Of All the Things that I Don't Know (Spot Conlon + OC)

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"There's a bird that want's ta talk to ya, boss."

Rummy's words from earlier in the day reverberated in Spot's mind for what seemed like the millionth time, as he took another aggressive drag from his stump of a cigarette. He had been standing in line at the distribution center just as the sun had risen for the day, two good night's sleep under his belt and the overwhelming burdens of the past off of his shoulders. After a much needed night of physical engagement with Julia, life had not seemed as bleak as it had only a few days before. He had felt pretty damn good, as a matter of fact. So, when Rummy had quickly pulled him aside from the line and whispered this message into Spot's ear, his first inclination was to tell Rummy, and the bird for that matter, to buzz off for a while. He had wanted an easy morning, a prolongation of his somewhat laidback few nights, and then he would dispense with whatever business needed to be taken care of during the afternoon hours.

But when he had pulled back to tell Rummy just this, he immediately felt the pit of his stomach sink to an abysmally new low. His second in command's face was uncharacteristically humorless and pale, a forewarning of bleak news to come. Spot had stared hard at Rummy, struggling to interpret what the bad news could be, but quickly found that he could read nothing into it. He decided he would start with the worst possibility first, and then hopefully move up from there.

"Is it Kelly?" Spot murmured as he walked out of the distribution center's gates with Rummy.

"Nah, Kelly's the same, surprisingly," Rummy replied, his face still remaining constricted. Spot had felt relief fill him upon hearing that Jack Kelly still remained stable, even despite the lethal beating he had received only days before.

When David and Racetrack had come onto the Brooklyn docks with the news of Jack Kelly's near fatal attack, Spot had been fairly worried, but unfortunately not in the least bit surprised. Jack had made his fair share of enemies in the years following the strike, mostly from his bad drinking habits, quick temper, and big mouth. Spot would never say this out loud, but, truthfully, Jack Kelly had been lucky not to have the shit beaten out of him well before that day. Of course he personally didn't wish any harm to befall the Manhattan leader, but he knew there were more than a few that did.

Which was, in part, why seeing David Jacobs approaching that day had been more than surprising. After the number Jack pulled on David's sister, Spot had been almost certain that the walking mouth's days with his newsie brethren were all but over. David had returned to school shortly after the news of Jack's unfaithfulness to Sarah had mercilessly spread throughout the boroughs and Spot did not expect to see David amongst the Manhattaners ever again. But, with the borough's potential of being viewed as an easy take after they were positioned to be leaderless for some time, Spot imagined the Manhattaners must have appealed to David's sense of duty in order for him to step in during the interim. And perhaps, the situation was dire enough that David had finally been able to let the past be. Time did have a funny way of healing even the worst of wounds.

But as Spot had turned into a side alley with Rummy, all thoughts of Manhattan's predicaments vanished completely from his mind as he saw the terrified boy standing in front of him.

"Flit, tell Conlon what ya told me," Spot heard Rummy say, as he had attempted to steady himself for whatever news the boy could possibly have.

Flit's eyes nervously surveyed Spot as he began, "Spot, I woulda come back sooner but I had ta keep lookin' ya see—I could see everythin' until I couldn't anymore an' I even seen her climb out the back window but after that—"

"What in the hell are you talkin' about?" Spot had interrupted irritably, unable to follow the young boy's train of thought.

"The one I been followin', Spot," Flit murmured. "The girl in Manhattan, the pretty one who does the deliveries all over."