At Bull Run
A Jack Blackwood mystery
By Paul Westwood
Additional Text by Ann Robinson
Copyright 2011 Paul Westwood
Published at Smashwords
Book cover source is from a
September 6, 1862 Harper’s Weekly illustration
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Prologue
Gaining consciousness, Lieutenant James Folks awoke to darkness. Groggily, he reached around to find that his hands were tied behind his back. Stretching his numb hands as far as they could go, he could just feel the stomach of the girl lying next to him on the bed. He mumbled frantically through the gag wrapped around his mouth, but she did not respond. Her stomach was wet, but from what, he could not tell. He suspected she was dead since he could not hear her breathe. Trying to roll off the bed, he discovered that his feet had also been trussed tightly.
The last thing he remembered was entering her small home and finding the front door ajar. He thought that she must have been expecting him. He had walked in feeling elated. She was a beautiful girl and had taught him pleasures that he had never known even existed. He remembered walking into the room and seeing her tied up, looking at him with pleading eyes. After that, there had been a blow to the back of his head, and he fell into darkness.
James was forced back into the present by hearing approaching footsteps. He pulled desperately on his bonds again but still could not free his hands. He heard a man’s heavy breathing and the presence of someone standing over him. A match suddenly flared in the dark, and an oil lamp next to the bed was lit. James blinked hard in the sudden glare of light. He could see a man wearing a black hangman’s hood. Two slits were cut out for eyes, but in the shadows he could see no sign of them. Seized with terror, James pulled harder on the ropes and tried to twist away. He managed to turn his body towards the girl, and his eyes widened with terror as he saw that she was nude and covered in blood.
The man laughed as he saw James’ struggles. He pulled out a long cavalry sword and said, “You shall be good sport for my sword, Lieutenant. Don’t bother to cry out or struggle. No one can hear you now.”
The blade rose and cut cruelly across the lieutenant’s chest. He screamed as loud as he could through his gag. It came out as a muffled grunt, and he arched his body up as the sword was raised again. The cords bit tightly into his wrists. The red fires of pain swirled in front of his eyes.
“Now feel my punishment,” the hooded man whispered.
Chapter 1
With his arm lying loosely over his eyes, Jack Blackwood desperately tried to sleep on his sweat-stained bed. The morning summer sunlight glared through his worn, moth-holed curtains and shined directly into his eyes. He groaned and turned away from the window and drew the dirty covers over his head. He felt like hell. Swallowing hard, the back of his throat felt dusty and unbelievably dry. Summer had been hot this year, and it drove many men to drink. He was honest with himself and realized that he was one of those men. He had spent the night at the local saloon and had drunk whiskey until he could drink no more. Somehow, he had come home, though he couldn’t be certain what route he’d taken to get there, and fallen into his bed before passing out.
The faint smell of fried food reached his nostrils. Jack’s stomach growled as he thought of hot eggs and bacon. After a brief battle between sleep and hunger, his stomach won. He crawled out of bed. He clumsily opened the door and staggered, still half-drunk, in the direction of the kitchen.
Ezra looked up from his breakfast and frowned as his partner entered, holding himself up against the wall. “You look terrible,” he commented blandly. Ezra, an ex-slave, was Jack’s business partner of many years, and by now wasn’t surprised to see him still drunk in the morning.
Jack felt ill and noticed that his hands were shaking. The pounding in his head was getting worse, and he grabbed the kitchen chair with one hand. He rubbed his grizzled chin before replying, “I feel like hell, Ezra. Is there any food left?”
“I was hoping you would find the strength and crawl out of that bed of yours. I made some extra food just in case you took a chance and decided to face the day.”
“I thank you,” Jack replied graciously as he could manage.
“Go ahead and sit down,” Ezra said as he rose. He grabbed a chipped mug and poured out some coffee for Jack. “I’ll go and make a plate for you.”
“Coffee would be good - plenty of coffee.”
Ezra nodded and placed a full mug in front of Jack, who began to cautiously sip at the hot drink. Ezra then scooped some eggs and bacon out for Jack and put it before him.
Jack put his coffee cup down and studied the plate of food before him. His stomach churned uncomfortably. “I’m not sure if I can even eat right now. It looks good, mind you, but my stomach says otherwise.”
“Take it easy and have a few bites. Then you’ll find out if you’re hungry or not. There’s plenty of time to find out.”
The detective ate slowly at first and then began to eat greedily until the plate was empty. He crudely wiped his chin with his sleeve and drank two more cups of coffee. He began to feel better and was sure after some further sleep he could manage to blink without hurt.
Ezra watched in silence while smoking a cigarette.
After Jack finished, he pushed the plate away and leaned back in his chair. He patted his heavy stomach in appreciation. “I guess I was hungrier than I thought.” His voice had a trace of embarrassment for he knew that Ezra was never a hard drinker.
“I hope you are feeling better now,” Ezra remarked. “It’s time you forget that girl and move on with your life.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jack said lamely. Last spring he had taken a case concerning the missing son of a retired congressman. He had become romantically involved with the congressman’s daughter but was forced to break off the relationship. It had been hard to leave her but he had no choice in the matter.
