Past Secrets and Present Times
Chapter 23
By Megan
Her father's court battle had brought more media attention to her case. That didn't keep her from falling asleep the first few days of the week. She didn't have to worry about Daniel or Mitchell until Friday so she was relaxed. That was her attitude when she got there on Wednesday, until Denton sprung some news on her. Both of the Pulitzer's were going to be testifying that day. The two men weren't there yet, but their lawyer was. Edwards stood near his seat giving her a look that said good-luck-but-we-both-know-I'm-going-to-win. She returned his look with one of her own. As newsies started to enter the courtroom she sat down in her seat.
She shot daggers at her stepfather and his brother. The two of them never looked up during the opening comments, but Edwards sent occasional arrogant glances her way. Jonathan Pulitzer was called to the stand first.
"Mr. Pulitzer," Denton began, "For how long did Ms. Lynn live in your home?"
The man rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "A year, perhaps a bit more."
"Under what circumstances did she come to live with you?"
"Her mother died in a carriage accident."
"And why was she not informed that her brother and stepfather survived?"
"Her stepfather was not in any condition to care for her and her brother acted out violently against the hospital staff. We thought it would be best not to expose her to that kind of activity. Unfortunately, I must say it did not work very well."
"Mr. Pulitzer, did she object strongly when you sent her to a private school and monitored who she associated with?"
"Yes."
"So why did you do it?"
"It is not my job to be her friend, Mr. Denton. I am here to look out for her best interest."
"So you would not allow her to associate with newsies or any members of a lower class."
"No, I would not."
"Mr. Pulitzer, did Ms. Lynn ever misbehave?" Mr. Edwards was beaming as he began questioning.
"Frequently."
"Was this around the times where she ran away or was dragged beck by the police?"
"Yes, the rest of the time she behaved better."
"So you think the newsies had a bad influence in her?"
"Without a doubt."
"Did you punish her?"
"Yes, though not very strictly."
"What about your brother, did he ever hit Ms. Lynn as she claims?"
"Never."
"Thank you Mr. Pulitzer."
Most of what he said had been the truth, but it had been stretched so that it sounded different than it had actually been. Instead of making her sound like a normal teenager she sounded like a grafter. Everything she had done was blown out of proportion and Jonathan was undoubtedly only going to make it worse.
"Mr. Pulitzer," Denton began after Jonathan had taken the oath, "How long did you live in a household with Ms. Lynn?"
"Somewhere between five and six years."
"And how had you met her originally?"
"I was Mr. Lynn's business partner. After he was arrested his wife turned to me for comfort."
"How long after you were married did you begin to beat on them?"
"I never hit my wife!"
"What about her son and daughter?"
"I did not hit Brooke as she claims but her brother needed more sever punishment. I only hit him when it was a necessity."
"Did you monitor her friends like your brother did after the accident?"
"Yes, she was young and impressionable. I didn't want her to be influenced by pickpockets and thieves. I wanted her to associate with those in her own social class. They are the people she will do business with when she is an adult."
"How did you punish her for running off with her brother?"
"I lectured her. She picked up a bad habit from her brother and his friends; a blank stare that makes it seem like she isn't paying attention. For that I would just ground her to get the message across."
Hotshot was fuming with anger in her seat. Her stepfather had lied during most of his testimony, and, like Pulitzer, made it seem like everything was her fault.
"Jonathan, did you ever develop a relationship with Brooke, or her brother Andres?"
"Unfortunately not. I had a very strong relationship with their mother and the twins, but those two never gave me a chance. They always held some sort of grudge against me. No matter what I did they always hated me."
"Did you give them any reason to hate you?"
"None, I was as respectful to them as I could possibly be. They made false accusations and made up their own little stories."
"Did you have any problems with their father before his arrest?"
"None."
"Bullshit." Hotshot hissed too quietly for most to hear. Denton shot her a glare.
"I never had a problem with anyone in that company. I even defended the names of some employees that really shouldn't have been protected."
"So you never started a fight?"
"The only time I ever fought was fighting back in self defense."
"It was never you that started it?"
"Never."
