Past Secrets and Present Times
Chapter 16
By Megan
The next day was the day that Mr. Edwards was beginning to question the newsies. Hotshot was nervous because she didn't know who he was questioning. She leaned her head against Specs' shoulder the entire ride to the courthouse. "I have a feeling it's going to be a long day," she said as she jumped down.
"You have no idea how much I want it to be over," Specs replied. They separated when the entered the courtroom. Specs took his seat among the newsies and Hotshot sat at the table where Denton's briefcase lay. She folded her arms in front of her on the table and used them as a pillow.
"You's ok?" Skittery asked taking a seat behind her.
"I'll live," she turned to look back at her friends, "Good luck to whoever he questions today." She sank lower in her chair as Pulitzer and Edwards entered the courtroom, followed soon after by the judge. She bit her nail in a nervous habit until Mr. Edwards called his first witness,
"Robert Arroyo."
She took a deep breath and watched Mush walk up to the witness stand. He sat down and gave her an easygoing and encouraging smile. She smiled at him in return.
"Mr. Arroyo, how long have you known Ms. Lynn?"
Mush shrugged, "A little more than two months."
"And in those two months how did she treat everyone around her?"
"The same way we- No probably better than we treated her. She was always fair."
It was obviously not the answer Mr. Edwards had wanted. "Why do you live in the lodging house Mr. Arroyo?"
"It's either that or the orphanage," he said, "an' I'd rather take me chances on the street than in that place."
Hotshot bit her lip. She knew exactly what Edwards was doing. He wanted to show the judge that the kind of people she was associating with were nothing more then riffraff and a bad influence on her.
"How much money do you have Mr. Arroyo? With you and back at the lodging house? Savings?"
"Probably a few dollars," Mush said looking at the older man. He answered a few more questions about his background and relationship with Hotshot before Denton came up.
"Mush," Denton used the name he was more used to, "Hotshot was a good friend of yours right?"
"Yeah she is."
"Do you and the other guys respect her?"
"Yeah, she don't act like she's better than us, an' you can trust her, so yeah."
"Do you believe what she says about her uncle and stepfather?"
"She's not the kind of person who would lie."
"Yes or no, Mush?"
"Yes."
Mush went back to his seat and Mr. Edwards called the next newsie, "Christopher Page." Boot stumbled up to the stand trembling. The questions Denton asked were almost the exact ones he had asked Mush.
"Boots how does Hotshot treat you and the other younger newsies?"
"Like everyone else," he said, "She treats everyone with respect, it don't matter how old they are. All they gotta do is treat her with respect back."
"Do you believe what she says?"
"The only time she lies is when she's tellin' stories to the little kids. An' when she's sellin' papes but all a us do that."
"Thank you Boots."
Boots walked back and took a seat next to Mush who whispered something in the younger boy's ear. He smiled and laughed lightly as Edwards called the next name 'Kyle Dolan'.
Pickpocket was barely seated before the first question was asked, "What do you think of Ms. Lynn?"
"She's one a the smartest people I know."
"How so?"
"She's always got a plan, she's educated, she always knows what's goin' on, and she picks up on stuff real fast."
The next few pointed questions did no good for Edwards' defense. Denton brought up the subject of respect again and asked Pickpocket about his relationship with Hotshot.
'Dennis Bennett' was called to the stand next. Hotshot raised an eyebrow having never heard the name before. Her eyes went wide when Rebel walked to the front of the room.
"How did Ms. Lynn act under your command?" Edwards asked after portraying the fact that Rebel had been the current leader of Brooklyn when she started selling there.
"She didn't." He simply stated.
"What do you mean?" Edwards was nervous.
"I mean," He said, "I told Spot to train her because I knew he'd be the next leader and he was closer to her age."
"Do you respect her?" was Denton's first questions.
"Yes."
"Why?"
Rebel smiled widely, "I don't know very many girls who, at the age of seven, would give a sixteen-year-old newsie a black eye. She has guts an' for what she's been through I'd say she's tougher than a lot of the other newsies."
"Very good, do you trust her?"
"The only people that goil ever lied to were the bulls 'cause she didn't wanna get sent home."
