Painting The Races Red | Tommy Shelby

Chapter Nine ✔️

C h a p t e r N i n e
B o y s W i t h T o y s

Lynette had never been to the pictures before she met Tommy Shelby, her life in Glasgow was not very accepting with the idea of such luxuries. Her father had complete control over her mother, and as much as Lillian Paterson wanted to give her children a memorial upbringing to make up for their father's behaviour, she simply did not have the money or the freedom to take her children to see a movie.

The first time she had been to see a picture was with Tommy on a date a few months after they relationship began. She couldn't remember much of the movie, apart from the general plot that it was about a detective who went looking for the murderer of a famous film star. Her attention that night had been more focused on her partner as he peppered kissed down her neck.

They had been to at least a dozen more films since then, and each time Tommy would have the theatre cleared so that he could spend the time alone with Lynette. She enjoyed those few hours away from the worries of work, when she could spent time with the real Tommy.

Seeing the young boy in front of her now as she sat in The Garrison's snug, reminded her very much of one of the old western movies that they had watched on one of those occasions. Most of the men they had interviewed that morning were tall, hard working local men - usually the familiar faces that were looking for some extra cash. Though this one was half of their age, and much more scrawnier.

Lynette watched on with a confused gaze as the teenager removed his round-topped hat in respect. His body language showed that he was nervous as he fiddled in his place, he was quick to fix the spotted red bow tie which she noticed had risen as he gulped heavily.

"Alright then," Arthur began, without glancing up from his newspaper. "Name?"

"The Digbeth Kid," the young boy stuttered.

Arthur quickly looked up from the article he was reading to look at the lad incredulously, his nose and forehead heavily crinkled. "The Dig-" he cut himself off suddenly. "What are you? A boxer?"

The boy answered as though the connection should have been clear to them. "Digbeth Kid, like Billy the Kid."

Lynette recalled the tale of the American outlaw who died in the 1880's with an amused smile while John and Arthur sniggered from beside her. She did not find amusement like they did, instead she found it somewhat sweet that the boy had a hero in mind. However, she wasn't sure if she could approve of the fact that the idol he had chosen was a robber and murderer. It wasn't exactly ideal to dream to become a criminal.

"Spend a lot of time at the pictures, eh?" Tommy asked the boy from where he sat across the table from the redhead. "Cowboy pictures? Tom Mix? Yeah?"

The boy nodded excitedly, looking around the room before pulling the flap of his jacket aside to reveal a gun belt around his hips. The paperwork Lynette had been holding slipped into her lap as she straightened suddenly in alarm after the boy reached for the gun at his left side. The two men beside her were sharp in pulling out their own weapons in defence.

"What are you-?!"

"Wait, wait. It's not a real gun," the teenage boy assured. "It's made of wood."

Lynette picked up the book she had been using that day to record information, and dropped it onto the table in relief along with her pen. She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back into the benched seating as she watched Tommy stand from his chair.

"Let's have a look then, eh?" he mused, with a cigarette hung from his lips.

Arthur and John lowered their guns as Tommy removed the toy weapon from the belt. He chuckled at the small object before raising it to point at each of his brothers.