That afternoon Hotshot ran to the distribution office the minute court let out for the day. She was boiling with rage about the lies and ides they had planted in the judges mind that afternoon. She barely scanned the headlines and ran all over Manhattan selling as many papers as possible. She avoided talking to any of her friends and avoided selling with them even more. Spot was the one who kept up with her the longest, and even that was only for five minutes. She left a letter for the sleeping Kid Blink with Mush and then returned to the lodging house. Most of the newsies were already back from selling and poker games had started in every corner of the room.
"So how many papes didja sell?" The question rose from a large group of boys that surrounded Racetrack.
"Sold all my hundred and sixty I bought offa two newsies from the other lodging house." She said not missing a beat.
Race nearly dropped his cigar, "That's a hundred and sixty papes, Hotshot."
"I'm aware of that Race," she said sitting down, "An' all that money's burnin' a hole in my pocket so you betta deal me in!"
She played with the group, winning and losing money at a steady interval. The news of her selling spread and occasionally other newsies would ask her if Race was only being a hot air artist again. After a few hours she took a break and sat on one of the empty bunks, leaning against the frame.
It was a few hours later that she woke up. Specs was closing the window to her room and she was lying under a thin blanket. She pushed it off and sat up, "What happened?"
"You fell asleep," he said, "Now get some rest."
Before she could argue he kissed her forehead and left the room. She just shook her head and curled up. He came back a while later and sat down next to her. That was the last thing she remembered before falling asleep once again.
"Hotshot, c'mon wake up."
She tried to bury herself further under the blanket, trying to escape from the voice of her provoker.
"C'mon Hotshot," he said again.
"Go away," she groaned.
With a sigh her assailant pulled the thin blanket off of the bed, "It's time to get up Hotshot," he said, "We're leaving in ten minutes."
She looked up to find Specs mostly dressed, missing only his vest and boots. "Fine, get out so I'se can get dressed." When he was gone she threw on some clean clothes and ran a brush through her messy and tangled hair. Then she ran downstairs to find the three boys in the kitchen. Specs' hair was disheveled as ever so she ran her hand through it to smooth it out a little. Race and David both gave her an equally smug look from the minute she entered the room. "What?"
"So have a good time last night, Hots?" Race asked.
"Only Pickpocket's allowed to call me that," she stated, "An' what are you talkin' 'bout Race?"
"Hello Hotshot, the way back here last night." When she gave him a confused look Racetrack continued, "When Specs carried you back here 'cause you fell asleep at the lodgin' house."
Hotshot immediately blushed, reminding herself to thank Specs for not telling her later. She looked over to find him turning a pale shade of red as well. "What're you getting at Race?"
"Nuthin' Hotshot," he said, "Absolutely nuthin'."
She looked over to ask David but found him extremely interested in her breakfast. She sat in her chair and stood a moment later when Rosa hurried them out the door, into Denton's waiting carriage.
She talked with a few of the boys before court started that morning and watched quietly as some of them were questioned. She sold with them during the afternoon; staying with a large group to keep her mind off of the tragedy the next day was going to be. Mitchell and Daniel were on the stand, meaning they were going to try to make her life a living hell.
Daniel was questioned first. The only way she could describe how he looked was smug. She sat in her chair behind Denton's desk with an unreadable look across her face. She bit her lip nervously as Denton began questioning.
"Mr. Taylor, how long have you been betrothed to Ms. Lynn?"
"Four years," he said it proudly.
"And how much of that time have you spent with her?"
"The past month or two when we've lived in her father's mansion. I would have loved to spend more time with her but her uncle couldn't find her."
"Why didn't you launch into your own search then?"
Daniel was silent for a moment, "I don't know, sir."
How have you treated her while the two of you have been living in the same house?"
"I treat her like I would if she were my wife. I hope she will be after this is over."
"What about your friends? How do you treat them?"
"I treat them like I treat other people their age, with as much respect as they deserve."
"If you were married would she still be able to see her friends?"
Daniel looked appalled, "Absolutely not! I don't want my wife associating with scum like that."
"Thank you Mr. Taylor."
"Daniel," Mr. Edwards began, "How long have you known Ms. Lynn?"
"Between five and six years."
"And how did you get to know her?"
"I met her at several of her stepfather's and uncles business parties. At each one she came onto me and she invited me to her room a few times."
Hotshot's hands tightened on the arms of the chair as a few heads turned in her direction.
"And how did she act when she heard of you proposal?"
"She wanted to get married then but I assured her that we were too young."
