BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND A GOOD MAN
..

PART ONE

..

'In those golden moments growing old too quickly,
Was he thinking of her?'

For Island Fires and Family by Dermot Kennedy

..

CHAPTER TEN

Tommy Shelby was not exactly sure what to expect when the door opened to the Kimber residence. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be met by Kimber, coming face to face after the two weeks since Hettie's body was discovered bludgeoned to death. Could he tolerate the smarmy expressions of Kimber once he realised why and how Tommy came to be on his doorstep? He wanted nothing more than to scare Kimber, to warn him off, but most of all, he wanted to hurt Kimber in more ways than he knew was physically possible.

Hettie's death had been unexpected and had turned their lives upside down. The pain and anguish felt by many were untouchable to the amount of guilt he felt. He tormented himself every single woken moment over the evident threat he had received from Kimber, and of which he did nothing about. He protected Rose with her being his priority next to his family; but Hettie had been an innocent bystander and had paid the full price for her loyalty towards both him and Rose. He knew he needed to warn Kimber away; but he knew it came to two warnings: a heavily worded threat that would be deemed as insignificant to Kimber; or one of violence that caused Kimber much pain and suffering for the rest of his life. Or, there was another warning that had spoken volumes for Kimber in his own actions.

Kimber's one weakness was Tommy's own, and that was his wife. Tommy knew he held the power when it came to vengeance, and whatever Kimber had done and would do to Tommy was nothing compared to what Tommy had in store for Kimber.

With the Peaky Blinders waiting around the corner from the house, he had waited on the step for a moment or two before the heavy door opened revealing a brunette woman dressed in black. Her dowdy hair was pinned back from her face in a tight updo; her face pale and drawn, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"We do not want to buy anything, apologies," her voice was strained as she avoided his gaze.

"You mistake me for a street seller, Mrs. Kimber," Tommy forced a false smile to etch across his face. "I work with your husband, William. I'm Thomas, I'm sure he's spoken about our business together. Is he about?"

"Oh, I do apologize," she said, a faint blush burning her cheeks, keeping her gaze low. "He is on a business trip, though she should return in an hour or two though."

"Is it possible to wait here for him?" Tommy asked, noticing the shift in her body language. "It's just, I've been travelling all day and I must've gotten my time's wrong for his return."

"Mr. Kimber didn't make me aware of any meetings of his upon his return today," Mrs. Kimber countered, and Tommy faltered then though it wasn't picked up by Kimber's wife. His entrance into the house seemed to be more difficult than he imagined.

"Well, he's a busy man and I would not accuse him of not remembering our meeting but this is incredibly important and as I've stated before, I've been travelling all day to meet with him, and I can assure you that I cannot miss my train this evening as I have other business to attend to," Tommy stated, watching her intently.

Mrs. Kimber opened the door for Tommy thus allowing him entry into her house. With one last glance at the boys waiting outside, he closed the door behind him.

The Kimber residence was of grand and exquisite taste despite the dirty business Kimber was dealing with; a stark contrast of what Tommy was expecting. A house that had three levels and a dozen rooms that surrounded him, with portraits and paintings adorning the walls at every corner he turned to. Mrs. Kimber led him into the living quarters where she offered him a seat, and he took it without hesitation, his eyes scanning the room as she departed from it.

He took the opportunity to observe the photographs of both Kimber and his wife on their wedding day and at various events. When Mrs. Kimber returned a short time later with a tea tray in hand, she placed it in front of Tommy on the coffee table.

"So, you're in business with Billy, is that right?" she asked.

"Yes," Tommy nodded.

"You know, I've never heard him ever mention you before," she pondered for a moment before shaking her head.

"Ah, that's because we're fairly new business partners as of a few weeks when he gave me a deal breaker that turned my life around."

"He's a wonderful husband so I can only imagine what a great businessman he is," Mrs. Kimber smiled to which Tommy found himself smirking at her answer.

