Dee Dagger strode casually through the heavy morning air toward her small news stand on the Clockhaven docks, and hummed a cheerful tune. Arriving at the stand and seeing someone at the counter reading a broadsheet, she smiled a greeting as the figure turned to reveal herself as Dee’s cousin Eloise.
“Weeze!” Dee chirped as they leaned in for the usual hug. “How are you?” she asked as the two separated.
Eloise hesitated, then asked if they could step into the brokerage for a private talk.
Dee twisted her head slightly in surprise and said “Sure,” and the two stepped over to the stone building. Once inside, Eloise sat stiffly at the desk while Dee casually leaned on the edge of the top.
“What’s up?” Dee quizzed as Eloise studied her.
“Please accept that these questions are of a sensitive nature, yet I am working presently outside my professional capacity—at least officially. You are not obliged to answer any of them, and do complain if any question appears intrusive,” Eloise spoke sternly. “I do not wish to abuse family obligation to further investigative expediency.”
Dee shifted her position, and suddenly looked very uncomfortable. “I’ll do my best, El.”
The ginger kept her eyes on Dee throughout, studying her like an interrogation subject. It slowly became obvious that the detective was under strain and making a concentrated effort to remain professional. “Of course. Thank you. I’m afraid I must intrude in matters of your business. I need to ask about one of you tenants.”
Dee seemed almost relieved. “Oh? Which one?”
“Trace Atmospherix. The ‘blasting’ supply merchant,” Eloise answered and then waited for the reaction.
“Cross-eyed Tracey?” the auburn woman giggled. “What’s she done?”
“Nothing that I’m certain of. Yet. But there is a possible link between her and someone… well someone this city could do without. She may have an indirect business relationship with … a relative of a certain collier,” the seated woman paused carefully.
Dee stared frozen at her cousin. “No. No damn way. I mean… She’d damn well better not. Good Lord…”
Eloise gave Dee a moment to calm herself before explaining: “As part of the routine background checks for pre-contract clearance rating, an associate of one of our potential clients appeared on a couple of reports. To say that this person is unsavory would be a criminal understatement, if he is who I believe he is. This individual has certainly been implicated in a smuggling ring and customs service corruption. But there was another discovery in the dossier. A possible link between this person and your tenant.”
Dee gasped softly and covered her mouth. “Oh my…”
“Understand that this connection is extremely tenuous,” Eloise continued, “ and that the identity of this other subject has not been certified satisfactorily. I’m at the hunch stage. A name is not proof of individuality; he may have a namesake. Further, his involvement in this level of activity would be puzzling. But Dee, I have a bad feeling…” the agent trailed off.”If this is what it appears, diligence is utterly compulsory.”
Dee took a deep breath and shook her head in near disbelief. “Wow. What do you need to know?”
Eloise looked up at her for a moment, hesitating. “Don’t ask anything direct. Make small talk but only if you can do so carefully. Just listen for any mention of Ravila; like customs agreements or any official arrangements to export there. Particularly, anything relating to agents of such offices. Don’t pry, just listen. Keep an eye open for documents: shipping documentation, destination labels… any paper with a mention of Ravila. If you see anything, make careful notes and let me know at once. Dee, I hate involving you in this. I’ve never done such a thing before. And appreciate that it may be nothing; that could always be the case. Whatever you do, step very delicately. Above all, always remain your casual self. If I am correct, she may know nothing about who she is in dealings with. Ideally, she will never know anything about this and you won’t lose a tenant.”
Dee curved her mouth into a reassuring half smile. “Yes. Yes, of course. I’ll do my best, El.”
The agent took a deep breath and stared at her cousin for a moment. At length she continued, uneasily, “Dee, I need to ask this…” Eloise hesitated nervously. “Understand, blood is thicker than…” Eloise paused to caress her forehead with her fingertips.
Dee marvelled that her most stolid, composed relative could struggle so. She was visibly nervous.
“El, what is it?”
