The Missing Medium Read online

  “This belongs to Brian Teplow,” Anna said, staring intently at Ganon. “A man with an amazing imagination and gift for drawing.”

  “That’s not imagination or a drawing,” Ganon replied. “That was a picture that we got taken before we entered the Endless Barrens of None.” He took the journal from Anna and laid it flat on the table. “That’s you,” he pointed to Anna’s image. “That’s you,” he pointed to Lamb. “That’s me, of course,” he said pointing to his own face. “And that’s Govil.” He pointed to Cophen. “He was a sullen one, but good in a scrap.”

  “And the other woman?” Lamb asked. He smiled at the image, as if remembering something pleasant.

  “That’s Sif,” Ganon replied. “You remembers, don’t you? You two sure had a thing for each other.”

  “She does seem familiar,” Lamb mused absently, staring at the image. Anna was not moved.

  “And how did we all get together?” Anna asked.

  “You arranged the expedition in Brynner, on the Isle of Brynn.” Ganon looked for a spark of recognition. When he didn’t see one, he added, “that’s the usual starting point for travelers. They go off to explore from there.” He pointed to Sif. “In your case, Sif was in a big hurry to find Deb-Roh, and I thought she hired you to arrange an expedition.”

  “And you didn’t know us before then?” Lamb was puzzled.

  “You and I had had some acquaintance in the past, Nab, but neither of us could remember where. When I joined up, you and Nygof and Sif was already together. You hired me as a guide, and I found Govil for protection. We got us some shufflers an’ set out just after the thaws, though I told you that was a bad idea.”

  Ganon closed the book and put it in his lap as Lyons appeared, followed by a string of white-coated waiters carrying covered platters.

  “Complements of the Hotel Lexington,” Lyons said with a flourish as the waiters set the platters down on the table. “Here we have Lobster Thermidor, Prime Rib au jus, and Chicken Florentine. Enjoy.” Lyons started to leave, but then turned back and said, “your suite will be ready around ten o’clock. So as soon as you are finished here, I will take you up.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Lyons,” Anna said with a pleasant smile.

  “Not at all, madam,” the manager said as he closed the door behind him. The two waiters remained to serve, so the three decided to continue the conversation later in their rooms.

  Chapter 7

  July 11, 1929

  “As I said,” Ganon continued after the bellman departed, “we acquired some shufflers and set out just after the thaws, though I told you it was a bad idea.”

  They were seated in the living room of their suite, which consisted of two bedrooms on either side, each with a private bathroom, and a center chamber furnished with comfortable couches, a coffee table, a writing desk, and several chairs. Anna and Lamb had sat down on a couch, and then Ganon unexpectedly sat between them. He put Brian Teplow’s sketchbook on the table before them.

  Ganon indicated another life-like drawing near the beginning of the book that displayed six large, reptilian beasts. Two had long, scythe-like claws extending from the front pair of their six legs. The other four had three pairs of legs that ended in five clawed toes. The former two and three of the latter four were equipped with tack, saddles, and bundles strapped to their wide backs. The remaining beast was piled high with cargo. Cophen, or Govil as he was called by Ganon, held the reins of the armed beasts, while Lamb, known as Nab, and Brian Teplow’s girlfriend, known as Sif, each held the reins of two of the others.

  “Govil and I rode point on the males as we were experienced cavalrymen.” Ganon grimaced. “Those creatures really liked Sif, but they were wary of you for some reason, Nygof.”

  Anna was not surprised. She had always had a negative effect on animals. Still she was amazed at the near photographic quality of the drawings. It was evident that the figures in them were Lamb, Cophen, Ganon, herself, and Liv Lee. The clothing and proportions were consistent from one drawing to the next, and the drawings seemed to follow a progression.

  Ganon flipped the page to display a long, narrow stretch of land extending to a far shore in the distance. Water rippled to either side with glimpses of something poking through the surface here and there. The perspective was from a rider on the fourth beast in the line. Ahead, Sif had turned her head back and was smiling, as if for a photograph. Beyond her, another smaller figure was seated facing in the direction they were heading. Probably Anna. Before her, the two talon-limbed beasts were several paces ahead of the rest. One was rearing up on its two hind legs, its bladed forelimbs splayed forward. Its rider was facing them. He was too distant to make out who it was. The other rider was barely visible behind the cloud of dust his mount had kicked up.

