Angel

15

            "Well Finn, you've got two choices, mild or mild," I told my younger brother who was seated next to me in the private room at the Garrison. We were gathered for Michael's birthday, waiting for him to arrive. "Mild," Finn laughed. "Here ya go," John chuckled, handing him a drink. I lit a cigarette as the door opened and Michael filed through. "There he is, look," Arthur said proudly. We all cheered as we rose to our feet to greet him. "Happy birthday, Michael!" I shouted with John as we laughed. "Eighteen years old. You're a man today. Give him a drink, John boy," Arthur boomed. "There ya go, lad," John grinned, handing him a beer. "And after that, we'll go find you a lady of the night," Arthur grinned and I smacked him as I took a drag from my cigarette. "Arthur!" Polly scolded, but my brother just grinned, watching Michael take a swig of his beer. "Michael," Tommy said, and my cousin looked at my brother as he handed over a velvet box. "What's that?" Michael asked, opening the box. "So you're never late for work," Tommy told him, and I looked over Finn's shoulder to see a golden pocket watch sitting inside the box. "Welcome to the business, Michael," I said, raising my glass to my cousin as he grinned. Since the moment Michael told us he wanted to work for Shelby Company Limited, I knew Tommy would give him the open position of Accounts Clerk.

            "Welcome to the business," John parroted me, and Michael's grin spread as Polly hugged him tightly. "Thank you," he breathed. "Right, come on, let's get him drunk," Arthur barked out. "Come here, you," John laughed, pulling him underneath his arm. "Alright, where's the whiskey," Arthur mumbled. "No whiskey, he's got work tomorrow. Give him only dark mild," Tommy ordered. I took another drag, smiling at my family in front of me. "A toast..." Tommy started, raising a glass, "To Michael." "To Michael!" we all repeated, clashing our glasses together before downing everything in them. "Tomorrow, a family meeting," Tommy mumbled into my ear after taking me aside. I nodded in response, watching as he walked towards Polly, John, and Arthur whispering the same thing.

            Early the next morning, before the shop opened, I filed in through the door after John and Polly, Arthur bringing up the rear. "You alright?" Polly asked Tommy as we entered into the parlour. Tommy made no response, only cleared his throat and poured four glasses of alcohol. "What is it? Just us?" Arthur asked, taking a quick glance through the room. "Just us," Tommy confirmed. "Are we celebrating?" I asked as he poured. "Just taste this," Tommy said, handing glasses to each of us. I smelled my glass, swirling the liquid inside before downing it all in one drink. "What do you think, Arthur?" Tommy asked my brother, who'd downed it just before I had. "Yeah, it's good," he answered, "Good stuff, really nice." "It's too good for the Garrison," I commented, and Arthur nodded along. "I suppose we could shift it to the toffs at the Eden club," he added. "Why? What is it?" I asked Tommy. "That is part of an export drive. Thanks to Elena for her part, we now have our secure warehouse in Camden Town and secure passage to the Poplar docks. So on Monday morning, we'll be sending out our first export crate. A crate of Riley car spares bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia," Tommy answered.

            "Where there's Prohibition?" Polly said, more as a statement than a question. "Where there is Prohibition," Tommy confirmed, "All over Canada and America, people are making their own booze, in bath tubs. But rich people in New York, in Toronto and Boston are still paying a lot of money for the real stuff. So on Monday, the first Shelby Company crate will contain a thousand Riley carburetors but hidden in the packing, will be five hundred bottles of the finest quality single malt Scotch whiskey." John exhaled through his nose in a slight laugh as Tommy continued, "We Shelbys have a license granted by the minister of the empire himself, which means our crates won't be searched. And Polly, all of the whiskey will be packed at the docks, so Michael can do the books without being involved. Like I've been telling you all for a year now. Motor cars are the future." I chuckled as Arthur refilled my glass and I downed it once more.

