Without further thought, Pittman rewrapped the cane, grabbed the kitchen knife he had been sent for, and headed back to the hallway. Desperate to avoid being caught stealing evidence, he stashed the cane behind a grouping of mops and brooms in the nearest maintenance closet. He would return for the weapon cane later and hide it inside his trench coat until it was safe to take it to his car. He would risk his job and much, much more to add the weapon to his collection. Such an amazing piece was not meant to sit on a cold, metal shelf. It was meant to be admired by someone who understood its beauty. Pittman already longed to release the blade again, to run his hands over the wooden scales and touch the menacing fangs.
Shaking off the feeling of longing, Pittman closed the snake into the dark closet. As he eased the door shut, a bar of light from the hallway found the snake’s head and ignited its white eyes. For an insane instant, Pittman could have sworn the cobra winked at him.
A Brief Note on Gadget Canes
Canes and walking sticks have been around since the beginning of man’s history, and they are as varied in form and usage as the woods from which they were made.
The staff was used by shepherds before it gradually became of symbol of authority. Hundreds of years ago the staff appeared in the Bible and represented might, especially in Aaron’s triumph over Pharaoh’s magicians. In ancient art, staffs, and crooks were painted or sculpted into the hands of gods of ancient Egypt and Greece. Eventually, this sign of strength and power was adopted by human rulers, such as kings and emperors, and also by high-ranking members of the priesthood. Important individuals of the armed forces and of the legal system (such as judges) carried batons or staffs as symbols of their clout as well.
For centuries, the cane was restricted to its role as shepherder, crutch, or staff of authority, but during the latter part of the sixteenth century and well into the seventeenth, walking sticks were carried by the nobility as a sign of wealth and prestige. Canes and sticks became a fashion accessory that no self-respecting gentleman would do without. During this period, walking sticks became more and more decorative and were custom made according to an individual’s wishes. Jewels, ivory, gold knobs, porcelain figures in recline, monogrammed initials in sterling silver, or even a carving of the owner’s beloved bulldog distinguished one stick from another.
Unhappily for the upper class, the rise of the middle class in the nineteenth century allowed a much larger portion of the general populace to purchase canes. Suddenly, canes started to live a double life. Gadget canes (also called system sticks) became handy vessels in which to hold practical items, the tools of one’s trade, or weapons.
The weapon cane fabricated for A Deadly Dealer is an example of a flick stick. This was a long, thin blade hidden in the shaft of the cane. If the owner felt as if a suspicious person were getting a little too close, the blade could be released with a sharp flick of the wrist. In addition to these thin blades, full-sized daggers and swords were also disguised within what were usually unadorned shafts with simple knobs or handles. Guns were also built into handles and the upper portion of the shaft.
However, weapon canes weren’t always of such a complex nature. Instead of stabbing or shooting someone, you could beat an enemy using a blackjack cane. To use this cane, you’d pull off the handle, revealing a piece of rubber or steel that would act as a kind of flexible whip. For those who didn’t have the time to draw a handle, such as the policemen of days gone by, a stick with a weighted knob would do. These sticks had round, heavy knobs created using such materials as leather-wrapped wood, brass, or a hurtful hunk of metal, such as iron. One bang on the head with one of these sticks and an adversary would be down for the count.
Gadget canes were a handy place to hide an assortment of private things. If a person were bent on murder, a weapon cane wouldn’t even be necessary. Several gadget canes could be used to transport poison. For example, many physician canes had storage spaces for small vials. It would have been perfectly plausible for a cane to bear a vial of laudanum or opium. Other liquids could be transported inside canes as well: A gentleman’s cane might hold a narrow glass flask for whiskey or contain a vessel with which to siphon wine right from its wooden cask. Some of these canes also included miniature cups the size of shot glasses for instant gratification.
For those interested in amusement rather than foul play, purely recreational canes were designed to store dice, dominoes, lighters, and snuff, or to serve as golf clubs, nutcrackers, pipes, corkscrews, fishing poles, telescopes, and opera glasses—perhaps to take a closer look at the attractive members of the fairer sex seated in the audience. Women adapted the practice of wearing canes as well, although theirs had fewer purposes than those created for the men.