“Don’t lie to me,” his partner snapped. “You’ve been moping around here and drinking yourself sick every night. The money is getting low, and I don’t look forward to living in the gutter again.”
“Oh, we aren’t doing that bad,” Jack lied. His nervous stomach began to churn violently and he gulped nervously. He knew that Ezra was right but did not want to admit it.
Ezra handed over a cigarette and lit it for Jack with a single swipe of the match. “Have you looked into our account books lately? With your constant drinking, we’re getting near to being broke again. I’m not sure if we can even make next month’s rent.”
Jack stood up quickly, his face flushed with anger. “Damn it, Ezra! You’re worse than an old woman. Now leave me be.”
“I’m not your servant. I’m just telling you what I’m seeing. And right now I’m seeing a drunk who is feeling sorry for himself.”
“Something is bound to turn up. It always does sooner or later.” Jack felt dizzy and sat down again, the room spinning. He puffed hard on the cigarette, trying to gain his composure back.
“Something already has turned up for us,” Ezra said in a low voice. “I just hope you can handle it right now. While you were sleeping it off this morning, Henry Garrett stopped by to see if you were around.”
“What did Henry want of me?” Jack asked. Garrett was an old friend who was in command of the City Watch, and Jack hadn’t seen him since the last case. Perhaps the captain was still angry that Jack had let a murderer go free.
“Oh, Henry told me a little about it. It looks like another case of disappearance. You know it seems that Washington isn’t becoming safe for anyone these days. I told Henry we would be there as soon as possible.”
“You could have woken me up.”
Ezra snorted derisively and said, “Henry was a little worried when I told him that you were still sleeping. He guessed soon enough that you were out late last night getting drunk. He knows you as well as I do.”
Jack felt angry hearing of the two of them talking behind his back like that. “That old fool worries about me as much as you do. Why don’t the both of you stay out of my business?”
“Henry may be an old man, but you aren’t much younger. I’ll make it my business if I want to get paid anytime soon.”
Jack stubbed out his cigarette and studied Ezra’s face but didn’t say anything.
Ezra looked him in the eyes, his face softening. “I know you’re hurting something bad inside. Some men put a brave face on their heartache. Other men just try to kill the pain inside with whiskey. I know you’ll eventually come around or die trying.” He no longer met Jack’s gaze and fiddled with his matches instead. He then lit another cigarette for himself and began gathering up the dishes on the table.
Jack smiled, suddenly feeling less dizzy. “Those are some pretty words my friend. I’m not sure I can even believe a single word of it.”
Ezra returned his gaze and almost imperceptibly shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t care what you think, Jack. I just want to keep a roof over my head and keep on eating. We’re partners in this business and I can’t make any money without you doing your part of the job.”
Jack reflected to himself that his friend was right: It must be near impossible for an ex-slave to get work as a detective. “You really are a heartless bastard when you get down to it. I’ll go clean up first and get ready to visit Henry.” Jack steadily got up on his feet and made his way back to his bedroom. He still felt bad inside, but felt he could function enough to make it over to the City Watch. He also knew that Ezra was right about the girl, but right now he didn’t care either way.
With a smile, Ezra began washing the plates.
Miss Keller's diary, excerpted
July 13, morning
It seems so long since my dear James has been gone. When he decided to enlist I was so proud and nervous, and I prayed for the best. His father did everything he could to help, doing his best to assure our families about the future. I kept myself from worrying by sewing and knitting some personal items for James. I thought he might like some gloves and a muffler. The weather was cold enough then as they were getting ready, but things have changed so much. Now that I’m getting ready to surprise my darling with these presents, the sky is hot and blue and humid. No matter the weather, my spirits cannot be dampened: I am thrilled to leave New York and I must admit the idea of seeing the Capital is very exciting.
But if I am honest with myself, I am not sure how I feel about seeing James. I am sure being a soldier has changed him somewhat, but will it have changed him enough, so that I truly love him. James and I do love each other, I know. His family and mine have known each other for years. And when he proposed to me, I was relieved, since I knew my family would be pleased. But I always wished I had felt more for him. Now that he has been gone for so long, I am anxious that he will be able to tell, and see that he deserves more.
I am glad that Mister Folks is my chaperon for the trip. He has his business to attend to and although I know he wants to see James as well as I do, I think my nervousness will be more easily ignored by him than it would be by someone else. Not to imply that Mister Folks is insensitive. Really I think he is mostly a typical business man. I had thought that my mother would insist that I have another woman to accompany me, but we have known the Folkses so long I assume he'll treat me like his daughter. Also it is nice to have a man to walk with through the train stations, since we came this way. I think my parents were hoping that we'd take a stage, but really that would take such a long time, and the train service can be dependable.
