The Missing Medium Page 6

  “And he was quite clear that he was a subject of police inquiry,” Anna continued, “but apparently has been ruled out.” Before she could continue, a man in a brown suit and hat approached.

  “Excuse me,” he said politely with a strange, perhaps Scandinavian, accent, as he removed his hat. “My name is Peter Gulden, and I’m with the Eastern Mutual Life Insurance Company.” He handed Anna a business card. “I understand you are looking for Brian Teplow. Mr. Frank has a large life insurance policy on Mr. Teplow, and the company has sent me to check out this ‘mysterious disappearance.’” He said the last part with evident skepticism. “He wouldn’t talk to me either. Perhaps we can compare notes.”

  Anna noticed that both Lamb and Ganon had adopted unconsciously defensive postures, and neither was smiling. The doctor had a distinctly neutral expression, while Ganon was clearly uncomfortable. Gulden, however, did not seem to notice. He was focused on Anna.

  “I’m afraid that our inquiries are confidential, Mr. Gulden,” she said politely. “If you will excuse us, we have other appointments.” She did not wait for a reply. She walked past the newcomer, followed by Ganon, who eyed the man suspiciously, and then Lamb, who tipped his hat to the man and then prodded Ganon on.

  ◆

  Down in the lobby, Anna pulled the men aside into an alcove and rounded on them.

  “What was that about?” she asked sternly.

  “Something wasn’t right about that man,” Lamb replied.

  “Indeed,” Ganon concurred. “Something rubbed me the wrong way.”

  “Do you know who he is?” Anna asked Ganon. He shook his head. “Then what was it?”

  “It was like have I seen him before, but I can’t remember where.”

  “I had a similar feeling,” Lamb added. “His appearance was altered, but he seemed familiar. And not in a good way.”

  “Then perhaps we should be careful,” Anna said. “We are not the only people looking for Brian Teplow. We know of the police and this Mr. Gulden. There may be other interested parties for some reason, and Gulden might have associates.” Anna patted the small of her back where her revolver rested in a waistband holster beneath her jacket. “We best be prepared.” Lamb nodded, tapping the left side of his chest.

  “I’d better get some protection too,” Ganon added worriedly.

  “Do you know how to shoot?” Lamb asked.

  “Well, I was in the cavalry,” Ganon replied, “so I’m a saber man. But I think I get the jist of those things.”

  “You’ll be a bit conspicuous carrying a sword,” Anna said after some consideration, “but we should be able to get a smaller blade or two for you to defend yourself.”

  Suddenly, Anna pulled the men deeper into the alcove, pressed them against the shadowed wall, and put her finger to her mouth. A moment later, Peter Gulden glanced quickly into the alcove, and then walked hurriedly past, focused on the door to the street.

  Quietly, Ganon crept to the edge of the alcove and peered toward the exit. Then he looked in the other direction and grinned. He motioned for the others to join him.

  “He’s out front,” Ganon whispered, “but there’s a door back there that probably leads to an alley.” He pointed in the direction they had just come from. “If we can get past the elevators, we can sneak out that way.” He peered around the corner again, and then motioned hurriedly for the others to go.

  Anna led the way. She waited for a pair of women to walk past and followed closely as if she was with them. She walked to the elevators, where she mixed in with the people waiting there. When an elevator arrived, she used the milling of the crowd to sneak around a corner to an unmarked pair of double doors.

  Stepping through, she nearly bumped into a man in green coveralls who was unloading a van parked at the loading dock. The man said something under his breath as he let her pass. A moment later, Lamb ran blindly through the double doors, tripped over the loaded hand truck the man was pushing, and dumped its contents.

  The man was about to shout when he was bodily pushed into the van, whereupon stacked boxes collapsed on top of him, as Ganon burst through the double doors. Ganon took Anna’s arm as he ran past and Lamb followed closely behind. The outer doors of the loading bay were open, and the three checked their speed and walked hurriedly down the alley.

