Polly would not shut up. She drone on and on about Grace spending. The flowers cost to much because they were imported. The champagne had to come from a specific region. The hotel costs for her family visit alone was a small fortune. The giant issue currently has been over Jeremiah. Grace had her traditions which Tommy respected. He didn't have many when it came to religious ceremonies. She would have her protestant church, Tommy had two requirements.
Jeremiah officiating the ceremony and no Calvary uniforms. He would not have those pretentious pricks rub their arrogance in the Shelby faces. Jeremiah has been loyal to Tommy for years. Despite not truly believing he gave relief and some spiritual guidance in the trenches. Jeremiah is the one man he wanted to stand in front and pledge his undying love to Grace. He threw money at the church to look the other way about his own pastor. If the church was happy then Grace can't bitch about it any more.
"She needs to keep her fucking mouth shut."
"That was a bad word Aunt Polly."
Oscar pointed out Pols bad language.
"Sorry my love." She kissed the top of his head.
"Can you both stay for dinner. I'm sure mama won't mind."
"I don't know if she would."
"We're here!" Oscar cut Tommy off as the car stopped in front of his home. He quickly jumped out towards the door.
"Papa and Aunt Polly are staying for dinner."
Oscar announced as he blew past his mother going towards his room. He had an object in his hand , A new toy she had assumed.
"Welcome home mon cheri." Olivia called out to him.
"We don't have to stay." Tommy placed Oscar suitcase down.
"Non sense. I always make plenty, unless you have somewhere to be?" Olivia was taking Tommy coat when their fingers touched. They both felt static electric shock. Time froze for a moment ,staring into each other eyes.
Polly coughed and broke their gazes.
"Uh well dinner will be ready in a few moments. Make your selves comfortable in the living room."
Olivia walked off towards the kitchen while Tommy and Polly passed the table in the foyer.
Polly gut jolted. The flowers sitting in the crystal vase felt wrong. Orange lilies. They meant passion and desire but can also mean hatred.
"Who gave these to her?"
"I don't know Pol. Not my business." Tommy plucked a petal. Holding down his jealousy.
"I don't have a good feeling from these. The meaning."
"You always find meaning where there isn't any Pol." Tommy cut her rant off.
"She has an admirer. Just leave it ok." Tommy walked off .
Polly huffed. How dare he dismiss her concerns. With this development she knows Tommy will be pouting even if he won't admit it.
Dinner went by smoothly with Oscar dominating most of the conversation. Olivia could see something bothered the other two adults at the table. Their demeanor was off.
"Out with it. If there is danger lurking I need to know." Olivia cornered them after dinner.
"It's nothing to worry about Livy."
"The lilies are beautiful who gave them to you?" Polly decided to cut Tommy off and get to the point.
"Um thank you. He um."
Olivia was trying to form an explanation. She didn't have to. She has every right to a personal life. But that spark she felt with Tommy.
"I met him at a pub with Peter."
"Peter was there?" Tommy jumped in.
Good. Polly thought. Tommy interest was peaked.
"Yes. He took me for dinner and there was a fight. Atticus was defending an innocent woman and was injured. I patched him up and he sent me those flowers. We have shared one dinner and plan to have another next week when Oscar is with you. Is that ok with you Thomas?"
Olivia crossed her arms sounding defensive. She was getting ticked off.
"Just curious is all. If you are happy so am I."
"I don't plan on having him meet Oscar any time soon. I thought it would be best to wait."
Tommy walked over to the small drink station to refill his class.
"Contrairement à Grace"
(Unlike with Grace.)
Olivia mumbled under breathe. It was so low Tommy wasn't sure what he heard but he did hear Grace's name. Olivia didn't know why she wanted to be snippy with Tommy. Well that's not true. She was getting defensive because Tommy was questioning her and deep down she wanted him to get just a little jealous. She could smack herself with that thought.