“I have only been with the company a short time. This matter concerns—among other things—a client that may have misrepresented himself to my employer. She may be in danger, as might the business. I have also failed in my obligation to disclose my—even limited—history with someone possibly linked to this matter. Our profession relies more on the commitment of trust—particularly between director and staff—than on any other single factor,” Eloise pronounced while studying Dee’s face.
“Yes, I can imagine,” Dee said slowly, appreciating that Eloise was struggling with some profound conundrum.
“Dee, listen… I must ask… could you keep this from the Commodore for now? Until I’m certain. I don’t just need this position to preserve my career, it is allowing me to heal. This is the most rewarding and satisfying post I’ve been privileged to hold, and it is erasing the past that haunts…” Eloise trailed off, seeing the concern of Dee’s face.
Dee began, “Family is…” and then choked for a moment. “El, please understand. For the rest of my life, I will never be able to retain a single secret from her. Not one; not for a moment. I love you. You’re my closest family; but you’re asking for something that isn’t possible. I would never tell anyone else, but Jed is… Please, please—”
Eloise interrupted by standing abruptly and marching over to her cousin and without warning, pulling her to her feet and embracing her. “All right. You know, I was aware of that coming here. The entire time I’ve sensed that about you two. But I need that information. I must have what we can get before I approach her myself.”
Dee separated the hug to grab Eloise’s upper arms and they looked at each other. “You know it will be okay. She will understand.”
Eloise headed off the reassurance by offering, ”Dee, I am sorry. I had no choice but to ask.”
“I know. And you know I have no choice, either.”
Eloise smiled softly, before settling slightly as a blush swept her face. “For the first time in my life, I’ve felt something of that… devotion.”
Dee gasped and grinned at her. “You’re… you and the Major?!”
Eloise looked shocked. “Lord, no! Take that back, woman.”
“Ok, ok. He doesn’t seem like that bad of a guy…”
Eloise tilted her head almost apologetically. “He is not a bad man by any measure, but that does not qualify him as a good mate for me. I’ve known him since we began school. We are in reality as comparable to siblings as are you and I.”
Dee nodded with something between resignation and sadness, then regained her grin and crouched to look up into Eloise’s downcast face, “But someone has hooks in you! My Weeze has a thing!”
Eloise finally chuckled slightly, and resigned to being caught. She shook her head with a grin and made a partial remark: “Your idioms… sometimes.” Slowly her face turned more serious again, as she held the other girl’s eyes. “I spent a decade in the secrets business, but you keep secrets like a town crier. You must vow to not breathe a single word…”
“I won’t, come on. Especially if I never know who it is,” Dee implored with a grinning tease.
Eloise held her and admonished, “This is for the two of us a sensitive matter. For many reasons, this mystery I must keep; at least for the present. Please understand.”
Dee nodded with a reassuring smile. “Well, I have no idea who…”
The ginger’s face turned to a slight grimace as she confessed, “The Commodore may know already, as it happens. And she may not approve.”
Dee became the restrained one for a moment as she offered, “If you’re like me, your heart can make commitments that nothing could splinter. Love does that, you know.”
Eloise looked serious, and possibly a bit uneasy. “It’s early days, yet she has me…”
“She?” Dee stared open mouthed. “Is it that—“
Eloise reached up quickly to touch her finger to her lips. “Shush, Didi!”
“Yes, Lolo,” the auburn girl immediately vowed with solemn assurance. The lifelong bond of solidarity forged between the two in childhood had been renewed with the exchange of those confidential nicknames. Neither secrets nor their absence would be enough to threaten that connection. “As soon as you can, you’d better tell me, or I’ll… throw a stocking at you or something.”
Eloise resisted her cousin’s attempt to ease tension with mirth and maintained her sober stare. “This must be kept. Please,” she whispered as the door swung open and an old sailor walked in.
The two women separated as they both turned to greet Alowishus Bligh.
“Ah, warmest greetings to you both. It has been some time, Miss Winchester. You appear well,” the old salt proffered with a gentle bow. “Mrs Dagger,” he added with another bow.
“Bligh. It has been a while,” Eloise sighed uncomfortably.
