Christmas in New York

by Monique Martin

  “It’s amazing,” Elizabeth added. “Like Christmas exploded.”

  Charlotte gave a half-hearted smile and then shrugged. “We can go if you want to.”

  That wasn’t exactly the response either of them was hoping for.

  The waiter appeared and asked if they wanted anything else.

  Simon shook his head. He watched as Charlotte took a dinner roll from the bread basket, but instead of tearing off a piece, she put it into her lap. Simon pretended not to notice but when she did it again, he had to ask.

  “What on earth are you doing?”

  “I’m sorry. Did you want them?” She held up the rolls.

  Simon had to laugh. “No, but if you didn’t get enough to eat we can always order you something else.”

  She’d poked at her food but eaten very little of it.

  Charlotte shook her head. “These aren’t for me.”

  She picked up two more rolls and tucked them into the napkin on her lap before tying up the ends in a neat little package.

  “They’re for those men we saw.”

  Simon nodded slowly, feeling like he’d been gut-punched.

  Elizabeth’s eyes were misty. “That’s very thoughtful of you.”

  She looked at Simon and he could read her thoughts in her expression.

  “I mean,” Charlotte said, “we should help if we can, right?”

  She grew quite serious and he saw his own features reflected in his child’s. “Even when it’s a little scary. We should because we can, right?”

  He glanced over at Elizabeth who just smiled.

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  “Out of the mouths of babes,” he said under his breath.

  Charlotte looked at him, completely guileless and wiser than he would probably ever be.

  She looked at her little bundle. “Did I do something wrong?”

  Simon took a deep breath, humbled by her simple act of kindness. “No. Far from it.”

  The three men were still standing in the mouth of the alley when they left the restaurant.

  Simon looked down at Charlotte. “Would you help me?”

  She nodded and he handed her one of the boxed meals he carried.

  “Excuse me,” he said to one of the men. “I hope you don’t mind, but my daughter thought you might enjoy these.”

  The men looked confused for a moment.

  “It’s steak,” Charlotte said as she held out her box.

  The men were embarrassed by the gesture but grateful as they took the boxed suppers. One of them peered inside to make sure it was what they said it was.

  The one wearing a wool cap took it off. “Thank you.”

  Simon nodded and held out his hand to Charlotte. She took it as they rejoined Elizabeth on the sidewalk.

  The men opened their boxes and dug in.

  “Hey,” the man with the hat called out, “Merry Christmas.”

  For the first time since they’d arrived, Simon thought it just might be.

  Chapter Six

  ELIZABETH FOUGHT OFF A shiver and then moved her legs up and down to keep them from freezing. It was cold. Colder than yesterday, and standing around on a street corner doing nothing but staring at Charlie’s building made her that much colder.

  She brought her cup of coffee up to her face to let what steam there was left warm her face.

  “Perhaps this isn’t—” Simon started.

  “It is.” She hoped. They didn’t have many choices really.

  She’d finally convinced Simon to try to help Charlie, with an assist from Charlotte. But neither of them was sure about how to go about it. All they knew was that Charlie was being forced into a life as a collector by a dirty policeman. Not a lot to go on.

  They’d discussed going to the local precinct to try to find Captain Quinlan, but what then? Oh, hi, Mr. Police Officer, break any laws lately? Seemed like not the best of ideas.

  With little to go on, they did the one thing they could, observe. They’d dropped off Charlotte about thirty minutes ago. She was being remarkably good about it all. This was, after all, her Christmas present and she’d spent most of it cooped up in a strange apartment. But she didn’t seem to mind. Just the opposite really; she’d seemed almost excited to go back. Despite that, Elizabeth and Simon promised to make it up to her that afternoon and do anything she wanted.

  Until then, they were going to find out as much about Charlie’s predicament as they could. They needed to find out who Quinlan was and what he was up to. But without any leads to follow, all they had was Charlie.

  “We should just ask him,” Simon said. Again.

  “You heard him yesterday. He doesn’t want us involved.”

  Simon hmm’d and Elizabeth quickly went on.

  “We’ll tell him when we have something to tell him. For now, we just need to gather intel.”

  Simon snorted. “Gathering intel, are we?”

  “And freezing our butts off.”

  Simon joined Elizabeth’s laughter. “Yes.”

  He put his arm around her to help warm her. “I could try to find more coffee or—”

  “Jiggers!”

  Simon looked at her in confusion. “What?”

  She pulled Simon aside and the two sheltered in an alcove. She nodded toward the building. “Charlie.”

  Charlie came down the steps and wrapped a scarf around his neck, tucking the ends into his coat, before he started off down the street.

  Simon and Elizabeth fell in behind him.

  He walked west on 4th, and as they came into a more commercial neighborhood, Christmas was everywhere. A few cars had small wreaths attached to their grills. Christmas music filtered from a small music store they passed. Storefront windows were painted with holly and decorations, while Santa and his sleigh flew over the street attached by a wire from pole to pole.

  It made Elizabeth even more anxious to help. No one deserved to be in the mess Charlie was, and definitely not at Christmas.

  They followed him for about eight blocks more before he walked up the steps of an apartment building and disappeared inside.

