Ill-Fame (A Detective Harm Queen Novel Book 2) (25 page)

They jerked forward, and headed back along the tracks the way they’d come. A morning mosquito buzzed in Queen’s ear, and he slapped it dead on the side of his neck. He wiped the blood on his sleeve. The only blood shed last night, he thought gratefully, and mulled over the evening’s events in his head. He’d remembered asking Frasier to both phone and telegraph City Hall to get a message to the Colonel that his anarchist had been captured. With any luck Doc is back in his old jovial spirits this morning, he thought, and eager to give his speech.

“I slept in the boat on the way back across, didn’t I? I don’t remember how things ended last night,” Maisy admitted.

“Loftus was arrested, without being harmed.”

“I’m glad for that,” she replied. “Did he ask about me?”

He shook his head. “There was no time. Frasier marched up and snapped on the cuffs before we could make small talk.”

“But did he know I was here?”

“He knew we had a boat. He must have seen you from his perch on the roof. You couldn’t see him, I gather?”

“It was too dark.”

“Well, it’s all for the best.” With a snap of his wrist, he encouraged Arthur to pick up his speed.

“Do you have a cigarette?” she suddenly asked. Queen lifted an eyebrow, surprised, and dived into his pocket for his case. “Help yourself,” he said, clicking it open with one expert hand.

She put one in her mouth, and he reached for his matches, but something else from his pocket fell to the floor.

“Can you pick that up for me?”

“Certainly,” she said. She bent down and snatched the letter that threatened Doc between her fingers. Before Queen could protest, she had the envelope open and was hurriedly reading the paper’s contents.

“Miss Anderson,” he said, “please, you cannot read that. It is evidence...”

“Who wrote it?” she asked, her voice tight.

“I cannot divulge...”

“Was it Henri?”

“That is a police affair and...”

She scrambled for her handbag, and ripped it open. First came the .45, and she tossed it on the seat. Then came a small book, and she opened it wide and began tearing through the pages, looking, it seemed, for something specific. She finally settled on a page, brought it up to her face, and let out a moan.

“What is it?”

“Pull over, now.”

He saw the wild expression on her face and yanked Arthur to a stop.

“What did you find?”

“Look,” she said, pointing to some scribble on one of the page’s margins. “This is Henri’s handwriting. There are lots of loops and flourishes, and it’s messy.” Then she shoved the letter at Queen. “This handwriting here is neat and legible. They look nothing alike!”

Son-of-a-bitch, Queen thought. Son-of-a-bitch.

This wasn’t over yet, it seemed.

Queen considered finding a telephone to call City Hall and warn them, but he knew the Ames brothers wouldn’t be there this early, and tracking them down would take too much time. It would be faster, he decided, to drive straight to the campus himself.

They blew past the State Capitol, and turned west on University Avenue, right past Jiggs Kilbane’s gambling resort. He wanted a nice direct route to the University, and this was it. The avenue was a pleasant one, marked by stately homes and the occasional store or commercial building, and as they drew towards the half-way point to Minneapolis, the houses got more spread out, interrupted now by fields of wild grass and farmhouses.

“I’m sorry we don’t have time for fresh sets of clothes,” he said.

“What will we do when we get there?” she asked him. Her fingers tapped on her bag.

“You won’t do anything,” he said. “And I must insist on that. There will be thousands of people attending, and if something terrible happens, things may erupt into a chaos that no police department could ever control.”

“What will you do, then?”

“I’m not exactly sure, honestly,” he replied, giving her a sideways glance. “I never quite know until I’m faced with the danger head on.”

“Like Frank Frasier.”

“Except I don’t walk up to armed men with my hands in my pockets. I’m no fool.” But after he said it, he realized the words rang hollow. Frasier had done just that, and made three arrests in his composed and uncompromising fashion.

Maisy stopped talking, and dropped into deep thought, it seemed, staring through the passing scenery. Her concern about Moonlight was obvious, and it touched him greatly. After all of the torment and grief she’d endured, she could still find a place in her heart to love.

