Betting on Death

by Megan Mollson

  I was beginning to get on my own nerves and was only too glad when Harrison opened the door to the parlor and announced Cal’s arrival. The policeman gave me a tight smile and the most minimal of compliments before suggesting we go out to the carriage.

  We settled into our seats and a scratchy silence. I fiddled with my gloves and tried to think of something to say. A quick glance out of the corner of my eye confirmed that he was just as uncomfortable as I and every bit as handsome as I’d first thought when he’d arrived. His formal suit was not tailored as well as Will’s would have been, but Cal wore it with an untamed manliness that I found far more appealing.

  “I was sorry to hear that your father was ill,” Cal said, voice straining to sound normal.

  I cleared my throat. “Yes, as was I. He was terribly disappointed to miss hearing Miss Barrie sing.”

  “I can imagine. I was glad to be offered his ticket as I’ve heard great things about Miss Barrie.”

  After nodding and smiling my agreement, the silence dragged us back into its sticky depths. I weighed and dismissed half a dozen topics of conversation. Asking about the Meriwether case would be foolish; I knew that there were no new developments. And Cal already knew how the Finney case was progressing.

  Finally, Cal let out a heavy sigh and our eyes met. “You look lovely tonight, Miss Lunceford.”

  His eyes were sincere and his smile rueful. I relaxed and smiled in return. “Thank you, Mr. Lloyd. I was thinking that you looked quite dashing yourself.”

  His fingers moved to his white bow tie and he chuckled. “If it wasn’t for my acquaintance with your family, I wouldn’t have any need for such clothes.”

  “It’s strange to think that Father has become such a society man when he had a similar start in the police force.” I laughed. “My grandmother said that when he first visited, he didn’t know to change for supper. He arrived in the dining room in the suit he’d traveled in.”

  Cal grimaced sympathetically. “You’d never know it to see him now. That’s the power a woman can have on a man.”

  Our eyes locked and something electric passed between us. Thankfully, the carriage slowed and we were able to busy ourselves with exiting. I didn’t want to have to analyze what I was feeling until much later when I could be alone. Cal seemed as eager to pretend that nothing had happened. He put out his arm and I took it before joining the crowd entering the theater.

  The concert was delightful. Miss Barrie’s voice was incomparable. Her arias shook the crystal chandelier and made my heart soar. More than once, tears sprang to my eyes and I fairly jumped to my feet to join in the standing ovation as she took her final curtsey.

  Discussion of the concert kept us busy for the first five minutes of the drive home. Cal and I were eager to share our favorite songs and to try and find the words to describe how we’d felt as we sat in the theater. In fact, we were so busy talking that we didn’t notice that the carriage turned away from town. It wasn’t until the streetlights were left behind that we realized that something was wrong.

  “Where is Mason taking us?” I asked lightly. My heart was, as yet, too buoyed by the music to believe that anything dangerous could be taking place.

  Cal, however, had tensed instantly. He moved to the window and looked around, then turned back to me, every inch a policeman. “I’m afraid that we’ve been taken hostage. Whenever the carriage stops, we’ll have to be on guard. I don’t know who is behind this. We won’t act hastily, but we must be ready for anything.”

  With each word, my heart pounded a little faster. I prided myself on being a modern woman who was bold and courageous. Still, I can’t deny that I was becoming very afraid. Cal dealt with some of the worst members of society. Father had a long list of enemies he’d imprisoned. It was impossible to guess who would be waiting for us when we finally arrived at our mysterious destination.

  Cal took my hand in his and said, “I’ll do everything in my power to protect you, Rose.”

  I lifted my chin and nodded as bravely as I could. Of all the things that were unknown about this situation, I had no doubt that Calvin Lloyd would do whatever he could to keep me from harm. I trusted him implicitly. I could only pray that extreme measures wouldn’t be necessary.

  The carriage slowed and the door was pulled open. A rough man wearing worn clothes leered at us and gestured for us to climb down. Cal stepped down first before reaching back to help me. The moment my feet settled on the ground, he slid in front of me, shielding me from the three thugs who formed a half circle around us.