  “Sif sure had a shine for you, Nab,” Ganon continued, “which was odd as we were out to save her beau.” He gathered his thoughts. “Anyway, we left the Isle of Brynne across the Narrows a couple a days later, and about halfway across something spooked Govil and he ran off at a charge. He didn’t say anything, he just charged off. So I told you to keep going at a walk while we sorted it out as we didn’t want to be on the Narrows when the tide came in and the two lakes came together.”

  “Why was that?” Lamb inquired, totally engrossed in the story.

  “The twin lakes were home to the cephalopods,” Ganon said with wide eyes, “and when the tide came in, they could reach across the Narrows, grab man and beast with their tentacles, and drag them into the water never to be seen again.”

  “What had startled Govil?” Anna asked, refocusing Ganon.

  “Well,” he said as he flipped the page, “on the other end of the Narrows was a gang of ‘toll-takers.’ They were just bandits out for easy pickings. But they didn’t count on a veteran skirmisher. No sir. By the time I got there, Govil’s shuffler had gutted two footmen, while he had another impaled on his saber up in the air almost over his head.” He paused for effect. “There were two or three other ones running off down the Len Lorche road. Fortunately, we were going by way of Tiornen.”

  “And what was our destination?” Anna said.

  “We were heading for Gho-Bazh’s palace at Kreipsche, but we were trying to skirt the Endless Barrens of None, as that was Utgarda’s domain. The plan was to follow the trade route, but that was not to be.”

  “What happened?”

  “We were set upon by a tribe of the Draunskur!” Ganon’s expression was panicked. “They came leaping out of the sand where’s they had hidden and knocked over your mount.” He looked at Anna with horror. “Now those heathens were no friend to the people of Brynn, and especially to Outsiders, as they worshiped Utgarda like all the Barrens folk did, and their reputation with women was nothing to speak of in polite company.”

  “Well they knocked over your mount and were worrying Sif’s when Nab here planted an arrow into the head of their chief. That made them really mad, and before you know it, a hundred of them are pouring over the dunes to surround us.” He took a breath and his tone relaxed.

  “Now you picked a good one in that Govil. That man could fight and had no fear! He took that twin-bladed beast and sliced a path through them. We were all thinking the same thing and followed right behind him. I took up the rear to fight any pursuers. I think Nab grabbed you, Nygof, because the next time I saw you, you were riding double on his mount.”

  “In the end, we lost two shufflers and most of our supplies since they got the pack animal too. But that distracted them enough for us to escape to Tiornen where we could resupply. Sif still had a bunch of those Pointee eyes, so we were set for cash. Lord knows where she got them all.

  “But it took a couple of days to get settled that we had not planned on, and since Utgarda probably knew where we were, we had to go overland through Folly and along the other side of the Groaning Slopes of Woe.”

  “Why was that a problem?” Lamb asked anxiously.

  “Well, Folly wasn’t easily passable country, and that
put us in Gho-Bazh’s territory early, and at the other end of the Groaning Slopes. And instead of temperate grasslands, we were now traversing through jungle and rough country. In any event, we were able to get more supplies and another shuffler for Nygof, but we had to split the gear between us, which slowed us down.”

  “You said I shot the uh… chief with an arrow?” Lamb asked. “I’ve never shot a bow in my life.”

  “That’s right,” Ganon replied with a wide smile. “You were an expert shot, Nab. You hit that Draunskur big hat right between the eyes, and your shaft pierced right through his skull!”

  “You mentioned earlier that the Pointee weapons did not work here and guns did not work there,” Anna said. “Why is that?”

  “I don’t know,” Ganon replied with a shrug. “But I misspoke. It’s not that they don’t work. They’re not there at all. I’m sure those Pointees had their staffs when they were sent he to get me, but they didn’t have them when they arrived. That’s why we got the jump on them. They were empty-handed.” He scratched his head.

