Family Reunion (22 page)

Nigel took a wary look at Mike's back and swallowed his fear. "Like I was sayin’, they... they ah, drug’er, tied’er up an’ brought’er in a wagon to Charleston where a ship Greyson had waiting was docked. That's where I join’em. They brought’er on board, kep’her in’a cabin. We didn' hurt’er none, jus’kep’er with enough med’cine t’make’er sleep."

"Where did you take her?!" Manny demanded.

Nigel looked up at him, swallowed and said. "Here, we brought’er t’Greyson, to New York."

Mike turned around just as Manny repeated stunned. "Here?! New York!?"

"Yes – here. Greyson had this business a’so’ciate who own a warehouse fer’fabric. We put’er in’it. We leav’er, to tell Greyson she was sleepin’ an’ at dinner, this kid starts yellin’ ‘bout a fire. She – she was gone! Poof! We got there - the whole place, in flames. People said they seen a Negro woman runnin’ scared from the building b’fore it burn down.”

“
That was the last any saw of’er. Greyson threaten to kill us if we don' find’er. We look an’ look but she gone. Nex’ I know, Casey come up missin’, then Pearson, I know I was next, so I been hidin’ since. That's the truth, all of it."

Manny backed up and sat on his desk staring ahead.
'Here! Right here in New York!'
All was silent for a while as Manny digested this bit of news. "Um...the money, you said-…" Franks asked cautiously.

"So help me God, if you mention that again-…"

"Leave it Mike. He was promised pay, and pay he will receive!"

"You're going to pay him!?" Mike questioned in disbelief. "They drugged my mother, stole her away and left Hope abandoned and alone. We can only imagine what my mother went through waking up to find Hope no longer with her! You know how she was about us and now you're going to reward him!"

"Yes I am, I gave him my word."

"Well I didn't give him mine, when I get through with him, not all of the money in the world is going to help him!"

"Mike! You will
not
- cross me on this. I gave him my word. I am going to pay him and you aren't going to touch him. Greyson is the head of it all, save it for him. Right now, my major aim is finding Lena. Until –I state it differently, we are going to do it my way. I can see where he might be beneficial to us in the future and for that reason, no harm will come to him. As a matter of fact, we are going to do all we can to protect him until he proves to be something other than he claims to be. Now, I have said what I mean, and I do mean what I say!" Manny glared hard…leaving no doubt
that
was the end of it.

Mike looked away from his father to the floor, it was difficult to take the out right order from him but he knew he had no choice. It was not within him, no matter how angry he was, to disrespect his father. His pride was sorely pricked with a touch of humiliation but something in his father's eyes warned him not to be stupid – not to test him.

He also had to admit he really didn't know this man yet. All he was
sure
of was the love he had for his children, and his mother. He had never seen him truly angry and now was not the time to try him. Not with Leon, Gaitsu and this Nigel Franks present; so he stood back and humbled himself.

Manny hated this part of being a father and couldn't help but think back to all of the fights he and Morris had had. Fights that hadn't started until Lena came on the scene. Regardless of his son's aggression, coming from the love and longing of his mother, he would not allow him to cross him.

No child of his was going to overrule him or disrespect him
, regardless of the complexities of their relationship. As his son, Mike had his place and he was not going to leave that place as long as he was alive. With an aching feeling in his gut, he knew that soon, he would be forced to put his son in his place and prayed
that
one time would be enough.

Manny turned his attention to Franks. "How much do you feel you need?"

Nigel exhaled with relief and grateful that Manny could handle his son. "Truth is, the money I drink on come from the lady I live with, she earn it cleanin an’ sewin’. She - she ain't all that to look at but she a good woman. She take care o’me for a long time now. It be nice, I show’er I got a bit o’worth to me. Jus’ that, well, sometime I feel like I got no pride left, I can't stan’ a woman takin’ care o’me. I know I been doin’ wrong by’er, she - she gimme’ three boys, a little girl since I been there. She work all while she carry every one too an’ put up with me. It be nice if I had somethin’ for once, I got no work an’ too scared to look."

Manny listened as he tried to see through to the truth, "Are you telling me you care about this woman?"

"Yes sir I am, I do. Like I say, she ain't much to look at but she a good
woman, heart o’gold! I ain't never know no better. I got three boys by’er, it sure be nice t’make’em proud o’me for once. They shame o’me, I know it, rightly so. That little girl, ohhh you ought’ah see’er, lovely as spring buttercups she is, an’see no wrong in me. While she still t’young to know the truth, fore it's too late…I need that money."

"Seems to me you need a job Nigel, time to stand up and be a man, a real man. Know anything about sailing?"

"That's what I do for Greyson ‘fore he had me followed."

"I give you a job, can I depend on you?"

"Yes sir, you can! It's gettin' so I can't hol’ my head up, can’t stand myself no more, I can't take them silent tears no more, God they cut you up something awful. I owe’er, I owe’er a lot." He finished softly.

"To get things in order, I'll advance you a sound sum. Would a hundred and fifty be enough to redeem a bit of your pride?"

Nigel's eyes bucked at him. "Yes sir you bet it! You never regret this, I do anythin’ you want, jus’ you name it!"

Manny made quick work of writing him out a pay draft, "Take this in to my bank tomorrow and they'll pay you, here I'll write the one-…"

"Umm, I could be spotted sir, if someone see me-…" Nigel reminded Manny.

"I'll go in and get it for you, and bring it to you." Leon volunteered.

"In order to work for me, you're going to have to come out of
hiding Nigel. Leon will assign you to a ship and crew that will look out for you. In the time that has gone by, I think Greyson has forgotten about you. First things first, take care of your lady and your family, then report back here to this man Leon McNeil. He'll see to all your needs, including putting you among men where you'll be safe."

