Storyville by Lynn Lorenz

Author:Lynn Lorenz [Lorenz, Lynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance, historical
Publisher: MLR Press
Published: 2017-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

I slept for a while, but after I woke, instead of taking advantage of Tommy in my bed, I got out, careful not to wake him. I had to get my uniform cleaned and ironed in time for my shift. I dressed, wrote a quick note to Tommy and put it on the kitchen table, then left.

While the laundry had my uniform, I went back to the Palace. I needed to talk to Miss Angel. Being Tommy’s aunt, I figured she’d be my best bet to find out what was going on.

The street smelled of smoke, and in the light of day, the burned-out house looked forlorn. The houses on either side had only been singed, lucky for them. I went to the Brown Pelican to talk to Miss Lavidia. If anyone knew where Miss Angel had gone to ground, she would.

I climbed the steps and knocked on the door. It was early in the afternoon and soon the deliveries would arrive for the evening. Someone should be awake. I knocked again.

The door opened, and Miss Lavidia looked out at me. “Well, well, well, if it ain’t one of our local coppers. What do you need, Mr. O’Rouke?” A cigarette dangled from the corner of her mouth and she pulled her dressing gown tighter.

“I’m worried about Miss Angel. Tommy, her nephew, is real worried, too. He hasn’t seen her since the fire. Any idea of where she might be?”

“You got Tommy?” She looked past me, into the street, as if she expected to see someone else.

“Yeah. He’s at my place.” I didn’t give any more explanation.

“Hold on.” She closed the door and left me on the stoop to wait. I tapped my foot, trying to keep a grip on my nerves. If I couldn’t find Angel, I’d be hitting another dead end. And with Tommy’s life on the line, I couldn’t afford any more of those.

The door opened. “Mr. O’Rouke?” Miss Angel held the door open. “Come in, please. Tell me about Tommy.” She stepped aside as I entered.

“He and his piano are with me, at my place in the Fouburg Marigny. He’s safe.”

“Good.” She exhaled and sat on a velvet divan. “I feared for that boy.”

“Miss Angel, you have to be honest with me. Do you know why anyone would want to hurt Tommy?”

“Hurt Tommy?” She stared at me.

“Look, at the raid, the coppers were looking for him. They had orders to pick him up.”

“They did?” She blinked at me, and I could see the family resemblance.

“Yeah. So who would want to raid your place just to get Tommy? Think, Miss Angel.” I wanted to grab her and shake her to get it out of her, and I would have, if I thought it’d help.

She shook her head.

“The bottle that came through the window was aimed at the piano. At Tommy. Someone is trying to get Tommy, and I can’t keep him safe if I don’t know who it is.”

Angel gasped, her hands going to cover her mouth. She paled, and for a moment, I thought she’d faint.

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