(1988) The Golden Room

by Irving Wallace

  ‘For a good reason,’ said Bruce. ‘Money. The Kentucky Derby pays the winner under $5,000. The American Derby pays $25,000 - five times as much. Earning a large purse sure would help the family. Since then I’ve learned that Frontier just doesn’t have the size and strength to do well in the American Derby. I had already arranged to have him shipped here. Now I hope to sell him off to raise some money.’

  ‘Let’s hope you succeed,’ said Minna. She addressed herself to Cathleen. ‘What a romantic way to meet the right man.’

  ‘Yes, Aunt Minna. You’ll adore him. He’s nearly as tall as my brother. Darkly handsome. When we met, it was love at first sight for both of us.’

  ‘You saw each other often in Louisville?’ asked Minna.

  ‘Almost every night for a month, but always with his parents,’ said Cathleen. ‘They liked me enough to allow Alan to propose. When the Armbrusters heard about my wealthy aunts in Chicago, they were highly pleased. The wedding is set for two weeks from now, at their home. Bruce and I just arrived this morning. First we found a stable for his horse, then we came right over.’

  ‘You did the right thing,’ said Minna. ‘You can have the

  run of the place, except for a lovely private restaurant we keep open for our friends.’

  ‘May I ask — is that where you made your money?’ said Bruce.

  ‘Heavens, no. After we left Kentucky, we inherited a fairly decent sum of cash. We had good advice about investing it, and we doubled and redoubled our money. We bought this house and furnished it. It seemed a good idea to turn part of it into a restaurant, not only to take care of our overhead but as a means of entertaining our business friends. We also had parlours for cocktails and conversation. We even hired six women, singers and dancers we’d known in our stage days. They put on floor shows in return for room and board. Now, to get back to the Armbrusters —’

  ‘Oh, yes,’ Cathleen said happily, ‘Mr and Mrs Armbruster are eager to meet you and Aunt Aida before the wedding. I hope you have time for that.’

  ‘I do,’ said Minna.

  ‘They’re hoping we can all have lunch at their home the day after tomorrow.’

  ‘Aida and I will be happy to join you,’ said Minna, rising. She gestured for Cathleen and Bruce to remain where they were. ‘Just wait a little while until I can make arrangements to get you settled. We’ll have a quiet supper in my study later. Right now there are a few things that require my attention.’

  Once she had left the Gold Room, Minna stopped a servant in the hall to ask if he had seen Edmund. She was told that Edmund was dusting in the library, and she went to find him.

  ‘Edmund,’ she said. ‘Do you know where my sister is?’

  ‘Yes, Miss Everleigh -‘

  ‘There is to be no more mention of the Everleigh name,’ Minna said sharply. ‘Not while my relatives are here. We’re Aida and Minna Lester for the next two weeks. You know the situation, don’t you?’

  ‘Miss Aida told me to post a sign, and then she explained everything.’

  ‘Good. Where is Aida now?’

  ‘In the Japanese Room with all the girls, Miss Lester. She’s giving them the same instructions she gave me.’

  ‘Thanks, Edmund. I better get there fast,’

  When Minna reached the Japanese Room, she paused to catch her breath, and then quietly opened the door and peered inside. Aida was the one who first met her eyes. Aida was seated on the carved teakwood chair on the dais beneath the yellow silk canopy. In a broad semi-circle were the girls of the Everleigh Club, seated on divans, chairs, and cushions, listening attentively as Aida spoke. The perfume fountain in the centre of the room was shut off.

  After nodding a welcome to Minna, Aida resumed speaking. ‘Now that you’ve heard what is going on and how we are to proceed, let me sum it up for you so that there can be no mistakes.’

  Minna decided to intervene. She stepped into the Japanese Room and called out, ‘Aida, may I break in with a few words?’

  ‘Of course.’

  Minna crossed the room and ascended the dais to stand beside Aida. She addressed her older sister. ‘Aida, what we arranged so hastily has a few flaws. Now that I’ve spoken to Cathleen and Bruce, our niece and nephew, I have some afterthoughts, and would like to revise our plan.’

  ‘Whatever you say,’ said Aida agreeably.

  Minna turned to face the small assemblage.

