by M L Dunn
Once there he went up to the front desk and rang the bell at the late hour. When the clerk appeared, he asked for his key. Or rather Mr. Emmerson asked for his key. He went up to the room then and set his suitcase on the bed. He opened it and withdrew one of the bombs. He set the alarm to go off at 6 am. He slipped the bomb under the bed then, closed up his suitcase and decided he’d wait just a few minutes before he slipped out the back of the hotel.
Chapter 41
“Have I ever told you this is my third life, not my second?” Red asked as they sat in his office waiting for the phone to ring a second time. Inspector McElroy had called a few minutes before, letting Red know that Mr. Darcy had left the Strigoi Hotel.
“No,” Tom said. “You never told me that.”
“I was not there long,” he said, “this other realm.”
“What was it like?”
“Much like India when the British were in control there.”
“Sounds nice,”
“The country yes, but there was a battle being waged for the hearts and minds of the people there. Each side committing terrible acts and then claiming the other side was responsible.”
“Why would you be sent to such a place?”
“I like to think I was needed there. Certain …ugly, but necessary jobs needed doing there and I like to think I did them with the least collateral damage possible.”
“But you were not there long?”
“No,” Red said. “And you must remember I would have been a young man when I was there.”
“How were you killed?”
“I trusted someone with some information. A woman I had fallen in love with, who I thought believed in what we were trying to accomplish there, but she betrayed me and unfortunately this act lead to my death. But I did learn much there.”
“Like what?”
“That you must anticipate what step your enemy will take next, but also what steps they have already taken.”
“She was only pretending to love you?”
“No,” Red said shaking his head. “But she loved the cause she was fighting for even more.”
The phone rang. Red picked it up and listened a moment. “We’re on our way,” he said hanging up then. “It appears the package has just been delivered to the Hotel Triumph,” he told Tom. “Let’s head over there.”
Red looked at the clock on the wall and saw it was just before midnight. He put his hat and coat and nodded at Constable Andrews before following Tom down the hall.
As they drove to the Hotel Triumph, the bells of St. Paul’s rang out the hour. They parked in the circular driveway in front of the hotel and headed for the entrance. As soon as they stepped inside, McElroy approached them. A few guests were playing cards still, but other than them the lobby was empty.
“Where is he?” Red asked.
“Room 420,” Mac said. “Dunne is in the stairwell near there, Jones is the other end of the hallway.”
“Let’s wait here until we hear from Dunne or Jones.”
They waited in a dark alcove of the massive hotel lobby, where they would not be seen.
“That’s him,” Mac said just barely tipping his head toward a man stepping off the elevator. The man headed for a side exit, walking briskly, but not so fast as to draw attention. “Should I tail him?”
“No,” Red said. “Let him go.”
A moment later Inspector Jones came out of the stairwell and they approached him.
“He definitely left something in the room,” Jones said. “Are we not going to follow him?”
“No,” Red said. “Where is Dunne?”
“Letting himself into the room right now.”
“Let’s head up there.”
They rode the elevator up to the fourth floor. The door to room 420 was open and Inspector Dunne was sitting on the bed, just then putting his flask away.
“Did you disarm it?” Red asked.
“I did,” Dunne said. “Seen plenty like it before.”
The bomb was sitting next to him on the bed inside a shoebox. Red picked it up and studied it. He counted twelve sticks of dynamite.
“Would have done some major damage,” Jones said looking at it.
“Why didn’t we arrest him?” Tom asked.
“Let’s let him think that we are not on to him,” Red said. “We can always grab him at the train station when he goes to leave town.” Red must have noticed that Tom was acting kind of nervous then, because asked him what the matter was.
“What if he leaves a second bomb somewhere else?”
“What makes you think he has a second bomb?”
“This just seems too easy,” Tom said, not wanting to reveal he’d been to the clock shop.
“His target is Prince Marko,” Red explained. “He’d have to leave the bomb here in the hotel. I’ll have a dozen constables brought here to make a sweep of the place just in case,” he said, “but I don’t think he has a second bomb.”
“Okay,” Tom said, confused by Red actions. He clearly must have thought there was a second bomb.
Red looked at Dunne, Jones and McElroy. “Why don’t you three head for the Strigoi Hotel and see if he returns there.”
As soon as they left, Tom asked why he hadn’t had someone follow Mr. Darcy as he left the hotel.
“I did,” Red said.
“Who?”
“Fixx.”
“Fixx?” Tom asked. “Why him?”
“Who would ever suspect a hobgoblin of following him? Fixx won’t be spotted. He’ll give me a call letting me know where Mr. Darcy goes. I need to get back to the station and wait for his call.”
“I’ll wait with you.”
“Why don’t you head on home?” Red said. “We’ve got to deliver Krakov’s casket first thing in the morning and you really should go home and see Rebecca. If anything does happen I’ll let you know about it right away– don’t worry.”
