Chapter 16

16

JULY 11, 1927 MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

It had been two days since I visited Lewis in his home and three days since I'd called Thomas out of Nina Clifford's brothel to ask him to help with Alice. But I had not heard from either one again. I also hadn't heard anyone whispering rumors about me visiting either place, for which I was thankful.

I sat in the parlor with my parents and Alice on that sultry July night. The humidity was so high my skin felt slick, and my temper was short. Captain Zale's threat to send me to the bottom of the ocean in a diving bell increased my angst. What would happen if I died in 1727? Would I die in 1927, as well? And what of Marcus? Now that he showed an interest in seeking out his mother—even if he was doing it for me—I didn't want him to stop. Perhaps I could convince him to give up pirating, though I wasn't certain he could ever be free. He'd said himself that he was a wanted man. Even if he took his old name, there were some, like Captain Zale, who might reveal his identity for revenge. And the king had no tolerance for pirates.

Alice sat on the sofa across from me, fanning herself with a copy of Photoplay , a popular magazine celebrating motion pictures and the actors and actresses who starred in them. She'd picked it up last time we went to the grocers. Father had frowned when he saw it, but she had insisted the copy was for her Christian enlightenment, because there was an article about Cecil B. DeMille's new film, King of Kings , about the life of Christ.

"It has to storm soon," Mother said as she readjusted the electric fan closest to her. She wasn't prone to complaining, but her voice held a hint of a whine. "This weather cannot hold out much longer."

As if she'd summoned it, a flash of lightning lit up the dark sky beyond the parlor windows. I set aside Robinson Crusoe and left the sofa to inspect the oncoming storm.

Father was waiting for the nightly news. His petition to get Charles Lindbergh to visit Minneapolis had been successful—though Saint Paul would host the majority of Lindbergh's visit—and tonight WCCO news would share details about the tent revival starting the same day.

I moved the curtain aside to look at the dark yard as another flash of lightning lit up the sky.

Alice kept her eyes on me. She'd been living with us for almost two weeks, and she acted just as leery of me as I was of her. I still wasn't certain about her intentions and was left to wonder if she had truly come because of desperation and not to cause trouble, as I had assumed.

"Mrs. Baldwin and I would like to speak to you about your future, Alice," Father said. "We have waited, hoping to find a position for you in the Twin Cities, but we've exhausted most of our resources."

I let the curtain fall back into place as I waited for his decision. Mother and Father had been making inquiries about getting her a job, but there were few people willing to hire a single, pregnant woman.

Alice set aside her magazine and sat up a little straighter. "Yes?"

Father was calm as always as he clasped his hands in his lap. "Mrs. Baldwin has spoken to our sister-in-law in Des Moines, and she has located a home for unwed mothers in Sioux City, Iowa. We've decided this is the best course of action for you and will see that you have the train fare and all the proper funds to get there and then return to the Twin Cities once the child is born and placed with an adoptive family."

Alice's lips parted as she leaned forward. Father's pronouncement was so unemotional, so final. "A home for unwed mothers?"

"We think it's best," Mother said, offering a gentle smile. "As soon as possible."

"No." Alice shook her head as she put her hand over her stomach. "I won't let them take my baby away from me."

"We're at a loss, then," Father said. "As much as we'd like to help, you cannot continue to live here."

"But." Alice looked between them, desperation on her face. "You'd turn me away?"

I stepped forward, afraid Alice would share the truth and weeks of trying to keep it a secret would be for nothing.

The front door opened, drawing our attention to the foyer. Thomas strode in, as if he'd only just gone out for a quick errand and had returned.

"Hello," he said as he took off his hat and tossed it onto a nearby table.

"Thomas!" Mother rose from the sofa, her face lighting up with joy. "We weren't expecting you."

My shoulders stiffened at the sight of my brother. I couldn't put his recent visit to the brothel out of my mind. Was he finally here to take Alice away?

"Hello, son," Father said as he, too, rose. He shook Thomas's hand. "It's good to see you again."