Later
A most upsetting thing has occurred. James is nowhere to be found! I am so upset I know I shall not relate the story accurately but after we came to Washington we eventually managed to find the 27th New York. It was a frustrating trip through the city to get there though. We had no chance of seeing anything properly on our way to the camp. As we rode through the city, my heart leapt up when I first saw a soldier the same build as James, but then I realized it was someone else. There are so many soldiers in the town, all looking smart and ready in their uniforms, that I hurt my neck turning it so often to see if I could spot him. Mister Folks, who has been here before and recently too I come to find out, did a fair job of locating the camp once we asked an officer where they were. I could tell he was getting a little bit out of temper at times with the slowness of our carriage. It was the only one we could find, strangely enough, when we left the train. Perhaps all the Army wagons I see were once carriages.
Once we did drive up to the gate of the camp, I was so nervous. It had been so long since I had seen James. I was not really sure I really did know what he looked like after all. And there are so many pretty girls about the town I'm not sure how I compare to them. Well anyway, James was not there, otherwise I'd be writing about how glad he was to see me, how surprised and happy, and how we held each other and that all my doubts about marrying him were gone, melted away like some snow on an April morning. His captain said he had not yet returned from the previous night. Mister Folks and I are now stationed at a hotel waiting to get word from this captain. He says he will get in touch with us the moment James returns. Honestly, the captain, an uncouth man if I ever saw one, I think his name was Elspeth, was almost as angry as Mister Folks was on learning that James was not in the camp. As for James's father, I have never seen him so full of fury. He threatened to hire an investigator to find James. The captain cautioned that there was no reason to jump to conclusions, but I think Mister Folks just might have. Perhaps he also (and maybe I am jumping to a conclusion now) is a little mad at himself for not having visited before, like when he was in Washington the last time. He says there would never have been time for it. So, my nervous state remains, and I continue to wait to see James.
Chapter 2
The City Watch was the police department of the city of Washington. They were housed in an old weather-stained brick building that should have been torn down years ago. Normally it could hold just a handful of prisoners, but it was now expected to handle the mass of lawbreakers who had come to Washington in the wake of the soldiers. The worst of the camp followers sold alcohol and women, while the better ones provided several personal services for the soldiers. Some of the soldiers had never left home, or been away from the scrutiny of family and neighbors. With the added temptations, crime had risen dramatically. When Jack and Ezra rode up to the building, there was a long line of visitors waiting to see those detained from the night before.
Jack carefully tied his horse to the hitching post, and Ezra followed suit. They pushed their way through the small crowd waiting outside the building and received a number of dirty looks with a few suspecting they were trying to cut ahead in the line. Jack mumbled something about being on official business, and they passed through the front doors into the office lobby.
The main clerk behind the desk was fruitlessly trying to keep the crowd under some semblance of control. He exasperatedly shoved the visitors back away from the desk and shouted at them as he determined who was next in line. With the summer heat it was stagnant inside the building; the smell of sweat hung heavily in the air. Jack found it hard to breathe. The noise and press of humanity made his head hurt. Tempers were short, and several people looked as if they were about to come to blows.
Jack gave a quick nod to the clerk, who motioned them to continue past the swinging gate. The clerk had seen them often enough to know they were there to see Henry Garrett.
Garrett’s office was small and crowded with piles of official papers and well-worn law books. He didn’t even look up as they entered, but continued to study the papers on his desk. “Just put those reports on the desk,” he mumbled with a pencil hanging loosely in his mouth. His face was furrowed with concentration and didn’t even look up at Jack as he drew up a chair and sat down. It was clear that Henry was overworked.
Jack cleared his throat loudly and Henry gave a sudden start as he looked at him. “Oh, it’s you Jack - and Ezra. It’s good to see the both of you again.” His voice was quick with nervous energy as he started to complain about his troubles. “This damn war is giving me nothing but headaches. Did you see that line of people outside? One would think the good folks in this city could keep their hands off the whores. And I never saw so many drunks in my life. But that is no problem of yours - I’m glad to see that you finally had the chance to make it over to see me.”
Jack felt a little embarrassed as he replied, “Well, it’s never a problem to see you Henry. I’m just sorry that we couldn’t make it here sooner.”
Henry shot Ezra a glance as he said, “Your partner told me you were sleeping off a drunken binge. I don’t understand how you can do that to yourself day after day.”
Ignoring the condemnation, Jack replied, “Well I’m here now –you mentioned something about a job?”
“I’m sure Ezra already told you the little I said to him. I thought it better to wait to see the both of you and tell you both the whole story. No point of repeating myself, if you know what I mean. I had a visitor this morning, a father who came down from New York, and he’s looking for his missing son.” A slow smile crossed Garrett’s face as he waited for Jack’s response.
Jack said sarcastically, “A missing son? Doesn’t anyone write a note or leave a message these days? After my last case, I’m not sure I can do another like it.”
Garrett laughed. “From what I’ve heard, you don’t seem to have much choice in the matter.”
“My financial difficulties should be no worry of yours,” Jack snapped.
Henry ignored the ill-tempered response and continued, “This time it’s a little different - the wayward son is in the army, posted here in Washington. He disappeared just last night. It seems that this lieutenant has been charged with deserting, but no one can seem to find him to press the charges. The father went to the camp, but no one is admitting anything about his son’s whereabouts. Out of frustration he came to see me even though I have little sway over the army’s law.”
