PERILS
Chapter Eight
"She's not home yet," said A.J., in the parlor of his friend's rooming house. The landlady, Mrs. Salt, brought them some tea.
"She?" The Doctor was mildly surprised; he was also nervous, glancing around for the Master every time the floor creaked.
"Lou. Edna Lou, to be precise, but she hates being called Eddie so she goes by Lou."
"I see." The Doctor suddenly looked at A.J. with new curiosity. "What does A.J. stand for?"
"It's a name. Ajay. A-J-A-Y. It's not the initials A and J. But everyone thinks they're initials. White people, I mean. Even my paycheck is made out to the initials. It's all right. I usually just say it stands for Andrew Jackson."
The Doctor burst out laughing. "That's perfect!"
"Most people don't get it," grinned A.J.
Mrs. Salt came back into the parlor with a dish of jumbles and said to A.J., "There was a gentleman inquiring whether you were on the premises. I told him I was not a telephone directory and he should consult one forthwith."
"What did he look like?" asked the worried Doctor.
"Not terribly tall, dark hair, opera-villain mustache and beard, a bit bruised about the face, not terribly trustworthy-looking if you ask me."
A.J. was worried now, too. "He knew my name?"
"He just asked about a metal worker. I knew he meant you."
The Doctor bit into a jumble. "Mmm, this is quite good! If that man comes back, would you mind, terribly, telling him you have since seen us on the street – not this street, any other street - you overheard us talking and feel sure we're heading for Central Park?" A.J. laughed aloud at this and almost choked on his jumble.
Mrs. Salt looked doubtful, then brightened and said, "Yes, I think I can manage that!"
A.J. wanted to return to work. The Doctor talked him out of it, first because the Master was obviously out there looking for him and second because he was starting to droop again. "You got a good knock on the head. You want to rest." Mrs. Salt, clearing away the empty jumble dish and tea paraphernalia, heard "knock on the head" and insisted that A.J. lie down on the settee, which he grudgingly did, then promptly fell asleep.
The Doctor felt that he himself had completely recovered from his afternoon ordeal and thus was surprised to hear Mrs. Salt say "You look a bit ragged yourself. Close your eyes a bit. Lou will be home soon." He took her advice and leaned back in his chair; the next thing he knew he was awakened by A.J. and Lou greeting each other with hugs and exclamations of endearment.
"This is my friend, the Doctor," said A.J.
"Pleased to meet you," the Doctor and Lou said at once, and all three of them laughed. They repaired to Lou's rooms on the second floor.
"A.J. has explained the situation to me," said Lou, "and what a mess!" The Doctor nodded. "I don't know if he told you, but I keep two rooms, the second one being for work. I teach English to immigrants. So there is a lot of traffic in and out of here. Mrs. Salt doesn't mind. She's a pip. But tonight and tomorrow I can just use my living space. I've done it before. You need to stay a couple days, even, that's jake with me. That goes for both of you. I'm afraid the accommodations will be floor and blankets, but if you don't mind, it's all yours." The Doctor, having understood the gist of Lou's little speech, expressed his gratitude. Lou looked him up and down appraisingly and added, "You're a cutie pie to be sure, but I just want to make sure we're reading from the same hymnal: the bank is closed. Get it?"
The Doctor didn't get it, but just smiled (and blushed slightly, as he had understood "cute pie"); she took that to mean he understood. Although Lou was not only friendly and bright, but a bit of a cutie pie herself, with her bobbed black hair, bright brown eyes and a split skirt that revealed one stockinged knee, the Doctor had no plans to pursue Lou sexually, so his lack of comprehension had no consequences.
What he understood all too well was that if he wished to get rid of the tissue compression eliminator, he would need help, as the Master, certainly at least seeking him, now could be following him, or even worse, could be hiding nearby, ready to attack once everyone was tucked in for the night. "I do have an additional favor to ask," he began.
"Anything! Well, almost anything!" Lou's mischievous grin did draw him to her, rather; he felt he could trust her. Indeed, whether he felt it or not, he had to trust her.
"I have a dangerous item, a deadly item, on me I need to get rid of. It needs to be buried or dumped in the river, and it needs to be handled carefully. Whoever does this for me needs to do it without being seen, and I have an enemy close on my heels, so I can't do it myself."
"It belongs to him?"
"Yes, and if he recovers it, he may use it to kill me. He won't hesitate to kill others, innocents, just to get me."
"Does this mean," asked Lou, "that you are not so innocent?"
This time the Doctor's blush was in full bloom. "I have done things I regret," he whispered. "But I am not a bad man. I hope I am not a bad man."