In Places Hidden

by Tracie Peterson

  “It’s probably nothing to do with the rest of us,” she murmured upon reaching her bedroom. “Probably nothing at all.”

  C

  HAPTER

  8

  It was late by the time Camri and Kenzie returned home that night. To appease Mr. Lake and keep him from firing Judith, they had agreed to stay and work an extra four hours. It wasn’t entirely necessary, since both women knew that Mr. Lake’s paranoia about who he could trust coupled with the large number of orders he had yet to fulfill would keep him from dismissing Judith. But it didn’t stop him from threatening to, and Kenzie and Camri had agreed it would be best to make the offer. After the initial rant, Mr. Lake finally calmed and returned to his office, leaving them to get their work done.

  And work they did. They didn’t even pause for lunch, but ate apples and cheese at their workstation. Exhausted didn’t even begin to describe how Camri felt. She longed for a hot bath but feared she might fall asleep in the tub and drown.

  “Miss Judith say to give you this,” Mrs. Wong told her as Camri shed her coat and hat.

  “What is it?” She took the note.

  “It address you wanted, but Mr. Wong say it bad place and you should not go alone.”

  Camri unfolded the paper. It was an address for Ophelia Murdock. “Oh, thank you.”

  “Husband say he take you if you need to go.”

  Camri nodded. “Well, it won’t be tonight. I haven’t the energy for it.” She covered a yawn with her gloved hand. “Oh, I forgot about my gloves.” She pulled them off.

  “Where Miss Kenzie?”

  “She headed straight upstairs. We agreed she could take a bath first. Do you suppose you could bring us a little supper on a tray? I think once I shed these clothes and bathe, I’m not going to have the strength to come back down to the dining room.”

  “I do that, sure.” Mrs. Wong smiled and took the gloves Camri held. “You go now. I see to everything.”

  Camri nodded and made her way upstairs. She had planned to go directly to her room, but realized she should check on Judith. She gave a light knock, then opened the door without waiting for any reply.

  Judith lay propped up in her bed with her eyes closed. She opened them as Camri peered into the room. “I’m not sleeping,” she called out.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “A little better. Dr. Fisher said it wasn’t all that bad. He gave me some medicine and told me to rest for a couple days and drink plenty of fluids.”

  Camri moved to the side of the bed. “Mrs. Wong gave me his note. Did Dr. Fisher say anything about it?”

  “Just that you shouldn’t go there alone. I guess it’s not in a very good neighborhood.”

  “That’s what Mrs. Wong said. She told me Mr. Wong would take me.”

  “Dr. Fisher said the same thing. He said if you could wait until Sunday afternoon, he would drive you there himself.”

  Camri shook her head. “I don’t want to wait that long. I feel like I’ve done precious little to find Caleb as it is. Work consumes much more of my time than I’d hoped. I may have to wire home for some money and quit the job.”

  “Maybe the Murdocks will be able to help you, Camri. Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’ve done more than you realize.”

  Camri yawned and nodded. “I think I’ll see if Kenzie is done with her bath. I’ll tell Mr. Lake that you’re under doctor’s orders to stay in bed.”

  “No, I’m sure I’ll feel more like myself tomorrow. I can’t have you and Kenzie staying late on my account.”

  Camri smiled. “How did you know that’s what we did?”

  “Kenzie told me. She stopped by on her way to her room.” Judith smiled. “I appreciate what you did to keep me from being fired.”

  “It’s not a problem. We agreed to be in this together, and it has been such a blessing to me that you and Kenzie would allow my search for Caleb to come first.”

  Judith shrugged. “Well, he might be hurt or sick or in some other kind of peril. My search is not nearly so dire.”

  “Be that as it may, I appreciate it all the same. We will find your aunt as soon as possible.”

  She left Judith and made her way to her own bedroom. With what little strength she had left, Camri undressed and pulled on her robe. She put the address in her purse and then made her way to the bathroom. Thankfully, Kenzie had finished, and the room was still steamy and warm.

