Hey Folks! Just a little long update here which gives Eliza and William more conclusive evidence of their case as well as some reconnection. It is not long before their child is born and the end of the case. Stay tuned. If you read please make a comment or let me know somehow it is still being read. Thank you so much - Love Carebearmaxi.
Frightened
Chapter 5
A month passed and Eliza's little bump was growing bigger. She had spoken to Mrs. Carruthers who was very happy to know that Eliza had remembered that her daughter could use work right now. She was a new graduate from the top Nanny school in the US. Eliza trusted Mrs. Carruthers, so she was hoping she could trust her daughter. This child was her and William's, made from love, and even though they were not terribly wealthy they could afford the best care for him or her. Besides, for the first few months, Eliza would work at home if necessary.
William spent most nights in his office at the precinct, the meeting between the Irish gangs and the Italian gangs had come to fruition the night that Ivy and Barnabas had left as foretold by Officer Carlyle; however, the police were only able to catch a few members and could only extract a modicum of information. The fuel allowing these gangs for continuing to exist was complicated and kept William extremely busy. He had experienced gangs like this in London but not to this extent. When he was on the secondment, his experience had only skimmed the surface.
The death threats, especially against Eliza, had not stopped. Jimmy McAlroy was still in jail and, unfortunately, his trial had been postponed again and again. William had acquired other issues with his sudden ascendency to head this particular precinct. Fortunately, the situation was not like Scotland Yard where the hierarchy was a network of drinkers and military buddies who always looked down their noses at William because he had been risen on merit and been the substitute son of old Henry Scarlet. No, the trouble lie within the ranks of the men he led.
Eliza contemplated this as she remained at home preparing for the birth. She still kept up as well as she could on the gangs' case. She did her own brand of sleuthing and detecting. Once William gave her the best advice that at the time only seemed to demean her equality with male investigators; however, in time she had learned to use it.
William had advised her once that she needed to use what she had. In this case, Eliza was a young, pregnant, wife of the Chief of Police in a certain precinct. Since the only circles that seemed safe enough were ones where women gathered, Eliza who had previously known that Jimmy McAlroy had a wife and an expectant one at that tracked her down and used that commonality between the two of them to see if she could help William learn more about the rest of the gangs' inner workings.
On this night, she had Mrs. Carruthers make a plate for William that Eliza could warm for him when he arrived home. Eliza knew he would be late home again as she had not heard the door at 6:30 pm. Eliza read and wrote letters to Ivy and Hattie and even Patrick Nash to update them of she and William's life in America.
At 11:00 pm Eliza decided that William would be home any minute, so she went into their bedroom and prepared for bed. As she went first to the bathroom to wash herself a little before going to bed, Eliza undressed and realized she could not see her feet without looking on either side of her protruding tummy. Amazingly, her skin looked taut but was not tight when she touched it. It was still soft. She had awoke the other morning with William's warm hand on her belly.
"Good Morning, Darling," Eliza had greeted William when she noticed he was awake and looking at her. "Do you really need to do that?"
"What? I can't take the liberty of feeling my child?"
"William, your child is in my belly which I always find rather weird of itself, but it's just funny that it seems the only time you touch me nowadays is to feel if your son has decided to play a game of football in there."
At that, Williams' eyebrows rose. "Are your sure? I think we made love the other night. Or was I with another woman who is expecting my child?"
Eliza smiled at William's teasing. "I guess it was me. I'm sorry."
At that William reached over and slid Eliza into his arms.
William was a little late for work the other day as it were.
Eliza looked at the ormolu clock that was set on the mantlepiece and became concerned as it read 11:30 pm. Just as Eliza was tempted to look for him at the precinct, she heard William's key in the lock. By the look on his face, he was surprised to see her still awake.
"Eliza! I told you not to wait up for me. You need your rest," William stated hanging his hat on the hook near the door. They took a couple of steps toward each other, and Eliza went into his arms and sighed with relief.
"Oh William, you're home!" Eliza said winding her arms tight around him and squeezing.
"This is nice. I'm glad you were worried for me, but I am also upset that you were worried," William said laying his cheek on top of her head.
At that Eliza removed her cheek and looked up at him incredulously.
"What? I am not allowed to worry about my husband and want to protect him? You've always done the same for me," Eliza argued.
When he was about to speak, she pointed her index finger up gesturing for him to hold his tongue and moved away from him.
