The Golden Room

by Irving Wallace

  '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 trustworthy. 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.'

  Holmes was pleased. 'Certainly fair enough.'

  Minna rose. 'Come along. We'll drink to it in my study.'

  The next morning at eleven-thirty, the four Lesters, in Minna's new Ford, drove up North Shore Drive along the quiet waters of Lake Michigan, swung on to Lake Park Avenue, and went through open metal gates. The semicircular driveway ahead of them led to the entrance of the brick mansion that was the home of Harold T. Armbruster.

  They had all spent the morning dressing for the critical occasion.

  As usual, Minna was the most flamboyantly dressed. She was wearing a diamond dog collar, a stomacher studded with emeralds, a long gown of rich blue silk, with four diamond bracelets rattling on one wrist. Aida was similarly attired, but wore only a pearl necklace that had belonged to their mother. Cathleen, as befitted her age and virginal state, was the most simply dressed, in a pleated white linen blouse and brown skirt. Bruce was neatly attired in a straw hat, celluloid collar, new twenty-five-cent black necktie, and expensive seventy-five-cent checked shirt he had purchased at Mandel Brothers.

  They had been squeezed together in the car, since room had to be made for Edmund to chauffeur them. Descending from the Ford, Minna led the way up the marble steps.

  Admitted by a butler into the foyer, the guests were received in the garish living-room by Harold T. Armbruster himself. Armbruster was flanked by his top-heavy, dumpy wife, Pearl, and his two offspring. Judith Armbruster looked somewhat like Abe Lincoln, Minna decided – not bad for Lincoln himself, but not as good for an eligible girl in her twenties. Alan, on the other hand, while above medium height and seemingly strong enough, had a faint, ethereal quality, somewhat like Keats. Minna liked him at once.

  Cathleen was greeted with handshakes by Armbruster and his wife. Alan greeted her more warmly with a chaste peck on one cheek. Then Cathleen introduced her aunts, Minna and Aida Lester, with whom she and Bruce were staying while in Chicago.

  'Well, well,' boomed Armbruster, 'this is a happy group.' Then addressing himself to Minna, he said, 'Cathleen tells us you and your sister are prominent in social circles here. I can't recall ever having met you.'

  'We don't circulate much,' replied Minna. 'We devote ourselves to artistic pursuits and charities. It might be accurate to say we are recluses, two widows alone.'

  'A pity,' said Armbruster. 'You're both too attractive to remove yourselves from society. To make you feel more at home, perhaps you'd like to have a look about?'

  Armbruster plodded ahead of them as he led his party through the main downstairs rooms. There was a ballroom which could be converted into a theatre. There were several parlours. They visited the music room, which featured a rosewood piano – quite grand, Minna thought, but nowhere comparable to her own gold piano at the Club. At last they arrived in the large library, done up with imported ebony reading tables inlaid with gold. There were few books in the library. The walls were mostly covered by Gobelin tapestries, and, incongruously, Minna thought, a huge framed painting of a scene from Armbruster's own stockyards.

  Insisting that they all relax on the French Empire sofas in the library, Armbruster rang a bell. A maid and butler appeared immediately, one to serve pate de foie gras, the other to pour Veuve Clicquot.

  Sipping his drink, Armbruster said, 'I thought we might have a little get-acquainted talk before we go in to lunch.'

  'Where should we begin?' Minna said pertly.

  'With your niece's wedding to our son Alan, I should think,' Armbruster answered. 'The ballroom you just saw is where the'wedding will take place. I've already secured the services of a Lutheran minister, if that is suitable to Cathleen.' />
  'I'm a Baptist,' Cathleen said.

  'No matter,' said Armbruster decisively. 'We all pray to the same God, don't we?'

  'I guess so,' said Cathleen weakly.

  'We'll be entertaining 200 guests, the most important people in Chicago. I assume you have your wedding gown, Cathleen?'

  Minna took over. 'Cathleen has a lovely white lace and satin gown that Aida and I have picked out for her at Marshall Field's. It needs only to be fitted.'

  'Capital!' Armbruster exclaimed. 'The wedding will be formal, of course, because it will be a special occasion beyond the ceremony itself. Prince Henry of Prussia will be in Chicago on that date, and I'm making every effort to have him attend the wedding as an honoured guest.'

  'Has he accepted?' Minna wondered.

  'I believe Mayor Harrison has just presented the prince's Chicago schedule to his aides in Washington. I should have confirmation before the prince and his party arrive here by train from New York. I have little doubt that the prince will be delighted to be the honoured guest at the banquet in our home.'

  'That would be a feather in your cap,' said Aida, speaking up.

  'More than that, far more than that,' agreed Armbruster, rubbing his dry hands together. 'I'll tell you something else

  that would be a feather in my cap, indeed, in all our caps.' He turned to address Bruce directly. 'Bruce, my daughter Judith has urged me to bring you into my firm once you're part of the family.'

  Bruce blinked at him, taken off guard. 'You… you're very generous, Mr Armbruster,' he stuttered. 'I… I'm not sure what you mean – you mean once my sister marries your son.'

  Armbruster laughed. 'More than that, far more,' Armbruster told him. 'I could see, down in Kentucky, that Judith was quite taken by you. Hardly a day has passed since our return to Chicago in which she hasn't mentioned your name.'

  Judith blushed, and giggled. 'Oh, Father…'

  Armbruster ignored her, continuing to address Bruce. 'I also had an eye on you, Bruce, when you were with Judith, and I observed you were quite attentive to her.'