Steam Me Up, Rawley

by Angela Quarles

  “Yes, indeed.” Adele ushered them closer to the door and tapped her foot around the area against the wall. Finally, one of them moved.

  The man scratched his head and set down his tools. “I’ll look to this straightaway.”

  Once they were inside the cabin, she asked, “Should I order refreshments?”

  “I think I’ve had enough for this morning.”

  “Well, then.”

  The door opened, and in came Great-Aunt Linette, her cheeks glowing. “There you are, my dears. I’ve had the most delightful morning.”

  Rawley caught her gaze and raised an eyebrow. She gave a slight shake. She still didn’t want to alarm her great-aunt.

  Her great-aunt pressed the buzzer and ordered refreshments. Rawley groaned.

  “What are we doing standing here? Let’s sit at least,” exclaimed her great-aunt, shooing them to the sitting area. “Are you all ready for the trip into Tampa? I’m so excited. I’ve never been to Florida. My friends will be joining us.”

  Adele leaned back in the settee. “I’m afraid you’ll have to go without me.”

  “Oh?” Her great-aunt cast a speculative glance between them.

  “Yes, I’d like to be able to file my story as soon as we land in Mobile. I thought I’d use this downtime to transcribe all the interviews I’ve conducted so far. If I don’t start doing that now, it’ll be too overwhelming when I return.”

  “That sounds like an excellent notion, dear.” She looked to Rawley and lifted an eyebrow. “Will you be joining us?”

  He sat forward, elbows on knees. “I will remain as well.”

  Adele held her breath. She was counting on her great-aunt’s desire to see her so thoroughly compromised it could end only in a wedding. That way he’d be able to stay with her for protection.

  Great-Aunt Linette tipped her head lightly. “I’m not sure if this is quite proper. I’m sure it’s not.”

  Adele slumped as much as she could in her corset. Why the attack of conscience now? “What if we promise to do the transcribing in one of the public parlors?” It was a lie only of omission, she told herself. Since they wouldn’t be transcribing at all...

  Her great-aunt studied the both of them. “I suppose that might be all right.”

  Rawley leaned forward. “Mrs. Rochon, you have my word as a gentleman I will not act in any improper way.”

  Aunt Linette frowned. “You sound quite serious.”

  “I assure you, I am.”

  “Humpf. Very well, then.” She looked Adele up and down, still frowning. “I will see you this afternoon. Good luck with the transcribing.”

  With that, she changed her bonnet to one that had more of a brim, picked up her reticule, and swept from the room. Leaving them alone.

  “So did you want to transcribe your cylinders?” Rawley asked.

  “Actually, I made that up, but sure, why not? What I said made perfect sense—I should start working on them.”

  Twenty minutes later, they were settled in one of the public parlors available to them on the first-class deck, Loki set up in a corner with his favorite toys. She’d been neglecting him during most of the trip and felt compelled to bring him along.

  She fitted the first cylinder in place and peeked at Rawley. His mood? Still surly. “It occurred to me we have not fully explored this ship. We haven’t seen the Topdeck Gardens. Maybe we could explore later?”

  “If you so desire.”

  She sighed. How could she make him understand? They wanted two different things out of life.

  “Looks like they fixed the floor,” she tried again.

  “Indeed.”

  Finally, she had the cylinder wrestled into place. She was about to turn the playback knob, when a thought occurred. “We should let the captain know where we are in case he needs to apprise us of anything.”

  “I’ll take care of it.” He strode to the buzzer on the wall. When he heard a reply, he said, “Can you inform the captain Miss de la Pointe is in Parlor...” He stepped out and looked at the doorframe. “...in the Mermaid Parlor on the first-class deck?”

  “Yes, we can see where this call originates. I will inform the captain.”

  Adele turned the knob on the recorder and took up her pen. This would be a long afternoon.