Ezra asked, “And why are you asking us to look into this problem? Some of your men would be better suited to searching the town.”
Henry waved his hands at the piles of paper on his desk. “You saw that line of people outside. Frankly, we’re too busy here to spend time tracking down a missing soldier. My men are overworked, and anyway it’s normally something the army should handle, but the father wants someone to start looking into it right now. He has enough money that his words have some sway with me. I told him I knew just the right man for the job – someone who wasn’t afraid of starting trouble and knows his way around the army. I told him that you were the right bastard for the job.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Jack replied with a laugh. “Now what unit did he go missing from? Some are stricter than others about giving punishment to deserters.”
“Oh no, I’m not going to tell you the story – I can’t spare you a moment longer of my time. Better that you hear it for yourself from the father. I told them to wait at their hotel until I could locate you.”
“Them?” Ezra queried.
“If you must know, the soldier’s fiancée came with her future father in-law to see her brave lieutenant.” Garrett seemed to begrudge them even this small bit of information.
Jack eyebrows went up upon hearing there was a young woman involved. “Is she pretty?” he asked.
“And Ezra told me that your heart was still broken up over that last woman. I guess he was wrong.”
His partner looked away from his friend’s sudden vicious stare and pretended to study the street outside.
“Henry, don’t you go and start listening to Ezra. He won’t be happy until he sees me married again. He thinks it will stop me from drinking too much. Funny thing is I never see him trying to go and get hitched. He’s too busy visiting the whorehouses every night.”
“Only when we’re making enough money,” Ezra commented blandly.
Garrett slapped his knee and laughed loudly. He gave his eyes a wipe with his sleeve and said, “Well, I’m glad you two are still getting along so well.”
Jack looked at Henry sourly. “For now we are. Now where do we go to meet this father?”
“They are staying just around the corner at a hotel called The Willows. The father wanted to be close enough to the Watch to wait for any developments. I gather that this hotel doesn’t meet his normal standards, but he is willing to make some sacrifice to his comfort.”
“So he is a rich father – even better. What’s the name of this character I’m supposed to see?”
“His name is Charles Folks. You are expected there. Just give your name and you’ll be taken to his suite.”
“Not that it matters, but what is the name of the girl?”
Garrett looked at his friend slyly and said, “Not that it matters, you say. You are a fool with the women, and they’ll be the death of you. But I’ll tell you anyways – it’s Anna Keller.”
“That’s a pretty name. I hope she’ll live up to it.”
“She does”
Jack smiled momentarily. “I thank you for the job reference.”
“I wouldn’t do anything less for an old friend of mine.”
“We’ll be on our way and leave you to your work.” Jack rose from his chair to leave.
Garrett raised a hand and said, “Now wait a minute there, Jack. I’m an old man, and I know you don’t like to take my advice. This whole thing doesn’t seem right to me. Be careful and take this case nice and slowly.”
The detective looked at his friend with some pity. It was obvious that Henry’s work was finally getting to him. Perhaps it was time for Garrett to take a rest from his duties. “Now Henry, what exactly are you getting at?”
“I’m not sure - it’s just a hunch. From what I was told by Mister Folks, the army is being awfully secretive about this disappearance. They either don’t know anything or are hiding something from him. You’ll know what I mean once you are done interviewing them. I don’t want to tell you anything else right now - you’ll probably just think it’s my imagination.”
“I usually trust your hunches,” Jack lied. “You can rest assured that we’ll be careful.”
“I’ve heard that one before.”
“We’ll take our leave now and let you be alone with your papers.” Ezra put on his best tone of concern. “Make sure to take a break before you need glasses from the eye strain.”
“Now get on out you two,” Henry growled.
The ex-slave winked at Henry as he followed Jack out of the office. Garrett gave them a dismissive wave and went back to reading the report on his desk.
Leaving the horses at the City Watch, they walked the two blocks to the Willows Hotel. Jack stayed quiet, lost in his own thoughts. It was too early in the day. He felt as if he needed a drink to gather his wits. The sun was getting high in the sky, too bright for his headache. Sweat began to run profusely down his forehead and he wiped his brow with the sleeve of his jacket arm. With shaking hands, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a cigarette and lit it. The smoke tasted dry, and after a few puffs, he tossed the cigarette into the gutter. He wasn’t sure if he was up to doing a case right now, but he knew that Ezra was right about their money situation.
“Jack,” Ezra interrupted, “what was Garrett getting at in there about his hunches?”
The detective replied, “He’s just overwhelmed with work right now - too much work and not enough time for drinking. He’ll be alright once he took a few days off to rest.”
“Henry is usually right.”
“If you say so."
The Willows Hotel turned out to be a pleasant enough establishment that catered to the middle class. In the lobby it was clean and neatly appointed, with simple furnishings. A dark rug with only a few threadbare spots covered the dark wood floor. The old clerk took Jack’s business card in his liver-spotted hands and beckoned for the both of them to follow. They were led up a flight of stairs where they climbed to the third and highest floor of the building. The clerk led them to the suite and Jack tipped him a nickel.
