The Darkness Within (Peaky Blinders) Thomas Shelby

18. A Dark Night

Take a little walk to the edge of town

Go across the tracks

Where the viaduct looms,

like a bird of doom

As it shifts and cracks

Where secrets lie in the border fires,

in the humming wires

Hey man, you know

you're never coming back

Past the square, past the bridge,

past the mills, past the stacks

On a gathering storm comes

a tall handsome man

In a dusty black coat with

a red right hand

- Red Right Hand, by Nick Cave

24 hours later, the next night when the moon had waned and it was all but pitch black out, Tommy grabbed his wife and led her to where Charlie and Curly were filling a boat up with the stolen guns.

Charlie glanced over at Kiara, unsure why she was there.

"She knows about everything." Thomas reassured. "It's alright."

Kiara wasn't entirely sure why Tommy had brought her either. Usually he just told her what happened, but what she didn't know was that John had spoken to his brother that day. Told him that she knew about the whores. Not particularly wanting to bring the conversation up with his wife, he chose this method of letting her know he loved her. A sort of way to try and make it up, to let her know that she was important when that doubt and darkness started to creep in.

"A word." Tommy said to his uncle, gesturing for him to stop what he was doing for a moment and talk.

"There's no moon." Charlie stated as he walked over to his nephew and niece-in-law. "We can take them out to the turning point beyond Gas Street and leave them on the bank. They'll be found by railwaymen, first thing." Tommy didn't say anything, only took a puff of his cigarette. "Is that an agreement?" Charlie asked while Kiara looked out at the water.

"I changed my mind." Tommy finally said as Kiara's eyes turned on him.

"You what?" Charlie asked.

"I've an alternative strategy. Tell Curly to take them out to the old tobacco wharf. There's a lock-up mooring we used to keep cigarettes. He knows it. When the boat leaves your yard, it's no longer your concern."

"Have you lost your fucking mind? Have you not seen the streets? They've sent a fucking army to find these things."

"That's right. They've shown their hand. If they want them back this bad, they'll have to pay. That's the way of the world. Fortune drops something valuable into your lap, you don't just dump it on the bank of the cut."

"You're blood, Tommy. I've always looked out for you like a dad. You're going to bring only hell down on your head. This copper takes no prisoners."

"I'm told he didn't serve. Reserved occupation."

"Is it another war you're looking for, Tommy?" Charlie asked. Kiara remained quiet the whole time.

"The tobacco wharf." Tommy stated, ignoring the question. By order of the Peaky Blinders." He finished before slipping the key to the lock-up into Charlie's pocket and then walking away, taking Kiara's hand as he did.

"What are you playing at?" Kiara turned on him once they were out of sight from Charlie.

"Danny Whizz-Bang killed a man today... an Italian man. Thought he was back in France again... he didn't mean to, but... the Italians still want blood."

"What does this have to do with the guns?"

"I have to kill him." Tommy stated. "To stop a war breaking out between us and the Italians, he has to die. If they do it, it won't be quick, so I told them I would dispatch him."

"Tommy..." Kiara breathed, beginning to shake her head.

"I'm not going to." He quickly cut in. "They'll just think I have." Her look changed from one of sympathy to confusion. "We'll fake his death in front of them by loading the gun with sheep brains." Now her eyes just went wide. "We'll do it by the cut, have the boat in the water for his body to fall in to, say that that's how it has to be to get his body out of the city with all these cops around town. We'll bury the guns in the grave we dig for him."

"You're mad, Thomas Shelby." She whispered.

He smiled, stepping closer to her in the darkened and empty streets. "I have good news."

"Mmm?"

"Monaghan Boy won the race." Tommy stated. The horse he had done the powder trick on to gain more bets had won. Usually a horse winning a race was a good thing for the horse owners, but not the Shelby's. They earned their money through people losing bets. But this was different. Kiara smiled back at him. "Word will spread. Next time he races, we'll do the powder trick again and more people will bet on him, the whole of Small Heath... and he'll win again. The third time... The third time, he'll have all of Birmingham betting on him and that time... that time the horse will lose."

"Have you told Arthur?"

"Not yet. Tomorrow. Tonight... I have other concerns." He smiled before lifting her chin up and placing a kiss on her lips.

It was cold out that night and it was just beginning to snow. The two of them backed up into an alley that was just behind where they had stopped, concealing themselves in the pitch black as Tommy pressed his wife up against the wall, the both of them chuckling amongst themselves between kisses.

After they walked home, snow falling around them, sticking in her black hair and landing on his flat cap. They walked past the Garrison as Tommy lit a cigarette and stopped walking as Kiara brought one to her lips so he could light it for her and then shake the flame out, tossing the stick to the ground. He placed a hand on her back and guided her back into a walk, looking over his shoulder to where the new barmaid stood outside the Garrison with his cigarette between his lips.

He didn't want Kiara to see the blonde, noticing how the woman always seemed to put her in a bad mood and he didn't want that to happen, not tonight. So he exchanged a glance with Grace, made sure Kiara hadn't seen her before wrapping an arm across his wife's shoulders before placing a kiss on her cheek that made her smile as they walked, not looking back again.

So That's the end of episode 1 :)

What do you think so far? I absolutely love this show and Tommy and amazing :)