"Don't say what I know you're going to say."
Now it was William's turn to look back at Eliza incredulously.
"What was I going to say?"
"That, of course, I protected you because you're a woman," Eliza said affecting William's Scottish brogue and walking into the bedroom.
William shook his head in disbelief because after all the years they worked together before they were married and the two years since they had opened their agency in New York Eliza still thought that William had only placated her for his own motives.
He began to undo his tight tie and unbutton his vest as he strode into the bedroom.
"I don't know if it's the pregnancy or that you're bored but I can't believe you still think I don't take you seriously. I thought, for sure, after all this time that I know you are my equal as a detective. I'm tired, Eliza, of having the same old argument."
Eliza was about to take a drink of brandy when William took the glass from her hand.
"Let me get you some water," William said pouring water from the water pitcher into a different glass and trading the brandy for the water. He watched while Eliza finished the entire glass in only a few gulps.
As Eliza walked away from him, William clarified his last statement. The last thing he wanted was an old argument.
"I tried to protect you in the past and still do because I love you and your father would have killed me from the grave if anything had ever happened to you on my watch."
She walked to their bed and crawled into it. She sat up and watched William as he walked to their bed and sat down on her side. He held his glass out to salute her and she reached out and pulled him to her and kissed him.
"I know you're right, darling. I'm just really tired of staying in the house."
"Eliza, the death threats are very real. You know that. I have to know that you are safe."
"Then you are not going to be very happy with me," Eliza said biting her lip and looking sheepishly up at her husband.
William took a sip of his drink and asked in a weary voice, "Why? What have you done now, Eliza?"
She leaned back against the backboard of the bed and asked. "Did you know that Jimmy McAlroy's wife is expecting a baby?"
"No. How did you find that out?" William asked. He finished his drink and rose from the bed to finish undressing. He glanced at the clock on the wall, and it said 12:00 midnight. It's going to be a long night again he thought silently.
"I remembered what Caroline McAlroy looked like when I gathered information from Jimmy McAlroy's desk a few months ago. I read some papers that she was happy to tell her husband that they are expecting a child. Their baby comes around the same time as ours will. It turns out that we have the same doctor. So I made an excuse to see Dr. Althorp and Mrs. McAlroy was there at his office as well. We were kept waiting for some time, so I asked her some invasive questions."
"I'm intrigued. I'm miffed that you disobeyed me, but I am intrigued to know what you discovered by talking to the man's wife. I've never seen such a tightlipped man as Jimmy McAlroy," William complained.
As William walked back to the bed, he went to Eliza's side again and sat on the corner of the bed crossing his legs Indian style in front of him while he listened.
Eliza elaborated on the grand scheme of uniting this East NYC faction of interracial gangs and plan to have an all-out war with the West NYC faction of the same interracial gangs. Caroline let this slip as she said she was worried about her husband in prison.
"She had no idea that she was talking to the Chief of Police's wife because I used my maiden name when I introduced myself. She knows nothing of the death threats that are suspected coming for my head to blame me for putting her husband in jail."
"Did you discover the day and time of this murderous civil gang war?"
"It's still being arranged from what I can tell. I made an appointment to call on her next Tuesday. She was lonely because her mother would be leaving her until the birth and asked me to come to keep her company for a while on that day."
"Eliza-" William tried to interject.
"Before you say anything, William, let me do this and then I'll be a good girl until I give birth. I just want to help you,"
William leaned forward and held Eliza's hand. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. He wanted to choose his words carefully. As he so often did, he rose her hand to his lips and kissed it.
"You know it's not that I don't want your help or advice in this, but do you not think that Caroline McAlroy has gang members appointed to watch over her for the same reason I want you to stay in this house?"
"Yes, but those men don't know me."
"Neither does the crew of men, I have watching her movements."
"Of course they know I'm your wife, William. They know I'm the reason why McAlroy was caught in the first place, don't they?"
"Not all of them."
"Well introduce me to those who you have surveilling the McAlroy home."
William rose from the bed in a quandary. He pinched his nose at the bridge hanging his head. He stood in his undershirt and shorts. He then raised his head and looked heavenward, perhaps, to gain knowledge of how to handle a wife that at any other time he would consult her and have her by his side, but in this the child she carried could be in jeopardy.
