Saturday Special: The Truth Has Teeth by K.D. Straus

(Our editor recently ran a series of writing workshops, and the participants were such excellent writers that we've decided to do a Saturday Special for them, as their final products exceeded our usual word count. We hope you enjoy these longer stories as much as we do!)

“Three things cannot long stay hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” – Buddha.

Chapter 1

   Lottie Lynch and her gossip column ‘Loose Lips’ had quickly amassed a large following at the Daily Mirror newspaper, since her relocation to jolly old England in 1921.

She had decidedly packed up the life she’d known in New York City, leaving everything behind except for her beloved English Bull Terrier, Joan of Bark – Jo to those who knew her well.

  Little could Lottie have predicted, that only three short years later she’d be back in The Big Apple, facing the very reason for her hasty departure, and the perilous purpose for her return.

   Lottie Lynch and Hedda Kolorz had first made each other’s acquaintance during a high society garden party in Mayfield London, at the home of Lord and Lady Brybeck.

It had been the summer after Lottie had arrived, and the newspaper had sent her there to cover the most sought-after event of the season. They bonded quickly, as outliers on the fringe of the upper-class.

  Lottie was viewed by London’s elite as the cool blonde, straight-shooting American, whose pen was as sharp as her wit. Hedda’s flamboyance, mixed with her sexually charged Cleopatra-like persona terrified the proper ladies of London, often leaving them aghast.  

It was Sun Tzu who said, to keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, and so it was for that very reason, that the high society gatekeepers guardedly allowed the ladies entrance.

  It was now 1924, and Lottie once again found herself on an ocean liner, accompanying her friend Hedda and Hedda’s assistant Lew to the very city she thought she had left for good.  

  It had been after five long days at sea, that Lottie and her friends finally disembarked from the ship. The audible cacophony of a big city at work greeted them, as they waited for a cab. Automobiles honked impatiently, electric street cars rattled and hummed along their lines, with the jack-hammering and yelling from construction sites in the distance taking their rightful place in the lower register of the din. It was springtime, and as Lottie breathed in its earthy scent, she had the realization that she was actually a little excited to be back.

  The trio arrived at the Hotel Astor, and found their rooms on the fourth floor, overlooking 44th street. They each tipped the bellman, though in typical Hedda fashion, her offering far surpassed Lottie’s, and was given with a lascivious wink. The young bellman’s face blushed crimson, as he made a speedy retreat.

  “You are a man-eating predator,” said Lottie to her friend.

  “Darling, predators bite, I only nibble,” said Hedda, adding a low purr.

  “Well, on that hungry note, Jo and I are going to order some room service, and get settled in. I can only assume that you and Lew will be doing the same.”

  “Sleep first, food later.  l am still a bit queasy after those angry winds churned up the sea yesterday.”

  “It was turbulent,” agreed Lottie knowing that a much greater storm still awaited her.

“Drinks later?” Hedda, called out before entering her room.

  “Prohibition, remember this city is dry.”

Hedda let out a long dramatic gasp “This city is far too fabulous to be dry, seriously no alcohol anywhere? Darling, now I know why you left.”

Lottie laughed, and told her friend that was a conversation for another time, as both women closed their doors. Lottie knew that she had two important telephone calls that she had to make, though only one of them was going to be pleasant.

Chapter 2

  Esther Tuttlebaum had worked with Lottie at Town Talks magazine, and was one of her closest friends.

  “Town Talks, Esther speaking, what sweet and spicy scuttlebutt do you have for me today?”

  “I am a huge fan of your work. Is the rumour true that Lottie Lynch taught you everything you know?” asked Lottie trying to disguise her voice.

The other end of the connection fell silent, before a deep breath was exhaled.

  “Thanks, I am a huge fan of my work too. I unearth the stories that are never supposed to see the light of day, and for that you are welcome. As for Lottie Lynch, well, she has always found herself far funnier than she really is, kinda like right now.”

  Lottie laughed out loud. “Hey, I am funny.”

  “Hmm, I think the jury is still out on that one. Speaking of humorless topics, have you talked to--”

  “No, I have not. Soon.”

  “I’m going to bet that he won’t find your return to the city so amusing.”

Lottie immediately changed the subject, as she didn’t have the constitution to address the very topic that she’d been avoiding since her arrival. So, instead she dug into her journalist’s bag of tricks, and asked a question that Esther would love to talk about--herself.

  Lottie learned that a new man had entered into her friend’s orbit, though Esther wasn’t more forthcoming than that so as not to jinx herself. The two women continued catching up, giving each other a rundown of the past three years, that their letters hadn’t covered.

  “Well, my friend, I now have an unavoidable call, that has to be made.”

  “Good luck with that.”

