The land was flat with small houses here and there and there was a smattering of small businesses that were trying to create the carnival atmosphere that would come in the future Coney Island. The sixty-minute ride ended and Rocky passed Bill his money which the greedy policeman missed while he was preoccupied with Bill and John’s money and diamonds.
The driver called down, “Brooklyn Mental, sirs,” as he pulled up in front of the large dark gray building. It was a typical Victorian era building of the times with turrets sticking out everywhere. The windows were long and shuttered and a high iron fence surrounded the building.
“One dollar, sir,” said the driver and Bill passed him two.
“Will you wait for us, driver?”
The man nodded vigorously spilling snow on his lap as he put the money away. “Yes sir. I’ll be right here.” He climbed down when they left and entered the warm carriage.
The three time travelers went to the gate and John pulled on the long chain that rang a bell. The front door was thirty feet away and it took five minutes of bell ringing before it opened a crack. A man looked out, went back in and then came out carrying an oil lamp. He trudged through the mounting snow and stood ten feet away from the gate. Thin and dressed in a long white medical jacket the dark-haired man asked as he held the lantern high, “What is it that you wish at this time?”
“To see a patient,” replied Bill.
“They are asleep. Come back tomorrow.”
“We have traveled a great distance and wish to see him immediately even if he is asleep.”
“You should get back in your cab before it gets stuck here.”
Rocky grabbed the iron gate and shook it causing the snow to fall off and the man to quickly step back in fear.
“Sir,” called out Bill in a firm voice, “we wish only to see him and then we will come back in the morning.”
Suddenly a figure appeared in the doorway. A tall heavyset gray haired man also dressed in a long medical jacket looked out at them. The thick glasses he wore made his black eyes seem to jump out of their sockets.
“Demeter,” he called out, “please allow them in. The night is dreadful.”
“At once Doctor Stamis,” the man said as he took out a set of keys, walked to the gate and in a moment opened it. The three time travelers entered the courtyard and at the Doctor’s urging quickly entered the building.
The front door led to a long hallway with a large living room off of it. Down the length of the hall were the doors to six rooms and ended with the kitchen. Across from the living room was a stairway to the two upper floors.
“I am Doctor Stamis,” the man said with a warm smile, “how may I help you gentlemen?”
“We are sorry for the late visit,” said Bill, “but we are searching for a friend who was in a gas explosion this morning.”
“We have a few patients who arrived today suffering from a gas explosion. What is your friend’s name?”
“Matthew Worthington.”
“Ah, Mister Worthington. Yes, he is here at my facility.” He shook his head and went on, “Unfortunately he is in a bad way.”
Bill shuttered. “How bad?”
“He is paralyzed from the neck down.”
The three men were stunned. “Paralyzed! May we see him?”
“Just for a minute. He is under medication so as not to try and move. Are you his relatives?”
“No, just good friends.”
“Very well. Follow me.” The three men followed the doctor up the flight of stairs and it was obvious that the hospital was a converted Victorian era home. They walked down a long rug-covered hallway with rooms on either side. Finally the doctor opened one of the doors and they entered the dimly lit room 206. As the doctor raised the oil lamp’s wick the room brightened somewhat. Lying on the bed was Matt covered with a white sheet and light blanket.
“Matt,” said Bill almost in a whisper. “Matt can you hear me? It’s Bill.”
His eyes flickered and then opened and were the only part of him that moved. He looked at Bill and then the other two and back to Bill.
“Hey buddy, don’t you worry. We’re going to get you back home in no time.”
Matt blinked, then blinked again as his eyes watered. Bill wiped his cheek and Matt never took his eyes off of his friend.
“You rest. We’ll be back and you’ll be fine before you know it.”
Matt blinked as he looked up at Bill and Bill had to look away.
“Doctor we’ll be back tomorrow to move him.”
“Impossible! He is paralyzed. With my help perhaps he’ll regain his movement but if he’s moved it might kill him.”
“Is it possible to stay here tonight, doctor?”
“No. There’s no room and my staff will be disturbed. Best take that carriage back where you came from.”
“We wish to be close to our friend.”
“Then take a room in the Manhattan Hotel. One block down towards the ocean. Now it’s best that you leave as you’ve already upset your friend.”
Rocky and John both patted Matt’s arm before the three left.
They were shown to the door and after the gate closed behind them they climbed into the cab. “One block towards the ocean, driver. The Manhattan Hotel. Then you may go back as we are going to stay for the night.”
The driver nodded and took off with the crunching of the snow beneath his wheels.
The Manhattan Hotel was a wooden building one block from the ocean and within view of the hospital. The three men entered the lobby, which was on the sparse side for a hotel. A large red over-stuffed couch was against the far wall and six red easy chairs with paper doilies were spread around all facing a roaring fireplace. A deep brown and tan rug went wall to wall and there were brass spittoons scattered about. A series of well-done seascapes hung on the blue and white flowered wallpapered walls in between the large windows that were shuttered. A long desk was opposite the fireplace and a dark haired elderly woman sat behind it in a rocking chair watching them over the novel she was reading.
