Fin Shelby, 10 years old and brother of Tom Shelby stuck his ear to a crack in the door. Behind it a family meeting was taking place.

"Right...I've called this family meeting because I've got some very important news" Arthur Shelby began. He looked slick in his grey suit and waistcoat plus a gold chain and pocket square. He pointed to two rough looking blokes who stood together, awkwardly at his side."These two blokes just got back from Belfast last night" Arthur stopped pointing and crossed his arms.

"They was buying a stallion to cover their mares. They were in a pub on the shank field road yesterday and in that pub there was a copper"

Arthur stepped forward and picked up a bunch of flyers and began to pass them out."He was handing out these"

John Shelby looking equally as slick rested his leg on a chair and began to read from the page."If your over 5 foot 3 come to Birmingham"

John looked up at Arthur and let him continue. In the room sat Ada Shelby, Toms youngest sister aged 19, Aunt Polly the Shelby boys aunt, John Shelby, Toms second youngest brother and Arthur Shelby, the oldest brother an current head of the peaky blinders.

"Their recruiting protestant Irishmen to come over here as Special Branch" Said Arthur.

Ada looked up at him and began to speak."To do what?"

Tom stepped forward from the back of the room and looked at her."To clean up the city Ada" Tom raised his pamphlet. "He's the chief inspector" Tom sighed. "For the last four years he's been clearing the IRA out of Belfast"

Arthur looked rather angry and stared him down from the other side of the room."How do you know so bloody much?"

Tom stared straight back at him. "Cause I asked the coppers on our payroll"

Arthur grew angry but kept his voice low. "And why didn't you tell me?"

Tom leaned against the support beam. "I'm telling yah now"

Arthur reached inside his jacket, pulled out a flask and bought it to his lips. He took a massive sip to stop himself yelling. Aunt Polly looked up from the pamphlet. "Why are they sending him to Birmingham?"

Tom chuckled. "Well there's been all these bloody strikes at the B.S.A factory. Its a commie thing. Now the papers are talking about saddition and revolution. So I therefore reckon its commies he's after."

Aunt Polly took a drag of her ciggerete. "So this coppers going to leave us alone? Right?"

"There are Irishmen in Green Lane who left Belfast to get away from him. They say catholic men who used to cross them disappeared in the night"

John pulled the tooth pick from his mouth and began to speak. "Yeah but we aren't IRA. We've gone on fought for the king. Anyway were Peaky Blinders, were not scared of coppers"

Arthur nodded in agreement. ''He's right"

John continued. "Anyway if they come for us, we'll cut them a smile each"

Arthur looked at aunt Polly. "What do yah think aunt Polly?"

"I think this family does everything open" She looked at Tom with harsh eyes. "You've nothing more to say to this meeting tommy?"

Tom shook his head as he spoke, his voice quiet but not quite a whisper. "No. Nothing that's woman's business"

Aunt Polly gave him a death stare. "This whole bloody enterprise was a woman's business well you boys were away at war. What's changed?"

"We came back"

Rusty had seen the same man read these stories each day, at the same point on the street. People would always walk past not caring about his words, Rusty could only assume that was because it didn't make sense to many people given that this was America, not England. Rusty also thought if this guy was going to tell a story, he'd much rather hear something original and if not, maybe The Count of Monte Cristo. Rusty always liked that book.

Rusty lifted up his collar against the cold October wind and carried on about his business, hopefully he'd see the man back with something original tomorrow.