Jack then looked at his partner and said in a low voice, “I was expecting something a little more posh for a rich father.”
“It’s not that bad of a hotel,” Ezra replied. “Better than any place I’ve ever stayed at.”
Jack knocked on the door with a quick rap.
Muffled from the thick oak door, a loud booming voice answered, “Come in.”
Jack pushed the door open and entered the room with Ezra following behind. They were greeted by the sight of a large, powerful man sitting down next to a young woman. The man was wearing a light brown suit that wasn’t ostentatious but merely well-made. Even sitting in the chair, he was obviously very tall and muscular. His hair was almost all black with just a touch of gray in the temples. Jack guessed that he would be in his early forties. His face was neither handsome nor ugly, but it had the strong determined jaw of an experienced businessman who was used to getting his way.
The woman, at first glance, appeared to be a young girl in her late teens. She was very petite and had her thick black hair set in tight curls. The nose was straight and her face had the perfect oval shape of an artist’s painting. The shape of her figure was hard to tell with the current fashion of dresses, but for all her young facial features it was still the body of a fully-formed woman.
Jack and Ezra politely removed their hats and gave a small bow in her direction.
“I’m Charles Folks and you must be Mister Blackwood and Mister Miller,” the man said as he rose from his chair. He motioned to the girl and said, “This is Miss Anna Keller, the fiancée of my son.”
Jack shook Folks’s hand - the grip was hard and unyielding. He could tell this was a man who demanded obedience from his employees. “It’s good to meet you, sir. As you have been told by Garrett, my name is Jack Blackwood. This here is my partner, Ezra Miller.”
Charles Folks merely raised an eyebrow when he heard Ezra’s name. Jack was impressed, as a lot of Northerners had a hard time dealing with an ex-slave because of his background, his race, and the fact that he worked as a detective.
Jack continued and said, “My friend Garrett told me you were in need of the services that I can provide.”
“I like a man who comes right to the point. Go ahead and sit down, and I’ll tell the both of you what I know about all of this.”
They found some chairs to sit on and waited for Charles Folks to compose himself. Jack noticed that the young girl looked at the businessman with some awe. Even with her expression set in lines of worry, the detective could not help but be drawn by her natural beauty.
Folks cleared his throat and began to speak. “I’m a stock broker from New York City, and I must say I’m a fairly good one at that. My son James was sent to some of the finest schools in the city, and I was hoping he would agree to follow in my footsteps.” His voice became tinged with regret. “Things were going well enough for him, and James was about to enter my firm. After he finished his last year at college he was to be given a position of clerk. He was also to be married this year to young Anna here.”
“But then the war started?” Ezra asked. Jack could always count on his partner to say the obvious.
“As you say, sir, this damned war broke out, and he got the patriotic fever to join up. I could have bought out any conscription that may have passed, but he wouldn’t hear of it and went and volunteered to join the cavalry. You know how young people are these days.”
Jack smiled to himself, remembering the day he left his own home to join the army. He too was looking for adventure and a chance to escape the domination of his father. “Yes, I’m afraid I do.”
“Well, I know some officers in the army and managed to get him in with a good division. He was transferred to the 27th New York Cavalry, and they were sent here to Washington with the rest of the Army of the Potomac. That was just a few months ago. He hasn’t been back home since.”
Anna spoke for the first time with a sad but sweet voice, “I did miss my James so much. I was looking forward to seeing him again on this trip.”
Folks nodded in her direction. “We all miss James. We received some letters from him, but that wasn’t enough for me. When my firm wanted someone to go to Washington on a business deal, I jumped at the chance to do it. I wanted the trip to be a surprise for James, so I told him nothing of it. My wife Martha is too timorous to go, but Anna here begged to come along with me.”
The girl nodded her head vigorously. “I’ve never been to the Capitol before, and I was hoping I could spend some time with James before he was sent off to war.”
Upon hearing those words, Jack felt a pang of jealousy. He could only imagine the type of time she would want to spend with her fiancée. “I see,” he said blandly.
Charles Folks continued on with his booming voice and said, “Well, we made it here last night, and I even managed to get a room at a fine hotel downtown. We had a quick breakfast early in the morning, and then we took a carriage out to his camp. At the gate I immediately asked to see my son. But no one there would give me a straight answer of his whereabouts. I had to make quite an uproar before we could see the colonel. His name is Franklin. He seemed mighty embarrassed, but he told us that James had gone missing that previous night. He seemed truly sorry but could offer us no further information.”
Lost in his thoughts, Jack kept quiet. Normally the colonel should have deferred them to the provost-marshals.
“When was the last time he was seen by anyone?” Ezra asked.
Charles Folks quickly answered, “He was apparently given the evening free yesterday, and he went out of the camp on his own. After that, no one seems to know where he went. If they did, they were not forthcoming with me.”
Jack looked back and forth between Charles and Anna before speaking. Some questions could anger clients, so he carefully picked his words. “Mister Folks, I have to ask some questions that may shock you. I don’t want to Miss Keller here to get upset by the nature of these inquiries.”
“Go ahead, Mister Blackwood. Anna here will understand.”
