of New York, sticking out like sore thumbs. The cool smile on Gina’s face as they walked in bothered Ailbhe. She looked at The Garrison like it was a pig sty.
 
“Tommy, I’d like to introduce you to my wife” Michael announced, holding his hand out and presenting her.
 
She was brazen, looking as cool as a breeze while Tommy, Arthur, Finn, Liam and Ailbhe stood across from her as if she was being presented to royalty.
 
“I would also like to say something” Michael announced, putting his hands in his pockets and starting to look a little nervous. Not Gina though, she looked more at ease than anyone.
 
“Sit down, Michael” Tommy ordered, not raising his voice but using the tone that Ailbhe knew better not to disobey.
 
But he didn’t listen.
 
“I betrayed you” He stated. There it was. Ailbhe knew it.
 
“Michael!” Polly warned, wishing he would shut up and let Tommy speak. She wouldn’t put it past them to put a bullet in his head for even saying the words out loud.
 
“But only in my heart” He continued. Ailbhe couldn’t stop herself from rolling her eyes, looking away from them.
 
“There was a time, in America, when there was a lot of money in that bank. Ailbhe can attest to that”
 
Ailbhe looked back at him, loathing in her eyes.
 
“Yeah, there was and I told you to fucking leave it there” She snapped, but Tommy held out his hand in her direction, shushing her.
 
She bit her tongue, folding her arms across her chest and trying to keep quiet.
 
“And I wondered. I could leave, move to California. Someone said I should invest in pictures. Hollywood”
 
Arthur started laughing quietly. Michael wanted to run off to California with their money. Well, he wouldn’t have gotten far.
 
“But Gina stopped me” He continued, turning back and resting a hand on her back “Gina said that-”
 
But Tommy interrupted him, sick of Michael’s little story.
 
“I told you to sit down Michael” He snapped, raising his voice slightly.
 
Michael finally did as he was told, sitting beside Polly across from the family.
 
“Now. Tell me what happened on that ship in Belfast harbour” Tommy ordered, not wanting a happy little story about how Gina saved the day anymore.
 
Ailbhe wanted to hear it, from his own lips and looking them dead on.
 
“On the journey back from New York, we got married” He told them, explaining how they found a witness. They got friendly with this witness, a man from Belfast.
 
“What happened when the ship docked?” Ailbhe asked, not really caring for the heartfelt details of Gina and Michael’s wedding. She wanted to know why the IRA got involved and what they knew.
 
“This purser had friends who ran a whiskey distillery in County Tyrone. They wanted a way of getting their stuff into America. So I said ‘Ok, invite them abroad’. When they came in, I realised they didn’t make whiskey”
 
Ailbhe wasn’t surprised. Michael could be incredibly naive sometimes.
 
“They were Scottish, from Glasgow. Couldn’t understand a fucking word they were saying. Accents even thicker than Liam, Niall and Ailbhe”
 
Michael continued but he was interrupted by Liam’s hand being raised.
 
“Watch it”
 
That was all Liam said. A simple statement but the real threat was in his eyes. Ailbhe had seen that look before, one that usually came before Liam took off his hat and took someone’s eyes.
 
Michael seemed to take the threat on board, going back to the story.
 
“They started swearing, so I asked Gina to leave. That was when they started talking about you Tom”
 
There it was. The reason.
 
“They said that Tommy Shelby was a spent force. That politics had got to him. That he was spent in the head. That Arthur Shelby and Niall Kennedy weren’t tough enough anymore. That Tommy was letting women in charge to do men’s work.”
 
So, these men thought that Tommy was done, that their empire was going to crumble and crush the Shelby Kennedy dynasty underneath. They also thought that women weren’t to be trusted with the work. They sounded like idiots to Ailbhe.
 
“They said that now was a good time to move in, and did I want to be a part of it?”
 
He was telling the truth so far. Ailbhe knew it.
 
“They knew about the money we lost in America. They said that you were going to blame me, that you had a bullet with my name on it”
 
If only they had, Ailbhe felt like life might be a lot simpler.
 
“What did you say Michael?” Tommy asked, knowing that Michael’s answer would seal his fate.
 