  Camri drew a bath, poured in some salts, and then sank into the claw-foot tub. The hot water soothed her aching muscles. Teaching at the women’s college had never required much physical labor. The candy factory, on the other hand, did. Today she and Kenzie had carried packing boxes from the warehouse to their work table. The young men who usually saw to that task were busy elsewhere, and there was no alternative. The same became true for loading the finished boxes on the pallets. All in all, Camri had never worked so hard in all her life.

  “And I never want to have to again,” she murmured. This was why an education was vital. Women should never have to work in factories.

  Even as she had the thought, Camri had to smile. She had a master’s degree and yet was working a factory job.

  Difficult times bring about difficult solutions.

  At least Mr. Lake was paying them well. He had accepted a huge number of orders, delighted to have taken business from the likes of Ghirardelli and Guittard. The only thing he hadn’t stopped to consider was that he was hardly staffed for such an increase in production. At least the busyness kept him from focusing on his belief that he was being sabotaged by those rival gentlemen. But that paranoia also kept him from hiring additional workers.

  Camri felt herself growing groggy and knew she couldn’t remain in the bath or she’d fall asleep for sure. Reluctantly, she pulled the plug and climbed out of the tub. She dried quickly and pulled on her nightgown and robe. Back in her room, she found a tray of food left by Mrs. Wong, but instead of eating, she stretched out on her bed. Thinking of Caleb was the last thing she remembered.

  Camri left work early the following day despite Mr. Lake’s protests. She finally calmed him by promising to work late the next day. With Mr. Wong in the driver’s seat of a small rickety wagon, Camri saw an entirely different side of San Francisco as they made their way to the address Micah had provided.

  She had been warned about the decadence and perversion, and thankfully Mr. Wong did what he could to avoid those seedier areas, but the poor and dejected people could not be avoided. As they made their way deeper into the heart of San Francisco’s poverty-stricken neighborhoods, Camri was reminded of the poor in Chicago. No matter where you went, the signs were the same. The buildings were unpainted and looked like they might be toppled by a good stiff wind. Children dressed in rags ran through the streets, chasing skeletal dogs. Women could be seen in various stages of work, many with a child on their hip and another two or three at their knee. Men were scarce at this hour of the day. Most were working at whatever meager living they could make, but no doubt a fair number were hidden inside their hovels, drinking to forget the conditions around them. What marked all of the people even more than the filth and disarray was the look of hopelessness in their eyes.

  “This the place,” Mr. Wong said, pointing to a three-story wood building.

  Camri studied it for a moment, then climbed down from the wagon. “Wait here. I shouldn’t be long.”

  “You want me go with you?”

  She heard the wailing screams of a baby and the barking of several dogs. Somewhere nearby, a woman and man were yelling at each other, while all around the neighborhood, the noise of daily living filled the air. So too did the stench.

  “No. I’ll be fine.” She straightened her shoulders and marched with determination toward the building. She was doing this for Caleb, she reminded herself.

  The entryway to the building was surprisingly clean. The interior held the musky smell of unwashed bodies and garbage, but Camri had dealt with worse. She put her distaste aside and made
her way to the apartment number given in the address. Thankfully it was on the first floor, not far from the entry.

  For a moment she stared at the door. What was she hoping to find here? Despite Ambrewster’s casual implication that Caleb might have forsaken his family for Ophelia Murdock, Camri didn’t believe that had happened. Still, she had felt that speaking with the young woman was important enough to risk her own safety.

  She drew a deep breath and knocked. She waited, listening for the sound of someone coming to the door or at least calling out from the other side. When no one came, she raised her hand to knock again just as the door swung back and a broad-shouldered man filled the opening. He wore his reddish-brown hair a little longer than was fashionable and had a well-trimmed beard and mustache. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle as a smile broke across his face.

  “And to what would I be owin’ the pleasure of yer visit?”

  She lost herself in the beautiful lilt of his Irish brogue. He just watched her, his smile never waning. “I’m . . . ah . . . I’m Miss Coulter.” Her senses began to return. “Caleb Coulter’s sister.”

