PEG BOY (30 page)

Larson took
the rope from Santiago and finished lowering Kim to safety. Larson retied the
rope around Santiago’s shoulders and pushed him toward the edge of the roof.

“Hurry,” he
said.

“But why are
you doing this?” Santiago really wanted to know.

“Because I was
also one of McIntyre’s boys a few years back. That was before he was chased out
of Dublin. I followed him when I heard he had come here. That bastard did a
real job on me and on many other boys as well. With six years separating us
from the last time he had seen me, he never knew who I really was. I’ve wanted
to do this for a long while and have just been waiting for the right time. Thanks
for giving it to me! He won’t be bothering any more boys! Thanks, it took you
to show me up. You did my job for me. I owe you this! And listen Santiago, I
will be looking for you and if I see you or that other little shit any where
near here, I’ll have the both of you turning so many customers that the last
three months will seem like a vacation!”

“Thank you Señor.
You will not see me again, I promise!”

He went over
the edge and saw Kim waiting for him, hidden in the shadows.

“Take the
carriage...,” Larson called down. “Get away from here quickly” He threw down
four coins. “Buy clothing and hide for a few days. Now be gone with you!”

Santiago took
the reins and drove the carriage out of the alley. Several men saw the carriage
with the two near-naked boys and assumed the carriage was being stolen and made
no attempt to stop them. When Santiago wondered where to go, he remembered
Wexler. He looked at Kim and found him crying and smiling at the same time. The
boy had never looked as happy. In a deserted alley off Montgomery Street they
left the carriage and proceeded on foot, carefully staying as inconspicuous as
possible.

“Where are we
going? What will we do?” Kim asked.

“I know
someone...,” Santiago tried reassuring him. “I think he will have dry clothing.
He is a good man. We will be all right there.”

“But,
Santiago, what will we do after?”

“First things
first, little brother!”

With those
words Kim began to cry and all the terror, depression, hate..., all the
emotions that had been suppressed because they had become too overwhelming,
broke into a catharsis of tears. Kim felt Santiago’s arms around his shoulders
and he let himself be led. Deep within, Kim discovered a new kind of love that
went beyond words. The emotion was so complex that it filled him with awe and
all he could do was cling to the boy beside him to maintain the physical bond.

Wexler showed
little surprise at the sight of the two boys at his back door. He was
accustomed to having boys show up at odd times, looking for help, money, soup,
or a place to sleep. What was strange about these two was that each looked as
though they had been robbed and stripped. He led them inside once assured they
were not being observed. Wexler told Santiago to pull the shades while he
brought together food and clothes. After the boys had changed into dry clothing
and were fed, he asked for an explanation.

As Santiago
spoke Wexler inspected the little boy sitting nearby who quietly listened.
Wexler had no doubt that there had been torture as evidenced by the boy’s blackened
eyes and the many bruises and open sores. The child had been starved. McIntyre
had gone too far and reached a new low in baseness. When he heard Santiago say McIntyre
was dead, he could not refrain from clapping his hands partially from the joy
of feeling retribution and of being relieved from the pressures and extortion
that he had been made to suffer through his own sexual addictions. It took
almost an hour for Santiago to explain what had happened during the past
several months. He could see that this ordeal had left both boys scarred.

“I think
before you make further plans of what you are to do, that you both should
sleep. We can discuss all this later when you have clearer heads. In the
meantime I have no doubt McIntyre’s men will be searching for you. I don’t
think all this is will be reported to the authorities. They would have to act
on it and the scandal would affect too many people in high positions. That
would open us to the
Alcade
. But I see a form of justice here. I think
when the story gets out, and it will, about what McIntyre was doing up there,
there will be less of an inclination to pursue your capture.”

Wexler
prepared his storeroom by putting several layers of blankets on the damp floor.
He lit a lantern and hung it from the rafter. The boys settled themselves, each
wrapped around the other and before Wexler had climbed the ladder to the
kitchen, Santiago and Kim were peacefully asleep.

