Painting The Races Red | Tommy Shelby

Chapter Thirteen ✔

C h a p t e r T h i r t e e n
H e r e C o m e T h e I r i s h

The Birmingham weather was grim, clouds littered every inch of the sky leaving a dullness across the streets as they blocked out the sun. The air was brisker than it had been in those last few weeks, but that didn't stop the children that played on the roads. As it was a Sunday, there were very few adults on the streets as there were no commuters going to work.

Lynette was in the town centre once again, this time she had two Peaky Blinders trailing her until Tommy arrived to take over. The last time she had been in this area, Campbell had managed to surprise her, this time she was far more alert and cautious. Today was the day of their meeting with the Irishman, and she refused to show any signs of weakness in his presence this time.

She soon saw Tommy walking towards her from further down the street, the children were quick to pick up their football and move aside for him. From the expression on his face, she could tell that the funeral had gone exactly how they had expected. Lynette had wanted to be the one to visit Mrs Hancox at the cemetery because she thought that seeing another woman rather than a member of the Peaky Blinder would have caused less conflict. Though doing so would not bring her son back or ease any of the pain, and the redhead was technically also a Blinder.

Tommy slowed his pace as she got closer to him, he nodded to his men as a sign to leave before the couple both began walking side by side in the same direction. Neither would fully understand why Campbell had arranged for this meeting to be conducted in a Catholic Church but they were not in a position to questions him when he had the upper hand.

"Did Mrs Hancox take the fund?" Lynette asked quietly once they were out of hearing range of the young boys and girls.

"Not personally," he answered tensely. "Her sister accepted it. Can you arrange to send it to her house instead?"

Although Tommy always ensured to keep his tough exterior, she knew that the boy's death had bothered him as much as it did her. Despite her disagreement at first, she understood that he had only agreed to let the kid do the job for them because the kid needed the money and because they had never had any problems in the past with the men inside the prisons.

Instead of mentioning anything that could have stressed him further before the meeting, she agreed easily, "I'll do it when we're back at the office."

It wasn't until they reached the church that Lynette realised that Campbell was using the Sunday morning service as part of his trick. He knew that Tommy and Lynette would not cause a scene with a church full of families downstairs, and it also guaranteed his own protection. Neither of them would commit a murder in a holy building even if they weren't religious themselves.

It was clear that the couple's visit was expected as even the priest didn't bat an eyelid as they entered the building. Another man wearing a cassock looked at them without any reaction as they passed him on the staircase.

Lynette made it to the next landing first, she paused when she saw the figure waiting for them at the end of the lengthy corridor. She refused me to break the man's gaze, taking the opportunity to show her lack of fear as she waited for Tommy to join her. He was only steps behind, meaning that it was only seconds before he too was staring down the Irishman.

They walked the hallway at each other's side, both sharing the same desire to end this as quickly as possible. Campbell had an amused smirk on his face when they stopped in front of him, the arrogance was rolling off of him in waves as a result of the achievement of bringing them there.