angel | the peaky blinders

11. respect the queen

     "THE VICTIM HAD BEEN drinking in the Black Swan pub, sir. That— the pub that you had told me about," Sergeant Moss spoke to Inspector Campbell. He sat on a chair in the Irishman's office, watching him walk the floor. "And a neighbour said that she saw a young woman leaving the street where the body was found. A woman, sir. I was wondering if there was a connection."

     "A connection with what, Sergeant?" Campbell turned around to face the officer with a questionable frown.

     "Well, you said that your spy was a woman, sir. And I wondered if there was now a policy," Moss told him truthfully. "Shoot to kill. Like there was in Belfast."

     Campbell gazed at the man intently before sighing heavily. "The Republicans are famously factional. He was killed by one of his own," Campbell threw the bullet that he was holding in his hand at the fire but it missed and ricocheted off the fireplace. The Inspector sighed once again and looked deep into the embers of the fire. "How well do you know Malaeya Mikaelson, Sergeant Moss?"

      Moss stared at Campbell, his brows frowning as the man mentioned the woman who saved Small Heath and the people who live in it. "I don't know her well personally but she's an extraordinary woman sir. Kept my wife and kids afloat while I was in France. She did that for all the families here in Birmingham."

     Campbell nodded his head despite already knowing this information. The problem was that's all he knew about Malaeya Mikaelson. He didn't know anything else about her. Nothing came up on files about her, she had no criminal record, no medical record, no record of her whatsoever. As if she was a ghost, just like Thomas Shelby had discovered the night he found out the truth about her.

     "Don't you find it strange a woman like her, with money like her coming to Birmingham to spend all her resources, all her time to glue back the pieces of this town?" Campbell asked him, going back to walking back and forth from his desk to the fireplace.

     Moss sighed, becoming nervous as they spoke of the woman his wife thinks highly of. Despite Malaeya now dating Thomas Shelby, the leader of the Peaky Blinders, no one judged Malaeya for it. Instead, they could clearly see how beneficial it is that she's with Mr Shelby as he is less doom and gloom and more pep to his step.

     He was still ruthless as ever and there have been rumours Malaeya can be also, as some witnessed her nearly snap Freddie Thorne's arm off one day for speaking ill of the late Danny Owen. But people could clearly see Malaeya mellowed Thomas out and they thought it was a good thing.

     The angel of Small Heath softening the big bad gangster? It was almost a win in the public's eye as surely Malaeya would get Thomas to help them out too at some stage. Help them get more money in their pockets, work better jobs, have a better life for their families. They wanted more from them and they're hoping if they accept their relationship now they shall receive later on.

     "Inspector Campbell," Moss began, licking his lips as he somehow managed to find the courage to defend Malaeya. "This woman, she's a good woman—"

     "This supposed good woman is also dating Thomas Shelby, the well known leader of the Peaky Blinders, is she not?" Campbell cut him off, a fiery look on his face as he thought of the man he absolutely loathed with his whole being. "She can't be much of a good woman if she's dating that gypsy scum!" Campbell scoffed, shaking his head as he placed his hands behind his back.