William knew that Eliza becoming pregnant had been a crowning point for valiantly trying for the last two years to make a baby since they had married and come to America. Eliza did miscarry one in the beginning of their marriage, but she had managed to overcome that loss as so many women did. She actually had helped William overcome the loss as well. Most people may think that husbands and fathers-to-be do not really feel a loss when a miscarriage takes place except for William he had. After Eliza had told him she was again with child and then got shot after she told him, William thought that he would have to live that loss all over again and lose his wife as well.
He turned around and looked at Eliza's beautiful pleading face. Her cheeks were rosier and plumper every day making her more beautiful. The light in her eyes was incredible, inspiring, William thought as he looked at the love of his life. How could he risk her life to do this with him? He realized that this would be the rest of their lives. Did he somehow think that Eliza would change in their life together? That her doing this when she was in this condition and him forbidding it was rescinding their compromise?
"All right, Eliza. I will be sure that the men I have surveilling the McAlroy home are well aware of whom Mrs. McAlroy entertains without having to parade you in front of them."
"Are you ashamed to have your pregnant wife paraded in front of your men. After all most of them know that I am your professional partner."
"No, it's for your safety. I can't be sure of all the men under me. You know some coppas are not trustworthy. I do not have a handle on all the men who serve me. Remember what happened with Frank all those years ago."
Eliza slid down the bed and looked away and smoothed the blanket covering her.
William slipped into his side of his bed and kissed Eliza very deeply. He took her into his arms, and she lay in the circle he made of them as he told her very tenderly how much he was not ashamed of her and actually how proud he was of her.
At the end of his moderate tirade and words of love, Eliza asked him.
"Well, William?"
Well here I am Eliza thought. Having lunch with another pregnant lady like me. Luckily Caroline is a brunette because I am blonde. With both of us in the condition it is of the utmost importance William's men know which is his wife. It's amazing how they do not if you ask me, he put our wedding picture on his desk. Oh well, you know he's going to be very angry when he finds out you defied him anyway.
"Eliza? Would you care for a sandwich," Caroline McAlroy asked as she sat across the small table from her in their living room.
There were small crustless sandwiches cut into quarters sitting in front of Eliza. She really was not hungry, but she needed to continue to eat because of the baby. William was relentless when it came to her care and subsequently their child.
"Of course they look wonderful, Caroline, thank you," Eliza said trying to flatten her cultured British accent. That would give her away because everyone knows that William had a Scottish brogue (though slight anymore) married to an Englishwoman with a refined accent.
"You are very welcome. I will miss my mother but lucky I found someone roughly my age and in the same condition as I am. What a wonderful coincidence!"
"I was wondering, did you come from Ireland, like your husband?"
"No, I am a Native New Yorker. My parents were from Ireland."
As I sit here sharing small talk with this lovely young woman, she reminds me of Arabella! I knew why she looked familiar!
"Are you American?"
"Yes, first generation just like you. My parents died a few years ago of typhus on a trip to Scotland which is when I met my husband," Eliza embellished.
"So did he know your parents?" Caroline asked.
"Yes. What about you?"
"Yes. My father was in the same social brotherhood that Jimmy is in."
"What social brotherhood was that?" Eliza asked extremely interested.
"Oh, you know, The Irish Clover Boys," Caroline related without pretense or hesitation.
"I'm not familiar with any of the male social orders. My husband doesn't have much time for that," Eliza said.
"Businessman, right?" Caroline asked.
"Yes…right," Eliza agreed. She looked around and observed the living room. There was all the usual furniture in the living room, family pictures, fireplace, except the writing desk was open. That was where she found the news of Caroline's McAlroy's pregnancy last time she went snooping in here a few months ago. Maybe there would be other information she could glean.
If I can find something valuable to the investigation then maybe William wouldn't be so angry with me when I tell him where I've been. I'm sure his men have ratted on me already thought Eliza.
"Caroline, I don't see any lemon on the table. I would like lemon in my tea instead of cream?"
"Oh certainly, I rather like that myself from time to time."
Caroline rose with a little difficulty and made her way to the kitchen. Eliza was still rather agile considering her seventh month belly was making her movement more cumbersome. As soon as Caroline's back was turned to her, she swiftly walked to the desk on the other side of the room. She quickly shuffled through papers while listening for Caroline's return. She saw something that had the letterhead from a bank. She skimmed it and it was a congratulatory letter from a Bank President for opening such a lucrative account. Eliza took a moment to figure out what and where this money was coming from.
