Fleet Street Felony

by Bettie Jane

  Fleet Street Felony

  A Piccadilly Ladies Club Mystery

  Bettie Jane

  Copyright © 2019 by Bettie Jane and Auburn Seal

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  For Alison.

  Everyday you inspire me to be the

  best version of myself.

  Author’s Note

  Dear Readers,

  In this story, I’ve included a couple of fun surprises for you. I’ve referenced details from two other stories written by Bettie Jane’s alter-ego, Auburn Seal, and included links to each so you can explore those should you choose. I had a great deal of fun incorporating, even on a small level, references to other characters I’ve written about.

  These Easter eggs are just for fun and are not necessary for the enjoyment of this book, Fleet Street Felony. In the back of the book, you’ll find links to each book written by Bettie Jane and Auburn Seal, as well as a sample from Auburn Seal’s Roanoke Vanishing for your enjoyment.

  Note: Bettie Jane strictly writes historical cozy mysteries, while Auburn Seal writes in several genres.

  1

  Monday Evening

  February 11, 1921

  Piccadilly Circus

  London

  “Opal, you are a dear. Thank you for coming with me to the assembly at the Piccadilly Ladies Club.”

  “Well, of course I wouldn’t dream of missing it, Julia. I simply cannot wait to hear your speech. I bet it will be awe-inspiring.”

  Julia drove them the short distance between Mayfair and Piccadilly, as it was still much too cold to be walking about, at least not without a lover on your arm and Jacob Gibbs was indisposed this evening. Something about a family affair he needed to tend. Plus, she’d promised not to walk at night alone, cold air or not. Jacob was in such a state of worry concerning missing women as a result of his investigation with Scotland Yard, but she knew that those women were all working women—prostitutes—so perhaps she possessed a false air of confidence for her safety. That said, she was trying to keep the peace with the Inspector and not only because she was intrigued by the idea of a romantic relationship with him, but also because he gave her access to the police, which she needed in her line of work.

  Julia took her hand off the steering wheel and squeezed one of Opal’s hands.

  “I don’t know that it will be as interesting as all that, but I do appreciate you coming along. Meredith asked me to talk about women working in journalism to this group of newspaper men. Honestly, I don’t know what it is she thinks I’ll be able to say that Meredith and the PLC haven’t already said to convince them of our capabilities. However, I agreed and so I’ll do it. I’m not happy about it, though. Mr. Quincy has put down quite the ultimatum for me. I don’t have time to give meaningless speeches to a bunch of stodgy men who need to be convinced that women have a place in our profession.”

  Opal looked confused. “Whatever is your editor pressuring you about? Surely you’ve more than made a reputation for yourself as a reporter between Lady Eliza’s murder and the case involving Meredith’s sister. What about the yacht mystery you managed to solve on New Year’s Eve? Aren’t you investigating the Dock Murders now?”

  “Yes I am, but Harry Jones over at The Daily Telegraph in Fleet Street keeps writing stories faster than I can. Mr. Quincy thinks he keeps getting the scoop because I’m not effective. Mr. Jones seems to be privy to information that I’m not able to acquire. I suspect I know how, and it is a source of great frustration for me.”

  Julia could feel her ire rising as she thought about it.

  “What is your suspicion?”

  “Pubs. We aren’t even allowed to enter into some of the most lively pubs and wine bars on Fleet Street. There’s so much gossip happening there, not to mention the camaraderie that develops in establishments like pubs, and we women are at a disadvantage from the outset because we can’t run in the same circles and listen for scoops and relevant information as the men can.”

  Opal narrowed her eyes in judgment. “Surely what you’ve done already in such a short time should gain you an amount of goodwill with your editor, even if your information comes to you a bit slower?”

  “If I was a man, certainly. I’m not and that’s one of the problems I’ll mention at the event this evening. My speech is to I hope to offer women ways to circumvent the rules that limit our ability to do our jobs well and for the men in the audience—there will be a few—I hope to broaden their understanding of the challenges women in the industry face. We cannot move about as freely as our male counterparts, so we need to get creative.”

  “Will your speech change that reality for women?”

  “Ha!” Julia’s laugh was laced with vinegar. “I hardly think so, although that would be a lovely outcome. I will offer suggestions to help women, but the men don’t want the competition from us, so there really isn’t any reason for them to let us in. It’s a fact I’ll simply have to get used to until it can be changed. Hopefully soon. More work, less pay, less job security. It’s not a lot, but it’s what we’ve got. Women’s suffrage has a fair distance to go. Tonight, though, my wish is to hope I still have a job after my speech. Mr. Quincy will be here, and he’s not going to be so fond of it, I think.”

  “How generous of the PLC to let a man attend this event.” Opal pointed out in a sardonic tone.

  “Yes, I’m still unsure why we let them in at all sometimes. It says Ladies Club right in the name. Meredith extended the invite and as she’s the president of the PLC, that is certainly within the bounds of her authority.”

  “Perhaps I’ll invest in a women-only pub on Fleet Street. Wouldn’t they all just go mad about that? I might be able to talk my father and Oscar into it. Perhaps after we come back from our tour of the Mediterranean Sea this summer.”

