She came inside and surveyed the vast room. 'What a weird room.'
'I think patients prefer absolute privacy when they're being examined by a doctor.'
'Yes, that makes sense.'
Holmes signalled her to the examining-table at the centre of the room. 'Lie down here on your back. I'll go and get my instruments.'
She was climbing on to the table as he left the room.
Delaying not a moment, he secured the sliding door. Then he rushed to his office, hurried to the control panel, and moved the top lever.
Gas would now be entering the chamber.
He sat down at his desk and leafed through several magazines. Presently he rose, shut off the gas and moved a second lever to release the gas from the room. He returned to his magazines, and, leisurely smoking his pipe, began to feel good. He had got rid of the dead-ass whore. He had her $2,000 in cash. If the other girls at the Everleigh Club were as dumb as she, he would make a fortune in a few months.
He considered his watch. It was time to clear out the corpse.
Briskly, Holmes made for the sliding door, released it and it slid sideways.
Entering the chamber, he sniffed the air. He could detect only the slightest odour of gas. He marched straight to the examination table. The blob of flesh was still there, and on its back. Earlier he had thought her beautiful. Now, with eyes shut and mouth open, she
looked repulsive. He felt for her pulse, then listened to her heart.
Dead as dead could be.
He moved over to the first trap door and yanked off the top. He returned to the table, pushed his hands and arms under her, and lifted her free.
She was small and easy to handle. He positioned the corpse over the trap, settled it on the greased chute, and let it go. Wobbling, the body disappeared from sight.
Pulling the adjoining trap door wide, Holmes eased himself on to the narrow staircase, and climbed down to the basement.
Without a thought, Holmes followed the procedure he had used so many times in the last few years.
He lifted Avis off the floor, carried her to the vat of quicklime, and dumped her into it. After much of her flesh had dissolved, he emptied the tub of the quicklime in the sink, and still wearing rubber gloves, he carried the distasteful remains to the examination table.
Tearing off his gloves, he found his scalpel and returned to the corpse that had once been the trusting Avis.
He cut into her with a practised hand.
It took him twenty minutes to dismember her completely.
There was a fire in the kiln, low burning, which Holmes stoked and fed with coal and wood until it was a red-hot blaze. Then he took the seven parts of Avis, one by one, from the table, feeding each one to the flames.
When he was finished, he cleaned up the basement. Once it was spotless, he climbed back up to the gas chamber. He closed both trap doors.
Satisfied that everything was orderly and clean, Dr Holmes walked out of the chamber, closed it tight, and crossed the hallway to his office.
Settling behind his desk, he reached into a drawer and withdrew the $2,000 in bills he had earned tonight.
He began to count them one by one, making sure that she had not short-changed him.
Minna Everleigh, seated in her office with Aida, was deeply distressed.
'First Fanny,' she said to Aida, 'and now Avis. They both just took off and disappeared. Why? Could they have been
offered better jobs?' 'Not in this city,' said Aida. 'Nobody in Chicago pays better than we do.'
'Then what is it? Well, whatever it is we've got to replace them. At least one of them, to start with. We've booked a big crowd this evening, and we can't disappoint our customers. 'I have a long list of girl applicants -' 'Not classy enough,' said Minna. She was thoughtful a moment. 'But I know one young lady who is. Fresh and a real beauty. Karen Grant, the one who worked in New Orleans. I told you about her last night.' 'The tall one without a blemish?'
'Exactly. I think I'll call her right now. I have the phone number at her rooming house.'
Minna rummaged about her desk top until she found Karen's telephone number.
'Here it is,' Minna said. 'I'll tell her she's hired, subject to Dr Holmes's examination, of course. I'll tell her to come right over and bring a few things.'
Minna took the receiver off the hook, and spoke to the operator, giving her Karen's number.
After a few rings, Minna was pleased to hear a female voice answer. 'Hello?'
'I'd like to talk to Karen Grant.' 'This is Karen Grant.' 'Minna Everleigh here.'
'Yes. I hope that you're calling with good news.' 'I certainly am, Karen,' said Minna. 'The girl I expected to return before noon never showed up. We can use you as a permanent replacement starting tonight. Are you still interested?'
'I'm very interested.'
'Wonderful. But I remind you that you must first be examined by the Everleigh Club physician, Dr Herman Holmes. Can you make it about five o'clock? I'll get him over here, and if you're fine, you can go right to work in Fanny's room. We get a flood of customers between six and seven. Oh, yes, bring a suitcase of your best things. Two dressy changes, underthings, your own silk robe, if you have one.' 'I have one, Miss Everleigh.' 'Then I'll expect you, Karen.' 'I can't wait.'
Minna hung up, and spoke to Aida. 'She seemed eager. She said she couldn't wait to get started. I think she's one of those girls who loves her work. That would be a break for us.'
'What about Dr Holmes?' asked Aida. 'I intend to call him right now.' A minute later, Minna had Dr Holmes on the phone. 'Dr Holmes? This is Minna Everleigh.' 'I'm delighted. Anything I can do for you?' Minna's tone was firm, persuasive. 'Indeed there is something, Doctor, something important. I know that you were here the last two days doing your weekly examination. But I'd like to have you here once more today. It's important. We're hiring a new girl. She seems perfectly well, but I've got to be sure. I'd like you to look her over. I'm positive you can do it in less than fifteen minutes. I hate to bother you for a third day in a row, but we want this girl to start right away.' 'No bother. What time would you like me at the Club?' 'Around five. I trust you will be done with your office patients by then.'
There was a silence as Holmes obviously consulted his appointment book. 'As a matter of fact,' said Holmes, 'I'm scheduled to see two patients between four-thirty and five. But neither has a problem that can't wait. I'll postpone them. I'll come by very close to five.'
'Aida and I appreciate that, Dr Holmes. See you in a few hours.'
As the time neared four-thirty in the afternoon, Karen began to have an attack of nerves.
She had packed her bag. She had dressed herself in her most becoming garment. She was ready to take the streetcar to the Everleigh Club.
Yet she wasn't ready.
She had no concern about the doctor's examination. Her one concern was the scene that would follow after the doctor left. There would be a strange man she would have to take to bed. A stranger who would make love to her without love. She regretted that she had recklessly volunteered for this role. She wondered what had motivated her. She wanted to help Mayor Carter Harrison, of that she was sure. The mayor had once been kind to her mother, and she wanted to repay him. Also, since none of his male staff could assist the mayor, she had wanted to show those men and the mayor that a woman could do what their colleague, Gus Varney, clearly had failed to do.
The mayor had warned her that she might be unable to handle the disagreeable job. Offhandedly, she had assured him that she could get out of any situation before something truly dreadful happened.