A tinkling piano was the backdrop as a brunette wove her way through tables
to the stage at the front of the room. "Miss Larksen? There's a man here to
see you."
The piano stopped playing as the performer on the stage stopped dancing. "Excuse me Trish?"
"I'm sorry Miss Larksen, but a man is at the door requesting to see you. He won't go away." Trish said looking very uncomfortable.
"Just a second Marty I'll be right back. We'll work on that final number after I take care of this. Trish follow me, we'll talk to this man and make sure he doesn't come back." Medda put a hand on the girl's shoulder and they walked to the door.
"Miss Larksen how have you been lately? Hosted any street rat parties?" The well-dressed man on the doorstep asked putting out his cigar with his boot.
"Mister Snyder, I wish I could say it is a pleasure to see you, but then I would be lying. What can I do for you today?" Medda asked placing herself between Snyder and Trish.
"I was just wondering if you had heard from any of the fugitives lately." Snyder said simply.
"Fugitives? Mister Snyder I would never dream of breaking the law like that. I haven't had any contact with any fugitives ever." Medda said getting ready to close the door.
"Well Miss Larksen if you do have any contact with those boys you'll let me know." Snyder asked as the door began to close.
"I am sure I will." Medda said as the door. "Right and you'll be elected police chief, you stuck up jerk." Medda gave Trish a smile. "But you never heard it from me did you Trish?"
Trish smiled back, "No ma'am, I am sorry to disturb you for him, but he wasn't going away this time."
"No I am not surprised there. So have you gotten another letter from your admirer?" Medda teased as they walked back to the stage.
Trish nodded with a grin, "Yes he said he was hoping I could come out in a month or so."
Medda seemed concerned. "You know I am not sure if I feel safe sending you off with out knowing exactly where you are going. I wish you would allow me to write one of the boys and ask if they know anything about this Jack Frances."
"Medda don't worry about it, I'm sure he is perfectly safe, and if not then I'll just try to find your boys. I'll be fine." Trish tried to reassure Medda. "Medda are you bugging that girl about going west on her own again?" A gaunt man asked as he came in.
"Yes Chaney I'm bugging her again. I just don't feel right letting her go on her own. That is all." Medda said with a sigh.
"Maybe I have a solution then if Miss Williams wouldn't be opposed to it, that is." Chaney Sullivan said as he sat down at a table and put up his feet.
"Take your feet off my table Sullivan and tell me this grand idea." Medda said pushing his feet off of the table.
"Well Miss William's admirer lives in the same town as my son. So I am interested in visiting my son, why don't I go with Miss Williams as a protector of sorts. She'll be able to meet her friend and I can see my son, we'll all be happy."
"Except for your son Chaney. He hasn't even responded to my last letter about you being released from prison. You really want to surprised him?" Medda gently cautioned.
"Medda my son and I have an understanding, we haven't seen each other in almost ten years, I am sure he is ready to see me." Chaney said completely ignoring Medda's caution.
"Well Miss Larkson if it makes you feel better I would be fine to go with Mr. Sullivan. I'll be honest it would be nice to have a familiar face around if I get homesick." Trish said hoping to avoid an argument to break out between the two adults.
"See Medda she is okay with it. I'll even promise to come back with in a month if it makes you feel even better." Chaney offered.
"No Chaney I ain't make you cut your time short. Just promise you might actually come back. Cause I can't imagine the cops let you out of their sight for too long." Medda commented.
"Medda darling, I can't imagine that the cops are going to worry about a two-bit thief like me when they are harassing you about my son and his friends." Chaney teased.
"Well if you disappear they are going to put two and two together and get four. How would you know where your son was? Unless you were told by someone who knows where he could be? I could get into a lot of trouble, you know they are just looking for an excuse to close this place down." Medda said nervously.
"So you don't want me to contact my kid?" Chaney asked, raising his tone.
"No I never said that, Chaney. Kelly ain't exactly thrilled you're out. He hasn't asked about you in any of his letters and he certainly hasn't asked for you to come out. Can't you just wait for him to be ready?"
"Medda if I waited until Frances was ready I would be waiting until Snyder decides to give up the ghost. If Miss Williams doesn't mind I'll go out with her. It might surprise the boy but it's time to clear the air. I'll be back. Trust me." Chaney said with a smile.
Medda laughed and sighed before turning to face Trish, who was doing her best not to listen. "Well Trish what do you think? I can't resist a Sullivan smile."
Trish was taken back, "You mean it's going to be my decision?"
"Of course, we can't make this decision for you. You'll be on a train for over a week with Chaney Sullivan, that can be a very scary thing. Seriously you'll have to keep an eye on him. Jack didn't come by his charming skills by accident, they are passed down from father to son from birth." Medda teased with a smirk.
"Well I would feel better knowing someone was there that I even sort of knew." Trish conceded. "But I don't want to get you or Mr. Sullivan in trouble."
"Honey, Chaney will get into trouble no matter what you decide, maybe if he gets out of the city though he can avoid another stint in jail." Medda went from teasing to serious in a matter of moments.
"Then I would like him to come." Trish said with more conviction then she felt.
"Good then we're all agreed. Miss Williams I'll make sure you have the money you need to buy your ticket and mine. Just as soon as your young man give you a date." Chaney said smiling widely.
"Well he did say that he would appreciate having around during harvest. He said that September 1st would be a good day to arrive." Trish said shyly.
"Then for September 1st it is. That gives us a little over a month to be ready." Chaney said excitedly. "Now Medda what do you think I should take to give to my son?" Chaney asked Medda leading her away from Trish.
