Superman and The Shadow Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 0.5 13/26
Rated PG-13
/ “text”/ indicates telepathic communication
*text* indicates bold
<text> indicates thoughts
{text} indicates over the telephone
Universal Locator designation Alpha 023 x Gamma 004 x Tau -120 – Prime
Universal Locator designation Alpha 025 x Gamma - 086 x Tau 142 Alt 25 Shadow
Preeviously
In a short time they were back at the apartment. Faux Margot took a few minutes to dump her bag, turn it right side out and refill it and then she went into the living room to wait. Crossing to the side table she discovered that all of the fixings for coffee were already there, so she prepared a pot.
It was almost half an hour before Lamont made his appearance. When he did, it wasn’t in the disguise he had left in, but as Lamont. As soon as he was in the door, he crossed to the cabinet and removing his hat and cloak from the satchel, returned them to it then he went to the side table and poured himself a cup of coffee.
Carrying it over to a chair, he sat and sipped before asking, “How did your mission go?”
Faux Margot pulled out her notes and read them. She had the name, the apartment number, the description of the shooter, how he had used a table as a shooting stand and one final piece of information, “I don’t know how thorough the police are so they might miss this clue. On the table I discovered some white powder. I smelled it and detected a distinctive odor - baby powder. Whoever he is, he’s using talcum to give himself the pallor you would expect on a dead body. That tells me that it was a person that is very much alive doing the shooting.”
“I agree with you, Lo, uh, Margot. Yes, we are not dealing with a ghost at all. Now we just have to discover who it is. I do have a possibility.”
“Oh, who?”
“While you were shopping yesterday, I had an opportunity to compare the sign-in sheets for the hospital to the dates of the killings.”
“And?”
“And, the killings correspond to the dates that Dwayne Powers
was in the hospital. Most people would think that being in the hospital would be an alibi.”
“It would all depend on what kind of check the staff makes during the night. They indicated that they do check up on him.”
“It might be a good idea for The Shadow to pay Dwayne Powers a visit in his hospital room tomorrow night. By the sign in sheets he checks himself in at around 6 PM. The Shadow should be there at 7 PM.”
“While you do that, I’ll try to get ‘my father’ to safety.”
“How will you do that? You don’t know this Sam Lane; he’s a perfect stranger to you.”
“I’ll just have to try and bluff my way through. He can’t be there if the shooter tries his luck again. He missed his last target so he’ll be doubly anxious to make the hit.”
“I’ll have to trust your instincts. That paid off tonight. That was good work, interviewing Mrs. Lake and investigating the scene.”
Faux Margot shrugged it off by saying, “All in a day’s work. Nothing unusual.”
“I don’t know if Margot could have done as well.”
“If she’s anything like me, all she needs is for you to give her some direction. Let her know what you want and see how she handles it.”
“I might just try that, once she is back.”
And now:
The links will take you to you tube videos of the program. Listen in the background. It will give you the flavor of the period. The Lone Ranger episode is almost ½ hour long, but you can stop it at any time.
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Chapter 13 –
New York 1937
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Universal Locator designation
Alpha 025 x Gamma - 086 x Tau 142 Shadow
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The next morning, after breakfast faux Margot and Lamont discussed their plans for the day.
Faux Margot asked, “Where do Margot’s parents live?”
“346, East 52nd, just a few blocks from St. Patrick’s, apartment 705. Do you plan to scout the area again?”
“Unless you have some objection, yes. I like to know what I’m getting into. Also, I might get an idea as to where the shooter would hide.”
Lamont chuckled a low sound and replied, “I learned yesterday that I should allow you to trust your own instincts. Shrevvy will be at your service. In the meantime, I have to check on Harry Vincent.”
“What is he working on?”
“There is a new individual in town. He calls himself Fugit, T. Fugit. I think he is a fugitive and has taken an abbreviation of that as his name. It appears as though he is trying to build a gang. I’m not sure exactly what criminal enterprise they plan, but I intend to disrupt it before it can be brought to fruition. Let’s meet back here at 5 p.m. for dinner before we go to our respective assignments.”
