Without A Trace

Fourteen.

The next morning I sit in the day room stirring my coffee, watching the sun rise peek through the trees. I hear shuffling and look over to see Tommy in the doorway with his shirt thrown over his shoulder, "Good morning," he says joining me on the couch.

I take a puff of my cigarette meeting his eyes, "Morning...how did Michael sleep?"

"Once he was asleep, he was fine. Anna was a wreck all night from what Lewis told me," he says lighting a cigarette. "She was up all night demanding to know who did it."

"She should know you boys can't give her that information. Tommy I need you to make that information accessible to us. At least to me. Anna deserves what that man has coming to him," I say taking a puff of my cigarette.

Tommy takes his cigarette out of his mouth and looks at it before looking at me, "Cora you're my wife. You girls can figure it out for yourselves. You three have watches us work first hand for years. You are Peaky Blinders after all are you not?" He says taking another hit of his smoke.

"Alright, we'll do it ourselves," I say before looking towards the doorway listening to the footsteps coming in our direction.

"Tommy, Aurthur is on the phone. Its urgent," Michael says with ever so slight panic.

"Tommy," I say slightly concerned watching him get up and put his hand up for me to leave it alone before walking away down the hallway slinging his shirt on and buttoning it up.

He grabs the phone from Lewis and putting it up to his ear, "Aurthur?"

"Tom we got problems. Charlie hasn't been able to get through to the boys down by the cut. We think something went on down there. I sent John and a few other boys down there to check it out," Aurthur says on the other end.

"Go check the warehouses and recount the crates. When you're down there check the docks and talk with the galley boys and see what they know. If its anything to worry about call me tonight around 8," Thomas says before hanging up the phone. He leans on the table and sighs.

"Whats going on Tom," Lewis asks harshly with his arms crossed over his chest.

Thomas looks down the hallway and gets closer to his brother lowering his voice, "The boys at the cut haven't gotten in touch with Charlie at the docks. The boys are going to go see whats going on and ring later if need be. Tell Michael but leave the girls out of it."

Lewis nods and walks away to find Michael. Thomas heads back to the day room where I've been joined by Ivy and Anna now.

"Everything alright Tom?" I ask looking up at him.

"Chipper as usual," He says with a small smile pulling a smoke out of his pack. "Ivy, you got a match?"

Ivy grabs her box of matches, pulling one out and striking it against the sandpaper igniting it and holding it up for Thomas to take a couple puffs of his cigarette before putting it out.

"Thomas," Anna says shifting in her chair to face him.

"Yes?" He says pulling the cigarette from his lips meeting her gaze.

"Tell us how you and Cora met," she says with a smile.

He chuckles before taking a seat in the chair across from them, "Ask the beautiful woman yourself. She tells the story much better than me."

The girls turn their attention to me and I look at them before taking a sip of my drink, "Alright alright. Its not much of a fairytale as both of yours are but here we fuckin go." I say sitting up watching as Michael and Lewis make their way out.

"This is a good one," Lewis chuckles to himself.

"Are you girls ready?" I ask looking at them. They both nod excitedly.

"I hired in as his secretary," I say taking a drag from my cigarette with a smile.

"Thats it?! A bloody secretary?" Anna asks.

"The first time I met Thomas he had me write a death threat to a man out in London. I guess from then on you could say he grew on me," I say swirling my glass.

"More like in you," Lewis chimes in. "Lets not forget I walked in on you that same fuckin night in the office."

"Love at first fuck I suppose," I say with a giggle. "And yes, hes always been this way. What you see now is how he was when I met him. Except hes slightly kinder to me now, but much more possessive."

"Damn, what a fuckin story that is," Anna says laughing with Ivy. The laughter is stopped by the phone ringing again. I look at Thomas and he exchanges a glance with me before walking back to the phone and picking it back it.

"You need to come home," Aurthur says on the other end. "The boys at the cut are dead. It was the coppers Tom. This is going to turn into a fuckin war," Aurthur says hanging up the phone.

Thomas hangs up the phone and looks at Lewis, "Get Michael in here. Now." He demands.

Lewis leaves and returns with Michael. Thomas looks at him, "We're going home. The boys at the cut are dead from Campbells men."

Michael lowers his head slightly, "Alright, whats the plan?"

"I'll tell you what the plan is," Ivy says walking in with me and Anna behind her turning her attention to Lewis. "We're going to go back home and you're going to go to jail, and we will do the rest of the dirty work."

Lewis looks at her blankley, "Yeah I forgot I have to do that since none of you fuckers are man enough to do it."

"Watch your mouth when you talk to me Lewis," Ivy seethes through her teeth.

"At least I have the courage to lose for WHATS RIGHT," Lewis yells to her. "NONE of you can fuckin say the same so dont even waste your fuckin breath. I'll make all your fuckin sacrifices for the lot of you." He says storming away.

"Leave him be," Anna says walking towards the door, "He wants to be a fuckin prick let him be that way. Acting like none of us sacrifice anything besides him. Hes got me fucked up if he thinks that. To hell with him," she says walking outside slamming the door behind her.