Gabriel Conlon was called to the stand next. He walked and sat down with the same hard look on his face the whole time.
"Since Ms. Lynn was under your command how did she act?"
Spot looked Edwards directly in the face, "She did what I said unless she saw reason not to."
"So you would say she didn't respect you?"
"She respected me and I respected her. She just saw holes in my plans that would make it not work."
"Why are you a newsie Mr. Conlon?"
"It's betta than the alternative," Spot muttered coldly.
"Your parents are rich are they not?"
"They are."
"Then why would you want to stay on the streets?"
"Sometimes bein' poor and bein' respected by others is betta than havin' all the money in the world. If I were at home I'd be getting' beat every night."
"Do you respect her, Spot?" Denton asked standing up.
"Always have," he said, "She's been t'rough enough to make anyone respect her."
"How much do you trust her?"
"Wit' me life." He raised his gaze to meet Hotshot's and smiled at her.
When Steven Bryant's name was called he nearly jumped out of his skin. A few of the newsies laughed as Skittery made his way up to the bench while others groaned.
"Mr. Bryant, have you ever played jokes on Ms. Lynn?"
"I didn't do it," Bumlets whispered Skittery's famous phrase to Dutchy.
"Yeah, when she first came we didn't want a goil around so we played a few jokes. We shouldn't a though; she got us back."
"Do you believe whatever she tells you?"
"I don't got no reason not to 'less she's tryin' to sell papes, but then we all lie there."
After a few more useless questions Edwards took his seat and gave Denton the floor. "Skittery, do you agree with the others that she deserves respect?"
He nodded, "She deserves more than she gets."
"Why is that?"
"She could fight Spot or Jack easy and win, an' she knows it too. An' even though she could she doesn't try to beat 'em ta get a better position. She works harder than most a us and she puts up with more than we gotta."
"So you trust her?"
"Long as she ain't mad at me. That goil knows some great fighting moves."
As Skittery went back to his seat Hotshot put her face in her hands. She'd been hoping none of them would bring it up. The closing statements went as usual and Hotshot declined Denton's offer to show her Monday's schedule.
All of the newsies who were going to the Edwards' party/dinner that night stayed in the courtroom to hear Denton's instructions. "Dress somewhat nicely and behave." Were the only instructions he gave, "The coach will come around to pick you up around five thirty."
Rebel, Spot, Jack, Dutchy, Mush, Bumlets, and Skittery began their walk back to the lodging house while the others walked back to the house. They were inside before Racetrack asked, "So any a you's gonna dress up."
"Don't," Specs said, "I told the fellas at the lodgin' house an' I'll tell you; don' let anyone in that house make you feel lowed then them."
"Good," Race nodded, "'cause I don' got any nice clothes."
"Well it's almost five now," Hotshot interrupted, looking at the pocket watch she'd inherited from her brother, "I'd say we should get ready."
"You gonna wear a dress?" David suggested
"When hell freezes over," she shot back coolly. She walked down to her bedroom as they stared after her for a moment and then went to theirs. Rosa was waiting by her closet holding up two dresses. "You's gotta be joking," she muttered.
"Which one?" the maid asked.
"Neither!" she cried, "Rosa, no offence, but I'se been picking out my own clothes for a while now an' I don' need you to help me."
Rosa smiled, "I thought so. You're wearing that then." She pointed to Hotshot's outfit.
"This or sumthin' like it," she said.
"I just wish I could see the look on old man Pulitzer's face when you walk in," Rosa got a dreamy look in her eyes that made Hotshot laugh. The older woman nodded and left the room.
Hotshot changed from the gray shirt she was wearing to a light green one. Specs came into the room a few minutes later wearing his normal clothes. A pair of boots, brown pants, a white shirt, suspenders under a light brown vest, and his fedora. The only thing out of the ordinary was his jacket, which was worn only on special occasions.
They met David and Race downstairs a few minutes later to see that the two of them were also dressed simply. The normal newsie clothes were sure to be a contrast with the finer clothing of other guests.
