Snap! Betty grabbed the brass spinning top and carried it back to her bed.
It had been hard, seeing him again. More than hard, she realized now. Almost impossible. Although she’d felt the inevitability of Jacob burning through her new life to rekindle the splinters of her old one, Betty had still been woefully unprepared.
Then again, how does one prepare for heartache? She supposed that each time that loss flared anew, there were only tears to douse the flame. And tears had never helped her before.
A whisper of music broke through Betty’s thoughts and she couldn’t help but wonder how things might have turned out if she’d lived the life that had never belonged to her. She sat, listening, with the brass spinning top resting on her knee.
“I’m making believe, the stars kept you close,
And the moon shone at night to your door –
I’ll follow the moonlight to the sea of my dreams,
And leave a note for you down by the shore.”
With a sad smile, Betty placed the spinning top back in her box of treasures, deciding she wasn’t ready to give it up to little Georgie quite yet.
She sighed. Crossing to her dressing table, Betty stared back at the face she found in the mirror. She smoothed her hair then pinned it up, pulling on a pink, ruffled shower cap. With the Charity Gala only one week away, there was no time to be sentimental. She had caterers and entertainers to confirm, répondez s'il vous plait to cross-reference with Gladys, decorations to choose, men to blackmail, an underground drug trade to expose, murderers to murder and Donny to bring down.
I have a full plate already, so to speak, she decided.
A twinge of guilt bit Betty at the thought of dragging Jacob into her mess. Especially given she hadn’t had the nerve today to tell him the other secret she’d been keeping.
“Secrets and Lies. They really do tarnish a perfect life,” she muttered. “He may never want to speak to me again when he learns the truth.”
With a heavy sigh, Betty placed her silver box back in the false base of her bag and fitted the cover. She layered her cosmetics and not-bath-salts inside neatly and clipped it shut, stowing the bag in her closet.
It doesn’t pay to dwell, she decided. The right time will present itself soon enough.
Betty slipped off her clothes and donned her bath robe and slippers, then padded down the hall to run a warm bath brimming with lavender-scented bubbles, ordered from her latest catalog.
“She’s a freak of nature, boss. A real piece of work! You’ve got no idea the sort of shit this broad is capable of. I saw her pick up a whole couch with one hand!”
“A couch?”
“That’s right. Then she scuttled up the door frame like a bug. And she’s fast, too. Chased me out onto the street and flicked a knife dead-on up my tail pipe, like some sort of crazy ninja. Unnatural, she is. And deadly dangerous.”
Donald Pinzolo spun around. “She saw you?”
“Yeah. I dunno how she knew I was there, though. I was real quiet the whole time, couldn’t barely breathe when I saw her doing that crazy stuff, like some kind of super-woman. Then suddenly, she just turned on me and came running after me out into the street.” His voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper as Donny resumed his pacing. “She knew all about me, too. And you. She’s got the finger on us real good, it was almost like she could read my mind.”
Donny paused, his back to the man with the scarred face. A creeping chill found his spine.
“What did you just say?”
“I said she came running after me, out into the street. But she couldn’t do nothin’ because there were a bunch of kids watching -”
“No! After that. What did you say? It was almost like she could -”
“– read my mind,” Felix finished.
“Read. Your. Mind.” And to the other man’s utter astonishment, Donny started laughing. He grew louder, cold and hard. It was a mirthless laugh, like a man gone mad.
“I don’t get it,” Felix growled. “This bitch killed Vince. And Frankie and Marco and all the others. What’s so god-damn funny?”
But Donny just laughed an unrelenting thunder until he shook. Finally, he made his way over to the newly-mended window and stared out at the grounds below.
“She was right here, all along. Watching me,” he muttered. “And I never knew.”
Felix scowled, scratching his ripped ear.
“I’ll tell you what’s funny,” Donny said, finally. He turned to Felix with a look in his eye that could have brought an army to its knees. “As it turns out, I know exactly what we’re dealing with here. We’re dealing with a very smart little girl, all grown up. One who has a few more skills than she ever let on, and one, who until now, I thought was dead.”