Kim was the
first to awaken. He could not adjust to the luxurious feeling of being free and
the thought that the boy who was lying beside him, his warm breath licking the
nape of his neck, was the one who had rescued him from hell. He listened to
Santiago’s deep breathing and again felt the hardness that was nestled between
his buttocks. He moved himself against it. Santiago stirred at the sensation in
his surging cock. Kim moved himself again and this time he heard his friend
moan with pleasure. He held his legs tightly so that they embraced the cock and
he slowly slid his thighs back and forth in a form of masturbation. Santiago
picked up the rhythm and proceeded to kiss Kim about the shoulders and neck as
he reached around and fondled the boy’s erection, a little thing compared to
his own. With a deep devotion and a need to express the love they felt for each
other, they made love in the only way they knew.

Afterward,
they continued embracing for some time.

“I have been
thinking,” Santiago said, cuddling the boy closer.

“About what?”

“Us!”

“What do you
mean?”

“Well, what
will you do now Kim?”

“I don’t know.
I thought you were going to think of something.”

“I have!”

“Does it have
anything to do with me, Santiago? Will we stay together?”

“Is that what
you want?”

“Yes very
much. Do you?”

“I suppose I
would not mind having a little brother. But you know what we just did is not
something that brothers are supposed to do together.”

“Oh...?
Michael and I did it all the time!”

Santiago
laughed. “To be honest, my brother and I did also. Kim, how would you like to
go far away from here?”

“To where?”

“Peru!”

“Peru...? You
are going back home? Where will you get the money to buy passage?”

“I have
something that is worth a great deal of money. My Mr. Bolen is holding it for
me. It is a gold nugget as large as my two thumbs. We could use that.”

“When will we
do this?”

“As soon as I
can speak to Vincent and have him get it for me. We must be careful not to be
seen by the wrong people. I will try to find him after dark. We will wait here
until then.”

Kim became so
filled with excitement and expectation that he could hardly be contained, no
longer able to lie still he found that he needed to get to use the latrine just
to move.

“Then let us
go back upstairs. I don’t know what time it is. Perhaps it is late enough for
Wexler to be closed.”

It was just
after five o’clock when they climbed the stairs to the kitchen and waited in a
corner where they could not be seen by anyone in the restaurant. Wexler came in
for loaves of bread.

“Ah..., the
two desperadoes are awake and ready for food no doubt. Word of the killing is
all over town. They found the carriage. A few of McIntyre’s men were here to
eat this afternoon and were talking. Some of them were not saddened by his
demise. But that does not place you in better graces. You struck out against
one of their kind and therefore must be punished. They would have my head if
they knew I was hiding you. That’s why you must get away quickly. Stay hidden.
It would be better if you remained in the cellar until I close. Then we can
think of what to do.”

“But I know
what to do,” Santiago said. “I have given it much thought. It will require help
from you, I think.”

Wexler looked
thoughtfully, wondering how much deeper he would embroil himself in the matter.
It was hard for him to draw a line at helping a pretty boy who asked. “I will
do what I can, but for now we must put that off until I close. Stay below. Take
some food with you. Help yourself to whatever you want in those pots.”

“But I have to
piss,” Kim complained.

“Do not go to
the outhouse. You may be seen. Here, take this. Leave it outside the door when
you finish.”

Wexler handed
the boy a tin pail. Each used it. Wexler returned to the front of the
restaurant and the boys went to the cellar with food and cold tea.

When they were
finished talking, Wexler agreed to make contact with Vincent that night. He
would go to Belle’s and ask to speak to the boy. Wexler thought the plan that
Santiago had offered a good one. If the boy did have the wealth he claimed,
booking passage could be done in a day’s time, assuming a ship would be found.
Wexler knew the news of the boy’s exploits would travel widely, and many
captains would be reluctant to carry them. Still, enough money would accomplish
the necessary convincing.