"What was that?" Tommy asked with his all knowing smirk. He wanted to rile her up some.
"Nothing." Olivia smiled.
"Well thank you for the delicious dinner. It's getting late ,we need to say good night to the little one." Polly interrupted once again. She tried to hide the amusement she was feeling. They said goodnight and Polly dragged Tommy out of the house.
"Slow down." Tommy had to pry Polly hand off his coat sleeve.
"Come on we have to meet with that Peter. He can tell us who that man is."
"Pol stop it."
"NO! I am not being paranoid. I know what I felt and it's bad Tommy. You can not stop me. I will do anything to protect my family, Olivia and Oscar included. Do not stand in my way."
Tommy humored her during dinner but now he could see how serious she is. If she was right then his son could be in danger.
"Alright Pol. I will give him a call, meet us tomorrow."
"Deal." Polly spit on palm and stuck it out to Tommy. A little dramatic but Tommy copied his aunt and shook on it. He didn't want to show his worry but he was.
When Olivia told him of her boyfriend he was jealous. Slightly. He wanted to push her buttons just to see her get ticked. A small hint of shame considering he is already spoken for. He would always protect his family. Once they made it back to Birmingham Tommy went straight to the betting den to place his call to Peter.
"Hel." Peter couldn't get out the full greeting before Tommy interrupted him.
"I need to know more about the man Olivia is seeing."
"Why?"
"I just need to know what is background is."
"No. I can't invade Olivia privacy."
"Peter please just do this for me otherwise I will have one of my Peaky boys poke around. You know their reputation."
"Tommy please don't make me do this."
"I'm protecting my family Peter. That's all."
"Fine give me a week or two."
"Thank You." Tommy hung up.
If Olivia found out about his snooping he would pay. He has only seen her temper twice back in France and didn't want to face her wrath but the price would be worth it. He would kill for Olivia and their son. He didn't want to but nothing would hurt them ever.
~~~~~~Two and a half weeks later~~~~~
"He's clean."
Peter tossed the file on Tommy desk. All the information he could find out about Atticus.
"That's it?"
"Yep. Comes from a wealthy upstanding family. No criminal record. Didn't serve in battle but he still helped the effort. No mistresses or children on the side. No previous marriages. He seems to a normal law abiding citizen."
Peter gave Tommy a slight smirk. He knew Tommy was being over protective. He could also see the jealousy. It was a long shot but maybe just maybe Tommy would drop Grace and declare is undying love for Olivia. Hell might freeze over but Peter still held hope. In the meantime if that man made Olivia happy, she deserved it.
"Every man has something to hide."
"Not this one. She's moved on Tom. Time to accept that."
"Pol is never wrong about her bad feeling. He isn't who he seems I know it."
"Tom let it go. Olivia is a big girl. She can take care of herself. Besides if there was something to go wrong she has the both of us."
Peter slapped Tommy on the shoulder. There was more to be done. Have his men follow Atticus. Olivia would be sure to find out one day but he found it justifiable. London would be slightly harder to control. In Birmingham he had a long list of people he could pay off and owed favors to the blinders. London was a bigger beast. Larger city and more bosses he might step on toes. By coincidence Atticus happened to live on the boarder of Tommy so called Allie slash enemy. Some days they were friends.
Tommy picked up the phone receiver.
"Solomons bakery Camden Town."
Tommy pinched the bridge of his nose. He was about to make a deal with the devil. A very annoying devil who loved to poke and poke at him. Dear lord he hated this.
"Today is my Sabbath , I don't do business until sun down. Ten more minutes."
"Alfie."
"Sshhh. Ten minutes."
Tommy let out a huff while watching the wall clock count down in silence. He could hang up. Hang up and forget the mission he was on. Forget the jealousy raging inside him, slip out of his office and head home. Yes head home to Grace his beloved fiance.
"Whatever you need mate it'll cost ya."
Too late. Tommy was about to pass the point of no return.