“Who is it, boss?”
Donny strode behind the desk and sat in his leather-backed chair precisely where Betty had come to see him only a week before. A scam, every inch of it. A brilliantly executed cover story. A plan well in motion that he would never had seen coming.
“Little Susie Polletti, risen from the ashes.” He grinned at Felix, who looked utterly perplexed. “And it seems she’s got a problem with her great Uncle Donny.”
He leaned back, stretching his legs out under the desk with a dark gleam in his eye.
“I know just how to handle this one.”
“What do you mean he isn’t at the station? I’ve left three messages over three days for him. Surely he’s stopped by at least once!” A vein in General Brandway’s temple threatened to explode.
“I’m sorry, Sir, he’s on assignment, as you know. I can ask him to call you when he gets in,” Parker’s tired voice offered.
“But he won’t!” Brandway bellowed. “Listen to me, sonny, I need information about this case. For the past three days neither Lawrence nor yourself have shown hide nor hair in that office of yours. I gather I only caught you by lucky accident today!”
“I’ve been on night duty, Sir. And Sergeant Lawrence is – unavailable,” Parker said. His voice was clipped and disgruntled.
“You have no darn idea where he is, do you?” Brandway growled.
“I’m sorry, Sir. No, I don’t,” the young officer said, with irritation. Apparently, Brandway had hit a nerve. “I trust he’ll be in later though.”
“You trust too easily then, Officer Parker! He’s avoiding me, and I’d like to know why. There’s something fishy going on and you’re letting it swim right under your nose.” Brandway slammed down the phone.
“Damn it.” He stood up from his desk and turned to look out his office window. As always, there was a hive of activity below, as hundreds of soldiers loaded crates of ammunition and supplies on the ships at dock. Brandway shook his head. Fort Hamilton was one of the largest mobilization centers on the East Coast. A multitude of new buildings had been erected since the war began, to house the influx of draftees and recruits for deployment training. With a constant stream of liners docking and leaving port to aid the war effort, there was no room for misstep. Yet, the biggest blunder was happening in his own department.
“Coffee, Miss Sonberg,” he yelled, loud enough to be heard through the closed office door. A minute later, Adina knocked lightly, then stepped inside, carrying a silver tray.
“I brought you sugar snaps,” she said, quietly. “In case you were hungry.”
“Shut the door.”
“Yes, Sir.” Adina placed the tray on his desk, then walked back to shut the door. She poured his coffee and placed biscuits on his desk, clearing some paperwork for the plate. Picking up the tray, she made to leave.
“Stay, Adina.”
Adina stepped to the side of his desk, waiting.
“What do you know about Jacob Lawrence?” Brandway asked, brusquely.
Adina seemed taken aback.
“Sir?”
“Sergeant Lawrence,” he repeated. “You’ve been liaising with the NYPD more than I have and I gather you’ve picked up a few things. There’s something underhan
ded about him. I’ve left messages for him over the last few days and I’m getting no call back, which is completely unacceptable. I think there’s something going on. So, what do you think? Trustworthy?”
Adina shuffled nervously. She cleared her throat. “I believe he’s very well-respected. Newest sergeant on the force, but he’s got a long list of achievements behind him already. Many complex operations, I’m told.”
“I know all that,” Brandway said, waving his hand dismissively. “I mean, off the record.”
Adina paused. “Well,” she began, somewhat awkwardly, “the office girls seem to think he’s very clever. He’s been polite.”
“I don’t trust him,” Brandway declared.
“I don’t see why -”
“Because he’s avoiding me! He can’t have missed three messages. He must have made headway on this case by now. I’ve had two cargo routes pass through this week without incident. No leak. No heist. Something’s changed. That means he’s hiding something.”
“Everybody’s hiding something,” Adina said, quietly.
“Not on my watch, they’re not.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing to do with our situation here,” Adina placated. “He’s probably busy, or perhaps there’s something personal -”
“Nonsense. Men don’t let personal matters affect their work. He’s hiding something. It’s the only explanation.”
