“All I got was a damn telegram telling me to hang back from boarding any smugglers, which hindered my investigations into the Raven’s operations. They didn’t tell me who they were sending or why. But when Ms. Loraine was murdered, I had the justification I needed to take a closer look at the Allura. I have to say it was a shock to see you on board.
“Was there no one on that boat who wasn’t an agent or a spy?” Anna asked.
Horace knew the answer to this one. “The director and his wife. Mr. Beltran. It’s a pretty safe bet that Una’s clean. And then there’s you, Miss Kelly.”
“You’re on the wrong fence there, Horace,” laughed Forster.
This made Horace sit up and choke on his own smoke. “What?”
Anna cocked an eyebrow at Forster. “So you think you’ve figured me out?”
“Not quite, I know you are more than just a temp that’s for sure, but I still don’t know what branch you’re working for. Not mine. Mr. Hoover doesn’t hire women. Doesn’t trust them,” he added with a significant smile.
Anna nodded. “No, he doesn’t. But thankfully he’s not head of Internal Revenue.”
Now they both couldn’t believe their ears. While Forster took the shock internally, Horace couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “You’re a tax agent?”
“I studied the Capone case while training in Illinois. Finished up about a month ago.”
“Why you little liar. You told me you went to school in Kansas.”
“What’s a few miles difference? I saw you testify in court, then recognized you on the train, Forster. Couldn’t help wonder what you were up to.”
“Unbelievable. What about your family? The dust storm? Was that just a cover?”
“No, that’s all true. I went home after training to wait placement and found it just as I said. I heard from Aunt Jane telling me that she had some sway with the IR office here, and could provide me other work as well if they didn’t give me a case right away. The more I learn about her the more I suspect that she’s been involved with more than just IR.”
“Jane Kelly! Of course. I knew there was something familiar about you,” exclaimed Horace. “I saw her perform once. Beautiful voice. Most people think it was jealousy that sent that madman Nielson after her, but if I remember correctly, there was a little more to it than that. You may be right in your assumptions, Miss Kelly.” His eyes twinkled again.
“Well I can’t tell you how relieved I am.” Both Anna and Horace darted confused looks at Forster. “I thought you were some sort of divining witch. You made me very nervy with the things you seemed to know on the train. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t tell you on the train because you didn’t need to know. It started out as good practice for me, to see what I could get out of you and what I could keep from you. Unfortunately, I drew unwanted attention.”
“Mr. Brown.” Forster half-smiled.
Anna’s eyes darkened with bitter regret and remorse. “I should have been more careful.”
“It wasn’t your fault. He already knew who I was, and I was expecting Capone to retaliate. I knew Brown wasn’t on the level from the moment he stepped on board, but he was never much of a threat.”
“Whatever happened to him anyway?” asked Anna.
Forster coughed through a laugh. “He got off the train a little sooner than he expected.”
“I bet he did.” Horace shot him a disapproving look. “Gave him the Red Light did you?”
“Don’t worry Old Man. The train was slowing down, and I found a nice soft spot for him to land. His chief worries would have amounted to a nasty bump on the head and a long walk to the next stop. Anyway, Anna’s not done explaining herself.” He looked back at her expectantly.
“From the time Brown approached me on the train, I didn’t want to say or do anything that could blow your cover, and I didn’t think it would help you to know that I was working for IR. Speaking of those who need to explain themselves, that was a dirty little trick you pulled leaving me on deck like that.”
“Stop trying to change the subject. Why were you put on the Allura?”
“I was sent to take a closer look at Beltran’s books; there was concern about his back taxes. It wasn’t until I was on board that I realized he had no idea how his money was coming and going. Apparently, his former secretary failed to submit Beltran’s taxes, keeping the money for himself instead. That’s why I had to go back tonight. I had to get my accounting notes before Daniels left.”
“And IR sent you alone?”
“Just because Hoover doesn’t like to hire women, doesn’t mean the other bureaus disregard us as capable and valuable assets.”
“Said like a true asset.” Forster couldn’t help himself and tried to suppress a smile. Anna shot him a dirty look. “Sorry!” he said in defense, “Just remembering an old joke between friends.”
“Shut up.” Anna stuck her tongue out at him. “It was supposed to be a fairly straightforward job. It’s not like Beltran is anything near Capone. And I really don’t think they had any idea they were landing me in the middle of an international conspiracy.”
“No, they just landed you in O’Connell’s hands.” Then with bitterness, “or should I say his arms.”
As soon as he said it, he wished he hadn’t. The pained look on her face was more of a rebuke then the look of rebuff given by Horace. He wanted to, but couldn’t apologize. He didn’t know how. Instead he cleared his throat and turned the subject. “To tell you the truth, I wasn’t prepared for all the levels of this job either. I knew the plans had gone missing and that they were intended for Stu, but I didn’t know for sure if they were even on the yacht, or who was overseeing the deal. I didn’t know Hess was working for the Secret Service, and I definitely had no clue that Beltran was under investigation for tax-evasion.” That was the closest to an apology he could get. Anna’s smile returned. Apology accepted.