“What kind of boy is your son?” he asked uneasily.
Charles Folks looked slightly taken aback by the question. “James is a good son who has never hidden anything from me. He has always been dutiful to his family and the church.”
“But does he have any kind of wild streak? For example, you didn’t seem too happy with him joining the army and leaving a good job opportunity with your firm.”
“That is true enough, Mister Blackwood, but we had a long discussion about the matter and eventually came to an agreement. Once his enlistment was up, he told me he was willing to return to work at the firm.”
“I see,” Jack said thoughtfully. James’s decision to join up may have been rash, but the boy still wanted the security of his father’s wealth. “What type of friends did he have in New York?”
“Mister Blackwood, what exactly are you trying to say?”
“As I said before, I mean no offense. Look at it from his point of view. Your son was free from the family for the first time in his life. He is in a strange town looking for some type of excitement. There are plenty of bad people here offering just about anything to a man with a few dollars to spend. Everyone is trying to make money off of this war, and your son may have run afoul of some evil influences.”
“What do you mean?” Anna asked innocently. She looked confused by the turn of the conversation. “James was always true to me.” Her confusion and naiveté were painfully sweet.
“Well, miss, he may have come under the sway of alcohol or have been robbed for his money. I really can’t tell you anything more until I start asking around.”
Charles Folks face was ashen, while Anna looked faint with anxiety.
Ezra said, “You must understand that we are only asking these questions with the best intentions in mind.”
“I suggest you pay my fee of ten dollars a day,” Jack said firmly. “You will write me a letter of introduction to this colonel. To start, I will go visit the camp. I promise I will find him soon enough.”
Miss Keller's diary
July 13, Later (again)
A detective has been to see us to ask about James. It seems he is considered “missing” as opposed to just not come home for the night. The detective has a partner, a black man. I suppose I should become more used to this the further south we have come. So far I have only seen Negroes as servants in wealthy homes and never as professional people, like this Mister Miller. Mister Blackwood, the detective, seemed to put Mister Folks at ease. He appeared more relaxed knowing that the whereabouts of his son were not totally left up to the Army. Mister Blackwood seems confident, perhaps a bit disorganized, but in command. I am sure that he has dealt with a lot of cases over the years so one more must seem nothing new to him but all this experience has made him tactless. I should not presume to be so judgmental, but in fact Mister Miller seems the more well-bred of the two detectives, and just a little bit better dressed. I imagine that he is more aware of his differences, as a Negro, and so he tries harder than his partner.
Honestly who knows what has happened to James. As much as I miss him, I might prefer if he went missing forever, and then I'd never have to get married. Oh certainly, I'd love to be married, I'm just not sure that James is the most suitable man for me, but I'd hate to hurt his feelings for anything in the world. I do love him; I just wish things could go back to the way they were before we became engaged.
Mister Blackwood, while more than able to investigate, did not do much to take away my anxiety about James. I know this sounds unreasonable, but it would be nice to know when we could see him, or how soon he could be found. But I must realize this is a large city, and James could be anywhere. I can't imagine that he would desert his regiment; his pride is too large for him to do that. And he would never disgrace his family by leaving the Army like that. The most logical thing I can think of is that he became ill somewhere, and someone is taking care of him but doesn't know how to reach his division to tell them that he is alright. If that is the case, I could help him get better if only we knew where he is. It is so frustrating to be so close to him and not know where he is, and to be able to get no messages to him, that we are here to see him. I guess the idea of our surprising him is gone now, especially since Mister Folks has hired detectives to find him.
I still have not seen enough of the Capital. This nation is great, no doubt, but this hotel seems to me not so wonderful, in fact, it is the same as any other in New York. Yet I am so close to other places I have never seen. I assume that Mister Folks will not let me out by myself to see the sights. It is selfish of me I know to want to leave while James is still missing, but I was so looking forward to seeing the monuments and even more of the Army. Now that I have seen the camp I think it is magnificent, and I want to see just how big the Army is and how many men, horses and wagons it will take to fight this war.
It is an amazing and yet a frightening thing to think about: how many people it will take to fight this war. I feel two ways about it, or more than two ways really. I agree with the president that the nation cannot be divided. Also my family has long believed that slavery ought not to be tolerated. And while I am proud of James and his readiness to enlist, I also wish that the issue would just go away and let us live our lives without making people have to change everything about the way they live, just for this one thing. Maybe I really wish that James would have chosen to marry me first, instead of enlist. I don't know why things did not happen that way, but now I am jealous of the war, even though I am still undecided about marriage to him in general.
Chapter 3
It took several asking of directions before they located the 27th Division encampment. It was on the eastern side of the city and was hidden in a large field among several other camps. A rough paddock kept the horses enclosed, and these were looked after by civilian laborers. White tents ran the length of the camp, which was outlined by a roughly cut wooden fence. Several soldiers could be seen sitting on primitively made chairs outside their tents. A smoky scent of cooking permeated the air. The sign above the entrance was crude, but read ‘27th New York Cavalry Division – Too Far From Home - Too Close For Comfort.’
