The Night of the Absentee Agent
Chapter 4
Kansas City
Before heading out on assignment, Artie met with Colonel Richmond again.
"What's going to happen to Adolphus?" was the first thing on his mind.
"We'll hold him here until we have The Magpie in custody and then they'll stand trial together. I should imagine they'll be given a weighty sentence; forgery is a form of treason, you know."
"Yes, but they haven't forged anything yet, have they? They've only stolen the plates, and you can't even prove that unless you find the Magpie in possession of them."
"True enough. What's on your mind?"
"If you want me to bring in this Magpie then I want assurances that the charge of stealing the plates is dropped and my brother is only tried for theft, if it can be proved."
"Alright, you just make sure you come back with the plates."
"How am I going to persuade The Magpie that I'm Samuel Treadwell?"
"I'm assuming that he doesn't know Samuel has a twin, so he'll take you at face value. You might have a bit of explaining to do but I've never known you lost for words in the past. I'll have a couple of men watching the hospital and they'll keep up with the pair of you. They'll be there if you need them. Now, you'd better get yourself to Kansas City double quick."
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Artie couldn't help but feel a little nervous as he lay in the hospital bed with its pristine white sheets, a bandage wrapped around his head and another one around his middle. The latter was visible because his pyjama jacket had been left undone. Apart from the nervousness, he was excited too, at this chance to help his brother. He was still a little dazed at the thought that they'd been reunited after a lifetime apart. He didn't think he'd ever believed the story about a mountain lion making off with him but, even if he was alive back then, there was no guarantee he would have still have been after all this time. His heart sank when he pondered the fact that they would only be able to get to know each other from opposite sides of a set of prison bars. They had so much to catch up on. It was obvious Adolphus had led a far more carefree existence than he had. Most of his own adult life had been filled with duty and obligation to his country and he was proud to know that he had served her well. Adolphus, on the other hand, had apparently drifted through life, thinking only of himself. He would have to find out what part, if any, he had played in the war.
His mental meanderings were cut short by the appearance of a doctor. Although he wasn't actually injured, they had to keep up the fiction by having various hospital staff visit his room. His favourite had been the pretty young nurse of an hour ago. Acting out the part of Samuel Treadwell meant he was free to be the cheery, irresponsible man his brother had become and he flirted with her in a light-hearted way that had her blushing and smiling at him in equal measure.
Rather than looking at him, the doctor took a look around the room and glanced out of the window, before heading for the bed.
"Hi Sam, you've gotten yourself in a right pickle this time. I'm glad to see you're not too badly injured," the man continued, pretending to feel for the pulse in Artie's wrist.
Although he'd been expecting a visit from The Magpie, Artie was still a little startled though, through training, he was quickly able to sum up the appearance of the so-called doctor. He was younger than he'd expected, somewhere in his mid-thirties, with blond hair and an engaging smile. Underneath the white coat he wore, he was dressed in a smart pair of black trousers, cinched in at the waist with a black leather belt and teamed with a crisp white shirt. He was also wearing a black cravat and a black waistcoat. He looked like a magpie, as well as behaving like one; with his love of stealing expensive shiny objects.
"Cat got your tongue?" the 'doctor' laughed, displaying perfectly white teeth.
"I guess I'm still a bit groggy," Artie excused himself. What was he supposed to call this man? "Magpie?" he essayed.
"My you have had a knock to the head haven't you? Or are you mad at me for not being on the train with you? I could understand that, but I simply had to stay behind and spend some time with Clara, that pretty young widow we met."
Artie had still been given no clue as to how he usually addressed the man in front of him. He put a hand up to his head. "Sorry, but the blow I took to the head has sort of scrambled my brains a bit and my memory is full of holes, a bit like a Swiss cheese."
"Well which is it, eggs or cheese?" his visitor joked, laughing again. "You crack me up, Sam." He sobered up a bit and took a closer look at Artie. "You've been wounded too," he said, with concern.
"Just a bullet grazed my ribs, nothing to be alarmed about," Artie explained.
"But I can't help but be alarmed," The Magpie replied. "However, I am here now to look after you. Doctor Marshall North at your service," he said, bowing slightly in Artie's direction. "You usually call me Marsh."