"I know Alfie. I need a small favor. You have phone operators on your pay roll don't you?"
"Phone operators aren't usually under your purview."
"Beech street do you have ears there?"
"Not in Camden."
"On the border of your bakery. So it's close enough."
" You don't have enemies that I don't know of Tom. This is personal isn't it."
"Alfie is it possible I don't have much time to waste."
"Not until I know the full story mate."
"He is a possible threat to my family. I need an operator you trust. I will pay her one thousand pounds and pay you three."
"Four thousand for me and you have a deal."
"Fine Alfie four thousand pounds. Now who can I trust to listen in on 3234 beech street?"
"A good old gal Midge. Known her since I was a boy. Give me a few days to talk her into spying. In the mean time drop the money off in the usual place. Pleasure doing business with you." Alfie hung up and Tommy wanted to scream. Fucking hell.
Tommy could feel in his gut this would go terribly wrong. Trusting Alfie Solomons was risky and most of the time the risk paid off.He would have to keep the details vague. Alfie was a blood hound once he got a scent. He didn't need Alfie anywhere near Olivia. Three days later Midge came through, which is how he learned Atticus would be taking Olivia to a high class restaurant that Grace hasn't shut up about since it opened a year ago. The waiting list was months long. According to Midge he threw his name and large amount of money to the manager for a Saturday night reservation. Tommy cleared his schedule for the impromptu trip he would be taking to London. He needed to sneak away , Oscar would have Johnny dogs kids to keep him company.
Saturday night came with the excuse of urgent business and would return before the morning. Tommy left an angry red faced Grace and content son behind for London. He waited in his car outside of Atticus home. Waited for half an hour for him to leave. Tommy was on his third cigarette when a man left the home. It was Atticus. Tall ,wearing an expensive looking suit, just a bit smug looking for Tommy taste. He waited for ten minutes after Atticus left before exiting his vehicle and sneaked into the back yard.
The garden wall was easy to hop over. The back door lock was also easy to pick and open. Maybe a little too easy. Tommy kept himself on high alert for people or any animals that could be in the home. He entered the mud room that lead into the kitchen.Clean nearly sterile. If Tommy didn't already know about the maid he would think the kitchen was never used. He left the kitchen into the hallway.
Old mahogany wood covered the walls. Dinning room to the left, long table that sat eight people. Living room , office , foyer all seemed to perfect. Expensive art work scattered the walls. All of his house adornments looked expensive. Tommy browsed around the main floor not finding any incriminating evidence. His office was the same. A few files from his work and bank statements. Mr Davenport as of this morning had a balance of forty thousand pounds. Impressive Tommy thought. He had more. Much more money. But if he was the man Tommy thought he was Atticus most likely had several different accounts.
Tommy stole a small bank slip and left the office towards the stairs. Art work turned into photographs going towards the second floor. Photos of who can be assumed Atticus family. One photo caught his as he reached the top. A group of people very important people gathered around some old man. One woman stood out. Light hair blonde most likely, maybe fifties. She wore a floral inspired brooch. The center stone was dark and large. Possibly emerald with what he knew was diamonds making up the rest. What caught his attention was the thought that is what Grace will look like when she ages. A chill jolted down Tommy spine. An uneasiness filled his gut. The woman creeped him out. Tommy shook off the feeling and headed towards the bedroom doors.
Two guest rooms with nothing special in them. He rifled through the closets and dresser drawers. The final bedroom was his. The large bed sat against the wall. European satin duvet in Golden and light blues and greens colors , matching pillows. Tommy felt around the bedding and pillows for any hidden lumps. Nothing. Next was the night stand.
Small bible and other miscellaneous items. He tapped on the bottom and a hollow sound followed. False bottom. He lifted the piece of wood to see a gun and package of bullets. A colt model 1908 vest pocket pistol. American and most likely bought illegally and unlicensed. Rich men like Atticus who did serve in one way or another would have a service revolver or European weapon that has the proper paper work. Not an American gun with scuff marks on it. Polly was right. This man was up to something. He placed the false bottom back and the items to their place.
