Lakefront and Mrs. Grey

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Chapter Five

To Shop

Kathleen woke to a firm knock on her door. "Moment" she called, throwing her thin sheet off. It was simply too hot to use the blanket, and that mattress. "I don't mind being eaten" she groaned, scratching a bright red dot on one leg, "But not by bugs. That bed goes today." Throwing on her blouse and grabbing her skirt she checked her 9mm. Then holding her skirt before her while standing to one side she carefully opened the door.

A late middle aged woman stood on the other side. "Mornin Lass" the woman greeted her, smiling lightly at Kath's mussed appearance. "Up late? I'm Mrs. O'Malley, Meg tah tha girls. I do wash, so ah come tha see if ye interested?"

"Sure" Kathleen answered as brightly as her sleep dulled brain would allow. She moved her hand, holding her weapon behind her back. "Come in, please." She stepped aside, moving the chair to allowing the older woman entry.

"Nah much" Meg noticed, looking about. "Travel light? Oh, and you can pu away tha great gun o' yers. I'm pret harmless."

"I see" Kathleen replied, bringing her weapon into sight. She popped the clip, tossing her skirt on the bed as Meg discretely closed her door. Ejecting a single round Kathleen dry fired, releasing its tension. As Meg watched, just a little impressed, she replaced her round into its clip, then slipped the clip back into her weapon. "No, I had to leave New York. My husband died tragically and I found myself... Undesired." She shrugged, "I've a few dollars. I'll do. Say look, I'll be doing some shopping today" she walked past Meg, ignoring the fact that all she had on was her blouse, carefully laying her automatic on the tiny desk. "How much to have someone watch for it, get the Super to let them in here?"

"Mah Bonnie can do it, mah as well. She's been laying 'bout all mornin. Keep 'er off tha streets. Outta trouble. Ah'll ge tha key from tha Super meself, common enough. What kinda stuff?"

"A bed" Kath admitted, pointedly scratching her arm, "Clothing, towels normal things. I've been living in these clothes much too long. They're in sad need of cleaning, or burning and Lakefront is much hotter than New York. Besides" She picked up the heavy black cotton skirt. "I really hate black" she finished as she finally dressed.

"Understand lass, its gonna be ah hot Fall Paddy says, and his old bones are usually right. Buh don ferget Winter. Gets snow seven, eight feet here." Meg stripped the bed. "New sheets, blankets. Best wash it all hon. All have Albert treat fer bugs, so don’ leave any money behin tahday. Be five cents tha sheets, nother five tha blankets. Clothes like those are ten tha outfit, unders depend. Silk?"

"Not these" Kath admitted, "Linen. Will be silk later. If I’m around lon enough."

"Takes care, two cents linen er cotton, four fer silk. Less yah want it washed inna hot too?"

Kathleen laughed in answer. "No thank you Mrs. O'Malley. So... ten cents for my bedding, another twelve for what I'm wearing. And dear me, what am I to do my shopping in? A smile?"

Meg did blush this time. "Its Meg, please. An ah don think tha ah good idea. Tell ye wha, send tha dirty ones back wid yer new, I'll wash 'em then. Aye, twenty two cents. We'll deal the rest when come tah it."

"Done” Kath agreed. Reaching for her purse she asked "How much to get your Bonnie to sweep up?"

"Dime be nice" Meg answered.

“And your Albert?”

“Onna house. Been hunting dem red biters, this be tha last room they hiden in.”

Kathleen handed the woman a two dollar bill. "Get some strong boys to lose this bed, whatever's left buy Bonnie a treat." She held up one finger, stopping the woman from complaining. "You know it won't be much and I really would like too. I don't have children of my own. After eleven years Tommy trying I never caught, so I think now it'll never happen. Oh, and how did you know about my gun?"

"Yer kin always have ah gat" Meg replied, accepting the bill. "Hon, tah us ye stick out lik a sore thumb. Way yah move, where yah stan when ye open tha door. Little things. Ah least ah hear ye not be bringin men up, ruining this place fer us lik tah las three tried."

"I see. Then I will have to be more careful. And no, I won't be bringing men up. Not for that. Any that do visit will do so with my door wide open. Will that meet with your approval."

Meg just smiled. "Yah got thins tah do Lass. Ah take care o' this, and where be yer precious thins?"

"Desk drawer. Please tell Bonnie and Albert to leave it alone. They could get seriously hurt."

"Than. Now ge dressed ahn go lass, its gonna be hot ta-day."

A little later, carrying her purse Kathleen exited the apartment building with a small list of good stores in her hand from Mrs. O'Malley. First though two phone calls. Walking to Nelsons Fine Clothing she stepped out of the morning heat into a cool breeze. Nelson's had several ceiling fans, and from the breeze had a roof fan as well. A female clerk quickly zeroed in on her, "Welcome to Nelson's" the woman greeted her, smiling against a searching gaze that took in Kathleen's rumpled clothing. "My name is Tess. How may I help you today?"

"Hello Tess, I'm Kathleen" Kathleen replied, studying the girl herself. Twenty two, maybe three. Wedding ring, conservative dress. She easily tagged her as a simple working girl. "I've been traveling and I'm afraid the ferry lost my trunk. Overboard. I believe that I angered a crewman by saying no, but nothing can be done about that. I need to buy everything, so can you help me? I've been hand washing and wearing this same outfit since Chicago. I'm rather tired of it."

"Certainly Kathleen. Just come this way to our women's department. I'm sure we can find something, though I'm afraid your rather small. We may have to make adjustments for you. If you don't mind."