  ‘I’m sure Aida has told you of our original plan to keep all of you here during this crisis. Well, I don’t think that will work. With so many girls here, we and our relatives would be at great risk should one of you suffer a slip of the tongue. It would be hard for Aida and myself to pretend that this is our personal home. Furthermore, it would be difficult to pretend that you are all a floor show, since most of you can’t sing or dance at all. I have a compromise in mind.’

  She glanced at Aida, whose face registered only her usual gracious, slightly inscrutable expression. Minna turned to the girls once more.

  ‘We will keep the dining-room open. I have told our niece and nephew it is a room reserved for our wealthiest friends, a profitable enterprise that enables us to pay some of our overhead expenses. Cathleen and Bruce understand the dining-room is off limits to them. I wouldn’t want them to wander in and hear from some drunken diner that this is actually a brothel.

  ‘As for you girls, I think six of you should remain here to play hostesses in the dining-room. No nonsense beyond that. The others can take vacations in the city. You will receive the full amount of your average weekly earnings. You can take up in hotels - although I instruct you to avoid any sexual activity on your own or in any other brothel - and do whatever else you want. You will return here to work in two weeks. Be sure to let Aida and myself know where you will be staying, so if need be we can locate you. Now, any questions?’

  A redhead named Cindy held up her hand. ‘Who stays on here, and who are the ones to go on vacation?’

  ‘Very well,’ said Minna. ‘I’ll name the six of you who remain to receive guests in the dining-room. The others will leave as of this evening. Aida and I, with Edmund’s help, will find you hotel rooms. The six who’ll stay are - you, Cindy, and Margo, Belle, Phyllis, Dagmar, and the new girl I just hired to replace Fanny - you, Karen. The rest of you, have a good time off, and be back here in two weeks to the day. Good luck.’

  The following day, since she had the afternoon off, Karen Grant telephoned Mayor Carter Harrison and asked to meet with him.

  An hour later, she was seated across from the mayor in his City Hall office.

  ‘Some good news, I hope,’ said Harrison.

  ‘Not yet, but soon. There will be a slight delay before I can come up with any concrete evidence for you.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  Karen went ahead. ‘I was told to expect a visitor, a male visitor, when there was an unexpected intrusion. Two young relatives of the Everleigh sisters arrived from Kentucky, one of them a niece who is to marry the son of a prominent businessman.’

  ‘Go on.’

  ‘Well, the niece and nephew were sent to stay with their aunts. They were told the Everleigh sisters are highly placed socialites. To keep the niece and nephew from knowing what their aunts really do, all sexual services in the Club have been postponed. For two weeks the Club is to be no more than a legitimate home and restaurant.’

  ‘Two weeks! You mean that until then I can have no evidence that the Club is a brothel?’

  ‘None whatsoever, Mayor. Let me explain —’

  Carefully, Karen recalled what she had heard from Aida and Minna and tried to repeat what she could remember to the mayor.

  ‘There you have it,’ she said, and sat back. ‘A hiatus.’

  ‘For the time, a hiatus.’

  ‘Yes, until the day after the wedding. The relatives will leave, and the Everleigh Club will resume as a brothel. So I’ll have time on my hands. Do you want me to pick up on some of my secretarial work for you?’

  ‘God,
no,’ said Harrison quickly. ‘I don’t want you seen near my office. You are to stay around the Club, work evenings as a restaurant hostess, and keep on the alert. When the time comes, and you get the evidence, inform me at once — I’ll shut down the Everleigh Club for ever. Karen, I mean to win this one.’

  ‘You will, I promise you.’

  ‘Don’t try to reach me or take any chances. Just wait. Do you mind?’

  ‘Not at all. The Everleigh Club, whatever its shame, is, I have to admit, a fascinating place to be. The gaudiest place you’ve ever seen in your life. I don’t mind taking it easy there. And Minna Everleigh herself is an interesting person. By the way, her real name is Minna Lester. Her niece and nephew are Cathleen and Bruce Lester.’ Karen picked up her purse. ‘I’ll keep an eye on all of them. Next time I see you, I hope I’ll be the bearer of good tidings.’

  Karen left the mayor’s office and went downstairs to the lobby. She was heading for the exit doors, when a young man - a tall, handsome young man — intercepted her.

  ‘Pardon me, Ma’am,’ he said in a courtly manner. ‘By any chance are you Miss Karen Grant?’

