Chapter 9: Meet-n-Greet

Harry gets the fish cleaned quickly and puts the pieces in a saltwater bath. The noise in the bar starts to get louder as people are getting off of work and stopping in. Patrick is out front helping Margaret leaving Harry alone in the kitchen to prep in peace.

Harry knows better to leave Patrick a mess, so they clean up their area with a little extra attention to detail so Patrick has nothing to complain about later.

Slipping out the back door, Harry hears the chime of the North Church. The market closes in thirty minutes giving Harry just enough time to head over and find Amir if they move quickly.

Once at the market, Harry heads in through a side door. Many of the vendors have already packed up for the day, but Amir has some loyal clients who like to come at the end of the day, making his booth the best spot for messages. Harry comes up from the side, Amir is facing away from them helping a woman with a red spice, paprika? Harry can hear Amir trying to calm her nerves about it being made from peppers but isn’t spicy.

Yup, paprika, thinks Harry.

Amir writes down some notes on how to use paprika and in the same paper, adds the vibrant red spice, folds the paper in his special way that wont open up in the bag and hands it to the woman. She pays and walks away looking down at the folded parcel.

Amir notices Harry out of the corner of his eye and look over. Harry smiles and nods at the lady still walking away looking at her purchase. Amir smiles and shakes his head turning toward the table behind him. Amir reaches behind his scales, and pulls out two pieces of paper. Handing them both to Harry.

‘Revolutionizing roast?’ Harry teases.

‘Americans,’ Amir shakes his head, ‘they love the idea but fear the execution. At least in Boston, they appreciate salt.’ He looks down at the two notes he handed Harry. That lady was back. She seemed a little worked up but bought some things. I like her. That kid is back again. That’s it for today.’

‘Thank Amir,’ Harry looks at the papers. ‘I’ll take care of Rory. When did you tell the lady to come back?’

‘Tomorrow afternoon.’

Harry raises their eyes at Amir.

‘It’s Saturday! Busiest day! She can wait until then!’ Amir says strongly without raising his voice.

‘Fair enough,’ Harry jots a note on the paper, folds it and hands it back to Amir. ‘Thanks Amir.’

Amir grunts in acknowledgment and takes the paper. ‘You tell Patrick I will have his blend ready Monday?’

‘I will,’ Harry says and touched the brim of their hat and heads out of the market.

As they exit the market, they turn toward the Commons. The sun is still bright and warm and Harry wants to get Ernie’s face on paper before they forget the details.

The Commons is bustling with people and picnics and kids and Harry walks for a bit to clear their head and find a place suitable for a little piece and to draw. They settle into a shadier spot on the far end with a flat bench for Harry to lay out their paper.

Harry pulls parchment and charcoal from their pocket and smooths it out. Beginning with his eyes, Harry begins to make Ernie come to life on paper.

While Harry cares to have their other talents more rewarded, the reason they have built this network around them began with their drawings. As a child, Harry was still cast as a female-type who needed to wear dresses to church and there were expectations on their life. Margaret only enforced it to a degree, knowing that in certain circles, it was unavoidable. But when they were at home Harry could play with the boys and wear their brother’s hand-me-downs and be apart of the bigger group.

One of the things Margaret insisted on was that each of her children had something creative. Patrick carved, Conor played piano, Willem tried it all, but became rather good at picking locks, much to Margaret’s distain. And Harry taught themselves to draw. As a kid, Harry would go to public areas and draw people and sometimes people would request portraits for money. It was usually enough to buy more paper and make a little profit. For a young kid to have a hustle, that was quite a perk. Harry started to figure out that if they asked the person questions when they were drawing, they could get them person to show certain lines in their face, they could recreate the shine in their eyes and the movement of their skin. And over time, Harry started to get more and more skilled at capturing the essence of the person in a drawing.

This wasn’t the only way Harry made money, but that was how they caught the attention of a young lawyer one day.

Harry was drawing outside of the courthouse one day. They were hired by this Italian guy to watch the courthouse for someone. Harry used the drawing as a reason to camp out in certain locations without being hassled too much by the police. A young lawyer walked by and saw the drawing Harry was working on.

