Carlson knew he would have to move quickly if he wanted to get his hands on the painting. "Better focus on the task at hand" he thought. He journeyed back to the C-Deck landing of the Grand Staircase, where the Purser's Office was located. Carlson went inside and rang the service bell.
The door of the purser's window shot up and Carlson saw the purser looking over his checklist.
"Thayer... Thayer... Thayer..." the purser mumbled. He then noticed Carlson. "Oh... what do you want?" he asked, somewhat startled.
"What about Mr. Thayer?" asked Carlson, curious.
"What do you know?" responded the purser. "Not that it matters. I'm much too busy. I must get this message through for Mr. Thayer. Mr. Thayer expects his private train car to meet him in New York, and I can't leave my post. But I need to send this telegram."
Carlson could tell he was rather desperate. Carlson had a job to do, but he thought he'd make himself useful. "Could I help?" he asked.
"Help?" the purser replied. "Yes, it might be helpful if you deliver this message to the wireless room for me. Even better! Why don't you send it for me! Mr. Thayer is a very important man. So, send the telegram at once. And when you have, don't forget to tell me."
Carlson felt insulted. He was a passenger, not an errand boy. Nonetheless, it wouldn't take long to send a telegram. He'd received extensive telegraph training while training for the Service. Carlson then reached into his bag and pulled out the Rubaiyat. "I'd like to check this book" he said as he handed it to the purser.
"Very nice" said the purser as he eyed the book. "Security's our first priority, I'll put it in the safe."
"Thank you, goodnight." said Carlson as he began to leave the office.
"Glad to be of service, good night" the purser answered.
When Carlson exited the purser's office, he noticed that Smethells was no longer waiting at the foot of the stairs. No matter though, he had a telegram to send. Carlson walked up the staircase and back out to the boat deck. Eventually he found his way back to the wireless room. As he went in he waved to Officer Morrow who was still making his rounds on the promenade.
Carlson approached the wireless equipment, which was all so familiar. He dug the telegram out of his satchel and carefully read it:
"To: Pennsylvania Railroad
219 Chestnut Philadelphia
Arrange for railroad cars to New York
for pm departure to Philadelphia 4/17
John Thayer"
Carlson then proceeded to turn on the equipment and carefully tapped out the message. Since he had been trained extensively in telegraphy, it didn't take him long at all. After he was done, he shut off the machine and went to go back to the purser. Along the way, he couldn't help but think how he could have failed at his mission the first time around. He felt he deserved to have died in the bombing. But, as before, he decided to make the best of it and make things right. Or try to anyway.
He eventually made his way back down to the pursers office. Once more Carlson knocked on the door to the purser's window. Once more the door shot up.
"Yes, can I help you?" asked the purser.
"I sent Mr. Thayer's telegram." Carlson answered.
"You sent it?" the purser responded. "Marvelous. I was afraid you'd forgotten. Mr. Thayer will be most... grateful."
Carlson felt offended. He wasn't one to forget things. "Shall I tell the Thayer's?" he asked, hoping to make himself more useful.
"And let them think the purser's not doing his job?" the purser responded quite forcefully. "I am the purser, and as purser I am the one who looks after the passengers. Mr. Thayer is the vice president of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and it is I who shall inform the Thayers that their train will be waiting. So, if you'll excuse me..." And with that, the purser left the office.
Carlson felt this was the perfect opportunity to look at the cargo manifest, which was located on the purser's desk. He thumbed through it until he found the entry signed 'Barbicon Galleries'. Apparently, the painting was stored in a crate labeled 'Lemke & Buechner Shipping'. That information was fine and all, but how could he get into the cargo room? Once before, he had noticed the keys to the Carter's automobile hanging on the key rack behind the purser. He had read somewhere that the Carters would check on their automobile down in the cargo hold regularly. Perhaps he could take those keys and pose as a Carter to get into the cargo hold. It so happened that the automobile was stored in the same room as the painting. He had to find a way to get those keys!
Just then, the purser walked back in to the office. Fortunately, the purser was in so much of a hurry, he didn't even notice Carlson.
Carlson once again knocked the door, and it opened promptly.
"Yes, can I help you?" the purser droned.
"I need to get into the cargo room" Carlson replied.
"No, go away. I am much too busy." the purser responded. "Mr. Isadore Strauss. He's lost a cufflink. He's so particular."
"Can I find the cufflink for you?" Carlson asked, knowing it would probably be like finding a needle in a haystack.
"Thank you" the purser replied. "It is a gold cufflink. Mr. Strauss will be very grateful."
Carlson left the purser's office. He figured he would start his search where most of the rich on board usually gathered: the D-Deck Reception. Fortunately, it was just a deck below him. He went down the next flight of stairs and noticed immediately how elegant it was. He saw Max Seidelmann standing by the landing of the stairs. Perhaps he could provide a clue.
"Haven't seen Mr. Strauss have you?" asked Max as Carlson approached him.
"Where was he sitting?" asked Carlson. The cufflink probably fell out of Mr. Strauss' pockets.
"At the foot of the stairs, with his wife." Max answered. "Let me know if you see him will ya?" Max then proceed to walk back to his spot at the bottom of the stairs.
Carlson proceeded to examine the wicker chairs at the landing. He thought he saw a glimmer from the chair to his left. Sure enough, the cufflink was wedged between the cushion and the back of the chair. He picked up the cufflink and stowed it in his bag. Turning around he spotted Colonel Zeitel.
Colonel Zeitel beckoned him over.
"Wandering. I had advised you against it." Zeitel scolded. "Young people, they listen to no one nowadays. May I help you in your search?"
"Just looking around" replied Carlson, again not letting Zeitel intimidate him.
Zeitel chuckled. "I am looking for something as well. A misplaced notebook. Argh! Such a big ship! You have not seen this notebook?"
Of course he hadn't. "I don't know anything about a notebook" Carlson replied.
"Yes, but staying out so late at night you must have some curiosity." Zeitel responded. "Curiousity. In English, it kills the cat, yes? But it can also kill larger things." He suddenly glared at Carlson. "Stay away from German business." he warned.
"What business is that?" asked Carlson.
"Germany wants land, industries and material." answered Zeitel. "And we will fight to get it. Britain and America will try to stop this, but we will know your plans. And if there's war, Germany will win. But enough politics." Zeitel chuckled. "This has been such a civilized voyage so far. Let us meet tommorrow in the Cafe, yes? The band, they play Strauss so well. Until then, Auf Wiedersehen." Zeitel then walked away.
It was then that Carlson realized just what kind of person they were up against. This was a man hell-bent on world domination. But he couldn't worry about that now, he had to return the cufflink to the purser. He walked back up to C-Deck and went immediately to the purser's office. As usual he knocked on the door and the purser answered it.
„Yes, can I help you." the purser once again said.
„I found Mr. Strauss's cufflink" said Carlson, as he handed it to the purser.
„Wonderful." the purser replied. „Mr. Strauss will be pleased that I found his cufflink. I shall deliver it at once. I'm just sure his gratitude will be reflected most generously." With that, the purser left the office.
Carlson wasted no time in reaching over the desk and grabbing the Carter's automobile keys. He studied his map of the ship for a way into the cargo hold. He discovered there was a way in from the Forecastle Deck. He started heading to the Forecastle Deck.
He could only hope that having the Carter's automobile keys would help him get into the cargo hold. But, more importantly, he also hoped that the painting would be still in the crate when he found it.
TO BE CONTINUED
Coming Next: New Revelations