Shadows of the Past by Eric Goebelbecker

Author:Eric Goebelbecker
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Eric Goebelbecker
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

26

“D id you find something?” Susan whispered as James entered Mrs. Prendick’s boarding house. The home was beautiful, with nineteenth-century woodwork decorating the door frames, chair rails, and a fireplace in the sitting room. That sitting room was as much of the house as James had ever seen. Women were strictly proscribed from entertaining men in their rooms, as Mrs. Prendick was fond of reminding him when she wasn’t dropping hints about how he should make an honest woman of Susan—who was nearly as fond of reminding Mrs. Prendick that she didn’t need help being honest, since she already was.

James nodded. “Let’s talk at the Inn.”

They left Mrs. Prendick's and turned in the direction of downtown and the Inn. It was about a ten-minute walk; and the cool air was refreshing after the long, stressful day at Edison. But James was flushed with excitement, sweating in the fresh shirt he’d thrown on before running to their date. The mysterious letter was a gift from heaven. It would help him reconcile with Susan and expose Fleming’s involvement in the bombing in Coney Island without risking his or his mom’s safety. He’d hand it over to Urich and let the newspapers take care of the colonel.

He smiled as he and Susan crossed Bayard Lane.

“You seem happy,” Susan said. “I wasn’t sure you’d really sneak into his office. Whatever you found must have been good.”

“Actually, I didn’t have to go into his office at all. What we needed came to me.” James grinned again. No reason to tell her he never would have done what she’d asked.

“Came to you? It’s not some rumor, is it? We need something solid. Something tangible.”

“I’ll show you at the Inn.” The letter was neatly folded in James’s pocket, and he didn’t want to risk damaging it or losing it outside. He needed to deliver it to Urich safely.

“So you have something to show me? I hope I didn’t come with you for nothing.”

James stopped in his tracks. For nothing? Was seeing her contingent on his capability to gather intelligence on Colonel Fleming? What if she still didn’t want to see him afterward? The joy seeped out of him.

Susan turned to him. “What?”

James stared at his shoes, debating what to say.

“Oh, that’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

“You only agreed to meet with me if I broke into his office. As a matter of fact, you didn’t think dinner was a ‘good idea.’ What if I hadn’t found anything?”

Susan crossed her arms. “James, I’m disappointed with you for staying at Edison, with that man in charge.”

“One of us has to work. I have to support my mom. And what about you? How are you going to pay for your room?” James raised his hands in frustration, working to keep his voice down.

“We can both find jobs, James. Let’s not argue out here on the street.” She offered him her hand. After a moment, he took it, and they made the turn onto Nassau Street.

The Inn was

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