"He really does go above and beyond for what he truly thinks is best," Tommy replied, taking his tea and lifting it to his mouth. "Even when he's wrong, he still doesn't give up. His perseverance at getting the job done more than anything is staggering, really."

They spoke for a while about Kimber, and how they met and fell in love. She had been by Kimber's side for a long time that it seemed almost unusual to not have him by her side when he was away working. She opened up to Tommy like an open book, a little attention at certain things she said and allowed him to gain more information about Kimber that he never imagined he would ever receive. His one weakness had told him everything he wanted to know and more, and she had been willingly giving him it all.

The hour seemed to pass quickly, and it wasn't before long that he heard heavy footing ascend the steps towards the door opened and closed, heavy footing following on from the loud slam of the door. The glass rattled for a moment before the footing grew louder as it neared them. Tommy remained seated, a cup of tea in his hands as he made himself comfortable.

"Harriet, pour me a rum," Kimber's voice trailed off in the hallway. "Make it a double."

Kimber's form came into view just as Harriet stood from her seat, her husband's request being her main priority. As she moved away from her seat, she blocked the view of Tommy from Kimber, and with a smile on her face, she greeted her husband.

"You never told me you started business with such a like-minded man," Mrs. Kimber commented. "I know you do not like it when I'm involved with your business, Billy, but I think he's great!"

Mrs. Kimber moved towards the small bar in the corner of the room then, allowing Kimber to greet his guest, and watched Kimber's face fall as soon as his eyes met with Tommy, just as a smirk etched across his own.

"Ah, William! It's good to see you, old friend. Your wife has been telling me stories about you!" Tommy exclaimed excitedly, taking a sip of his tea with a slurp. "Bit early in the day for a double rum, isn't it?"

"What are you doing here?" Kimber's voice was stern, but Tommy knew that was a façade. He saw the way his eyes shifted from his wife then to Tommy.

"You have a meeting with him, darling," Harriet informed him. "You've been so busy lately, many late nights… no wonder you've probably forgotten about it. You really should cut down your workload, Billy."

"Yes… the meeting," Kimber muttered, playing along. He watched as Tommy stood and moved towards the photographs that adorned the top of the fireplace.

"Beautiful photographs," Tommy acknowledged, and as Harriet was busily pouring Kimber a drink, he allowed his hand to move towards the back of it before he swiped it off the fireplace with such force that it smashed to pieces as it collided with the floor. "Ah… I'm so sorry!" he exclaimed, as a gasp escaped Harriet at the sudden clash. "I'm incredibly clumsy today."

Harriet rushed over towards him. "Oh… it's not your fault. It's not a bother," she whispered, her voice low and saddened. As she knelt in front of Tommy collecting the shattered pieces of glass, Tommy and Kimber's eyes were locked on each other. The worried smile fell from Tommy's face then and was replaced by an expression of pure anger. He pulled his suit jacket open slightly enough for Kimber to see the gun in the holster.

Kimber could only watch as Tommy pulled it silently out of its holster and point the weapon at his wife's head, oblivious to the events occurring around her.

"It's incredible how quickly things can change, isn't it, Harriet? How things can be break into a million pieces with no hope of ever being fixed again," Tommy commented. "How one thing can be great one minute then completely ruined the next."

"It is," Harriet whispered. "But sometimes something that has been broken can be fixed. It just needs time."

Harriet stood then and moved away from Tommy, still unaware of the gun being aimed at her head. As she disappeared from view, he turned the gun on Kimber.

"You made a mistake, Kimber. You will pay, do you understand?" Tommy asked and after a moment, Kimber nodded. "I could've shot your wife in the head and you didn't do anything to try and stop me. That makes you pathetic."

Kimber remained silent as Tommy moved closer.

"You're going to leave my family alone," Tommy warned. "And you're going to leave Rose alone, and if you don't, then Harriet will be killed in the same way as Hettie. Got that?"

Kimber gave him a nod. Tommy placed his gun back into its holster.

