Bloody Noses & Crack'd Crowns

Chapter 21

I DO NOT OWN THIS STORY. All credit goes to TheWeaverofWorlds on ao3

By the time Robert and the children arrived back at Neibolt Street, whatever thin veneer of patience he had been able to produce at the hospital had worn out.

"To your rooms. Now," he said.

Afraid of what might happen next each boy walked up the crooked staircase to their rooms. Robert following them. As each of them entered their own rooms, they could hear the door shut behind them, the key turning in the lock. However, when Robert came to Mike's room he didn't shut the door, but leaned on the jamb and asked him to follow him to his office.

Once they were settled, Robert behind his large desk, Mike before him, Robert asked, "how did you know to be at the hospital?"

"Eddie came and got me."

"And how did he know?"

"He saw it all out of his window, heard the ambulance, and put two and two together."

"And the groceries?"

Mike was thrown by the change in conversation. "What?"

"I sent you out this morning to get groceries. What happened to them?"

"It didn't seem important in light of–"

Robert held up his hand. "That isn't the answer I am looking for. What happened to the money?"

Mike pulled the cash from his pocket and placed it in Robert's hand.

Robert counted it before placing it in the top drawer of his desk. "I don't suppose you thought to put the groceries aside?"

"No –"

Robert made a noise of disgust. Wasted time. Now someone would have to go to the store tomorrow, and do it all over again. He leaned forward on his desk, the shadows which played across his face were ghastly. "And the radio?"

"Radio?"

"Georgie had it when he came to find me." Robert laced his fingers together.

"Eddie must have left it with him," Mike said, he could feel the his shirt beginning to stick to his back. He refused the urge to fiddle. What he said next mattered, he couldn't show any weaknesses.

"Why?"

"So that he could radio us if things got worse," Mike said.

"So Eddie has a second radio?" Robert asked. "I didn't see it at the hospital."

"It must have been in his fannypack," Mike said.

"Must have?"

"I'm not sure, sir. After everything that happened I didn't manage to keep track of it."

Robert frowned, leaning back in his seat. "I wish I had known about this radio."

Mike ducked his head.

"But I suppose it was good in such cases of emergency. What's its range, do you know?"

"Not very far," Mike said. "Although we've never tested it outside of the house."

Robert nodded. "I shall escort you back to your room, and you better pray that Eddie's story matches your own."

Mike did his best not to appear frightened. He walked back to his room. The lock clicked behind him. Now all he could do was wait.

–

Eddie jumped when he heard the key turn in the lock. He hadn't moved from the window since returning, hadn't stopped about what had happened outside of it just hours earlier, and now he wasn't sure what he faced.