Page 33 of When You Rescued Me

“I tell Mr. Dennington where to find his cargo, and he’ll ask someone at Bow Street to retrieve it.” Samuel shrugged. “I cannot say for certain, but I think it unlikely that any of the Blind Beak’s men would be content to limit their search to the ground floor.”

Charlie cursed. “Ya’d turn on me, just like that?”

Pointing out the depravity of spending each day stealing from others would surely prove futile, but Samuel could not help but make the appeal. “There are better ways to live—better places to live—than this, Charlie. You know that as well as I do.”

“Not fer me. I like it ’ere. An’ so d’ th’ boys.”

“I daresay you’re better to them than Thrasher or Grimsby were, but you’re setting them up for a life of crime.”

“It were good enough fer ya once!” Charlie growled.

“It never made me happy.”

“Ya’ve forgotten,” Charlie said. “We was ’appy! You an’ me. We was a great team.”

As a boy, Samuel had thought so too. But then Charlie had decided that fending for himself was a better option than rescuing his partner. Samuel left the accusation unsaid. The betrayal was real, but there was likely nothing Charlie could have done to help him anyway. And going before the Blind Beak that day had been the best thing that could have happened to Samuel.

The door opened downstairs. Charlie tensed, his gaze darting to the landing. Was he expecting someone he didn’t want Samuel to meet, or was he concerned that Samuel had brought reinforcements?

Offering a silent prayer that he wasn’t going to quickly find himself in over his head, Samuel pushed for the information he sought. “It seems that we’re going to have to cut our conversation short. So what’s it to be, Charlie? Grimsby’s location, or a visit from the Blind Beak’s men?”

“I don’ know where ’e is,” Charlie said.

Footsteps crossed the wooden floor below. If Samuel had any intelligence, he would be preparing to make a speedy departure. Unfortunately, it seemed that he’d left his good sense on the wharf. Feigning indifference, he stepped away.

“Very well. I daresay the Blind Beak’s officers will be here within the hour.”

“I don’ know where ’e is!” Charlie repeated, the first hint of panic Samuel had heard in his voice. “No one’s seen ’im since ’is last robbery went bad.”

Though he was dealing with a man with very few scruples, Samuel was inclined to believe him—which made his current situation all the more challenging.

The stairs creaked. The newcomer was coming up.

“If you needed to get word to him,” Samuel pressed, “where would you go?”

“Th’ Merry Piglets off ’Olborn,” Charlie blurted. “Them that frequent th’ place’ll know where ’e is.”

It wasn’t much to go on, but it was something.

“Make the rum last, Charlie,” Samuel warned. “If you steal anything more from that warehouse, or any of the others in the vicinity, Bow Street will know exactly where to look.”

Charlie scowled, but before he could do more than utter a disparaging curse, the boy Samuel had followed earlier appeared on the landing.

“Whatcha doin’ back ’ere already, Alfie?” Charlie snarled.

Alfie’s gaze darted between Charlie and Samuel, his expression guarded.

“It’s startin’ t’ rain, and I fergot me ’at,” he said.

Charlie tipped his head slightly. “This ’ere’s Sammy. I knew ’im a long time ago.”

Alfie’s eyes widened, but then he approached. “Nice t’ meet ya, Sammy.” He wiped his grimy hand down his equally grimy breeches, but in the act of extending it, he stumbled.

Samuel caught his elbow and steadied him.

“Oof!” Alfie shook his head. “Beggin’ yer pardon, sir. I blame me shoes. They’re that much too big; I’m alwus trippin’.”

“The wrong size shoes are always a good excuse,” Samuel said, releasing Alfie’s elbow and running his hand down the youth’s sleeve so as to knock free the pocket watch Alfie had just lifted from him. Catching the timepiece in his other hand, he acknowledged Alfie’s stunned expression with a raised eyebrow. “If you want a pair that fit, however, along with fresh clothes, food, and a better future than Charlie can give you, go and talk to the people at the Marine Society on Bishopsgate Street.”