Her hands tightened even more.
"What about lately, at her mansion? Have you spent time together there?"
No we have not spent much time together."
Hotshot relaxed slightly.
"She comes onto me when we're alone but when I go to her room she threatens me with a knife. I swear she almost killed me the last two times, but thankfully she was stopped."
"Who stopped her?"
"A newsie. That one, Specs. I came back later and he was in bed with her. The other newsies talk about them going out and he's in her room every night. He sells with her all the time too."
She knew her face was red with anger without thinking about it. She calmed herself down and glanced over her shoulder at her friends. Specs was redder than she was, whether it was from anger or embarrassment, she couldn't tell.
"Do you think that she's seeing him?"
"I certainly do. They spend more time together than any of the newsies and the way they talk to each other is like the way my friends talk to their wives. They're in bed together every night. I think they're lovers."
"Thank you, Daniel. You may step down."
Mitchell looked calm and collected as he sat in the chair. A dangerous combination if you asked any newsie who knew him. The only way you could detect what he was thinking was by the crazy gleam in his eyes. Most of the Brooklyn newsies and some from Manhattan groaned as he smiled at them.
"Mr. Mitchell, how long have you known Ms. Lynn?" Denton started.
"Ten years, maybe a little more."
"And have you been on good terms with her?"
"Sometimes good, sometimes bad. More good though."
"Bull." Hotshot mumbled.
"If you were on good terms with her than why did you help her uncle catch her?"
"We weren't on good terms then. Now I am truly sorry that I did it."
"Isn't she the reason you left the Brooklyn newsies and started your own gang?"
"No. Spot ruled differently than Rebel did and I didn't agree with his ways. I told him that in a meeting and he told me I could always leave. I tried to get Hotshot or Lockpick to support me but they agreed with him. I wasn't going to stay under his rule so I left and started a group for anyone else who disagreed with Spot."
"Did you ever have feelings toward her as more than just friends?"
"Yeah, but she was with Spot and I wasn't about to go after his goil. After I left I mean. They hooked up after he became leader and I was gone."
"Mr. Mitchell, are you and Ms. Lynn being on good terms and bad terms determined by you or her." Edwards asked.
"It was determined by her. She was into me before Spot became leader, but after I left that put us on bad terms."
"What about before you left, and before she was with Spot? Was there anything between you?"
"Yeah, she'd come to my room about once a week, sometimes twice. She was with Spot or one of the other guys some nights. A bunch of the guys called her 'the little whore'. After I left one of the fellas that joined me said she was in Spot's room every night. I didn't agree wit' them when I was there but I had to after I left."
Hotshot wanted to jump out of her chair and scream at him. Not one word out of his mouth had been the truth. He was making her sound like something she wasn't. If Specs didn't have her knife he'd be dead by now. Denton's hand on her arm and the stern look on his face were the only things that kept her from launching into a verbal attack.
"So she was sleeping with you?" Edwards asked.
"Yeah," Mitchell answered, "I thought she was my goil but I wasn't the only one."
"Do you think she's continuing this practice with the Manhattan newsies?"
"I'm sure of it," he snarled, "Probably with that Specs guy the most though."
"Thank you Mr. Mitchell."
The newsies were surrounding Mitchell when Hotshot left the courtroom. She saw Spot advancing on the older boy and went to intervene. She reached into Specs' vest pocket as she passed him and found that her knife wasn't in it.
"Specs?"
"I knew you'd come to me so I have someone else holding it, but don' worry, he's trustworthy."
She went passed him and stepped into the center, shoving Spot out of the way. Spot glared back to find the person who had pushed him, but his face softened a little, but not much, when he saw it was her.
"What's your problem, Mitchell!" she yelled, "Every word you said in there was a lie!"
"You sure?" he asked with a sardonic grin, "You sure you ain't wit' one a these boys right now?"
"Yes," she hissed, "Damn Mitchell, I swear if I had my knife on me I'd kill you right now."
Mitchell laughed; he was twice her size and unbeatable in fights. He didn't dare challenge anyone he thought could beat him, so he never lost. "The feeling's mutual Hotshot. It would feel so good to have your blood soaking my hands. Of course you know I'd beat you slow and painful first, make sure you die slow, and in front of others too."
"Go to hell Mitchell!"
