Christmas in New York

by Monique Martin

Elizabeth grinned.

  He let go of her hand and gave an order to his men. “Take that trash out, we’ve got work to do.”

  He gave Elizabeth one last dip of his head and then hurried off and out of City Hall.

  His men hauled the gunman away.

  Next to her Simon sighed. “What were you thinking?”

  Elizabeth smiled innocently. “I really wasn’t thinking at all.”

  “Not even about potentially changing time.”

  She hadn’t thought of that. She really hadn’t been thinking.

  “Although,” Simon conceded, “I suppose since we know that he wasn’t assassinated today that you didn’t alter that at least.”

  “See. It’s all good.”

  Simon wasn’t convinced. Although, she thought his mood probably had less to do with altering the timeline and more to do with her running headlong into trouble.

  “Honestly, I just wanted to meet the mayor,” she said, hoping to make light of it.

  “You promised not to put yourself in harm’s way.”

  “For Charlie.”

  “Elizabeth—”

  “What was I supposed to do? Let him get shot?”

  “Someone else might have saved him.”

  “Might?”

  Simon knew she had him.

  “Besides, you know the deal. Unless we know that specific moment in history, all we can do is what we think is right in the moment or else we couldn’t even cross the street without wondering what we’d changed.”

  Simon sighed.

  Elizabeth glanced around. “Anyway, we have to find Quinlan.”

  Simon opened his mouth to argue but instead pushed out a steadying breath. “We’re going to talk about this later.”

  She was already on to other things. “Fine. But right now, let’s see if we can find our captain.”

  “He could be anywhere.”

  Elizabeth spotted an officer coming down the stairs toward them.

  “Excuse me,” she said, “but you haven’t seen Captain Quinlan, have you?”

  “Yes, ma’am. He’s in his office, I believe.”

  “Office?”

  “Top of the stairs, turn left. Alderman Scarpetti’s office.”

  Elizabeth smiled her thanks and the officer went on his way.

  “See?” she told Simon. “Easy peasy.”

  Simon grunted. “We’ll see.”

  They went up the stairs and followed the officer’s instructions. The door to the alderman’s office opened and two men burst out.

  “I told you. I have no comment,” one of them said. Judging from his smart suit and dismissive attitude he was the alderman. He looked as slick as his hair.

  The other man, a reporter she guessed based on his little notebook and frustrated expression, tried to block the alderman’s path. “You were seen with Little Joe Mancuso. A known racketeer and mobster.”

  The alderman glared at him. “I’ve never met the man in my life.”

  “My source says—”

  “Your source is full of beans. Why don’t you find someone else to bother? I have friends at the Times, ya know.”

  “Is it true you’re a silent partner in Merritt Brothers Meatpacking? Owned by the same Joe Mancuso?”

  “I have a lot of investments.”

  “Is that where you’re laundering the money?”

  “This conversation is over.”

  The alderman turned to leave but the reporter moved in his way.

  “Problem?” a voice down the hall asked. It was Quinlan.

  He joined the two men.

  The alderman smiled and shook his head. “No. No problem, right Frank?”

  The reporter held his tongue.

  The alderman smirked and continued on his way down the hall. But as he passed Simon and Elizabeth he slowed. He stared at Elizabeth, a smile coming to his face. It made her uncomfortable. Not that it was a sleazy, “I’m not-so-secretly undressing with my eyes smile”, she’d seen her share of those; it was something else.

  The alderman’s gaze slid to Simon, but only briefly, quickly judging and dismissing before landing on Elizabeth again. He shifted his path and veered toward them.

  Simon looked from the alderman to Elizabeth and then back again. “Oh, no. Not again,” he said as he took her by the elbow and led her down the hall, avoiding the man.

  Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder. The alderman turned and watched her go. From the look on his face, he was considering following her when someone further down the hall called his name and he reluctantly left.