As she picked up her bag, threw the strap over her shoulder and headed for the door, she said, “Sounds like a plan. See you at five.”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
As faux Margot exited the building, she spotted Shrevvy and headed in his direction. He held the door for her as she entered the cab and then move to the driver’s seat. “Where to Miss Lane?”
“346, East 52nd Street.”
“Your folks place?”
“Yeah, Shrevvy, my folks place.”
“Sure teng, Miss Lane. I’ll have you dere in a jiff.” Starting the cab, he pulled out into traffic. As he did, he said, over his shoulder, “I picked up a poiper for youz. It’s dere on da seat next to youz.”
As she picked it up, she said, “Thanks, Shrevvy. That was very thoughtful.” As Shrevvy drove she perused the main headlines. The main topic still seemed to be the Powers Curse and the related deaths. The fact that the curse had been foiled at least once was being played to the hilt. There were additional facts presented of which she had not been aware. It seemed as though the target of the last attempt had
disappeared. An investigation was being conducted by the police, however he had not been found. Faux Margot thought, <Well, that explains why it took Lamont so long to get back to the penthouse. Lamont took him to a safe house.>
There was another article which stated that LTC Claire L. Chennault of the United States Army Air Corps was on his way to China, to advise the Chinese on the use of air power in their resistance to Japan. He was going to be the first military aviation advisor to Generalissimo Chang Kai Shek. That name rang a bell for faux Margot, Claire Chennault – the force behind
The First American Volunteer Group, AKA
The Flying Tigers. The group that included Greg ‘Pappy’ Boyington and gave the Japanese so much trouble in China. Pappy later commanded the legendary
‘Black Sheep Squadron’ in the Pacific before being shot down, captured and interred as a prisoner of war for over a year by the Japanese.
She mused, <They have some hard times ahead. There will be a lot of self-sacrifice for the war effort. There will be a lot of lives lost … on both sides. Such a useless conflict. I wish there was something I could do to prevent it…. I had better not think along those lines. It’s bad enough that I told Lamont what I have. I can’t take a chance on changing this world’s history.>
Setting the paper aside, she decided to see what information she might be able to get from Shrevvy, “So, Shrevvy, what’s going on around my folk’s place?”
“Golly, Miss Lane, don’t you know?”
“It has been a few days, Shrevvy.”
“Oh, okay, well, they’s still workin’ on that new building. Oh, and they’s starting woik on that new drive along da waterfront. We’re almost dere. I’ll be parkin’ soon.”
“Thanks, Shrevvy.” After Shrevvy parked, faux Margot sat in the cab and looked around. She spotted a steel skeleton up the block. When she exited the cab, Shrevvy did the same and followed her as she made her way up the block. She decided to be bold and try to bluff her way through a meeting with her ‘family’. As she entered the building, Shrevvy bought a paper and took up his station, near the doors.
The elevator starter recognized her as she approached he greeted her, “Good morning, Miss Lane,” and told the operator, “Seven.”
She entered the car and was whisked to the seventh floor. Exiting the elevator, she looked up and down the corridor and saw 705 on her right hand. She approached the door and taking a fortifying breath, she reached out and knocked.
From within, she heard a very familiar male voice call, “Come in.”
As she stepped through the doorway, Sam said, “Margot, what brings you around at this time?”
“Daddy, have you heard what happened the night before last?”
He looked at her strangely, but asked, “What happened?”
“The other remaining jury member was shot at.”
“Oh, that. Yes, I was aware of that.”
“I’m worried that he may try to shoot you tonight.”
“Why are you worried about that?”
“I don’t want to lose you.”
“Why should you care? After all, you aren’t Margot. You look like her, but you are not her.”
Instantly, Lois decided that in order to have his cooperation, she would need to explain what had happened. He was a very intelligent man and she felt that she could convince him.
“All right, I’m not Margot, but I might as well be. You see, it’s this way, I’m ... I'm her ... twin.”
“My dear young lady, I am a physician, I was there when my wife delivered, and Margot did not have a twin.”