  Noise from the driver’s seat drew my eyes and I watched another henchman climb down and join his friends. Fear for Mason, our driver, flashed in my mind. What had happened to our faithful servant? Was he even now lying hurt in some dark place?

  “You’re making a mistake to kidnap a detective and the daughter of the chief of police,” Cal announced bravely.

  The man who’d opened the carriage door appeared to be the leader. He sneered and said, “We’ve got a message to give you, Lloyd.”

  Without a moment’s hesitation, the man on Cal’s left slugged him in the gut. Cal let out a sharp groan and doubled over. I resisted the urge to scream and reach for him. Any sudden moves on my part could make this situation far worse. I settled for making the tightest fists I could, hidden in the folds of my skirt.

  The leader bent over Cal and said, “Stop investigating the casino. That raid last night is going to be the last one.”

  One of the thugs grabbed Cal’s arms and the other two began to hit him in the face and stomach. Instantly, all reason left me and I leapt forward with no other thought than to tear them away from Cal.

  The leader was faster than I was and he dragged me back. I fought him, twisting and yelling. Tears of frustration and helplessness and rage sprang to my eyes. The sounds of the men hurting Cal tore at my heart. I was disgusted at being manhandled. My feet stomped as I tried to find his toes. I clawed at my captors’ hands. Words burst from my mouth without my brain registering what they were. I only knew that I had to get to Cal and stop those awful men from hurting him any longer.

  Finally, the three stepped back and Cal slumped to the ground. The leader had one arm around my waist and the other around my throat. One of the thugs reached down and grabbed Cal’s hair. He pulled up his head and forced him to look at me.

  “If you don’t leave the casino alone,” the leader hissed, “we’ll come after Miss Lunceford next.” And he squeezed my throat.

  My fingers scrabbled at his hand as my mouth fell open, gasping for air. How was he so strong? The leader wasn’t a large man, but his grip on my throat was ironclad.

  And then he was gone. The thugs all disappeared into the darkness and I fell to my knees, coughing.

  I gulped air for a long moment, tears running down my cheeks. Fear filled the cold night air and I was practically paralyzed by it.

  “Rose,” Cal gasped.

  His pitiful cry broke through my numbness and I stumbled to my feet. I had to get him away from this place. Even in the dark, I could tell that Cal was badly beaten. He was unable to stand on his own and was clutching at his ribs. I crouched down and my fingers searched for a way to support him without causing him further pain.

  Groaning, Cal pushed himself up and slowly the pair of us maneuvered him to his feet. I pulled his arm around my shoulders and my own encircled his waist. As quickly as possible, though it felt painfully slowly, we made our way to the carriage.

  “Get inside,” I instructed, my voice harsh due to fear.

  If I’d doubted the extent of his injuries, I would have no longer when Cal didn’t argue with me once. Instead, he climbed in with a great deal of effort and a fair amount of painful groans.

  I turned my attention to getting myself up to the driver’s seat. This would have been difficult even in trousers since I’d never done it before. My skirts, corset, and the dark all conspired against me. It took several tries and a very unladylike revealing of my stockings b
efore I could pull myself up.

  Then I had to find the reins and try not to cry with worry at the thought of driving a carriage for the first time in my life and in the dark to boot.

  I’m convinced that only the grace of God got us home without further incident. The horses knew the way, which made the work of driving much easier. I winced at every jostle of the wheels, knowing that Cal was surely in terrible discomfort in the carriage behind me.

  Finally, we pulled into our drive and I tugged on the reins, calling to the horses. I threw my skirts out of my way and clambered down, heedless of propriety. I scampered for the front door and threw it open, calling for Harrison who came running, eyes wide.

  I cannot put into words how grateful I was when our butler instantly understood the gravity of the situation and took charge. A footman was sent to bring in Cal, a maid was ordered to prepare a room, the cook hurried off to boil water, and Harrison rushed in his stately way to the telephone to ring the doctor. I stood by uselessly, ringing my hands and feeling the full terror of the night wash over me in waves that left me trembling and crying heedlessly.