  Lottie hung up the telephone, and looked at her pup who had tucked herself up into a little brindle egg against the pillows on the peacock-blue taffeta bedspread. Jo’s hypnotic-like snoring sounded like a siren’s song, beckoning Lottie to join her, which she happily did.

Chapter 3

  The next morning it seemed everyone woke refreshed, and ready to take on the day.

They had a lovely breakfast at the hotel, and decided that their different agendas would leave them meeting later for dinner. Hedda and Lew were paying an obligatory late morning visit to Jonas Von Helfrich, an old family friend of Hedda’s.

Lottie still had an inescapable date with a telephone.

  She had just nicely got back into her room, with the intention of leashing Jo up for a walk, when there was a knock on her door. She peeked out and saw the bellman standing there, wearing what looked like a nervous smile.

  “Yes,” she said, opening the door.

At that, the bellman stepped aside, and in walked Harrison Grant.

Her telephone date had now been cancelled.

  He coolly breezed past Lottie, tossing his charcoal-grey fedora on the nightstand, like he planned on staying awhile. Jo exuberantly leapt from the bed, and began dancing around the feet of their intruder. Lottie noticed that he was still wearing the wristwatch she’d given him. She also noticed that her traitorous pup was completely overjoyed by Harrison’s appearance. That made one of them, she thought. 

  He then sat on the floor, allowing Jo to wash his face with wet sloppy kisses.

  “I see your charm is still working, if only on my dog.”

  “Our dog!” he said, jumping up. The contempt behind his glare was visible. “So let me get this straight, Charlotte,” he began.

  “It’s Lottie now.”

  “Well, you just needed to change everything, didn’t you, ‘Lottie’. You land back here, with our girl in tow, and you don’t even have the decency to call.”

  “I planned on calling.”

  “Really?  When, once you were both back in London? Once again, you have no regard for me; you didn’t then, and you sure as hell don’t now!”

  Lottie looked down at her sweet pup, who now had her ears pinned back, and her tail tucked. “Not here in front of Jo, she’s obviously upset.”

At that, Harrison swooped down and scooped up Jo, cradling her like a baby. She immediately relaxed, laying back, wearing what appeared to be a blissful grin. Lottie could stand no more of this duo’s joyous reunion. She pointed to the door, and grabbed up Jo, placing her back on the bed.  

Harry picked up his hat, and adjusted his jacket. “This is far from finished,” he whispered, leaning into Lottie’s ear.

The heat from his breath sent chills down her neck. She quickly banished the memories of how she had once excitedly anticipated that warmth on her skin.

  Harry then stepped out into the hall, and directly into Hedda. Lottie cursed internally, wishing she could just slam the door on the both of them.

  “Well, while the cat’s away,” commented Hedda, wearing an inquisitive smirk, and an arched brow.

Lottie begrudgingly joined them in the hallway, making the expected introductions. Harry smiled and gave a slight bow, and apologized for the head on collision they’d just had.

  “Oh, you can bang into me anytime, anyplace.”

Lottie felt immediately irked by Harry’s easy grin; women had always found his ways far too appealing.

  “I wish I could spend more time in your charming company, Mrs. Kolorz, but I’ve got pressing business,” said Harry.

  “That’s Miss Kolorz. I am playfully single,” she said huskily, while tracing her finger slowly along her dress’s silky decolletage.

Lottie felt an intense wave of disgust rise up inside her. She wasn’t sure which infuriated her more, the way these two where behaving, or the possible twinge of jealousy that she may have just felt.

  Harry eventually found his way to the elevator, making his departure. Hedda then turned to Lottie in mock shock.

  “You sneaky little minx, keeping such a potent secret from me. You must tell me who that man is, and what I hope he was doing in your room?”

Lottie smiled icily. “I tell other people’s secrets, not my own.”

  “Whatever darling, that’s the kind of tea that must be spilled.”

  Lottie gave a brief summary of her history with Harrison Grant, how they had worked together, and had once been engaged.

  “Once been?” questioned Hedda.

Lottie nodded a silent confirmation.

  “I’m not so sure that I would have walked away so easily from Mr. Tall and Tasty,” said Hedda, licking her full scarlet-red lips.

Lottie was as relieved as Hedda was furious, when Lew stepped forward to chastise his boss for not minding her own business.  

  “Lew’s right. That's enough talk about my past; instead let’s have that conversation that I said was for later.”

Lottie saw Hedda’s glare turn into a glimmer of hope. “Are you going to tell me that there is somewhere in this city, that we can actually find a drink?”

  “Yes, and we’ll go there tonight.”

Hedda gave out a squeal of delight, shoving Lew out of her way as she flounced back into her room.

