Quagmire: Day 6

Word Count: 36,018

Summary of Events: 

After leaving the gangsters Jesse found a man they'd shot and called the police; along with waiting for them to arrive before going home. The next day Jesse brought home a copy of the Tribune — where his coverage of the murder made the front page — before learning that his brothers hadn't come home from school; he went out to find them and found another friend's older brother searching at the schoolyard, to no avail, but Jesse had another idea . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

"Jesse led the way to Maurice's house and knocked on the door.

A woman clad in black answered. "May I help you?"

"My brother David and his brother Richard are friends of your son Maurice," Jesse replied. "Our brothers aren't home yet and we were wondering if Maurice is."

"Yes, and he brought all sorts of boys with him, I'm sure your brothers are with them," she said, stepping back of the door.

Jesse rushed inside, quickly shedding his coat and hat to keep the floor dry out of courtesy and hurried to the kitchen stairs, which he hurried up before stopping at the top of the stairs and listening.

After a long silence there was a whisper. "That wasn't Mama."

"Was it your dad?" another voice asked.

"No, he wasn't downstairs," the first voice replied.

Jesse moved on silent feet toward the door into the bedroom where the body had been on his only other visit to the home. He leaned against the door.

"It might be someone looking for us," a third voice said quietly.

"It's not suppertime yet, your mom hasn't called us," the second voice said.

"What do you think we should do?" the third voice asked. It sounded like Solomon.

"Hide," a fourth voice whispered.

Jesse heard voices at the bottom of the stairs. He turned and put his finger to his lips at the sight of Rupert, who startled, but silently padded up the stairs.

"They're in here," Jesse whispered once he'd reached the top, pointing at the door.

"So?" Rupert asked.

"They're hiding," Jesse replied. "I don't think they know I heard them."

"So what are we going to do?" Rupert asked.

"We're going to open the door like we're doing a cursory look, then close it," Jesse replied. "Make them think it's safe to come out. Then we're going to open the door fast and scare them."

"Why?" Rupert asked.

"Pay them back for the fright they've given us," Jesse replied.

Rupert smiled. "That would actually be funny."

Jesse nodded, then shifted and opened the door. He looked inside carefully, he saw several clues as to where some of the boys were hiding in the room. He also noted there was a new carpet on the floor, and the broken window pane had a board in it.

He then closed the door slowly, but held the knob so that the pin didn't go back into place. Gently he leaned against the door and listened.

The sound of boys climbing out from their hiding places reached his ears. He smiled, then looked at Rupert, who smiled back at him and got ready.

"On three," Jesse whispered. "One . . . two . . . three!"

He opened the door and surged in while Rupert jumped after him and shouted. All of the boys jumped and cried out in alarm."