  Startled, she said, ‘Why, yes.’

  ‘I’m Bruce Lester,’ he said, introducing himself. ‘I’m Minna Lester’s nephew.’

  For an instant, Karen was shaken. ‘Minna Lester? Of course,’ she said lamely.

  ‘I saw you briefly yesterday, and again this morning, at my aunts’ house.’

  ‘I… I remember seeing you.’

  ‘You’re working for my Aunt Minna as a staff member in the restaurant.’

  ‘A hostess,’ she corrected him. ‘I assist the guests to their seats and help them with their menus. And you — you’re in Chicago to chaperon your sister until her wedding?’

  ‘Yes. My father in Kentucky wanted us to stay with his sisters when we came to Chicago, so that’s what we’re doing. Actually, chaperoning is not the only reason I’m here.’

  ‘Oh, no?’

  ‘I have a very modest stable of three race horses, and I’m here to possibly sell one.’

  ‘I’d like to know more about that some time,’ said Karen. ‘I’m fascinated by race horses.’

  Bruce was entranced. ‘That’s wonderful,’ he said. ‘I’d like to tell you more, not some time but now. Have you had lunch?’

  ‘Not yet.’

  ‘Neither have I. Do you mind joining me?’

  She met Bruce’s gaze. ‘I’d enjoy that.’

  ‘On my way to the City Hall, I passed a place called Bill Boyle’s Chop House. A sign said the lamb chops were thirty-five cents, so it must be a good place. Do you know it?’

  ‘I do.’ She had been there several times. It was a favourite lunch place for Mayor Harrison’s aldermen. ‘Let’s go to Boyle’s.’ As they left the lobby, she half turned to Bruce. ‘Incidentally, what were you doing in City Hall?’

  ‘Sightseeing. This is my first visit to Chicago. What were you doing here?’

  She thought quickly. ‘I don’t have to be at the restaurant until dinner time. So I decided to visit a girl friend who just got a job here as a secretary.’

  ‘I’m glad we were here at the same time,’ said Bruce, as he touched Karen’s elbow, directing her outside.

  It was a short walk to Boyle’s Chop House, but for Bruce Lester it was mostly a silent one, he was so overwhelmed by his gorgeous companion.

  Once inside, and seated opposite Karen, Bruce tried to find his tongue as he gave the waiter their order. He ordered lamb chops for both of them, and when Karen requested a stein of Pilsner beer, he ordered one for himself too.

  After the waiter had gone, he addressed himself to Karen. ‘I love my aunts’ home, what I’ve seen of it, but I find the restaurant there rather odd. What’s a restaurant doing in a home?’

  ‘From what I know,’ said Karen, ‘your aunts are two single ladies. They’d find it awkward to invite gentlemen over, so the restaurant makes it easier for them to see friends at home. Also, even though Minna and Aida are wealthy, that’s a costly mansion they have to keep up day after day, and the restaurant brings in certain useful income.’

  Bruce shook his head. ‘I still find it odd, mixing business and pleasure. How did you get a job there?’

  ‘I saw an advertisement for a restaurant hostess. I worried that it might be something - well, not decent -‘

  ‘You mean like a cover for white slavery?’

  ‘Nothing quite that terrible. But still - anyway, I applied. When Minna Lester interviewed me, I realized that she was a lady and the desire to hire a hostess was genuine. So I started a few days ago.’

  ‘What do you do on the job?’

  ‘As I told you,’ said Karen, ‘just smile prettily when diners arrive, take them to a parlour for a drink, then show them to their tables, see to their menus, make suggestions, maybe banter a little to make them feel at home.’

  ‘That’s all? Do any of the diners ever get fresh?’

  ‘Not really. Minna would never have them back. She’s very strict.’

  ‘But you only work evenings,’ said Bruce. ‘Which gives you your mornings and afternoons free. I hope you’ll take some time to show me Chicago. Or are you new here?’

  She smiled. ‘I’m old here. I’ll be glad to show you around.’

  They waited in silence until their beers were served.

  After each had a sip, Karen resumed. ‘First, you’ll have to show me something - the horse you brought along.’

  ‘I’d be pleased to do that,’ said Bruce. ‘Frontier is as sleek as can be, and fast. You’ll adore him. Only, there’s a problem. Before leaving Kentucky I entered him in the American Derby. I guess I was trying to get rich quick. But when I took him to Washington Park yesterday to rent a stable, I found out Frontier is too small to get anywhere in the Derby. So I suppose I’ll really have to sell him.’