  Some time later, Adele stopped playback, set down her pen, and stretched. This was taking longer than she thought. She glanced at Rawley. He lounged in a seat across the room reading a book, legs crossed.

  “Where did you get the book?”

  “There’s a bookcase there.” He pointed with the spine and continued reading.

  A desire to ruffle him overcame her. He’d retreated into the shell he’d worn when she’d first met him, and it irked her. “What are you reading?”

  He flipped the book and looked at the spine. “The Mysterious Island. By Jules Verne.” He went back to reading.

  A pause. “Are you enjoying it?”

  “I’d enjoy it much more uninterrupted.”

  She flicked her gaze upward and shook her head. “Have you read anything else by Verne?”

  “No.”

  Now she was actually curious. “No? You don’t know what you’ve been missing.”

  “I certainly won’t at this rate.”

  She stuck her tongue out at him. A rustle and a throat clearing came from the door.

  She jumped and pretended as if she’d been licking her lips. It was a Blue Armband. “Yes?”

  Rawley shut the book, an index finger marking his spot.

  The Blue Armband cocked an eyebrow. “Miss de la Pointe?”

  “That’s me.”

  “I have a message for you.” He looked both ways down the corridor and stepped inside. He shut the door and handed her a note. “I’m to relay any reply.”

  “Thank you.” She opened the missive. From the captain, it informed her that the Welcome Committee Corps had all been set their task and had started their search. Some had already reported back, but without success.

  “Tell the captain thank you.”

  Blue Armband bowed and left the room. She picked up the next cylinder. “Odd.”

  “What?”

  “I could swear I had only three etched cylinders—one of the captain, and two containing the passenger interviews, but there are four here.”

  “Maybe you used one more for the interviews than you remembered?”

  “Maybe.” She placed the cylinder in the playback and thumbed it on.

  Instead of her voice introducing the date, time, location, and subject, she heard a clanking noise and—was that muttering?

  Then a rustle and Loki’s distinctive chatter.

  “Loki, did you mess with the recording machine?” She remembered his brief obsession when they’d returned to the room the night she’d sprained her ankle.

  Loki ran over, but instead of looking guilty, he looked...eager?

  She reached to turn it off, when a voice blared through the speaker.

  For you, Father. All for you. Followed by a string of Spanish. But while loud, it sounded distant, as if heard through a barrier.

  Stop it. I do not... Yes, I hear you, Father. A sigh. Silence. More clanking. Get out of my head! I will make you proud. You will see. I need only set this up.

  Another minute passed with nothing but the clanking noise, and then silence.

  Icy fear spread up her back, and she locked gazes with Rawley.

  “Was that...?”

  He nodded. “I think so.”

  They both stared at Loki who preened before them.

  “Could this have been from the night I sprained my ankle?”

  “What was he doing, though? And where was he? He hadn’t broken into the room, I feel sure.”

  A throat cleared by the door, and they both jumped. Another Blue Armband stood there, missive in hand.

  It was from the Chief of Maintenance letting her know the floor outside her cabin had been fixed. But the rest of the message had her hands shaking.


  Good God. “Thank the maintenance chief for me, thank you.”

  “Very good, miss. I also wanted to personally inform you that all of us are looking for this man, even as we make our regular rounds of the ship. If we find him, we’ll keep an eye on him to discover his identity, you may rest assured.”

  Adele was momentarily startled. The captain had let the Blue Armbands know of her involvement? Perhaps he thought it would stimulate male chivalry.

  “You have my thanks.” She gave him her best smile and was gratified to see him blush. Yes, the captain was a smart man.

  He bowed again, lower this time, and hustled from the room, leaving the door open.

  “Those Blue Armbands are everywhere, so one is bound to see our fellow,” Rawley said.

  “Rawley, listen to this. The Chief of Maintenance says it looked as if the tile had come loose after being pried open. He discovered a curious contraption in the cavity between floors that had not been there at launch. He thinks it’s a listening tube attached to a wire, which they are attempting to trace now.” She handed him the second message.