Oh no, thought Artie, I've gone from West to North, I feel like I'm trapped in a compass.
This frivolous thought was dispelled by the next move from North. "Quick, get out of those pyjamas and put some clothes on," he said, grabbing at the jacket Artie was wearing.
"Ow!" he yelped, keeping in character. "Don't maul me about like that! I'm perfectly capable of dressing myself."
Colonel Richmond had arranged for Samuel Treadwell's clothes to be sent to the hospital along with Artie. They would bolster his story as there was blood on the waistcoat and the shirt he had been wearing. They fitted Artie perfectly.
North took a look at the damage to Artie's clothing. "We're going to have to reunite you with your luggage as soon as possible," he said. "We don't want to draw attention to ourselves. Where is it, by the way?"
"They told me it had been sent to the hotel in St Louis. I was going to head there when I got out of here."
"Change of plan," North announced. "Too many people know about that hotel and I'm not taking any chances. We'll have to buy you some new clothes when we get where we're going. Do you really need this?" he asked, indicating the bandage around Artie's head.
"No," Artie said, removing it. "Where are we going?" he asked, without thinking, and then realised that he was probably supposed to know.
"I never told you, did I?" North said.
Artie breathed a mental sigh of relief at not having aroused the other man's suspicions. "No, I don't believe you did," he said.
"It's where the plates are and it's a perfect place to set up a printing press. All that's needed is the right kind of paper and ink to be able to make your own money."
Artie tried to look impressed and excited at the prospect but he was far too worried. Flooding the country with counterfeit bills would lead to economic disaster for the United States. It would do far more harm than any of her enemies could dream of. He knew then that he had to stop North, if it was the last thing he did.
"How are we going to get out of the hospital?" Artie asked, changing the subject. He knew that there were secret service agents on every exit and they would follow the pair of them to the hidden plates.
"We can't be too careful," North said, leading Artie, by the arm, to the window. The hospital room was on the third floor. "Do you think you can make it down there?" North asked him.
"What the..." Artie began, "you have to be joking."
He turned to North and saw him remove a small grappling hook on a piece of strong cord from the pocket of his white coat. He fastened the hook to the window-sill. "I'll go first," he said, "and then I'll be able to assist you if you get into trouble."
IF I get into trouble. Artie thought it was more or less guaranteed. This was the sort of gadget that James West used, not him. Still, he'd been in tighter situations and gotten out of them.
"Okay," he said.
He watched his partner in crime make his way down to the ground, one foot at a time. Once down, he motioned to Artie who began his own descent. He had to fake quite a lot of pain in his ribs when he reached terra firma once again.
"Sorry, old pal," North apologised. "But it was necessary. I have a couple of horses around the corner from the hospital. Do you feel well enough to ride?"
Artie nodded and they set off.
As it happened, they only rode as far as the station where they caught a train, stowing the horses in the stock carriage. Artie noted that the train's destination was Lexington, Kentucky.
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Once in Kentucky, the two men left the train, mounted their horses, and rode into town. North insisted that Artie bought a couple of pairs of trousers, shirts, cravats, waistcoats and the other necessary items of clothing and toiletries which Samuel Treadwell had packed into his suitcase, currently, sitting in his room at the hotel in St Louis. He also purchased a gun, a gun-belt and a hat. They then retired to the local hotel where Artie was surprised to find that North had already booked a room for them.
"I'll just take a moment to freshen up and change into clean clothes," Artie said as he pushed the door to the room open.
"Sam," a feminine voice said. "Are you sure you're all right? Let me look at you." Artie glanced around the room and saw a woman looking at him with anxiety in her bright green eyes. Her hair was a lustrous, russet colour and she had the most kissable red lips he thought he had ever seen on a female. The next moment the woman was in his arms, raising her face to his. "You stupid man," she said, but her soft tone belied her words. "Why did you have to go and get yourself hurt?" Then she was kissing him. The moment she broke off he looked back at North with a question on his face.
"Sorry Sam, did I forget to tell you that your wife would be waiting for us in Lexington?" he asked.