Spot Conlon: To the Top [1]

Chapter 6: Forgiveness

Spot sat, sipping his root beer at Tibby's. Jack and Race had told their newsie buddies that they had been held up in Brooklyn, but wouldn't tell them why. Spot had been just as grateful as Rep was: the fewer people who knew about the case, the better. They also found out the Boots and Snitch had decided to stay in Manhattan to sell papers: they said they liked it better than having to sell papers on the Brooklyn Bridge where their papers always blew away in the wind and landed in the water.

"So, that Maya goil. She likes ya, huh, Spot?" Race questioned. 

"Oh, I highly doubt that she does now." David laughed, recalling what Spot had said.

"She's... disgusting." Spot said grimacing. "Ise knew de foist time Ise saw 'er dat I'd hate 'er. An' Ise was right. Ise jus' didn't know she'd like me."

"Ise don't like 'er much, either." Tunes said. He stuck his tongue out and then caught sight of his forgotten root beer, and, taking a sip, seemed to forget all about the girl. 

"Well, back ta bidness." Jack stated. "'Ow are wese gonna get de boy to de court? 'E ain't neva gonna see us in dair if 'e was de real offenda." 

"Well, if 'e refuses ta go to de court, 'e'll be playin' inta our hands." Spot said.

The group gave him blank expressions, at least the boys did. 

"If 'e refuses ta go ta court, it proves 'e has somethin' ta hide. That somethin' may be dat 'e burned de buildin' and wanted ta blame it on Rep here." Tiger explained, pointing her thumb at Reptile. His lizard was on his shoulder, starring as all lizards did. 

"Good idea. But, wese forgot one thing." Race said. He seemed like he was going to pause for a dramatic affect, but Tiger punched after in the arm and he continued, rubbing his arm. "Wese gotta find de kid foist. Wese don't know where he is."

"Uh, dair are two people who know de kid bedda den any of us. Tiga, Rep, do ya think ya could find 'im? Tell us where 'e is?" Jack asked.

"Ise ain't got no clue. Like Ise said, 'e left me on de streets when Ise was eight. 'E left leavin' no clue as ta where 'e was goin'." Tiger admitted, shrugging and looking into her empty cup. 

"Ise think Ise know here he is." Reptile stated, standing up. "De last time Ise saw 'im was six months ago, before Ise became a newsie. 'E was livin' in a house, an actual house dat had nothin' missin': it had all de windows an' everythin'. It was ova in Queens, though." 

"Then let's go. If we're going to prove you're innocent, we can't waste any time." David stood up. 

Tunes downed the rest of his drink and hopped out of his seat to follow the man. The rest of the group followed him, Spot trailing behind the group with Tiger. 

"Spot, do ya really think dat my brodda would really do all o' dis? Ise mean, shore Ise mad at 'im foi leavin' me, but I neva though he'd stoop dis low." Tiger questioned him sadly.

Spot was about to say that yes, he did think that it was, but when he looked down at her, he saw that she looked hurt. "Nah, Ise don't think so. If 'e's anythin' like youse, 'e'd know bedda den ta play wid fire." He joked, earning a little giggle from her. 

When Spot looked up, he could see Jack, Race, Reptile and Tunes smirking at each other. Spot frowned at them, but they didn't notice. They kept on walking until they reached Queens. It had been a long walk, but a cool breeze had been blowing, so they hadn't grown too hot.

"So, Rep, where's de house?" Spot asked. 

"Dis way, by de park." Reptile led them to a small white house that was in pretty good condition.