Caught in the Crossfire

From the Wolves into the Lions Den

Catherine stayed in Thomas' guest room that night. She slept soundly not knowing the danger sleeping in the room down the hall. Catherine's full name was Catherine Langely. Her brother was Benjamin Langely leader of the gang the Langley's brothers. There use to be more brothers but they died in France for the cause of the war. She is on the run. She's has travelled all the way from London to Birmingham just to get away from the gang business. Her life had been threatened so she got sent away. Little did she know that she ran from the wolves into the lions den.

In the morning Catherine got dressed into her old clothes and creeped downstairs. Thomas was no where to be seen. She tried to look around the house but there was no food, there was nothing. It looked like no one really lived here.

She stepped out onto a partially busy street when it suddenly struck her that she had no idea of where she was. She could be anywhere.

A couple kids passed by playing with a hoop and a stick. "Excuse me?" She called, the kids stopped "Can you tell me where I am?"

"Birmingham Ma'am"

Just as the kids were about to leave she suddenly had a thought "And er do you know where I might find a Thomas Shelby" It must of been something she said as the kids froze, one boys face was a look of pure horror and the other kid looked exhilarated.

"Thomas Shelby did you say? What are you wanting with a Thomas Shelby?"

Catherine rolled her eyes. What is it with people and questions she thought. "Never you mind, you either know where he is or you don't. Simple." and with that the boy grabbed her hand and started running down the streets pulling her in tow.

They arrived outside a run down building, people were waiting outside, all men. "In there" the boy said. Catherine threw him some silver and he went on his way. All eyes were on her. She walked up to the building and began to knock on the door. The men around her began to move back and whisper between each other. She began to feel anxious as nothing was happening.

Bang

A gruff yelling began sound from behind the door. Catherine didn't know whether to stay or to run, but she held her ground. As the door swung open it revealed a tall man with a moustache and the same severe haircut.

"I told you bloody lot to leave us al..." The tall man noticed the girl standing there with one eyebrow raised looking rather unimpressed. "and what the fuck do you want?"

Catherine remaining calm under scrupulous inspection of moustache man "Is there a Thomas Shelby?"

"What do you want with Tommy?" 

Catherine took that a yes and slipped past the tall man and walked in. The man had no choice but to shut the door because as soon as Catherine had gotten through the door all the men awaiting to place bets ran forward.

"Get the fuck out!" The man yelled but Catherine took no notice and explored down the corridor.

She quickly walked past a flipped table which must have been the bang. She opened and passed through a  once closed door. When she looked up she found she was in a meeting. Thomas was in the centre giving instructions surrounded by two women and lots of gruff looking men.

"Ah!" She exclaimed "Bad timing?"

"who the fuck are you?" A woman said with a strong brummy accent.

"Tommys' little friend, aren't I Tommy?" She asked sashaying past some men walking up to him "Why didn't you tell me people call you Tommy? I thought we were at that level of friendship!" At that Thomas laughed.

"Everybody this is Catherine or as I like to call her Cathy"

"You've never called me Cathy before"

"Just did" 

Drawing out a chair Cathy took a seat. "Well Tommy I was very upset to find I was alone in a strange place with no money."

"You never asked for money."

"Well you do owe me." Standing up and turning around to everyone. "I saved his life you know" People genuinely looked shocked. Thomas grabbed Catherines arm and dragged her to the back of the room.

With a hushed voice he said "Look, I hadn't told them what happened yet so would you stop talking. And for the record I don't owe you anything anymore we had a deal, I give you a bed for the night and then I have no debt to settle with you. If you want money, you're going to have to earn it."

"So are you going to give me job?" Catherine stepped closer to Tommy. Tommy only laughed in response. His head thrown back and that's the first time Cathy has seen Tommy actually smile.

"Do you know where you are?" CAtherine nodded "So you understand what we do isn't exactly legal?" Catherine nodded again "So then you won't fail to comprehend that I can't trust you. A girl that's come out of the blue, who helped me and now wants a job. For all I know you could be reporting back to the police."

CAtherine stepped back, a smirk grew on her face "You sound like that's happened to you before?" Thomas stayed silent. "Listen here, Hun, how about you get me a job somewhere... legal...ish, and then I owe you something. Think about it, the sooner I get a job the sooner I can be out of your hair and get a train ticket to Yorkshire." Catherine raised her hand to her mouth spat on it and offered it for a handshake. Thomas repeated the action and they had a deal.

As Cathy walked away and back through the group of people waiting patiently for Tommys' attention again Thomas called after her "You betray me, I won't hesitate to kill you." Catherine laughed as she reached the door. All eyes were on her. She wanted to leave an impression on these lot.

"Not if I kill you first" and with a wink she disappeared.

Tommy was left a little speechless. In all his time in Birmingham he has never met a woman quite so rude and obnoxious but it was intriguing.