Jack Kane and the Statue of Liberty (5 page)

“So you did it for the insurance money?”

“No! Look, I told you what happened.” The man sat up and the bundle of cloth fell into his lap. “I’m not going to sit here and let some patsy in a mask ask me questions when I’m the one who needs to find out who sunk my ship and why. So why don’t you and your…mask, take a hike, and I’ll get to the bottom of this.”

“Hold on. You’ve got a nasty cut on your head. You should stay sitting. Sir, sir! Where are you going? I’m not done asking you questions. Sir?”

Once the man got to his feet, he started to leave. Jack reached out to stop him, almost catching his sleeve. There were so many questions and no answers. He didn’t know the name of the ship or its captain. He didn’t know what cargo had been on board. He didn’t even know where it hailed from. Nothing. And this man was obviously not going to give him anything.

“Now you hold it right there.”

Jack cringed and tried to stay hidden behind the big man. He knew that voice.

“How many times have I told you that if we need
your
help we’ll call you?”

Officer O’Malley told Jack, well, not Jack but his persona that still needed a name, not to interfere. In fact there had even been the threat of physical violence on more than one occasion. Officer O’Malley had the physical presence to do damage to nearly anyone he came in contact with. It was amazing there was enough material to make O’Malley’s uniform. Jack didn’t want to think of how many cows it took to make the belt to encircle the officer’s midsection.

“Sir,” O’Malley said to the other big man leaving. “I hope this man didn’t bother you.”

“Just you tell him when he accuses a captain of sinking his own ship, he could end up swallowing a few of those teeth even if they are hidden behind some kind of mask.”

All the moisture left Jack’s mouth, and he found it difficult to swallow. As he tried to respond, his voice came out in a squeak. He licked his lips and found his voice. “How was I to know?”

The captain gave one final glare at Jack and stomped off. O’Malley’s brow creased, and he appeared like he wanted to leave. Instead he walked up close to Jack.

“I can’t tell what you’re thinking behind that mask you’re wearing. I’m pretty good at telling what people got going on by the look on their face. I’m sure you mean well, son, but listen to me and listen real good now. Don’t be interfering in a crime scene. The police are in this city for a reason. We don’t need no vigilantes running around wearing masks and causing more trouble than help. Have I made myself clear or do we need to go down to the station to have us a little talk again?”

Jack was suddenly very glad for two things. One, that Officer O’Malley couldn’t see the look of fear on his face, and two, the fan and vents keeping the sweat from running down his neck. “Can I at least stay around and keep an eye on things? I did see the explosion. There’s more than one ship involved.”

“And how would you be knowing that?”

“I was on top of the Central Receiving building immediately after it happened. I saw the second smaller ship sinking, and that man confirmed what I saw.”

“I think that’s all we need out of you. Why don’t you go home, hang up your mask, and call it a day? Please keep off the building tops. I don’t want to have to scrape your body off the ground one of these days. Run along now, and for your own safety, stop playing hero.”

Jack didn’t let O’Malley’s words get to him. There was something a-foot here, and it centered around the sunk ship. He needed to know not only the name of the ship, but what it was carrying. Vital clues needed to be dug up, and if he had to do that on his own, so be it.

Three

Lenny and Squiggy wasted no time escaping the lab.

“What are we gonna do now, Lenny?” Squiggy said as they hurried through the dark canyons of the junkyard. “Don’t you think the boss will be mad at us when he sees we’re gone?”

“Naw,” Lenny replied. He gripped the gentleman’s case harder. “The boss forgot about us the minute that hamster started on fire. He has a new problem to work on. We’re probably good now. We’ll run out and grab a cuppa joe and come right back. He won’t even remember he wanted to use that gizmo on us.”

“Dat’s a relief, Lenny. I sure wouldn’t want no boss who’ll blow up a mouse mad at me.”

“Sure, sure.” Lenny patted the man on the shoulder. “Why don’t you run and grab the walker and we’ll be on our way?”

“Sure thing.” Squiggy trotted off into the darkness while Lenny waited.