“Help ya gents?”
“Yes,” said Bill shaking the snow off his shoulders. “Three rooms for the evening, please.”
“Sure. Fifty cents each. If ya want a bath with hot water ya need ta wait until the morning as the boy is in town.”
Bill grinned as he paid her. “Any chance of getting something to eat?”
She clucked like a mother whose sons were hungry. “Why don’t you three sit by the fire and I’ll make some sandwiches and hot tea for ya?” She looked down and continued, “No luggage so ya most probably didn’t expect ta stay in Coney Island for the night. The place is pretty empty right now so if ya want you can take your boots off and dry them by the fire as ya warm your feet.”
The three smiled and Bill said, “I’ll give you another two dollars for the food.”
“No need honey. It’ll just go to waste waiting for customers. This place gets mighty dead in the winter.”
The three sat bootless at the fire enjoying the heat and soft chairs.
“Here ya are, boys,” said the woman as she carried a large tray with sandwiches, tea and cookies on it. She set it on a small coffee table and added, “If ya need anything else, let me know. I’ll be reading my book behind the counter.”
“Why not join us in tea?” asked Bill.
She raised her eyebrows and after a moment said, “Well it’s not like I’m expecting anyone. Matter of fact I was really surprised when you three walked in.” She nodded and went on, “Sure! That sounds good. Let me go get another teacup and I’ll be right back. By the way I’m Mary.”
“Bill, John and Rocky,” said Bill.
The four sat chatting about the future of Coney Island.
“I’ll bet anything that the place will be a great summer recreational spot someday,” she said.
“You are absolutely correct, Mary,” answered Bill. “Your hotel will be well known as the place that many celebrities stayed at.”
There was a lull in the conversation and she asked, “Did you gentlemen come from the hospital because at times you sure seem to be far away?”
Bill nodded. “Please excuse us, Mary. A very good friend of ours is in there and the doctor believes that he’s in a bad way.”
She looked at them and then quietly asked, “Is your friend paralyzed?”
The surprised look the three gave her told her she was right.
“But how could you have known?” asked Bill.
She shook her head. “Many friends and relations of patients in that place have told me that their loved one was paralyzed. Most never come out unless it’s feet first. Poor souls.”
The three time travelers sat back stunned.
“Wh-what?” asked a shaken Bill. “I can see one or two but many patients being paralyzed? That’s just too much of a coincidence.”
Once again she shook her head. “And their ambulance man always hangs around other hospitals. I hear that he waits for them to have a legitimate call and he follows along to ‘help out’ by bringing one or more of the hurt people all the way back to Brooklyn Mental.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong,” asked John, “but doesn’t the word mental mean that it’s a hospital for mental patients?”
She shrugged. “That’s what you would think but one of the cleaning people cleans my rooms as well and she says there’s every type of sick person ending up there.”
Rocky suddenly slapped his forehead and said as he stood, “My gosh! I get it! I get it!”
Bill, John and the woman looked at the suddenly excited Rocky.
“What is it that you get, Rocky?”
“Bill! When you were talking to Matt all he could do was blink because he was paralyzed, right?”
“Right. So?”
“So I saw something that seemed strangely familiar and it just dawned on me now what it was.”
“What was that?”
“Bill, when you were wiping his cheek he blinked three fast blinks followed by three long blinks and followed again by three fast blinks. Get it? Matt was blinking SOS in code!”
“SOS?” quipped John, “That’s universal for ‘help’.”
“We have to get him out of there. Tonight!” added Bill grabbing his boots.
“How?” said Rocky, “We sent the carriage back.”
John turned and asked, “Mary, do you have a carriage we could rent for the night?”
“Boys, I have something better: a horse drawn carriage with steel runners.”
“Rocky,” Bill said, “please give her one of the diamonds.”
Rocky passed her one and she sat speechless.
“Mary, I’m going to be honest with you,” said Bill as she watched the light from the oil lamp reflect off of the cut gem, “We might not be able to get the horse and carriage back to you, but this diamond is real and should be able to purchase you a fleet of them.”
“It-it will be a tight squeeze for four men and its open to the weather. But,” she said as she rose, “I have two large heavy blankets to help keep you warm. I’ll be right down.”
“Can you also part with a butter knife?” asked Rocky. Her answer was a shrug of her shoulders and a nod of her head.
Bill pulled his boots on. “Do you guys agree that the gate can be climbed?”
Both John and Rocky agreed with a grin as they grabbed their boots.
“If there’s any trouble, I get to clobber the doc,” said Rocky slamming his clenched fist into his open hand.
Bill nodded, “Hopefully we don’t bump into anyone, but we must be prepared to use force if need be to get Matt back.”
Mary came down the stairs carrying two thick blankets that Rocky took off of her along with the butter knife. “When do you wish to leave?” she asked?
“As soon as possible,” answered Bill.