  Once Simon was sure he was gone and they were far enough away from the office door not to look suspicious, he stopped. They were on the other side of Quinlan and the reporter now, but still close enough to hear what was happening. They pretended to consult a map as they watched and listened.

  The reporter tried to follow the alderman but Quinlan blocked his path. “Something I can do for you, Frank?”

  “Tell the truth?”

  Quinlan wasn’t impressed. He put a hand on the man’s arm. “Come on.”

  “Let go of me!”

  Quinlan looked around and noticed Simon and Elizabeth for the first time and reluctantly released his hold on the reporter.

  Just then, the door to the alderman’s office opened and an older woman stepped out. Her head jerked back as she’d forgotten to take off a pair of earphones and the cord ran out. She laughed nervously and removed them.

  Elizabeth moved a bit to the side so she could see inside the office. By a desk there was some sort of big metal machine on a rolling stand. A few wires and a long flexible tube were attached to it.

  The woman pushed a button on it, smoothed her skirt and came back out.

  “I was just taking dictation but I thought I heard something. Is everything all right?”

  “Everything’s fine, Mrs. Adler,” Quinlan said. “I’ll be in in a minute.”

  The woman looked unsure but forced a smile to her face, nodded and went back in, closing the door behind her.

  Quinlan smiled and smoothed down the reporters jacket sleeve. “Now, let’s not make a scene, all right, Frank? Hmm?”

  The reporter slapped Quinlan’s hand away. Quinlan merely smirked.

  The reporter glared back at him, but finally turned and headed down the hall.

  “Merry Christmas, Frank,” Quinlan called after him.

  Elizabeth waited until Quinlan had gone into the alderman’s office then hurried to catch up with the reporter.

  “Excuse me,” she said. “We couldn’t help but overhear some of that. Is the alderman—”

  “As phony as a two-dollar bill? Yeah. Can I prove it? No.”

  Elizabeth was about to ask more when the reporter shook his head. “Look, I gotta go. If I don’t file some sort of story by noon, I’m out on my keister.”

  He touched the brim of his hat and hurried off.

  “Great,” Elizabeth said with a sigh. “What do we do now?”

  “Considering the circumstances, I suggest nothing.”

  “Simon.”

  “Did you see the way that man looked at you?”

  “Lots of men look at me.”

  “If you’re trying to soothe me …”

  Elizabeth laughed. “You know what I mean.”

  “Sadly, yes. But considering where we are. When we are.”

  She looked at him blankly.

  “You don’t see any similarities? Between King and the alderman?”

  Elizabeth frowned, but she sort of did. A little.

  Simon went on. “Both took what I find a rather disturbing ‘instant shine’ to you.”

  “What can I say?”

  Simon wasn’t amused. “I’m not looking forward to a repeat of our last trip here.”

  “I’ll stay off boats, I promise.”

  “Elizabeth.”

  She put her hand on his chest. “All right. I get it. I’m not looking for a repeat either, but this is different.”

  �
�Yes, it might actually be worse.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “Come on. It’s not that bad. He’s just an alderman.”

  Simon started to respond then looked around a little anxiously and led her to a more private spot in the hall.

  “Do you remember when Charlie said you can’t fight City Hall?”

  She did.

  “I thought he was speaking figuratively but it’s clear now, he wasn’t.”

  “A dirty politician isn’t exactly breaking news.”

  Simon shook his head. “Not just one. What do you know about Tammany Hall?”

  She knew the name but that was about all. Her memories of 9th grade history class were wispy at best. Mr. Van Dyke had somehow managed to make history boring. His idea of a lesson was reading from the text book until he sounded like one of Charlie Brown’s teachers and every kid in class was half asleep. How she’d love to show him how amazing history really was.

  “I don’t know much. I remember something about Boss Hogg?”

  Simon frowned. “Boss Tweed.”

  “Oh, right. Sorry, that’s Dukes of Hazzard.”

  Simon looked at her blankly then continued.