Horace let out another chortle, “Leave it to government efficiency. Your agencies need to learn to talk to each other for a change instead of always trying to outdo one another. It would help if you let us in on it from time to time too.” He stood and picked up his hat. “I better be off. Laura’s waiting for me. Hope to see you around town Forster, but I’m sure I won’t be able to know you if I do. Hope to see you too Miss Kelly. If you ever decide to leave your department, I am sure we can find some work for you here at the station. It would be nice to see your pretty face down here instead of all the ugly mugs we got working here now. If Forster can’t catch you, I know a few good men who would be willing to try that I can vouch for.”
Forster shot him a look. Anna just replied as politely as she could. “Thank you Mr. Horace. I would like that, er . . . the work I mean.”
Horace headed for the door. Just as he grasped the doorknob, Forster called out “Tell Laura thanks for me. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt at home.”
Horace stopped and turned, looking directly back at Forster who met him in a serious but humble gaze. Anna sensed a sadness on Horace’s part. “We were glad to have you stay with us, even if it was just to hide your ugly ass for a few hours. I’ll tell her, I’m sure she will appreciate the thought.”
“Pike too. For picking me up. You don’t know how glad I was it was him that met me in the back of that alley.”
Horace nodded. “Good night Forster. Good night Miss Kelly.” And with that he opened the door and walked out.
Anna turned to Forster. “That was all very cryptic.”
“Nothing of the sort I assure you. All very straight forward and out in the open.”
“Like a burial vault in the Valley of the Kings I’m sure.”
“That still doesn’t let you off the hook. There were still several times on board you could have told me you were working with IR.”
“When?”
“You could have left a note in that recess.”
“And sign my own death warrant for Raven to find?”
“I thoug
ht you already had when I cleaned up his mess in the cooler. I knew then that it was you who left the plans in there for me to find. I thought he . . ., but it was Lorraine.”
“He wouldn’t have pinned you, if I hadn’t taken them. I was signing your death warrant, not mine.”
“But for you, he would still have the plans.
“You have a point. But I still feel responsible.”
“It’s not your fault. He was already suspicious of me thanks to Eva.”
“Maybe not, but I’m not the only one here who puts too much blame on herself.” She smiled knowingly at him, but he wasn’t ready to admit she was right. She didn’t know. She couldn’t.
Instead he returned to the former statement. “You should have told me who you were working for.”
“Don’t forget Mr. Forster. Trust goes both ways. Despite all I did, you never trusted me enough to mention what you were on about. You even sent Horace around to feel me out.”
“Whom you avoided telling anything to as well.”
“Well you should know, the first thing they teach you in undercover school is not to trust anyone.”
“The only class I didn’t have to repeat.”
42
Last Call
* * *
Following Anna up the two flights of steps leading to his apartment, Forster noted with pleasure that one week’s worth of regular meals had taken their effect on her curves. At the top of the stairs he stepped around her to unlock the door before allowing her to pass through ahead of him.
It was unusual having anyone, much less a girl, cross the threshold into his flat. It broke rule number one. But what else could he do? She refused to be taken back to the hotel and the ferries to Sausalito would not begin their daily runs for several more hours. He would have asked Horace about using the D.A. White or a speeder to get her home, but Horace left before he had even considered what to do with her. It’s only for a few hours. Anyway, it would give him a chance to make absolutely sure she was okay before taking her back to her aunt’s. O’Connell hadn’t exactly been gentle back in the engine room.
He helped her off with her with her sweater, laying it on the back of the couch while she sat down with a great sigh. Dark circles rimmed her eyes. The day had definitely taken its toll, and he still wasn’t convinced her affection for O’Connell had been a complete sham. But whether that was instinct or self-preservation talking, he didn’t know and didn’t want to think about right now. He found a blanket in the closet and offered it to her. She took it gratefully and wrapped it around her shoulders, glad for something warmer than the damp sweater she had been wearing all night.
Leaving her seated comfortably in the front room, he made his way into the kitchen. Pulling off his overcoat, he removed the flask Horace returned to him from its inner pocket and set it on the table. He threw the coat over a nearby dining chair, and took off his hat with one hand placing it on the kitchen table, while using the other to loosen his tie and unbutton the collar of his shirt. Turning to a nearby cupboard, he pulled out two old-fashioneds and proceeded to pour amber shots from the flask into the squat tumblers before taking them back to the living room.
Anna looked up from the couch with a weary smile and accepted the glass he offered her. He sat down in a chair opposite, toasting her with a slight raise of the glass and watching closely as she sniffed the liquid before taking a tiny draught. He laughed as she made an involuntary grimace. She shot him a cold look before boldly throwing back her head, emptying the rest of the contents. Unfortunately, the resulting rasp of a cough did not support her defiant act of bravery.