  June appeared and I was never more glad to see anyone in my life. She threw her arms around me and we watched together in silent worry as Cal was helped past and up the stairs to the guest room.

  “Let’s get you cleaned up and into something more comfortable,” she urged as soon as he was out of sight.

  “I need to be with Cal,” I argued pitifully.

  “It’s sure to be a long night, Miss Rose. We’ll get you settled and back to him in no time. He’s in good hands with Harrison.”

  Exhaustion was tugging at my skirt and I was suddenly filled with a desire to lie down and sleep for days. I had no energy left to fight, so I nodded wearily and allowed my maid to lead me upstairs. June’s gentle hands took off my dress and shoes, removed the pins and frame from my hair, and saw me into a looser house dress and hairstyle.

  She promised to find me something to drink and left me at the door to Cal’s room. I crept in, afraid to see him in the lantern light. Harrison was bustling about the room, making sure that the fire was warm enough and that there were adequate pillows and bandages. The doorbell rang and a footman was sent to bring up the doctor.

  I hovered near the door as Dr. Major rushed in with his black bag and got to work. He and Harrison removed Cal’s jacket and shirt and worked in tandem, creating a shield that protected my eyes from the fullest extent of Cal’s injuries. I couldn’t bear to creep any closer, nor could I stand the thought of being any farther away.

  Finally, Dr. Major sat back and sighed. Harrison went off to the kitchen to prepare a light meal for the doctor.

  “Come and have a seat, Miss Lunceford. You look almost done in as well,” Dr. Major said as he dropped into one of the armchairs by the fire.

  I joined him on stiff legs. “Will he be all right?” I whispered.

  “Don’t worry, my dear. Mr. Lloyd is made of sterner stuff than that. He’s got a cracked rib which will hurt like the dickens, if you’ll pardon me saying so. He’s got a few bumps and bruises, but nothing serious. I don’t think there are any internal injuries. Those men knew what they were doing. He’ll be sore for a long time, but there will be no permanent injuries.”

  Tea arrived soon after which I drank numbly. I vaguely recall answering the doctor’s questions and bidding him good night. June placed a chair next to Cal’s bed and settled me into it before leaving us alone.

  Finally, I looked down into Cal’s face. A bandage encircled his head. His eyes were black and blue. His lip was split and swollen. My heart swelled and I choked. Seeing him like this was so much worse than if I’d been the one who’d been hurt. I couldn’t bear that he’d been humiliated and brutalized.

  And in that instant, I came face to face with the truth: I was madly in love with Calvin Lloyd.

  Chapter Sixteen

  I sat and watched Cal sleeping for almost an hour. While I wanted very much to do something with this new revelation about my feelings, I realized that there was nothing to be done. Cal had made it very clear that he was not interested in any sort of romantic relationship with me. If I let slip how I cared, our friendship might be irreparably damaged. It was very far from what I wanted, but I had little choice. Declaring my feelings would be the worst thing I could do.

  It was, therefore, a relief when Father came in to spell me. He was sneezing and coughing, but insisted that I go to bed. His old-fashioned sensibilities might have allowed Cal and me to ride in a carriage together unchaperoned, but it did not extend to allowing us to be in the same room together all night. The fright had long since drained away and I was left feeling empty and weary.

  When Will arrived the next morning to take me to visit local pawn shops, I acted the coward and avoided Cal’s room. Though it took great effort, I put all thoughts of the injured detective from my mind and concentrated on searching for something that might help Mrs. Finney.

  Will wanted all the details about the previous evening’s dramatic events. He listened in tense silence as we walked, his jaw muscles working. I knew he was concerned for my safety, which was touching, but unnecessary. I already had one overly cautious man keeping his eagle eye on me. I didn’t need another.

  “Will, I’m fine. My throat hurts a bit, but it isn’t bad. This attack means that we’re closing in. The police raid on the casino made an impact. Perhaps the gamblers will be dispersed.” I tried not to allow a speck of last night’s terror to mar my smooth tone.