  “Yes, well. Boss Tweed was part of it, but the Tammany Society predates him by fifty years. Tammany Hall was, is, a corrupt political machine that’s dominated New York politics for well over a century. Some believe they’ve influenced elections since 1800 and they haven’t stopped. Not until FDR’s election. That and LaGuardia’s war against them was the beginning of the end, but it appears that the end hasn’t quite come yet.”

  Elizabeth nodded, impressed not just by the scope of it but by Simon’s knowledge of it. “How do you know so much?”

  Simon merely smiled. “Books.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “All right. So this is bigger than just one dirty politician. There’s got to be something we can do.”

  “If he’s connected to the machine, he’s virtually untouchable.”

  “No one is untouchable,” Elizabeth said. “Except Eliot Ness maybe. Is he around?”

  Simon chuckled. “I think he’s got his hands full in Chicago.”

  “Oh. Well, I don’t need him anyway.”

  “No?”

  She slipped her arm through his. “I’ve got you.”

  ~~~

  Charlotte rested her elbows on the window sill and cupped her chin in her hands. Lots of people had walked by the building but none of them were Henry. Maybe he wasn’t coming. She told herself she’d wait a few more minutes, though, just in case.

  The minutes dragged by as Trudy bossed Em around behind her. She looked down at her untouched plate of cookies. She wanted to give them to Henry so she hadn’t eaten any. Her stomach rumbled at the sight of them.

  She forced herself to look away. She pressed her forehead against the cold glass and watched the street below. And watched.

  Still no Henry.

  After another ten minutes had passed, she gave up. It was no use. He wasn’t coming.

  She turned away and watched the other girls play. Em was no longer playing the baby, but had somehow been cast as the husband to Trudy’s wife. But she was still being bossed around. Em’s teddy bear was as interested as Charlotte was in it.

  With nothing else to do to pass the time Charlotte walked over to the little book shelf. She skimmed the titles.

  Read it. Read it. Hated it. Oh, Kipling!

  Tink.

  Charlotte paused as she started to take a copy of Just So Stories off the shelf.

  Tink.

  It came from behind her and she turned toward the window.

  Tink.

  She put the book down and hurried over to the window. She couldn’t have kept the smile off her face if she tried. Down below in the street, Henry was winding up to throw another pebble at the window.

  He stopped when Charlotte opened the sash.

  “Hey,” he said in a loud whisper. “Can you come out?”

  Charlotte held up her hand, silently asking him to wait.

  Trudy put her hands on her hips and glared at Em. “You go to the bar every night.”

  Em didn’t understand. “I do?”

  “You do.”

  “Hey,” Charlotte interrupted. “Will you cover for me?”

  Trudy looked up as she made a show of considering it. Charlotte knew what she wanted.

  “You can have my cookies,” Charlotte said.

  Trudy nodded and Charlotte handed her the plate. She quickly tucked a few pillows under the blanket on the bed. It didn’t look like her, but Mrs. Blomster had her hands full with the twins. She probably wouldn’t do more than poke her head in. Probably.

  “Tell her I’m really tired and need my sleep, okay?”

  “Okay,” Trudy said through a mouthful of cookies.

  Em looked at her sadly.

  “Sorry,” Charlotte said and hurried back to the window.

  She climbed out onto the fire escape and down the ladder. It was a lot easier the second time.

  “Ready?” Henry asked.

  “For what?”

  Henry grinned. “To see New York.”

  “Where are we going?” Charlotte asked as they rode the subway.

  Henry grinned. “You’ll see.”

  Charlotte pouted and Henry just laughed.

  That was like him. He didn’t let anything bother him. He had next to nothing, no parents, no real home, but he always made the best of things. She admired him. And that dimple in his cheek when he smiled was kind of cute.

  “Fine,” she said in a huff, turning and leaning back against her bench seat.

  Henry fought down another smile and Charlotte swatted him on the arm.

  “Tell me.”

  The train slowed as it came to another station.

  Henry craned his neck to see through the car’s window. “No need. We’re here.” He stood before the train had even stopped. “Come on.”