  The effect was immediate. His smile faded, and a look of concern crossed his face. “Come in.” He stepped back.

  Camri wasn’t sure it was the wise thing to do, but she’d come this far and felt she must see the matter through. She stepped inside and glanced around the room. It wasn’t all that large, but it held a kitchen on one side and a sparsely furnished living area on the other. There was no sign of the woman she’d come to see.

  She turned back to face the man who had let her in. “I . . . I’d hoped to speak with Miss Ophelia Murdock.”

  “I’d be her brother, Patrick,” he said, extending his hand.

  Camri shook his hand and forced a smile. “Is she at home?”

  “Aye. She is that. Let me fetch her.” He started for a door across the room, then stopped. “Can I ask ye why ye’ve come?”

  “I’m trying to find my brother. We’ve heard nothing from him in over three months, and my parents sent me to San Francisco to look for him.”

  He shook his head. “That wasn’t their wisest decision.”

  Camri bristled. “Why not? My brother is missing, and someone has to find him. Caleb and I are very close, and I know he wouldn’t just disappear and say nothing.”

  “Aye, I can believe that. Caleb is most considerate.” Murdock leaned back against the wall and studied her for a moment. “But I doubt he’d want his sister risking her life to find him.”

  “Why do you say it that way? Do you know something that suggests it’s a risk to search for him?”

  He folded his arms across his chest. “’Twould seem only reasonable that risk is involved, no? Logic suggests that a responsible man doesn’t just disappear without there being the threat of trouble.”

  Camri had reached the limit of her patience. Her fear was replaced by anger. “Are you going to let me speak to your sister or not?”

  “Ophelia can’t help ye. I’d be more use to ye than she would, but I’ll call her.”

  He watched her for a moment longer, then pushed off the wall and went to the door at the back of the room. He didn’t knock or bother to call out, instead disappearing inside. Camri heard muffled talk, and then the big man returned.

  “She’ll be pleased to meet ye in a few minutes. Why don’t ye sit down, and I’ll make ye a cup of tea.”

  “No, that’s all right. I don’t need tea. I just need to find my brother.” Camri drew a deep breath to steady her nerves. “What, if anything, do you know about his disappearance, Mr. Murdock?”

  “Call me Patrick.” He motioned for her to take a seat at the small table.

  She knew she’d already put him on his guard, so rather than argue, she did as he asked. “Very well, Patrick. Please call me Camri. It’s short for Camrianne.”

  He smiled and pulled out a chair for her. “An unusual name for an unusual lass.”

  Camri took her seat, not knowing whether he was complimenting or making fun of her, and a minute later a petite young woman came to join them. She was thin and pale—obviously sick. Her reddish-blond hair hung limp and disheveled. Patrick quickly went to her side and helped her to a chair.

  “I’m Ophelia,” she said with a smile. She clutched a large shawl close. “Patrick tells me ye’d be Caleb’s sister.”

  “Yes. My name is Camri.”

  “How pretty.” Ophelia smiled, but her pale blue eyes held none of the joy that her lips suggested. “Patrick said ye’re here to find Caleb.”

  “That’s right. He hasn’t been in touch with me for over three months. Our parents are extremely worried. They would have come themselves, but they’re both ill and weak.”

  “Aye, I know how that is.” Ophelia shook her head. “But I don’t know why ye’d be comin’ to me to find Caleb.”

  “Well, in one of my conversations with Caleb’s employer, Mr. Ambrewster, he suggested that Caleb might have eloped.”

  “Eloped?” Patrick asked before Ophelia could respond. “And just who would he be runnin’ off with?”

  “Your sister, Ophelia.”

  He roared with laughter. “Ambrewster said that, did he?”

  “Well, at first.” She didn’t like Patrick laughing at her but reminded herself that taking offense wouldn’t help her find Caleb. “He said Caleb was interested in Ophelia—in helping her and . . . well, I don’t really remember what all was said.”