Denton looked them over and muttered to himself when the coach stopped in front of the house. The other seven newsies were all dressed normally and seated in the back of the coach. They reached the Edwards' residence a few minutes after six. Many guests were just getting there and gave the newsies odd looks.
When they were led inside Mr. Edwards frowned at their attire but allowed them in. He met his son's eye instead of Denton's, "Would you like to introduce your friends Matthew."
"Fine," he said through clenched teeth, "This is Gabriel Conlon, Jack Kelly, Dennis Bennett, Robert Arroyo, Steven Bryant, Anthony Higgins, David Jacobs, Alexander Thomas, Dominic Lucero, and Brooke Lynn. More commonly known as Spot Conlon, Jack, Rebel, Mush, Skittery, Racetrack, David, Dutchy, Bumlets, an' Hotshot."
His father glared at him and dismissed them with a wave of his hand. They all continued inside except for Specs.
"Where's my mother?"
"Living room," Edwards turned away from his son and greeted the next guest.
The newsies were all staring around the large entryway. Mush's stares were not on the
room itself but on the people, especially girls, who were walking through it. "Have fun guys," Specs said allowing them to go where they pleased. Most of them were out of the group in a hurry. Only Skittery, Dutchy, Bumlets, and Hotshot stayed with him. Specs smiled and led them to the living room. His mother stood near the fireplace. She hadn't changed a bit since the last time he had seen her. His friends allowed him some space as he approached her. "Mama," he said loud enough for only her to hear.
She looked over at him from her search around the room for someone. She looked at him, "excuse me?"
"It's me Mom, Matthew."
She looked him over and a smile crossed her face as she hugged him, "Oh my God, look at you. You must have grown at least two feet since the last time I saw you. Where on earth have you been, and why didn't you write."
"I was a newsie Mom," he said, "I didn't write 'cause I know dad checks all the letters that come. I didn't want him to come and drag me home."
She hugged him again, "Then I'm glad you stayed away. My goodness, if I'd seen you on the street I wouldn't have recognized you."
"That was sort of the idea," Specs said as two younger girls came running up.
"Mama, Mama," the younger one called as they ran up. She threw herself against her mother.
"Mama, why are there newsies at Dad's party?" the older one asked, not hating the fact that they were there, just confused.
"Because of this young man here," she said nodding at Specs.
The two girls looked at him. The older one's jaw dropped and she leapt into his arms yelling, "Matt!"
He laughed, "Hey Maggie," as she hugged him.
The little girl suddenly jumped down and hit him violently in the arm, "Where the hell have you been?"
"Margaret Elizabeth," their mother gasped.
"I was a newsie Mags. If I'd come back here Dad woulda killed me" He noticed that the younger child was still staring at him the same time as his sister.
"Who is he, Mama?" the young girl asked.
Mrs. Edwards picked her youngest daughter up, "This is your brother Matthew, Ana. He left when you were three."
"Don't you remember, Ana," Margaret said, "He used to give us piggy back rides around the garden."
The girls nodded and smiled as she remembered. "I thought you were shorter."
Specs' face broke into a wide grin as he laughed, "Well I was when I lived here but I grew up." He waved his friends over. "Mom this is Skittery, Dutchy, Bumlets, and Hotshot." Each of them nodded and added a polite greeting. His sisters greeted them before walking away to join the party. Skittery, Dutchy, and Bumlets also left.
"I suppose you're the Brooke Lynn girl who my husband is going against in court," Mrs. Edwards addressed Hotshot.
"Yes Ma'am." Hotshot replied politely.
Specs slipped his hand into Hotshot's and began speaking to his mother again, "Where's Lily? I sorta wanted to introduce Hotshot to her."
"She's upstairs in her room," Mrs. Edwards motioned up the stairs.
"Thank you," He led Hotshot across the room to the stairs. Pulitzer's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he saw what she was wearing. Specs paused for a second before pulling her up the stairs.
He knocked softly on a door and a reply of 'Come in' was heard. He opened the door and the two of them entered the room, closing the door behind them.
The girl glanced in the mirror in front of her briefly, "Benjamin, I told you I would be down before dinner and I will meet you-"
"I'm not Benjamin." Specs said.