  They wormed their way to the front of the crowd by the door and waited for it to open. When it did, he tugged Charlotte out and headed for the stairs.

  The room was enormous and looked like the inside of a gigantic erector set. Huge steel beams with crisscrossing patterns rose up to the arched ceiling, towing above the platforms.

  Henry pulled her up the stairs to the main concourse. The ceiling was a spider web of metal and glass and bit arching metal beams. A ten-foot clock hung from an archway and proclaimed “Eastern Standard Time.”

  They made their way through the crowd and finally reached another massive room. This one had Christmas music being played from somewhere and sunlight shot in huge beams from the high arched windows onto the marble floor. A tall Christmas tree stood in a corner and all the little kiosks were decorated for the holiday.

  Charlotte stopped to take it all in, turning around in a circle. “This is amazing.”

  “This isn’t even it.”

  Charlotte was confused but followed along behind Henry as he climbed the broad set of steps leading to a giant arched doorway to the outside.

  They bundled back up now that they were outside again. Charlotte blew on her hands and rubbed them together but Henry was already moving and she hurried to catch up. They walked another block and she saw it. 34th Street. A broad smile came to her face. She knew where they were going now as she looked up at the letters on the corner of the building across the street—Macy’s.

  The store was even bigger than she’d imagined. It had to be at least ten stories tall. Bigger than Harrod’s even!

  There was a crowd pushed up against the window display at street level but that didn’t stop Henry. He took Charlotte’s hand and weaved his way through them until they were at the glass.

  “Wow.”

  Henry grinned. “Yeah.”

  The display ran nearly the length of the building, filling window after window in one continuous scene. The theme was Christmas Dreams. The first window had a brother and sister in their beds. Above them sparkly balls dangled down and turned an
d danced.

  “Sugar plums!” she exclaimed.

  Oversized snowflakes hung down near the window but inside the room looked warm and cozy.

  Charlotte and Henry scooched down to the next window where the children got out of bed and floated up to the sugar plums. Reindeer joined them as they floated over their bedroom, dreaming of Christmas.

  Then the children went downstairs to their living room where there was the most beautiful Christmas tree Charlotte had ever seen. It was all white and silver with just a little red and green. The lights twinkled on and off. There was a bicycle and a huge teddy bear beneath it. The bear looked soft, but she had her eye on the bike and idly wondered if the fake girl in the window did, too.

  The windows told the story of the children’s Christmas dream until the last window where they woke up and were met by their parents. Behind them, you could see Santa in the window of their house, waving to the kids.

  It was like seeing a movie but it was almost real.

  “Come on,” Henry said, taking her hand again.

  He led her to the main entrance to the store and they went inside. She didn’t think it could be better than the outside but it was. Huge stars hung from the ceiling with silver shooting off them and draping to every edge of the room. Each counter had a small tree or a pile of presents and the whole place smelled like her mom on “date night.”

  With only a few more days until Christmas the store was packed with people. They crowded around every counter and every display.

  Charlotte held on tight to Henry’s hand as he led her through the main floor to a bank of elevators.

  Henry pushed the button and a minute later the car arrived. As the doors opened a woman inside wearing a funny red uniform with a little cap announced their arrival.

  “First Floor.”

  Several people got off the car and Henry and Elizabeth stepped in along with a few more passengers. The woman pulled a lever and the door closed. Then she did something else along a panel and the car started up. With each stop she announced what was on the floor, like Ladies Shoes and Finery. Furniture and Menswear. And then finally, Toys.

  The lady opened the elevator doors and Henry and Charlotte got off. He jerked his head to the right and Charlotte followed him into the thick crowd again. Finally, they got to an opening and she could see a big sign, SANTA CLAUS.