“Then follow me to the stable.” She took an oil lamp and they walked down a short hallway to a door in the back which she opened. The lamplight showed the inside of the hotel’s stable. There were three carriages two of which were wheeled and she led the way to the open carriage sitting on gleaming steel runners. Past them was a wooden pen with a large brown horse in it.
“That’s Flash. She’s fast and hooked up to the sleigh she’ll beat any wagon on wheels in the snow.” She added, “Hope you gents can hook her up as my stable boy is home tonight.”
“No problem, Mary,” said Bill as the three men approached the horse.
Within ten minutes the horse was hitched to the sleigh. Bill put a large horse blanket over her back and they were set.
“Mary,” said Bill as he hugged the woman, “thanks so much for everything. Just remember this: if the police ask about the carriage, we stole it while you were sleeping.”
Mary went down the line hugging each man and said, “Good luck and I hope your friend is okay.”
Rocky took the reins as Bill opened the doors at the front of the stable and closed them after they exited the building. John and Bill climbed up next to Rocky who snapped the reins on the horse’s rump. He headed almost soundlessly towards the large Victorian house known as Brooklyn Mental.
The snowflakes were large but dry and there was at least five inches on the ground and it didn’t look as though it was going to let up soon.
“Park the rig around back,” said Bill as he pointed to a stand of evergreens. Rocky parked it beneath one of the taller trees and tied the horse’s rein to a branch and the three men quickly climbed over the iron fence near the rear of the building.
“There has to be a door in the rear,” said Rocky.
The three went around the back keeping in the shadows whenever possible. They spotted a small room at the rear of the house that protruded out and as Rocky had predicted it had a door. He took out the butter knife and in a moment he jimmied the lock open and they quietly entered the room. It was a mop and pail room that led to the kitchen and the three men stood quietly for a moment to listen. Satisfied that they were not detected they headed into the large hallway that would take them to the stairs leading to the second floor.
Suddenly there was a banging at the front door followed by the sound of a door off of the living room opening. The open door threw a stream of light out into the hallway that the three men were standing in. They quickly backed into a shadow as the doctor went and opened the front door. His surprised voice carried down the hallway. “Lieutenant Doyle? How-how did you open the front gate?”
“Let me in man. It’s freezing out,” he answered as he barged in and closed the door behind himself. “How did I get past the locked gate?” he asked with a gruff laugh as he stomped the snow off of his feet, “Easy! I used my skeleton key. Pretty funny right: my skeleton key?”
“Hush up you fool. Sound travels far on nights like these.”
“I need some brandy. I’m freezing.”
“Follow me.”
The doctor led the policeman into the living room where he lit the chandelier centered over a large round table. “Take a seat and I’ll get the brandy.” He went to a large breakfront and took out two glasses and a bottle of the drink. He poured two and offered a toast. “To us.”
The policeman touched his glass with the doctor’s and answered, “To us,” and tossed the drink down.
The three time travelers could hear every word they said, as they were not more than ten feet away in the dark hall.
“Did you come here alone?”
“One of my men drove me. He’s probably inside the carriage warming up.” He pushed his empty glass across the table, “Another.”
“Please talk low,” the doctor said as he poured him another drink. “So, what is so important that you came here in this snow storm?”
The man grinned a wicked grin. “I heard that there was another man hurt in that explosion today and I also heard that your ambulance was in the vicinity. I just wondered if you picked him up?”
“I did. He’s in a bad condition.”
The policeman made a f
ace as he pushed his empty glass towards the doctor. “Do you really think I care what condition he’s in? Did you go through his clothes?”
“Of course I did. He had about fifty dollars.”
“Mmmm. Same as those other two. Did you happen to see a money belt?”
“No. I would have remembered that. I think he wore suspenders. Why?”
The policeman suddenly rose and grabbed the doctor by the throat. “Are you holding out on me? Do you think that you can put something over on me? I’ll toss you in jail for the disgusting stuff you do in a heartbeat. Show me his clothes.”
The doctor rubbed his throat, as he stood wobbly. “Up-upstairs . . . follow me.” He led the way up the stairs with the policeman following. “In here,” he said as he opened a door across from the room that Matt was in. The clothes were hung up on wooden pegs in the closet.
Still rubbing his throat the doctor said, “See? No belt at all. He wore suspenders.”
The policeman grabbed the suspenders and examined them closely. He found a small opening that looked like some stitching had separated and spread it open. Out popped a diamond and then another two into his hands.
“Ha! I knew it! He’s with those other men.”
“What other men? Are there more diamonds? I get a cut too.”
“You don’t get anything! I found them and when I catch those guys I’ll let you take care of them in your special way.”
“I know where they are.”
The policeman turned and almost put his face in the others. “What? How do you know where they are? How do you even know about them, they just escaped this afternoon?”
“There are three of them.”
The cop nodded, “Yeah. There was another of them that I didn’t know about. He was in another room and overpowered one of my men. So, where are they?”
“Do I get a cut?”
“Tell me where they are and I’ll give you one diamond. That’s all.”
Time Travel Adventures of the 1800 Club, Book 14 Page 4
