Disclaimer – I do not own Oliver! Or Oliver Twist. In case you guys hadn't noticed yet, I'm not Charles Dickens.
Hey guys :) I know, I need shooting and brutally murdering for keeping you guys waiting so long. You're all awesome.
Reviews...
cherrybomb10295 – Thanks so much for the review. I really enjoyed bringing Oliver back into it, glad you like it! Hope you like this chapter :D
Red-Cherry-Flowers – Thanks for reviewing! Here's the update :D Hope you enjoy it
Breeza13 – I know it was short, sorry :) Hope you like this chapter, I've tried to make it longer, but it's not very long either!
Broken Amethyst – Have I ever told you how much I love your name? (I probably have, I have a tendency to repeat myself...) Anyway. Thanks for the review! Hope you like this chapter!
Emishi-Princess – Thanks! I know, GCSEs are the bane of my life at the moment. Had maths today... URGH! Haha, yes, I'm trying my hand at murder mystery writing. Agatha Christie eat your heart out... :D lol, kidding. Hope you like this chapter.
Doenderlover – Hope you found the original story of Emilia King. If you didn't then you can get to it through my profile :D
Charlene Bates – Property of Frodo - :D I've told you so many times how much I love your reviews. But I'll tell you again :D lol. Glad you enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope you love this one!! Thanks :)
JoannaDorian – Thanks so much for the review! Hope you like this chapter, you'll have to see who the real murderer is.. it's a secret at the moment :D
xBangsMcCoyx – Haha glad you liked it. Aaaah you'll have to wait to find out who the real murderer is though (cackles)
OKAY! Without further ado (or any more talking) I give you Chapter Four!!
Chapter 4 – An Insight...
John 'Ginger' McFarlane stole down the alley. The thick darkness that filled the alley was lit only by the wavering candles that lit the slum houses on either side.
A plume of white breath escaped Ginger's lips, lit by a shaft of guttering light from a dirty window. The night had turned unusually cold for the time of year.
Glancing around, he slunk down the remainder of the alley, and pressed himself against an old wooden door set into the wall. He rapped on the door five times, leaving irregular gaps between the knocks,
"Ginger" he rasped.
There was a long pause, and a clanking of keys, before the door finally opened, revealing a wizened old lady. The woman was small, and very thin, stooping slightly to replace the key in the lock as Ginger stepped through the door, shutting it behind him. Her silver hair was looped back in a bun, and sparkling, beetle black eyes flicked up to look at Ginger from either side of a slightly hooked nose.
"You took your time" she reprimanded, her voice husky and reminiscent of many years of smoking tobacco, "Where've you been anyway?"
Ginger's gaze darted to meet hers, as he contemplated how to answer,
"I'll tell you after I've talked to Chamberson," he said vaguely, following her down the dank corridor, and into a larger room with a stove in the middle.
The old woman fixed him with a piercing glare,
"I don't need to know nothin' that you and that good for nothin' cousin o' yours talk about."
Ginger fought the urge to snap at her, and eventually said
"Alright Mama"
Mama fixed him with another glare, before screeching,
"MATTHEW!"
Ginger winced, and settled himself on a wooden chair, pulling off his boots and top hat, not really listening as Mama continued talking,
"I don't want none of you bligh'ers bringin' a bad name on us"
Ginger snorted with mirth,
"A bad name..."
"And anyway, what the 'ell is that 'at for? You don't normally wear that!"
"I wanted to wear it"
Mama looked as if she was about to shout again, but stopped as another man stepped into the room. Older than the teenage Ginger, he looked to be in his mid twenties. Matted brown hair fell into his eyes, and to his shoulders, framing a face with a square jaw, Roman nose, wide, laughing mouth, and grey eyes.
"Ginger" he smiled, sitting down on the chair next to Ginger's, "'ow's the plan goin'?"
They were a strange pair, Ginger McFarlane and Matthew Chamberson, one slim with childlike, innocent features, despite being in his late teens, the other tall and very broad. However, when those two came up with a plan, no-one could stop it.
Mama huffed loudly and flounced out of the room, slamming the door that Matthew Chamberson had just entered through.
"She sounds 'appy" Chamberson said, gesturing over his shoulder at the closed door. Ginger smirked, looking up through his sandy fringe, bright blue eyes laughing silently,
"She don't want us 'bringin' a bad name' on the family" he said, his lips slipping into a smile as Chamberson laughed raucously,
"Yeah, she'd know all abou' tha' eh?"
