The Golden Room

'Definitely. That's why I'm here. To side with you in your reform movement. Last night, after my son was sent upstairs to cohabit with one of those professional chippies, I learned by accident that the house is owned by Mi

'I'm saddened to hear that, but the banquet… Will you still have the banquet for the prince of Prussia?'

'The banquet is on. The wedding is off. And I'll not be satisfied until the Everleighs are in jail and their establishment shut down for ever.'

The mayor was beaming. 'I need only your sworn testimony before my chief of police, Francis O'Neill, to accomplish that end.'

Armbruster raised his right hand. 'You have my promise that I'll testify against the Everleighs and their Club immediately.'

The mayor linked his arm inside Armbruster's. 'Let's get you downstairs to the chief of police, swear you in, and take your deposition. Then I'll be free to accomplish what I've been trying to accomplish all these weeks – bring an end to the careers of Mi

Mi

'There you are, Miss Mi

'Without an appointment?' Mi

'Chief of Police Francis O'Neill.'

Mi

Edmund disappeared, and a minute later reappeared to usher the corpulent chief of police into the Gold Room.

Mi

'It's been a long time, Chief,' she said, shaking his hand. She patted the sofa cushion beside her. 'Please sit down.'

With a wheeze, the chief of police took a seat next to her. 'I'm sorry to come by so abruptly, Mi

'Why?' asked Mi

'I'm not here of my own free will, I assure you. I guess you know who sent me.'

'Mr Armbruster, I presume.'

O'Neill nodded. 'And the mayor. Technically, Mayor Carter Harrison sent me at the instigation of Armbruster.' The chief fiddled with the buttons of his uniform. 'Mi

'No loss,' said Mi

'I'm sure she will, Mi

'But you're not here to discuss my niece,' said Mi

'That's right, Mi

'And it's bad news.'

Clearly unhappy, the chief of police jerked his head up and down. 'That's right.'

Mi

'Go ahead,' Mi

Chief of Police O'Neill gave a weary sigh. 'Mayor Harrison has ordered me to shut down the Everleigh Club.'

'That's no surprise.'

'For good, Mi

Mi

'Based on Armbruster's evidence?'

'Yes.'

Mi

Chief of Police O'Neill nodded sadly. 'I couldn't agree with you more, Mi

'I'm not faulting you, Chief.'

'Worse than that, Mi

This time Mi

'It's a law in the books,' said O'Neill. 'It's always been there, gathering dust, but Harrison has dusted it off. You and Mi

'What happens after we're arrested?'

'We take you down to the jail and book you. We'll put you in a cell until your lawyer meets the bail that's set, which may be considerable. After that, you're free until the trial date.'

Mi

'There you are, Mi

'What is in your hands? Shutting me down?'

'First shutting you down. Then ordering your arrest. The mayor insists that you be out of business when the prince of Prussia arrives.'

'When is that?'

'Not tomorrow morning, but the morning after. That gives you tonight and most of tomorrow to make arrangements to get your people on the road. When that's done, we'll post the notice outside and two of my men will escort you and Aida to the local prison.'

'Not much time to act,' said Mi

'The best I can offer,' said the chief, rising. 'My job is to see that there is no Everleigh Club and no Everleigh sisters visible when the prince of Prussia sets foot in this city of purity. Again, I'm sorry, Mi

Mi

In the morning, while cleaning out her desk, she tried to think through all that had to be done.

First, she must notify Edmund to assemble all the girls living on the outside for a three o'clock meeting that afternoon in the Moorish Room.

Second, she must find a decent hotel where Cathleen and Bruce could stay before returning to Kentucky.

Third, she must summon Dr Holmes and let him know of her fate, the fate of the Club, and the end of his job.

Then she would have to find a hotel suite for Aida and herself until they could make more permanent plans.

Also, she must hire a storage company to hold all the Club's furniture and precious objects. That could be done last, while she and Aida were incarcerated and waiting for bail.

In organizing her moves, Mi

She must have an intimate session with her niece and nephew, whom she had not seen since yesterday. She must find out what happened to Cathleen after Alan appeared in her room. She must learn if Cathleen and Bruce knew the truth about their aunts, and – if by some wild chance they didn't know – she must tell them the truth once and for all.

Leaving her study, Mi

'We're being padlocked, aren't we?' Edmund asked.

'You're right, Edmund. Don't worry about your own future. We'll take care of that. Right now, we have a lot to do. I want you to go out and summon all the girls, wherever they are, to a meeting with Aida and myself by mid-afternoon in the Moorish Room. Before that, I want to talk with Cath-leen and Bruce. I couldn't find them when I looked.'