(1988) The Golden Room

by Irving Wallace

  Now Fanny, Avis, and Greta had vanished into thin air, without any explanation.

  Minna brooded over the matter for long minutes, and finally she telephoned the young reporter, Chet Foley, at the Chicago Tribune.

  ‘Chet, this is Minna Everleigh at the Club.’

  ‘I’m glad you called. I was planning to come by one day to have a drink with you.’

  Minna put on her most gracious tone. ‘You’re always welcome, except this week and next. We’re renovating the place. I’m really calling to ask you a question. If someone close to you disappeared, and you wanted to find them, what would you do?’

  Foley answered immediately. ‘I’d hire a private detective agency to trace them.’

  ‘That makes sense,’ Minna said. ‘A detective agency. Why not? What would you say is the biggest one in Chicago?’

  ‘The Pinkerton National Detective Agency, by far.’

  ‘Do you know anything about them, Chet?’

  ‘Not personally. We must have something on file here at the paper.’

  ‘All right,’ Minna said, ‘I’ve just changed my mind about your dropping by. You may drop by if you bring me something on the Pinkerton Agency. Can you?’

  ‘Certainly. Do you want to see me soon?’

  ‘Right away. Soon as you have the information, come right over with it.’

  Half an hour later, Foley was seated with Minna in her office.

  He handed her a folder. ‘All we have on the Pinkertons. Some clippings from the Tribune. One from the Observer. An official brochure from their firm. The clippings are repetitious. The brochure should tell you most of what you want to know.’

  Minna sat in silence as she thumbed through the material.

  The brochure was indeed impressive. It was headed, PINKERTON’S NATIONAL DETECTIVE AGENCY. It had a staring eye as its trademark, and the motto ‘We Never Sleep’. The superintendent of the Chicago office was William A. Pinkerton.

  Studying the Observer story, Minna saw that it had only praise for William Pinkerton. ‘He is America’s leading detective, the man through whose medium you may know the exact wealth of Li Hung Chang, how much your clerk bet on the election, or what African jungle hides the clerk who ruined the Bank of Timbuktu. His methods, though effective, are painfully matter-of-fact.’

  Minna looked up from the file. ‘Their business seems mostly railroads,’ she said.

  ‘Their business is crime,’ Foley assured her, ‘any kind.’

  ‘I suppose you’re right,’ said Minna, handing back the file. ‘I should retain them to look into several disappearances of my girls. If someone’s trying to ruin us, I better find out about it. Look, Chet, just hold on while I phone Pinkerton for an appointment. Then we’ll have a glass of champagne together.’

  After speaking to William Pinkerton and securing an immediate appointment, Minna had Edmund drive her downtown to Pinkerton’s National Agency, at 193 Fifth Avenue in Chicago’s downtown.

  Once inside the building, she was escorted to William Pinkerton’s cluttered office. He was a great bear of a man, with his hair slicked down flat and a full moustache. He directed Minna to a leather chair beside the desk.

  ‘I’m Minna Everleigh,’ she began. ‘I don’t know if you’ve heard of me.’

  Pinkerton gave a short laugh. ‘Who hasn’t?’ he replied.

  ‘I’ve run into something that’s disturbing me. I think I can use some of your detectives.’

  ‘We don’t have detectives,’ said Pinkerton. ‘We have trained investigators we call operatives.’

  ‘No matter what you call them, they’re detectives, aren’t they?’

  Pinkerton appeared pained. ‘All right, if you insist.’ He brought what resembled a ledger in front of him, opened it, and dipped his pen in ink. ‘Give me the facts first, omitting nothing. On the phone you spoke of a problem concerning the disappearances of some of your employees. Do you want to expand on that?’

  ‘We retain thirty young girls at the Everleigh Club to entertain our guests. In a normal year, I might lose one of them, at the most two, to marriage, homesickness, a desire to change jobs. Just now I have lost three of my best girls in a row, all within a period of two weeks. Each one simply upped and left, vanished into thin air. It gives me the uneasy feeling that someone took Fanny, Avis, and Greta away from me to destroy our Club.’

  ‘Can you give me the girls’ full names?’

