Bloodlines

Jack Corrigan’s stories on jury tampering in the Mitch Yeager trial sold a lot of copies of the Express over the next few weeks. This made Winston Wrigley happy, which meant that both Corrigan’s and O’Co

The newsboy felt more nervous than the day he had seen Corrigan jostled on the street by one of Yeager’s men, not long after Jack had stopped by to talk to him. A policeman had seen that and prevented a fight. He didn’t think a copper would defend him against Helen Swan.

This wasn’t the first day she had watched him, but this time, to his horror, she was walking straight toward him. With great effort, he prevented himself from making the Sign of the Cross as she approached.

He had asked Jack about her, and Jack had laughed and said, “Swanie? Brother, when they made the first pair of trousers, they had Swanie try ’em on to make sure they’d be tough enough for any man.” Then Jack winked at him and said, “She’s the daughter of a suffragist, you know.”

It was a word O’Co

“O’Co

He swallowed and nodded.

She smiled. “Jack Corrigan seems to know a lot about what goes on near this corner lately.”

“He’s a fine reporter,” O’Co

Helen Swan gave a soft, husky laugh. “Yes, he is. Utterly shameless, but a fine reporter.” She began to walk off, then turned and said, “Be sure to tell Jack I said hello.”

It was late that evening before O’Co

The other was a woman O’Co

Big Sarah caught O’Co

“Mr. O’Co

“Oh, for crying out loud,” Lillian said. “I’m begi

“You are,” Big Sarah answered, causing Jack and the other woman to laugh again.

Corrigan had been drinking, O’Co

Corrigan didn’t fail to notice this distance. The reporter said nothing, but rubbed his chin thoughtfully. O’Co

“Mr. O’Co

“How do you do?” O’Co

“Hiya, kid,” the woman said, smiling. “Call me Thelma. You must be the little hooligan who’s driving Lil crazy.”

“Thelma!” Lil said sharply, but Thelma only laughed.

“I didn’t mean anything by it. You know that-right, kid?”

Before he could answer, Jack said, “Mrs. Ducane and Miss Vanderveer were just leaving.”

Thelma’s laugh brayed again, but Lillian gave Jack a cool look. “First the trial,” she said, “and now this. Maybe I’ll do as Daddy suggests and go out with Harold Linworth again. “

Jack smiled. “Capital idea. And capital is what it would be, right? Aiding the cash flow at Ducane-Vanderveer?”

“That is a despicable suggestion-”

“Speaking of despicable, I suppose Daddy wouldn’t want you to start seeing your first love again. Oh, wait, that’s right-”

“Don’t say another word, damn you!”

“C’mon, Lil,” Thelma said, rising to her feet with a wobble. “This is getting boring. Let’s go play with the big boys.”

Lillian hesitated, giving Jack an opportunity he did not take. She stood and walked out without a backward glance. As the diner door closed behind them, O’Co

“How about a cup of coffee, Sarah?” Jack said. He motioned to O’Co

O’Co

“I don’t like her,” O’Co

“Thelma?”

He nodded.

“I don’t like her much, either,” Jack said. “But her father is in business with Lillian’s father, so the two girls have been close friends for several years now. I think Thelma managed to introduce Lil to some bad company.” He paused and said, “But that’s no story for a kid’s ears.” He shook his head in disgust with himself. “Ungentlemanly of me to even bring it up.”

Big Sarah came over with a cup of hot, black coffee and set it in front of Jack. O’Co

“No, thank you, ma’am.”

She left them to wait on two men who were sitting at the counter.

O’Co

Jack paused in the act of lifting the cup of coffee.

“Miss Swan came up to me. I’m pretty sure she knows I talk to you.”

The cup rattled against the saucer as Jack set it down and started laughing. “Swanie? Swanie figured it out already?” He laughed again. “Helen Swan is smarter than any man in that building-including Old Man Wrigley. My hat’s off to her, by God!”

O’Co

“No, why should I be? This is great. She’s got to be jealous as all get out.” He paused. “She scare you?”

O’Co

“And now?”

“There’s something about her-I don’t know.”

“And you want to be a reporter?” Jack scoffed. “You’ll have to do better than that. What’s this ‘something’?”

The boy’s brows drew together. “All right, then. She puts me in mind of a queen.”

Corrigan gri

“Not me,” O’Co

“I never doubted it, Mr. O’Co

They talked for a time about O’Co