  “What do we do?” Elizabeth asked.

  “We wait.”

  Elizabeth sighed and did what didn’t come naturally.

  “What time is it?” she asked.

  “We’ve been here all of two seconds, Elizabeth.”

  “No, I mean what time is it. The meeting with Quinlan was at ten, right?”

  Simon nodded and glanced at his watch. “Nine thirty.”

  She could wait that long.

  Probably.

  About five minutes after Charlie went in, he came out. They fell in behind him again. There was enough foot traffic on the sidewalks that it was easy for them to blend in and Simon was tall enough to keep track of him even from a distance.

  Finally, Charlie arrived at Tompkins Square Park. Was this where he was meeting Quinlan?

  They followed him through the park. It must have been beautiful in the spring but in winter it was dreary. All of the trees were stark, leafless things and the ground was gray and brown and muddy. What snow there was had mostly melted, except for a few patches of ice. All of which Elizabeth found without even looking for them.

  One foot nearly skidded out from under her. She held up one offending foot. The little wrap buckle ankle boot was adorable with its little faux fur lining but they were honestly a death trap.

  “It’s the shoes,” she said.

  Simon fought a smile. “Of course.”

  “You try walking in these some time.”

  Simon merely smiled.

  “Seriously, I hope we go all Freaky Friday one day on a mission and you can see what it’s like to be a woman.”

  “At least you’re not wearing a corset,” he countered.

  Elizabeth raised her small fist in defiance. “Never again!”

  Simon chuckled and took her arm. “All right, Norma Rae, come on.”

  The park wasn’t very busy, with just a few pe
ople cutting through. As they neared the far side, Elizabeth wondered if that’s what Charlie was doing but then he stopped and lingered near a square granite kiosk with four supporting pillars. A neoclassical bronze statue of a robed woman holding a jug and cup stood on top of the stone canopy. Chiseled into the stone was the word Temperance. Charlie lingered near the water fountain beneath it.

  “Is that an actual temperance fountain?” Elizabeth asked as they sat on a bench half-hidden by a few trees. “As in no booze?”

  “Yes. Most benefactors of them meant well. They were erected to offer a place for free and safe drinking water to the public when that wasn’t always available. Most people drank beer instead because it was typically safer and well … beer.”

  Elizabeth smiled. “It’s a little ironic, isn’t it? To meet under one?”

  Simon nodded. “I’m sure that’s quite intentional. A subtle reminder to Charlie.”

  Elizabeth didn’t like that. She was pretty sure he didn’t need reminding. It sounded like rubbing salt in the wound. She liked Quinlan less and less.

  Simon glanced at his watch. “Ten sharp. Let’s hope our captain’s on time. It is cold out here.”

  Elizabeth pulled Simon close as they sat on the cold bench huddled together for warmth and waited. But they didn’t have to wait long. A few minutes later Captain Quinlan arrived.

  It was the first good look at him that Elizabeth had. He was average height but had a thick build. Dark hair and a ruddy complexion. He smiled as he approached Charlie. Charlie didn’t return it.

  The two exchanged brief words before Charlie handed Quinlan an envelope. Quinlan tucked it into his jacket pocket and left.

  “We should follow him,” Elizabeth said. “Quinlan.”

  Simon looked dubious. “Follow a police officer?”

  Elizabeth stood and rubbed her backside. “He’s not Dick Tracy.”

  Simon frowned but stood as well.

  Charlie lingered by the fountain for a moment, blocking their path to follow Quinlan. Then suddenly he turned right toward them.

  Simon grabbed Elizabeth, turning his back to Charlie and holding her close, shielding Charlie’s view with his body.

  “Why, Mr. Cross!” Elizabeth said playfully.

  “Shh.”

  She smiled up at him and he leaned down and kissed her. Suddenly, she wasn’t so cold any more.

  When he pulled away, she smiled up at him again. “I wasn’t going to say anything.”

  “I know,” he said. “I just wanted to kiss you.”

  Simon tightened his arms around her a little more.

  Elizabeth would have been happy to stay right where she was and forget about everything, but out of the corner of her eye she saw Quinlan leaving the park.

  Simon leaned in and kissed her neck.

  She sighed. “Charlie’s gone.”

  “Hmmm?”

  “Simon.” He was being very distracting.

  He leaned back and looked at her. “Yes?”

  “You’re trying to distract me.”

  “Is it working?”

  “Too well.”

  Necking with her very sexy husband would have to wait.

  Charlie was walking away; the coast was clear.

  She took his hand. “Come on.”

  With a sigh, Simon did.

  They followed Quinlan along 9th Street. There he climbed up to one of the elevated train platforms. Simon hesitated but Elizabeth tugged him along. She wasn’t going to lose him now.

  It was strange to see a train above ground running through the heart of Manhattan. They were already on their way out. By the fifties nearly all of them would be gone. It was just as well. They were noisy as heck.

  Quinlan got on to the First Avenue train heading south. Simon and Elizabeth got into the car behind him. It was crowded with people heading to Lower Manhattan. Not a seat to be had.

  Simon held on to one of the hand rails and Elizabeth held on to him. It reminded her of another train ride they’d taken in New York.