“If you say so, Sir.” Adina turned away.
Brandway watched his secretary with a critical eye.
“Wait.”
She turned back, her face blank.
“You’ve been avoiding me too. What’s the matter with you?”
“Nothing, of course, there’s nothing.” Adina forced a smile.
Brandway moved deliberately toward her, until his hand was resting intimately on her shoulder. The white utility collar of her dress shifted a little, and Brandway’s thumb found the skin of her pale neck. He looked down at her face. Her eyes found the floor and she blushed. So damn pretty. “This is about what happened between us, isn’t it? I told you that our – relations - didn’t need to mean anything, Adina,” he said, his voice gruff. “You’re only fooling yourself, you know. No one knows about it. No one cares.”
“But I -”
“You’re thinking too much. It’s done. Finished. Unless you want to start it up again?” He raised an eyebrow and she looked away, angrily. “We’re all doing a job here, aren’t we? An important job. Long hours. People depend on this office to keep those ships moving.” He stepped back, then turned to sit in his chair, stirring his coffee. “It’s only natural when you spend so long in the presence of one man that you think you’ve fallen in love – but that’s not what it was. You’re being a sentimental child about it all.”
Adina swallowed and took a deep breath, her eyes shining. “I’m not a child.”
“Well, stop acting like one,” he growled. “A grown woman has nothing to be ashamed of. You’re not married -”
“It wasn’t right. I’d thought – I didn’t realize it meant nothing to you -”
“The fact is, you were a moon-eyed girl and I never promised you anything.”
“You did, actually,” Adina challenged, her chin raised. “You said it wouldn’t change anything and it did. I’ve spent months trying to forget those - mistakes - but whenever you feel like it, you put your hands on me again. It’s not fair. Keep your hands to yourself or I’ll leave!” Her voice shook with anger.
Brandway looked at her, surprised. She had never spoken with such spark before. Sharp and feisty. He liked it. If he were half his age, she would have made a good wife. More enticing than his own, in any case. He got to his feet, rounded the desk and leant against the front of it. Adina stepped away from him.
“I’m just trying to settle you down, girl,” he said. “This is an important job and you’re all wound up like a clock when I need you at your best. This job - you’re good at it and the office runs on schedule with you around. You get things done. I can see that. If you didn’t, I wouldn’t try so hard to keep you happy, would I?”
“Keep me happy?” she replied, bitterly. “With all due respect, you wouldn’t know what makes me happy.”
Brandway chose to ignore her. The conversation was becoming irritating.
“You wouldn’t leave us in the lurch, would you, Miss Sonberg? Your country needs you. Surely you have a loyalty to your country? Men off fighting in the trenches and you can’t manage to deal with a schoolgirl crush?”
“That’s not what it was, and you know it,” Adina hissed, throwing a glance to the closed door. Her face was pink, and she looked utterly ashamed.
“Well, it’s done now, so you’ll need to think about what you’re going to do. There are lives at risk if we make mistakes. We have a leak in this office that’s threatening national security. We need to find out who it is! Loose lips sink ships Adina, and I’ll be damned if I let it happen again. We don’t have time for messing about with bruised egos. It’s time for you to pull up your socks and get on with it.”
“Is that all, General?” she asked, stone-faced.
“No. I’ll have another cup of coffee.”
Adina collected the empty mug and silver tray and left the room.
It was a risk, following Felix back to Kitty’s, but a calculated one. Betty needed very specific information about Donny’s business affairs and it was far too hot for her to break into the orphanage again. Felix, as loathsome and dangerous as he was, remained her best option. The children were at school and George at work, so she had left the house empty. Betty had even left Figaro with old Mrs. Porter next door for the day, just in case. Officer Parker had been camped outside of her house numerous nights this week and she could hear how tired and strained his thoughts had become. She hadn’t the heart to ask Jacob to keep him there unless it was absolutely necessary, so she restricted as much of her preparations to daylight hours as she could.