  Minna recited the full names: Fanny Spenser, Avis Kaufman, Greta Ryan. ‘All under twenty-two, and pretty.’

  ‘Please describe each one in detail,’ Pinkerton said, as he entered the names in his ledger.

  Minna described Fanny, Avis, and Greta as best she could.

  Pinkerton continued to write. He glanced up. ‘Would anyone you know have had contact with these three, someone who might have an idea of their plans or what they had on their minds?’

  ‘The other girls, of course. I have my valet, Edmund, questioning them right now. I’m afraid that won’t lead to anything fruitful. The girls are usually close-mouthed about what they know of each other. They’d be especially close-mouthed in a matter like this, about three of them who walked out on us.’

  ‘I see,’ said Pinkerton. ‘Can you think of anyone else who had contact with these girls who might be more forthcoming?’

  ‘Not really, except - well, there’s our physician, who visits all the girls once a week and speaks to them intimately and regularly. He might have some clues.’

  ‘His name?’

  ‘Dr Herman H. Holmes. He knew them all. He could possibly be helpful.’

  ‘How would I locate him?’

  Minna gave Holmes’s address to Pinkerton. ‘Do you want his telephone number?’

  ‘No. I think I’ll just look in on him without an appointment. Let’s find out if he knows what Fanny, Avis, and Greta had in mind.’

  ‘When are you going to see Dr Holmes?’

  ‘Immediately. Today. I’ll do it personally. This is a fascinating mystery. I’ll look into it right after you leave, Miss Everleigh, and then I’ll report to you. Perhaps we’ll get to the bottom of this or perhaps we won’t. But we’ll try.’

  Dr Herman Holmes lusted for this girl. No longer sexually, but in anticipation of carving up her ample body.

  Greta had moved in a few hours ago. He had taken her on a tour of his three-storey offices and home. She had been dazzled by its comfort and size.

  As he left her at her bedroom, she said with awe, ‘This is going to be my home too?’

  ‘Yours and mine from this day on,’ promised Holmes.

  ‘Did you mean what you said about maybe marrying me?’

  Holmes smiled. ‘I’m a bachelor. I’ve studiously avoided marriage until I was sure I’d found the right woman.’ He met her eyes. ‘I think I’ve found her at last.’

  ‘I’m so happy!’ Greta exclaimed, melting into his arms.

  He held her briefly, whispering, ‘I’ll try to see that you’re always happy.’ Parting from her, he added, ‘I can’t wait to make love to you again. You go into your room and undress. Have a leisurely bath. Then put on the silk robe you’ll find inside and join me downstairs. I’ll be waiting for you.’

  A half-hour later, when he heard her descending the staircase, Holmes left his office to meet her.

  She giggled when she saw him in his underwear.

  Tightening the belt of her purple silk robe, she said, ‘Looks like you have something special in mind, Herman.’

  ‘I do, my pet.’

  ‘Where do we go?’

  ‘To a place where we can have complete privacy.’ He took her arm. ‘Come along.’

  He brought her to the closed entrance to his airtight room. He pressed a button. The door slid open.

  ‘How clever!’ she exclaimed. ‘I’ve never seen anything like that.’

  He nodded. ‘As I told you, I want to ensure our complete privacy. Actually, this is my examination room.’

  She was in the room, survey
ing it. ‘Cosy enough, but not a window.’

  ‘Nobody to pry,’ said Holmes. ‘Take off your robe and hoist yourself on the examination table.’

  She did as directed. He watched her, hypnotized by the lushness of her alabaster body.

  ‘What are we going to do?’ she asked. ‘Are we going to do what we did this morning?’

  ‘If you don’t mind.’

  ‘Don’t mind? I love it.’

  She spread her legs as he knelt on a step. She grasped his head and brought him closer.

  She closed her eyes and arched her back as he licked her vulva.

  At first, she began to moan. As he continued, she wanted to scream, then repressed the impulse. ‘Can… can anyone hear me?’

  He lifted his head slightly. ‘We’re alone.’

  He ducked down to pleasure her again, and now she screamed lustily.

  This excited him. His mouth pressed harder, his tongue probed deeper.