  A moment later, the door to a building on the other side of the alley opened and a man dressed as a chef came out carrying a crate of refuse. The three availed themselves of the open portal and dodged kitchen staff to emerge into the dining room of a busy restaurant. They collected themselves and then walked casually out onto 52nd Street.

  Chapter 9

  July 12, 1929

  The address provided for Liv Lee was only a few blocks east of the Frank Theatrical Talent Agency. The narrow six-story brownstone sat in the middle of a quiet residential neighborhood on East 49th Street. As Anna, Lamb, and Ganon approached the building, they noticed several men innocuously loitering in the vicinity. One was across the street from the designated address, and the other was standing a few doors down smoking a cigarette.

  “Who do you think they are?” Anna asked, smiling and gesturing casually at the buildings to conceal her inquiry. Lamb followed her gestures and observed the men. Ganon walked purposefully across the street and accosted the loiterer there. A brief scuffle broke out, and the man ran off.

  Anna looked to Lamb with an expression of resignation. The other man had noticed the altercation and was smiling as he turned back to watch the door to Liv’s building.

  “I’ll try a more subtle approach,” the doctor said. “Follow my lead.” He offered his arm to Anna and she linked hers through it. They stopped here and there to admire the trees, the buildings, and people. When they reach the smoking man, Lamb said with feigned ignorance, “This here is might peculiar ‘midst all these skyscrapers. Don’cha think?” He directed the question to the smoking man, but the man did not respond.

  “Well that ain’t neighborly,” Lamb continued, taunting the man. “Where we come from, folks say ‘Hello’ when they meet and exchange some kind words.”

  “Indeed,” Anna added, trying to conceal her accent, “some people can be quite rude!” She glared at the man, who begrudgingly tipped his hat.

  “Excuse me, folks,” the man said, “but I was engrossed in my smoke here.” His sincerity was lacking. “I hope you enjoy your stroll through our fair metropolis.” With that, he resumed watching the doorway.

  “You seem right fixated on that there door, son,” Lamb said after following the man’s gaze. “What’s so special ‘bout it?”

  “My, uh…, ex-girlfriend lives there,” the man replied, trying to conceal his annoyance, “an’ she dropped me for no reason. I’m getting up the nerve to go up and see her.”

  “If you want to win the good graces of a young lady,” Anna said in her best interfering-mother voice, “you should give her some distance and let her think things through.” She looked into the man’s face, and before he could say anything, she said, “It’s been less than a week, hasn’t it? Let’s see. Today’s Saturday. I suggest you approach her after church tomorrow and make a civil apology. Now off you go.” She gestured with her hands to shoo him away and the man involuntarily complied. “Tomorrow after church,” she said as he walked away, “and wear a nice suit!”

  Anna smiled at Lamb as Ganon rejoined them. The smoking man rounded the corner.

  “I had better wait here,” Ganon volunteered, “and make sure he doesn’t come back.” He scanned the block. “I’ll meet you over by that tree across the street when you’re done.” Anna and Lamb both nodded their agreement. Ganon waited for a car to pass before crossing in front of the next and made his way to a bench, where he produced a pocket knife and started slicing an apple.

  “I wonder where he got those,” Lamb said with a look of puzzlement.

  “Ganon said that we had hired him for his ability to acquire things,” Anna replied with a knowing look. Lamb thought for a moment
and then grinned with understanding. They climbed the stairs to the entrance and entered the building.

  ◆

  The apartment Liv rented was one of two on the fourth floor of the building. There was no elevator, so Anna and the doctor climbed the steps. At the fourth floor landing, they stopped and caught their breath.

  The space before them was about ten feet square. On their right was the door to apartment 4A, and on the left was the one to apartment 4B. Before them was a janitor’s closet. They stepped up to the door on the right and Lamb knocked.

  There was a slight commotion, followed by a teary, “Just a minute.” Then more subtle motions, accompanied by soft sobbing. A moment later, the door opened to reveal a brunette. Her hand was before her face holding a handkerchief. She wore a gauzy pink robe over a short, pink nightgown whose neckline revealed her ample cleavage. “I don’t know what more I can tell you,” she continued over shallow sobs, “but perhaps we can discover something new together.” The last word included a hint of sensuality.