Nigel stood, a bit wobbly, but sobered from the experience, trying to steady himself; he shook Manny's hand, a tear coming to his eye. "You don'know what you done for me, after what I did." He shook his head sadly. "She, the Princess, was yours was she? I mean, you care’bout her ... like I do mine? I never give it no thought, ‘til my lady."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that. Take care of your lady and her children now."

"Oh I plan it ...-(Nigel and Leon walked to the door, Nigel turned back in the portal)-...I hope you fin’her, I do."

Manny sat thinking as Mike remained quiet, waiting on his next move now that they were alone, with Gaitsu leaving after cleaning up the floor from the coffee spill.

Once he was gone, Manny spoke his mind, "I apologize to you for speaking so harshly in his presence but I had to make you understand, it's always better in the long run to make friends and allies, than enemies."

"I wasn't thinking and I allowed my emotions to control my actions, your way of course was the correct way."

"Well, let it be known that you aren't the first to let their emotions control their actions, I've had to learn my lessons in that the hard way."

Mike nodded understanding. "Now what?"

"You were right about one thing, when your mother came to realize she'd lost another of her children, I can just imagine what it might have done to her. For that reason, we'll begin our search in a whole new place and way."

"Where?" Mike questioned.

Manny took a long dragging breath as he wiped his hand over his face, and then rested his elbows on his desk. "Kenwhals Hospital – it’s for the, mentally insane."

Mike gasped aloud and blanched in horror. "No! She won't be there! My mother won't be there!"

"Son I pray you're right, but I won't leave a stone unturned. Joe knows where the hospital is, you and he will go there tomorrow. When Leon returns, I'll have him hit the small hospitals at South end and last, Dustinhurst."

"What is Dustinhurst?"

"
Dustinhurst is a work house, a place for women locked up. Not all women who have committed crimes are sent there. Some have become trapped there simply because they are lost, and trusted the wrong person. It's mainly where a large amount of missing Negro women could possibly be found. Many have been said to escape the South's slavery only to end up here with no place to go. The deputies or magistrate picks them up, and takes them to Dustinhurst, telling them they can find work and a place to sleep until they find something else but once they're in, they never come out ... not alive anyway." He finished.

Mike sat back in his chair filled with despair. He closed his eyes as he imagined the hell his mother might have faced with no one to protect her. Sometimes he felt it was all too much, with a glance at his father, he mumbled that he was going back to bed; he stood and left the room.

Manny was just as scared, praying that their search would not lead to her grave.
'Lena - dead.'
The two words flashed in his mind. "No. I won't believe that, I can't." He sat in the large empty room with nothing but his thoughts. The door opened again with Gaitsu peeking in on him.

"Get rest boss."

"Gaitsu…tell me she's not dead. If you tell me, I'll believe it."

"Yo’ Princess not dead boss…no worries…she okay…now get rest."

* * *

That morning when Hope
and Joe came to the ship, they were filled in on what had taken place the night before. Right away, Joe and Mike left to check up on the places Manny had listed.

Leon also went to check up on his list. Two of his ships docked that morning and Manny went about instructing Hope on how he conducted the business of checking the merchandise, while overseeing the unloading. She was hungry to learn and grew excited at the prospect of playing a part in her father's business.

His men could hardly concentrate with her present, all smiling and murmuring about the boss's daughter. Manny's pride in his daughter showed as he held her hand on his arm while he spoke to his men, conferred with the captains and saw that all was as it should be. Satisfied, they went to the new building with him officially relocated. The new sign was going up as they arrived. Manny and Hope stood back on the sidewalk and watched as they angled and aligned it into place.

"Oh daddy, look at it."

Manny smiled as he kissed his daughter's brow. "Read it to me."

She looked up at the sign and read, "Ramsey Fleets… Passage,
Shipping and Freight Deliveries." Turning back to her father, "Oh daddy, this is so exciting!" Manny hugged her, "I couldn't agree more."

Inside the building they went from one area to another discussing how it should be set up. There was not much to be done other than adding touches to reflect his style. Just then, Josey showed up with her daughter who met Manny for the first time. He left the women wandering about the building, discussing how best to arrange things while he went to his office to get work done. It wasn't long before Mike and Joe arrived. Joe left with his mother and sister, Hope joined her brother as he filled their father in on what they’d found. Neither place they checked had a patient presently or in the past matching Lena's description.

"Very well, while we wait on Leon to report back, we can work on the payroll for the Windcutter's crew. Hope, while Mike and I are doing that, you can tally up the passage ticket revenues and record them in this ledger." Manny instructed. Standing beside her, he showed her what to do.

"The Flamingo, the Crest Horizon, the Carolina Mist and the Royal Sun, are the passage fleets, there is a ledger for each." He went on to set them up and point where he left off.

"And the Princess, what is it for?" She asked, getting herself familiar.

"For family use only." He answered, passing Mike a pile to start and record as Hope went about her job. Mike stared down, vexed at the pile that was handed to him.

"You know, you really should have Leon here doing this instead of me, I'd much rather be out looking for my mother."

Manny and Hope both looked up, reading the irritation in his voice and manner. Hope felt her heart thudding, afraid one of his moods was coming on, set against their father.

"That's understandable, however Leon is better acquainted with the city. He also knows people that might be able to help him. Furthermore, he is already familiar with what I am showing you and has done it quite often, enough so that I prefer him to grow and utilize his skills in other areas of shipping. Each of you will go through every step there is in learning this business. That way, when I am no longer here, it will be left to the three of you. It's important that you learn how to run things, you and your sister. Now, can we move on?" Manny asked.