  “You were quite adept with knives and axes, Nygof. You were throwing them with precision. You could split a melon from fifty paces!” Anna examined her image in the drawing and noted the bandolier of knives over her shoulder. Ganon put his hand on Lamb’s shoulder, “But Nab here was the sharpshooter. He was shooting birds out of the air and varmints without looking. Why he was the one who kept us fed! And well fed we were when he was around!”

  “It sounds like the expedition fared well,” Anna said with a smile. Ganon’s expression turned grim.

  “That was when it turned bad,” he said. “A couple of days out we were trekking through the jungle. It was very wet, and the bugs were biting savagely. We were all bitten good, but Sif got sick. She was feverish and shaking. Nab pushed for us to get out of the jungle as fast as we could, but the going was slow as Govil and I had to cut a path through the ground cover.”

  “What happened to her?” Lamb was concerned.

  “Well, you bundled her up tight, in spite of the heat, and used up nearly all our water keeping her hydrated. But, Govil came through again. He knew Folly, and found some plant life that stored water in the trunk, so we were able to extend out supply. Still, they were very uncomfortable days. It took nearly a seven day to get into the hill country. Of course, then it just got worse.”

  “Why?!” Anna and Lamb both cried at once.

  “That was the start of Gho-Bazh’s territory. As soon as we were out of the jungle, we were in danger from the Pointees. The horned devils lived underground and popped up to ambush the unexpecting. Of course, most of them don’t have energy sticks. Only the ones in service to Gho-Bazh. But the primitives were tough enough. They could leap about on their hooves twenty paces at a time and lash out with those extra-long fingers. Their claws have hooks on the bottom, and when they grabbed you, they latched on and made a mighty tear in your flesh.” He lifted his filthy shirt to reveal several old parallel scars that crossed from the right of his chest to the left of his abdomen.

  “Those were from my campaigning days, but it was a lesson I’ll not forget.” He reached out and put his hand around the back of Anna’s head. “Saw one reach right around a man’s head like so and slice six stripes clean to the bone. Imagine my fingers half as long again.” He imitated the motion.

  “Six?” Lamb asked.

  “Yes. Pointees have six fingers. Well, five and a thumb of sorts.”

  “What happened next?” Anna asked, engrossed in the tale now too.

  “Well,” Ganon continued after clearing his throat.. “Well, things were quiet for a couple a days. We were well into the Groaning Slopes, what with all those gullies and ravines. It was slow going, and we were trying to be sneaky, but they knew we were there all along.

  “We knew they were more effective at night, so we were moving by day and taking care to set up a strong defensive position before we bedded down. Sif was no better, so we let her sleep. Nygof watched first, then Nab, then Govil, then me. About a five day in, we were attacked. We were in a wooded ravine. Tight on all sides, and we were camped under the foliage so that we were hidden from sight. But the Pointees could see heat too, and were drawn right to us. Govil was overwhelmed and taken down before he could warn us, and we were all taken.”

  “We had better stop here for now,” Anna said after glancing at the clock on the wall. It was nearly three o’clock in the morning. “We have a busy day tomorrow, and we need to get some rest.” She rose and headed for one of the bedrooms. “Good night, gentlemen.”

  Lamb glanced toward the other bedroom and was momentarily concerned that he would have to share with Ganon, but when he turned back, Ganon was asleep on the sofa where he sat.

  Chapter 8

  July 12, 1929

  Anna slept deeply for the first time since the Stuckley incident. She awoke refreshed, but had had a strange dream in which she was flying with butterflies. The dream was from her perspective, and she had felt both free and confined at the same time. The swarm started in a lush tropical forest, striking up the slopes and beyond a great snow-capped mountain range into a purple-pink sky high above a barren and rocky landscape. Her vision had been fixed downward, and she had been in a state of complete relaxation and comfort. The plain turned into frozen tundra, and at the first sign of snow, the flight turned upward into the night sky and then everything went black and she awoke.

