The Rose Of New York *Jack Kelly Love Story*

Chapter Twenty One: Confronting Pulitzer

  After a very uncomfortable night on a fire escape, Jack and I stormed our way into The World and forced the secretary to tell Pulitzer we weren't leaving till we saw him.
"Mr. Jack Kelly and Ms. Gunner Rose," The secretary introduced.
Jack whistled as we looked around the office, one hand in mine the other shoved in his pocket, nonchalance radiating off of him as if we weren't in the lion's den.
"Afternoon fellas," he greeted, calmly.
"And which Jack Kelly is this? The charismatic union organizer, or the petty thief and escaped convict?" Pulitzer asked.
"Which one gives us more in common?" Jack asked with big grin.
"Impudence is in bad taste when crawling for mercy."
I laughed, drawing attention to myself.
"Crawlin', now that's a laugh. No, I just stopped my with an invite. It seems a few hundred of your employees are rallying to discuss some recent disagreements. Now, I thought it only fair to invite you to state your case directly to the fellas. So what do you say, Joe, huh? Want us to save you a spot on the bill?" I teased.
"You both are as shameless and disrespectful of creatures as I was told." He spat, looking at me in disgust. "Do you know what I was doing when I was your age, boy? I was fighting in a war." He hissed, turning his attention back to Jack.
"And how did that turn out for ya?" Jack asked, not really caring to know the answer.
"Well it taught me a lesson and shaped my life. You don't win a war on the battlefield, it's the headline that crowns the victor."
"Well I'll keep that in mind when New York wakes up to front page photos of our rally" Jack said, rocking on his heels.
"Oh, rally till the cows come home. No paper in town will publish a word, and if it's not in the papers, it never happened." Pulitzer said, smirking as if he won something.
"You may run this town, Joe, but there are some of us who can't be bullied, even some reporters." I snarled, thinking onto the girl who had quickly become one of my closest friends.
"Such as that young woman who made you yesterday's news. Talented girl, and beautiful as well, don't you think?" Pulitzer asked, moving to stand behind his desk.
Jack and I shared concerned looks, and he moved me behind him slightly more out of Pulitzers view.
"I'll tell her you said so." Jack said with a scoff.
"No need, she can hear for herself. Can't you, darling?" He called
I watched in horror as one of the office chairs spun around and Katherine stood up to face us, her face and eyes sad.
"I trust you know my daughter, Katherine?" Pulitzer asked.
I stormed over to her and slapped her, watching in satisfaction as her head whipped in the opposite direction.
"Be thankful that wasn't a punch or you'd be lookin at me out of one good eye," I snarled, turning on my heel.
"I need to tell Davey and the others," I said to Jack kissing his cheek and running out the door before anyone could stop me.