Women’s canes, though more adorned in general, were restricted to more conventional uses such as receptacles for perfume, smelling salts, or timepieces. They occasionally doubled as umbrellas, thus protecting the fair skin of their mistress from both sun and rain.
Professionals often carried the tools of their trade within their canes. The coffin maker and horse buyer’s canes held measuring sticks, a photographer could carry a small camera inside or transform his stick into a tripod, the painter could store brushes and a jar of turpentine in his, and the musician could turn his cane into a violin at a moment’s notice. And for those writers of times past, pens, ink, and pencils were easily stored in the handles of gadget canes.
Readers interested in collecting gadget canes may wonder how to discover if a cane has another identity hidden within. One of the easiest ways to tell is to give the cane a good shake. If something rattles within the hollow shaft, it may be that an object is indeed inside. Even hollow handles can contain small objects, such as coins or matches.
Take a look at the area where the handle attaches to the shaft. Is there a clear division between the two sections?
Can you feel any give when you try to twist the handle counterclockwise? This may indicate a recess in the shaft, but don’t force the handle too far, as you may end up ruining a cane that isn’t leading a double life. If you seriously suspect that you’ve just inherited a Toledo sword cane but can’t get the handle to budge, you can always turn to an X-ray machine to confirm your hunch.
Keep in mind that gadget canes are typically plain on the outside, unlike the cobra weapon cane created for A Deadly Dealer. And if you discover a gadget cane that is loaded with too many items, then it may be a fake. If there are lots of goodies in such a cane, ranging from combs to syringes, try to look for objects that might have been out of place in the nineteenth century or don’t match with one another. Gadget canes usually had one theme, not multiple themes, so avoid buying a cane that purportedly contains a coffin maker’s stick along with a whiskey flask. That’s not to say that coffin makers didn’t enjoy their nips back then, but it’s unlikely they would have mixed business with pleasure within the space of a single cane.
Of course, there are contemporary gadget canes, which are fun to collect simply for their usefulness. If you’re a sports fanatic, a cane that transforms into a three-legged seat might be just the ticket. If I could find a cane that contained an éclair, a babysitter, and a masseuse, I’d buy it in a second! In any case, enjoy the hunt. Gadget canes are becoming more and more scarce, so if you see one that brings a smile to your face, buy it. If nothing else, they make fascinating show-and-tell items during dinner parties.
Examples of Gadget Canes
The perfect folk art stick for mystery lovers A dagger cane with a beautifully decorated brass knob
A flick stick in its closed position
The flick stick’s blade. Small but deadly.
A black jack cane with a metal “whip” Close up of the black jack cane’s handle A sterling silver vinaigrette cane
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank Holly Hudson and Pamala Briggs for testing out the manuscript; my agent, Jessica Faust; and my editor, Samantha Mandor. I’m also grateful for the medical expertise of Dr. Theodor
e Stanley, who filled me in on all the nuances of opium; to Brad Hamphauer of Hamphauer Canes for sharing his passion for canes and for getting me started on my collection; Leland Little for displaying the Molly Appleby books at his gallery; Jessica Pack for taking books to shows; and lastly, but most importantly, to my family—all of whom have cheered Molly and me from the get go. I love you guys.
About The Author
A former middle school English teacher, J. B. Stanley has dabbled in the antiques and collectibles world by trading on eBay, working part-time at auction houses, and contributing articles for Antiqueweek. Having lived in central North Carolina for eight years, J. B. Stanley now resides in Richmond with her husband, two young children, and three cats. For more information, please visit www.jbstanley.com.
Document Outline
Cover Page
Praise
Berkley Prime Crime Titles by J. B. Stanley
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication Page
Epigraph Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
A Brief Note on Gadget Canes
Examples of Gadget Canes
Acknowledgments
About the Author
A Deadly Dealer Page 20