Alice was still seated, her face pale, but I saw the recognition in her eyes. If what Thomas said was true, he'd once cared for Alice before Andrew came along. But had Alice cared for him?

"Who is your guest?" Thomas asked, though I knew it was only for our parents' benefit.

"This is Miss Alice Pierce," Mother explained, appearing a little uneasy. "Haven't we mentioned her?"

"No." Thomas made a show of crossing the room to offer his hand to Alice. Even though he was playacting, I saw through the ruse. There was pain and intensity in his gaze. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Pierce. You're the reason I'm here."

She stood, a question tilting her brow.

"Whatever do you mean?" Mother asked him.

Thomas glanced in my direction but made no move to greet me.

I didn't greet him, either.

"You can imagine my surprise when I was asked to summon Miss Pierce from this address," Thomas said to my parents.

"You were asked to summon her?" Father frowned. "By whom?"

"Her aunt," Thomas said.

"My aunt?" Alice blinked in confusion, and I wondered if she even had an aunt.

With a brief but withering look in my direction that the others might not have noticed, Thomas continued, "Your aunt Gladys visited the Saint Paul Police Department looking for you. She heard about your plight and would like for you to live with her."

"My aunt Gladys?" Alice looked more bewildered than ever.

"How wonderful," Mother said. "It's an answer to prayer. You won't need to go to Iowa after all."

"I would like to speak to you in private, if I may," Thomas said to Alice.

Nodding, Alice followed Thomas out of the parlor and onto the front porch.

"This couldn't have worked out better," Mother said. "I wonder why Alice didn't reach out to her aunt sooner."

I suspected I knew. There was no Aunt Gladys, but Thomas was making good on his promise to get Alice out of our parents' house. I wasn't sure how he would convince her to leave, but now that she knew my parents had plans to send her to an unwed mothers' home in Iowa, it might not be so hard.

A rumble of thunder shook the house, and the lightning continued.

Father resumed his seat, glancing at the clock. "The evening news should be starting soon."

Mother paced as she clutched her white embroidered handkerchief. "I hope Thomas can convince her to go to her aunt. She'd be much better off there than with strangers in Iowa."

"Don't fret, Mother," Father said as he picked up a newspaper, unconcerned. "God has a plan."

She nodded and then took a seat on the edge of the sofa.

Finally, the front door opened, and Thomas and Alice reappeared.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality," Alice said to them, her voice stiff. "I've decided to go to my aunt's home, tonight."

"Oh, how wonderful." Mother rose to give Alice a hug. "We're so happy for you, dear."

Thomas glanced at me and lifted an eyebrow, as if to say, I did what you wanted. Are you happy?

I smiled.

"Come in while Alice gathers her things," Mother said to Thomas. "Visit awhile."

Thomas glanced at the clock and said, "I suppose I have a minute."

I was still standing by the window, unable to sit until now. But with the threat of Alice gone, I finally felt like I could relax.

As soon as I took a seat, however, the doorbell rang.

"Oh dear," Mother said. "Who could that be? Caroline? Will you?"

Nodding, I got up and went into the foyer. The porch lights were on, so I could see Lewis standing on the other side of the door.

My pulse sped at the sight of him. Had he come with news of Annie?

He was wearing what appeared to be a new suit and hat, and when he saw me, he smiled.

"Hello," I said as I opened the door. "Did you come with news?"

"May I come in?"

I was hoping that what he had to tell me could be easily shared here and now, but it was rude not to invite him inside. And my parents would wonder who had come.

"Of course."

"I see Thomas is here." He pointed his thumb over his shoulder at Thomas's car.

"He came to collect Alice," I whispered as I took Lewis's hat and hung it on the coat-tree.

"I'm sure that makes you happy."

"You have no idea. Although," I said, quietly, "I can't figure her out. Why did she come here if she didn't intend to tell my parents about Andrew? Or blackmail them in some way?"