  “Perhaps we can,” Anna said, accentuating her accent. “We have come on behalf of Brian’s mother and would like to ask you some questions.”

  The woman was startled when she opened her eyes and was face to face with Anna. The anthropologist could tell that the runny mascara beneath her eyes had been hastily and artificially applied, that the redness had been achieved by flicking talc in her eyes, some of which was visible on the bridge of her nose, and the tears were being applied by the handkerchief. Clearly, the woman was seeking to influence the male reporters who must have been coming to interview her for their stories.

  Anna looked over to Lamb with a sarcastic expression and noticed his unflinching stare at the woman’s cleavage. The woman had noticed as well and smiled sheepishly. Then her expression changed.

  “Haven’t we met before?” she asked the doctor with interested curiosity. Lamb mumbled something unintelligible. Anna shook her head.

  “That is what we wish to discover,” Anna interjected. “Are you Liv Lee, the girlfriend of Brian Teplow?”

  “Ex-girlfriend,” Liv replied immediately, still looking at Lamb. She turned to Anna. “I broke it off with him a couple weeks before he disappeared.”

  “I am Dr. Anna Rykov, and this is Dr. Harold Lamb. May we come in?”

  The apartment was long and narrow. The doorway opened on one end of the long hall, across from which was a small kitchen. Liv gestured past three other doors to the living room that opened out to the right at the end, and featured a view of the street below. Anna and the doctor sat on a couch in front of a coffee table, facing the window.

  Liv, seeing that the couch was also occupied by Anna, sat in a chair to Lamb’s right. She tried to cozy up to Lamb across the end table between them, but one look at Anna’s stoic expression eliminated any amorous overtures. Instead, she wiped away the mascara with the wet handkerchief.

  “As I said before,” Anna said flatly, “we are looking into Brian Teplow’s disappearance on behalf of his mother, and your name has come up several times, including in some unusual circumstances.”

  “What do you mean unusual?” Liv asked hotly. Anna held up her hand.

  “Let us work up to that,” Anna replied calmly. “You say that you broke it off with Brian shortly before he disappeared. Why was that?”

  Liv stared with irritation for a moment. Then her expression changed and she sighed. She opened a box on the end table and removed a cigarette and a box of matches. After a moment she gestured to Anna and the doctor to help themselves. Neither took one, but Lamb availed himself of the matchbox and lit Liv’s cigarette. She looked deeply into his eyes as she leaned over to ignite the cigarette.

  “I’m sure we’ve met before, Harry,” she suddenly said in a conversational tone. “Do you go to the theater much?”

  “Um, uh, no,” Lamb stammered. “I’m from upstate. This is only my second time in the City,” he glanced at Anna and then her purse, “but we have some things that suggest that we all knew each other once.” Anna withdrew Brian’s sketchbook from her purse, flipped to the page with the group drawing, and held it up before her for Liv to see.

  “Where did you get that?” Liv said with astonishment. “That looks just like me. Woody won’t like that. We own all rights to use my image.”

  “You are a client of Woody Frank?” Anna asked.

  “Yeah. That’s where Brian and I met.” She took a puff and looked up at the ceiling dramatically. “Brian was his rising star, and I was trying to get acting jobs. I figured if I hung around them, I would get noticed.”

  “You would ride his celebrity to make some of your own,” Lamb said.

  “Exactly.” Liv smiled at him. “But that didn’t work. After two years of traveling around with them, Woody still hasn’t gotten me a job. And now that Woody blames me for Brian’s disappearance, I doubt he’s even trying.”

  “Woody Frank thinks you had something to do with Brian’s disappearance?” Anna probed.

  “I don’t really know,” Liv confessed. “He might just be saying that to turn the press away from him toward me.”

  “Do you have any idea what happened to Brian?” Lamb asked.

  “Not a clue.” She thought for a moment. “Last time I saw him was after a session with some old guy. I think he was from upstate too. He was doing his thing in the parlor, so I had to make myself scarce in the bedroom.”

