AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I do not,” Baldwin said, holding the sides of his grey jacket open. “I don’t even have the funds to purchase one.”
The man stepped closer. “Where do you live, Baldwin?” he asked.
“Two blocks over on Draper Street.”
The man scrunched his nose. “You certainly smell like you live on Draper Street.” His eyes dropped to his boots. “Are you down on your luck?”
“No more than I suppose the rest of you are,” Baldwin replied.
“I want to search your place,” the man said unexpectedly. “That will tell me all I need to know about you.”
Baldwin furrowed his brow. “You want me to show you now?”
The man eyed him critically. “Unless you don’t truly have a place on Draper Street, and are trying to deceive us.”
“Not at all,” Baldwin replied. “I have nothing to hide.”
“Good.” The man turned towards the group and gestured to a broad-shouldered man with a thin mustache. “Tom will come with us.”
Tom rose from his chair and approached them. “I would be happy to.”
“Follow me, then,” Baldwin said, spinning on his heel.
Without saying a word, they exited the pub and walked down the street. Baldwin turned the corner and pointed towards a blackened building that was starting to fall in on itself. “That is where I live.”
“We shall see,” the man muttered, unconvinced.
Baldwin approached the main door and opened it, causing it to fall off its hinges. He rested it against the wall and headed up two flights of stairs, being careful to avoid the broken steps. He stopped at a door and reached for the handle.
“Isn’t it locked?” Tom asked.
Baldwin chuckled. “The lock hasn’t worked in ages.” He opened the door to the cramped square room and stepped inside. The smell of tainted air immediately assaulted his lungs.
Two straw mattresses were pushed up against the wall and his brother, Oliver, was sitting on top of one. He was wearing dark trousers that were too short on his long legs and a dirtied blue shirt, the top hanging open.
“What are you doing home?” Oliver asked, moving so his back was leaning against the wall. “You weren’t supposed to be home for hours.”
Baldwin gestured towards the two men. “They wanted to see where I live,” he remarked nonchalantly.
Oliver put his hands up. “Well, here it is. It ain’t much, but it’s ours.”
The man stepped forward into the room and asked, “And who are you?”
“I’m Baldwin’s cousin,” Oliver replied as a black rat scurried across the room, stopping briefly at the dirty bowls sitting on the floor. “Who are you?”
The man’s eyes followed the rat as it disappeared into a hole in the wall. “My name is Morton,” he said.
“Well, Morton,” Oliver drawled. “I wasn’t expecting Baldwin home so soon, and I have a lady coming over. Do you mind?”
Morton turned back towards Baldwin. “I’m sorry I misjudged you, but one can never be too careful.”
“I understand,” Baldwin replied. “I would be the same way.”
A redheaded woman stuck her head into the doorway. “This was not our arrangement,” she declared after glancing around the room, and moved to turn away.
Oliver leapt up from the straw mattress. “Hey, lovely lady, come back here,” he encouraged, closing the distance between them. “They were just leaving.” He glared pointedly at the men.
The woman pouted as she glanced between them. “Good, because I need to get home shortly.”