Chapter 4

  That evening, Lottie asked Esther to tag along with them to a speakeasy called Chumley’s. They were to use the back entrance off of Barrow Street, along with a secret password that Lottie had gotten from an old contact. They grabbed a table for four in a corner, and ordered their illegal libations. Teacups filled with smuggled Canadian whiskey, wafted enticingly into the air.

  “Finally, something palatable to drink,” declared Hedda, toasting everyone with her pansy-patterned china cup.

  “Cheers,” they all said at once.

Lottie had noticed Zelda Fitzgerald waving at her from across the room, and excused herself to say a quick hello.

  “So, darling...Esther, is it?” asked Hedda.

  “Yep, that’s me, Darling Esther, it’s been my moniker since birth.”

  “Oh Lew, how delightfully funny our dear Lottie’s bony little friend is.”

  “Darling Bony Esther, it’s the winning trifecta of names,” said Esther.

  “Have you two been forever friends? I am embarrassed on your behalf to have to admit this, but I have never heard your name before tonight. Lottie has never mentioned you, not even once. I suppose all the wonderful times that she and I have been having together, has made her forget what she’s left behind.”

  “Hedda, you really don’t wear green all that well,” stated Esther.

  “Darling, I’m not wearing green.”

  “Yes, yes you are. Let me tell you in terms that I think you will better understand. If you were a male dog, you would have lifted your back leg and peed on Lottie, marking your turf. But as we can all see by the cleavage you so blatantly like to put out on display, you are very much female, which in doggie terms makes you a bitch. And I am here to let you know, that you are a big non-bony bitch.”

Hedda stood up and swore out at Esther in German, causing Lew to pull her back down, telling her to hush. He then took Esther by the hand, speaking loud enough to drown out Hedda’s grumbling.

  “Miss Hedda is just protective of Miss Lottie, and is simply concerned about your devotion to her.”   

  “You can tell that bitch, that I will always have Lottie’s back,” said Esther, yanking her hand from his grip.

  Lottie arrived back twenty minutes later, and found the table had gone awkwardly quiet.

Sensing the obvious tension, she offered to buy another round of what she playfully called 'whisk-teas'. The group agreed, and civil chatter eventually returned. The evening came to an abrupt ending when Leyland Chumley, the owner of the bar, bellowed out, “86, 86 the crowd, everyone out, there’s going to be a raid.”

The partiers stampeded out the gin joint’s front entrance onto Bedford Street, narrowly escaping into the night, as sirens drew closer.

Chapter 5

    The next morning Lottie was still deep in sleep with her dog snuggled up next to her, when the telephone rang out. It had been her boss, who went strictly by the name, Charters.

His call had been brief, and his directive clear.

  “Time is of the essence, Lynch. Set your personal shit aside, and take care of business. Now!” demanded Charters, before slamming down the phone.

  Lottie slid out from under Jo, who had just laid her large head across her mother’s stomach. Let sleeping dogs lie, she’d thought to herself, if only she could when it came to Harrison Grant. 

Two hours later, Lottie had readied herself to deal with Harry.

    She entered the building’s main reception area, and headed straight to Esther’s desk.

Esther had just been finishing up lunch. They discussed the prior evening’s events, in which Esther told her about comparing Hedda to a female dog.

  “No offence to Jo,” said Esther sincerely.

Lottie then told her friend that there was an urgent matter that she had to bring Harry in on, and that Esther’s help would probably be needed once things were set in motion.

   “Like the good old days,” said Esther with a smile.

  “Were they good?” challenged Lottie.

  “They weren’t all bad, and you know it. Now, go on and get it over with,” said Esther, waving her friend off.

  Lottie took the stairs up two flights, landing on the floor where Harry’s corner office at the Justice Department took up space. She knocked softly on the door, hoping that it wouldn’t be heard, but it was. Harry showed her in, and offered her one of the two brown leather club chairs, that sat directly across from him. They each took their seats, and silence held court for a couple of minutes before Lottie finally blurted out, “Let’s just do this.”

  “Brass tacks then, let’s get down to them.”

  She began by telling him why she was really back in the city, and why Charters had requested her to do so. She saw something cross Harry’s face, and wasn’t sure how to translate it, until he spoke. “So, none of this return was your idea then?”

  “None,” she said feeling a sudden wave of remorse wash over her.

  He then lit up a cigar, pulling in a few deep draws to get a good burn going. The smell of dried fermented tobacco permeated the air. It was a stink Lottie remembered well, and she was sure he had remembered her dislike of it too. She chose not to comment, since it was most likely done to spite her.

  “Charters wants us to play nice together,” she said.

  Harry’s laugh sounded bitter to her ears, and the expletives that followed were choice.

Again, she refrained from comment. She knew that he had to work through things in his head, before he’d be ready for a real conversation.