"You've messed with the wrong man, Kimber. This is the end of our business together," Tommy seethed. "I could've been your friend. But next time, if you do anything, you'll meet the fucking devil."

And with that, Tommy was gone. He descended the steps of the house, and with the Peaky Blinder boys that came out of hiding, followed him down the street.

..

Tommy Shelby never imagined in his entire life that he would be the first Shelby to marry in a church.

As soon as he had entered the church, he wondered whether he would set on fire or spontaneously combust due to all the things he had done and was still capable of doing. It had been a thought he would always get as he lay in bed at night just moments away from sleep ever since he put a ring on her finger. She was a righteous woman who had a life that had been a far cry from his own, but she had loved him just the same as he had loved her. His life had been so different to hers, and he could do unspeakable things to another man, and yet she still loved him no matter what. She still kissed him just the same, made love to him just the same, and though that had been everything to him, he wondered if that would let him down when they stood at the top of the alter to truly commit to the other.

Tommy was not a man of God, though he still believed. He still sought comfort from a higher being when times became too much, and he couldn't see a way out of the torture and pain he was enduring. And in his moment of weakness, when the war had destroyed every inch of his mind to which he wondered whether it should've taken him away from his physical body like it had so many other innocent men, he would find himself sat in the pews, his hands clasped together tightly as his mind spoke to the one person who seemed to soothe him.

He would think of the men who would never return to their families, and he knew that he had to make the most of the second chance he had been given. Whoever had been looking after him up there – which he had hoped to be his mother – was clearing his pathway for him.

When the news of his engagement circulated throughout Small Heath, he knew it wasn't the ideal situation to be in, but he was a Shelby. And Shelby's did things their own way. It had been something he wanted to do for some time, but never truly believed it would ever become tangible. And then he had seen how her face beamed happily as the ring, though small and dainty, was placed on her finger and he knew in that moment that his decision had and always would be the right one.

Her face never expressed happiness since the brutal murder of Hettie. And in the aftermath of her death, it was hard for her to comprehend a future where Hettie would not be a part of. Hettie's death had come as a shock, and the memory of her being found in such a way haunted Rose's dreams most nights. It was hard for Rose to be in the house since finding her that fateful night, but Tommy had protected her from it at all costs.

And though Kimber's threat had not reached Rose, Tommy had come prepared. He knew his meeting with Kimber would bring Kimber's men out of the woodwork, but his threat had been loud and clear just like Kimber's. And Kimber's threat spoke volumes to him and still hung heavy in the air. Though the weeks passed with no retaliation coming from Kimber's side, he still acted and behaved as though his threat was promised.

The brutality of Hettie's death had been something that was never spoken about, but it burned their minds more than they would ever admit to each other. Kimber had proven his violence to Tommy, and Tommy couldn't shake the rawness of the situation nor the thought of Rose having been there alone. If Rose had been there that fateful night and Tommy had not been by her side for whatever reason, he didn't even want to think about the outcome. Kimber's threat had been heard during their first meeting, and Tommy had known that Kimber would find any holes in their agreement to cause harm to Tommy. He had won him millions of pounds but had refused him one thing: Rose.

Kimber had Harriet at home but it seemed she was not enough.

The woman who had stood by him, and had turned a blind eye at the blood that would stain his hands. The woman who would hold him the night when his body would wrack with tears as the dreams became too unbearable for him to cope with alone. And she was the one to would whisper to him and calm him with her voice as he would cling onto her as he tried to hold onto reality.

He knew he was a changed man, and was not the Tommy everyone had known him to be. And though the scars were invisible, they still marked him nonetheless.

And Kimber's threat had been heard, and Tommy knew he needed to bide his time. The wedding would go ahead, and they would honor Hettie on the day. The weeks that had passed them by were quiet, and peaceful almost. There hadn't been any sign of Kimber despite Tommy's men being on the hunt for the man who had destroyed the life of the only woman he truly loved. And it seemed as though his warning had been heard.

