CHAPTER TWENTY

OLIVIA

Olivia rolled her shoulders and continued sewing. She had stayed up late working on Mrs. Johnson’s dress so she would have something to show her when she arrived. And to put her plan in motion.

She had explained Mrs. Johnson’s unexpected visit to Douglas as they sat down for dinner the night before. All day she had agonized about telling him what she was going to do, but in the end, she needed help. Besides, she didn’t believe that Mrs. Johnson was dangerous. Just too curious.

Douglas had a different reaction to her retelling of Mrs. Johnson’s visit. He grew more and more concerned as she talked. “What do you think is happening?”

“It is hard for me to guess. Her behavior is too odd and unlike any of my other customers,” Olivia said. “It would be unfortunate if she is not who she says she is and the banknote she gave me is not good. I will have done all that work for nothing.”

Olivia could tell by the way Douglas shifted in his seat that he disliked the plan, but he had agreed it was the most harmless way to find out information. She promised to be careful and not follow Ms. Johnson out of the Bella Vista community. Only then did Douglas relax a little.

“I will stay home from work tomorrow.”

Olivia protested. “Your work is far more important than me following a customer.”

“You will need someone to sit with Hope. And I can position myself in our bedroom window. That way I can watch which way Mrs. Johnson goes.”

Olivia considered the plan. With Douglas watching, she wouldn’t have to leave right after Mrs. Johnson, making it less obvious that she was following her. “All right,” she agreed.

As expected, Mrs. Johnson was at her door as early as acceptable. Probably trying to catch Olivia off guard again.

Douglas rose, picking up Hope. He slowed as he passed Olivia to go up the stairs. He leaned in like he was going to kiss her, then seemed to reconsider. “Be safe.”

Olivia nodded. “I will.”

She took a deep breath before she opened the door to Mrs. Johnson. The woman’s expression was a notch less cordial than yesterday, but she still smiled at Olivia. “Hope I am not too early.”

“Not at all.” She opened the door wider and let Mrs. Johnson inside. From her position, she could see Mrs. Johnson glancing round the room. Olivia moved to the table.

Even though it was a part of the ploy to follow Mrs. Johnson, Olivia was very proud of the work she’d done last night. Most of the outer layer of the dress was done; she only had to finish the lining. And she’d done it all with Hope sleeping in her lap.

Mrs. Johnson ran her hand over the fabric. “Very nice. You do such good work. Quick too.”

“The other four are still in the pinning stage, but I expect to have them done on time.”

“Very good.”

Olivia decided to try one more attempt at getting information from the woman. “I still don’t have your address,” she said, holding Mrs. Johnson’s eye contact.

The woman scowled. “I told you I’ll come back.” Her tone grew a little sharper.

Olivia smiled graciously. “I was merely trying to avoid repeating what happened yesterday. I could send your dresses as soon as they are done instead of your coming back and possibly finding that they are not ready.”

“As I said, I am in no hurry to get the dresses.”

Olivia broke eye contact. “Very well.”

“Are your guests gone?”

She looked up at the woman. “No, probably resting. It is still quite early in the morning.”

“I suppose it is. Will they be staying with you much longer?”

“That is uncertain right now,” Olivia said, her nerves starting to jitter.

“It is such an inconvenience for guests to stay longer than they should.”

“But not guests you enjoy.” Not a lie. She enjoyed having Hope here.

“True.” Mrs. Johnson gave the room one more glance. “This is a lovely home. So are the other homes in the area. When I pick up the dresses, I would love to see more of it.”

Olivia eyed her. “Are you considering living around here?”

Mrs. Johnson shrugged. “Maybe, yes. I am very interested in this neighborhood. So quiet, and everyone seems to know everyone. Very different than my home in Delaware.”

“I thought you lived in Virginia.”

Mrs. Johnson blinked. “Uh, you must have misunderstood me. I think I said my son lives in Virginia.”

“Oh,” was all Olivia said. Mrs. Johnson had said her home was in Virginia.

“Until next week.” Olivia showed her out and, as soon as she closed the door, grabbed her coat and hurriedly put it on. She would have to move quickly.

As soon as she’d fastened her coat’s top button, Douglas called down the stairs. “She went right, toward Bond Street.”

And with that, Olivia was out the door. She walked briskly up the street, angling herself to stay out of Mrs. Johnson’s view. Thankfully, even though it was early, there were many people on their way to carry out their business for the day. Olivia blended in. Mrs. Johnson turned and continued her progress up Bond Street.

Olivia followed, nodding to several Black shop owners opening for the day. Shop owners who were conductors or stationmasters. If this was a normal route for Mrs. Johnson, maybe one of them had seen her pass by before. Or had interactions with her. It would not hurt to ask them when she passed them again to go home.

Mrs. Johnson kept walking, and soon they were only a few blocks from the wharf.

To Olivia’s surprise, Mrs. Johnson began to slow as she approached Shipper’s Inn. Olivia slowed her steps and watched Mrs. Johnson go inside and shut the door.

It was possible that Mrs. Johnson questioned her about guests because she was herself hosting guests and, growing tired of them, had put them up in an inn. But Olivia could find out for sure. She slipped around the side of Shipper’s, cut through the alley, and arrived at the back door. She smiled at Mr. Abrams when he answered her knock. His face was red from the kitchen heat.

He smiled when he saw her. “Good morning, Mrs. Kingston.”

“Morning. Sorry to trouble you, but I need your help.”

His face turned serious. “Come in.”

“That would not be wise. I followed one of your guests here. Mrs. Johnson.”

He let out a huff. “Strange, that one.”

“How so?”

“Her story keeps changing.” He rubbed his hands absentmindedly on his apron. “First, she’s visiting family. Then she is here on a trip and forgot all about the family.”

“When we first met, she told me she lived in Virginia,” Olivia said. “Today she said she lived in Delaware.”

Mr. Abrams shook his head. “Odder than that, she gets a lot of gentlemen callers.”

Olivia felt her shock showing on her face. “She is a—”

“No, no. Not those kind of visitors. That is not allowed,” Mr. Abrams said. “But lots of men come to meet with her here. Some of them respectable. Some not so much. She meets with them down in the sitting room, and they talk very quietly.”

“She could be doing anything,” Olivia murmured.

“Whatever it is, something’s not right about it.”

“She’s having a few dresses made, and I thought she was too curious about my doings. Will you keep me aware if anything changes?”

“Sure will.”

Olivia left Shipper’s, her mind a whir. It was possible that Mrs. Johnson was simply an odd woman who liked dresses. Still, Olivia’s uneasiness was too strong to accept that explanation. As she rounded the building and walked up the alley, she spotted a familiar form. It was Henry. She opened her mouth to call out a greeting to him but saw that he was deep in conversation with another man. The tall white man seemed familiar, but she struggled to place where she knew him from. He and Henry were having a very animated conversation. Olivia hurried away before he spotted her, not wanting to interrupt them.

Her feet carried her home, even though her thoughts were still at the inn. She opened the front door and found Douglas sitting in one of her chairs, holding Hope close to his chest. His expression was one of pain and shock. He stood and crossed the room to her.

Olivia studied him, then Hope. They appeared to be well. “What is the matter?”

“Mr. Wilson came by while you were gone.” He draped his arm around her. “Beulah is dead.”

The words hit her chest hard, winding her. Her eyes filled with tears as they went to Hope. Her mama is dead. Douglas pulled her into his chest. Olivia wrapped her arms around him and Hope and cried.