  Suddenly, she shook, lifting herself with such force that she almost threw him to the floor. This time he was sure of her orgasm, a noisy and prolonged one.

  When it was done, she sank down, breathless, gradually opening her eyes to find him.

  ‘That was something,’ she said. ‘What about you, Herman?’

  ‘I’m ready when you are,’ he said. He stood up over her, stripped off his underwear. His penis was hard as a rod.

  She took it expertly in her hands, pulled it to her mouth, and then closed her lips around it.

  Blinking down at the nape of her neck, he knew that she was a marvel, but what was most marvellous about her was the back of her neck. He was glad that she could enjoy herself so much before losing her head.

  The thoughts of her head, her neck, excited him even more. As she went on, he tried desperately to contain himself. It was impossible. The witch was relentless.

  Then he came and came.

  When he was limp, she toyed with him, laughing, ‘You had a good time, didn’t you, Herman?’

  ‘I’ll never forget it.’

  ‘Neither will I,’ she said.

  Holmes pulled free of her, and snatched up his underwear. ‘I’ll be right back.’

  ‘Where are you going, Herman?’

  ‘Just want to freshen up. I’ll be right back. You’ll find a towel on the end of the table. You can tidy up too.’

  He went off through the open sliding door, and pushed the button to shut it.

  Before it closed, he heard Greta’s voice calling out, ‘Hey, why are you closing the door?’

  ‘Never mind,’ he called back. ‘I’ll be with you shortly.’

  The door slid shut.

  Pleased, Holmes went to his office, pulled on his union suit, his shirt and trousers, then his stockings and shoes. He knotted his tie. Then he started for the row of levers, prepared to turn on the gas.

  He was halfway to the lever when he thought he heard the front doorbell ring. He halted, listened again, and heard the bell ring more distinctly.

  Holmes detoured out of his office and headed for the foyer, wondering who the unexpected visitor could be at this hour. He still had much to do after he turned on the gas. There would be great joy in cutting up Greta’s plumpish body. Definitely orgasmic.

  He put his hand on the knob of the front door and pulled it wide.

  The doorway was filled by a huge middle-aged man with plastered hair, a full moustache, an expensive suit, and carrying a cane.

  He had a calling-card in his free hand, and he offered it to Holmes. ‘I am William A. Pinkerton, supervisor of the Chicago branch of Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency,’ the man announced. ‘I’m here at the instigation of Miss Minna Everleigh, your employer, who feels you may give me some help in a matter I’m investigating.’

  Glancing at the calling-card, Holmes said graciously, ‘To be sure. Please come in.’

  Leading Pinkerton to his office, Holmes cast a sidelong look at the sliding door. It was tightly closed, and if Greta was still voicing her confusion, she could not be heard.

  After seating Pinkerton in his office, Holmes took his own place behind the desk.

  His posture one of hospitality and relaxation, he said, ‘What can I do for you, Mr Pinkerton?’

  Pinkerton was not one to delay. ‘Miss Everleigh is distressed because three of her girls have disappeared in the last two weeks. This is something that has never happened at the Club before.’

  ‘I’m sorry for her. Of what help can I be to you?’

  ‘Miss Everleigh thought it might be useful if I questioned you for some clues to their whereabouts.’

  ‘Who are these girls?’

  Pinkerton extracted a pad from his pocket, and flipped the pages. ‘Miss Fanny Spenser, Miss Avis Kaufman, Miss Greta Ryan. They are all young prostitutes employed by the Everleigh sisters. Do you recognize their names?’

  Holmes bobbed his head. ‘I think I do. While I never knew their last names, I do recognize the first names. Fanny, Avis, Greta. Yes, I’ve medically examined them.’ He seemed to recall something. ‘As a matter of fact, now I do remember. I missed Fanny and Avis on my last visits to the Club. I meant to ask Minna where they were, but it skipped my mind.’

  ‘Then Greta. She was one of the girls Miss Everleigh housed in the Tremont House Hotel. She checked out late this morning. What is unusual is that neither she nor the other two informed Miss Everleigh that they were leaving. They just left without word as to their destination. They simply vanished into thin air.’