As she heard Caroline emerging from the kitchen she quickly filched the letter and placed it in the pocket of her skirt.
Caroline looked over to see Eliza leaning on the desk chair.
"Everything ok?"
"Oh, you know how it is in our condition. I was getting a little uncomfortable sitting, so I took a little turn around the room and the baby gave me a wallop."
"Oh, I am familiar. Are you ok now?" Caroline asked concerned.
"Yes, thank you." Eliza resumed her seat and put lemon in her tea. She sipped it gratefully.
Caroline McAlroy was like a Mexican Jumping Bean constantly up and down which afforded Eliza the opportunity to investigate even further. If it were not for this baby in her belly, Eliza would have swept the living room clean and summarily left.
However, Eliza rubbed her mound and then made another sweep of the room.
Meanwhile, William was on the other side of town investigating the other gang involved in the unification ceremony due to take place some time in the future. He had enough evidence in his possession to make a final arrest on the Italian side. The man that had gone deep undercover to infiltrate the gang and its inner workings had done great work.
As William and a team of his men stood outside the Catholic Church used for The Italian Brothers Magnificent gang gathering in the basement, he momentarily thought of Eliza. He hoped she was behaving.
His thoughts returned to the matter at hand. These men have killed and prostituted women just like the other gangs to show their superiority over others. This night the Italians were unifying the original five families and discussing the ramifications of unifying with the Irish gangs for all out control over the newly risen Chinese.
Suddenly, there was a gunshot and William shouted, "Go, Go!" He then went in himself trying to stem gunfire by returning his own. The heads of the gang had all made their escape but Carlo Mantucci who was the plant in the gang from William's precinct took into custody the nearest to the top of the gang who had not been able to escape.
William put away his gun and ordered the other officers to pursue as best they could the fleeing gang members on the run. They couldn't all have safehouses, could they?
"So Milos Panagloterra," William greeted the third chief of the gang. "Looks like we'll be taking you downtown for some questioning."
"You'll never get them. There's a million places they can go, policia!" Milos said and spit in William's face as Officer Mantucci dragged him past William and out the door to the carriage.
Officer Carlyle, becoming more confident every day, came up to William after the others were rounded up and placed into custody.
"Why don't you take the rest of the day? It's still early."
"No, Lionel, I need to question these criminals before I go. However, remain with me and maybe you'll get the next one."
The young man smiled eagerly at his boss and tipped his cap.
"William! I'm so happy to see you!" Eliza said as she tried to rise from her sitting position on the couch. "You're home early. It's only 4:30."
William smiled at his wife and noticed that she was having more difficulty in rising from a sitting position to greet him at the door as she always did since they had become engaged. He hurried over to help Eliza sit back down and he joined her.
"Do you want a drink? Dinner is prepared but I wasn't hungry yet. I was hoping you come home a little early. I've got news."
William looked away puzzled.
"What news? I've got news for you, too, by the way. One of the reasons I'm home early."
"You, first."
"No, Eliza, how about you go first by telling me that you escaped Mrs. Carruthers today and went to Caroline McAlroy's house to have lunch with her."
"Who told you? I know it wouldn't be Mrs. Carruthers."
"No. It was Officer Mantucci. He is one of the few men that remember what my seventh month-pregnant wife looks like and told me that you were seen going into Caroline McAlroy's house after I specifically told you not to."
"Carlo? Oh yes, I do remember seeing him, but I thought I did a better job of sneaking by any of your men."
"Well, you didn't, Eliza. So you may as well tell me what your news is."
"I know the banker behind the operation and how they were getting the large deposits that Jimmy was putting into their account."
She pulled the letter and a couple of other documents that she had stolen from Caroline McAlroy's house during her visit earlier in the day.
William looked over the documents which were notarized and authentic. He could not believe the treasure trove that Eliza had stolen.
"Eliza this is very good work. These documents tell us who are the main culprits.….the only thing is that you obtained these illegally."
"I know that William, but I have a plan to put them back and then you can get a search warrant and get them legally."
"Well I'm anxious to hear this plan," William said warily.
"No, tell me your news first," Eliza said excitedly.
"I have a better idea," William said sweeping a little heavier Eliza than he remembered up in his arms and carried her to their bedroom.
"William!" Eliza said and clung to him. She kissed him as he walked and then placed kisses down his neck.
