~Dess' POV~
Without looking back at the boys, Dess marched out of the lodge. She was definitely set on finding Jack, and if this Katherine knew where he was, then damn it, Dess was gonna find her. And nothing, not Pulitzer, not the Brooklyn newsies, was gonna stand in her way. She was glad, though, when she heard two pairs of feet and a crutch following her. She knew she probably couldn't do it alone. And she still didn't know much of anything about Brooklyn. Dess was going to need some help.
"So," she said when the boys had caught up, "What can you tell me about this Spot Conlon?"
It was Davey who answered her. "Well, he is very well-known, even outside of New York. Everyone's scared of him because they say he killed the last king of Brooklyn to get the spot. He's very smart, very dangerous, and very flirtatious."
The last description caught Dess off guard. "What do you mean...flirtatious?"
"He basically hits on every hot goil he sees," said Crutchie
"Great. Just perfect," Dess muttered, "How long of a walk is it from here to Brooklyn?"
"Just over an hour, I think. That's when there's a lot of people on the bridge." All of them still seemed unenthusiastic about going to Brooklyn. But there just wasn't another way. By that time, they had walked back to the World papestand. All the newsies seemed to be waiting for them. Dess knew what she had to say.
"Jack was not at the lodge. However, we have another clue to where he may be. Katherine's boat is docking in Brooklyn today. Davey, Crutchie, and myself are going there now to get her and maybe find Jack. Any questions?"
"Where am I gonna be?" asked Les.
"You are going to stay here with Race and the others," said Davey, "I can't bring you to Brooklyn, hell would break loose. Naw, you gotta stay here."
"Oh... Okay, fine!!"
"Well then," said Dess, "Off we go, I suppose."
...oOo...
Brooklyn was crowded. Because of this, it took longer than an hour to get there. But, when the gang did get there, Des got worried. Newsies she had never seen before started following them. They were almost to the docks when one duped them and told them that they had to see Spot Conlon. They didn't object, and we're taken to another stretch of docks where there were more newsies.
Spot Conlon sat on a makeshift throne made of plywood. It was Ay last five feet of the ground, which Des could see compensated for his height. For someone with such a reputation, Spot Conlon was downright short. Dess knew better than to say it out loud though.
"Who is these 'Hattan newsies, huh? What's they doin' 'ere?" He said. Dess didn't want to say anything, but she knew she had to.
"Hello... ummm... I'm Dess, this is Davey, and this is Crutchie," she gestured to the other boys.
"Ya, I'se know who they are. What I don't know is who you are," at this point, he had gotten down from his perch to face Dess, "Or why such a beeyootiful lady like yourself is hangin' with these newsies on a day like this." He was uncomfortably close now.
"Look, Spot," Davey piped up, "all we need is to get to the dock where Kate's boat is comin' today. Is that too much to ask?"
"Well, you see, I could let you go to this dock, no questions asked," Spot said menacingly, "but, of course, for everything I do for someone,I require...payment." He stepped a little closer to Dess, now officially too close for comfort. He looked at her and whispered, "Now, what do you think that payment would be, sweet face?"
Dess gulped as terrible 'payments' flashed through her head. "I will let you go to this ship," said Spot, "but, in return, I think the pretty girl will have lunch with me."
"I HAVE A BOYFRIEND!!!" cried Dess, completely out of the blue.
"Who... what?" stammered Spot.
"I have a boyfriend! Yeah! And I'm meeting him for lunch! So, I'm very sorry, but that won't be possible."
"Well, I'd you don't mind me asking," said Spot, "who is your date?"
"He's...ummm...," Dess barely had to think before an answer came to her, "Davey!!! Yep...," She put her arm around Davey and pulled him closer, "We're going to Jacobi's later today."
Spot, looking deflated, mumbled something and jumped back into his seat. "If you want to go see this ship, go ahead. Just be quick about it."
Dess, relieved to be ridded of Spot Conlon's feelings, and happy for an excuse to be close to Davey, politely walked away from the king of Brooklyn, and one step closer to Katherine.