  “Good Lord. Does this mean a listening device was installed there by someone?”

  “And that someone being the killer? Yes, I believe so. And that Loki had heard him banging in the hall and recorded him as he was installing it.” She blushed, thinking of the noise they’d made the first night it had been placed.

  “Maybe the wire will lead to his cabin?”

  “We can hope so.”

  They both looked at the recording device.

  “Well, I’ll be damned,” Rawley said. “Loki recorded the killer.”

  “Come on. Let’s go see if they’ve learned anything more.” Adele stood and shook out her skirts.

  He snagged a nearby napkin, marked his spot in Verne’s book, and returned it to the shelf.

  He helped her pack, and after collecting Loki, they returned to her cabin to drop off the equipment.

  She slid the key into the lock, but the door swung inward at the movement.

  “Didn’t you lock it before we left?” he asked.

  “I most certainly did.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  And Then The Game Turns Deadly

  Rawley blocked her with his arm. “Stay here. Let me go in first.” He slipped inside and returned seconds later. “Someone’s torn this place up—”

  “What?” She made to move past him, but he gripped her arm.

  “Remain here. He may still be within. Allow me to do a quick search.”

  With that, he disappeared.

  There he went being heroic again. She rolled her eyes and swept inside. She thumbed the buzzer. “My place has been ransacked. Send a security detail here immediately.” At least that way, if the perpetrator were in here, Rawley would have backup.

  She took a deep breath and turned. Loki chittered his distress. The settee cushions had been slashed. If Loki weren’t on her shoulder, she’d have suspected he was the culprit, like how he’d behaved when she’d first inherited him. Loki screeched, jumped down, and marched around the room, tiny fists on hips, steps belligerent.

  Her camera bag gaped open, and the plates—oh, no, all the plates she’d exposed during launch and of the passengers were now shards scattered across the floor.

  And she felt it—all the hopelessness, the unfairness, the frustration—it seared through her and left her shaking, her knees weak. She let it flow through her and didn’t push it away.

  Then anger arose. Her hard work, her wish to prove herself, lay in shambles at her feet. Her story on The Neptune and any chance of remaining at the paper was ruined.

  She fought a sob and forced herself to take stock of the rest of the room. Any object that looked like it could hide something small had been smashed or slashed or turned upside down.

  “All clear.” Rawley’s shout came from the hall.

  Heavy steps pounded along the metal corridor outside. She leaned out. Marines on full alert came at a neat trot.

  Rawley joined her, and he filled them in on what he’d seen.

  “Remain here,” the marine leader ordered as they swept inside.

  She straightened her shoulders and met Rawley’s concerned gaze. “So how bad was it?”

  “Besides your camera equipment, most of the damage was to the ship. Your things are strewn all over, however. As are your aunt’s. You’ll have to ascertain if anything is missing.”

  “I’m sure there’s not. We know what he was after, and I left my copies at home.”

  “No doubt he found it easier to search your belongings aboard this ship than your home, which is always occupied by family or servants.”

  She shuddered. “True.”

  “What should we do next?”

  “Let’s at least wait and see what the marine guards say.” What was next, indeed? Could she salvage her story?

  Adele shuffled to the picture window in the first-class dining room, which was at the end of their hall. Now that they were docked, land and air dominated the horizon again. Actually, air and ships. Lots and lots of ships. Above, airships dotted the skyline, arriving and departing the busy port. The airship port must be adjacent to the watership port. “I wonder if my aunt is having fun.”

  “I’d bet a dollar she is. Probably getting in trouble. Who knew we had such a hellion living under our roof?”

  Sharp steps approached. “Oh, there you are. It’s safe,” said the marine leader. “You may come in.” Once inside, he continued, “We’ll send housekeeping here, and we made note of the damage. It’s nothing that poses any danger to you. Unfortunately, I believe we are full, so you may have to remain in this suite.”