He moved to the closet next. Tommy had better suits. Everything about Tommy was better than this idiot.
"Quit it." He reprimanded himself.
That's when he saw it. Hidden in the back. A wall safe. Hammer Smith. That brand is a good one but not completely uncrackable . Tommy placed his ear against the safe moving the dial until he heard the tumbler click. First number was three. As he was ready for the second number there was noise downstairs. The front door opened with a familiar female laughter. The bastard brought Olivia back to his home to have sex. Tommy would love to jump out and drag Olivia away but he would look like a crazy person. He kinda already was. Breaking and entering into a stranger's home based on a hunch that may or may not be true.
Dear god he needed to get out of the house. He couldn't climb out of the bedroom window, it was too high and there was nothing to break his fall. From the noise they were still near the stair case. So he waited for what felt like an eternity for them to move towards another room. More giggling from the living room. Tommy heart hammered against his rib cage while sneaking down the stairs. He stayed close to the wall with each careful step, making sure the wood didn't creak. Tommy was thankful in this moment for his military training in sneaking around behind enemy territory.
He reached the bottom. When he tilted his head he had a perfect view of them. His arm around Olivia, she had her head turned into his face nuzzling him. They were glued to each other. He wanted throw up. As they started kissing Tommy made a break for the kitchen ,barely lifting his feet he was safety in the kitchen. The back door mere inches away but he couldn't make himself leave.
He hated that Olivia could be going go bed with that posh bastard. She should be home with their son. With him. He reassured Grace there were no lingering feelings but he has lied. Not intentionally but his actions tonight have have shown his true feelings. His heart still beat for Olivia. Tommy was feeling too many emotions that made his head hurt. Out of sheer pettiness and frustration Tommy swiped a crystal Sherrie glass. The set was sitting there on the China cabinet. Freshly cleaned not yet returned to it's home. There was no rational reason for Tommy to knick the glass. If he couldn't beat Atticus up and burn down his house then stealing was the next option. It was a small souvenir that he was able to break in and get out without being caught . With any luck Atticus will feel his presence in the house. A small violation that he can't quite put his finger on.
Tommy left rounding the front when he stopped and hid behind a bush. Atticus was helping Olivia into his car. Huh. So didn't sleep with him. His fear would be held off just a little longer. He knew what type of woman she was. Olivia didn't sleep around for the fun of it. When she gave herself to a man she gave her full self. Mind, body, and her love. It's what she gave to him and Tommy squandered the right.
The entire car ride back to Birmingham confused Tommy more. He loved Grace but was it the same type of love he had for Olivia? Grace betrayed him but she proved her loyalty. The list of pros and cons of being with Grace was long but in the end would it be worth it to leave her for Olivia. She was clearly moving on. Did she have any love for him outside of being the father of their son? He didn't have those answers which terrified him. Tommy didn't want to be a cheater like his father. Have multiple women at one time while a long suffering wife stayed at home with the children. It wouldn't be fair to either Grace or Olivia. Certainly not to Oscar. He had to stay with Grace. He was sure of her love. He couldn't abandon her based on old feelings.
Tommy would continue to be a good soldier and follow Polly orders. He loved Peter dearly but he wasn't the same as Tommy. Pete wouldn't and didn't need to get his hands dirty but Tommy would. He had plenty of underground contacts that could dig up any secret Atticus could be hiding. In the end if Tommy was wrong then he would be wrong. At least his family would be safe and he could let go of the hold Olivia had on his heart. But did he really want that. Tommy has held on to that to so many years, what would his life be without her?
Thank you all so much for sticking with me and for reading. My life is having big changes so i will do everything i can to keep updating. Please leave comments letting me know how you all feel and if i should continue with this story. I appreciate you all dearly and thank you so much for reading.