  She winked, and Julia could see the mischief, not completely full of jest, in her good friend’s eyes.

  “That sounds like a lovely idea, Opal. Genuinely. Let’s consider it. After all, it’s how the PLC came into being. They wouldn’t let us into their exclusive gentleman’s club, so we founded our own in the heart of Piccadilly Circus. I don’t know if the location was selected intentionally to torment the members of the gentleman’s clubs in this location or if it was strictly a coincidence, but I bet it galled them when we opened. That would have been a sight to behold, I think. Men having apoplexy because women were encroaching on their space.” Julia nodded to herself and then continued.

  “Fine, then, we’ll make our own. I do think you are quite ahead of your time, Miss Opal Goodall.”

  “No more than you are.”

  “Are you really going to take the yacht to the Mediterranean?”

  Opal smiled, holding on the car handle as Julia tore around the corners. Julia did not have a reputation among her friends for being a smooth driver but rather an erratic speed demon. It was a label that Julia was actually proud to claim.

  “Yes, assuming you don’t kill me in this car first, that is what Father has announced. He and the Major are quite insistent that Oscar and I see the sights and travel the world. I can’t say that I’m disappointed by the prospect.”

  “I suspect not,” Julia said and slammed on the brakes as she pulled into the parking space.

  “I’m sure you’re quite welcome to join us if you’d like.”

  Julia shrugged and got out of the car, and Opal followed suit.

  “It’s a lovely offer, but I suspect my editor will frown at the idea o
f me taking the summer off to frolic with my friends. Although, if I get fired before then, I might take you up on your invitation.”

  Julia joked, but there wasn’t a world in which she would accept getting fired. She’d simply need to work harder and smarter until her position was secure. She’d more than made her bed with her family when she’d rejected their notion of propriety and their insistence that she marry someone who, in the end, turned out to be quite the unsavory character. Instead, she took a job, secured roommates in Opal and Oscar, and insisted on making her own rules.

  She was on speaking terms with her family, but only barely. If they hadn’t felt the weight of the guilt over their choice of husband, Julia was certain they’d have cut her off entirely when they realized she’d moved out.

  “Don’t count on me losing my job, though, Opal,” Julia said, more to herself than her friend. “I’ll not let them get rid of me that easy.”

  “I do hope you can find the time to have a little bit of fun, though. You know what they say about all work and no play. It makes Julia a dull girl. Say, are you coming to my party tomorrow? You simply must bring Jacob. We really should be spending more time with him. Aren’t you and he becoming more serious?”

  “We are scheduled to have dinner with Jacob’s uncle. If we don’t finish too late, then I plan on joining you. I don’t know if I’ll bring Jacob along or not. I’ve been practically insisting that he kiss me since New Year’s Eve. It’s been over a month and he still continues to behave as a chaste and proper young man. He insists he likes me, but I’m beginning to wonder. Honestly, I’ve had more affectionate relations with Jimmie.”

  “You are going to have to take matters into your own hands, Julia.”

  “Have you already forgotten that I kidnapped him for Christmas? How much more drastic must my measures be?”

  “You could always simply kiss him. Why must you wait for him?”

  “Well, of course I could just kiss him, but I’ll not make a fool of myself for someone who can’t be bothered to show his interest. Why should I embarrass myself further? He might not even want me. I’ve already made it perfectly clear where my interest lies.”

  Their conversation was interrupted as they approached the Piccadilly Ladies Club entrance where one of the club members waved Julia and Opal through.

  “Hi, Julia. Good to see you again, Opal.”

  “Hello, Katherine. Have you seen Meredith yet?”

  The red-haired woman smiled. “Oh, yes. She’s in rare form tonight. It’s as if she can sense the masculinity in the air and she’s donned a coat of armor.”

  “Excellent.” Meredith had been moody since her sister’s arrest last month but appeared to be leveling out. It had been quite a shock for her to learn what Millie was capable of. Both women’s suffrage and the Piccadilly Ladies Club had received its fair share of negative press, and Meredith was quite possibly more angry about the blemish on her club than she was about the murder committed by her sister.

  Once they passed by the front desk, Julia led Opal through the corridors to the main hall where the event would occur. They were still quite early. Julia’s speech was toward the end of the evening, and the event didn’t begin for another thirty minutes.

  “Is Jacob coming to hear your speech?”

  “No, he has to work tonight. He said he wanted to watch the faces of the men during my speech. I practiced with him and he is convinced that someone will likely have a coronary and die right in front of me before I’m halfway through my talk. He appeared genuinely disappointed to miss it, though.”

  Julia and Opal situated themselves near the front of the room at a table where name cards marked their seats.

  Opal made idle chatter while they watched the guests trickle in and find their seats.

  “Mattie and Edith are coming as well, and I think, although you shouldn’t take it to the bank, that Frankie will have Mattie on his arm. He seems to be quite enamored with her.”

  Julia was not surprised. She’d known they had feelings for each other for some time, but it did occur to her that she’d been quite out of the loop with her group of friends if she didn’t know that Mattie and Frankie were getting more serious.

  “I’ve got to get out more.”

  A waiter passed by, and they both took a flute of champagne from him without breaking their conversation.

