David looked at one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen. Constance had strawberry blonde hair, a pert smile and a figure most men dreamed of. The last thing he’d expected to find when he’d come out for the summer was a girlfriend. He’d made the trip to contemplate his future and it was supposed to be a solitary journey. But in many ways Constance was the ideal companion – beautiful, resourceful and she never pressed him too hard about anything. She seemed to have an uncanny sense of when to leave him to his thoughts. And, lately, more and more of his thoughts centered on her.
She lived in Portland but had rented a small house in McConnell for the summer. She was twenty-nine, but was in no hurry to be married, which was unusual for a woman her age. She was intelligent, laughed at all his jokes and had planned this party perfectly. She’d been the one to suggest the gathering after three months in which he’d ruminated mostly alone. Now he was looking forward to the two weeks they would all be together, even if the guest list was a mix of longtime friends, new acquaintances and even a few people he’d never met.
He did most of his entertaining either at his brownstone on Fifth Avenue or his cottage in the Hamptons. He was frankly surprised that so many people would make the trip to Oregon, even if the Limited did whisk people from the east coast to the west with startling efficiency. But Constance had assured him that his friends would be only too glad to come west and, as if to prove her right, they had all accepted the invitation with alacrity.
David had certainly done enough to his house in McConnell over the past few years to comfortably accommodate guests. The house had been built thirty years earlier and he had overseen its modernization, installing bathrooms and electric lights, though he still preferred the ambience of gas lighting. Constance had had any number of ideas for improvements, some so progressive he’d joked that she should be an architect. She had simply laughed in that way of hers which said everything would be all right.
Why, then, did he have a feeling things were about to go terribly wrong?
She looked like the perfect hostess, dressed as she was in a lavender silk dress, which hit just above her ankles. Her stockings were incredibly sheer and her dress glided over her curves to give enticing hints about what lay beneath. David had spent more than a few hours wondering just what she’d look like without anything on, but so far hadn’t made a move to find out. Being a millionaire had a great many advantages, but one of the downsides was wondering who liked him only for his money. He didn’t think Constance was in that category, but he didn’t want to get too deeply involved before he was more sure of both her feelings and his own.
“Do you think your friends would like to play croquet or some other game while they’re here?” asked Constance. “I want to make certain we have everything we need to keep them entertained.”
“All my friends need is a well-stocked bar,” said David wryly.
Constance put her arms around his waist and kissed him. “You must tell me how you manage to keep that bar so well stocked. I’m sure it’s easier to get alcohol in New York, given your close proximity to Canada, but Oregon is about as dry as it gets.”
“I can’t reveal all my mysteries to you,” said David, as he kissed her back.
They were interrupted by the sound of carriages coming up the drive. He’d rented them for the day in part because he couldn’t find enough cars in town to transport his guests. But now he was glad he did. From the laughter of his guests, it appeared they’d enjoyed their drive to the house.
As Kurt Franklin bounded down from the carriage, Constance caught her breath. “I can’t believe we have a movie star at the party. How did you meet him?”
“I haven’t, actually. I invited him as a favor to a friend in Hollywood. Are you a big fan?”
Constance tapped David on the nose. “Now, why would I talk about another man when I have you with me? Who’s he with?”
“His press agent. I guess the studio never lets Franklin travel without him.”
“Why do you think they’re here?”
“To ask for money, if I had to guess. That’s usually the reason people try to meet me.”
Constance put her hand on his arm, all trace of levity gone. “You know I’m not like that, right? I couldn’t bear it if you got the wrong idea.”
He wished he could tell her he believed her, but all he could do at the moment was kiss her hand. Fortunately, she switched into hostess mode to greet their guests while David sought out the person he’d been waiting for, Mikey Corrigan.
He found his friend on the edge of the lawn, lighting a cigarette and looking off into the woods.
“I’m glad you made it,” said David, as he shook hands with his longtime friend.
“Thanks for havin’ us. Nice place you got here, but where do you go when you want to have some fun? That town looks deader than Mary Todd Lincoln.”
“It’s quiet, I’ll grant you that. But sometimes quiet is exactly what’s called for. It’s nice to hear myself think.”
“Really?” said a blonde bombshell with a big smile. “I can’t think of anything more borin’ than listening to my own thoughts. You must be David Remington. I’m this big lug’s girl, Lucy.”
“Welcome,” said David, smiling at the way Mikey was looking at his girlfriend. It was obvious he genuinely cared for her. “We’re serving drinks on the front lawn, if you’ll come this way.”
“Now we’re talkin’,” said Lucy.
Mikey took one last look at the surrounding woods. “I’d rather have mine inside if you don’t mind.”
David studied his friend. “Whatever you say. We’ve got plenty of liquor inside, as well.”
At that moment, they were hit with a small earthquake.
Lucy ran into Mikey’s arms. “What the hell was that?”
“Just some tremors we’ve been having,” said David with a smile. “Nothing to worry about.”
Lucy hugged Mikey tighter. “Most of the crap you have to worry about takes place right after someone says there’s nothin’ to worry about,” she said.