"Maybe she had a change of heart once she got to know them. Your parents are pretty great. Or, maybe she just needed their help, like she said. Not everyone has an ulterior motive, Carrie."

Could that be the case? Had I misjudged Alice?

"Look who came to visit," I said as I led Lewis into the parlor.

"Oh, how marvelous." Mother rose from her seat once again and greeted Lewis with a hug. She looked at me, quiet expectation in her gaze. "I'm sure Caroline is happy to see you again."

I hoped she didn't think Lewis was here to court me. He had been stopping by a lot more often, but it was only to help me. At least, that's what I wanted to believe.

We made small talk for a few minutes before Alice appeared, her suitcase in hand. Her face was still pale, and her eyes were red, as if she'd been crying.

"My dear," Mother said as she reached for Alice's hand. "Don't be afraid. God has gone before you, and He will take care of all your needs. He has a plan, I promise."

Alice lowered her suitcase and placed her free hand over Mother's. "Thank you so much for everything." She looked down at their hands. "I confess, these tears are not from fear, but because I'll miss you. When I came here—" She swallowed, and I held my breath. When she lifted her gaze, there was something soft and tender in her sad expression. "You've been so kind. I don't know what I would have done without you. You've shown me the meaning of real Christianity, and it's impacted me deeply."

"You're so very welcome." Mother gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Write to us, dear, and let us know how you're getting along with your aunt."

Alice wiped the tears from her cheeks. "You're the closest thing I've ever had to a mother. Thank you. I hope I can be as kind and loving as you to my own child one day."

My lips parted in surprise at Alice's genuine affection for my mother.

Lewis gave me an I told you so look.

Father also stood and said his goodbyes before Alice turned to me.

"Thank you," she said.

I nodded, though she had nothing to thank me for—except, perhaps, that I hadn't told my parents her real identity. If it had been up to me, I wouldn't have let her move in with us for the past two weeks. But my parents' generosity toward Alice had also impacted me. Maybe I had been wrong about Alice and all she needed was a little help to pick herself back up.

Thomas said goodbye to everyone, and then he escorted Alice out of the house.

Mother, Father, Lewis, and I looked at one another and then Lewis said, "Do you mind if I stay?"

"Of course not." Mother grinned. "Have a seat. I'll get some refreshments." She left the room, humming contentedly as Father turned up the sound on the radio to listen to the news.

I lowered myself onto the sofa, and Lewis joined me.

"You don't mind if I stay, do you?" he asked.

I slowly shook my head, but a new worry began to grow.

Perhaps Lewis hadn't come to tell me about Annie, but to court me after all.

The evening wore on, and Lewis made no attempt to leave. Outside, a storm blew with intensity, bringing more lightning and thunder. Wind rattled the windowpanes, and the rain slashed against the siding.

After the news ended, Father went on and on about the plans he was making for the tent revival that would coincide with Lindbergh's visit. Lewis listened with polite attention.

Mother's smile was fixed as she watched Lewis and me together. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I wasn't interested in Lewis romantically, but perhaps things wouldn't come to that. If Lewis was interested in courting me, and he made any hint in that direction, I would tell him how I felt.

At nine o'clock, I could see both of my parents fighting fatigue. My mother lifted her handkerchief to hide a yawn, and Father's eyes kept drooping closed before he blinked a few times and nodded.

They were usually in bed by now, but Lewis didn't seem ready to leave.

"Well," Father finally said as he set his hands on his thighs. "I suppose Mother and I will retire for the night. Caroline, you'll show Lewis out?"

"Yes, of course."

"Goodnight," Lewis said as he rose to shake Father's hand and nod at Mother. "Thank you for your hospitality." But he didn't move toward the door to leave. Instead, he remained next to the sofa.

"Goodnight," my parents said.

For the first time that evening, Mother looked more concerned than happy. They'd never left me alone with a young man in the parlor. I couldn't imagine what they'd think if they knew I'd visited Lewis in his home.