A young-looking corporal with a friendly face kept guard. He was a compact fellow with a sullen air. He lazily eyed them as they rode up to the camp entrance. Holding his hand up, he motioned for them to stop. He spat out a brown stream of tobacco and called out, “What can I do for you fellows?”
“We’ve come here looking for Colonel Franklin,” Jack replied. “You can tell him that we’ve made this visit on behalf of Mister Folks concerning his son Lieutenant Folks.”
The corporal drawled, “Ah, yes – the colonel was right expecting someone to come along soon. Just you wait right there, and someone will lead you to him.” He took a step back and spoke a few words a nearby private who then sauntered off into the middle of the camp.
“Is it alright if we leave our horses here?” Jack asked. He had decided to be cautiously friendly but still polite.
“Sure, go right on ahead. It’s not exactly busy ‘round here, so it won’t be a problem.” He ended with a smile on his face, perhaps acknowledging the waiting period they were going through.
Jack slid off the horse with his partner following suit. “Excuse me, soldier,” he asked, “but did you know Lieutenant Folks at all?”
“I reckon we’re a pretty tight outfit here.” He gave them a big honest grin. “Most of us even came from the same area of New York. But Lieutenant Folks was pretty fresh. Only been here a few weeks, but he was popular enough with the men. Never took advantage of his rank or station, if you know what I mean.”
Jack was beginning to like this corporal. “I do at that. The army hasn’t changed at all since I’ve been in it.”
The corporal’s eyes brightened. “Ah, an old soldier – were you infantry or cavalry?” he asked suspiciously as he looked Jack over.
“Cavalry – I spent a few years out west protecting the new settlements there.”
“I’m pleased to meet you. My name is Eugene Ferran.” He shook hands with Jack.
“My name is Jack Blackwood. This here is my partner Ezra Miller.”
Ferran shook hands with the ex-slave and then looked into the camp. He said, “Now where did that private go? He should be here soon enough to take you to see the colonel.”
“Let me ask you a question, Mister Ferran. When Folks left the camp last night - do you know who was on guard?” Ezra asked.
“That’s easy enough to answer - I was.”
Jack took over the questioning and asked, “What can you remember about last night? Did he look worried in any way?”
“Well, the lieutenant went into the city with a bunch of the other officers from camp. They were going to do the usual - go out drinking and have some fun. There’s not a whole lot to do right now but sit and wait for orders. Most of us are itching to get down south and whup those rebels. But the Army has got their plans, and they aren’t sharing them with us at the moment.”
“What kind of fun do the boys around here have - gambling or girls?” Jack asked. He knew that whores, drink and cards were on the mind of just about every soldier.
“Well,” Ferran replied with a sly look on his face. “I like a good game of poker myself, and the missus back home would kill me if I got into trouble with another girl. But some of the men here get bored and lonely spending day after day in this camp. I rightly can’t blame them if some go astray.”
“Is Folks the kind of man to go astray? I heard he has a pretty girl waiting for him at home.”
Ferran paused before answering, as if weighing what he was about to say. “Yeah, he showed me her picture that he carries in a locket around his neck. She is pretty – the type of girl that would make any man proud. But as I said, a man can get awfully bored and lonely out here. The lieutenant was no stronger in that regard than others.”
They were interrupted in their conversation by the return of the private who had been sent to the colonel. He saluted sloppily to Ferran and said, “The colonel asks that I take these men to go and see him. Captain Ellsworth also suggested you stop jawing with these men and do your duty.”
Ferran looked around to see if anyone could overhear him and said, “Captain Ellsworth can go to Hell. You can tell him I said that.” And then with a wave and a smile, he let Jack and Ezra pass to follow the private into the camp.
The colonel had a large white tent, which had a wooden floor and some slightly more substantial furniture in it. The colonel and a lieutenant were standing in the open air at a small table outside the tent, with a small canopy stretched over it to keep the sun out. When Jack first saw Colonel Franklin, he resisted the urge to salute. The colonel looked every inch the type of soldier that men would follow to the very Gates of Hell. He was tall, had steel-gray hair, was immaculately dressed, and had a handsome, martial bearing. His face was clean-shaven and showed only a few wrinkles. Jack would have guessed his age to be in the late forties. Standing next to him was a young lieutenant with dark hair and a wispy mustache. The lieutenant couldn’t have been older than nineteen and shuffled nervously from foot to foot.
“I’m glad to meet you,” Franklin said while shaking Jack’s hand with a firm grip. He had the easy voice that was used to commanding men. “This here is my nephew, Lieutenant Riley. He acts as my eyes and ears. I don’t know what I would do without him.”
Jack introduced himself and his partner. He then said, “I wish we could meet under better circumstances, sir. As you already know, we are here on behalf of Mister Charles Folks concerning his son. Have you any further news of his whereabouts?”
“I’m afraid I won’t be much help to you. I have some of my men going out to comb the city for our young lieutenant. So far we haven’t found a trace of his whereabouts.” He looked behind Jack and said, “Ah, here comes Captain Ellsworth. Perhaps he has some further information for us.”
