Taking Natalya to her office, Madame Koska gave her one of the blue smocks to put around her shoulders, and explained to her how to apply a small amount of foundation, powder and rouge that would make her face glow but not look obviously made up. She saw with approval that Natalya had done her hair exactly the way she showed her the night before, and had done it quite deftly. She put a touch of the coral salve on Natalya’s lips, showing her exactly how to avoid a heavy layer and create a luminous look by tapping, not smearing the salve. Natalya looked in the mirror and smiled with pleasure. “I am a different person again, Madame Koska. Thank you!”
The seamstresses began to come in just as Natalya settled herself at the embroidery table. One of them looked at her with surprise. “I like your new hairdo, Miss Saltykov,” she offered. Natalya thanked her and the other women also expressed their approbation. “You look very well, quite changed, with this hairdo,” said one of them. Apparently no one could tell that the change involved more than the hair, but they kept sneaking an occasional look at Natalya, who did not seem to notice and was placidly embroidering.
At a few minutes to ten Gretchen came in. Madame Koska greeted her as if nothing had happened in Gretchen’s home life or as a result of yesterday’s heated conversation. Gretchen went to comb her hair as usual and then sat at the telephones, ready for the day’s work. At this moment, Inspector Blount came in and she greeted him politely. Gretchen did not seem in the least concerned about his arrival, Madame Koska noted with some surprise.
“Would you kindly follow me to Madame Koska’s office?” asked the inspector, and the three of them went in. The inspector shut the door and turned around, leaning on it. “Miss Van der Hoven,” he said, “I believe there is something you need to tell me.”
“Do you mean about my uncle?” asked Gretchen, sighing. “Yes, Madame Koska told me last night that you might be interested in his opium habit. He goes to a place by the river where many well-known people go to smoke opium. This is so disturbing. I imagine you know this place, don’t you, Inspector?”
“I may, if I were sure where it was,” said the inspector. “But that is not what I mean. I am talking about the fact that your uncle and aunt have left home to go to Paris on urgent business.”
“What?” said Gretchen, “left home? No, no. They did not go anywhere, it was me. I went yesterday to stay with my friend at our neighbours’ estate. She is home for a few days and called me last night to invite me. I asked my aunt and she said I could certainly go, on a lark, why not? So I took just a few things and went there. I’ll be returning home after the weekend.”
“If you return home after the weekend, Miss Van der Hoven, you will find everything covered in white dust sheets,” said the inspector. “Your aunt and uncle seemed to have been in a great hurry if they did not inform you.”
“But that is impossible! What about the Misses Plimpton-Anderson?” asked Gretchen. “They were right there when I left and expected to be there when I came back. They did not say goodbye to me as if they were about to depart.”
“They must have left after you did, then,” said the inspector.
“I am completely confused, Inspector,” said Gretchen. “Why would they do such a thing?”
“I have no idea,” said the inspector. “I was hoping you could enlighten me.”
“All I know is what you just told me, Inspector. This is just too strange… and what am I to do? I can’t stay at my friend’s home forever. Honestly, I don’t understand what they were thinking. They could have at least sent me a message!”
Madame Koska said nothing during the entire conversation. She felt Gretchen was telling the truth, strange as the story sounded. She also had an uncomfortable sensation that Gretchen was not safe at the friend’s house. It was rather a strange coincidence that they would conveniently invite the girl to stay with them just as her uncle was planning to escape. No, it was too convenient. Who knows what connection the friends had with the opium den, or with the gang, or with the theft of the brooch?
“Inspector,” she said. “I don’t think Gretchen is safe vhere she is.”
“I was about to say the exact same thing, Madame Koska,” said the inspector.
“Not safe?” asked Gretchen. “From what?”
“I don’t trust your uncle’s friends,” said Inspector Blount. “The neat way in which you were cleared out of the way before your uncle’s departure does not bode well.” Gretchen said nothing but looked extremely scared; her golden skin turned sickly pale and her eyes were full of fear.
“Do you have a friend in the city you can stay with?” asked the inspector.
“She can stay with me,” said Madame Koska. “I have an extra bedroom, and ve can send someone to get your clothes, or anything else you need from the house, Miss Van der Hoven.”
“Thank you, Madame Koska,” said Gretchen very meekly.
“Don’t vorry, my dear,” said Madame Koska. “You vill be safe in my apartment, and I am sure vithin a few days everything vill fall into place. Can you send someone to the neighbours’ estate to get her things, Inspector? It might be a bit awkvard for me to show them I know they are under investigation. Then ve’ll call the servants at the house, and Miss Van der Hoven can tell them vhat she vants them to send. I don’t think she should go there at all.”
“Certainly,” said the inspector. “I will be sending someone to question the neighbours right away, anyway, if you will just give me their name and address, Miss Van der Hoven. My man will bring your things. You can go back to work now, everything will be fine.” Gretchen left the room quietly.
“I did not expect Mr. Howard to be involved,” said the inspector, closing the door carefully behind Gretchen’s retreating back. “He has such a respectable reputation. Who would have suspected he takes opium?”
“I never quite trusted him, Inspector,” said Madame Koska. “Vhen I visited them, ve had a short conversation at dinner about the stolen brooch. Mr. Howard vas abrupt about it, almost rude; he refused to discuss it.”
“So you think he is involved with the theft?” asked the inspector, surprised.
“No, not actively involved, but I think he knows something about it,” said Madame Koska.
“We may find out more about it after questioning the neighbours, or we may not,” said the inspector. “But one thing is clear—I must visit the opium den. Yes, I know which one the girl was talking about. It’s a place we usually don’t bother since important people go there. But I might ask someone to inquire discreetly before I move in with full force.”
“Someone I know?” asked Madame Koska and smiled.
“Perhaps,” said the inspector, smiling back.
“He is going to be here any minute,” said Madame Koska. “Today is one of the times he comes over to teach me.”
“That is quite convenient,” said the inspector.
“I vill get us some coffee and ve can talk,” said Madame Koska. At this moment Mr. Korolenko came in, and stopped to say hello to Gretchen. Before she could say anything, the inspector was out of Madame Koska’s office and by his side. “Come inside, Korolenko,” he said quickly. Mr. Korolenko quietly followed him.
After hearing the story from Inspector Blount, Mr. Korolenko was deep in thought for a few minutes. “I am not sure it’s a good idea,” he finally said. “I mean, keeping Gretchen with you, Madame Koska.”
“Why is that?” asked the inspector.
“It might endanger Madame Koska, since I am certain Gretchen is followed. Something is sure to happen soon,” said Mr. Korolenko. “But I don’t have another solution to offer.”