As the door opened, it tapped a small bell mounted above it. The pharmacist looked up from where he worked at a bench behind the counter at the back of the room. “I’ll be with you in a moment, Miss. This particular mixture requires a fair bit of concentration to get it right.”
Annie smiled. “Take your time. I’m in no rush.” She regarded him as he worked, a man of average height, a bit on the stocky side, with a thick mustache and thinning brown hair. In most ways he was quite unremarkable, except for his hands. They moved among the chemicals, selecting a pinch of this and pouring a dash of that, stirring and mixing. Annie stood, head and body turned sideways to the man, but watching with her peripheral vision in fascination. His hands seemed to have a mind of their own. It was like watching a master magician at work, impossible to follow his exact motions from moment to moment. After a few minutes, he paused. Nodding to himself, he set the mixture aside and stepped over to the counter.
#
His eyes roamed over her, assessing her in the same way he’d measured ingredients for the mixture. She looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties. A little older than the women who normally caught his attention, but she was a very attractive woman nonetheless. She looks familiar. Where have I seen her before? After a moment, he had it.
“Hello, sir. I find myself in need of some headache powder.”
“Oh, dear. A headache in your line of work could be very dangerous indeed.”
Annie smiled. “You recognize me?” She looked straight into his eyes. Peering from beneath his bushy eyebrows, they reminded her of a cat’s eyes—somehow predatory and disinterested at the same time.
His thumbs hooked into the waist pockets of his dark brown vest. “How could I not, Miss Oakley? Your celebrity precedes you. Your face is well known to anyone who follows current affairs. I am Doctor Henry Holmes, and I’m honored to make your acquaintance.” He extended a hand across the counter. She extended her hand, and he neatly raised it to his lips, kissing her knuckle lightly.
She smiled politely, gently disengaging from his grip.
“Give me a moment to get your headache powder.” He ducked through a curtain at the back of the room. Annie adjusted her hat and pressed her thumbs against her throbbing temples. She leaned against the wooden counter top and surveyed the store’s wares through squinting eyes.
The small shop appeared well stocked. A long set of freestanding shelves ran down the middle of the room, and more shelves lined the walls, stocked neatly with various tonics, tinctures, colognes, perfumes, and other items common to pharmacies. The place smelled mostly of disinfectant and wood polish, with an odd chemical odor, probably related to the mixture he’d just prepared. A stack of flyers, advertising rooms for rent in The World’s Fair Hotel, lay on the sturdy, hardwood counter, and caught Annie’s attention.
Holmes returned from the back room and set a box on the counter. “Arabian Headache Powder. The finest available today. I just received it in this morning’s shipment and haven’t had time to put it on the shelves yet. It should quell your headaches rapidly and thoroughly.”
Annie sighed, already imagining the relief. “Wonderful. How much do I owe you for this box?”
Holmes waved dismissively. “My dear, your show will take place barely two miles from my front door. I have no doubt your presence so near to my establishment will have a profound effect on my business in the coming months. Consider this box my payment to you for the increase in my sales. All I ask in return is that you recommend my shop to anyone you encounter who needs anything I might provide.”
Picking up one of the flyers, he said, “As to what I might provide, this pharmacy is but one of my endeavors. I own this entire building. It covers an entire city block, and many in the neighborhood refer to it as The Castle because of the rounded turret-like appearance at the corners. I offer rooms for rent on the second floor. They aren’t extravagant, but they’re comfortable and reasonably priced. They’re especially well-suited to women, since they offer the ultimate in privacy and security. If you’d like, I can give you a special rate on my best room during your stay in our fair city.”
Annie found the comment about privacy and security a bit much, but she couldn’t really fault him. She knew enough about show business and marketing to recognize an effort to appeal to the audience.
She smiled again, ignoring the pain of her headache. “Thank you, sir, but I’ll be quite happy in my tent. As far as my security, the troupe watches out for its own and, failing that, my guns and my husband should prove more than adequate.”
Holmes twitched. “I had no idea you were married.”
“We don’t advertise it. My husband is also my press agent, and he believes it makes me seem more approachable if people don’t know. I assure you, though, I am quite happily married.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I meant no disrespect.”
“None taken, sir. I just wanted to lay my cards on the table, so to speak, to avoid any misunderstandings. I appreciate the offer.”
Picking up the tin of medicine, she continued. “And the powder. I will certainly recommend your store and your rooms to anyone I encounter who may benefit from your services. Thank you.” Still holding the flyer for the hotel, she gave him a parting curtsy, turned, and walked out of the store.
Holmes stroked his mustache and watched her exit the store. He kept watching through the front window as she turned right and pulled a bicycle away from where she had leaned it against the wall next to the window. Putting the flyer and tin of powder in a small basket on the front of the bike, she stepped over the low cross bar, and pedaled east toward the fair grounds.