  “Your brother is dear to me,” Ophelia replied. “I fancied meself in love with him, but it was all on my part. He never knew, or if he did, he was gracious enough to overlook my silliness. He’s just a good friend, lendin’ a hand when one was needed.”

  “That sounds like Caleb.”

  Patrick picked up the conversation. “My sister is sick, as ye can probably see for yourself. Caleb was good to bring doctors around, and when I was in jail, he looked after her.”

  “I heard about your being falsely accused of murder. I’m glad my brother was able to help you.” Camri kept her focus on the business at hand. “I don’t want to pry, but I need to know anything you can tell me that might help find him.”

  Patrick shook his head. “There isn’t much to tell. I owe him my life, and that’s why I’ve been lookin’ for him.”

  Camri’s eyes widened. “You’ve been looking for him?”

  “Aye. He’s a good friend.”

  She nodded, eager for him to continue. “Have you found anything that might point us to where he is . . . to what happened?”

  “I’m sorry, no.” His expression darkened. “But I’m fearin’ the outcome won’t be good. Your brother upset a great many powerful men by defending me.”

  “But why? Can you tell me exactly what happened to put you in jail and why Caleb would be in danger because of it?” Camri knew what Ambrewster had told her, but since the lawyer seemed to have several stories, she needed to hear it from someone else.

  Patrick leaned back against the wall. “Aye, I’ll tell ye. How far back do ye want me to go?”

  “Ah . . . I understand you and your father worked together. Why don’t you start there?”

  Patrick gave her a stern nod. “We had a construction business—mostly commercial. A very successful one, for a couple of Irishmen. We were good at what we did, and there was no cuttin’ of corners to save a few pennies. We had men we trusted workin’ for us, and we put in long hours to meet our deadlines.”

  Camri nodded. She wasn’t sure why he felt the need to convince her of their worth, but apparently it was important.

  “We were to be puttin’ up a large buildin’ downtown—a new hotel. The man who wanted it was from New York City. He had made all the proper arrangements with those in charge—Ruef and his bullies.”

  “The papers say there are accusations against Ruef and the mayor.”

  “Aye, and we pray God that they are made to account for their deeds.” Patrick nodded toward the small stove in the kitchen. “Are ye sure ye won’t be
takin’ a cup of tea?”

  “No. Please just continue.”

  “Our da was a proud man. He feared no one and did the work he was paid to do. I followed in his footsteps, and he taught me to be a man of integrity. The trouble started when some fellas came to us, tellin’ us that they’d make it worth our while to revisit our original plans and reduce the cost by usin’ less costly materials. Da said he would only use the best available to him, because he had made a name doin’ so. These fellas came callin’ more than once, and each time things got a little more heated. I tried to step in and make it clear to them that we weren’t goin’ to be pushed around. It wasn’t so long after that when Da was killed.”

  “He fell from a high place at the construction site?”

  Patrick scowled. “He didn’t fall. He was pushed. It was murder, and I was determined to prove it, but I ruffled the feathers of Ruef and his men. I was pretty certain who was responsible for the actual deed and made no bones about sayin’ so. Next thing I knew, the man turned up dead, and the police came to arrest me for it.”

  “But for sure Patrick was innocent,” Ophelia added. “He could never hurt a lamb.” She smiled at him as if he had hung the moon and stars.

  Camri felt a kinship with the younger woman. Her own regard for Caleb was much the same. “My brother believed that too, or he would never have defended him.”

  Ophelia nodded. “He did. They were good friends after that.”

  “Aye. We are good friends.”

  Camri turned to Patrick. His blue eyes seemed to peer deep into her soul. “I appreciate that you speak of him as being alive. I’m sure he must be. I think I’d know if he were dead. It may sound silly, but we’re very close.”

  Patrick nodded. “He said as much.”

  For a moment no one spoke, and despite the setting, Camri found herself feeling safe and in the presence of friends. It surprised her to find such comfort with strangers.