twenty-six

534 13 5

by claracoleman

by claracoleman

Gregory Heartstring: The Man Behind The Murderer

By: Katherine Plumber

Gregory Heartstring. If this name is familiar to you, you probably tie him to a messy murder case in the small town of Firebrook, Virginia. But for his daughter, Lilian Heartstring, and many residents in their small town his name is tied to many beautiful memories. Gregory Heartstring was active in volunteering at the local Children's Home, directing school plays, and he never missed one church service in his life. When Lilian Heartstring found herself sick in bed from food poisoning, Gregory went out of his way to buy her a get well boquet. And when he returned, instead of being greeted by a grateful daughter, he was greeted by a group of cops, claiming that he was suspected of murder. But there is one question that remains unanswered; Is Gregory Heartstring, a lovable father and member of society, really capable of taking someone's life?

"where's your girlfriend?" davey said to jack in the middle of the hustle bustle of newsies square.

"why the sudden interest in my girlfriend?"

"jack, please," davey exclaimed annoyingly.

"she's working, why?"

"i need to talk to her."

"seriously david, she's taken!"

"JACK!"

"okay, okay, i'll stop," jack chuckled. "what do you need to talk to her about? is this about dat lilian girl?"

"yeah, it's about her second article."

"yeah, good stuff, ain't it?" jack asked.

"no."

"excuse me?"

"he didn't do it," davey said.

"she never said he did," jack stated.

"look at the title," davey said, holding up the newspaper so jack could see. "'the man behind the murderer'. he's not a murderer."

"davey, you're reading too far into it," jack said. "it's a clever title, get over it."

"i'm not getting over it when the girl i love is going through hell and back right now!"

"well don't take it out on my girl!" jack yelled, gaining the attention of a couple of newsies. "look, davey. it's a title. katherine didn't mean anything by it. she's trying to help lilian."

"well this title ain't gonna help!" davey exclaimed.

"actually, yes, it will," jack replied, trying to calm davey (and himself) down. "it's a grasping title, davey. the more attention it grasps, the more readers it brings in."

"yeah well, this isn't the way to bring in viewers," davey replied, stomping away from jack.

"hey, where are ya goin'? aren't you gonna get your papes?"

"i have more important things to do," davey yelled back as he left jack's sight.