He didn’t have to stand in the dark too long before the shadow of a multi-legged monster came out of the darkness. A giant spyder-walker loomed in front of him with Squiggy sitting high above at the controls.

“Lower that buggy so I can get on.” Lenny giggled a little at his own pun. Squiggy wouldn’t laugh. He simply wouldn’t get the joke, so might as well laugh at his own humor.

The metal spyder settled, and Lenny climbed up. “Take her over to the piers so we can get rid of this case. Then we can go grab a bite to eat.”

“You got it, Lenny!”

~ * ~

The three officers running down the pier, past Jack and on their way to Officer O’Malley’s side, were in far better condition. The fact they could move that fast showed that much difference. What O’Malley lacked in physical conditioning he made up for with intimidation and good old police know how. Jack admired that, but he felt there was a place for him. He didn’t much care for the term vigilante. It made him feel less important, and he knew he did good in the district. Just as much good as any officer on the force.

Despite Officer O’Malley’s warning to go home, Jack was compelled to continue his investigation. A ship didn’t blow up, and the captain, if that man truly was the captain, confirmed that a smaller ship was piloted close to them then exploded. Someone was up to no good, but to what end?

The French ship, now fully moored on pier twenty-eight and gangplanks down, had begun to disembark. Much like the ship that sunk, it was a large, ocean-faring vessel and most likely carrying a large quantity of cargo.

Perhaps, with their vantage point, they had seen the smaller ship and maybe even who piloted the smaller vessel. Seeing the sailors getting off the ship, Jack couldn’t pass up the opportunity to question at least one of them before they made their way up Laight Street, across Canal, and into Sullivan where the town for sailors really began. Some might even catch a taxi or mini-zep over to Central Park; quite a view from a mini-zep.

Jack shook his head. He needed to get over and ask them questions before they got into the city and drank the memory of the explosion from their minds. The sun had risen, and he contemplated removing his mask. But not out in the open. There had to be a place to hide.

Taking a chance to duck between a fully loaded lorry and a stack of crates, he commenced with removing his mask. A couple latches and levers later, and the mask was off. Once the two halves were in his coat, he put his hat on. Upon inspection of his hat, he knew there had to be a better method of keeping his hat on the mask as the hooks had torn a small hole in the side. Now he’d have to buy a new one. He’d worry about that later. There were men to interview about an explosion.

Jogging along the piers, Jack waved to a small pack of the French sailors heading into town. “
Señors! Buenos Dias
.” He wanted to make sure to address the men in their native tongue. “
Con permiso
.”

Three of the sailors laughed at Jack while four others glanced and walked off. The three sailors stopped and waited for Jack to stop.

“¿
Es usted habla Inglés
?”

“Ah, English.
Oui
. I do speak the English,” one of the sailors said and motioned Jack over.

“Wonderful. I was wondering if I could ask you some questions.” He looked back toward the dock where the other ship would have been moored to make sure Officer O’Malley wasn’t on his way over to stop his questioning of the French sailors. “So what ship is this?”

“
Oui
, this beauty? This is the
Isere
. The best French vessel for the gift to the Americans.”

Jack nodded. “Did you take much damage?”

“No no no. This small ship, it come near, but steered away and go to other ship and explode. We too close, but no, we really take no damage.”

“Do you have any idea what the name of the other ship was?”

“Oh,
oui
.” The sailor looked at the other two as if to confirm he had the right answer. “It is
Manuel Llaguno
. We follow it into the harbor. It look much like
Isere
, but I am sure is not so fine a ship. Sad to see it sink.”

“So it was also a cargo vessel?”

“Only cargo ships come in during the morning hours like this,
oui
? How you say, passengers no like to arrive too early. We pass two or three just outside in the deeper water. I am sure they wait for the sun and then come.”

“Yes, yes. I’m sure you’re right. Do you have any idea what they may have been carrying?”

“No, perhaps our captain does, but I think no. We only, how you say, communicate with harbormaster. Not with this other ship, the
Manuel Llaguno
. Is nice ship, but old I think. Perhaps this why it sink so easy?”

