Only Time Will Tell - A Peaky Blinders Story

Chapter 3 - Rumours and truths

"Did you hear that Freddie Thorne is running communist strikes in the factories?" Cass says to Tommy as they walk along the cut. Tommy replies with a simple hum as he rests a cigarette between his lips. He reaches over and offers her one, but she shakes her head to it. Cass has never been a big smoker, only when she's stressed or upset will she feel the need to have one. Today is seemingly a good day so far, even though it's only 1 o'clock in the afternoon. You can never judge when something going to go wrong when it comes to her family.

The pair walk in silence a little longer before Cass comes to a sudden halt. "Why did you bring me out here, Tom?" she says in a bored tone. Tommy never asks her to go on walks, especially down the cut. "I need to tell you something." Tommy says with a sigh, making his sister furrow her brows in confusion. Why did they have to come all the way out here for him to say what he needs to? "Ok..." Cass replies sceptically, waiting for her brother to pluck up the courage to speak.

"There was a mistake made a few nights ago. Some of our men were sent to steal 4 bikes with petrol engines from the BSA factory. I had a buyer lined up and everything, but they must have been drunk since they picked up the wrong fucking crate." Tommy says in an annoyed tone. "So what did they take instead?" Cass asks nervously, not used to seeing Tommy act like this. "25 Lewis machine guns, with 10 thousand rounds of ammunition. 50 semi-automatic rifles. 200 pistols with shells." He replies after letting out a deep breath. He stands and watches his sister to try and gauge her reaction to all of this. She stands with her hands on her hips, eyes facing the sky, one foot tapping as she thinks everything through.

"This could be the spot of luck we've been hoping for, brother." she eventually says with a small smirk. Tommy releases his tense shoulders out of relief. They've always managed to be on the same page when it comes to stuff like this. "Who else knows about this?" Cass then asks, her facial expression turning into a more serious one. "No one, and I think we should keep it that way." Tommy replies, earning a nod from his sister. "Alright then, only us. We can keep them safe. Right, I'm gasping for a drink. To the Garrison?" Cass then says with a smile, linking her arm with Tommy's as they both walk away.

~

"Hi Harry, how's things?" Cass says as she reaches the bar, ignoring the stares she's receiving and the silence in the room. "Morning, Miss Shelby. Things are good thank you, what can I get you?" Harry, the bartender, replies with a small smile. "Two Irish whiskeys please." Cass says, placing the money down on the counter. "It's on the house, as always." Harry says as he pours the brown liquid into two glass in front of them. "Take it anyway." Cass says with a wink as she slides Tommy's drink over to him.

The siblings sit in silence for a while, enjoying the atmosphere in the room and each other's company. "I'll take a mild." Freddie Thorne's voice cuts through the peace like a knife as he stands in between the pair. Cass furrows her brows but refuses to look in his direction. Freddie might have been Tommy's friend once, but he's made it clear since the war that he wants nothing to do with their family.

Once Harry has poured his drink, Freddie leans over to Cass and slides one of the coins she placed down across to him. "Thank you, Casandra. Cheers, Thomas. Good health to you both." Freddie says with a menacing smirk. Who the fuck does he think he is? Cass watches as he picks up Tommy's hat to inspect it, making sure to find the razor blades in the seam. "The crown of a prince, this is. Soon to be king, I bet." He then says, tossing the hat back onto the bar. "You don't bet." The siblings say at the same time, prompting Freddie to chuckle at the response. "Why doesn't the princess get a crown?" he says towards Cass, who's just about ready to break his face. "She doesn't fucking need one." She grunts in reply before pushing off the bar and walking to the other side of the room. It was obvious to her that Tommy and Freddie had to clear the air with something. Freddie was only stalling because he's a sexist pig.

All conversation ceases when someone manically crashes through the door of the pub. Cass immediately recognises it to be Danny Whizzbang. She knows he was in France. He must be having one of his episodes. Her, Tommy, and Freddie all make their way over to him, narrowly avoiding the tables that are being thrown around. "They're gonna get me!" Danny yells at the top of his lungs on repeat, and Cass's heart can't help but break. He suddenly thrown a glass into the pillar that she is stood behind. A few shards of glass bounce back and slice Cass's right check, causing her to hiss in pain.

Tommy and Freddie quickly tackle Danny to the ground, prompting the Shelby woman to crouch before him and hold his head in her hands. "Danny, look at me. Breathe, ok? You're not in France. Everyone's back home, you're safe. You're not an artillery shell, Danny. You're a man. That's it, calm. You're ok." She says tenderly, her voice calming as he does. She nods towards her brother, silently telling him to let go. The four of them stand up as Danny starts to apologise.

"Oh, hell. Did I do it again? I'm sorry Mr Shelby." He says in an embarrassed tone. "It's alright, Danny." Tommy replies as Danny starts to sob. "You've gotta stop doing this, man." Tommy then says, pulling his friend closer. "I'm sorry, Mr Shelby. Oh god, Miss Shelby did I do that? I'm so sorry." Danny then says after noticing the blood dripping down Casandra's face. Tommy takes the hanky out of his inside pocket and passes it to her. "It's ok, Danny. Why don't you go home to your wife and boys, ey? Get all that smoke and mud out of your head. Come on." Cass replies, taking Danny's hand and guiding him out of the pub.

Tommy makes his way to his sister as she re-enters the room, raking his eyes over the cuts on her face as she cleans the blood and being met with an unimpressed look. "He can't help it, you know." She snaps quietly, focusing on how Tommy had acted as if he could control himself. "Mr Shelby you've gotta do something about him." Harry then says, breaking them apart, as he cleans up the mess. "Damn right, Harry." Freddie chimes in, making Cass scoff and roll her eyes before she quickly exits the pub. Tommy can deal with that himself.