“So, you and O’Connell?” He just couldn’t let it go.
“I should have known from the first time I laid eyes on him that he was a bad egg, I’ve always had bad judgment when it comes to men.”
He looked at her in surprise, “I find that hard to believe.”
She looked at him archly. “Well if you take a look at my own personal history, I always seem to fall for the wrong men.”
Wrong men? He took a swig from his own glass. There might be hope for me yet.
“One of my old boyfriends could charm the quills off a porcupine, but had a badger of a mean streak I failed to see at the start. There was just something so raw and magnetic about him. But he was a bad egg, definitely a bad egg.” She paused in thought, then looked at Forster through tired glassy eyes. “You’re not a bad egg are you?” In a strange way, he appreciated the question, but did not answer. So she went on, “Tell me something, anything true. Prove to me you’re not a bad egg.”
“The sun is shining.”
“It’s dark out.” She looked at him with annoyance.
“It’s still shining,” he looked at his watch, “in Paris. Unless it’s raining of course. But I’m sure it’s shining somewhere.”
“I should have known not to get a straight answer from you. Your name’s probably not Julius either.”
“It is, sometimes.”
“Shut up.”
“You said so yourself that I’m a liar.”
“Yes, Mr. Forster, you are a liar. You lie so much, I think even you are confused as to what the truth is sometimes. But having said that, you are not a natural liar. You had to train yourself to lie.”
“If you say so. When did you first suspect O’Connell of being a bad egg, the bad egg?”
“Finding the plans in his cabin was my first clue. It was right after you left. I had just gone in to talk to him for a spell when Daniels stopped by moaning about noises in the engine room. Shamus left me there to go check it out. After he left, I saw a strange node on the leg of the table his chess set was sitting on. It looked like the one on the panel in the office so I pressed it. The side panel underneath popped opened so I peeked inside and found the bulk of the blueprints. When I saw what they were, I knew it was not something a common rumrunner would naturally come by, so I figured they must be why you were snooping about. Then he had the gall to try and kiss me the morning we found Eva, and I knew, I knew that I had made yet another blunder thinking: Here’s a nice man. And he’s treats me a heck of a whole lot nicer than Forster.” She looked at him accusingly. Unfortunately, he became distracted when she mentioned that O’Connell had “tried” to kiss her and therefore, did not respond to the biting comment. Not knowing exactly when she had lost him, she waved her hand in front of his face. He came to, and she continued, “It was then that I began to see the parallels between him and other men I dated. I didn’t know the extent of his involvement at the time, but I could already tell that he was just another mistake. I mean, who tries to kiss a girl when there has just been a murder?”
Surprisingly, he started to feel sorry for the guy. O’Connell never stood a chance. Then he saw himself sitting in O’Connell’s shoes and understood where he was coming from and what he was risking. He took another sip from his lowball and looked at her over the rim. Her eyes were downcast and glazed.
The two sat there in silence for the space of a few minutes; the mantle clock slowly ticking the seconds by as each became lost in his or her own thoughts. When the silence was finally broken, it was Anna who broke it with an uncharacteristic giggle and a voice slightly louder and higher than was her custom. “You know, when you first told me your name was Julius, I thought for sure that you were going to say Ju-”
Suddenly, her head nodded, and her body slumped down to one side rolling slightly as it went causing her face to catch on the back cushions of the couch thus preventing her from sinking completely to the seat below. It happened so quickly that Forster, surprised by the sudden change in her posture, stood up, walked over, and gently shook her by the shoulder. She withdrew from his touch, sinking even lower on the couch and pressing her face deeper into its cushions; a diminutive snort escaped from her slightly open lips. Hmmm. Maybe I should have fed her first.
Satisfied that she was still breathing, he pulled off her shoes one at a time and carefully lifted her feet onto the couch. Wrapping his han
ds around the back of her knees in an effort to untwist her body, he felt something he did not expect. My, my, Miss Kelly, you are full of surprises. What is that, an M95? He slid the hem just high enough to reveal a tiny derringer pistol strapped just above the right knee. Pulling it from its leg holster, he placed it on the table next to him. Much safer.
He stood up and straightened the blanket, making sure she was well covered before brushing away a lock of hair that had fallen to her cheek, then walked back into the kitchen to pour himself another shot of whisky. Raising the glass to his lips, the corner of his mouth twisted once more in amusement. Anna Kelly. She can con a federal agent, play a murderer for a fool, and act the helpless damsel role with conviction . . . but she can’t hold her liquor worth a damn.
Acknowledgements
* * *
Many thanks to:
Richard Maguire, the Project Manager who supervised the restoration of the Acania, the motor yacht that was the inspiration for the Allura, with secrets of its own to keep from Prohibition Agents.
My fellow co-workers and friends who took the time to read my manuscript and provide honest feedback.
And most of all, my family for being my copy editors, critics, research assistants, promoters, supporters, and inspiration.
The Golden Gates Page 20