“Perhaps. Well, I shan’t hold you up any longer. Thank you.” Jack tried to think of the right words to send the French sailor away. “
Buenos dias y mucho gusto
.”

All three sailors laughed. The one who’d been talking with Jack slapped him on the back. “You funny man talking to us like that. Why do you not join us for a drink? We could have much fun,
oui
?”

“Oh, I couldn’t. I do want to find out why this ship sank, and you’ve been so helpful. Thank you again.”

“Perhaps we be lucky and see you about town.”

With that, the three sailors hurried to catch up with their compatriots. Jack wondered if he’d ever see them again. They seemed like a good bunch of fellows and he gave a little credence to their offer. Officer O’Malley was, after all, investigating the explosion.

“No, I must know what happened.”

Jack scanned the area. He could stay on the pier, but with all the officers around, they would only hinder his investigation. He knew the name of the ship, and if he hadn’t had a bad run in with the ship’s captain, he could ask him about the cargo. As it was, Jack was going to have to find someone who could answer that question for him. Again it was unfortunate he had also offended the harbormaster the week before. However, he had someone he could bring along to help soften the man.

Unlike Jack, she wouldn’t be awake for at least two more hours. He was going to have to occupy himself until he could start to her store. As he returned to town, he noticed two men that could best be described as tamed gorillas. They were huge, and if it weren’t for the fact one of them had a pink, polka-dotted handkerchief on his head that distracted Jack, he would have quickly found a place to hide and don his mask.

The two mountainous men looked around the dock and paid almost no attention to Jack, but instead concentrated mainly on the
Isere
and, something he hadn’t noticed before—a set of bleachers. He stayed frozen to see what the two men were going to do. They talked for only a few minutes and walked casually out onto the pier.

Jack turned away from them so as to appear uninterested in their activities. They continued to the end of the pier, and one of them set a large case on the ground. The two turned and sprinted back up the street.

“Curious,” Jack mused. “I say! Stop! You appear to have forgotten something. Wait!”

The two men ran far faster than Jack would have thought two big men could move. He hurried over to the case and tried to pick it up, but it was heavier than he anticipated. He grabbed it with both hands and took off after the men. While he was distracted by picking up the box, he failed to see where they had gone.

“Well, no sense in leaving this here.” He headed up West Street and back toward the yard. “I have the strangest feeling I’m forgetting something.”

The box taxed his strength, but didn’t deter him from getting it home and opening it. He hoped to find something inside that might clue him in to its owner. The case, leather and brass, must have been expensive and would be obvious out among the blackened steel, wood, and rope of the docks. The lorries were also blackened steel. Even the cranes with their large spider-like claws to pull cargo from the bellies of the ships were of blackened steel. Jack didn’t want this finely crafted case to be stolen.

When he made it back to the junkyard, aptly named Felonious’ Finery, Jack was spent. Everything about the morning drained him, and he needed to catch a quick nap. He had to pause though, as at the entrance of the yard sat something he had never seen. It appeared to be a vehicle and was a thing of angular, aerodynamic beauty.

The chassis was a glossy black, deep and rich like fine velvet. Chrome trim ran in smooth lines from tip to tail, which had a fine bumper. The side door was an opening that invited Jack inside. He set the heavy case under the front seat. The interior wasn’t overly large, but spacious enough to haul around a few people comfortably. Not only comfortably, but with plush seats, a built in bar, more chrome fixtures, in luxury.

He trailed his fingers over the high-gloss of the wood of the control panel. Fine wires ran throughout the wood under the smooth finish. It was a thing of beauty laid into the cherry wood. The controls, also highly polished, but made of glass and steel, were easily readable.

The vehicle was unlike anything he had ever made. It wasn’t just designed for function, but to impress with both its interior and exterior. He wanted to dig into the instruments and panel to see what made this thing work. He pressed a button, turned a knob, pulled a lever. The vehicle’s front window slid open, and he was propelled forward and out the window. He had only one chance to tuck and roll to keep from getting scrapped up in the fall. The vehicle’s window slid back down and settled into place. Before he could get up and head back inside, the door slammed shut and a loud click told Jack he wouldn’t be able to enter into it again.