She turned around and stood up, "Oh my goodness I'm so sorry I thought you were-" Her gaze landed on his face and she dropped the glass of water that she held. "Oh my God, Matt."
Specs laughed walking up to her, "You got it quicker than Mom or Margaret." He hugged his older sister and then held her back from him, "Who's Benjamin."
"Some guy dad thinks I should marry. That's beside the point. It's so good to see you." She hugged him again. "It's been what, six years, at least."
"Seven," he whispered, "Lily, I'm so sorry. I just couldn't stay here anymore. He tried to kill me the night I left. I'se got the scar to prove it." He pulled back his left sleeve quickly and pushed it back down again. "Has he, umm… Has he still been hitting you?"
"Of course, he's not gonna stop Matt." She said, "but I'm so glad you didn't come back. The first year after you left he swore every night that he was gonna kill you if he ever saw you again. He still blames everything on you now too. Woah! And when did you grow like two feet."
He smiled, "It's sorta nice to be looking down at you for once."
"Specs?" Hotshot's voice broke the silence.
He turned toward the door. "Oh, Hotshot, I'm sorry." He motioned for her to come over.
"Specs?" Lily asked, "Matt, why is she calling you Specs."
"I'm a newsie," he said, "Lily, this is my friend Hotshot, also known as Brooke Lynn."
She smiled, "The girl who Dad's scared is gonna beat him in court. I like her already." She wrapped a welcoming arm around Hotshot's shoulder as a servant called them down to dinner. When the trio was halfway down the stairs Rebel came dashing up,
"Specs. Hotshot. We'se been lookin' all ova the place for you two. Race had a bet goin' that you was makin' out in a closet."
Specs turned bright red as his sister asked, "You two are dating?"
"We were, but we're just friends now." He said, "Lily, this is Dennis Bennett the former leader of the Brooklyn newsies. Rebel this is my sister Lily."
"Good evening Miss," Rebel said politely. Only Hotshot noticed the smile they shared.
At dinner Hotshot sat between Specs and Bumlets, and Lily sat between Rebel and Benjamin. Lily talked most of the dinner with Rebel, which made Benjamin angry. He was basically an older version of Daniel. Bumlets leaned over and whispered, "Specs, it looks like your sister and Rebel are hitting it off."
"He better not try anything," Specs said."
"Specs," Hotshot hissed, "Rebel isn't like that. He's a gentleman. He won't do anything."
"Anything much anyway," Bumlets added.
"Bumlets, you aren't helping." Hotshot snapped.
"Am I supposed to?"
"Dominic." She warned.
"That's what I don't like about this trial. Now you know all our first names, and I have a feeling they're going ta be used against us."
"Bumlets, you don't know me at all," she said putting a hand to her chest in mock insult, "I'll use your whole name against you."
Specs smiled, "In other words don't get on her bad side."
After dinner many of the guests including then newsies were invited into the living room. Mr. Edwards wanted it to be men only so Hotshot sat with Lily just outside the door where they could hear everything but not be seen. The room immediately separated into two groups. The larger of the two was made up of Edwards and his supporters. The second was the newsies, Denton, and a few supporters of what they were trying to do. After a few minutes of hushed whispers and motions, the two groups began to combine.
Mr. Edwards greeted a wealthy man who was just arriving. "Ah, Mr. Conlon, I'm so glad you could make it. Come meet our guests. There's one of them I'm sure you would be interested in meeting."
At hearing the name Conlon Hotshot sat more stiffly in her chair and upon seeing the man dove into the living room to find her friend. She grabbed the first newsie she found, which happened to be Jack. "Cowboy," she hissed, "We'se gots a big problem."
Jack and Rebel both looked at her immediately. "Having to do with which one a us?"
"Spot."
Rebel's and Jack's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Out of all the newsies there Spot was the one who stayed out of trouble the most. And even if there was some sort of trouble that involved him he could get out of it. "What's wrong?" Rebel asked.
"Mr. Conlon just got here and Mr. Edwards said he had a guest the old man might be interested in meeting."
Rebel's face didn't change as he spoke, "Me an' Spot gotta get outta here."
"Why you?" Jack asked glancing around the room for Spot.