  ‘Don’t do that until I’ve seen him.’

  ‘I won’t, I won’t. Actually, I’d invite you to Washington Park tomorrow to see him, but I can’t because I have another date, an important one, I suppose.’

  Karen frowned briefly. ‘A date?’

  ‘Not what you think,’ he said hastily. ‘I’m not interested in any other woman, not now that I’ve met you.’

  ‘Aren’t you the flatterer, though.’

  ‘I mean it, Karen. I’ve never met a woman like you.’

  ‘Thank you. Tell me about your date.’

  ‘It’s at my sister’s future in-laws’ for lunch. Aunt Minna and Aunt Aida and I are to chaperon my sister Cathleen, and after lunch we’ll discuss the wedding. The Armbrusters want to lay out plans for the ceremony - it’s in two weeks.’

  ‘Have you met the Armbrusters before?’ Karen wanted to know.

  ‘In Kentucky, when they were thinking of going into horseflesh.’

  ‘How do you feel about them?’

  Bruce Lester wrinkled his nose. ‘Alan is a nice kid. The rest of them, Harold T., the father, Pearl, the mother, and their daughter Judith are awful.’

  ‘I hope you survive the lunch.’

  ‘I have to,’ said Bruce simply. ‘Because I want to see you again.’

  The lamb chops were served, but they ignored their plates.

  ‘Will I?’ Bruce added.

  ‘As much as you want to, Bruce.’

  ‘Then we have a date for the day after tomorrow.’

  That evening, Minna brought Dr Herman Holmes into the Blue Room of the Everleigh Club.

  Already familiar with the youthful collegiate room, Holmes settled into the pillows of a blue leather sofa as Minna drew up a chair closer to him.

  Minna had telephoned the physician earlier, insisting he come to the Club to discuss a personal matter.

  ‘I’ve never seen the Club so deserted,’ said Holmes to Minna, who had settled across from him.

  ‘There’s a reason,’ said Minna, ‘and that’s why I summoned you tonight, to tell you all about it. I hired you because I was told you were trustworth
y. Now I must trust you to the fullest extent.’

  ‘You advised me this was a personal matter, and personal it shall remain.’

  ‘Very well,’ said Minna. ‘This is what happened. I have a lovely niece, Cathleen, my brother’s daughter in Kentucky. She is a complete innocent. She recently met the son of a prominent Chicago meat-packer in Louisville. The young man’s name is Alan Armbruster, the only son of Harold T. Armbruster.’

  ‘You mean the millionaire meat-packer?’ asked Holmes.

  ‘The very one. Anyway, Alan fell in love with my niece, they became engaged, and they are to be married in two weeks. I knew about the wedding, but it was not made clear to me that my brother expected Cathleen, as well as his son Bruce, to stay with Aida and myself.’

  ‘They’re here?’ said Holmes, surprised. ‘How can you handle that?’

  ‘I can’t, and yet I can,’ said Minna. ‘My brother Charlie has never been in Chicago. He has no idea what Aida and I really do. He believes, as we led him to believe from the start, that Aida and I made a fortune through investments, bought this mansion, and are part of Chicago’s best society. So it seemed reasonable to send his daughter and son to stay with us until the wedding.’

  Holmes was truly astonished. ‘But they’ll find out in a jiffy what goes on here.’

  ‘I don’t intend to let them find out,’ said Minna. ‘I’ve practically cleared out the Club. Gave most of the girls vacations and kept six here to serve as dining-room hostesses. I advised everyone, the servants included, of my problem. Now I felt it was necessary to tell you also. There must be no loopholes.’

  ‘You can depend on my silence, Minna. You know that.’

  ‘For the next two weeks, I am Minna Lester and my sister is Aida Lester - our maiden names.’

  ‘Of course.’ Holmes squirmed on the sofa. ‘What am I to do in the meantime?’

  ‘You are not to set foot in the Everleigh Club until you are summoned. You will still earn your fee by attending my girls who have been put on vacation. I’ll give you a list of hotels where they are hiding out. You will continue to examine them. I want to be assured they are not working on the side and contaminating themselves.’