Dominion Police

Chapter 12 – Dominion Police

                 Carroll and his friend George stood watching as the couple disappeared into the stage door.

                 “Their contact must be in there” said Carroll

                 “Either that or they’re touring the theatre, which I don’t think is probable. Maybe we should try to follow”

                 “I think you’re right”, said Carroll and stepped into the alley.

                 As he did so, he saw their friend from the train and the hotel appear at the other end of the alley beside a tall thin man, and stepped back. They hurried along the alley and then entered the stage door. Allowing them to get inside and away from the door, Carroll and Pethswitherick followed a few moments later.

                 Moving along in the dim light behind the stage, they could hear the slow and cautious steps of Spitzbart and his companion. Light filtered into the theatre from a window high on the wall. They noticed the tall man had a pistol in his right hand as he walked through the shaft of light. They could hear a low buzz of conversation as the two men finally stopped in front of a door.

                 As Spitzbart and his tall companion reached the door, it swung open and Sharp stepped out and into the tall man’s arms.  

                 “Mein Gott” exclaimed Spitzbart. As he fell Percy burst through the door and fell to her knees near Sharp. “Leave him be!” she cried and then looked up to see Spitzbart. “Oh”

                 Spitzbart’s companion gestured her up to her feet with the pistol and they stepped into the room.

                 “What do you think you are doing?”, Carroll and Pesthwitherick heard a male voice say, ”This area is not open to the public. And put down that silly gun. Someone will get hurt” They heard breaking glass and then the same voice said “Oh no”

                 A female voice took up the chorus and then was interrupted by a third voice that must have been Spitzbart. “Just be quiet. If we get what we’re looking for, not one hair of your heads will be hurt”

                 Percy cried out as Spitzbart’s companion grasped her arm and twisted it professionally behind her back. Carroll heard Sptizbart say “Now, you know what we are here for, give us the note”. Percy again groaned as the companion pulled her wrist toward her neck.

                 “It’s not here”, she mumbled. “It’s at the hotel. Please let me take care of Mr Sharp. He’s not well”

                 “We have not time for nursing”, said the tall man. “Come, we will go to the hotel”. With that he pushed her out the door and toward the waiting Carroll and Pethswitherick.

                 George started forward, but Carroll laid his hand on his arm and pulled him back into the shadow again. George looked at Carroll sharply as he put his finger to his lips in a silence gesture. Once they had passed and exited the door, Carroll said “George, follow them and don’t let anything happen to that girl. I’ll see to the others”

                 Stepping into Houdini’s room he said “We better get help for Mr. Sharp” and, reaching into his jacket, put his identity card into Houdini’s hand. He looked at it briefly and said, “They’re OK Flo”

                 Carroll said “Did she make the delivery?”

                 “Yes she did”, said Houdini

                 “And you are on your way to England?”

                 “I leave with Jenny tomorrow”

                 Carroll then turned his attention to the still unconscious Sharp and quickly going through his pockets found the small tin of smelling salts. He placed it under Sharps nose and then watched as Sharp gradually regained consciousness.

                 “It’s all over, old man”, said Carroll

                 “Who the hell are you?”

                 “Someone you need never remember”, Carroll replied.

                 “Where is Percy?” said Sharp anxiously

                 “They have her”

                 Sharp tried to get to his feet, but the effort was too great and he sank to the floor again, groaning his frustration. “Did they get the book?”, he said

                 Houdini looked down at him and winked,  ”With a little distraction we have made it disappear.”

                 Flo said “Oh so that’s what knocking the glass to the floor was about”

The Magic.

The girl sat on the edge of her bed. Sharp saw her smooth her hair back over the top of her head and her shoulders slump. “I don’t know what to do next”
Sharp said “Is the person who you are to see, expecting you?
“Well”, she thought for a moment, ”I suppose they might be?” She looked then at Sharp and gasped. His face was pulled and ghostly white. “You’re not well are you?”
“Oh, I’ll be alright” Sharp “I have my medicine”
“Are you in pain?” she questioned
“I can manage it”, he breathed
“I think we need to get you some help”
“We can’t do that now”, he said
“Oh, this is so terrible. You risk everything for me and I have to keep on till I get this job finished.”
With that Sharp collapsed striking the edge of the bed and rolling onto the floor. She sank to her knees on the floor beside him. His eyes rolled up into his head and she could see the yellowed whites showing. His breathing was very shallow and quick. He was wet with sweat. Getting a wet cloth from the bathroom, she bathed his forehead and the back of his neck. She took a small vial of smelling salts from her bag and uncorked it beneath his nostrils. With a start his eyes opened and he said “My pills”
She took them from the bedside table and placed one in Sharp’s mouth. In a few moments he seemed to rally and getting feebly up from the floor, he rolled into his bed. She removed his shoes and placed the blanket over him.
“I’ve got to find Jenny”, she said.