“All right,” Tom said. “I haven’t even seen Rebecca yet tonight. She was still at the library when Constable Andrews came by and got me, but she should be home now.”
Chapter 42
The Pawn’s Promotion
It was after midnight as Mr. Slang walked through the city toward his destination ten blocks away. He used the dark alleys and stopped frequently to make sure no one was following him. He doubled back a couple of times. He did not spot any of the three detectives following him, so it appeared his plan had worked; Inspector Meriwether must believe the bomb left at the Triumph was going to be the only one.
A number of people were still about on the streets, the pubs and taverns were full still, the residual effect of the excitement caused by the two airships having arrived in the valley.
It took him nearly half an hour to reach his destination near the corner of Transylvania and Mayhem Streets. He came through the yard of the home located behind the Sokoloff funeral home, slipped between a hedge there and stood in the shadows a moment looking to see if anyone was watching the place. He didn’t spot anyone.
Satisfied he was not being watched, Mr. Slang let himself inside and found Krakov’s casket. He opened it and found Krakov peacefully at rest. Mr. Slang leaned over to smell Krakov’s breath. Sure enough some witch had given Krakov a potion to make him fall into a deep sleep. Deep enough that anyone, anyone not as suspicious as Mr. Slang anyway, would think Krakov was dead, but Mr. Slang had known he was not and that was how he knew he had been being watched, starting when he had left the courtroom.
He thought about driving a stake through Krakov’s heart, but it was just an idle thought that would serve no purpose other than to please Mr. Slang for Krakov’s betrayal. He forgot all about the idea.
He carefully pulled away the lining that hung from the coffin lid and taped the second bomb into place. He fixed the lining then. It was a big bomb, sixteen sticks of dynamite, but even then it could not be detected underneath the lining of the coffin.
Then he shut the lid and listened. The ticking was audible, but just
slightly. He’d have to risk that. He left then the same way he’d come in. He walked to the other side of the block then and then doubled back and waited in the alley, looking back toward the funeral home to see if anyone had followed him. Mr. Slang was confident he would have spotted any of the three detectives, but he had to be certain. His plan depended upon no one knowing about the second bomb.
He was about to leave when he noticed the young woman stepping out from behind a tree. He watched her. She was heading for the call box located on the corner. He would have to kill her before she could phone it in. No one could know. Damn clever of Inspector Meriwether, he thought, using a woman to follow him.
He was hidden in the shadows as the young woman passed in front of the alley on her way to the call box on the corner. Mr. Slang stepped out behind her and rapidly, but silently closed the distance between them as he drew his knife. She picked up the call box phone and asked to be connected to Inspector Meriwether just as he reached her. He brought the knife up to plunge into her as she suddenly turned and faced him. He stopped then, because he recognized the young woman. She was Inspector Flynn’s wife.
Chapter 43
“Any calls for me?” Red asked the desk sergeant as soon as he came in the front of the TCPD building.
Red had dropped Tom off at his home and then headed there. He had agreed with Tom, when dropping him off, when Tom mentioned that Rebecca must have gone to bed as none of the lights were on inside their home.
“No,” the sergeant answered.
“I’ll be in my office,” Red told the desk sergeant.
He went and sat at his desk. The only time he was not staring at the phone there, willing it to ring, was when he glanced at the clock on the wall. One minute passed and then another. He became more worried with each tick of the clock.
When the phone finally rang, his heart pounded inside his chest as if he’d touched a live wire.
“Inspector Meriwether,” he said quickly. Only a muffled sound came across the line and then the line went dead as someone hung up the phone on the other end. “Rebecca,” he shouted. “Rebecca, Rebecca!”
He listened, but the line was dead now. He ran downstairs to the desk sergeant. “Did she say anything to you?”
“She just said to patch her through to Inspector Meriwether.”
“Nothing else?”
“Nothing.”
The phone rang then. The desk sergeant answered it and listened just briefly before handing it to Red.
“Rebecca?”
“This is Fixx.”
“Where’s Rebecca?”
“He’s taken her.”
Red hurried to alley near the corner of Transylvania and Mayhem Streets in an unmarked car. He turned down the alley near there and drove down it slowly. Fixx stepped out the dark shadows and slipped inside the car as he passed by him.
“I stayed out of sight just in case he was to come back,” Fixx said as soon as he was in the car.
Red drove to the end of the alley. “Are you sure he didn’t see you?”
“Positive. You told me the most important thing was I didn’t get spotted.”
“She was using the call box back there?”
“That’s right.”
Red turned at the end of the alley headed back toward Mayhem. He parked on Mayhem Street a few blocks down from Transylvania Street.
“Is that where he went?” Red asked pointing back toward the corner of Mayhem and Transylvania.