William lay on his side, his head held propped up by his bent elbow. He stroked Eliza's naked belly and watched as their child wriggled around creating odd lights and shadows on Eliza's skin. He observed his wife as she lay there. He looked into her eyes, and he saw her love for him reflected back in them. She stroked the triangular loop that his bent arm made of his bicep and shoulder and hand. His body tingled where her fingers lightly stroked.
William found pleasure and peace in the aftermath of making love. Their bodies still glowed with markings from each other's touch. It was still evident on their faces. He found these silent times when his true feelings were laid bare to Eliza and hers were laid bare to him were the most communicative. He smiled and stopped stroking her belly and began again to suckle at her breast which to his pleasure were a bit larger than normal.
He swiftly became hard again as Eliza's nipple grew hard against his mouth. Her sharp intake of breath signaled to William that Eliza was feeling as bereft as he was and needed him.
"William," Eliza whispered.
He rose from his position at Eliza's breast. He kissed her again and then he lay down on his back and helped Eliza to rise. His gentle movements stopped for a moment as he felt the scar left from the gunshot wound on her back. It was an ugly red raised welt now marring that perfect smooth alabaster skin, but it reminded him that he almost lost her. As she rose to carefully to mount him and control their rhythm, he turned her around and kissed the scar and then trailed kisses all over her back. He brushed the blonde tresses forward and put his arms around her as she sat in the well of his legs. He played with her breasts again and then smoothed his hands down her belly. He laid his head on her back, and they rocked as he continued to grow harder.
"William," Eliza said feeling his need to release on her back. She turned around and kissed him. She carefully took him into herself not too deeply and sighed when she felt him rise hard within her. William exhaled with a noisy satisfied sigh when he was gathered into her warmth. Her body was flushed with pink and William's penetrating intense look added jelly to the already liquid warmth inside Eliza.
"Wife," William teased deeply in a whisper. She smiled at that as she always did. Now, though, Eliza's mouth opened to him much as her body had below. William's strong arms controlled the penetration as he moved her gently to cause the delicious friction.
"My God Eliza…" he sighed as he moved faster and a little faster.
Eliza moved slowly savoring feeling of strength in her husband's strong legs and rubbing his shoulders and beautifully sculpted muscles. Her need grew along with his. She took over and carefully allowed herself to continue their rhythm yet vary it so they both could climax.
"I love you, William. Touch me," she said.
William knew exactly what his wife was crying for, what touch she wanted.
He picked her up with his arms and placed her on her back. They kissed as William trailed kissed and touches down her body. She lost her hands in his thick black curls. William kissed his way back up to Eliza's face and suckled on her other breast to be sure he was fair. Eliza smiled into his eyes. He kissed the baby bump all over and rested his head there as Eliza's hand lost itself in William's massive curls.
"Did I ever tell you how much I love the feel of your beard on my body?" Eliza asked softly as William continued to kiss the bump.
"No, but I am glad you do because it's not coming off anytime soon," he teased.
He kissed her bump all over and then went lower until Eliza could no longer see his face as the baby bump obscured it. She knew where he was, though, she could feel the sweetness of his breath on the inside of her thigh as he kissed there rubbing his soft beard gently on her skin causing little flames to break out he did so and then he deliciously repeated the same on the inside of Eliza's other thigh.
William slid back up one more time to look into his lover's eyes as he once again let her take the lead. He rolled onto his side, and he turned her carefully away so her back met his chest. He carefully parted her legs and he placed himself just inside her folds and pushed gently. This was incredible. He did not hurry his thrusting, but it was enough to pleasure Eliza without hurting her and it was wonderful for him because he could feel his body's response rise within him again as he increased a little bit every time and Eliza held him from behind to control it a little more.
Faster and faster but still gentle enough for Eliza to cry his name out as her body gripped his inside and pulsated around his member. Finally he burst like a sun burst sunshine into the sky and his tears were wet on her back.
Eliza gasped for air as well and wiped a quick tear away from her own eyes. She felt the wetness of William's eyes on her shoulders, and she could feel his semen between her legs. She turned over to face William as his member had fallen from her as it returned to its flaccid state.
"William, I love you so much," Eliza said as she wiped a tear from his eye. She remembered when he had specifically made that gesture to her at her father's funeral. It had been the first signal to her if she had wanted to acknowledge it that she was in love with this man and always would be.
Eliza and William fell asleep contented.