There was something about this woman next to him, this woman who had fallen asleep on his shoulder so innocently, without fear of scandal or shame.

It was some intangible, wonderful quality that he couldn’t quite articulate. She had both the grit and the goodness of Karoline, but just enough of Trilly’s bewitchery to give him a fit of impure thoughts, if he allowed it. He thought during his search for her that he’d find satisfaction once he’d made her safe. But now, he realized, he wasn’t satisfied simply to have completed his task. There was a genuine affection, far deeper than a mere acquaintanceship.

And he had no idea how to act on his thoughts. And he knew that for her sake and his, he never should or would.

They continued to ride silently along, thumping and shaking over a section of decaying cedar block road. Towering trees soon ushered them to the edge of the University of Minnesota campus. The streets were lined with carriages, and he could see a streetcar emptying out students and their families to partake in the ceremony. He pulled out his watch and looked at the time. It was ten o’clock. They’d made good time, but still were late. The commencement would begin shortly, and they needed to get there immediately.

To start with, he decided to assert his authority as Chief of Detectives and took the gig right up to the Armory. The Armory was an imposing structure with the shape and aura of a Norman castle. It was a three-story building constructed of white brick, and broken by a massive tower. Laid out in front was a huge drilling space for student officers-in-training. To its side was Northrup Field, where Moonlight had led his Gophers football team victorious over a host of visiting schools.

It was drizzling steadily now, and the sky was overcast. He could make out, at the head of a giant procession of people, the university president, Cyrus Northrup, dressed in a purple gown, a gold tassel swinging from his cap. Mayor Ames was next to him, looking regal in his own flowing robe, and clearly enjoying the pomp of the occasion. The rest of the regents and faculty followed behind them, leading a massive group of proud graduates and their families to the Armory’s auditorium, where the speeches would commence. A gust of wind suddenly whipped across the group, destroying coiffures and absconding with hats, but the mood stayed bright. Even the University of Minnesota marching band’s bass drum player managed to keep his drum steady through the unexpected breeze, as they played a rousing march alongside the joyous procession.

He took the gig as close to the Armory as he could without raising suspicion, and left it standing in the middle of the road leading to the building.

Queen turned to Maisy. “What are the chances of you waiting for me here?”

“They aren’t good, detective. I desperately want to see Dick.”

“I’ll escort you to the building, but at least do me the favor of staying in back. Can you promise me that, at least?”

She nodded, and he knew it was the best he would get.

She took his arm, and they half-walked, half-ran to the building. Her breath, soft to his neck, was warm and sweet, and he savored their brief, intimate trip together, despite his apprehension over assassins and anarchists.

And in what seemed like only a few racing heartbeats later, they were at the front door. He’d made it in just the nick of time, but for what, he didn’t know.

CHAPTER 33

The auditorium was packed, so much so that students in shirtsleeves were carrying in folding chairs to make seating in the aisles. Maroon and gold bunting hung from the ceiling, creating a festive atmosphere for the ceremony. Queen pushed his way through, searching for anyone he might be able to rally: patrolmen, detectives, or Colonel Ames himself, but crowds were thick and it was noisy.

Propriety had gotten the better of him once they’d passed through the entrance. He needed to look official, and not as though he were out on a romantic campus stroll, so he’d separated his arm from Maisy and moved ahead of her in his effort to make the most of his short time. But she was still running behind him, immediately breaking her promise to stay back. He almost had to laugh at that, that he’d had any expectation that Maisy Anderson would do anything other than what she wanted to.

And it endeared her to him even more.

He felt her tap on his shoulder and he turned. She pointed to a balcony above them, where Moonlight Darling was holding court. A mob of fans had gathered around him, waving their programs and clamoring for an autograph. The kid’s grin stretched across his handsome face, joking and laughing with his admirers.

“Dick!” Maisy suddenly screamed through the hall, so loudly that it cleared the rest of the din. Moonlight looked back, saw her, and waved his hand until Queen was sure it would fall off.

