Refuge

4

Dear Crutchie,

Greetings from the penthouse!

Jack told me to write that. I hope I did it right? Speaking of Jack, he's got even worse ever since he went to see you. When he got back, he locked himself on the rooftop with Davey, and wouldn't come down for ages. All anyone could hear was screaming and crashing, but Race swears he saw Jack standing on the edge, shouting "I'll do it! I'll jump!". Of course nobody wants to belive him, but it is visibly weighing on everybody that Jack, fearless, leader, tough guy Jack, could have been threatening to kill himself. I'm not saying it's your fault, but it really is getting bad here with Jack and Davey. Everyone can see it. Les was talking to him, and Jack shot around, and would have hit him if Albert didn't hold him back, and such language! He's disintegrating, Crutchie, and none of us know how to help.

Besides having to lay Jack off, and Davey stepping up to take over leadership, nothing much else has happened here. I spoke to my father about the strike, and maybe improving the conditions in there, cause he can have a big influence if he wanted, but he just laughed it off as "folly". I'm so sorry. I promise you, we are trying our hardest to get you out of there, and take down Pulitzer too. Davey actually suggested holding as rally for all the Newsies of New York to come to, so that we'll have more power in the strike, but we need to get Brooklyn on our side first. If they don't turn up, nobody will. I think the hype from being front page news is wearing off in light of the knowledge that everybody's fate lays in the hand of Spot Conlon. It definitely unsettles me, to know that the whole strike effort could be lost if one person says "No".

Speaking of front page, Jack wasn't joking when he said the fame went instantly to Race's head. He started talking about the world being his "erster" and how he gets everything for free when he's famous.  We still haven't manged to calm him down enough to remind him that nobody's selling the papers, so nobody knows about him yet. Although, the sight of him strutting about, cigar in mouth, calling everybody "peasants" and, if anyone gets in his way, screaming "am-skray punk" definitely makes us all smile, but even the fun feels subdued without you here.

Whilst I've been writing, Albert has been looking for Jack,but he's just run in screaming. Jack's missing. I might write again later, but at the moment, me, Davey and Les, have to go look for him.

Love,

Katherine