“It’s a long story, but trust me, I
am Margot’s twin. My name is Lois Lane and Margot and I have exchanged places, not voluntarily, I might add. This is going to sound like a comic strip. Do you follow ‘Buck Rodgers in the 25th Century’?”
“Occasionally. It amuses me how farfetched it is.”
“It is less farfetched than you think. I am actually from 1995, which incidentally is where Margot is at this point. In my time, I too have a family. My father’s name is Sam. He is a physician. My mother’s name is Ellen. She was his assistant until I was born and then she became a stay-at-home mom. I have a sister. Her name is Lucy. She’s a college student in California.”
“I must say, you have done your homework, but you got the name of your sister wrong, it’s Amanda.”
“I wasn’t speaking of Margot’s sister. I was speaking of mine, in 1995. When I arrived, I was found by Lamont. I’ve been with him since Margot is away. I don’t know what I would have done if not for him. He’s been a God send.”
“Lamont Cranston is a good man, although, I’d feel better if he would do something constructive with his life. He is a dilettante. Now, just where is my daughter, how did she get there and how is she?”
“It is only a guess, but an educated one. I was being kidnapped and it looks like we exchanged places, accidentally.” She went on to explain about Tempus and Clark, but not Superman.
“Well, I must say, that is some story. You do have a vivid imagination.”
“I do have some proof, if you are willing to have an open mind.”
“What is your proof?”
Reaching into her bag, she produced her wallet. Opening the wallet, she flipped to the section that held her pictures. Selecting one of herself with her family, she held it out to him to examine. “As you can see, this was taken some years ago, before the divorce. Those are my father, Sam, my mother, Ellen, and my sister, Lucy.”
He examined the picture, but he also examined the plastic sleeve that it was in. Before he handed it back to her he flipped through a few more pictures and asked, “I take it that this young man is, Clark?”
She nodded.
“He does bear a striking resemblance to Lamont Cranston.” Shaking his head in disbelief, he continued. “All right, you have convinced me. The pictures could have been faked, but the material that the holder is made of is something beyond anything I have ever seen. I’m sorry to have kept you standing here all of this time, but, well, it always pays to be cautious. Won’t you please come in and have a seat?”
He led Lois into the sitting room. It was expensively, although not lavishly decorated, as befitted a well-known and respected and highly paid surgeon. This went a long way in explaining how Margot could be on her own and not have a regular job. In this time period she was what would be called a debutante. Her parents were well to do and provided for her which allowed her time to devote to charitable activities and also to helping Lamont.
On a sideboard was a tray with decanters of liquor and glasses. He asked, “Would you like a drink?
“No thanks, I’m not much of a drinker, just the occasional glass of wine.”
“Well, there’s another way that you and Margot are alike, aside from your appearance. If you don’t mind, I’ll have one. This has been something of a shock.” He poured three fingers of scotch, added some water and tossed it off in a couple of swallows. When he had finished, he crossed to a chair near hers and sat down. “That’s better. Just enough to calm the nerves. Now, you were saying. You said you were here to help me?”
“Yes, I did. As you may know, Lamont helps out the police occasionally. He’s doing that now, with the Powers killings. He suspects that whoever is doing this will try to kill you tonight. It is my job to protect you.”
“Just how do you propose to do that?”
“By using a decoy. First I have to determine the most likely point he will shoot from.” She crossed the room to the window. She noted that rather than venetian blinds, the apartment was equipped with paper shades. As befitted the rest of the furniture, the shades had an ornate oriental design printed on them. She let up the paper shade and looked out. She was confronted with the steel skeleton of the building under construction. There were two windows facing it and she decided that it was the most likely spot for his crow’s nest. She called ‘her father’ over and pointing said, “I think he’ll be there. We need to make sure that you are not in line of sight of that structure this evening.”
“But, how can we decoy him into firing?”
She smiled and said, “Leave that to me. We need to make sure that ‘mom’ isn’t here.”
“That will not be a problem. She is away visiting Amanda at her college. It is parent’s week. I had a surgery scheduled so, I couldn’t make it.”
As she pulled the shade back down, she said, “Okay. Please … keep a low profile until I return and … stay away from the windows.”
