As Carlson exited the gymnasium and out onto the boat deck, he could hardly believe that he was getting the second chance he had always wanted for thirty years. He had more important things to worry about, namely this so-called Colonel Zeitel.
Carlson walked along the boat deck, taking in the cold sea air. The sea was calm, he thought.
As he rounded the corner by the Second Class Stairs, Carlson stopped in his tracks. There, standing by the railing, was Georgia! She was wearing a turquoise fur-lined coat.
"She's just as beautiful as I remember her being. I thought I'd never see her again!" thought Carlson.
Just then, Georgia noticed him and ran up to him.
"You came! After all this time! It's Georgia!" she exclaimed joyfully. "I'd heard you were on board, where have you been?" she asked.
Not wanting to upset her, he answered "I was detained."
"It's been five years" Georgia said. "I'd have waited a lot longer to see you again. Why didn't you tell me where you'd gone? Deena hadn't a clue. Nor did Jack. My letters were returned. Just like you to show up now with everything such a beastly mess. You must help me."
Carlson felt sorry for her. He should have told her about his job in the Secret Service, but that would have meant being fired. He loved his job in the Service, and there was no way he would be compromised.
"Help you?" he asked, trying to appease her.
"You've no doubt heard the rumors" answered Georgia, looking around to make sure no one was listening. "I won't deny most of them, I can't."
"What rumors?" Carlson asked.
"Even if the money's gone I won't give the diamonds to Charles. Never!" Georgia blurted, seemingly changing the subject. "These are all that remains" she said as she showed Carlson her diamond necklace. "My insurance for a new life without Charles, or Sasha."
"Who's Sasha?" Carlson asked her. He hadn't heard that name before.
"Sasha? The owner of the Barbicon Gallery?" she answered.
"I should have known that!" he thought. Barbicon Gallery was a prominent art gallery in London.
"We're friends. Of a sort." Georgia continued. "He's sailing on the Titanic, taking some paintings to New York to sell." "Please…" she said as she once again looked to make sure there was no one listening. "I mustn't talk any longer. Take it! Take the necklace, it's my only chance now!"
Carlson took the necklace from her hand as she handed it to him.
"Keep it for me" Georgia commanded. "And don't tell Charles you have it. You can't know what he's like." With that, she turned around and walked away toward the other side of the Boat Deck.
By now Carlson couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She was not happy in her marriage, and her life was inches away from falling apart. Despite this, he would need to focus on his mission.
He continued walking along the Boat Deck. It was a very clear night. The stars shone very brightly. It was a lovely night for a walk. As he was approaching the wireless room, a man called out to him.
"Come here!"
Carlson turned around and saw a man in a plaid suit waving to him from the railing.
"I'll be there in a minute!" Carlson yelled. The man waved back in acknowledgement.
Soon Carlson arrived at the door to the wireless room. But just as he was about to reach to turn the handle one of the officers walked up to him and moved his hand away from the door.
"Good evening. Third Officer Morrow here" the man said.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Carlson.", he answered, quite surprised. "I just wanted to have a peek at the wireless. I am fascinated by such modern forms of communication."
"I am sorry but this is the officer's promenade! No passengers allowed!" Morrow responded. "You're the second passenger tonight who's been here. A young woman tried to enter the wireless room earlier. Such a cheek. Probably a suffragette."
"Penny!" Carlson thought.
Morrow continued: "Regulations forbid passengers from entering the wireless room."
Carlson tried to think of a way to dissolve the situation. Some small talk would do he thought.
"The sea appears calm" he said.
"Yes, very calm" Officer Morrow responded, somewhat annoyed.
""You seem a little worried about something" said Carlson, reading Morrow's emotions.
"No moon. I don't like that. Can't see what's coming" Morrow responded. "No moon means surprises, as if we don't have enough already. Mr. Ismay, the White Star Line's president, is on board. We're walking eggshells around him I tell you." Morrow laughed. "Though that's nothing compared to the creeping about my brother-in-law's doing at the moment. His entire London office is in an uproar."
"What uproar?" Carlson asked.
"Tom works for the Admiralty. It seems our plans for troop deployments against Germany disappeared three weeks ago. Tom says the big boys are petrified the Jerries will get wind of it! Could upset the balance of power." Morrow's mood suddenly became one of annoyance. "Politics. Desktop espionage. Bureaucrats. Pah! Give me the sea, you can toss the rest."
"You don't like politics?" Carlson asked curiously.
"Never have, not since the war." Morrow answered.
"What war was that?" asked Carlson.
"South Africa" Morrow responded. "Boer War. The officer was a drinker. He was drunk when they trapped us out on the veld. On a moonless night. It was a massacre. We never saw them coming. Drink always leads to the devil."
"No wonder moonless nights make you jumpy." Carlson replied.
"Interesting connection" said Morrow. "For all I know it could be true. A man's got his troubles. Sick child being away from home. But I hate whiners and apologizers. Thank you for your insight."
"Now, may I visit the wireless room?" asked Carlson, hoping that his small talk had softened Officer Morrow up.
"Have a look why don't you?" Morrow said. "Mind you, Phillips will have my head if he catches you in there, but I don't see any harm. Go on in." And with that Morrow went back to his post.
Carlson smiled at this small victory. He then proceeded to go in to the wireless room.
What greeted him was a tiny room with the main wireless equipment in the front. But he wasn't here to look at the equipment, he was here to find the telegram. Carlson picked up the first pile and sifted through the messages. Finally, he found one which he recognized as German code. He stowed it away in his bag and exited the wireless room.
"I wonder why Penny couldn't have done it" he thought to himself.