"Oh boy, what have I gotten myself into this time." Trish asked to herself as she began to clean up around the stage once again.
The piano stopped playing as the performer on the stage stopped dancing. "Excuse me Trish?"
"I'm sorry Miss Larksen, but a man is at the door requesting to see you. He won't go away." Trish said looking very uncomfortable.
"Just a second Marty I'll be right back. We'll work on that final number after I take care of this. Trish follow me, we'll talk to this man and make sure he doesn't come back." Medda put a hand on the girl's shoulder and they walked to the door.
"Miss Larksen how have you been lately? Hosted any street rat parties?" The well-dressed man on the doorstep asked putting out his cigar with his boot.
"Mister Snyder, I wish I could say it is a pleasure to see you, but then I would be lying. What can I do for you today?" Medda asked placing herself between Snyder and Trish.
"I was just wondering if you had heard from any of the fugitives lately." Snyder said simply.
"Fugitives? Mister Snyder I would never dream of breaking the law like that. I haven't had any contact with any fugitives ever." Medda said getting ready to close the door.
"Well Miss Larksen if you do have any contact with those boys you'll let me know." Snyder asked as the door began to close.
"I am sure I will." Medda said as the door. "Right and you'll be elected police chief, you stuck up jerk." Medda gave Trish a smile. "But you never heard it from me did you Trish?"
Trish smiled back, "No ma'am, I am sorry to disturb you for him, but he wasn't going away this time."
"No I am not surprised there. So have you gotten another letter from your admirer?" Medda teased as they walked back to the stage.
Trish nodded with a grin, "Yes he said he was hoping I could come out in a month or so."
Medda seemed concerned. "You know I am not sure if I feel safe sending you off with out knowing exactly where you are going. I wish you would allow me to write one of the boys and ask if they know anything about this Jack Frances."
"Medda don't worry about it, I'm sure he is perfectly safe, and if not then I'll just try to find your boys. I'll be fine." Trish tried to reassure Medda. "Medda are you bugging that girl about going west on her own again?" A gaunt man asked as he came in.
"Yes Chaney I'm bugging her again. I just don't feel right letting her go on her own. That is all." Medda said with a sigh.
"Maybe I have a solution then if Miss Williams wouldn't be opposed to it, that is." Chaney Sullivan said as he sat down at a table and put up his feet.
"Take your feet off my table Sullivan and tell me this grand idea." Medda said pushing his feet off of the table.
"Well Miss William's admirer lives in the same town as my son. So I am interested in visiting my son, why don't I go with Miss Williams as a protector of sorts. She'll be able to meet her friend and I can see my son, we'll all be happy."
"Except for your son Chaney. He hasn't even responded to my last letter about you being released from prison. You really want to surprised him?" Medda gently cautioned.
"Medda my son and I have an understanding, we haven't seen each other in almost ten years, I am sure he is ready to see me." Chaney said completely ignoring Medda's caution.
"Well Miss Larkson if it makes you feel better I would be fine to go with Mr. Sullivan. I'll be honest it would be nice to have a familiar face around if I get homesick." Trish said hoping to avoid an argument to break out between the two adults.
"See Medda she is okay with it. I'll even promise to come back with in a month if it makes you feel even better." Chaney offered.
"No Chaney I ain't make you cut your time short. Just promise you might actually come back. Cause I can't imagine the cops let you out of their sight for too long." Medda commented.
"Medda darling, I can't imagine that the cops are going to worry about a two-bit thief like me when they are harassing you about my son and his friends." Chaney teased.
"Well if you disappear they are going to put two and two together and get four. How would you know where your son was? Unless you were told by someone who knows where he could be? I could get into a lot of trouble, you know they are just looking for an excuse to close this place down." Medda said nervously.
"So you don't want me to contact my kid?" Chaney asked, raising his tone.
"No I never said that, Chaney. Kelly ain't exactly thrilled you're out. He hasn't asked about you in any of his letters and he certainly hasn't asked for you to come out. Can't you just wait for him to be ready?"
"Medda if I waited until Frances was ready I would be waiting until Snyder decides to give up the ghost. If Miss Williams doesn't mind I'll go out with her. It might surprise the boy but it's time to clear the air. I'll be back. Trust me." Chaney said with a smile.
Medda laughed and sighed before turning to face Trish, who was doing her best not to listen. "Well Trish what do you think? I can't resist a Sullivan smile."
Trish was taken back, "You mean it's going to be my decision?"
"Of course, we can't make this decision for you. You'll be on a train for over a week with Chaney Sullivan, that can be a very scary thing. Seriously you'll have to keep an eye on him. Jack didn't come by his charming skills by accident, they are passed down from father to son from birth." Medda teased with a smirk.
"Well I would feel better knowing someone was there that I even sort of knew." Trish conceded. "But I don't want to get you or Mr. Sullivan in trouble."
"Honey, Chaney will get into trouble no matter what you decide, maybe if he gets out of the city though he can avoid another stint in jail." Medda went from teasing to serious in a matter of moments.
"Then I would like him to come." Trish said with more conviction then she felt.
"Good then we're all agreed. Miss Williams I'll make sure you have the money you need to buy your ticket and mine. Just as soon as your young man give you a date." Chaney said smiling widely.
"Well he did say that he would appreciate having around during harvest. He said that September 1st would be a good day to arrive." Trish said shyly.
"Then for September 1st it is. That gives us a little over a month to be ready." Chaney said excitedly. "Now Medda what do you think I should take to give to my son?" Chaney asked Medda leading her away from Trish.
"Oh boy, what have I gotten myself into this time." Trish asked to herself as she began to clean up around the stage once again.
