As the youngest Shelby child and twin to Finn Shelby, Kezia has spent the last 4 of her 10 years locked away for her mental defectiveness.
She returns to Small Heath under the legal guardianship of her brother, Thomas Shelby. Despite knowing she's s...
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Not edited to my usual abilities.
CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR
Margate remained one of Ozzy's least favorite places.
The house he stood in was a mausoleum--a museum of death. Even before everything happened. Alfie had a dark sense of humor. And Kizzie loved her dimly lit corners.
"He is awake, sir," the maid told Ozzy.
"Thank you." He stood in the foyer. This wasn't the first time he visited after Alfie nearly died. But this was the first time Alfie had been awake--lucid enough to have a conversation.
Ozzy walked upstairs and turned a corner. The sitting room faced a balcony that had a perfect view of the ocean. The man sat in the chair that faced the ocean.
Ever large and bear-like, Alfie Solomons was awake and took up most of the cushions. When Ozzy visited in the past, Alfie was on so many drugs, he could barely string together a sentence. He had no qualms about speaking Kizzie's name. Called out to her, swore at times she was still alive. Even in the same room.
"You gonna stand there the whole time?"
Ozzy turned away from the balcony. "I was just admiring the view."
Half of Alfie's face--the face that got shot to hell--was cracked and hard as leather. Scar tissue grew over his cheek. His left eye was clouded over. Ozzy never asked if he was also blind. He never felt comfortable enough to ask. It wasn't his business.
"'The view'."
Ozzy sighed and took a seat opposite Alfie. This was how his visits went. Alfie's favorite thing to do these days was judge Ozzy and gossip with him about Tommy and the rest of the family. Occasionally, he mentioned Kizzie. Usually in passing, like one would an old friend. But the heartache was alway masked by the drugs. For the pain in his face and heart.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm thinking about writing a letter."
"Yeah?"
"To Tommy." He nodded. "Yeah."
"Any...particular reason why?"
Tommy still believed Alfie dead. Was better off too, if Ozzy had to be honest. The man shot Alfie after what happened to Kizzie. Ozzy couldn't imagine that Tommy would be pleased to hear that the man survived.
"He has my dog."
"Do you want him back?"
"No."
Ozzy nodded but kept silent. Even off most of the drugs, Alfie was hard to understand. Now, he was a puzzle with all the wrong pieces. The man never drank. Never used any form of drugs. Then suddenly, the doctors had him on every pain medication known. Alfie was loopy. Even if he was being weaned off them, he was off. Not himself. Ozzy had no choice but to entertain the man.