Rose had lost everything for loving Tommy. And there had been times when he had wanted to let her go, deeming the road ahead too unstable for her to continue with him. But she had proven her love for him in more ways than he could ever imagine, and he had promised her that Kimber would not get away with what he did. She didn't know what Tommy had done for her, and he had wanted to keep it from her as much as he could.

But when everything was going right in life, it seemed as though nothing was ever simple for a Shelby.

Aunt Pol entered the church then and her eyes immediately fell upon him as he stood at the front of the church. And it wasn't because he knew she couldn't lie for toffee or that she always needed the boys to be honest to her even when the truth seemed unbearable, but her eyes had spoken volumes to him. He nodded mostly to himself, and for a moment he looked around at the sea of faces sat in the pews unaware of the sudden change of plans.

His mind raced as he allowed Aunt Pol to close the gap between them. The sound of footsteps nearing had caused him to move his attention solely onto Aunt Pol, and it was only a matter of moments before Arthur – protective and caring of his brother and family – joined them, almost sensing the panic radiate from his brother.

And when Aunt Pol spoke, her voice quieter and considerate than he was used to, he knew that things had changed. He noticed the bruised mark upon her jaw. Her breathing was hitched as she had travelled to them quickly. "Kimber… he's back. I tried to stop them, but they took her, Tommy…"

"When?" Tommy's voice was urgent. Aunt Pol sensed by his raised voice that his mind was whirring with panic.

"I got here as soon as I can," she answered. "He brought loads of men with him, Tommy. They just barged into my fucking house and dragged her out kicking and screaming."

"Did he hurt her?" he asked, the tone of his voice growing dark. "He hurt you, didn't he?"

Aunt Pol shrugged, ignoring his worry regarding her. "I didn't see. No doubt he will though, Tommy. Why is he back?"

"I don't know," Tommy wondered. "He killed Hettie. He couldn't get to Rose. I threatened to kill his wife… but that hasn't stopped him."

"A good woman loves you, Tommy," Aunt Pol urged. "Wasn't that enough to leave all this behind?"

Tommy refused to answer then, knowing that anything he would say next would be fueled with anger, and Aunt Pol didn't deserve his anger for Kimber to be put onto her. He had tried to turn his back on his world for Rose, but it seemed that life wasn't ready nor willing to let him go easily. Kimber had promised him in their final meeting as business partners that they would cut ties and no one else would get hurt. Tommy had almost believed him, but Tommy knew monsters like Kimber. His words meant nothing; and his promises meant even less.

He had allowed his brothers to give Kimber the beating of a lifetime. And after what Kimber did to Hettie, he had been honest with Rose regarding the ordeal Kimber now faced. He knew it was his brother's hands that beat Kimber and not his own, which reassured Rose slightly.

"He wouldn't hurt her," Tommy surmised, his mind wandering. "He wants her as his own. The threat he made… Hettie got in the way because she wouldn't tell him where we were. He never wanted to hurt her, but she was protecting us. "

"Are you kidding me, Tommy? Have you used her as bait?!" Aunt Pol cursed at him until he shook his head.

"No. I would never do that to her," Tommy calmed her down. "He knows I love her and that she loves me. He made it clear that he had some affection towards Rose. But he knew she was mine."

"He's not going to… Tommy…"

Anger flashed across Tommy's face then, but he shook his head. "He wouldn't do anything to harm her. He knows I'll kill him if he does. I spared his wife."

"What do you mean 'you spared his wife'?" Aunt Pol seethed. "Tommy… please…"

"I'd warned him to stay away from Rose," Tommy whispered, aware of the watchful eyes watching the commotion unfold. "That bastard promised me he would not come near her."

"You know how dangerous he is, Tommy," Aunt Pol disputed. "You know that first hand."

Tommy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "You always told me to do what I thought was best… would you still say that now?"

