Undisclosed Desires by Bridget Kathleen (websites to read books for free txt) 📖
- Author: Bridget Kathleen
Book online «Undisclosed Desires by Bridget Kathleen (websites to read books for free txt) 📖». Author Bridget Kathleen
Chapter Thirteen: Hide and Seek.
Sophia's uncle sat in a chair at a
desk, across from . He had his hands folded and his elbows resting on
the desk. He listened to the sound of flipping through all his paper
work. He was deep in thought about his niece and nephew. He knew for a fact
that they were here in New York. He had heard work from gossip around the town,
heard that the two kids bought a train ticket and left as soon as possible. His
thoughts wondered for a while as to why they had left. They had a place to stay
with a good roof over their head, hot meals to eat and a safe place to sleep.
Sophia's uncle was hard headed though. It would take more than just a hammer to
crack that skull of his open to finally realize why they had left. He was a
powerful man though and would stop at nothing to find them.
He looked to , who was
still looking at his paper work after gazing off for a few moments.
"Those damn kids
know something. I can feel it." he told .
set his
papers down and looked over at his new friend. He smiled. "Why of course
they do. No newsie EVER tells the truth. Believe me, I know."
"Oh?"
Sophia's uncle was now interested. "Tell me how you know."
sighed and scratched the back of his head. ", I know of a
young man named Jack Kelly, well that's not his real name. His real name is
Francis Sullivan, but that is besides the point. The point is: this boy cannot
be trusted, just like any other newsie. He's a quick thinker and will slip
right under your nose if you let him. But if your niece and nephew have met
this boy, then they ARE hiding something from you."
nodded his head. "Where could I find this boy?" he asked.
"This boy lives
here in Manhattan at a lodging house."
gave him a
little smirk. "Let's go to this lodging house and speak to this Fancis
Sullivan.
Cowboy sat in his bunk bed, counting
his coins. Race played his harmonica, Blink played a game of cards with mush,
Boots snapped his fingers as he laid in his bottom bunk and the rest of the
newsie boys still slept while they could before getting up. The old man who ran
the place came walking into the room, telling the boys to get up, saying that
they had jobs to get done today and that there was no more time to be sleeping.
Cowboy climbed off of his bunk bed
and tucked in his shirt, Since he had no suspenders to put on, he headed right
to the washroom where he brushed his teeth, washed his face and combed his
hair. He was one of the first newsie boys to get done and ready to head out. As
he was about to open the front door to the lodging house, it swung open before
he could get to it. Jack stopped, making a few other boys knock into him.
came walking through the door with
a man who stood taller than he behind him. The two exchanged looks and then
looked over to the old man who made his way to the front desk.
"May I help
you?" the old man asked.
smiled his
creepy smile that he always did and finally said, "Yes. It seems there is
a young newsie girl who is missing and her brother. My friend, , is
their uncle."
Jack remembered then that Sophia's uncle was looking for her. This guy
must have been him that was with . He kept his eyes on him while he
listened to the conversation was having with the old man who ran the
lodging house.
The old man replied.
"No newsie girl has made her way here. And we haven't had any new boys
come in either for a while. That I can assure you."
slightly
nodded his head a few times. "I see. Well, if you do happen to see
them," he held his arm up and placed a picture of Sophia and Tommy
in-between 's middle and index finger and then he brought it close
enough for the man to see."They're names are Sophia and Tommy. If you do
see them, tell them that their uncle is VERY worried." he handed the
picture back to without looking away from the old man. He then turned
his gaze to the newsie boys. "Good luck to you boys." He tipped his
hat and was gone.
After jack had sold all his papes he
made his way to the pig market to buy a small thing of bread for some late
lunch and then quickly started his way to the Brooklyn Bridge to speak with
Spot about Sophia's uncle.
"Yo Cowboy! Where ya goin'?"
Jack looked back and saw his good friend, Race. "Hey, Race!" he gave
his friend a pat in the back. Race did the same.
"Why you'se
headin' ta Brooklyn?" he asked, pulling out a cigar and lighting it
quickly with his small crumpled up box of matches. he took one puff after that
and breathed it out. The smoke blew in the direction the wind was going.
Jack stuffed his hands in pocket, trying to warm them up from the chilly air.
"I'se gotta go see, Spot."
Race took another drag. "What for?"
"Needs ta talk
ta him 'bout what he told us 'bout Sophia's uncle."
Race nodded his head
twice. "I'se thought so."
"You'se did?" Jack asked.
Race nodded once this
time. "Yeah. I'se saw dat ol' gezzeh dis mornin'. Mind if I'se tag 'long
with ya?"
Jack laughed.
"But you'se hate Brooklyn!"
Race took one last
grad before putting his cigar out and places it back in a tin case and stuffing
it carefully in his front pocket. "I'se wanna know what's goin' on with
our old friend, Smalls."
The newsie boys made their way over
the Brooklyn Bridge as fast as they could. The wind blowing was colder on the
bridge. Race put his arms around himself to warm up a bit, but it did not do much good.
"You'se think dat, Spot is back at the lodging house?" Asked Race.
Jack shook his head. "Nah.""Well he more than certainly be done sellin' those papes of his, no doubt.""Yeah. I knows." started Jack, "but I'se doubt he be back at the lodging house. He probably be at some bar, here in Brooklyn, hittin' on fancy goils."
Spot got a complex look on his face. "Aint he with, Smalls though? Those two seem pretty close with each othah."
Jack nodded. "Yeah. But I'se don' wanna confuse myself with their probs." Race nodded, too.
Just then a voice yelled out to the two newise boys. It was Spot coming to greet them. He had on a light jacket and a small piece of taffy in-between his thumb and pointer finger. He gave them a big grin.
"What brings ya boys ovah here?" he asked.
Cowboy stepped forward and
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