  Holmes shook his head sympathetically. ‘Too bad. Still, why would Minna have you question me about them?’

  ‘Because you were the one person who saw them regularly and intimately, and Miss Everleigh hoped that you might

  have heard from one or all of them — about any plans they might have had.’

  ‘I see, I see,’ said Holmes. ‘Well, there is some conversation when I’m examining the girls, but rarely anything meaningful. Let me concentrate on the last times I saw these girls. Fanny, you say?’

  ‘Fanny Spenser.’

  ‘The last time I saw her was a few weeks ago. I can’t remember anything noteworthy that she had to say. Oh, something about being displeased because her income would be reduced for a while. One might say she was complaining about this, and hinting that she had heard of a few houses in Nashville and San Francisco that paid as well as the Everleigh Club and guaranteed work regularly.’

  ‘Nashville and San Francisco,’ repeated Pinkerton, making notes. ‘We’ll check around.’

  ‘As to Avis,’ continued Holmes, ‘I do recollect that she mentioned being tired of prostitution, and planned to one day give it up to take on some other line of work.’

  ‘Did she speak of what line of work? Or where such a job might exist?’

  ‘I’m afraid I can’t recollect. My memory for names isn’t what it used to be.’

  Pinkerton looked down at his notes. ‘Greta Ryan.’

  ‘You know I examined her early this morning at her hotel,’ Holmes said openly.

  ‘I know you did,’ said Pinkerton.

  Holmes shrugged. ‘She seemed quite satisfied with her lot. I had the impression that she was pleased with her vacation. She spoke of catching up on her shopping. I think she mentioned seeing some kind of garment that she wanted to purchase at Carson, Pirie, Scott. That is the most I can remember, I’m afraid.’

  ‘Yet, she did not go shopping today, because she packed her bags and checked out of the hotel.’

  ‘I am truly surprised,’ said Holmes.

  Pinkerton lifted his big body out of the chair. ‘I appreciate your cooperation, Dr Holmes. If you can jog your memory to recollect any more, I wish you’d give me a call with any information, no matter how seemingly insignificant. You have my card with the telephone number. Do phone me if something comes to mind.’

  Holmes was on his feet. ‘I will, you can be sure. We must help Minna get her girls back.’

  He preceded Pinkerton to the front door and s
howed him out, securing the lock firmly behind his visitor.

  Returning to his office, he chuckled. He’d done a smooth job, and that fool of a detective had swallowed it whole. No one, anywhere, was smarter than Herman Holmes, and no one more clever and deceptive.

  Still chuckling, he crossed his office to the levers and brought up the top lever, turning on the gas.

  Goodbye, dear Greta. When he had his scalpel in hand, he would have another orgasm with her — the most exciting one of all. He could almost hear the gas hissing into the airtight room. It was a wonderful day, wonderful.

  Once back in his own cluttered office, safe behind his own cluttered desk, William Pinkerton fished about in his jacket for a notebook, found it, and turned to the pages on which he had scrawled during the Dr Holmes interview.

  On his way to the office, he had intended to phone Minna Everleigh and inform her that nothing had come of the meeting with Dr Holmes. But now, finishing with the notebook, he had second thoughts.

  Pinkerton telephoned the Everleigh Club, and waited patiently until Minna Everleigh came on.

  ‘Miss Everleigh. This is William Pinkerton again.’

  ‘Yes?’ Her voice was eager.

  ‘I’ve just come from a meeting with Dr Herman Holmes. While he was cooperative, I’m not certain the meeting was

  productive. I have a few leads on your missing girls, but they are vague. I will pursue them, but if nothing comes of them, I would like to pursue another course.’

  ‘What course?’

  ‘It involves Dr Holmes’s veracity.’

  ‘You think he was misleading you about Fanny, Avis, and Greta?’

  ‘Possibly. At any rate, do you mind if I pursue this investigation a step further?’

  ‘Will that be expensive?’

  ‘It won’t cost you a penny, unless I get results. Is that agreeable?’

  ‘I couldn’t ask for anything better.’

  ‘I’ll go on then,’ said Pinkerton. ‘Let’s see what happens.’

  SEVEN