Without A Trace

One.

"Cora get the hot water," Polly ordered clearing off the table frantically. I rush over to the sink and turn it to the hottest temperature there is before sticking the bucket underneath the flowing water.

"Put him on the table," she says to the boys as they lay Michael down flat. Blood pools his shirt and hes yelling in pain.

Ivy walks in and smacks her husbands shoulder as he shoots a dagger look at her, "The fuck is wrong with you to do that?! If you weren't bleeding already I'd fucking kill you," she spits at him. She rips his shirt causing the buttons to fly everywhere. She grabs the tweezers and the alcohol. Before dumping the liquid onto his wound causing him to scream in pain. I start washing the blood around the wound with the hot water so you can clearly see the gaping hole in his chest.

Ivy digs the tweezers into the hole and starts fishing around for the bullet causing Michael to scream even more and grip the table almost breaking it.

"Hold him down boys damn it! Get your head out of your asses," Polly says yelling at John and Tommy who put all their weight on Michael so he cant move.

After a few minutes Ivy pulls the bullet out and tosses it in a bowl. Michael breathes heavily as sweat drips down his face, "I owe you love," he says leaning up for a kiss.

Ivy grabs his chin and shoves it back down on the table, "Dont you fucking try and kiss me when you did something so fucking stupid," she says getting up and walking out of the kitchen.

Polly looks over at Michael and sticks her finger in his wound causing him to yell once more, "You're a Shelby Michael. Start fucking acting like one," she seeths before walking away.

I take a big ole swig of whiskey and put it in Tommys chest, "Get this shit off my table before it stains," I say before following the other girls. I walk outside to the garden and watch Pippin chase butterlfies with the happiest smile on her face. I join Anna and Ivy on the couch out there before pouring myself a martini.

We're one big fucking happy family. We're the Shelbys, also known as the Peaky Blinders. We smoke and drink too much and we fight what seems like constantly, but we're thick as thieves. You mess with one of us, you mess with the whole fucking lot and hell will rain fury upon you. Tommy is the boss and I'm his wife which is a project in itself. His brothers are: the eldest of them all Aurthur, then Tommy, followed by Lewis with his wife Anna, and then lastly Michael with his wife Ivy and daughter Pippin, and finally John.

"Cora, get that blood off your hands before Pip comes over here and sees it," Anna says taking a sip out of her glass.

"Shit," I say to myself before walking over to the hose and rinsing them off.

"So what happened?" Anna asks Ivy crossing her legs.

"Apparently they were doing a deal with a copper. However, Michael thought of the brilliant idea of doing it right in the fucking open at the races. Michaels a bloody idiot for even trying that there, and Tommy is an even bigger one for not keeping closer tabs on him," She sighs watching her daughter run around the garden.

"Where the fuck was Lewis?" Anna asks throwing her hand up. Shes right though. Lewis should have been there since hes on payroll to keep tabs at the races. Making sure the fixed ones go off without a hitch. But when the brothers are there, he should be keeping tabs on them as well.

"Who the fuck knows," I say before sitting down. "Lewis can piss off if hes not going to do his job."

"Aye," Anna says defensively, "Watch you bloody mouth. I'll take care of it when he gets home."

Pippin runs over to where we're sitting and hands Ivy a big bright pink rose, "I picked this just for you Mama," she says with a big smile. Ivy takes it and places a kiss on her daughters head, "Thank you babe its beautiful."

"Is Daddy home yet?" She asks crossing her arms.

Ivy takes a deep breath, "Yes he is. But he has a big owie, so uncle Tommy and Uncle John are fixing him up so hes good as new."

"Is he in a bad mood?" Pip asks quietly.

"Daddys just mad at himself lovey. Thats why we give him time to cool down before we see him when he gets home, right?" Ivy asks pulling her daughter into her lap, tucking a strand of her brown hair behind her ear.

"Right," Pip agrees with her mom nodding her head.

"Uncle Tommys gonna be in a bad mood once Aunt Cora talks to him," I say taking my cigarette case out popping it open and pulling one out.

Pip giggles, "Thats because you tell uncle Tommy who's boss eh Auntie Cora?"

I smile lighting my cigarette and taking a long puff out of it, "Thats right lovey. But we never forget who the real big boss is, do we girls?" I say raising my eyebrows.

Anna smiles, "Oh for sure, the biggest boss of us all."

Pip squeals covering her mouth in excited looking at her mom who can't help but laugh, "And who might that be Pip?" She asks her daughter.

"Its me Mama! I'm the big big boss!" She says shaking her moms shoulders.

"Oh that's right! It is you innit?" She says smiling at her daughter setting her back down on the pavement. Pippin smiles nodding her head before running off again towards her swing thats tied to the big apple tree in the back of the garden.

"That little girl is gonna spit fuckin lava when shes older. She already puts the fear of god into the bullies at her school," Ivy says taking a deep breath.

"Welp, someones gotta let them know who's boss. Might as well be the daughter of the Peaky Blinders eh?" I say flicking my ashes into the ashtray.

We hear the sliding glass door open and turn our attention in that direction. Aurthur comes out with a crate in his hands and walks towards us.

"Bloody hell, here we go," Anna says rolling her eyes.

"Ladies, we need this and its contents disposed of," he says before placing the crate on the table.

"What is it?" I ask puffing my cigarette.

"You don't need to know. You just need to get rid of it," Aurthur snaps at me.

All of us girls shoot our eyes at him, "Well if I dont know what the fuck it is how the hell am I supposed to get rid of it you fucking twat?" I spit at him.

He sighs pinching the bridge of his nose, "Its 45kilos of snuff. If you must know your highnesses."

"Was that so hard? Fuckin wanka," Anna says moving the crate and putting it in the storage compartment next to the fireplace.

"We'll get to it later tonight. I'm sure Tommy will want to have a meeting after Michaels fuck up this afternoon," Ivy says finishing her drink before getting up and heading in the house. "Keep him on a leash Cora," she says back to me.

"You say that like he listens to me or something," I say before calling for Pippin to come inside.

"He lays a hand on Michael or Lewis I'll put my hands on him, dont fret about that," I say before closing the doors behind us.