"Wherever I am you can usually find Spot."
"How's Mista Conlon gonna know you?" Jack asked.
"Spot's me little bruddah," Rebel said, "I was born 'fore they got married so I got me mum's maiden name for a last name. Spot was born afta they got married. Why do ya think me an' Spot are so close. We used ta get beat so much by the old man for shootin' slingshots. Dad's sure to recognize him so we gotta get 'im outta here."
Hotshot ran off through the crowd, dodging guests to find newsies. She saw Spot just as Mr. Edwards was hanging Mr. Conlon's coat in the closet as the two of them talked in the hall. "Rebel," she called before grabbing Spot and hauling him away from the door. He put up a fight against her. "Damn, Spot, stop fighting. You an' you brutha hafta get outta here." This seemed to shock him and he her drag him over to Rebel, who was explaining the situation to Specs.
"Who told you?" Spot shot at her instantly.
"I did," Rebel said grabing his younger brother by the back of his coat and pulling him away. "C'mon, Gabe. Dad's here, we gotta leave."
Spot's face didn't change because of the years he hadn't allowed emotion to show, but Hotshot was sure he would have gone pale if he hadn't trained himself. "Leavin' for Brooklyn tonight," he told her, "The group'll be back tamarrow or Sunday."
Rebel and Spot turned to disappear through the crowd and out the back door but a firm hand landed on Spot's shoulder. "Young Mr. Conlon, I believe there is someone here who would very much like to meet you." Mr. Edwards spoke calmly as Spot's father walked up beside him.
Rebel had stopped and returned to Spot's side. He pulled his brother from Mr. Edwards' grasp. Spot found his brother's arm tightly around his shoulder. Rebel stood there and looked his father calmly in the eye.
"Dennis," the old man's face was tight and red with anger, "Gabriel, go get in the carriage outside and I will join the two of you shortly. I have been searching for you for the past twelve years and all I have to say is you have a beating to look forward to when we get home." When they didn't move he said again, "Go get in the carriage, now."
"No," Rebel said.
"What." The old man gasped, "How dare you-"
"Mom wanted me to take Gabe after she died. It's in her will and if you don't believe me you can go look for yourself. All she wanted was for us to get away from you. I'm twenty-seven so you can't make me come home. Spot here is going to be eighteen in three months so it ain't even worth it. I'll tell you right now if you think you's gonna take us back I'll tell 'em how you and Jonathan Pulitzer killed dat man and framed Lynn."
Hotshot took a step back at the end of Rebel's statement. Both Joe and Jonathan were there and she watched them turn and leave. Her glance went back to Spot and he met her eyes with a hurt look.
Mr. Conlon took a step forward as if to fight for ownership of them. Rebel shot out another retort, "An' I'll fight you if you even try takin' Spot. You might have lawyers ta help you but me an' Spot got a couple hundred who can fight so back off Old Man." When their father didn't make any move toward them Rebel hauled Spot out through the back door.
"I can't believe you," Specs told his father, "You invite me back here to see you, mum, an' me sisters. A course the only reason ya want me here is ta get some more newsies out of the way so you can win your court case. What is your problem?"
"Why you insolent little stray-"
"Forget it!" Specs shouted meeting his father's deadly glare. He turned to his friends, who had all clustered behind him, "Let's go!" They all filed toward the door not even bothering to look behind them. Specs took Hotshot's arm and turned to his father once more, "Just stay away from me and my friends and we'll get along." He mumbled a quick reply to his mother and sisters and walked out the door.
The carriage on the way back to the mansion was silent. It had been decided that they would all stay that night. Hotshot rushed up to her room where Spot was waiting at the window, "I'm so sorry," he said before she could speak, "I wanted to tell you but Reb made me promise not to."
"Rebel doesn't control you, Spot," she snapped, "Until I saw him and your father around you tonight I had never seen you even be ordered around before. What do you want me to think?"
"They don't control me," he shot back, "I just listen to Rebel 'cause I trust him. We're gonna help you now. We'll help get your dad outta jail an' I'll got to Brooklyn.
"Thank you Spot," she whispered it to empty air because he was already out the window.