            "Alright everyone, I'm off to London," I announced, rising to my feet. "I'll give you a ride," Arthur said, pulling out his hat and placing it over his head. I nodded, and bid the rest of my family goodbye as we exited the front door and walked out to where Arthur parked the car. "What business have you got in London?" I asked him, nervous about what his constant presence there could mean for me. "Tommy wants me down there to put pressure on the boys to get to work. He wants me to scare 'em," he said. "So you'll be at the warehouse in Camden Town then?" I asked, and he nodded. "Why so many questions?" Arthur asked as we drove along. "No reason, he just didn't fill me in on any of it," I told him, and he nodded. I breathed out a quiet sigh of relief knowing he'd be nowhere near Ada's place, where my business and other matters could be taken care of. If Alfie and I were going to keep this secret, it was about to start getting a lot more difficult.

            Alfie hadn't stopped by at Ada's all weekend, knowing my brother was in town and preferring instead to pretend there was nothing for anyone to know about. The only interruption of my weekend spent with my sister and nephew was a surprise visit from Tommy. "I asked you a question," I heard my sister's housemate call throughout the house. I rushed downstairs to meet my family in the parlour. "It's alright, James. This is my brother," Ada sighed, looking back down at the newspaper in her lap. "Who's he?" Tommy asked, looking to my sister. "He rents a room," Ada said, looking back up to our brother. "You need to rent out rooms?" Tommy asked her. "Actually, she doesn't charge rent," James retorted. "He's a writer, which means he's skint," I piped up. "You get up late these days, Ada," Tommy commented. "Mm. I go to bed late," Ada replied. "Where's Karl?" Tommy asked, looking around the room. "What do you want, Tommy?" Ada sighed, throwing down her newspaper. Tommy remained silent, taking James in. "Oh, God. Before you start sizing him up for a wedding suit, he's not interested Lena or me. Or in girls of any kind," Ada said. "Ada!" James gasped. "What? Tommy won't judge you. He sure as hell won't go to the police," Ada defended.

            "Look, I'll go and get dressed," James said, looking for any reason to leave the room. "James. I'm Thomas. Pleased to meet you," Tommy introduced himself, holding out a hand. James looked at Tommy's outstretched hand for a moment before shaking it. "Can I have a minute with my sisters, please?" Tommy asked, and James nodded. "Yes, of course," he said, turning and leaving the room. "So, does your lodger know your name?" Tommy asked, sitting on the couch next to me and looking at Ada. "Yeah. Thorne. You think I'd tell anybody anything else?" Ada asked. "And her name?" Tommy asked, nodding his head to me. "Same as mine," Ada replied, "Your Brummie boys are all over the papers. Just one last push, eh? Then you'll go legit. Just one more obstacle to get round then it'll all be straight." "Actually yes," Tommy replied, and our sister scoffed. "Personally I find it quite amusing. Men like you are becoming very fashionable down here. No society party in London is complete without a gangster for the girls to go giddy for. Anyway, what is it that you want?" Ada asked, looking back to her newspaper.

            "I don't have any children, Ada. So, I've set up a trust fund. The beneficiaries will be John's kids and Karl. In order for Karl to benefit, I need your signature. I've set up an account. Money will be transferred in the event of my death. It'll set them up for a new life," Tommy answered, sliding a piece of paper across the table. Ada looked to Tommy before picking up the paper and reading it for herself. "Are you sick?" I asked Tommy, remembering the blood dripping down from his nose the day I first met Alfie Solomons. "I'm just doing what any ordinary man would. Putting my affairs in order," Tommy answered. Ada looked at him skeptically before leaning down to sign the papers. She handed them back to Tommy, who rose to his feet as he tucked them inside his coat pocket. "Lena, I'll see you back in Birmingham," Tommy said. I nodded and he turned away from us before striding from the room. "What do you think all that was really about?" Ada asked, looking back to her newspaper as the front door opened and then closed shut. I shrugged, "Maybe he finally realized what he does is dangerous." Ada let out a light laugh as I chuckled with her.