Betty was quietly confident that her home and its precious occupants were safe, for now. Firstly, because Donny’s right-hand man was currently in full view of where she was hiding, and the other goons were too stupid to be trusted with such an important job alone, and secondly, because it seemed far too crude an offense, even for Donny. She was still an unknown quantity, and for all Donny knew, Betty may have already passed his secrets onto another informant to spill should the need arise. Until he could fully assess the threat she posed, he wouldn’t act.
Donny paid well for information. He made it his business to know other people’s business, then use it to his advantage. No doubt he was doing his best to unravel her motives right now, all the better to crush her with when he was ready. It was going to be a tough game, but Betty was determined to leave him reeling.
She watched Felix disappear into the side door of the bordello. Leaning her powder-blue Schwinn bicycle into the dark shadows of the alley opposite, Betty ducked around the trash cans and crossed the road to Kitty’s Kat House. Her cornflower blue dress matched the morning sky and her eyes sparkled with purpose.
The bordello was quiet, its occupants out living their normal day-time lives, far removed from the roles they adopted under cover of night. The pink stiletto painted on the outside wall of the brothel looked misplaced in the bright daylight. She sidestepped Felix’s blue Chrysler in the side alley, ignoring an itch to run her blade through his tires. She was working incognito this morning, and as satisfying as it would be to dispense a little well-deserved justice while she was here, it would only hinder her bigger plans.
Betty crouched by the side door, pulling it open a crack to listen. It wasn’t sound she was craving, but thought. As long as she was close enough, Betty could hear what she needed.
There. Perfect.
Felix’s thoughts filtered into her own, like a radio finding a new frequency. He was angry.
I’ve never met a more miserable man in all my life, Betty mused, glancing around to keep watch. Makes that gold-capped mute of Jimmy’s seem
like a show-pony.
Numbers flicked through Felix’s mind one after the other, and Betty made a mental note as she listened. It seemed he was managing an inventory of sorts. After a few minutes, a second voice came unbidden into Betty’s head. He was making a telephone call.
“Rex? It’s Felix. Donny wants his share.”
“How much?”
“All of it. And I got the figures here, so don’t try to short-change me.”
“All of it?! You gotta give me time to pull that shit in,” Rex growled down the line.
“No time. He’s got a few cops to pull. He wants his lettuce.”
“Jeez. Alright, alright. You’re killin’ me.”
“Not yet, I’m not.”
“Look, I got double or nothin’ on a group of high-rollers that are gonna lose tonight.”
“Gonna lose are they?” Felix chuckled.
“Course they are. I’ve given ‘em a long enough rope, it’s time to let ‘em swing.”
Felix laughed. “Crooked bastard.”
“Crooked business man, thanks very much. Come see me tomorrow, I’ll get your dough.”
“You gonna make Donny wait? Not a good idea, Rex, unless you want a bullet up your ass. I’m sending a couple of boys over at two to collect.”
“Two?! Make it four,” Rex grunted down the phone line. “I’ll call in a few favors. You want me to call Lubach?”
“They’ll take care of it,” Felix said. “Just make sure you give my boys what they’re after. I don’t wanna’ have to go chasing after you with a gat.”
“Come on, now. I’m a professional, Donny knows that.” Rex laughed nervously down the line. “Back door at four. And tell ‘em to wipe their boots. I just got a new rug.”
Felix laughed again as Rex hung up the phone. Betty scowled. It was no secret that Rex Hatfield bought a new rug every other week. Somehow, his old ones kept ending up at the bottom of the Hudson with debtors rolled inside.
Lubach. The name was enough. Betty slipped the door closed again and straightened up. As for the tip-off about the gambling pick-up, they were just pennies from heaven. If she hurried, she would even have time to keep her hair appointment before she relieved Rex of the money. I’ll call Mrs. Porter from the hairdresser, Betty thought. She won’t mind looking after the children for a few hours after school. Betty crossed the road. She felt splendidly organized. She already had a delicious supper cooling in the refrigerator, thanks to the new copy of Florence Brobeck’s ‘Cook it in a Casserole’ that George had given her for Mother’s Day.
Avon Calling! Season One Page 23