He stopped her and said, “You seem a very competent young woman. A bit more self-confident than my Margot.”
She smiled and replied, “You may see some changes in her when she returns. If she has been with my fiancée in my absence, she may have to learn to act more like me, the same way I have learned to, in some respects, act like Margot. Maybe not completely. My natural inclinations come through.”
“What do you do, in your world?”
“I’m an investigative reporter for a major metropolitan newspaper. I investigate crime and corruption, expose it and bring the perps to justice.”
“And you are engaged.”
“Yes, we just became engaged. We’ve been together for a couple of years now as work partners. We’ve had our problems, like any couple, but we are past that. I expect, with this happening, we will be getting married sooner than we had planned.”
“I actually hope that when Margot returns, she is more like you. She had grown too dependent upon Lamont Cranston.”
Lois didn’t want to say too much, but she felt that she had to say something in Lamont’s defense, “Don’t dismiss Lamont out of hand. Appearances can be deceiving, you know. There’s a lot more to Lamont Cranston than what he lets the public see.”
Derisively with a dismissive shake of his head, he said, “There would have to be.”
“I’m serious. You know the old saying, ‘Still waters run deep.’ Well, that’s how it is with Lamont. He does help the police, you know. He’s a friend of Commissioner Weston. We had dinner with him and his wife the other night. They are a lovely couple.”
“Well, I see that you are a skilled conversationalist. You steered us onto a new topic, very tactfully. Okay, I won’t pry and I will take your advice about Lamont. Now, about tonight. When should I expect you?”
“I should be here by 6:30.”
“Fine. I’ll look for you then.”
In a quizzical tone, she asked, “By the way, what gave me away?”
Smiling, he replied, “Margot hasn’t called me Daddy for years. Not sophisticated enough for her. She always calls me ‘Father.’”
Faux Margot, smiled and said, “I will see you later, Father.”
Nodding, he smiled and said, “I would almost have been fooled.”
Faux Margot made her way out of the building and as she emerged, Shrevvy folded his paper and fell into step behind her. As they approached the cab, he stepped ahead so that he could open her door. When he was in the driver’s seat she said, “I need to go to a toy store, please, Shrevvy.”
“Sure ting, Miss Lane. I know just de place, I’ll have you dere in a jiff. How was yer folks?”
“Only my father was at home. He’s fine. We’ll be coming back later tonight.”
“Sure ting.” True to his word, a very few minutes later, he parked in front of a department store. “You can wait for me here in the car, Shrevvy. Not much chance of me being injured between here and the door.”
“Whatever you say, Miss Lane.” He picked up his paper and actually began reading it as she exited the hack.
What she had seen in the Lane apartment had given Faux Margot and idea. She found the toy department quickly, made her selection paid for it and left.
She was carrying a medium sized package as she returned to the cab and said, “Back to the penthouse, please, Shrevvy.”
Pressing on the starter, Shrevvy said, “Sure ting, Miss Lane. I’ll have you dere in a jiff”
When faux Margot arrived back at the penthouse, Lamont was not there so she settled down on the couch and pulled out her purchase. It would require some modifications if it were to serve its purpose. Getting up from the couch, she entered Margot’s room and after a short search she found a pair of scissors and went to work. Once she was finished with the scissors, she started removing some of the stuffing.
Once she was finished she had a doll with an almost bald head that was on the lean side rather than ‘baby chubby.’ Holding up her handiwork she checked it from various angles. She applied the scissors again and removed some more of the stuffing before she was satisfied. She cleaned up the residue, then placed the finished product into its bag and moved it to her room.
Returning to the living room, she turned on the radio and allowed it to warm up. Once the tubes were warm, she started turning the tuning dial. Suddenly she heard some familiar music and feeling in the mood for some classical music she stopped and listened. To her surprise the music was simply the theme song for a radio drama, one that had survived through the years, moving to television. The radio program was
The Lone Ranger. She sat down and listened to the program. She enjoyed a leisurely half hour reminiscing on the TV programs she had watched as a kid starring Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels..
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