Belle
knew immediately that something was amiss. Wexler had asked to see Vincent
without asking to buy him. Wexler never used Belle’s services. Boys came to him
in trade or food and clothing, and sometimes he gave them money. She ushered
Wexler into her office and closed the door.

“All right
Wexler, tell me what this is all about? And let me tell you that I have my own
idea. But let me hear what you have to say, first.”

Wexler had
known Belle for as long as she had been in town. He knew her for the hard
business woman that she was, but also knew her to be fair and kind in spite of
her business in the flesh-market. She did not mistreat the boys. Wexler
suspected her sentiments about McIntyre were probably the same as those of most
who had dealt with him.

“You’ve heard
about McIntyre?”

“Who hasn’t!”
Belle said, making no judgment of her opinion.

“You heard how
it happened?”

Belle went to
the sideboard and poured two whiskeys.

“Wexler, are
you here as the official town-crier? Or are you here to tell me something I
don’t know! Now something in all this has to do with one of my boys?”

“Belle, I have
to know how you feel about it.”

Belle leaned
into the ottoman and crossed one leg over the other.

“The bastard’s
time was up! Play with fire and you get burned. McIntyre got burned. Goddammit
I knew that Peruvian boy was a passionate little fucker when I saw him! They
say he was really protecting the twin? What do you know about it?”

Wexler sensed
he could tell her the truth. Perhaps if there were others to share his secret,
they could lessen his burden. He told her everything.

“So..., you’re
the one who put them up! Well for Christ’s sake Wexler I didn’t think you had
the balls. Congratulations! I know your neck is on the block if they find out.
I’ll do what I can. Tell me why you want to see Vincent. What has he got to do
with all this?”

Wexler sipped
his whiskey, feeling better about his decision. He could see that Belle was on
his side.

“Santiago
tells me that one of Vincent’s gentleman friends is holding a large gold nugget
for him. He hoped Vincent could get it back. I know it’s Bolen and that he was
hurt recently. It might be difficult for Vincent to see him.”

“He already
has,” she said. “Wait here.”

Belle returned
with Vincent.

“Wexler has
something to tell you. It’s important that what he says stays with you,
understand?”

Vincent
nodded.

“Good. Then
light yourself a pipe and sit down.”

Vincent helped
himself to Belle’s hashish and listened as Wexler related recent event.

“So you
see...,” Wexler said hopefully, “We need to find some way of getting at the
gold. They’re at my place and need to get out of town. The little one..., he’s
not well. I wish he could be seen by a doctor. They were using him pretty
badly. Santiago says that Mr. Bolen has gold that belongs to him and he wanted
to see if you could get it.”

Vincent took a
long draw of the pipe and inhaled deeply, holding the smoke until he could feel
it permeate his entire body. He exhaled, smiling broadly.

“I have it!”

“What?” Belle
looked at him in disbelief. “You said nothing of this to me!”

“I got it this
afternoon. Yesterday when I saw Bolen I had stopped near McIntyre’s peghouse
and saw Santiago and the boy on the roof. I spoke to them. Santiago said he was
fearful of what was happening to Kim and asked if I could get Bolen to do
anything. But I guess he decided to take things into his own hands. Anyway,
when I saw Bolen I mentioned the nugget and that it would probably be better if
I had it. Belle..., I was going to tell you about it and ask for you keep it
safe..., honest!”

Belle walked
across the room and pulled the cord that summoned her maid.

“It seems that
things have fallen nicely into place. There’s only one thing to do. Get the
boys and bring them here. They’ll be safe.”

The maid
entered and Belle instructed her to get her wrap and have the carriage made
ready.

“You stay
here,” she said to Vincent. “Go get the nugget now. I’ll put it away.”

Vincent stood
and reached into his pants, digging at his crotch.

“Here it is,”
he said, laughing. “I kept it with my
precious
.”

Belle slapped
the boy on the shoulder and began to laugh with him. Wexler looked longingly at
where Vincent had removed the rock and joined the laughter. Belle took it and
went to the safe she kept hidden from view, behind a seven foot Chinese screen.