  He shook his head and glared at me. “Your life is in danger, Rose. Do you understand that?”

  “This from the man who is always game for a lark,” I scoffed.

  “This isn’t a lark. I don’t take your safety lightly. Maybe Lloyd was right.”

  Despite all the years of my grandmother’s careful tutelage, I could not keep my face straight. My eyebrows shot up at Will’s muttered words. I stopped walking and grabbed his arm, turning him to me.

  “What do you mean by that?” I demanded.

  “Cal Lloyd didn’t want you to be a detective because it is dangerous work. I thought he was being dramatic, but this is the second time that your life has been at risk since we started investigating. Maybe we’re being naive about all this.” Will looked intently into my eyes, his shoulders hunched over.

  I swallowed hard. Was my own partner about to quit on me? Slowly, I said, “You’re right. Investigating can be dangerous. We’re dealing with criminals who aren’t afraid to break the law. Yet, I believe that the reward of helping people is worth the risk. If we hadn’t investigated, Flora Dobson’s killer would have gone free. The casino is being shut down by the police thanks to our work. You and I are able to aid those people the police cannot.”

  He looked away and considered my words. Then he turned back, a twinkle in his eye. “All right, Rose. But I’ll have to keep a much closer eye on you.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I live with the chief of police. What more are you going to do?”

  Will waggled his eyebrows at me and I couldn’t resist laughing at his roguish ways. He held out his arm to me and I tucked my hand in his elbow before heading off towards the first pawn shop on our list.

  As much as I wanted to be seen as an experienced detective, I’d never before in my life visited such a place as a pawn shop. When I’d lived with my grandparents in St. Louis, Grandmother would never have allowed such a visit. In fact, if I’d even mentioned the idea, I would have been given a scolding I wouldn’t soon forget.

  Therefore, I tried not to goggle as I stepped into the first shop. It was one of the better establishments, or so Cal had informed me. However, I didn’t think much of the rickety tables with their worn merchandise. Will and I had decided that we would behave as though we were simply shopping for a gift for a friend. We wandered the aisles, eyes searching for any of the items Mrs. Finney had described to us, talking of whether or not this clock was right for dear Mr. Franklin’s birthday.

  I’
m not sure that our act was entirely convincing. After spotting none of the items from our list, we moved on to the next shop where we had equally poor luck. To our delight, a small jade cat statue was prominently displayed in the third shop we searched.

  We took the statue to the proprietor and asked about its provenance. Thankfully, fine pieces of art like this required background information.

  “Ah,” the man said, his eyes lighting up at the sight of customers who desired such a costly piece. “This was purchased from one of the wealthy families in town who were refreshing their decor. From the marks on the bottom, I believe the statue to be genuine jade from China, though I can’t promise that it’s from the Ming Dynasty.”

  I tried to look interested in this news, but my disappointment was too great. I’d hoped that we might get more clues about who had sold the statue. It would have been too wonderful if the man had described Lillian Finney. Now, though, I was reluctant to press further in case he grew suspicious.

  Thankfully, Will was a quick thinker. “I read in the paper that there was a ring of thieves operating in these parts a few months back. How do we know that this statue wasn’t stolen? I’d hate to shell out top dollar for it only to have the police arrive and demand its return.”

  I tried not to grin at my partner. He and I had been the ones to bring the ringleader of that gang down. I was impressed by his quick thinking.

  The pawn broker blinked at us, aghast. “Oh, no. This is a reputable shop, sir. I only purchase items from prominent citizens. They must sign an agreement.” He pulled out a large, leather bound book and began to flip through the pages. “There. This was sold by Mr. Melvin Finney on the seventeenth of August.”

  And there it was. As plain as day, the statue was listed and Melvin Finney had signed the receipt. He had sold this statue. I could hardly believe we had such evidence so easily given to us.

  “Have you done much business with this gentleman before that day?” Will asked, his voice full of skepticism.