One Penny Surprise (Saved By Desire 1)

“His name is Fred Bartlett, but we all call him Freddie.”

Luke nodded. “The pick-pockets?”

Toby nodded.

“Where is your base? Where do you meet with this Freddie?”

“At the back of the old warehouse, in the old dock worker’s houses.”

“What number?”

Toby shifted. “It is the one with the green door, but Freddie can get nasty. Please don’t tell him I am talking to you.”

The fear in Toby’s eyes fuelled

Luke’s anger, and he quickly hastened to reassure him.

“I can tell you that another body was found in the park this morning. He was a nabob. A very valuable painting disappeared at the same time as he did. Now, more importantly, did you see any sign of the thin man who followed me and Poppy the other night?”

Toby nodded. “I saw him in Covent Garden. I avoided him but he kept popping up. In the end I left, but he asked Billy about me.”

“Billy?”

“My mate. One of the gang. Billy didn’t tell ‘im nawt but said the man weren’t nice,” Toby looked scared for a moment. “What does he want with me? Did he kill the man in the park?”

Luke wanted to say no, but then couldn’t with any degree of certainty. “Have you seen him since?”

Toby shook his head. “I have been lying low and working around The Tower. Its far enough out of the way and them’s richer pickings.”

“Good. Stay out of the way, Toby. This man wants Poppy, not you, but for safety don’t go anywhere with him. If he tries to accost you then scream and then come straight to me.”

“Whatcha gonna do ‘bout ‘im?” Toby asked with a frown.

Luke wanted to tell him that as soon as he had gathered enough evidence he was going to get Freddie behind bars, but knew the lad would probably stop talking to him so remained quiet. Instead, he kept the conversation focused on Poppy’s assailant.

“Did you get a good look at any of his features?”

“He has dark hair and is odd.”

“In what way?” Luke scowled. He thought of the almost childlike way the man had behaved when he had been captured last night.

“He mumbles to himself as he walks. The others find ‘im funny.” Toby touched the side of his head. “Like he ain’t right, if you know what I mean?”

Luke nodded. If he was honest he had already started to think the same thing.

Luke knew there was more Toby wasn’t telling him and dug around in his pocket for several more pennies. “Do you know who his boss is?”

Toby shook his head. “He aint’ one of anyone’s gang that one. I don’t know where he came from.”

“Don’t ask anyone any questions that are likely to get you in trouble, or raise anyone’s suspicions. There is a lot going on at the moment, and a lot of dangerous people are involved. With that in mind, if anything happens, or this man gets too close to you, come to me at my place, but don’t tell anyone else the address. Do you hear me?” Luke tried to keep the urgency out of his voice but failed miserably and watched alarm grow in Toby’s young face. “Tell Lucy to do the same. You don’t have to take beatings from the likes of Freddie.” His temper began to boil. He wanted to do something to help the boy’s situation and dug around in his pocket. He handed the boy three shillings and watched his eyes pop wide. “Keep these in case anyone doesn’t get what they should. Break it up and tell me when you have used them up. Now, promise me you will come to me if you ever need help.”

Toby nodded and took the coins off him with such reverence that Luke wanted to punch the wall at the unfairness of the lad’s situation.

“Stay safe. I will see you same time tomorrow,” Luke replied. He handed the lad several packages of food and watched him stuff them into his seemingly bottomless pockets.

“I am always safe. I am the best pick-pocket in the whole of London, me,” he declared cockily. “See ya’.”

Luke watched the young lad leave the alleyway and tear off down the street without a backward look. Hopefully, the earnings from today would go some way toward making the young lad’s life a little easier for the next couple of days. He rather suspected that the small gang-of young urchins who had taken to a life of crime within London’s city streets were going to be a valuable source of information to the Star Elite; and crucial to the arrest and prosecution of the older gang of thieves and cut-throats. If at the end of this the Star Elite was successful in getting them off the streets and into better lives then that was the least they could do.