“I didn’t have time to say anything. Coppers came on board. Well, I thought they were coppers they...”
 
Michael paused. Ailbhe filled the silence.
 
“They were IRA” She stated, knowing that IRA in Belfast were some of the strongest forces they had and Captain Swing was infamous.
 
“Exactly” Michael nodded, not taking his eyes off Tommy.
 
“And the first men, from Glasgow?” He asked, needing to know the extent of what Michael knew.
 
“The IRA commander said the men from Glasgow were called Billy Boys” He stated.
 
Ailbhe cursed, putting her head in her hands for a moment. That was what she had praying Michael wouldn’t say.
 
“Fucking Billy Boys” Liam muttered, gritting his teeth.
 
“I don’t know who the fuck Billy Boys are” Michael admitted.
 
Of course, he didn’t. Precious Michael didn’t deal with the dirty work, the kind of work that Arthur, Liam, Niall and Finn did.
 
“They run every man, in every coal mine, on every shipyard east of Glasgow” Arthur explained, having heard a lot about them.
 
Liam had known of them since his Irish days.
 
“Ties with Belfast, Ulster Volunteer Force. Protestant razor gang...” He explained, having heard his father refer to them.
 
“They also dabble in politics” Arthur added, never taking his eyes off Michael “You know, muscle for fascist rallies”.
 
Ailbhe had heard of them too, not much but enough to know that they were bad news for the Peaky Blinders. But the rumours that Tommy’s reign was coming to an end was more dangerous than any of the rest of it.
 
“But you did no deal Michael? You didn’t even know who they were?” Polly checked, trying to get Michael to tell Tommy there was no cause for the tension, no need for Michael to be sent away again.
 
“I was too busy looking forward to giving you the good news” Michael told her. Ailbhe saw Gina start to smile, stepping forward and more into the frame.
 
Whatever it was, Ailbhe wasn’t sure it was good news. Just as Gina leaned in and put her hand on Michael’s shoulder Ailbhe realised what the good news was.
 
“Oh fuck” Ailbhe sighed, just a whisper loud enough for Finn to hear. His eyes darted to Ailbhe who put her hand up to her forehead.
 
“The reason Gina and I got married on the ship was because Gina is pregnant” Michael told them but there was no roaring applause or jubilation.
 
Even Polly didn’t look thrilled. She looked stunned and silent as she looked back at Tommy.
 
Tommy leaned across, putting his cigarette out and catching eyes with Ailbhe. She just gave the slightest shake of her head. He understood. She wasn’t sure. She wasn’t sure about Michael’s story.
 
“Okay Michael” Tommy nodded, taking a deep breath “I believe you. Welcome home. Congratulations”
 
But there was more, Ailbhe could feel it.
 
“But just remember, that your unborn child has witnessed what you said” Tommy warned, his voice low and calm, even as he threatened Michael’s child.
 
“Thomas!” Polly snapped, the warning in her voice telling Tommy to drop it but he didn’t.
 
“And it will be born accordingly” Tommy threatened, knowing Michael would react.
 
“You fuck” Michael bellowed, lunging from his seat, throwing himself forward at Tommy.
 
But Arthur and Liam jumped forward, making sure that he didn’t get within a foot of Tommy.
 
“Where the fuck are you going?” Arthur growled as Liam shoved Michael back, getting up close to his face and warning him not to try that again.
 
“You are free to fucking go now Michael” Liam snarled, tapping him on the cheek with an open palm and shoving Michael back another few feet.
 
“You fucking bastard” Michael swore, looking at Tommy with pure hatred.
 
But Michael wasn’t free at all. He was very expensive and the price on his head was astronomical now.
 
“But you’re not free, are you Michael?” Tommy asked him, not looking bothered in the slightest that Michael had just come for him.
 
“You lost this company a lot of money” Tommy stated, perhaps the understatement of the year.
 
“I told you to sell... Ailbhe told you to sell. But you held on” Tommy spoke softly now, pointing at Ailbhe and then back at Michael “And now, I want you to pay me back what you owe us, what you owe this family”.
 
There was no way Michael had that kind of money but he would have to make it.
 
