Irving Wallace - The Golden Room

Her first act was to send Aida scurrying out to contact the servants. They would be needed to unpack the furniture, hang tapestries and artwork, and shelve the books in her library.

Once the servants were found and set to work, Aida's next assignment was to locate the musicians and have them ready to play that night.

Next, Minna ordered Edmund to go from hotel to hotel to meet with the girls and tell them that the Everleigh Club would be open that evening for business after all.

Minna then telephoned Bruce, caught him just awakening, and roused him completely with the word that the Everleigh Club would be open tonight staging a banquet to honour Prince Henry of Prussia, and that a clergyman would be on hand to marry Cathleen to Alan Armbruster.

'Telephone Alan Armbruster and tell him the wedding will take place tonight,' Minna said. 'Tell him his father relented and will be on hand for the festivities. My God, Cathleen doesn't know yet she's going to be a bride. I sent her out with Karen Grant to spend the night with Dr Holmes. He was gracious enough to take them in until I could find them hotel accommodation. Why don't you surprise them by going over to Dr Holmes to give them the good news? When you collect them, return them here. Have Alan accompany you. I'll tell you what, you both come here and take my car to Dr Holmes's. I'll give you his address.'

While waiting for the restoration to begin, Minna hastily pulled her study into shape.

As the dozen servants gradually began to trickle in, the furniture was uncrated under Minna's direction, and gradually began to fill the gaudy chambers once more. In the restaurant, the tables were lined up to form one long banquet table.

Then the musicians brought in their instruments and set them in their familiar positions. After that, the beautiful Everleigh girls, herded by Edmund, jubilantly returned to the Club and began to move their belongings upstairs.

Observing all this activity, Minna felt buoyed with confidence that the Everleigh Club would be its old self in a few hours and that by nightfall it would be fit for a prince and for a wedding.

While supervising the resurrection, Minna realized that she was being interrupted by Edmund.

'What is it, Edmund?'

'Gentleman to see you, Miss Everleigh. Insisted it's a matter of urgency. Wouldn't give me his name, but gave me this calling card.'

Puzzled, Minna took the card. It read:

PINKERTON'S NATIONAL DETECTIVE AGENCY

Beneath the trademark eye, it read:

We Never Sleep

William A. Pinkerton Superintendent Chicago Branch

Minna blinked at the card. William Pinkerton. She had almost forgotten that she had retained him to locate her three missing girls. He had learned nothing in the beginning, and she recalled vaguely that he had told her he would continue working on the case at no extra charge – except if he uncovered some new information.

Now Pinkerton was here to see her – apparently he had uncovered something. She was terribly busy at the moment, yet Pinkerton himself wanted to see her on a matter of 'urgency'.

Minna knew that she could not resist. She must spare the time.

She said to Edmund, 'Tell the gentleman I'll be glad to see him in the privacy of my study. You escort him, Edmund. I'll be there waiting.'

A few minutes later, Minna was settled behind her desk, satisfied that the room was once more in order, when Edmund rapped, announced William Pinkerton, and showed him in.

She had half forgotten his appearance, but when he lumbered in, she recognized him at once. He was this bulky man, with neat, flat hair and an overflowing moustache. He was carrying a thick folder. Without wasting time, he took a chair and drew it up across from Minna.

Opening the folder in his lap, he raised his head.

'You may recall, Miss Everleigh, I advised you after our last conversation on the telephone that I would continue working for you at no cost, unless I found something.'

'Yes.'

'I found something, Miss Everleigh.'

'On the three missing girls?'

'No. On Dr Herman Holmes, your house physician. Remember, I advised you I'd be investigating Dr Holmes himself.'

'I do remember your saying that. But why him?'

'His veracity, or the lack of it,' said Pinkerton. 'I am very experienced in judging when people are or are not speaking the truth. I was immediately suspicious of Dr Holmes. I questioned his veracity.'

'About what?'

'About insisting he did not know what had happened to your three missing girls. I began to check into the background of Dr Herman Holmes. It wasn't easy, but with the help of our branch offices I managed it.'

'Managed what, Mr Pinkerton?'

'I'm afraid what I learned will appal you.'

Minna's heart tripped. 'Tell me… tell me what you found out.'

Shuffling through his notes, Pinkerton did not look up. 'To begin with, his name is not Herman H. Holmes. His real name is Herman Webster Mudgett. He has one of the most unsavoury backgrounds I have ever come across. There exists evidence that Dr Holmes has been a forger, bigamist, horse-thief, mad scientist, swindler – and possibly, quite possibly, most likely although not yet proved, a Bluebeard of sorts, a compulsive murderer.'

Minna trembled. 'I can't believe it. He's gentle, mild, and as a physician most professional. Are you sure of your data, Mr Pinkerton?'

'Judge for yourself.' He began to read from his notes, actually skimming the notes and giving Minna his findings in abbreviated form. 'At eighteen, Holmes eloped with the daughter of a well-off New Hampshire farmer. His new wife paid his tuition to study medicine at a small college. Then he transferred to the medical school at the University of Michigan. A student friend who carried life insurance worth $12,500, and who worked with Holmes and named him the beneficiary, soon disappeared. Holmes then abandoned his wife and moved to the state of New York. He boarded with a farmer, seduced the farmer's wife, left her pregnant and dropped from sight. He next turned up in Chicago, where he bigamously married one Myrtle Belknap, twice tried to poison her father, then fled to St Louis. He became friends with Benjamin Pietzel, a swindler. He came back to Chicago, changed his name to Holmes, and posed as an inventor. He escaped from his work leaving $9,000 in debts. He bought the building he now lives in on Wallace and Sixty-third streets and remodelled it as a hotel for the World's Fair. Many of his guests were never seen again. One was Julia Connor, along with her eight-year-old daughter. Mrs Connor had left her husband to become Holmes's mistress – before she vanished. Travelling to Texas, Holmes met Minnie Williams, who, with her sister Nannie, owned property worth $75,000. Holmes disposed of it and ran off with the cash. There followed other women in his life, including Emily Van Tassel and Emeline Cigrand. All eventually disappeared. Holmes brought his friend Pietzel from St Louis to take care of the house. Eventually Pietzel was found dead. Perhaps Pietzel had made the mistake of taking out life insurance, with Holmes as the beneficiary. Visiting Denver, Holmes married Georgianne Yoke, even though he already had two wives. Then came others -'

Agitated, Minna held up her hand. 'Don't tell me any more. Do you think he murdered all those people who disappeared?'

'What do you think, Miss Everleigh?'

Minna was more agitated than ever. Her voice quavered. 'I… I think I've made a horrible mistake. I allowed my niece Cathleen and her friend Karen Grant to move in with Dr Holmes yesterday, until I could find them adequate hotel lodgings.'

Pinkerton's frown deepened. 'Your niece and Miss Grant are staying with Dr Holmes?'

'Yes, I'm afraid so. The Everleigh Club was temporarily closed down, and I was having trouble finding accommodation for Cathleen and Karen. Dr Holmes volunteered to take them in. How could I know that he might be a monster, a -?'