Angel

4

            It had been days since anyone heard from Tommy and his whereabouts were still unknown. The cut on my lip had almost healed, and the bruises had faded away. The only ones that remained were on the side of my forehead from the butt of my own revolver, and a small red cut running down my bottom lip. I had busied myself in the betting shop working the accounts with Polly, when the phone on my desk rang. "Shelby Company Limited, you've reached Elena," I said monotonously. "Say hello Mr. Cobb," Tommy's quiet and low voice came from the other line. "H-hello Mr. Cobb," I said, trying to recover quickly from the shock. Tommy calling my desk phone let me know he didn't want anyone else involved. "I'm a day out of Camden Town. Meet me there tomorrow, 12:30 sharp. Wear something nice," he said. "Of course Mr. Cobb, our appointment will be set for tomorrow," I replied. "Good girl," Tommy chuckled on the other line, "I'll see you tomorrow then." "Goodbye, Mr. Cobb," I said. "Goodbye Lena," Tommy replied, and I hung up the phone. "Who's Mr. Cobb," Polly asked, looking up from her forms as I took a drag from my cigarette.

            "A veterinarian for horses Tommy wants us to hire. I'm meeting with him outside of London tomorrow to discuss payments and employment," I answered smoothly. "Well he'd better be good," Polly muttered looking back down at her forms. I breathed out a quiet sigh of relief, pride sprouting within my chest at my skilled lying ability. I rose from my desk, snubbing out my cigarette, "It's getting late, and I have to go pack." "Be careful love," Polly told me, catching my hand before I left the room. "I'll be alright on my own Pol, I can manage a car and I have my new revolver on me at all times," I reminded her. She gave me a small smile before letting me go to my room.

**************

            The ride to London was long, and I had awoken before anyone else in the house so I could meet Tommy on time. I wore a dark red dress that hugged my small stature nicely, it was cut lower than most dresses, showing off my ample cleavage, and fell to just below my knees. It was tight along the waist and the hips, the skirt falling loosely around to shape my legs, and I had a black coat tied tightly around it to keep the cold out while I drove along. Tommy did tell me to wear something nice after all. I arrived at our meeting spot a few hours later, outside a large building with smoke billowing out, filling the streets of Camden Town. I turned off the car and stepped out, looking up to see my brother putting a pocket watch back into his coat. "12:28," he commented. "Have I ever been known to be late?" I asked, approaching him. I noticed a cut on his lip the same moment he discovered the cut adorning my own. His lips parted in a silent gasp as he reached his thumb up to stroke the cut on my forehead.

            "I'm so sorry Lena," he whispered, his voice tight. "There was nothing you could've done to stop it. Though I have to say, it looks like you got the worst of it," I replied, but he shook his head. "From now on, you're not going anywhere without my men," he ordered, and I nodded, knowing there would be nothing I could do to stop it. "Are you ready?" he asked. "Ready for what?" I asked him. "It's time to shake hands with the devil," he sighed, holding his arm out to escort me inside the building. I took his outstretched arm and we walked inside together. We walked into a back entrance and down some stairs and through a poorly lit hallway before coming out into a large room that reeked of alcohol. "Mr. Shelby I presume?" a voice asked, and I turned to see a tall thin man approaching us. "Yes," Tommy answered him, removing his hat and gesturing for me to take off my coat. I followed his orders, and looked up at the broad figure approaching us.

            "Put them down Ollie. Put them down, mate. They're only little," he said in a deep, thick cockney accent. I noticed his back was slightly hunched forward, and he walked with a slight limp, but none of that took away from how big this man was. He was almost bear like in size, his shoulders and chest massive, standing at least six centimeters taller than me. He had an almost menacing look to him, but I couldn't deny that he was handsome. He had an apron tied around his waist, and a thick brown beard covered his chin and cheeks and upper lip avoiding a scar lining his right cheek, a mop of thick brown hair on his head. "Well well, and who is this piece of heaven?" the man asked, his eyes scanning over my face and down my body. "My sister, Elena Shelby," Tommy answered, and the man nodded. My stomach clenched in a pleasurable anxiety as his eyes took me in, looking me up and down a few more times before turning to Tommy. "You two on your own?" he asked as he then sized up my brother. "Seems so," Tommy answered as the man who I could only assume to be Alfie Solomons turned and gestured for us to follow. "Well, you two are quite brave, ain't ya? You want to take a look at my bakery?" he gestured to the barrels lining the walls as we followed after him.