“Let’s get inside and talk,” said Mikey. “And I wouldn’t mind having something to eat.”
“Help yourself to anything you wish,” David said, as he escorted them across the lawn.
Various servants were going in and out of the house, either taking luggage in or carrying trays of drinks outside, as David and the others approached.
“David and I gotta talk about something,” said Mikey to Lucy. “Why don’t you make friends with the bartender, but not too good of friends.”
“I won’t argue with that,” said Lucy.
“Which part?” asked Mikey.
“Either,” she said, as she walked over to the bar, her hips swaying as she went.
“She’s swell,” said David.
“She is,” said Mikey. “Now let’s find someplace quiet to talk.”
A few moments later, they were in Mikey’s room on the second floor. Mikey immediately went to the window and looked out, keeping to the side of the glass.
“What’s wrong?” asked David.
“Somethin’ just ain’t right.”
“You really don’t like the country, do you?”
“It’s more than that. I had an odd feeling all the way out here. I half expected somethin’ to happen on the train. I’m still surprised it didn’t.”
“Are you in some type of trouble?”
Mikey grinned at his old friend. “Always.”
That brought an answering grin from David. “I meant more than your usual trouble.”
“Not particularly. The feds seem to be taking more of an interest in my business, but that’s to be expected now that I’m gaining territory. But they’ve got nothin’ on me.”
David sighed. “I wish you’d retire, especially since I’m sure you’ve got more than enough money stashed away to last the rest of your life.”
“I could say the same about you.”
“Yeah, but at least no one tries to kill
me on a day-to-day basis. Besides, I’ve actually been thinking about packing it all in and getting out of the market altogether. There’s got to be more to life than working non-stop to stay on top.”
Mikey moved a chair away from the window, then took a seat. “You know what it’s like, growing up the way we did. There was never enough. Even now I wake up worried that it’ll all go away.”
“Is that the feeling you had on the train?”
“No. It’s bigger than that. It’s like my luck is about to run out. Like something really bad is gonna happen – bad, as in fatal.”
David stilled. “Do you think one of your enemies followed you from Chicago? That seems unlikely, doesn’t it?”
Mikey shrugged. “I didn’t stay alive this long only payin’ attention to what’s likely. In my racket, you’re much more likely to be killed by what’s unlikely.”
“What’s going on, Mikey?”
With a final look toward the window, Mikey pulled a letter out of his pocket. “I got a note about a month ago saying some guy had evidence that could put me away for good and he wanted hush money. At first, I laughed it off because I don’t know any rats. And if I did know any, most of them would have brains enough to know what’d happen if they talked to the feds. So, I ignored the note, then I got another one that was even crazier than the first. It said he knew I don’t pay my income tax and that was gonna get me sent to prison. That’s just nuts. No one I know pays income taxes.”
“I do.”
Mikey scowled at his friend. “Why the hell are you doin’ somethin’ jerk-headed like that?”
“They say you can go to jail if you don’t pay.”
“Like anyone’s goin’ to jail for that.”
David shrugged. “So, I take it you didn’t pay the blackmailer?”
“Not on your life. But then another note came. And this one said he was gonna tell all of Chicago that I was friends with the one federal dick who ain’t on the take. Now that was a threat with some teeth to it. I don’t exactly brag about my connection to Barker back home.”
Grant Barker was a federal agent and had been close friends with Mikey and David as they were growing up in Chicago. David knew just how unusual their friendship was and valued it all the more because of it. “I suppose not many people would believe that three best friends grew up to be a bootlegger, a federal agent and a financier.”
“Why not? Those are the three most crooked jobs I know of.”
David laughed. “You’ve got me there, though I’ve never known Grant Barker to break the law, at least not now that he’s at the Bureau.”
“That’s part of the problem. My life would be much easier if I didn’t have to worry about one of my best friends arresting me.”
“You could always go straight.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” asked Mikey, as four servants delivered his one suitcase and all three of Lucy’s trunks. He tipped the men well and waved them off.
David waited until they were alone before continuing. “Did you pay the blackmailer?”
“Not yet, because here’s the really queer thing. He wanted me to bring the money here.”
“To Oregon?”
“Not just to Oregon, but to your party.”
David stilled. “How did he know you were coming to this party?”
“That’s what I’d like to know.”
“You don’t think I had anything to do with this, do you?”
“Of course not! You’re one of my best friends, about the only one I can trust.”
“Thank you.”
“And the last thing you need is money,” said Mikey with a grin.
David laughed. “That isn’t quite the vote of confidence I would have liked, but I’ll forgive you since I’ve never met a rich man who didn’t want more money. However, I’m not your guy and I’m just as puzzled as you about who it might be. The only other person who knew you were coming was Constance, other than anyone you told in Chicago, of course.”
“You can leave the bums in Chicago to me. What do you know about this Constance dame?”
David considered the question. “Only what she’s told me, but I haven’t had reason to doubt her word. I’m the one who pursued her after meeting her in town. She doesn’t seem particularly interested in my money, which is a change from the women I meet in New York.”
