Unseemly Haste by K. B. Owen

Author:K. B. Owen [Owen, K. B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: PublishDrive

Chapter 22

Saturday, July 16, 1898, En route to San Francisco, California

Concordia's bed was already made up for the night, but she decided to postpone changing into her nightdress for a while longer. As remote a possibility as it seemed, she hoped Mr. Tabor would seek her out to return her telegram. If not, she would enlist Mr. Carter's help in the morning to get it. She had the feeling the telegram had been from Penelope, although she could not say why. She tried not to consider the possibility that Tabor had read it and then promptly discarded it.

With a nod and a smile to her nearby occupants preparing to retire for the night, she settled in to peruse Penelope's logbook.

A dozen pages or so were filled with Penelope's slanted handwriting. Concordia cast her eye down the columns of dates, times, initials, and descriptions. Even within her own journal, Penelope was circumspect. With good reason, of course, considering the search of her belongings just the day before, but Concordia had to admit that sometimes the lady's reticent nature was irksome. It was hard not to take personally the fact that Penelope had not confided in her.

She knew such feelings were petty. Anyone searching Penelope's belongings would view Concordia as the natural confidant and search through her things as well.

It appeared that Algernon Tabor was the focus of Penelope's most recent log entries, as evidenced by the many T notations in the book—what he said about his background, about the case (very little as to either, apparently), where and how he spent his leisure time, and with whom he conversed. Concordia recognized N for Nell, BC f0r Bill Carter, R for Roaring Ronald, K for Krebs, C for herself, por for porter, and cond for conductor.

I'm concerned about T's intentions toward C, Penelope had written in her last entry, after dinner last night. That would have been after Tabor pulled Concordia away from the dinner group. Concordia blushed now to recall how eagerly she had accompanied him to the parlor car, and how enjoyable his company had been. Her perspective had now changed, of course, as she had come to see that the man was more concerned with the success of his case than the fate of Penelope Hamilton, and willing to go to unscrupulous lengths to achieve it.

In checking over the entries again, Concordia saw another pattern. Penelope had been keeping track of Roaring Ronald's movements as well, as denoted by the many Rs of her entries. Krebs was noted as Ronald's constant companion. Concordia felt a prick of unease, recalling that Krebs had not been seen since last night.

More alarming, however, was the fact that, over the last page of Penelope's log entries, Roaring Ronald and Algernon Tabor were grouped together multiple times. T and R in close conversation when they believe they are not observed, Penelope noted in one of the entries. More than casual acquaintanceship? Will investigate further.

A chill gripped her and she stared at the page, no longer seeing the words.

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