A Murder In Disguise

Chicago 1928

How could she explain to her friends that she had once been in love with a killer?

Dulcie Nye held her breath, hoping it wasn’t true—that Jack had followed her unpredictable route from England to the United States. He could be anywhere, just waiting to make her pay for leaving him. Jack Leach was not a man who accepted no for an answer.

Jem Nyeland, the oldest of her six brothers, had traveled across the pond to warn her about Jack’s arrival in America. Dulcie had to admit Jem was justified in his anger. He had spent a lot of money to come to the States to inform her about her former boyfriend, but he was foolish if he thought she’d permit him to control her life.

Her best friend and roommate, Katie O’Sullivan, a stunningly beautiful blonde with the voice of an angel, reached across the kitchen table and patted her hand. “How can we verify this man has followed you here? There must be a way to see if he bought a ticket on one of the ocean liners. We can check for his name on the passenger lists.”

Archibald Lemon, their friend and landlord, refilled everyone’s coffee cups and then set the percolator back on the stove, his wiry grey hair standing up in tufts. His bushy eyebrows furrowed as he considered her dilemma. “Don’t panic yet, Dulcie. We can check with customs for his arrival in the country, and as the new Attorney General of Illinois, Garrett can probably get the manifest of the steamship.”

Katie nodded in agreement with Archie about her fiancé. And from beneath the table, Watson, an enormous bloodhound, whined in sync with Dulcie’s distress. He had settled there, hoping someone would drop a morsel from the blueberry muffins Archie’s cook had baked yesterday, which were left for breakfast this morning. A gift, especially after the excellent Thanksgiving feast Maria put together a few days ago.

Dulcie took a deep breath and tried to calm herself enough to think clearly. She had been living at Archie’s house for several months now and had met a whole new group of friends, including Archie’s niece Elise and his nephew Garrett MacMillan. The new AG had just proposed to Katie two weeks ago, and wasn’t that brilliant?

She always felt safe and protected in Archie’s spacious mansion in the affluent South Prairie Avenue neighborhood of the city. Garrett also hired a Pinkerton agent to stay with them and guard the house during a case involving the kidnapping of one of their friends. Agent Cameron O’Neil was efficient, knowledgeable, and admittedly dishy. A welcome relief after nearly two years of running in bone-chilling fear from Jack Leach.

Jem speared his fingers through his thick black curls. “If you’re not afraid of the bloke,” he asked with a sharp edge to his voice, “then why did you leave without a goodbye, and why did you change your blasted name? I had a devil of a time finding you.”

“Oh, pish posh, Jem,” Dulcie countered. “I’ve been here over six months with no problems. Besides, it’s just Tewkesbury gossip that Jack left England for the States. Don’t be daft. I’m perfectly safe here. I have a brilliant job at The Delineator Magazine, I’m finally writing the novel that’s been rattling around in my noggin for ten years, and I have the most spiffing friends ever. Be happy for me, luv.”

And she could have added ‘progress toward a normal life’ to her list. A safe life, one without worries... until her brother showed up last night with the bad news. Her past might have finally caught up with her. She could be putting all her friends in danger, and her new family deserved to know the risks involved if she stayed with them.

She braced herself, knowing she owed them the truth. She tried not to sound too frazzled. “Jack Leach is the leader of a street gang called the Peaky Blinders. They’re involved in robbery, violence, racketeering, bookmaking, and gambling—all the shady activities blokes in Birmingham, England, do to get by. They all dress the same in swanky outfits, including tailored jackets, lapelled overcoats, fancy waistcoats, and silk scarves. People recognize them by their signature peaked flat caps. It’s said they sew razor blades into the peaks of their caps for street fights, which is how they got the name.”

When she saw the worried looks crossing her friends’ faces, Dulcie felt her future slipping away. Maybe it was time to move again. After leaving England, she spent some time in Scotland before crossing the English Channel into Europe. There, she lived in three different countries, moving every six months to stay hidden. When she finally moved to the U.S., she settled in Chicago, hoping her trail had gone cold and that she was in the clear. Everything had been hunky dory until last night, when she found her brother on Archie’s porch. If her brother could find her, so could Jack Leach.

“Before we panic,” Katie said, “let’s bring in Garrett and Luca. We can tell Luca about your problem and see if the Captain of the Chicago Police Department has any authority to investigate Jack Leach.”

Dulcie admitted she trusted Elise’s new husband, Luca Cipriano. He had cracked the drug smuggling ring at the docks last month, where she and her new friends had helped solve the murders and kidnappings. After the case was closed, Luca’s corrupt boss vanished, and he was promoted to captain. He now runs the 45th Precinct of the CPD.

Jem didn’t seem convinced by Katie’s suggestion, but he shifted his focus back to the blueberry muffins. Archie nodded in agreement, and Watson appeared to be okay with the plan as he stood up from beneath the table to lumber away, his long ears flopping, and his face showing his canine version of acceptance.Dulcie wondered if she might eventually be asked to leave and deal with her problems somewhere else. She took another deep breath, hoping it wouldn’t reveal her true feelings—that she was sure in a spot of bother now.

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