  “You were there when Brian met with Jason Longborough?” Anna asked with urgency. Liv leaned back, distancing herself from Anna.

  “Yeah,” she said after a moment, “that was his name.”

  “Did you hear the conversation?” Anna pressed.

  “No. The bedroom is at the end of the hall at his place.” She shook her head. “Besides, all that hocus pocus mumbo jumbo wasn’t my scene.”

  “You don’t believe Brian has powers?” Lamb asked.

  “A lot of people say that he does,” Liv replied with skepticism, “but that Houdini guy said that all that psychic stuff is hooey. And he was no fake.”

  “If you didn’t believe in him,” Anna asked, “why did you stay with Brian for so long?”

  “Like I said, Brian was the big star, and I was trying to get recognized. But for all that time together, nothing.” She shrugged. “His disappearance has been the best thing to happen to me.”

  “You realize that that gives you a motive for foul play,” Lamb said.

  “Nah,” Liv replied with a wave of her had, “The cops have been over that a hundred times. They got no reason to suspect me.” She looked from the doctor to Anna and back. “And I had nothing to do with it!”

  “Let’s get back to the drawing,” Anna said, redirecting Liv’s attention to the sketch book, which she put on the coffee table. “This drawing clearly shows the three of us, but we have never, to our knowledge, met before.” As an afterthought she added, “Oh yes. These drawings were made by Brian Teplow… ten years ago.”

  “That was long before I met him,” Liv said in amazement. She picked up the sketchbook despite Anna’s objections and examined the image closely. “I’ve never worn my hair like that, or clothes like that. Maybe’s it’s a lookalike.”

  “Does the name Sif mean anything to you?” Anna asked.

  “Sure,” Liv replied immediately. “I played Sif in that Viking thing at the Imperial back in ‘26. That was where I met Woody. He came backstage and asked to represent me, for what good that did.”

  “Everyone in this drawing was known by another name,” Lamb said. “Yours is the first that appears to have some connection to this reality.” Liv looked at him with curious skepticism.

  “This book contains drawings that describe an expedition in another world,” Anna said. “The expedition was sponsored by Sif,” she pointed at Liv’s image, “who hired Nygof,” she pointed to her own image, “to assemble a team.” Anna flipped the page and displayed the image of the shufflers. “Apparently, those creatures were fond of you and not me.” Liv was d
umbstruck. Her eyes were wide.

  “You’re making all this up,” she said rapidly in disbelief. “Where are you getting your information from? How did you get this book?” She curled up, drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. “Who are you people?”

  Anna held up her hands and took several deep breaths. She glanced at Lamb, who had been hesitant to move on account of the woman’s overtures. At Anna’s insistence, the doctor slowly reached out and took Liv’s hands in his. Liv looked at him anxiously. He smiled back reassuringly. That seemed to relax her.

  “Let me tell you the story of how Harry and I got involved in all this,” Anna said.

  Chapter 10

  July 12, 1929

  “I was so incensed,” Lamb said with theatrical excitement, balling his fists, “that I shot the thing.” He stood and mimed firing the shotgun. “I hit it square in the chest, and it was riddled with silver pellets, but there was no blood.” He adopted an astonished expression. Liv was enthralled with the story, the back of her hand covering her gaping mouth.

  “It was about this time,” Anna interjected with equal enthusiasm, “that Cophen jumped on top of me with that enormous tongue. I struggled, but he was too heavy. I was wrestling his hands away from my blouse when that tongue wrapped around my hand and pulled it aside. I hit him in the head with my forehead,” she mimed the motion, “and when he fell backward, the revolver in my waistband fell free. I got hold of the pistol and shot him several times through his mouth. The blood that sprayed from his head splattered onto the entity, which was behind him.”

  “All of a sudden,” Lamb continued, “the pellet wounds started gushing blood. Then the thing screamed in the voices of all the forms it had taken and disappeared.” He paused for effect. “After that, we poured the gasoline all over the cabin. I drove Wilson’s car through the wall into the kitchen with Cophen inside. Then we cleared the building, I threw in a lit match, and the farmhouse burned to the ground”