“Good morning, Al. You’re between voyages?” Dee quizzed cheerfully.
“It will pass, assuredly. Relief is only a manifest away,” grinned the old man as he set his cane aside to pull out pouch and pipe.
Eloise turned to look at Dee for a moment. “I should return to my other duties. I do hope we have agreed.”
Dee looked slightly surprised, and gently nodded her pledge to keep Eloise’s affections secret.
The ginger turned and nodded to the old sailor and then strode to the door before turning to tender, “A pleasant day to you both.”
Bligh nodded and Dee finger waved, before Eloise slipped out the door and instantly disappeared into the morning smog.
“Might that unease be as grave as it appears?” Bligh inquired with concern, turning to Dee.
She looked into space for a moment while pondering an answer. “A strong enough family,” she began before pausing to make sure she made solid eye contact, “will survive itself.” Reaching forward in a mock punch to the man’s shoulder, she gave him a stern look. “I need to ask you something, Mister.”
The old man chuckled. “Oh? Have I been caught in some scandal? I do hope I’ve not slept through another.”
She looked up at him with a solemn stare, “No scandal, I hope. But there are questions that need answers.”
He nodded more seriously as he tucked the pouch of tobacco back into his coat. “I will answer as I am able, you must know.”
“I’m counting on it. That dynamite dealer you brought me…”
The old man sighed and straightened to stretch, “Oh my. Has she been having parties over there? She does drink. Are there safety concerns?”
“In a manner of speaking,” she conceded looking at him for a moment before continuing. “I need to know what you know about her business contacts.”
“Contacts?” he raised a brow slightly in surprise. “Hmm. I know little of her business at all; only that she asked me to broadcast word that she winds custom fuse cord on demand for the mining industry.”
She stared at him for some time, with a look that made him uncomfortable.”I see. She asked me the same. You know nothing of her customer base?”
He sighed and gave her the look of an irritated father. “Dear, she is as great an enigma to me as is how the poet’s tear and sailor’s guide riddle could ever baffle anyone. I’ve never imagined that there was any more to her than any other powder monkey. Those fumes cause the most horrific havoc, you mustn’t wonder. Anything that explosive is caustic to reason, given adequate exposure.”
Dee’s mouth twisted into a half frown/half smile, catching the double meaning. “She is coconuts. No enigma there,” she paused before looking back up at him. “Are you aware of any client of hers at all? Anyone out of town, for instance?”
He stooped slightly out of habit and shielded his pipe from imaginary wind as he struck the match and drew the flame into the bowl with a quick, practised gasp. Standing to release the cloud of smoke to the side and waving the match out, he finally turned back to her after some thought. “She did try to convince me to put her in touch with a chap; a customs officer from Ravila. I believe his name was Lance something. Lance… Fitzsimmons? I may have that amiss. I didn’t know the fellow, in any event. I’ve only associated with customs there through liaison.”
Dee stood silent with her hand over her mouth, petrified. After a long moment, Alowishus reached to touch her shoulder as if to steady her, asking softly, “Child, are you unwell? You have the colour of a fresh sail.” With the thumb of his other hand he covered the pipe to quell its smoke.
She looked up at him for a moment as the shock abated slightly. “I’m.. I’m fine. Just… Thank you. Thank you, Al. I should go. I need to see someone.”
He put his hand back on his hip and looked at her like he was about to announce a medical assessment. “My conscience would not allow me to set you loose in this state. You appear as though you’ve seen your own grave.”
She stared at him at an odd angle for a moment, then whispered, “I may have seen someone’s…” She composed herself, then patted him on the shoulder with a reassuring smile. “Everything’s okay. I do need to speak with someone right away, though. Please excuse me, Alowishus. Thank you for your thoughts,” she concluded hurriedly before darting out of the building at a pace just short of a sprint.
Too late he raised his hand to delay her for a moment, “Wait! I meant to ask about the chandlery’s hours!” but she had already cleared earshot. He sighed and puffed hard on the pipe to keep it lit before following her into the oppressive pall that hung over the Clockhaven docklands.
The air was heavy this morning indeed.
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