Chapter Thirty-Nine

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CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE


Church.

A fucking coward's even ground.

"Let us review the new situation," Campbell told Tommy.

Tommy received word about Michael and Arthur early this morning. Then raced back to London as fast as he could. Venom fueled him. Made everything faster. He made a fucking deal with Campbell. Protection for Tommy's business.

"I have your brother in a prison cell, charged with the murder of Billy Kitchen. The case against him is strong, and I have no doubt that his destiny is to hang. And then there is Polly's son Michael. He has already admitted to helping Arthur burn down the Marquis pub. He faces five years for arson and I have your entire organization in disarray in Birmingham and in London."

"What do you want?"

"What do I want?" He had the nerve to appear confused. "I don't understand."

"I already agreed to do your fucking killing for you. Now, what is it that you want from me?"

"Oh!" He stood from the pews. "There you go, you see? An agreement is not the same as an assurance, is it? You see, I found that I wasn't sleeping so well. It was the nagging doubt. The knowledge that Tommy Shelby is not afraid to die. And therefore, the threat to your own life might not be enough to make it certain that you will obey me on the given day. I also needed the power of life and death over your family." He moved to lean against the pews. "I already had it over Kezia, but now I have everyone. Your brother, your cousin, and your other sister. Because losing them would mean irrevocable harm for the fragile Kezia, no? And I know, more than I have ever known anything else, that ensuring she is happy and safe, means everything for you, Mr Shelby."

Tommy pressed his tongue against his teeth and watched the man take his cane, leaving Tommy with acute rage.

He called an emergency family meeting but everyone already knew. Campbell's threat to Kizzie would have blinded Tommy harder if she wasn't with the Lees. But fucking god did he need her right now. To soothe his soul, calm his mind and allow for rational next steps. But he needed to remind himself that she was safer right now. Away from him and the police and Campbell.

Her and Arthur's absence was palpable. Even for Finn, who could not be bothered these days with his twin. He was too young when she was first taken from Tommy. He did not experience the full extent of Tommy's madness as it leaked from him now.

"Coppers have lifted ten of our men in Camden Town," John said. "The rest of them are on the run."

Finn stretched out his cap between his fingers. "Tommy, they've taken Michael."

"Business first."

Polly stood. "They took Michael—"

"I said business first."

𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 🍞PEAKY BLINDERS 🥖Where stories live. Discover now