‘You’re very good,’ he said standing over Harry from behind looking over their shoulder from above.

‘Aye,’ Harry said.

‘Do you only draw buildings?’ Arthur inquired still looking over their shoulder with his hands in his pockets.

‘Nah, I prefer portraits, but it’s slow today, so I draw what I see,’ Harry is hoping he will go away. Tall lawyers lingering around are not great business.

‘Do you have to see the person to draw them?’

‘Well it ‘elps! How canni draw em if I can’t see em?’ Harry turns to look up at Arthur.

‘I mean, if I described someone to you, would you be able to draw what I describe?’

‘Like a sketch artist?’ Harry asks with some inflection.

‘Yes. Can we try?’

Harry looks looks off in the distance. They really want this guy to piss off, but he’s still standing there firm on his feet and Harry is starting to get the idea, he’s not going away.

‘I’m happy to pay you for your time. As you said, it’s slow today.’

‘Aye, alright. Sit down. Who are we drawing?’ Harry pulls out another piece of paper. As long as they can stay facing the same direction, they can still watch out for the person the Italian sent them to see. Also, this lawyer is good cover if a cop comes to bother them.

Arthur shifts his position to be more in front of Harry. His hands are still in his pockets and his hat is tilted down against the sun. He’s well dressed, but not too well dressed, clearly has a position of some esteem. Harry guesses a lawyer. ‘I’m Arthur, Arthur Wexley,’ holding out his hand in greeting.

‘Good on ya,’ Harry turns their hands up showing they are covered in charcoal. Arthur nods in acknowledgement.

‘And you are?’

Holy hell, this guy doesn’t give it a rest, Harry thinks, but pauses, ‘Harry.’

“A pleasure, Harry.’ To which Harry just nods their head turning back to the paper.

As Arthur begins to talk, he paces, Harry tries to follow what Arthur is saying to put it on the paper, but Arthur is all over the place. The only thing clear is he is asking Harry to draw a woman in her late 40’s.

‘Stop,’ Harry says. ‘This can’t work your way. You’re jumping around, I’m going to make her lips blue and her eyes red and plump if I let you guide this tour. What if, I ask you some questions?’

‘Certainly,’ Arthur says.

‘Think about her eyes and the eyes of other people you know. Are they bigger than others smaller? Does she squint a lot? You know?’

‘Ah, the shape, you mean?’

‘Aye.’

‘I see, yes, well, the shape is nice, she has nice eyes.’

‘Nice ain’t helping me,’ Harry says unamused.

‘Yes, yes. Um, she has average sized eyes. No, not a squinter. Her eyes are balanced across her face, but they do have some lines around them, yes. Especially in the outside corners. She laughs a lot.’

‘Good, better.’

 As Harry and Arthur go back and forth, they start to fall into a rhythm and for about fifteen minutes, they are making progress on this picture and learning how to ask each other questions or make clarifications for the other. But around the fifteen-minute mark, Harry sees the person they’re watching for walk out of the courthouse.

‘What time is it?’ Harry asks Arthur.

‘Oh,’ Arthur reaches into his pocket and pulls out his watch, ‘One thirty-six.’

‘Gotta go, it’s been fun!’ Harry shoves the drawing at Arthur and starts to follow their charge. Harry can hear Arthur holler behind them, but they’re not really that interested and continue to move away from Arthur, the courthouse and that whole scene, hoping to find some places to tuck behind. Fortunately, the man is a bit tall and heading away from the busy street.

Harry tucks behind carriages and deliveries as they follow, but there isn’t a lot of time for that, the guy is really moving in long strides. He ducks around the corner of a building and is out of sight for just a moment. Harry sees where he went, a little alleyway with fruit crates stacked at its edge. Harry makes their way around and suddenly they are grabbed by the shirt and pressed against the brick wall. Foul breath and teeth are right in Harry’s face and they feel something sharp against their neck.

‘You followin me?’ The man is larger up close and Harry’s feet are barely touching the ground. ‘You heard me, you following me?’

