Angel

13

            I bounced in the back of the large truck as we drove off towards the auction. John pulled us to the side of the road a moment later, and the truck came to a stop. "She's heating up, Curly. Take a look," Tommy said as he reached us. "Yeah," Curly muttered, jumping out. "Let me out for a piss," Charlie grumbled, hopping out after him. I watched as Michael dug around in his messenger bag, producing some sandwiches. "She made loads. Do you want one?" Michael called out. "What the bloody hell's that?" Arthur asked. "Sandwiches," Michael answered, as if this was a normal thing, "Ham I think. And we've got shrimp paste too. There's tea. We'll have to take turns 'cause there's only one cup." I stifled some laughter behind my hand as my brothers joined in. "What?" Michael asked, looking between the four of us. "Sandwiches?" Arthur asked. "Yeah," Michael answered. "Polly made bloody sandwiches?" Arthur sniggered. "What's this? Teddy bear's fucking picnic?" Charlie grumbled. "Alright. We will drink the tea and we will eat the sandwiches. And then we will drive on. Alright? No crumbs, Charlie," Tommy spoke, a grin on his face. "Eat 'em up Arthur, you fat bastard," John joked as we all took a sandwich. "Fuck off!" Arthur yelled through a mouthful of bread. I rolled my eyes as I laughed, eating the sandwich and then washing it down with some tea.

            We weren't off the road very long and it only took us another hour to reach the auction. "Alright Lena. We know which one we want, you're gonna have about thirty seconds to take a look at her conformation before we start the bidding. I brought you because you know the horses best. Make sure she's a winner," Tommy said, hand held out as he helped me down from the truck. "It's nice to hear you finally admit I know the horses best," I smiled cheekily, and my brother rolled his eyes. "Alright, lads, this is a respectable event and you will behave accordingly," Tommy said to my brothers as we walked up the stairs to the bidders boxes, "No weapons, no drinking. John, we will stay together. When our horse comes up, I will do the bidding. I've already registered my interest with the auctioneer, so he knows to expect my bids." "Do I get to run a hand over her, Tommy?" Curly asked in excitement. "No, we have a vet's report, Curly. But you and Lena keep an eye open when she walks," Tommy replied. "It's just, I got a feeling, Tommy. Something isn't right," Curly insisted.

            "It's alright, Curly. You're just in an unfamiliar place. We all are," I told him, placing a comforting hand on his arm. We reached our places on the balcony overlooking the sand covered arena. Having showed up late, we watched as a chestnut thoroughbred was being sold. "Morals of Marcus, Sedgemere stud, by Tetrach out of Lady Josephine," the auctioneer's voice echoed throughout the room. "Alright, Tommy, this is her," Charlie's voice whispered. "Lena," Tommy ordered, and I watched as her handler walked her around the ring. Her coat was a beautiful grey, and her eyes were dark and large. Her features were feminine, and her throatlatch was clean. Her back was mildly long and strong, her pasterns and shoulders having the same angle. Her withers were in line with her croup, and she had a smooth gait. She didn't seem to be pigeon toed or toed out, and her legs weren't camped under either. "She looks good from what I can tell, Tommy," I whispered, and he nodded, nodding his bid to the auctioneer. The auctioneer reached two thousand and fifty before the bidding finally stopped. "Sold. For two thousand and fifty, to Mr...." the auctioneer stopped, waiting for a name. "Thomas Shelby," Tommy's voice rang out loud and clear through the arena, and all eyes turned to him.

            I looked across the balcony at the woman who'd tried to outbid Tommy. She had a curious look in her eyes as she stared, and Tommy nodded respectfully to her. He turned to go to the auctioneers office as my brothers and I filed out to the hall to wait for him. As he exited the office he was stopped by the woman from the balcony. They spoke for a few minutes before John started to get antsy. "Oi! Tommy! We've gotta get this kid back before dark or Polly will have your balls!" he yelled out. "She will have 'em!" Arthur added. Tommy and the woman talked for a minute longer before Arthur yelled out again. "Tommy! We gotta get back to the caravans!" he yelled, "The chickens. They're hungry!" I reached out to smack John as he sniggered. A minute or so later Tommy finally turned away from her and approached us. "Right, about bloody time," Arthur complained. "It's the fucking truth, John boy. Rich women these days, all they want is a working class cock," Arthur joked as we headed out of the offices and into the arena to leave the auction. "Tommy, maybe she was the thing I had a bad feeling about," Curly said nervously. "Oh, she looks alright to me, Curly," John shouted with a laugh, and I rolled my eyes. "All their men are dead, see? The officers all shot," Arthur added.

            "Yeah, by us," John joked. "All I'll say is she has good contacts in the racing world," Tommy told them, "Here, Michael, you drive." Tommy tossed him some keys as we passed by a man sitting at the auctioneers table. "Thomas Shelby?" he asked. He suddenly stood, whipping out a gun. Arthur yelled as a shot was fired, pushing the man's arm up just in time so the bullet went through the roof rather than my brother's chest. Men started appearing from nowhere as my brothers shouted for Tommy. "Michael, hit the ground now!" I yelled, pulling my pistol from my handbag and shooting the man headed for us in the chest. "Tommy Shelby? How about fucking Arthur?" Arthur yelled, breathing heavily as he attacked the man on the floor. I whirled around, gun pointing every which way in case more men came. "Fucking good to meet you!" Arthur shouted. "John! Help!" I yelled as we both ran to Arthur, each grabbing an arm and struggling to pull him off the man. "Stop! Arthur! Stop!" I shouted into his ear, pulling his bloodied fist back as Tommy and Charlie both ran to help us. "It's over. It's over!" Tommy shouted, one arm wrapped around Arthur's neck. We finally pulled him off the unconscious man on the floor in the dirt. "Come on, come on, get him up," Tommy muttered, and Charlie and Curly helped pull him to his feet.

            "He's still breathing," Tommy shouted to us. "Michael! Michael, you didn't see a thing. This didn't happen," Tommy told him, and Michael nodded as I grabbed his arm, linking mine through his as I placed my pistol back in my handbag and closed it up. "Alright, give me the keys," Tommy breathed, holding a hand out, "Michael, give me the keys." "I'm alright to drive," Michael told Tommy, his voice even. "Alright, take Lena with you, go on, go on," Tommy muttered, shoving us out of the building. "You shot that man," Michael stated as we walked out to our caravan. "Yeah, well. Welcome to the fucking family Michael," I muttered in reply. The boys weren't long behind us and it wasn't long before we were back on the road to Small Heath, tensions still running high.