“That’s a change from any broad I’ve ever known.”
“What about Lucy?” asked David quietly. “She would know about your friendship with Grant and that you were coming out here.”
Mikey took out his flask and offered it to David, who shook his head. He took a swig. “I thought about that, but it don’t make sense. I give her just about anything she asks for. And it just don’t seem like her.” When David gave him a piercing look, he added, “All right, I don’t want it to be her.”
“I don’t want it to be her, either, but we need to consider all the possibilities if we’re going to solve this. Where’s the drop supposed to take place?”
“I don’t know. It just said I’d get my instructions at the party. Who’d you invite to this shindig, anyway?”
David raised a brow. “You think it might be one of the guests?”
“Why else would he make me bring the money here instead of someplace back home?”
“You have a gang back home to protect you. All you’ve got here is me.”
“From what I remember, you know how to handle yourself in a fight.
“There are only so many ways you can protect yourself if this guy brings a gun.” David thought about it, as well as the possibility the blackmailer could be one of his guests, which he found difficult to believe. “Do you think this is about more than money?”
“That’s what my gut tells me. I met quite a few of your guests on the trip from the station. Is anyone else coming?”
“Grant will be here shortly.”
Mikey sat back and banged his head against the back of the chair. “Geez Louise! Like I don’t have enough trouble with just the accusations of knowing a fed. He’s actually gonna be here? We might as well have Hearst run a front-page story.”
“Hearst won’t be here, if that’s any consolation. I won’t have that bastard at my house.”
“Thank heaven for small favors. I still can’t believe you invited Grant. How we gonna drink with that Mrs. Grundy here?”
“I already told Grant that any liquid he sees is water, iced tea or sparkling cider. He’ll play along. On the bright side, he’s good at his job. If you’re dealing with a blackmailer, it couldn’t hurt to have a G-man watch your back, in addition to me.”
“I ain’t askin’ you to get involved. And the problem with havin’ a G-man here is what happens if I take care of this matter without payin’ up?”
David studied his friend as he contemplated the situation. “Are you thinking of taking care of the problem without paying up?”
Mikey shrugged. “You know who I am. And the thing about blackmailers is they never quit. They just keep raisin’ the stakes.”
“I do know who you are. I’ve known you for a long time and there’s a part of you which hates killing.”
“Sometimes it needs to be done.”
“But under these circumstances?”
Mikey brushed his hair out of his eyes. “It’s more than just bein’ blackmailed. If word got out that I didn’t stand up to this guy, every nickel and dime hustler in Chicago would take me on. I’d end up killin’ a lot more men than just the one. Or, maybe this is the time my luck finally runs out.”
“I definitely don’t want that. Will you at least give me a chance to find a solution?”
“I just spent a day and a half on a godforsaken train tryin’ to find one.”
“Yeah, but I only learned about it a few minutes ago. Let me think about it for a bit.”
“I don’t see how that’s gonna do any good.”
“Maybe it won’t, but at least give me the chance. Promise me you’ll let me know when yo
u hear from this guy, and not wait until after you whack him. I can’t protect you from Barker if you kill the guy and he finds out.”
Mikey studied his friend. “I ain’t goin’ to prison. What would you do if it came down to a fight between Barker and me?”
David sighed. “I’d probably shoot you both to keep either of you from doing something stupid. But just a flesh wound, of course.”
Mikey laughed. “I’m pretty fond of some of my flesh, so pick your spot carefully.”
“There’s something else I should tell you about the guest list. Senator Farnsworth called to say he’s coming. I don’t even know how he found out about the party. He wasn’t invited.”
Mikey let out a low whistle. “And I take it he ain’t comin’ alone.”
David shook his head.
“Does Barker know?”
“There wasn’t time to warn him that Lydia would be here. I’m not even sure if I would’ve told him had I known.”
“Yeah, what a cryin’ shame that would’ve been if he’d missed the party.”
David looked at his old friend ruefully. “I want you and him to play nice while you’re here.”
“Sounds like we don’t got much choice, do we?”
“I’m afraid not. Are you armed?”
“I never go anywhere without my guns.”
“I don’t blame you. I have a few weapons around the house if you need them – but only in a defensive capacity.”
“Got it. You never did tire of being the saint, did you?”
David paused, lost in thought. “I wouldn’t say that. But I’m here if you need me. And let me know when you hear from this guy again. We’ll take him on together.”
* * *
Lawrence unpacked his valise, shaking out his clothes and carefully hanging them in the mahogany wardrobe. He took a moment to admire the green striped wallpaper, then continued tending to his clothes. He looked up when he heard a knock.
“Mind if I come in?” asked Dora from the open door.
“Of course, love. But don’t you have unpacking to do?”
“I already did it. That’s the advantage of being poor enough to only have three changes of clothes. I’m not sure I even needed the suitcase – I could have just worn everything. You certainly packed a lot.”
The Tycoon Murderer Page 4