  Adele shivered. Someone had been in here. In her space. A killer.

  The leader approached the speaker box and asked for housekeeping and someone from the Welcome Committee Corps.

  She drifted to her camera and gingerly picked it up. Though it lay on its side, as she examined it, it appeared to have escaped damage. There was that, at least. Her glass plates were another matter. Every single one was smashed, even the blank ones. She groaned. But all was not lost. She could work around the missing shots, take new ones. “Do we have time to disembark and purchase more glass plates?”

  Rawley pulled out his timepiece and snapped it open. “We’ll be cutting it close. The Neptune’s been docked for an hour already. Is it that important?”

  She fixed him with a hard glare. “This is my job.”

  “But what can you do?”

  “Rawley, if I can’t turn in the most important society story the paper’s assigned me, Tonti will have won. I won’t ever have another chance for the serious ones.”

  Rawley stared a moment, gaze locked with hers, assessing. He nodded. “Very well, then. We need to leave now.”

  She grabbed her reticule and Loki and explained their mission to the marines. “Please have housekeeping proceed without us,” she concluded.

  “We will, miss. And the captain told me to let you know the listening device leads to a maintenance room below and a recording device. I now have one of my men watching it constantly in case he returns to retrieve it.”

  Disappointing, but perhaps the killer would return to pick up his recording and this nightmare could be over. “Thank you.”

  As they left, a Blue Armband walked toward them on the corridor. “Can you walk with us and talk?” she asked. “We need to get onshore posthaste.”

  “Certainly.” He turned and followed them. “On behalf of Waterman Steamship Company, I wish to express how truly sorry we are for what has transpired.”

  “It was not your company’s fault.”

  “Unfortunately, we don’t have any other rooms on board. I will ensure housekeeping cleans and repairs the suite as best they can.”

  They stepped inside the brass cage elevator and swooped down to the Promenade. “Thank you. Tell me, do you know if there are any photography shops near the docks?”

  “That, I cannot say. T
here is a welcome hut onshore, however, and they may know. Can I be of service to you in any other way?”

  “Yes, find that fellow your men have already been looking for. He was responsible.”

  He gasped. “Yes, miss. We will redouble our efforts.”

  Constructed of bamboo poles and roofed with dried palm fronds, the welcome hut stood at the end of their pier. While Tampa’s port was smaller than Mobile’s, it was busy enough for such a small town. They headed straight for the hut. Adele inhaled, relishing the fresh air and the familiar scent of a bustling water port.

  A squat man in a seersucker suit and sporting a bowtie smiled wide at their approach. “Welcome to Tampa in sunny Florida. How may I be of service to you?” What an excellent notion. Mobile needed such a service to greet newcomers.

  “Can you tell us the nearest shop to buy photography plates?”

  “Hmmm.” He scratched his head, hat lifting and falling with the movement. “That I don’t know. One moment.” He palmed the horn of an acoustic telegraph. “Betty, do you know where someone can buy photography plates? Uh-huh. Yes, I’ll hold.” He covered the mouthpiece and looked at Adele. “She’s asking someone.” His attention switched back. “Oh, yes. Thank you.” He replaced the horn. “It’s on Lafayette Street. Number 17.”

  “How far is that?”

  “You can walk there in ten minutes.” He gave them directions, and they set off at a brisk pace, dodging porters and dock workers.

  Once clear of the dock, the small town revealed itself. But dominating all were palm trees and pines.

  “Are we being followed, do you know?” Adele asked.

  “I do not believe so. At least, I have not seen anyone acting suspicious or who fits your description.”

  “That’s a relief, at least.”

  Soon, they were at the shop, and Adele made her purchases. They didn’t dawdle, though Adele would have liked to, and headed straight back to the docks.

  “A cigar shop.” Rawley stopped in his tracks and consulted his timepiece. “I think we have time for a slight detour. I’ve heard about the Ybor cigars made here, and I would love to purchase a box.”