  “Bring back memories?” she asked.

  He nodded. “Coney Island.” His expression fell. “Not my finest hour.”

  He’d kissed her there. Their first kiss. But then he’d been so afraid of getting close that he pushed her away and made them both a special kind of miserable.

  She smiled up at him. “But you’re not afraid of me anymore, are you?”

  He gave a short laugh. “Every minute of every day.”

  She knew that wasn’t true. Their marriage was wonderful.

  The car bumped around a turn and she held on a little tighter. Simon’s height was an advantage again. He could see Quinlan in the next car.

  “Where do you think he’s going?” Elizabeth asked.

  “I suppose we’ll find out soon enough. This is the end of the line.”

  The train emptied, the crowd carrying Simon and Elizabeth out with it.

  “Do you see him?” she asked.

  Simon nodded and took her hand. They hurried toward the stairs. Just off in the distance Elizabeth could see the Brooklyn Bridge spanning the East River.

  “This way,” Simon said and tugged her along.

  They fell into the flow of pedestrian traffic and trailed along behind Quinlan. But it was only a few minutes before he turned off the road and headed for a large building.

  “That’s not good,” Simon said.

  “What?”

  “That,” he said, inclining his head toward a massive building, “is City Hall.”

  ~~~

  What were her parents doing?

  They’d dropped her off nearly half an hour ago but they were still hanging out on the street corner outside. Did they know what she did yesterday?

  “Come on, play dolls with me,” Trudy said plaintively. Again.

  Charlotte never looked away from the window. “Em wants to play.”

  “She’s too little.”

  “I am not!”

  Charlotte turned toward Trudy. “You can teach her. Show her how to do it right.”

  Trudy’s forehead wrinkled in thought. Charlotte knew she was on the right track. Trudy was nice but she liked to show off. She was the kind of person that needed an audience. Charlotte had other plans for the morning. At least, she hoped so. Em would have to do.

  “I’ll play,” Em said. “You can be the mommy.”

  Trudy pursed her lips. “All right, but you have to do what I say.”

  Em nodded eagerly.

  Charlotte turned back to the window and waited. A few minutes later Charlie left the building and her parents followed him.

  “So that’s why they were waiting,” she said to herself. “Phew.”

  At least they didn’t know her secret. Not that it would be much of one if Henry didn’t show up again. They hadn’t made any plans, but she just kind of hoped he would.

  She settled herself on the bench by the window and waited.

  Chapter Seven

  THE ROTUNDA INSIDE CITY Hall was beautiful. It had a large paneled dome held up by columns along the second floor gallery. There were three arched doorways leading into the center and a beautiful double staircase curving around and up each side of the circular room.

  “Over there,” Elizabeth said, pointed at a uniformed officer as he climbed the steps.

  But they hadn’t taken more than two steps when she noticed another officer. And then another. None of them were their man.

  “Great.”

  A cluster of men came down the stairs. A small pugnacious looking man with a wrinkled suit led the pack. He took off his round rimmed spectacles and tucked them into a pocket and handed off a sheaf of papers to one of the men trailing behind.

  “Mayor LaGuardia,” Simon said.

  “Really?” Elizabeth was excited to see him. Before this, he’d only been a forgotten paragraph in a history book and an airport best avoided whenever possible.

  He was short, just over five feet, but powerful somehow. His face was full and j
owly and his hair a little unruly despite the brilliantine trying to hold it in place.

  He spoke in that same high pitch she’d heard on the radio earlier. It sounded like something out of an old movie. But here he was, live and in the flesh.

  The group of half a dozen people scurried along behind him, trying to get his attention about something or other. He paused on the last step and they nearly crashed into him.

  “I promise you. It will be taken care of,” he said, before turning around and starting across the rotunda floor.

  Elizabeth wasn’t sure what drew her attention away from him, but something did. She looked across the room and noticed a man staring at LaGuardia. She knew that look. It was pure hate. The man had his hands stuffed in his pockets.

  Her heart began to race. LaGuardia was heading right toward him. The man took a step forward.

  Elizabeth reacted out of instinct. She hurried toward the man. He started to pull something out of his jacket pocket.

  “Elizabeth?” Simon called from behind her.

  LaGuardia was nearly to him now.

  The man took another step forward and she saw the gun in his hand. Her stomach dropped but she kept moving.

  She reached him and collided awkwardly with the gunman. She heard the weapon fall onto the hard floor.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said quickly. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

  “Get off me,” he said angrily and shoved her out of his way.

  “What’s going on?” LaGuardia asked.

  Elizabeth turned and saw the gun on the floor at her feet. She casually kicked it aside with her toe. As she looked up she knew that LaGuardia had seen her do it.

  The mayor said something to one of the men next to him and jerked his head toward the gun. Another man in his entourage jumped forward and corralled the gunman before he could run off.

  “Elizabeth?” Simon said, arriving at her side. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine,” she told him before turning back to LaGuardia. “I’m just so clumsy sometimes.”

  He stepped forward and reached for her hand. She gave it to him and he covered it with both of his. “I’m very grateful you are,” he said, giving her a knowing wink.