“Hello! Hello Maisy! Where have you been?” he cried in return. A couple of his friends grabbed his arms and then, in a flash, they’d lowered him from the balcony, and men below clutched him and brought him down. The auditorium erupted in cheers, and Moonlight took off his hat and gave a silly bow. Then the mob in the aisle parted, and he galloped towards Queen and Maisy, amidst a flurry of ardent applause.

Queen looked at Maisy’s enchanted expression, and was shocked that he suddenly felt a jolt of jealousy course through him like electricity.

How could he be envious of this young man and woman, who had found love through such fortuity? The kid was smart and good-natured and protective of Maisy. It was everything she needed and deserved. Nonetheless he knew he was failing miserably at masking the pain on his face. When he looked up at the approaching Moonlight Darling, the boy gave him a strange glance. He knows, thought Queen, a wave of unease enveloping him.

Christ, he realized. I’ve just bared my soul to the kid. And if Moonlight comes any closer, I’m going to baste his face with a right hook.

Without a word to Maisy, the detective disappeared into the crowd.

A man in a black coat and white clerical collar walked onto the stage. He opened a Bible, and everyone began to hush.

“Detective Queen is off in a hurry,” Moonlight observed in a whisper to her, as they embraced.

“He’s busy doing his police duties,” she replied, not able to withhold a smile. She was sure he’d missed the real meaning of what had just happened, but she was too giddy to care. Moonlight Dick Darling, in the middle of a giant auditorium, had just publicly professed his love for her, and only her. He could have his pick of any young female here, but he chose her. Her!

Her fears were finally starting to melt away. This was no secret visit in the dead of night, with no one to see. He wasn’t embarrassed or ashamed of her, and his shout to her in the balcony was all the proof she’d needed. There was no way she could ever express to him the overwhelming relief and delight at this moment. So she simply smiled again, and was surprised when he blushed.

“I’ve got no family here,” he said. His slick black hair had flopped into his eyes again, and she gently pushed it back into place. “Would you mind sitting next to me?”

Of course she wanted to be beside him, but she also needed to help Detective Queen. She felt Dick take her hand in his, though, and it felt so good to be with him on this special day, and to share it with him. He led her to the front row, and they sat down.

“I want to marry you, Miss Anderson. I want to jump out of this town and marry you. We can go today, as soon I’ve got my sheepskin.”

“But you’ve been offered a job...”

“Which was real swell, I suppose, but I don’t want it. I’ve packed our bags,” he said, a faint smile on his face. “President Northrup has asked me to say a few words to my classmates. Once I’m finished, will you meet me outside? My father’s carriage is waiting, with a man to drive.”

“Where will we go, Dick?”

“You’ll see,” he said. “You won’t want for anything, sweetheart. I’ve got plans for us. How would you like to live out life with me in a little cottage by the Pacific Ocean? Right up on the bluffs amongst the seagulls?”

“It sounds wonderful,” she said, and held his hand against her cheek. What joy, she thought dizzily. It was joy that she’d never imagined experiencing in her life. She decided, at this very moment, that their relationship would start afresh. If he could continue to feel this way about her, even with her prostituting past, then she could forgive him for his dalliances as well. And the fact that he’d made such plans! Perhaps she was too quick to judge him on his maturity. He was making decisions for them, decisions that she approved of with every ounce of her being.

This, she thought, was what happiness truly felt like. The anticipation of their new life together was almost too much bliss to bear.

The lights dimmed, and the crowd grew silent. And as the minister started his prayer, Maisy’s head snapped out of her dream and back to reality.

There will be no special day if someone murders the mayor. Of course she and Detective Queen weren’t sure it would happen for certain, but she couldn’t live with herself if it did unfold, and she had sat idly by, watching the spectacle from the front row like a variety show.

I need to find a way to help. He’s been so kind, and patient with me, and I want to prove my worth to him.

But the aisles were jammed with people, Dick hung tightly onto her hand, and the ceremony had begun.

“Come with me,” Queen ordered, as soon as he spotted the duo of blue-coated officers standing near one of the exits. They stiffened, saluted, and followed him to the auditorium’s foyer. It was close to empty now, as the last guests were trickling in.