Aunt Pol quietened and bowed her head. She cast her gaze upon the stone floor of the church before taking a deep breath. After a moment, she looked up at him and saw the man he had become in that time since she had told him that. It was when the war was first announced, and Tommy had wanted to prove himself to his father and make his mother proud of him from above. He had come to her; young, bright eyed and naïve. And she had told him to follow his heart, and do what he needed to do, but to be aware of the dangers that came with it. And as she stared into his eyes, now soulless and pained, she knew it had been the wrong thing to say in that moment. She would think of the boy they had lost, and the man who had returned in his shoes.

Tears filed her eyes at that moment, and she spoke with sadness in her voice. "I would… but I'm older now to know that it was probably the wrong piece of advice I could give you…"

Tommy faltered then. "But that was what kept me alive over there, Pol."

"Then you've gotta do what you have to do, Tommy," Aunt Pol responded, defiance coating her words. "What if he hurts her and you lose her?"

Tommy thought for a moment. "It won't end like that."

"You don't know that, Tommy," Aunt Pol said sadly. "He could kill her because he knows she is your everything."

"Then he will lose more than I will," Tommy said sadly. "I'll have to live without her for the rest of my life and that's enough punishment. He'll have everything taken away from him."

"But the pain of your loss will be more than his," Aunt Pol cried softly. "I don't want you to lose her."

"Then by the order of the Peaky Blinders," Arthur interjected. "We get Rose back. And if we must kill every single one of his men then so be it, brother."

Rose Alexander was aware of the car moving for some time. Every time it came to a stop, she believed it would be the end of the journey – and possibly the end of her. She knew Kimber mostly by name, but had only ever seen him for moments at a time. Her memory of him was blurred and hazy but she had heard Aunt Pol mutter his name before he and his men swarmed into Aunt Pol's house and took her away.

She had been getting ready to leave for her wedding when he had come for her. She had thought it had been Tommy or Arthur, but she didn't recognize the men who came into the house and took her away. And she had fought like her life had depended on it, and she had no other reason to believe it was anything but that.

She pinched her leg in the hopes that this was just a cruel nightmare, and that her subconscious was just allowing her to experience pre-wedding nerves, but when she felt the pain of her pinch radiate through her body, she knew it was real. Anxiety coursed through her body, sending shockwaves to every part of her body.

Tommy was her future, and as she felt the car continue to drive for what seemed like hours, she knew her future was hanging in the air. There was no way Tommy could protect her now, and she had no idea where she was or how long they would be driving for.

She thought of Tommy then and wondered if he knew about her being taken against her will. She had seen the fist collide with Aunt Pol and the woman be knocked to the ground harshly, and before she could check if she was conscious, they took her away from the home she grew to love. Would he believe she had bailed on him at the last minute, too panicked to commit to the vows and the future they had both desperately wanted and what seemed so far away?

He knew she loved him no matter what, and the trials and tribulations their relationship had seen had proved just how much their love meant something. He would describe to her that like the opium he would smoke to rest, their love was too strong to give up on.

The car came to a stop and she waited with bated breath for any movement externally. The car jolted momentarily as the driver exited the vehicle, leaving only silence behind. And when there wasn't any sound other than footsteps moving away from her could be heard, she moved herself from the back seat as quietly as she could. Her view was obscured due to the cover over her head and her hands were tied together in front of her. She moved her hands up to the cover and pulled it from her head, not caring about her hair or anything else in that moment.

She had seen the fear in Polly's eyes as she was pulled away from her grasp. She had heard the urgency and panic in Polly's voice as they had swarmed into the house abruptly. She had felt the panic radiate from Polly as she too felt it claw at her throat.

Rose knew that Polly would call for Tommy and tell him everything. She hoped that whatever happened now would not be the end of her. But she was so sure it was.

A screech could be heard behind her as a vehicle grazed the pebbled ground. The silence was a killer, and it only seemed to raise her anxiety and fear even more. Her entire body shook with uncontrollable fear.