Chapter 11 – Flo to the rescue
The phone rang beside her bed.
“Hello……. Yes this is the girl………. I’m sorry we disturbed you too Miss Bert”
She listened as Flo Bert described how she and Cedric had phoned hotels until she found someone answering their description at the Chatham. “I’m afraid Cedric was a little too fast on the draw. We should have listened more to what you had to say”
The girl said “I have to find somebody’s boss. Her name is Jenny and that’s all I know. I came to you because you were billed as the 20th Century’s Jenny Lind. I thought that might be … “she trailed off, “your boss didn’t know what I was talking about. I’m really stumped”
Flo said “I don’t have a show until this evening. Why don’t you and your young man come over to my place and I’ll see if we can figure this out”
“Who’s that?” said a voice from the other side of the room?
“It’s Miss Bert”, said the girl, “She wants us to visit her and says she will help us find Jenny’s boss”
Sharp sat up and put his feet on the floor. He looked rested and his color was some better. “Let’s see what she has to say”, he said and with that walked to the bathroom and closed the door.
“We would really appreciate any help you can give” said the girl
Flo said “After all this I still don’t know your name”
The girl hesitated and then said “It’s Purslane Wood”
“What a strange name?”
“My friends call me Percy”, said the girl “and you can imagine why. I guess my mother was out of names by the time they got to me. Once all the Roses, Violets and Daisy’s were gone, they were only left with weeds.”
Miss Bert chuckled and said “All right Percy, we’ll see you at eleven” and she gave her the address.


Spitzbart could hear them all down the trench. The gurgling, choking, puking sound of men under gas attack. He fumbled with his gas mask and tried to put it on, but nothing would fit. He knew that in the next few seconds, the gas would reach him and he too would be suffocating in it’s green hell. A cry of anguished despair rose in his throat and he sat up in gasping, sweating terror.
His breathing gradually slowed and he saw his horror stricken face in the mirror across from the bed. He swung his legs to the floor and sat with his head in his hands, Every night it was the same.
After bathing and dressing, he called room service and breakfasted on toast and coffee. He paged through the paper until he found the entertainment listings. Flo Bert was to sing again this evening. There was no afternoon performance. He picked up his walking stick and walked down the stairs to the lobby. Picking a seat where he could see the doors, he settled back and waited. A few moments later a tall man with a skeletal look to his face, entered. Spotting Spitzbart, walked over and sat down.
“You should not have come here”, Spitzbart said. “They might see you”
The tall man shrugged. “If they do, it won’t matter”
“Why not?”
“I’ve just received orders to make sure she doesn’t pass that message on”
“What do you intend?”
“It’s alright, I’ll take care of it”
Spitzbart knew exactly what he meant.


She swung the door to her apartment wide and welcomed them into her home.
“Come in Percy”, she said. Sharp started
Percy looked at Sharp and said “It’s short for Purslane”.
“No wonder you kept it to yourself!”
They were seated comfortably in a small sitting room. Despite the fashion of the day, the room was cleanly appointed. Simple furniture with smooth elegant lines occupied the room. A large window looked out into a back garden that was full of August flowers. A Chickering baby grand occupied one corner of the room. Flo was dressed in a white linen summer frock.
“Well”, she said, “Simpson and I have been talking and we may have figured out who Jenny’s boss is”
Percy said “You have?”
“Well, we might be mistaken, but the only Jenny who’s been in all the papers, is the one who keeps disappearing”
“Oh no”, said Percy
“Oh, she reappears too, almost right away”
Sharp said “What are you talking about?”
“It’s the elephant in Houdini’s act”
“The elephant?”
“Yes”, smiled Flo, “The elephant’s name is Jenny. Houdini makes her disappear every act and reappear. He’s become quite famous for it”
“Could Houdini be who I’m supposed to contact?” said Percy
“Well there is only one way to find out” and calling Simpson she said “Let’s get the car and head for the Hippodrome. Houdini is usually working there in the early afternoon and we will get a chance to see him alone.”
New York City traffic was a mixture of smoky automobiles and horse drawn carriages, drays and cabs. An electric railway ran down the centre of the streets they followed and mixed into this confusion were thousands of New Yorkers who crossed the street where ever they pleased. Percy and Flo sat in the back seat, while an anxious Sharp rode shot-gun in the front with Simpson. The odor of horse dung, automobile exhaust and cooking flowed around them. Sharp fought to control his nausea. Eventually they pulled up at the stage door of the Hippodrome.
Slipping into the quiet darkness of the theatre they walked along the back stage until they were looking out onto the stage itself. The elephant stood looking oddly displeased and as if she wished she were anywhere other than the Hippodrome.
“Harry!” Flo called
“Just a moment …..” and Houdini stepped from behind a curtain and stood in front of them. He was a rather small muscular man, dark hair, handsome with a quick way about him. “Hi Flo.” he said “What’s up?”
“These young folks want to talk to you Harry”
“You know I don’t do autographs”
“No, it’s not that, this is important”

Houdini then looked at Percy and at Sharp with his military looking mustache and stance.
“You’d better come into my dressing room”. Telling the handler he was done with Jenny, he led them back stage and into a small dressing room filled with crates and boxes, a small dressing table and chair. “Sorry about the squeeze. I don’t like to leave my things out for anyone to put their fingers on. Trade secrets you know. I’m headed for London next week and so things are in a bit of a mess”
Percy said “Do you know it’s a Long Way to Tipperary?”
Houdini paused and then replied “yes, but I have a McLaughlin”
“Oh, it is you!” Percy exclaimed. She reached into her bag and took out the novel.
She handed it to Houdini, who briefly looked at it and then said “Thank you my dear. I hope everything went well on your trip”


Percy smiled and replied “Mr. Sharp was of great assistance and I don’t know
what I would have done had he not been with me”
Houdini smiled at her and Sharp and turning to Flo said “I’m sorry I’m really pressed
for time to get this all packed “
Flo said “Follow me you two”, and turned toward the door.