The Golden Room

Once back in his own cluttered office, safe behind his own cluttered desk, William Pinkerton fished about in his jacket for a notebook, found it, and turned to the pages on which he had scrawled during the Dr Holmes interview.

On his way to the office, he had intended to phone Minna Everleigh and inform her that nothing had come of the meeting with Dr Holmes. But now, finishing with the notebook, he had second thoughts.

Pinkerton telephoned the Everleigh Club, and waited patiently until Minna Everleigh came on.

'Miss Everleigh. This is William Pinkerton again.'

'Yes?' Her voice was eager.

'I've just come from a meeting with Dr Herman Holmes. While he was cooperative, I'm not certain the meeting was

productive. I have a few leads on your missing girls, but they are vague. I will pursue them, but if nothing comes of them, I would like to pursue another course.'

'What course?'

'It involves Dr Holmes's veracity.'

'You think he was misleading you about Fanny, Avis, and Greta?'

'Possibly. At any rate, do you mind if I pursue this investigation a step further?'

'Will that be expensive?'

'It won't cost you a penny, unless I get results. Is that agreeable?'

'I couldn't ask for anything better.'

'I'll go on then,' said Pinkerton. 'Let's see what happens.'

SEVEN

Minna Everleigh summoned Karen Grant to her office. Minna, remaining seated, pointed Karen to a chair.

'There's something I'd like you to do for me,' Minna began.

'If it's something I can do, I'll be glad to.'

Minna shifted in her chair. 'Have you ever been to Marshall Field's department store downtown?'

Karen smiled. 'He advertises it as "Everybody's Store", so I'm sure everybody has been there. Yes, it was one of the first places I visited when I came to Chicago.'

'Very well, then, I want you to do me a favour. I had intended to escort my niece, Cathleen, to Marshall Field's to select her wedding gown. I myself spend a fair amount of time and money there. The clerks and managers know me well, and so does Mr Marshall Field himself. Did you see him standing near the door?'

'No, I didn't.'

'Well, he may approach and question you as a new customer. If you want to avoid this, you'd better know what he looks like. He's a grey-haired man in his late sixties, pink cheeks, about six feet tall. He's a bit hunched and somewhat bow-legged. He usually keeps the forefinger of his right hand in his vest pocket because it's slightly malformed. Anyway, he always teases me about running a big business too with our Everleigh Club. Well, I realized if I took Cathleen in for her wedding gown, Marshall Field might see me and come over and make some joke about the Club. I could not let that happen in front of Cathleen. You do understand?'

'I do.'

'I'm asking you to escort Cathleen to Marshall Field's in my place and help her select her wedding gown. I told Harold

T. Armbruster when we all lunched with him that I wanted a white satin gown with lace for Cathleen. I'd like you to help her select something along that line. Price is no object. Will you do that this afternoon?'

'I'd be delighted,' Karen said with enthusiasm.

Karen had welcomed the opportunity to get away from the Club, where she had begun to feel guilty performing as a spy for Mayor Harrison. It had been all right in the beginning, when there had been only the mayor to satisfy, but now there was someone more important to satisfy – Minna's nephew, Bruce. Karen felt less and less pleased about being responsible for exposing Minna and Aida to their relatives.

Further, there was another reason that Karen welcomed the opportunity to go shopping with Cathleen. It would be an opportunity to discuss Bruce Lester with his sister. Karen wanted to know everything possible about him.

Because she was in love with him.

Because she wanted to find out from Cathleen if he was really in love with her.

With an effervescent, talkative Cathleen in tow, Karen descended from the electric streetcar at the corner of State and Washington streets.

Alongside her on the cobblestone street, Karen could hear Cathleen's excitement as they approached the mammoth department store. Marshall Field's was twelve storeys high and it occupied the entire city block between State Street and Wabash Avenue, and between Washington and Randolph.

They walked to the Washington Street entrance and were greeted royally by the liveried doorman. Inside, they crossed the highly polished black marble floor. House detectives, well-dressed clerks, and floorwalkers with carnations in their lapels blended in with crowds of shoppers.

Briefly, Karen led Cathleen on a tour of the showcases, pressing forward to see the array of gloves, powder boxes,

and jewellery illuminated by the pink overhead globes with their new electric bulbs. Karen pointed out the store's library, furnished with green leather chairs and Oriental rugs. They paused to visit the elegant powder room, a spacious expanse of pale-green travertine walls, silver mirrors, and green willow rockers.

They took an elevator to the top floor, where a salesman proudly informed them there was a cold storage vault that held 25,000 fur coats. Then they went down to the floor that sold muffs and hats, and after that to the lace counter, where they saw ruffled parasols in white, black, and ecru. Finally, they toured the yard goods section, wandering through endless aisles of silk, cotton, woollens, and chiffon with hand-sewn beading.

When they reached the display of lavish wedding gowns, a tall, regal saleswoman with bunned, grey hair piled atop her head, introduced herself.

'I am Mme Judith. May I help you?'

Karen nodded. 'My name is Karen Grant, and this is Cath-leen Lester. Cathleen's the bride-to-be.'

'Congratulations, Miss Lester,' said Mme Judith. 'May I bring you our newest styles?'

'Oh, that won't be necessary,' Cathleen exclaimed. 'I see the gown I want.'

She reached out her hand and touched the gown draped on a waxen store mannequin. The gown was made of heavy white satin and trimmed with rose point lace. A train of satin and lace flowed from a crown of orange blossoms set upon the mannequin's head.

'You have the best taste,' Mme Judith stated. 'This is our finest import from Paris.'

'I only hope Alan likes it,' said Cathleen.

'He'll adore it,' Karen assured her.

Mme Judith was removing the wedding gown from the form. 'I think this is your size, young lady,' she said. 'Why don't you try it on?'

The saleswoman carried the gown into die fitting room, and Cathleen and Karen followed. As Cathleen removed her outer garments her eyes remained fastened on the gown. 'It's beautiful. I was just thinking how lovely it would look on you.'

'On me?' said Karen. 'I haven't got anyone to marry.'

As Karen assisted her in getting into the gown, Cathleen said, 'I know someone who would like to marry you.'

'Who?'

'My brother Bruce.'

'He hasn't shown the slightest interest in me.'

'Oh, he cares for you,' said Cathleen. 'He's always speaking of you when we're together.'

'Why doesn't he speak to me?' said Karen.

Cathleen was adjusting the gown. 'Maybe because he feels he can't. Maybe because he realizes he's in big financial trouble.'

'You mean trying to raise money for your father?'

'Yes, that first. And then he must figure out how he can provide for a wife and himself.'

'You're trying to tell me he may consider marrying Judith Armbruster to – to take care of everything.'

'Well, unless something else works out.'

'What else can work out?'

'His long shot hope is the race,' said Cathleen.