“Yeah,” Fixx said. “The Sokoloff funeral home. Rebecca was hidden behind a tree at the end of the block there. She waited for five minutes after he slipped out, but he must have doubled back to see if someone was following him. He spotted her as she started for the call box. As soon as she picked up the phone, he came up behind her and hit her on the head. Dragged her into the alley. I didn’t move just in case he was watching to see if anyone else was watching. A couple of minutes later, she must have come to, because I saw them walking toward the corner of Transylvania and Queen Anne’s Way. He hailed a cab there.
“Right at the corner of Transylvania and Queen Anne’s?”
“That’s right?”
“Black cab or yellow?’
“Black.”
“And you’re sure he didn’t see you all the way from the Triumph?”
“Positive. I’d be dead now if he had,” Fixx said. “He won’t hurt her will he?”
“I don’t think so,” Red said. “He needs Inspector Flynn to do something for him and she makes an excellent bargaining chip.”
“So that’s why you picked her for this job,” Fixx said.
Chapter 44
Tom found it odd that Rebecca was not home, since it was well after midnight. He decided to drive to the Fountain Hotel and use a phone there to call the library. He let the phone ring seven times before he finally hung up.
He drove back home then, thinking she must be on her way, and then he sat by the window looking outside for her coming down the sidewalk. Five minutes later, he was headed out the front door, having decided to drive to the library, but right then he spotted Red pulling up in front of the house and he figured he’d given her a ride home.
“Rebecca’s not with you?” he asked when he failed to see her stepping out of the car.
“No.”
“I don’t know where she is.”
“I do,” Red said. “But she cannot come home right now.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s holding her so she won’t talk.”
“This Darcy fellow?”
“I can’t tell you anything more.”
“Where did Fixx say he went?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“I know there were two alarm clocks taken from the shop.”
“How did you know that?” Red asked.
“I followed you,” Tom said growing angry. “I had the shopkeeper call you. I had Detective Rohev call you about the stolen dynamite. You might as well tell me everything now.”
“You don’t realize what you have done,” he said. “It’s okay though, it’s still okay, but you simply must not ask me anymore questions.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Tom said approaching him. “Where is Rebecca?”
“I swear to you she is fine.”
“Then tell me where she is.”
“I can’t right now.”
“Why not?”
“I just can’t,” he said. “You are going to have to trust me.”
“I can’t,” Tom shouted.
“You’ll do it,” Red said suddenly turning angry. He grabbed hold of Tom’s coat with both hands. Tom had never realized how strong he was before then. He was practically lifting him off the ground. “You’ll shut up and go back in your house without another word if you want to save her life.”
Tom stared at him. Red stared right back at him. A couple of Tom’s neighbors’ porch lights came on and Red let go of him then.
“Sorry,” Red said stepping back. “Be at the station at eight sharp,” he said heading back toward his car. “We’re going to deliver Krakov’s body to Colonel Popov then.”
Tom went back inside the house and sat down. He stayed up all night thinking.
Chapter 45
In the morning Tom arrived at the station and went straight up to the second floor. He stood outside Red’s office without saying a word. As soon as Red saw him, he stood up, put his hat and coat on and came out. He gestured for Tom to follow him and they went downstairs to the garage.
“I’m done with you as soon as this is over,” Tom said as he climbed inside the car. “I quit.”
“If anything has happened to her,” Red said, “I’ll be resigning as Chief Inspector.”
When they arrived at the Sokoloff funeral home Red asked Tom to wait in the car as he went inside. He was inside a few minutes and then he came out carrying a cardboard box and then following him, came a pair of bridge trolls carrying Krakov’s casket. The trolls slid the cas
ket in the back of a hearse while Red placed his box in the trunk of their car. Tom thought about asking him what was in the box, but since he was not speaking to him, he decided not to. Red got back in the car then and headed for the field where the two zeppelins were docked as the hearse followed behind.
Colonel Popov was there waiting for them, standing just in front of the platform where the Tempest was docked. Red drove there and parked and then got out and approached the colonel.
They spoke briefly and then Red waved the hearse closer. The hearse parked right next to the bottom of the platform, the trolls stepped out and went and dragged Krakov’s casket out. As they started up the steps, Colonel Popov stopped them and opened the lid. He looked in at Krakov a moment before closing the coffin and then gesturing for the trolls to carry the casket into the cargo hold of the airship.
The Tempest was being guarded by some TCPD constables and a few of Colonel Popov’s men as well, as was the Dauntless some four hundred yards away. Red came back to their car and got back inside.
“I believe she’s in the Dauntless there,” he told Tom as he started the car and began backing up. “Go home and pack a bag now. At noon you and I are going to escort Count Vasili onto the Dauntless and stay on board until we finally take off for a ride across the pole to the U.R.R.K. Bring a warm coat. But before you go home I want you to see a magician friend of mine. Since he ain’t got any real magic about him he has to perform some pretty tough tricks.”
“What do you want me to see your magician friend about?”
“He does this trick where he is locked inside a safe and then the safe is lowered into a vat of freezing cold water. You’ll see. He knows you’re coming. He learned the trick from Houdini.”