Chapter Seventy-Eight
Chip, JT, James David alongside the young dancer found themselves rudely deposited in a freight crate in the storeroom and carried out to a wagon. Men were wearing oilcloth hoods. The boys were disoriented and not sure of what had happened. The girl remembered but was too afraid to even appear conscious to them. She kept her eyes squeezed tight and remembered their last minutes.
"Knock 'em out. Get them out back."
"No, please. Just take their money. They are young. They won't survive on a ship."
"Shut up wench."
She tried to wrest away from the man and run. It was futile. The men grabbed her and pawed her. They pinched her private parts and laughed as she cried.
"Put her in the wagon. She can go with her boys. We will get money for her too."
—&—
"To the harbor?"
"Nah. I did some more checkin'. Boss said hang onto them. We make their wages selling them to a ship but these young bucks are soft rich lap dogs. We is going to rescue them from the bad guys," he roared in a throaty laugh, "And gets a big rewards."
"Huh?"
"You know a finders bonus? Just like we do Shanghai'ing men for the boats. 'Cept for finding some rich boys for their rich papas."
"We gonna save them from us?"
"Yep. Perfect plan."
"The girl will recognize us, won't she?"
"We will sell her. Boats are always looking for a woman to use and toss over."
"We sent the boys from the bar that knocked them in the head to the south side. That ways they won't recognize our voices when we's rescues them."
"Good idea."
"Let's go find out how to go about this."
—-&—
Jarrod and Nick walked into Barbary's. It had the look, the light, the smells of bars across the west. Little light, smoke-filled, and damp. Wallpaper stained for years of tobacco. The faint hint of urine from the latrines. Dull lifeless eyes looked up from their penny ante games and stale beers.
The brothers walked to the bar, "Need someone that was on duty last night."
The regulars all looked up at their request.
"Billy? Billy? Wake up? Fancy man got questions for ya."
A burly bartender looked through the curtain in rumpled trousers, a union suit, and suspenders. He narrowed his eyes at the Barkleys.
"We will pay" Jarrod steelily spoke out.
He growled and said, "Just a minute."
He made eye contact with the bookkeeper and he gave him a straight curt nod.
"Work crews were here last night." ran through his mind.
He grabbed a rumpled red stripe jacket and walked out to Jarrod and Nick.
"Did you see three boys here last night?"
"Don't serve to no boys."
Nick grabbed him by the collar, "Think?"
"No boys," he said with less conviction.
Jarrod opened his wallet, "Let's see if this jots your memory?"
He raised an eyebrow, "Maybe two of those would."
Nick snarled, "Two? How about my fist between your eyes?"
Jarrod bowed up to the man on the other side of Nick; they menacingly walked him backward.
"Maybe they is familiar. Maybe."
Jarrod pulled out another bill, "Maybe?"
"Yes. Crimps got them." and he snatched the second bill.
Jarrod and Nick fell back with horror in their eyes.
"I will kill you," Nick railed at the bartender.
"Hey, I know a crimp's crimp. He can get 'em back for a price."
Jarrod spat, "Your life is forfeit if our sons are harmed."
"How much?" Nick asked with murder in his eyes.".
"Meet me back here in three hours."
"Will be here. You better produce them."
Jarrod and Nick rushed out of the bar.
"Ain't relying on pond scum," Nick whispered to Jarrod.
"Let's get Phil."
The bartender watched them leave, "I will have a double. It's a good day. Worked perfectly. They will be back with a lot more than these two babies." as he fluttered Jarrod's money in the air.
The crimps came out from the back and had a good laugh on "those rich fools."