Now Playing: Dangerous Calling
Episode Ten concluded with:
The Bishop’s voice became forceful. “I want to
make up for my past, selfish actions. Something has gone wrong and matters
could verge on getting much worse. Bertram, could you send an operative to
Antioch and ascertain exactly what is going on?”
“Mr. Dehner will be leaving on the first
available train.”
Dehner nodded in agreement and wondered at the
odd nature of his assignment. He was to investigate a young preacher whose
personality seemed to have changed overnight and deal with a young woman who
was a hopeless romantic.
The detective had a feeling his trip to Antioch
was going to be very eventful.
Episode Eleven
***
Frank
Dunning sat in Wilbur Lewis’ office at The Antioch Community Bank. Frank was
there in his capacity as mayor of the town.
“About
that abandoned property west of Antioch, Frank, I think the town council needs
to…” Lewis pulled out a handkerchief and began to cough.
“Are
you okay, Wilbur?”
“Yes,
yes, thank you. My throat is just a bit scratchy this morning.”
“Stay
well. I need you. No one else on the council knows a hoot about business.”
“I’ll
try not to let you down, Mr. Mayor.” Wilbur laughed as he put away the
handkerchief. He then picked up a cigar from the ashtray on his desk and
inhaled.
As
the banker blew a large stream of smoke, Frank glanced out the open door of the
office and spotted an angel. The young woman appeared confused. She looked
about the bank, then headed for one of the teller’s cages and out of Frank’s
view.
The
mayor inwardly sighed and resumed his conversation with Wilbur Lewis. But,
within moments their talk was interrupted by a young man who appeared at the
office door.
“Excuse
me, gentlemen.”
“Yes,
Roy,” Wilbur said. Roy was a teller at the bank.
“There
is a lady here who says she needs to see the mayor. Fred, at the train station,
told her he’d be here.”
“Show
her in…please!” Frank spoke up immediately.
The
mayor’s hopes were realized. The angel stepped into Wilbur Lewis’ office. She
had light brown hair surrounding a perfectly proportioned face and blue eyes.
Roy
introduced the lady as Amanda Olson, then returned to his duties. Both the
banker and the mayor were now smiling and on their feet.
“Welcome
to Antioch, Miss Olson.” Frank said.
“Indeed!”
Wilbur added.
“Thank
you, sirs, I have just arrived from Boston.”
“My,
my, you have come a long way!” Lewis exclaimed.
As
his friend pontificated on how the railroad had transformed Antioch, Dunning
kept an eye on Amanda, or, at least, he watched her to the degree that
propriety would allow. When Frank had first stood up, the woman’s eyes went to
his crutch and missing leg. She had quickly looked away not wanting to appear
rude.
Wilbur
concluded his lecture on the progress of Antioch with, “So, tell us, Miss Olson:
what brings you to our town?”
“Well…I
am very sorry to have interrupted your meeting--”
“Please
don’t feel that way, Miss Olson,” Frank interjected. “Roy said that you wanted
to see me.” Never before had Frank Dunning felt so puffed up about being the
mayor.
“Yes,
Mr. Dunning. I have come to Antioch to join with my fiancé, Reverend Jim
Goodman. A clerk at the train station told me that you would know where to
find him.”
Frank
no longer felt puffed up. “Why, yes, of course…”
“Your
fiancé is quite the hero in this town, Miss Olson!” Wilbur’s voice was
bombastic. “Yes, two nights ago, Jim Goodman...”
Frank
Dunning experienced a flash of anger over Wilbur’s hero remark. Not that long
ago, he had been the town hero. Frank
quickly brought his wrath under control and laughed inwardly. “Town hero” was a
very temporary title. Besides, Amanda Olson should take pride in her
fiancé.
Still,
as Wilbur was recounting Reverend Goodman’s brave exploits, the mayor felt
uneasy. There were a lot of little things about Jim Goodman that seemed wrong.
Like Goodman’s first day in town, when the pastor had not said grace before
eating breakfast at Hurley’s Café. And,
Goodman had not mentioned having a fiancée. All small matters, but…
The
mayor checked his thoughts. He had been very smitten by Amanda Olson and had
just found out that she was engaged to Reverend Goodman. Maybe he wasn’t being
very objective right now.
Amanda
was obviously overwhelmed by the banker’s tale. “Jim devoutly believes that the
Lord has sent him to the West. What happened last Wednesday certainly proves
him right.” She faced Frank directly. “Could you take me to Jim? I’m very
anxious to see him.”
“Of
course!” Wilbur’s voice was still bombastic. “We can finish this meeting later,
Frank. You and Miss Olson run along. Reverend Goodman told me he would be
working on his sermon for much of this day. You’ll probably find him at the
hotel.”
Dunning
and Amanda Olson left the office and were walking toward the front door of the
bank when a voice stopped them. “Ah, Mr. Mayor…”
Frank
turned and smiled, “Fargo! Good to see you.” He introduced Amanda Olson, who
was very excited about meeting the man her husband had confronted and
converted.
Fargo
leaned on his broom. “Please to meet ya, Miss Olson. While I was sweeping up, I
heard ya talkin’ with the boss. ‘Fraid I got bad news.”
“Oh.”
The woman looked alarmed.
Fargo
waved his hand as if dismissing her concern. “Nothin’ too serious. But I saw
Reverend… ah… the Reverend on my way to work this mornin’. He tole me he had to leave town for a spell.”
“Why?”
Amanda asked.
“Was
it some problem with a member of the congregation?” Frank added. “Someone who
lives out of town?”
“Yep.
That was it.”
Frank
tilted his head in a questioning manner. “Well, he should be back by tonight.”
“Yep.
Sure.”
Amanda
Olson’s face had fallen in disappointment. Dunning tried to cheer her up. “Jim
will be back before you know it. Where are your bags, Miss Olson?”
“At
the train station. The man there said he’d keep an eye on them for me.”
“My
buggy is out front. Why don’t we retrieve your bags and get you settled in at
the hotel. Then, if you’d like, I’d be honored to take you to lunch.”
“Thank
you, Mr. Dunning. That would be wonderful.”
Fargo
followed the couple out the door. He swept the boardwalk in front of the bank
as Dunning and the town’s new arrival got into his buggy. Fargo watched as they
rode off to the train station.
“A
real looker, that Amanda gal. Too bad we gotta kill her.”
Tomorrow:
Episode Twelve of Dangerous Calling