He once again saw the man in the plaid suit waving to him from the railing.
"I'd better see what he wants" Carlson thought. He walked up to the second level of the boat deck and approached him.
"Don't ya love the sea air. Aaaahhhh! Really clears out the sinuses." the man said as Carlson walked up to him. Right away Carlson could tell he was American. "Max Seidelmann. Philadelphia, P-A. Buyer for Haymaker's Department Store. The sharpie of Spruce Street they call me."
"My name's Carlson. Nice to meet you." he said as they shook hands.
Max continued: "You a sporting type? You look like a sporting type. Come down to the smoking room for a nightcap. Riviera's looking for someone to play few hands of blackjack with him. What do you say? Not much else to do , not tonight. Brrrr. Cold as a cast iron commode out here. So what do you say?"
Carlson's mind was on his mission, but since he got invited he thought he'd oblige.
"Yes. I'll go" said Carlson.
"Great!" Max answered. "First let's swing by the Parisian Café. There's a man there, name of Zeitel. A German. Claims he's a businessman. But he's got something up his sleeve alright. I know the type, believe me! Dollars to donuts he's in some racket! So come with, why don't you? We'll hit the smoking room from there."
As Max led Carlson to the Café Parisienne, he couldn't help but think that he would be able to meet the man he and Penny were after.
Eventually they reached the entrance to the Café, which was located at the landing of the Aft grand staircase on B-Deck. In the corner of his eye Carlson thought he saw Daisy Cashmore, but he wasn't sure.
Max said: "Wait here. I'll tell him you've come." Max peeked his head into the Café. "Hey Colonel how are you doing? Really? I'd Like you to meet a friend."
"Come in." said Max. Carlson was led into the Café Parisienne. He marvelled at the plants and the wicker furniture. Sitting at a table toward the back of the Café were two people, one of which he recognized as Colonel Zeitel. The other looked like a young man in his early twenties. Other than he and Max, they were the only ones in the Café. Max pulled up a chair for him and they both sat down across from the duo.
"A pleasure" said Colonel Zeitel as he took a smoke from his pipe. "Haderlitz and I, we welcome diversion during such an uneventful passage. Don't we Willi?"
"Certainly" answered Haderlitz.
"So that's the protégé Penny mentioned!" Carlson thought.
"Willi is at the University of Vienna, dissecting children's fables" Zeitel said as he eyed Haderlitz with some annoyance.
"Cultural mythology, it's quite interesting" Haderlitz responded. "Though only a junior professor I tried to interest Dr. Freud. He's a genius and I… I…"
"Yes I am sure, quite" said Zeitel, seemingly having no tolerance for such talk. "On the passenger list it says you embarked at Cherbourg." he said to Carlson. "Yet I haven't seen you with the others. You were there were you not?" he asked.
Trying to come up with an excuse, all Carlson could say was "I don't make much of an entrance."
"I see. You are British." Zeitel answered as he took another smoke. "Not so many of you in Titanic's 1st cabins. These days most of the rich are Americans. Businessmen like Max. Tell me. Why do you go to New York?"
"I'm on business" answered Carlson, trying his hardest to be honest.
" Business. How interesting, considering the British aren't so good at it." Zeitel replied.
Carlson felt offended, but decided not to let Zeitel intimidate him. Although he already knew the answer, Carlson asked Zeitel: "What do you do?"
"Me? Inspecting our embassies." Zeitel answered. "Imperial Germany desires to make a good impression in North America. Willi is continuing on to the west. To conduct research on aboriginal customs."
"The Indians. They are fascinating!" Haderlitz exclaimed.
"Yes, yes. However, I place faith in science, not superstition." Zeitel responded.
Max then chimed in: "The colonel was saying this wireless stuff's revolutionizing everything! Sending messages to each other! It's the end of books and newspapers!"
"Like the Titanic!" Zeitel added. "A technological triumph! Here we dine in comfort while racing along at twenty knots!" he said as he took a drink. "It's still tied to the outside world by the wireless."
"That reminds me, Colonel Zeitel?" Haderlitz said. "When I go to send your telegram, they told me it was to be delayed. There are too many messages! The passengers…"
"I'm sure our guests do not care to hear a detailed discussion of your encounter with telegraphy" Zeitel interrupted. "Now if you'll excuse me?"
"Please, excuse us" said Haderlitz.
"Why don't you call on us tomorrow. Here, in the Café? Zeitel offered. "The Linzer Torte is quite passable for a British ship. Stop by. Willi and I welcome it most heartily."
"Yes. Most heartily" Willi agreed.
"And before I leave you must allow me to give you some advice" Zeitel continued. "Do not wander the ship. It is not good I think on a ship as big as the Titanic. Goodnight friends."
"Goodnight" Willi said, and with that they both left the Café.
"See? What did I tell you? What did I say?" Max said. "Them too! Up to something I'd say. That brainy kid gives me the creeps. What a grind. He should hang out with that little blond. She's a look I tell you. Come on, let's hit the smoking room. I'll introduce you to Riviera. What do you say?"
Carlson felt he had heard enough for the time being, and he had a mission to accomplish.
"No thanks" he said.
"Okay" said Max, somewhat disappointed. "I'll be up in the smoking room if you change your mind. Goodbye!" Max then proceeded to exit the Café.
As Carlson stood alone in the Café, he couldn't help but think that he had been just a foot or two away from the man they were after. Then, he realized something else: he had met an old friend, but he had also met a new enemy.
It wouldn't be long before he realized just what he and Penny were up against.
TO BE CONTINUED
COMING NEXT: Secret Connections