He came closer to her, "Don't worry. You'll get your chance to fight me sooner than you think."
She spat in his face and shoved him away from her, hard. He hit the pavement and pushed himself up. With one last sadistic look over his shoulder he pushed through the crowd and was gone.
The group walked back to the lodging house and settled around the bunkroom. Hotshot sat in her bunk and focused on the underside of Specs' bunk until she calmed down. Everyone in the room was overly nice to her and as soon as she got the chance she slipped out the window.
She sat on the roof's ledge, tossing small rocks down into the alley and aiming for any scabs she saw along the street. She'd been up there for half an hour and was starting to wish she'd taken Race up on his offer to join his poker game.
"You should be careful not to fall." A voice behind her said and she nearly fell forward in surprise.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back off of the ledge and kept her from falling. She let out a cry, during the second where she saw the street beneath her before he grabbed her.
Hotshot let out a string of curses as she turned around, "Jesus, Specs, what were you thinking?"
Specs was watching her with an astonished look on his face, "You yelled."
"Duh Specs, I had a straight view of the street from several stories up, and there was nothing to keep me from falling. That, plus, most people who are scared of heights will yell when they're in a situation like that." She immediately clapped a hand over her mouth as she revealed another secret about herself.
Specs grinned, "You're scared of heights. You. The fearless goil from Brooklyn. I thought you weren't scared of nuthin'."
"Well youse wrong then ain't you," she said, "I'm fine as long as there's a wall like on the tops of buildings or on the bridge. I'm even fine when I sit on the ledge, but it took me forever to even go that far. If there's a chance of falling I freak."
"Does Spot know?"
She shrugged, "Maybe, I never told anybody. An' in Brooklyn there were always ropes and stuff to get down on. Don't tell no one."
"I won't," Specs was settling down from his recent discovery and now had an unreadable look on his face.
"Specs, you ummm…" she faltered, "You didn't believe what Mitchell and Daniel said taday did you?"
"No, they's both jerks. You ain't been wit' anyone like that, have you?"
"No." she smiled, "Don't plan on it for a while."
There was an awkward silence for a few moments.
"When d'we gotta head back?" Specs asked.
"'bout twenty minutes," Hotshot said, looking at her pocket watch, "So is Bumlets goin' back to the hospital tonight."
"Yeah, Mush wants to stay but he's been sellin' real lousy lately. Can't afford to miss selling this weekend."
"C'mon," she said getting up and offering him a hand, "Let's go find Dave and Race and get going."
He accepted her hand and the two of them descended to the bunkroom in search of their friends.
A/N: Finally, I'm back. Dude, band camp was a killer and when I got back I had a killer case of writers block. Too much goin' on in my world. Going out with friends every night, sister's first boyfriend, Agh!
Anyway I want to thank those of you that reviewed the last chapter (there weren't many). It would be nice to get more reviews for this chapter. Special shout out to Moon*Star who figured out the two newsies, and Neffie who got one of 'em. You will be receiving your half fave newsies guy via e-mail next year.
Everyone go read Stage's stories right now. They're all great and I absolutely love them all. And for those of you who still have a fear of reviewing. GET! OVER! IT! ::hits with rolled up newspaper to emphasis each word.::
Also I figured I'd give reviewers a heads up. My next story will be the stories of how each guy became a newsie/ got name. Meaning 1 or 2 chapters a guy. For another story I want girlfriends for each. 1st come 1st serve. E-mail me your character, love interest, I'll just do an example,
Character: Brooke 'Hotshot' Lynn Love interest: Specs Height: 5'5" Weight: (Medium/ thin/ heavy) Hair: Lt. Brown Eyes: Hazel Lives: Brooklyn moved to Manhattan LH. Close friends: Kid Blink, Bumlets… Personality/ physical: (be very descriptive with your personality{emotional, sarcastic, etc.} and physical description{clothes, scars etc.}) I'd also love it if you'd tell me other facts… {good at poker} and don't make them to mary sueish. Then whatever else I should know.
If interested e-mail me at Megstar1387@aol.com. I'll save each e-mail and send one back if I need more info about your character. There will be who's with whom in each chapter's shout outs. Thanks a ton. Oh btw, I need a real name and family members, not just newsie names. I'll accept up to three per newsie. Thanks for your time! ~Megan~~~