Ginger smiled ruefully back,
"About the plan... I think it's worked"
Emmy yawned loudly, stretching like a cat. Dodger watched, amused, from his seat on the sofa,
"Tired?" he asked, exchanging grins with Ace and Charlie, who were sat with him.
Emmy wondered what on earth could be funny about being tired, but decided to ignore them, and turned back to face Annie, a confused expression on her face. Annie laughed,
"Don't worry about it, they're just 'bein' men'. They're probably laughin' about somethin' stupid"
"And disgustin'" Emmy smiled back at her friend.
Annie leant back against the wall, her head tilted back. She sighed, her breath wheezing slightly. Emmy's eyes flicked up to Annie's face. She was concerned about her friend. Annie had been getting increasingly tired over the past few days, and Emmy was sure that something must be wrong. Sensing Emmy's gaze, Annie looked her friend in the eye,
"I'm fine Emmy, believe me"
Emmy nodded half heartedly, sending Annie a half smile.
The house was quiet. Everyone was now in bed, even the oldest boys.
Emmy turned over, trying not to think about the mission that she and Dodger had set themselves. She sat up, wiping her hand across her sweating forehead. Despite the chill in the air, she felt feverish with worry. She could only imagine what Dodger must be feeling.
A shape moved on the other side of the room. Emmy sucked in a shallow breath, her heart rate quickening. Then the shape spoke,
"Emmy?"
She breathed a sigh of relief,
"Dodge?"
"Yeah, 's'me" Dodger was now close enough for Emmy to make out his face. He sat down on the edge of her 'bed', kissing her softly on the lips,
"Emmy, I can't stop thinkin' about 'im" Dodger said, resting his head on Emmy's shoulder "I feel like... I don't know, like we sort of 'ave a responsibility to get 'im out... 'e 'elped us"
"I know," Emmy said soothingly, trying to feel calm "But we'll get 'im out, don't worry"
"I want to go now"
Emmy's eyes widened, taking a deep breath, "Now? Dodge it's the middle of the night!"
"What better time to find a murderer?" Dodger asked seriously, his eyes looking up at her through the tangle of brown hair that was his fringe.
Emmy stared at him for one long minute, taking a long, slow breath
"Alrigh' Dodge"
Dodger looked at her in surprise
"You'll come? Now?"
Emmy smiled
"Yes I'll come... Now get off me you lump"
Dodger smiled at her, one side of his mouth twitching upwards. He quickly wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her neck
"Thank you" he whispered, and Emmy smiled as those oh so familiar shivers ran down her back.
Dodger shut the door quietly behind him and found Emmy's hand, taking it in his own,
"Where now?" Emmy asked, white tendrils of breath puffing from her mouth as she looked down the dark street.
"We'll go to Fiddler's Leap first" Dodger said, squeezing Emmy's hand. "If we don't find 'im there then we'll 'ave to look 'arder"
Emmy swallowed hard, feeling a little overwhelmed. Fiddler's Leap was a very run down part of London, not very far from the pickpockets' house. However, the one thing that Fiddler's Leap was mainly known for was the nest of murderers and criminals that plotted, lived, and worked there.
"What d'you reckon people there'll think of us?" she asked Dodger as they walked down the silent alley that led them in the direction of Fiddler's Leap.
"We look just like any of 'em would" Dodger shrugged, he sounded nonchalant but Emmy could feel his palms becoming sweaty and his pulse quickening. "We'll blend righ' in"
The pair continued on their way, not even beginning to realise how big a game they were playing.
Ginger leant back on his chair, smirking at Chamberson as Mama re-entered the room
"So you two've finished then?" she asked, trying to stay serious, but cracking a smile at the look on Ginger's face. Stoking the stove up, she straightened, and looked at the two young men in the room.
"I'm proud o' you lads" she said eventually, "You were obviously well brought up..."
Well well well :D
I know this is quite short again, but it too much would have happened too quickly if I'd carried on, and I'm having to write this in between exams and revision...
Please review! (I know I don't deserve it – appalling upload rate)
Thanks so much if you do review, you guys are what keep me motivated through exams and everything!
Love
Blackfishy
xxx