Shelby Sister

Suspicion and Late Night Talks

The next day Riley woke up to groans of pains coming from the sitting room. Noticing the time Riley realised she'd slept the morning away with it being her first day of the school holidays. Quickly getting dressed into her signature trousers, shirt and jacket she'd nicked from John, which Ada had adjusted so that it fit her petite frame, Riley went downstairs. As she approached the sitting room the groans of pains got louder.
Arthur was sat on a chair, groaning in pain and covered in blood. John and Polly were standing around him whilst Ada was boiling water on the open fire.
"John, wipe the blood out of his eye." Ada said. "Since when did you give orders?"
"What the hell happened to you" Riley interrupted them concerned for her eldest brother. Noticing her presence Ada passed her a cloth soaked in warm water
"Ask Tom he's the reason I'm like this" Arthur replied. Knowing Tommy was most likely on his way she reframed from asking anymore questions knowing Tommy would ask the same ones she did.
"I'm a trained nurse." Ada answered John's previous question. "Don't make me laugh, it hurts my face." Arthur said.
"I bloody am." Ada raged.
Riley smirked "Sure Ada and I'm a Nun" Laughing at his sisters Arthur groans in pain again. "You went to one first aid class in the church hall and got thrown out for giggling." John said.
"Not before learning how to stop somebody from choking." Ada curtly replied. "I'm not choking."
"You will be when I wrap this cloth round your neck."
Riley found herself laughing at her siblings squabbling, that was until Tommy entered with a bottle of rum. The atmosphere turned somber. He grabs a cloth and soaks it in the rum before he applies the spirit to the worst of Arthur's wounds. Arthur drinks some of the rum to numb the pain. Riley hated seeing any of her family in pain like this. "He said Mr Churchill sent him to Birmingham" Arthur said. Ada brings a bowl of boiling water to the table.
"National interest, he said. He said there'd been a robbery." Riley noticed her Aunt Polly turned sharply to glare at Tommy. Something only she noticed with her sharp eyes. Tommy stepped back, not reacting. Something suspicious is definitely going on between Tommy and Aunt Pol she thought, I'll need to do some digging.
"He said he wants us to help him." Arthur continued. Offended Riley sharply said "We don't help coppers." Tommy shoots her a look which told her to shut up. "He knew all about our war records. He said we're patriots like him. He said he wants us to be his eyes and ears." Still not understanding why this copper seemed to think we would help him Riley grabbed a cloth, pressing it onto one of Arthurs wounds. Arthur brushes her concern aside with a small smile and peers at Tommy.
"I told him we'd have a family meeting and a vote." Fuck sake meaning I don't get any say in the matter she thought. Her brothers continued to stare at each other and an unspoken conversation seemed to be had between them. Tommy still doesn't say anything and Arthur takes another swig.
"Why not? We have no truck with
communists. Or Fenians." Arthur said.
Aunt Pol and Tommy share another look but remain silent as Arthur studied Tommy
"What the fuck is wrong with you? Polly, what is wrong with him lately?"
"A lot of things" Riley mumbled under her breath although Tommy heard her and shoots her a look. "If I knew, I'd buy the cure from
Compton's Chemists." Polly said. Grabbing his coat Tommy clipped Riley's head for her comment whilst saying "Arthur, you're broken up pretty bad" before quickly leaving. Aunt Pol shouted his name after him. What's he got himself into now Riley thought.

Later that night Riley found that she was unable to sleep. Her mind kept racing about the inspector. Why did he want the peaky blinders help? What was this robbery Arthur mentioned? Was her family safe?
That last question was a hard one to answer as she didn't think any of the Shelby's were safe with the amount of people they easily pissed off. But knowing that the inspector had gotten to Arthur, threw her off. What if she was next? Or Ada? Or Finn?
Knowing the only way she'll be able to go to sleep would be if she spoke to Tommy, Riley got out of bed. She knew he was awake as he was most nights because of 'terrors from the war' as Aunt Pol called it. Reaching his door she turned the handle peaking her head inside his room cautiously. Don't want to catch him doing anything disgusting with a whore. Hearing his door squeak open Tommy moved his gaze from the coppers outside his window, to his little sister. She held a look of caution and guilt like she knew she wasn't meant to disturb him. "What is it Ri?" Tommy softly said to tired to tell her to go back to bed. Further entering the room Riley is startled to hear him use his nickname for her. He hasn't called me that in a long time she thought bittersweetly. Drawing in a breath to voice her concerns about the inspector, Riley found she couldn't seem to get the words out. Instead she was left looking like an idiot she thought, as she opened and closed her mouth like a fish. Riley could smell the opium in the air and see the smoke that surrounded her brother so Riley instead said "Nightmares again eh?"
Unamused as he knew she hadn't come in his room to ask about his sleeping problems Tommy sat down on his bed as he took a smoke. "You didn't come here to say that did you?" Shifting in uncomfortableness Riley turned her head to the floor embarrassed. "Erm.... No. No I.."
Sensing that something bothered his younger sister Tommy said "Come on. Haven't got all night sweetheart"
Knowing Tommy's patience was wearing thin Riley said "I can't sleep. I'm too worried about the inspector. I can tell you know. Something big is going on and I....I'm just worried." Tommy's face softened at her concern. He moved over in bed and gestured her to lay next to him which she gladly did. She often as a child would climb into bed with him when she had a nightmare or was upset over something. When she was comfortable he said quietly to her "There's nothing for you to worry about. I've got it all under control. Only thing you need to worry about is your studies and the new job I want you doing for me over your school holiday." Surprised Riley said "What Job?"
"Well seeing as we agreed you needed to be more involved with the business I've decided you will over see the financial side of everything. With my watchful eye of course" he smirked. Grinning Riley kissed her brothers cheek "Thanks Tom-cat." Tommy silently enjoyed hearing her nickname for him, even though she said it to annoy him. Riley turned over to drift off to sleep, feeling safe next to Tommy. Before she fell into a dream though, she heard Tommy mumble "Anything for you Ri."