Or that I was a captive on a pirate ship in 1727, sharing a cabin with a handsome quartermaster.

As soon as my parents were out of the parlor, Lewis resumed his spot next to me. He picked up Robinson Crusoe , which had fallen in the cushion crack, and shook his head. "Still wasting your time and filling your head with fantasies?"

I took the book from him, recalling all the times he'd teased me about reading when we were younger. I'd always felt embarrassed and somehow ashamed—something Marcus had never made me feel.

"Why did you come?" I asked him as I set the book on the end table, out of his reach. I wouldn't let him make me feel bad about something I loved. "Do you have news about Annie?"

His lips came up in a teasing smile. "What if I don't have news about Annie? What if I came just because I wanted to see you again?"

I would normally assume he was teasing me, but now I wasn't so sure.

His laughter filled the parlor, but I could tell it was laced with discomfort. "I can see from the expression on your face how that would be received."

"I'm sorry, Lewis." I didn't want to assume he was courting me, so I wasn't sure how to word my response. "You've always been—"

"The annoying older brother type. I know. You've told me."

I shook my head, feeling both frustrated and annoyed. "I can't tell if you're teasing me or if you're serious."

"Because I can't tell how you'd react if I was honest with you."

I fidgeted with the pleats in my skirt, trying to make sense of this change in him. "Why can't things stay as they were?"

He was quiet for a moment, but then he said, "You want me to continue teasing you relentlessly?"

Lewis was trying to hold on to his pride. I didn't want to reject him outright, but I couldn't pretend to have feelings for him when I didn't. I'd never thought of Lewis that way. "Well," I said with a smile I didn't feel, "perhaps not relentlessly, but I would like to be friends."

He wasn't looking at me, but he gave a half smile. "I guess I can make that work."

My heart was breaking, though I couldn't understand why. Even though I didn't have romantic feelings for Lewis, I did love him. I didn't want him to be disappointed or hurt, and I didn't want to lose him from my life completely.

"You're in luck," he said as he sat up straighter. "I did come to tell you about Annie Barker."

"You did?" My focus shifted with a renewed sense of hope.

He stood and walked to the window to look out at the storm before answering me. "I inquired about her and her gang, including the man she's romantically entangled with, the gangster Lloyd Rogers. They work with the gang on some jobs and alone on others. They've held up a couple of banks, but they mostly rob smaller stores and funeral homes in the least likely of Midwestern towns."

"Funeral homes?" I couldn't believe that my mother—if this was her—would rob funeral homes, too.

"It looks like they're on the move north again," he continued. "I've mapped out the last few reports that have been linked to them, and they were in southern Missouri, central Missouri, and then northwestern Missouri last week. If I'm not mistaken, they're working their way into Iowa and will more than likely end up in Saint Paul at some point to lie low."

I sat up straighter. "They'll be in Saint Paul?"

"That's my best guess, but don't get your hopes up, Carrie. I could be wrong."

"But you could be right."

He shrugged.

"And did you have a chance to investigate whether or not there are other Annie Barkers from Texas?" I held my breath, hoping I wouldn't have to worry about the criminal.

He nodded, but his face was grim. "I found one other Annie Barker from Texas, but she's five years old. There was one in Oregon and two on the East Coast, but they are either too young or too old to be the right Annie."

My heart fell as I stared at him. "That means ...?" I couldn't finish the sentence.

"I'm afraid so, Carrie. I'm sorry."

The grandfather clock in the foyer chimed the half hour, and Lewis said, "I should be heading home. I've overstayed my welcome."

"You didn't overstay your welcome."

The look he gave me was so heartrending, I held my breath. He wanted more from me, but I couldn't give it.

"I'll let you know if I hear anything else," he said. "Goodnight, Carrie."

"Goodnight, Lewis." He walked out of the parlor, and I was tempted to call him back, but there was no point. It wouldn't work.

I couldn't promise Lewis something I didn't have to give, no matter how much I loved him.