‘I…I’m not following you! Put me down!’ Harry looks around for something to put their feet on, and sees a glint of what he’s holding-a piece of broken glass. Harry tries to act quickly, but lost their bearings a bit. ‘I was trying to meet my brother, he was over in this neighborhood today and I was running late.’

‘I don’t believe you!’ Snarled the man.

‘Honest, my brother-‘

‘Charlie! What the hell? Get your hands off them, sir! Charlie, what the hell have you gotten yourself into?’ Arthur busts into the alley in a flourish.

The man loosens his grip on Harry and they can feel their feet finding more ground. Harry sees Arthur waving his arms around dramatically as he talks. Harry starts to smile, they know Arthur is trying to attract attention, which is what this guy doesn’t want.

‘John!’ Harry says loudly, ‘I was lookin all over for ya! I thought you went to get a shave, but they said you ‘adn’t been in. Where did you go?’

The man’s grip loosened even more and the piece of glass he’d been holding was now down by his side and not against Harry’s throat. He looks between Harry and Arthur confused as he’s trying to figure them out. He let’s go of Harry’s shirt as Harry and Arthur continue to banter back and forth.

‘I told you I wasn’t going to the barber until this afternoon, I was meeting with the assessor and then going to eat some lunch which is where you told me you would be! You have to keep to your plan Charlie!’ Arthur turns toward the man, ‘Thank you so much sir for finding them, I hope they weren’t too much trouble.’ Arthur grabs Harry’s arm and pulling them out and begins to scold Harry, ‘Wait until I tell mother what you’ve been up to? And where did you get that stupid hat, you need to dress properly and stand up straight when you walk…’

They get about half a block away and Harry bursts into laughter. ‘Well, I never saw someone run a play on the fly like that before!’ Harry hits Arthur on the arm.

‘Well, let’s hurry up and get out of here before we come across him again.’ Arthur points in a direction and Harry nods. They walk quickly for a few blocks and then Arthur cuts over and into a pub. Harry follows.

Inside, Arthur goes to a table off to the side in a corner. Harry sits across from him. ‘Let me go get us a couple ales, shall I?’ Arthur starts to get up and Harry nods at the offer.

When he returns with the ales, Arthur slides Harry’s over and watches them as they take a sip and settle into their seat a bit. Harry is looking at everything but Arthur who is watching them. Not sure where to start, Arthur decides just to dive in. ‘Do you really sketch for money?’

‘Aye.’

‘But that’s not why you were at the courthouse today. You were looking for that mass of a man.’

Harry doesn’t respond nor do they look at Arthur.

Arthur reaches into his pocket and pulls out the paper Harry had been drawing on before they had to dash. He opens it up and smooths it out on the edges. The face looking back from the paper is a kind face. Similar nose as Arthur, same fullness of hair. ‘This is my mother. I know this face very well and you were able to capture her in a very short time.’

‘Gotta be quick, people don’t want to wait long on the street for a sketch.’

Arthur puts his index finger down on the paper. “Where did you learn to do this?’

“Everywhere,’ Harry says. ‘I’ve been doing it since I was a kid, my mum made me practice and the more I did it, the better and faster I got. It doesn’t take much to do it. Easy way to earn here and there. I’m not going to live in a castle, but I’m gonna eat.’

‘I would like to hire you.’

‘I don’t do formal portraits, mister. I only do sketches.’

‘That’s exactly what I need. Of course you’ll be compensated, better than what you could make following people down alleyways.’

Harry scoffs at this. But after a couple moments looks over at Arthur who is sitting smug in his seat looking back at them. They pause for a moment, ‘You’d be surprised what following people pays.’

‘No doubt, but my proposal doesn’t end with a piece of glass against your neck.’

‘Sounds boring.’

Arthur sniffs a laugh, ‘To be honest, it kind of is.’

-

The sun is hanging very low in the sky as Harry puts the finishing touches on their sketch. They carefully fold it and put it in the pocket of their jacket. Swinging their legs off the bench, they begin to make their way towards home. They haven’t decided how to spend their evening quite yet, no active jobs other than Grace’s case at the moment, but that all can change quickly. At home, they can put the sketch in a safe place until tomorrow and figure out their next move.