The Night of the Victorian Plot – Part 2

Welcome to America

Chapter 10

Turkish Delight

…I represent the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and we have had a complaint that a dog is being mistreated at this location." Artie held up his hand as he could see that Loveless was about to say something. "I'm sure there is nothing to the allegation," he hastened to add. "But I have a duty to look into the matter, as I'm sure you'll understand."

Artie's words went some way to appeasing Loveless who was already pleased to have met a fellow countryman. "I do understand your position but I do not own a dog."

"But, Mr Hayridge, the report is quite clear and barking was heard coming from this property."

Loveless smiled. "I see what has happened," he said. "My name is Doctor Loveless; the previous tenant was Mr Hayridge."

Artie feigned enlightenment mixed with embarrassment. "Please accept my apologies," he said. "The problem is that these complaints sometimes take a while to reach our local office and Mr Hayridge must have moved out in the meantime. I'm sure you are not the sort of person to mistreat one of God's harmless creatures." 'That's it, Artie, lay it on thick', he thought.

"As a matter of fact I am an animal lover," Loveless said. "I own a rather beautiful cat."

"I love cats," Artie responded. "What is its name?"

"Brunhilde," Loveless said.

"And is she a noble cat as her name suggests?"

"Yes, she's a main coon."

"They have the most delightful ears. You are a lucky man. I do hope you will let me see her."

Loveless was very nearly purring himself at the accolades being given to his beloved cat but he hesitated at Artie's request. He had left Brunhilde in the basement room to guard James West. He was pretty certain that the tiny man could not escape but he had decided to take no chances. However, he was very tempted to take the risk of showing his fine cat to Mr Mayer. Suddenly he made up his mind and his face brightened.

"You shall see her," he said. "Come with me to the top of the basement steps and I will bring her up to you."

Artie beamed. "I should love to."

"Follow me!"

Loveless didn't like either of his henchmen to touch his cat so he went down to the basement himself. He left Artie at the basement entrance, went down the stairs and entered the bedroom where he had left Jim.

As soon as Artie learned of the basement he was certain that was where Loveless was keeping Jim prisoner. The henchmen were nowhere in sight so he quickly and silently ran down the steps to the basement and pushed the bedroom door open, knocking Loveless, who had an armful of cat, out of the way. He then drew the gun that had been tucked in the waistband at the back of his trousers and hidden by his jacket.

"Stay where you are," he said, "or I'll shoot you and your cat.

Loveless pulled Brunhilde closer to his chest and frowned at Artie. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Where's Jim?" Artie demanded at the same time as the cat started yowling. He looked around but couldn't see any sign of his partner.

Loveless suddenly realised what was happening. "So you are no longer in a coma, Mr Gordon," he said. "Mr West lied to me."

At the sound of her master's voice the cat quietened down and Artie could hear a small voice calling his name, "Artie! Artie!" It was coming from the cat carrier.

Artie looked at the cat box and then at Loveless. Was he some kind of ventriloquist? There was no way Jim could be in there. He would make sure though. He turned the key in the lock and opened the top of the cat carrier and looked inside to see a miniature version of Jim.

"Jim?" he queried, afraid to believe his own eyes.

"Artie, it's me. The antidote is on the m…..look out!"

The warning was too late. Artie began to turn his head but before he could there was an arm around his neck and a hand holding a cloth over his mouth. Just as Jim had before him, he fired his gun but it harmlessly hit the wall. And then the blackness came down like a dense fog and he fell to the carpet.

Artie's next experience was that of lying on a couch in the parlour of Loveless' house. He groaned because of his aching head and his dry mouth. He knew that he had been given chloroform. As he sat up he felt truly awful.

"I'm so glad you are back with us, Mr Gordon," he heard Loveless say. "It wouldn't be half so much fun without you."

"Loveless," Artie said, as if that explained everything. His voice was low and scratchy.

"You sound as if you could do with some water." Loveless clicked his fingers and the smaller of the two henchmen poured out a glass of water and handed it to Artie.

Artie drank the whole glassful and felt a lot better. "What have you done to Jim?" he asked.

"As I explained to your colleague Mr West, I intend to shrink the whole population of the United States. That way I shall be taller than everyone else. He is my guinea pig."

"You're mad," Artie said.

Loveless stamped his foot. "I am not mad, and you are as narrow-minded as Mr West. You don't recognise genius when you see it. I have achieved something that no-one has done before."

Artie rubbed his tired eyes.

"Are you hungry, Mr Gordon?" Loveless suddenly asked. "Dinner will be served in an hour but in the meantime, I have a box of delicious Turkish delight if you would like a piece. He picked up a plate from the table.

Artie considered the offer and decided he probably would feel a little better of he ate something. His last meal had been breakfast. So he took a piece of the confectionary, tapping a little of the icing sugar off onto the plate before putting it in his mouth. The rose flavour was not overly sweet, and he was happy to take a second and a third piece when they were offered to him. He looked over at Loveless and noticed that his grin seemed to be bigger and that the little doctor was going in and out of focus.

"Pardon me," Artie said, "I feel a little nauseous. Perhaps too much Turk….." And then he passed out.

"Artie, wake up Artie!"

"Leave me alone. I'm tired," Artie moaned.

"Artie, you've got to wake up," Jim said, shaking the other man's shoulder.

"Okay, okay, I'm waking up. This had better be important." Artie rubbed his eyes and then opened them. He took in Jim's presence and then looked around him, realising they were in some kind of box. "Holy…." He started.

"We're trapped inside a cat carrier," Jim clarified for him.

It was then that Artie looked down at himself. The clothes he had been wearing were gone and in their place was a suit of grey material with a white shirt and a matching grey cravat and a waistcoat of silver. "Hey, my clothes are really smart," he said. He took a good look at Jim. "Yeah, much smarter than yours."

Not that it mattered to Jim who didn't mind the comparison, only he did but he didn't consciously acknowledge it, but he was going to bring Artie down to earth with a thump.

"And guess who dressed you up in those clothes," he said, "The beautiful Antoinette, a kissing cousin of Doctor Loveless."

"Yes, Loveless introduced me to her, she is really beautiful," Artie said. "Boy, I wish I'd been awake for that," he said, with a wide grin.

Jim shook his head. He should have remembered that his partner had a lascivious side to him. Of course he would relish being naked with a beautiful woman around.

Jim rolled his eyes. "Get your mind off the ladies, Artie, we have to think of a way out of here and we have to get hold of the antidote."

"You know where it is?"

"Yes, Loveless showed it to me. It's in a phial on the mantelpiece."

"Why did he leave it in the same room where we are. Isn't that taking a risk?"

"Once you get to know the man you'll realise that he's done it to taunt us and to show off how clever and powerful he is because he's sure we can't outwit him."

"So what are we going to do?"

Just as Artie was asking that the box moved and they were thrown to the floor.

"What the…?" Artie exclaimed.

Then they heard the voice of one of the henchmen.

"Doctor Loveless wants you to eat dinner with him," he said.

The two men looked at each other. They were leaving the room with the antidote in it. Would they be brought back later or had they lost their chance?

To be continued