"Aw, cut it out Fleet, I didn't do nothin'!"
"I ain't sayin' dat you did, Spot." Fleet was persistant. "All I'm sayin' is dat I t'ink Knox is up ta somet'ing." Spot looked irritated. Fleet had approached him about seeing Knox creeping in, but Spot seemed to have no interest in the potential scandel.
"Knox is me second in command 'round heah, you know dat. You accuse him," Spot paused, looking Fleet directly in the eyes, "and ya might as well be accusin' me." Worry washed over Fleet. She didn't intend to anger the Brooklyn leader.
"I ain't accusin' you, Spot. I just wanted ya ta maybe check it out…" Fleet smiled sweetly, knowing Spot's only weakness was a pretty face, and added, "For me…"
"Foine. Geez Fleet, I'll tawk ta Knox. Now will ya leave me alone!" Fleet grinned and watched Spot swagger away.
Days passed as Fleet waited for Spot to give her any further information about Knox, but none came. Growing impatient, Fleet sought out Spot to question him again. She searched Brooklyn for the leader, but he was no where to be found. That's weird, Fleet thought, he should be selling papes right now… She wandered back to the lodging house to think about the situation, figuring no one would be there. As she climbed the stairs to the bunkroom, she heard soft voices coming from the attic. Her curiousity took over, and Fleet quietly crouched outside the attic door, ears perked. The voices were dulled by the think wooden door, but she managed to make out parts of the conversation inside.
"I'm tellin' ya, she knows somet'ings up! Why weren't ya more careful?" a familiar deep voice scolded.
"I didn't t'ink anyone was still up! Da place was all dark! Maybe she'll drop it?" Fleet recognized the second voice as Knox's.
"She ain't gonna drop it! I can't put her off much longer!" the speaker paused, then laughed. "But what da hell is she gonna do? Tell da bulls? She ain't goin' any higher dan me." Another pause. Fleet held her breath. "But just in case, be ready to jump Fleet too. I don't want dis t'ing wid Bam ta get outta Brooklyn, undastand? I didn't plan dis whole t'ing just for you ta screw it up!" Fleet's breath caught in her throat when she realized the voice belonged to Spot. She panicked and ran down the stairs, and out of the lodging house. As she flew out the door, she ran directly into Jinx, knocking her over.
"Whoa dere! Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Jinx asked as she brushed the dirt off herself.
"You gotta come wid me!" Fleet grabbed her arm and started pulling her away from the house.
"Shoa, where we goin?" Jinx was somewhat amused by her friend's flustered state.
"I don't know, but you gotta come! You gotta! I found some stuff out, it ain't safe heah! At least not for me… or Bam, but we can't do nothing about dat right now." Fleet spat out in one breath.
"Slow down, kid! Ya gonna hoit ya-self!" Jinx couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm serious!" Fleet cried angrily. "Spot and Knox, they in it tagetha!"
"In what? Kiddo, you're leavin' out key parts of da story heah." Jinx grew serious.
"Knox…. And Spot… They in it tagetha… Spot planned it. And Knox did it. He soaked Bam. Spot told him to." Fleet haltingly explained what she heard to Jinx, trying to catch her breath.
"Holy shit!" Jinx exclaimed. "You shoa about dat?" Fleet nodded. "We gotta tell someone…"
"Who are we gonna tell?" Fleet interrupted. "Spot? I'm pretty shoa he knows… And who else would care 'bout what happens ta Brooklyn street rats?"
"I know someone… He owes it ta Bammie." Jinx grabbed Fleet's arm and the two girls started running.