Act Three, Part Three ~~~~
"Now listen," said Artie as the three of them reached the bottom of the stairs, "once you get to the police station, ask them to send someone to fetch Col Richmond of the Secret Service. He's here in Denver supervising this counterfeiting case. Tell him Artemus Gordon sent you and, ah, tell him also to let that room air out a bit before any of his men go in."
"I certainly will," said the apothecary. "But where will you be?"
With a nod toward Felicity, Artie replied, "I have a package to catch up with. Which reminds me: you wouldn't happen to know a Mr Briggs, would you, Mr Harper?"
"Briggs? Hmm… Well, I've heard of a Mr Harrison Briggs. Hasn't been in town very long, I think. I believe he owns a warehouse down by the railroad yards."
Artie blinked. Harrison Briggs? Now why, he wondered, did that name sound so very familiar to him? "Down by the railroad yards, you say? Well, I believe I might just know how to get there. Would you please let Col Richmond know I'll be heading that way?"
Harper nodded. "I can do that."
"Thank you. Good day then, Mr Harper, Miss Felicity." Artie shook hands with the one, touched the brim of his hat to the other, then set off hurrying toward the railroad yards.
Mr Harper crooked his arm and offered it to Felicity. "Let's go see the police then."
She shook her head. "Oh, but Mr Harper, I need to get home! Ma's going to be awfully upset wondering what's become of me. And oh! Her medicine!" The girl spun and ran for the stairs again, clattering up them.
"Where are you going?"
She stopped and leaned over the banister to answer. "That bad man took the bottle of Ma's rheumatism medicine from me!"
"Bottle of… Hello! You mean the bottle that Clay fellow claimed you shoplifted?"
"Yes!" She had reached the door now and darted inside.
"You come back out here, Felicity!" Harper called. "That bottle isn't in there!"
There was a moment of silence, then the girl emerged again. "It isn't?"
"No, I've got it right…" The apothecary patted at his jacket pocket, frowned, then winced. "Consarn it, that's right! Mr Gordon and I swapped jackets and forgot to swap back. He's got the bottle now!"
Felicity gaped for a second, then pounded back down the stairs. "Then let's go get it! He can't be too far…"
Harper caught her arm as she started to race by him. "But that's just it, Felicity. It's not your ma's rheumatism medicine anyway."
"It… it isn't?"
"No. You think those counterfeiters knew beans about medicine? They just grabbed something I'd taken out from lock and key and foisted it off on you."
She stared at him. "Lock and key? But… what's in the bottle?"
He sighed. "Nothing for you to concern yourself about, Felicity. It's in stable form, so there's no danger. C'mon now. We'll go fetch the police like Mr Gordon said, and get the rest of it straightened out later on."
Slowly the girl nodded and allowed herself to be escorted to the police station.
…
The woman pushing the baby carriage led Jim out of the park and through the town, passing at last into an area in which such a lady with such a carriage seemed distinctly out of place: the warehouse district down by the railroad yards. She trundled on imperturbably, as if without a care in the world.
Jim followed discreetly as she drew near the door of one of the warehouses. His eyes narrowed as he read the sign above the door:
STAR WAREHOUSE
H & L Briggs, Chambersburg
The armed guard nodded politely, touching the brim of his hat, as the woman reached the door. "Afternoon, Miz Briggs," he said.
"Good afternoon, Chester," she responded, her voice, with an accent that couldn't seem to decide if it was Southern or Midwestern, carrying easily to Jim's ears. "And is Mr Briggs in, please?"
"I was advised that he'd be in shortly, yes'm," he said.
"Excellent," she responded. The guard held the door for her, giving her some assistance in wrangling the baby carriage through the doorway, then shut the door behind her and took up his post again.
Jim slipped closer, intent on finding a way inside the warehouse. There was only the one guard on the door; he could easily overpower him and…
A series of ka-clicks! behind him spun Jim around. Three guards were spreading out to surround him, and as he watched, two more joined them, smiling as they too cocked their weapons and aimed them at the agent. Slowly Jim raised his hands. The gunmen let it be known that he was to turn and head for the warehouse.
"Well, you were right, weren't you, Chester?" came the woman's voice. She was standing in the doorway, the little half-smirk on her face announcing that she thought Jim was the most amusing thing she'd ever seen. Cutting her eyes toward the guard momentarily, she added, "Well, you did say Mr Briggs would be along shortly, and here he is!" Now she tossed the hood back, revealing the rest of her pretty, sharp-minded face and her neatly upswept blonde hair. "Hello, Harrison," she said to Jim, looking like a cat stealing the cream.
"Linda," said Jim, placing her instantly. "Linda Medford - or is it Hamilton today?"
"Why, Harrison, you incorrigible tease! Of course it's Linda Briggs! Don't tell me you don't recognize your own dear little sister!"