  “You really do. That is why you simply must agree to come tomorrow night. It will go late into the evening, and there will be plenty of fun to be had even after your family dinner. Besides, isn’t his uncle the coroner? Don’t you see him all the time? Make it a quick dinner then meet up with us.”

  “I’ll think about it. It depends on Jacob.”

  Opal frowned at Julia’s rather weak effort at making excuses to avoid her friends. Julia noted the disapproval on Opal’s face and stood.

  “Excuse me for a moment, Opal. I see someone I need to speak with.”

  “Hurry back. I see Edith and the others now. She’ll try to turn this event into a party if I know her at all. She’s very much intent on bringing the party to you, if we can’t bring you to the party.”

  Julia grinned. “There’s no gin here, only champagne, so that should slow her down. Edith hates champagne.”

  She did miss her friends and needed to remedy that soon. For now, she straightened her shoulders and walked across to where Meredith stood talking with a small gathering of women to the right of the podium and head table.

  “Julia, wonderful to see you, darling. Allow me to introduce you to Fred Thompson, editor in chief at The Daily Telegraph.”

  Julia extended her hand and greeted the awkwardly tall gentleman.

  “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Thompson.”

  Meredith broke in. “I’ll leave you two to get acquainted. We have a few last minute details to attend to. Ladies?”

  Julia nodded and watched her walk away with the other two women in tow.

  “Julia,” Mr. Thompson said, “I’ve been watching your work. I’d like to talk with you this evening, after your speech, of course, about a possible move to our paper. I think you have just the drive we are looking for.”

  “That’s certainly flattering, Mr. Thompson. I suppose a conversation wouldn’t hurt anything.

  “You are working on the Dock Murders, are you not?”

  “I am. Your Harry Jones is beating me soundly to the presses on that particular story.”

  “Ah, yes. Harry is a force. He’s got quite a knack for research, that one. He could use someone like you working for us. Friendly competition. I think he needs the challenge of someone yipping at his heels to keep his blood pumping and desire to win at the forefront. You could gain quite a bit of notoriety if the two of you could solve that particular mystery together.”

  Julia looked around the ballroom and saw her editor walking toward her. “I’d appreciate if you’d not mention your offer to my current editor.”

  Mr. Thompson nodded. “Of course.”

  Mr. Simon Quincy strode up alongside Julia and patted her back. She tried not to flinch under his touch. It was true he’d given her a wonderful opportunity at his paper, but he was freer with his hands than she would like.

  “Well now, Miss Barlow. Consorting with the enemy, are you?”

  “Mr. Quincy, how lovely for you to attend. I assume you’ve met Mr. Thompson of The Daily Telegraph. Mr. Thompson, this is Simon Quincy, my editor at The Daily News.”

  The two men shook hands, each eyeing Julia so that she felt like the target of someone’s dinner search. She shivered. Time to make an escape.

  “If you’ll excuse me,” she said, formulating a retreat. “I need to get back to my guests. Wonderful to see you both.”

  She nodded and then extracted herself from their company and practically ran back toward her friends. Meredith appeared to have everything under control, and there were still a few minutes to get reacquainted before the event began.

  “Edith, darling. It’s lovely to see you.” J
ulia hugged Edith and before anyone else could speak she added, “And don’t any of you bother lecturing me about how I haven’t been around. I already know that it is a pressing problem that must be solved. I’ll figure something out. I do so adore you and miss our parties desperately. I need a good chase in our autos with the tops down.”

  Her best friends Jimmie, Edith, Mattie with Frankie in close attendance, and Opal’s brother, Oscar, were all there. Julia’s heart filled to bursting at the sight of her friends here to support her.

  Mattie clapped her hands gleefully. “Oh, how I love your ideas, Julia. Jimmie told us that we simply couldn’t miss your speech. Maybe we should all get jobs at The Daily News so we can spend more time with you.”

  Julia gave her a dirty look but a kiss on the cheek.

  “I told you. I don’t need any scolding. I’ve been scolded enough already by Jacob and my editor.”

  Mattie held her hands up in mock surrender. “Fine, darling. That’s the last you’ll hear of it. Tonight, at least. I can’t make any promises about what tomorrow will bring. More lectures, quite possibly.”

  She winked at Julia and looped her arm through Frankie’s. The two of them did look rather cozy. That cheered Julia, as she could see they were a good match together. They’d begun courting after the Lady Withers’ case. A treasure hunt, turned theft, turned murder was an unlikely beginning to a romance, but who was Julia to judge? Her own romance with the inspector had begun near the same time.

  A tinge of jealousy colored her thoughts. She watched Mattie and Frankie lean into each other, exchanging playful banter. She very much regretted that her own romance with Jacob wasn’t nearly as playful. Perhaps it was too complicated for them to overcome their work associations. Was that why Jacob didn’t seem to be able to relax and show his affections for her? She made a note to herself to have a frank discussion with Jacob and soon. She couldn’t take their current predicament for much longer. After all, she was a woman in the prime of her life. If Jacob wasn’t going to reciprocate her affections, she might as well move on now before she wasted her youth on a man who wasn’t interested.