Kathleen just smiled, it was a problem she lived with. Privately she believed it was the poor food as a child that had stunted her growth, but it could have been anything. "Don't worry Tess, I'm used to it. Oh, do you have a public phone? While I'm waiting for something to change into I need to make a couple of calls. One long distance, to let my Uncle know I arrived safely."

"In the back, there's three nickel booths. Now, what colour are you looking for?"

"Ivory for today" Kath answered, starting her search.

True to Tess's warning every outfit had been cut for a taller, or less endowed woman. Nelson's seamstress clucked over Kath's body, measuring here, there, everywhere. Two hours later Kathleen was tired, quite a few dozen dollars poorer and delighted with everything. While she waited for the ivory dress to be adjusted she took up Tess's offer, using one of the booths in back. Her first call was to the number she'd been slipped by Mrs. Kennedy last night as the woman had left.

"Esmeralda's Book Store, how may I help you?" a woman's voice answered.

"Good morning" Kathleen replied, not giving her name. "A woman gave me this number last night, she asked me to call in the morning. During business hours."

"I see" the other voice continued, becoming neutral. "And her name?"

"I'm afraid that she failed to give one. Still, she looked like.. "She described Mrs. Kennedy, down to the lace cuffs on her sleeves.

"Oh yes, we know of her" the woman admitted, her voice becoming a bit more friendly. "Would you like to meet the man she spoke about?"

"That would be nice" Kathleen agreed, not desiring to let slip that The Mrs Kennedy had not spoken one word in her presence. "After lunch perhaps? Around three please. I'm rather busy this morning."

"That will be fine, say three pm. Ask for Esmeralda. And you are?"

"Interested" Kathleen closed, setting the phone on its hook. Replacing the paper slip she pulled out the pasteboard card Fong had given her several days before. This number was enough different from the first that she knew she'd be traveling.

"Big China Department Store. Su Lin speaks. How may help you?"

Kath suppressed a giggle, it wasn't any worse than Meg's Irish smearing of English or her own until the last few years. "My name is Mrs. Grey. On the ferry an elderly man named Fong asked me to call upon his Granddaughter. Have I been given the correct number please?"

There was a moment of quiet, followed by a rush of Chinese she wasn't meant to hear. Not that she'd understand it anyway. "Yes please. Miss Jing awaits you. Come please?"

"It will be a while" Kathleen admitted. "I'm at Queen and Walnut buying clothing. Perhaps an hour?"

"Nelsons" the woman easily guessed. "Miss Jing say she send driver. Twenty minute top. You look how please." Kathleen carefully gave a brief description of herself, and what she'd be wearing. "Very good. Driver have store car. You look Big China on side. That him. See soon."

Kathleen shook her head as she hung up. Chinatown, Tommy had always looked down on the Chinese. Then, Tommy had always looked down on the Irish, the French... Anyone not English. Her last call would seal her doom, or open the way to a new life. Pouring coins into the slot she dialed a long ago memorized number.

“Yeah. Talk” a well know gravely voice answered.

“Morning Louie” Kathleen said in a gentle voice. “Or is it afternoon in New York.”

“Katty. Where are yah?”

Kathleen grimaced, she had never liked Lucky Louie using that pet name with her. It hinted of more personal things. Things that had never occurred. “My letter arrived?”

“Yeah, this mornin. Got some boys headed there now. You got mah money?”

“You know me better than that Louie. I never took so much as a sheet of notepaper from you or anyone. I’m not stupid enough to steal money from you. Certainly not your number two. No, I do not. Tommy jumped the train with it all. Left me with just enough to get here.”

“Ahn Here is?”

“Lakeside. I’ll mail you another letter in a few days. Exactly where I am and how to find me. I need a few days to get my life together, settle things. Deal with the church. Then you can kill me. Louie. All we have together. Will you promise to make it quick?”

“No Turkey. Promise yah that much. Katty, come on back. We can deal.”

Kathleen actually sighed, wishing such was so. “I can’t. You can’t afford me being in New York. People would think you went soft. Even though I had nothing to do with it, Tommy was my husband. No one would believe I’m innocent. You’d have to ace me, as nasty as you could. Louie, if I live its because you believe me. Sure, I can run but to where? Lets just get this over with and be done with it.”

“You always were tah smart one. O’kay. I’ll wait till we see what’s what. Then you send me tha place. I’ll send Gisborn. Yah two were partners, we both know he’ll do what I tell him. And Katty. Good luck with God. He’s ah hard man.”

“Yes, yes he is. No more than a week. I’ll send the letter by then. My word. Goodby Louie, and you were a good boss.” Kathleen hung up and shook, waiting until she had control over her body before she left the phone booth. Finally she returned to Tess to find her ivory dress ready. Taking it and some new unders she went to a changing room, placing her soiled clothing in a box Tess gave her. There was no real need to save money. Either she would be dead in two weeks and not need it, or alive and capable of making more as she needed it. Only time and Lucky Louie would tell.

Looking at herself in the mirror Kathleen smiled, a low but not too low neckline, the skirt split on her left side nearly to her hip, tight where it needed to be tight and lose where she'd asked it to be. Better shoes, more comfortable than those mid-heels she'd been wearing. It was though not the best Nelson's had to offer, a dream after her traveling clothing. Something Tommy had never let her wear. She exited the room, handing the box to a young man who placed it with her other purchases. Giving her address, who to expect to be there then paying her bill she walked out the front to wait.