“How the fuck am I meant to come up with that kind of money Tom?” Michael snarled, knowing he couldn’t come up with it even if he scraped together everything he had and sold every asset, from his car to his shoes.
 
“Cutting out the whores and the snow would be a start” Ailbhe warned him, knowing that’s where the most of his money went in New York.
 
The glare she got from Gina was enough to warn Michael that he was not to be frequenting any of the local brothels. But Ailbhe didn’t think he’d listen, they never did.
 
“There is work you can do, there are risks you can take” Tommy explained, shrugging his shoulders “We were close before. Now, I want you closer still”.
 
Ailbhe knew that Michael’s probation and quarantine period would be a long and cold one. But they were taking it seriously.
 
“Michael, honey” Gina piped up, coming to Michael’s side and wrapping her hand around his shoulder.
 
“Look at your cousin, he’s in trouble huh?” She told him, looking at Tommy up and down.
 
Ailbhe couldn’t believe her audacity.
 
“How do you think we got into this trouble Gina?” Ailbhe heard herself snapping before she could stop herself.
 
But Gina ignored her.
 
“He needs you” She told her husband, as if Tommy needed anyone like Michael before calling him away.
 
The door shut behind them, leaving Polly to follow them out.
 
“Fucking cheek of her, eh?” Arthur grumbled, shaking his head and locking the door behind them.
 
“I warned you about her... she’s bad news” Ailbhe muttered, locking eyes with Tommy before turning and looking at Finn who had managed to stay almost entirely silent.
 
Finn grabbed his gun, stowing it back in his belt and passing her weapon back to her too. He was surprised but glad that she had one. He wasn’t always there to watch out for her.
 
“You know what else is bad news? Those mad bastards the Billy Boys” Liam added, lighting a cigarette and sitting down at the table with Arthur and Tommy. Ailbhe and Finn joined them.
 
“Mad Dog Jimmy, coming down South” Arthur said menacingly as he grabbed his gun and started reloading it. He didn’t want to be without it for long.
 
“Not so mad anymore... he’s got friends in high places” Tommy stated, knowing that the Billy Boys were coming up in the world, leaving behind the underground worlds of gangs.
 
Ailbhe looked up, catching Tommy’s eye. Was Oswald Mosley one of these friends? From Tommy’s face Ailbhe knew he was.
 
“A black cat dream is never wrong” Tommy stated, looking up at his family and shaking his head nervously.
 
Tommy saw how quiet Ailbhe was, how she sat staring out the window and how her mind seemed far away. He saw how Finn kept an eye on her, how he offered her a cigarette and didn’t look away from her for long. He was worried about her too.
 
Finn looked across at his brother, his eyes serious and there was nervousness there too. Finn just shook his head, ever so slightly so only Tommy noticed. But it was his way of telling Tommy that Ailbhe wasn’t believing Michael, that she didn’t buy it.
 
“Ailbhe” Tommy called her, breaking her stare out the window as she snapped her head back around to look at him. She had something on her mind clearly, something to share.
 
“I’ve been having dreams too Tom... ever since New York I’ve had dreams about walls closing in and about a black cat with grey eyes but last night I had a new one... one I’ve never had before”
 
She seemed shaken. Something in her dream had frightened her and Finn could feel it from when they woke up that morning and she seemed quiet and distracted.
 
“What was it Alv?” Liam asked her, seeing that whatever it was had clearly shaken her.
 
She accepted the cigarette Finn held out to her, taking a pull and trying to steady her nerves.
 
“It was a magpie... just one” She told them, reminding them all what one magpie meant, especially in dreams.
 
“One for sorrow” Liam stated, nodding and realising that Ailbhe’s dream was predicting something bad for them, something they didn’t want.
 
But that wasn’t all.
 
“What else?” Tommy enquired, knowing from her face she wasn’t finished.
 
She sighed, rubbing her hand over her face before speaking again. She looked tormented, like she just wanted the dreams to stop but she had no control over them, none of them had.
 
“The magpie had something in his mouth. A ring... a ring made of gold” She told them, not knowing what this clue could mean or what tragedy it was predicting. By the time she understood it, it would however be too late.