Roguish Women- Tommy Shelby

Innocents and Once-Were-Innocents

//So sorry for the long wait, but updates should be more regular from now on!

            "So, what's Boston like, then?" John slipped into a seat near Kate. A toothpick hanging from his teeth, a coy smile on his face. He liked the aura of the new girl. Fiery with a bit of mystique to her. It lit up the dull British morning.

Kate was reading the newspaper in the betting shop, told by Tommy to wait for his meeting to be finished. "Not too different from here. Lot more Irish. Have to be careful where you drink, it's never fun to have the police raid when the night's still young. A shame, really. But if you know who pays the police off, then you're safe." Her eyes flicked up to the Shelby boy. "We prefer our tea in the harbor." She winked.

He chuckled. "Can see why Tom took a liking to you." He tipped back in his chair, precariously rocking back and forth on two legs.

"I actually don't think he likes me all that much." She replied, her eyes going back to the headlines. "His behavior towards me would point to someone who dislikes me very much."

"Nah, he's just a little wary of new people s'all." He explained. "He always likes an intelligent bird, keeps 'im on his toes."

"I'm flattered, but I genuinely think he's not very fond of me. But it must mean he really wants a slice of the American market." Kate twisted around to look at the blackboard with all the odds written in chalk. "When's the next derby? I'd like to go."

"Sunday," John answered and plucked the newspaper from her hands. "Want to place a bet?"

"I don't bet on races I know will be fixed." Kate smiled and patted her purse. "Unless I know which way they'll be fixed."

Tommy always entered a room with a good deal of force. Not physical force, he didn't go around pushing people to make his presence known. No, it was more of an energy about him, the way he moved attracted attention. At first, Kate thought he walked like a soldier. But the more she saw him, the less she believed that. Instead, it was predatory. He walked with such a manner of authority and power that people instinctually moved out of his path.

"What've you got?" He arrived at the desk John and Kate were lounging around.

"And a beautifully good morning to you too, Mr. Shelby," Kate replied sarcastically.

Tommy tugged off his gloves and held out an expectant hand. "Did you write anything down?"

She smiled, appreciating that he didn't bend over backward and held his ground. She liked a strong leader. To appease him, she opened her purse. "I've detailed out important family members in each city. Names of speakeasies. Alliances. Rivalries." She listed off with each sealed envelope she handed to him. "I've even added where they like to go out to lunch. That's where they make business deals. Should one of them go up in flames." She shrugged and clicked the tongue. "C'est la vie."

John watched with a hint of apprehension. "Is this something you really want to be getting into?" He asked his brother. They had enough enemies on the home front to even think about going on the offense in America.

Kate closed the latch on her purse. "These are experienced men." She agreed with the younger Shelby. "They don't run betting shops out of their apartments."

Tommy let the jab roll off his shoulder as he began to tear open the envelopes of information. "Come into my office." He ordered firmly.