She saw movement outside the car she was in, and her eyes caught Kimber out of the small crowd of his men. This was it, she thought, the main event of her life. Kimber was not a man who forgave easily according to Tommy, and the realisation of the whole situation was beginning to set in. She wondered why she had been taken, and the only reason she could conjure up was Tommy.

She tried to calm her breathing, but it only became even more erratic as the car door was pulled open and she saw a tall, gruff man come into view. The man avoided her gaze and pleads then, and grabbed her tied hands and pulled her out of the car roughly. Her shoe got caught in the hem of her dress and she stumbled out of the car; her knee grazing against the rough ground.

A small chortle echoed around her and she felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. The stinging pain in her knee causing tears to fill her eyes.

"Quiet," Kimber's voice called out, and silence enveloped them. And it was then, as she looked up and took in her surroundings, that she realised her surroundings were unknown to her. Fields upon fields surrounded and welcomed her, and she then felt the sadness grasp at her heart as she knew that her time had come – this was truly the end.

As she looked around at the faces of those around her, the men that made up the Birmingham Boys, she knew by the way they avoided her gaze that it was the end. She told herself to stand up straight, keep her chin up and eyes level with Kimber's, and to keep her voice calm.

"And it had to come to this," Kimber said, his voice trailing over towards her. The man who had pulled her out of the car came to stop and dropped her tied hands, and moved away from her to stand with the other men. And as she glanced down, she felt bile rise into her throat.

A grave had been dug - and it was for her.

She returned her gaze to him and inhaled deeply. Tears threatened to fall but she tried to remain strong; Tommy wouldn't want her to falter in that moment.

"The one thing I hate is dishonesty," Kimber continued as she watched him standing in front of his line of men. "And Tommy lied to me. He did unspeakable things to me. He threatened to murder my wife after what I did to your friend."

Rose was trying to keep her breathing under control when she felt herself falter. She narrowed her gaze at Kimber then.

"I told Tommy that she got in the way," Kimber continued. "I don't know what he told you but she… Hattie… wasn't meant to die."

"Hettie," Rose seethed then. "At least get her fucking name right."

Kimber smirked then and glanced around at his men. "Touched a nerve, have I?"

"You're the one who killed her?" Rose asked, to which Kimber nodded. There was no remorse on his face despite what he was saying to her. "Why?"

"I was after you…" Kimber smirked. "I wanted what Tommy had. Hettie got in the way. Wouldn't tell me anything about where you or lover boy was. She held you in high regard which is quite nice. It was a shame to watch the life seep out of her."

Rose closed her eyes then, bile rising into her throat. She urged herself to ignore what he was saying, but Hettie had been her friend, a motherly figure to her after the war when she needed that support.

"And to know Tommy has been with you… it's something I can't seem to wrap my head around," Kimber said, the disgust on Kimber's face was paramount. "Tommy has wronged me. And guess what? Tears and apologies ain't going to fix that…"

She closed her eyes at that moment and inhaled deeply again. Her legs felt as though they were going to give from underneath her, and she replayed the memories of her and Tommy in her head for the last time for she knew her time was coming to an end.

Kimber advanced towards her, and she had opened her eyes then, but she had been too slow to move, and Kimber's fist collided with her face. She faltered and fell to the ground, the taste of blood from her busted lip seeping into her mouth and she grimaced. He grabbed a fistful of her dress and pulled her up where his fist connected with her face once more. Anger and deception fueled his actions and he saw a haze of red descend in front of his eyes.

As the beating resumed, and the realisation that his men were turning a blind eye to it all screamed at her in her mind, she had never felt pain like it before. He paused for a moment and stared down at her, a look of guilt flashing across his face. She accepted the beating for a moment, but she had begun to fight back despite the odds stacked against her. If she was to truly die then she wasn't going to die without a fight.

But with a sniff and a wipe of the beads of sweat upon his forehead, he raised his hand again for another attack but just as his hand was to connect with her face once more, he heard it before he could see it and lifted his head towards the sound.

The sound of horses galloping furiously towards them echoed around them.