  Emerging from the bedroom in her silk pajamas and a hotel robe, she was surprised to see two men in suits sitting on the couch with their backs to her. One was reading a newspaper, and the other was savoring whatever he was eating. Anna cleared her throat, and the two men stood suddenly. Harry Lamb put down his newspaper and smiled, nodding toward the other man.

  “Good morning,” Lamb said.

  “Good morning,” said the other man. It was Ganon. He had bathed and shaved, and gotten new clothes.

  “He cleans up nicely,” the doctor added. “I called down and had them send up some clothing based on the sizes of what he had been wearing.”

  “Very nice indeed,” Anna said approvingly. Tidied up and neatly dressed, she found their new companion rather dashing and exotic.

  “Nab, er, Doc, said I needed to fit in better, so we can learn more about what’s going on.” Ganon was sheepish in his new outfit, and hastily wiped some crumbs from his shirt when he noticed them.

  “You think Ganon should come with us?” Anna asked with reservation, pouring herself a cup of coffee from the pot on the coffee table. Then, she picked up a jelly-filled pastry from the adjacent plate and delicately took a sampling bite of it. The flavor agreed with her, so she took a larger bite.

  “Well, we can’t just leave him here,” Lamb replied. “Gho-Bash seems to have a target on him. So if we leave him alone, he’s likely to get attacked again. Best to clean him up and bring him with us. I already told him what we’re to do.”

  “Right,” Ganon inserted. “So Teplow is the one who drew those pictures. And he clued in that trustee fellow who set you all up for that ceremony. Then he went missin’. Sounds fishy to me.”

  “I also sent a telegram to Dr. Feldman,” Lamb added, “informed him of our conversation with Mrs. Teplow, and gave him our address here at the hotel in case he needs to contact us.”

  “Very well then,” Anna said after swallowing the last of the pastry. “I will put myself together, and we will go to see Mr. Frank.”

  ◆

  At 11:00, Anna, Lamb, and Ganon stepped into the elevator of the building on 53th Street. The Frank Theatrical Talent Agency was located on the 14th floor. They stood in silence along with a dozen other people, and the elevator stopped several times before reaching their floor. The wide hallway outside the elevator had a checkered tile floor and was decorated with paintings of flowers interspersed with comfortable, cushioned benches flanked by ashtrays next to each of the many office doors. Many of them had people sitting, some smoking, waiting for their turn with the occupants. At th
e end of the hall was a large window overlooking an alley and the fire escape of the building next door.

  Anna led the way to the last door on the left. Frank Theatrical Talent Agency and Woody Frank, Prop. were painted on the frosted glass pane. Inside, she could hear typing. Anna opened the door and entered. The small, outer office was barely big enough for the large, matronly woman typing at the desk.

  “I’m sorry,” the, woman said without looking up, “no auditions for now. Mr. Frank is indisposed until further notice.”

  “Is Mr. Frank here?” Anna asked politely, accentuating her Russian accent so as to sound exotic. The woman looked up. Noting that the three were better dressed than her usual visitors and not behaving like show business hustlers, she stopped typing. Anna continued, “We are here about Brian Teplow.”

  “I’m afraid Mr. Frank is not available...” the secretary started to say politely when the door behind her opened and the man from the photograph in Mrs. Teplow’s house appeared, an identical unlit cigar in his mouth.

  “I already told the police all I know!” he shouted. “And my story was verified! So get lost!” With that, he slammed the door. The woman stood.

  “As you can see,” she said, rounding the desk, “Mr. Frank is not taking appointments today.” She opened the door. “Good day,” she added with a pleasant, but firm, demeanor, gesturing for the three to exit. Anna and Ganon complied.

  “But we’ve been sent by his mother to look for him,” Lamb said pleadingly, stopping and turning toward her in the doorway.

  “Yeah, we’ve heard that one before. Unless you got some bonafides, we’re done here.” With that, the woman all but pushed the doctor out and closed the door behind him.

  “That was less than productive,” Lamb said dejectedly.

  “Actually it was quite informative,” Anna replied.

  “Yes,” Ganon added. “That man is scared of something.”