They all turned to watch the captain approach. Jack was struck by how ugly the man was. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, had a dark craggy face, thick curling eyebrows, and slovenly manner of dress. Compared to the colonel, he had a sinister look. Ellsworth returned his stare, and it was not a kind pair of eyes.
The captain saluted the colonel almost as an afterthought and said, “I suppose these here two men came to find out about Lieutenant Folks?”
“Yes, they are here on behalf of his father. Have any of the men reported back from their search of the city?”
“They just got back in. I told them to visit his favorite haunts, but no one has found anything yet. It’s most mysterious.” His voice was most off-handed, almost as if he didn’t care either way.
Colonel Franklin sighed. “Yes it is - most mysterious indeed. Folks is a little wet behind the ears but has the makings of a good officer. So many of the recruits we get are nothing but trouble. They don’t know how to drill properly and won’t listen to orders.”
Lieutenant Riley looked away, red-faced, as these words were spoken.
Jack interrupted the colonel and said, “Other than the search parties you sent out, did you question any of your men in the camp on his whereabouts?”
The captain replied curtly, “When we had roll call this morning, no one stepped forward with any information.”
“Well, you see I had an interesting conversation with your guard at the gate– a Corporal Ferran. He wasn’t exactly forthcoming with me, but I think he knew where Lieutenant Folks went. He may at least be able to give us an idea.”
Ellsworth rubbed his jaw and said, “I wouldn’t bother questioning that particular corporal. He’s a troublemaker through and through. You’ll see him at the guard post quite often for general punishment. That’s if he is lucky – otherwise he gets harsher duties than that.”
“Now, Captain,” Franklin interjected, “perhaps Mister Blackwood here is right. It wouldn’t hurt to question the corporal a little further. Why don’t you go on over and get him. I myself would be most interested in what he has to say.”
The captain gave Jack a dark look and stomped off to get the corporal.
“Don’t mind him,” Franklin said. “He may be quick to anger, but he is a good soldier. Always follows orders, if even he doesn’t want to.”
“I bet he isn’t popular with the men.” Ezra said.
“He’s alright,” Riley interjected in his defense.
Franklin laughed. “My nephew is right, the captain never has been exactly popular with the men, but they give him grudging respect because I depend on him so much. He always knows what’s going on in the camp and where to get some of the best food around. We are always low on supplies, and Ellsworth manages to find what we need.”
“I see,” Jack said, not really interested in their supply problems. “Let me ask you – has Lieutenant Folks ever been any problem for you? Have there ever been any signs of trouble with him? His father told me he was a good son.”
“No problems that I know of. The lieutenant is always on time and ready to do what was called of him. He is fairly inexperienced, mind you, but I never had any complaints concerning his conduct. His horsemanship is fair and quickly improving under our guidance.”
“James has always been friendly to me,” Riley added.
“What about your captain? Did he have any complaints about him?” Jack knew that the top of the chain rarely addressed the day-to-day needs of a busy army camp.
“Not that I know of - why don’t you ask him yourself?”
The captain just then came back scowling with the smiling Corporal Ferran in tow. They both saluted Franklin, who ordered the corporal to stand at ease.
The colonel transfixed the corporal with hard eyes and asked, “Now Ferran, Mister Blackwood here told me that you were discussing our missing Lieutenant Folks with him. Is there anything that you know that you are holding out on us?”
Ferran shuffled from foot to foot, looking embarrassed. He gave Jack a sour look before answering, “I don’t know anything worth your time, sir.”
“Come on, out with it man,” Ellsworth barked impatiently.
The corporal blushed a crimson red. He said, “Well, I’m not one to judge any man’s character. You see, the night the lieutenant went missing, I stopped to jaw with him for a while. We passed the usual talk about the war, but he was in a bragging mood about where he was going that night.”
“What was he bragging about?” Jack asked impatiently.
“Well, Mister Blackwood, as I was telling you at the gate – some men get awfully lonely here day after day.” He looked up at the canopy, as if it would take away the burden of his words for him. He then took a breath and continued: “They miss the company of women. James was telling me about this girl he met at a saloon the other week. Apparently he got to know her quite well. He told me was planning to spend all of that night with her and get smashing drunk in the process.” After a pause he then added, “It’s not something I would condone.”
Lieutenant Riley blushed when he heard those words.
“Did he mention her name?” Jack snapped. If he knew the girl’s name, then it was only a matter of time before he could find her whereabouts.
“That’s the funny thing sir,” Ferran chuckled. “He told me her name was Lizzie Clayton.”
“What’s so funny about that, Corporal?” Ellsworth said impatiently.
“Well, the joke was on the lieutenant. You see. Lizzie Clayton is a well-known whore, and half of the men in this camp had already paid that girl for a night of entertainment. She was quite the popular girl around Washington, if you know what I mean. Then there was the poor Lieutenant thinking he had met the girl of his dreams. I didn’t have the heart to break it to him, he would find out in his own time once she asked for the bill to be paid.”
Jack thought about poor Folks being taken for a fool, and realized the same had happened to him before. It was not an unexpected story for a boy out on his own to be taken in by a woman of the night. “Do you know where this Miss Clayton does her business?”