  Fifteen long minutes ticked by before Harry finally got up, and fished out a bottle of ill-gotten whiskey from the back of his coat closet.

  “So much for Prohibition.” she said.

  “I have a doctor’s note, and it says that in my condition I shouldn’t drink alone.”

At that, he grabbed two highball glasses that sat beside a water pitcher on his desk, and filled both tumblers with two fingers of the amber liquid. Harry slid a drink in front of her, which she accepted. He plunked back down into his chair, threw his feet up on the desk, and tapped the ash from the cigar that had been smouldering in the heavy crystal ashtray.

It had been a gift from Lottie, when he was given his promotion. He suddenly moved it away from him, claiming the smoke was getting in his eyes, but Lottie was sure that it had more to do with his recognition that it had come from her.

“So, tell me more about this colourful friend of yours?”

  “Do you mean Hedda Kolorz, Madame Rothberg, Lady Beaumont, or Baroness Le Brock? Which one of her many aliases would you like to know about?”

Harry took a sip from his glass. “Go on.”

  “When I left New York City, it was because Charters recruited me to work for my country over there. We had aligned with the British government to help root out foreign agents. The war was over, but espionage was not.”

Harry expelled another disgusted laugh, and twisted his watch, which was a tell that he was about to erupt. “And you needed to move to London England, to do what you were doing here? That’s just bullshit!”

  “Okay Harry, here’s the whole truth. I left because I had a chance at doing more, actually being an operative in the field, not just sitting behind a typewriter, occasionally writing coded messages in my gossip column.”

  “And I didn’t deserve to be told that to my face?”

  “I should have told you, but you would have talked me out of it.”

  “Damn straight I would have.”

  “See, you admit it. And I would have stayed, and we would have been married.”

  “And that would have been a painfully, suffocating, fate worse than death?”

   “Yes, because eventually I would have resented the hell out of you for having a career, and for giving up the one I wanted. I would have blamed you, Harry. I just didn’t want us to end up hating each other.”

  “Well, I kinda think I hate you right now, anyway.”

  “And maybe you should. Just know that I loved us, and I left here loving you.”

Harry’s face instantly flushed red with anger, as he took his cigar and rubbed it out hard into the ashtray, obliterating it in the process. He leaned in across the desk, getting in Lottie’s face, while daggers shot from his dark eyes. “Don’t you dare say that you loved me,” he hissed through clenched teeth.

Lottie felt a physical pain sear her heart. She leaned back a little, before choosing her next words. “You had to know that a tidy little home with a white picket fence, and a couple of kids, was never my fairytale,” she said softly.

  “And it was mine?” said Harry, slumping back into his chair.

  “Is that a question, or an answer?”

He took a couple of minutes before he responded, “Frankly Charlotte, I don’t know.”

Harry looked devasted in that moment, and Lottie reached out to hold his hand, and he let her. “But did you have to take our dog too?”

  Silence filled the room for the next few minutes before Harry finally spoke again. “I might get past hating you, but I’ll always hate Charters.”

  “Understood,” said Lottie.

Harry then got up from his desk, and walked over to the window. His back was to Lottie, as he looked out into a bright sun filled day. Lottie watched quietly, while he appeared to rub his face. “Damn sun is getting in my eyes,” he said gruffly, closing the wooden blinds.

He cleared his throat, and turned back to face her. “Let’s go catch us a spy.”

  “That’s why Charters sent me.”

  “Fuck Charters.”

Lottie laughed out loud.

Chapter 6

  Later that afternoon, Harry and Lottie had Esther join them, reading her in on Lottie’s real reason for her return.

  “Three things cannot long stay hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth,” said Esther after she had been brought up to speed.

  “Who said that?” asked Harry.

  “I did, did you not just see my lips moving? Suddenly, I’m a ventriloquist?”

  “Who really, or was that from some fortune cookie you picked up at The Chinese Tuxedo?” quizzed Harry.

  “Damned if I know. The last time that I ate there, I forgot to open the cookie, and chewed it down paper and all.”  

  “Buddha said it, so having cleared that up, can we get back on task. Charters doesn’t want my cover blown, so I can’t be there when an arrest happens, if it happens?” said Lottie.

  “It’ll happen, all we need is proof that they’re spies, and it’ll happen,” said Harry confidently.

  The rest of that day found the three agents making calls and sifting through information Lottie had brought with her, hoping to find something that would help bring Hedda’s true colours to light.

  When Lottie arrived back at the Astor later that same evening, she observed a well-dressed, middle-aged man with a goatee, leaving Hedda’s room. The man’s gait had an air of superiority as he passed by Lottie without so much as a nod.  Von Helfrich, she assumed.

Chapter 7

  The following morning at breakfast, Hedda broke the news that she and Lew had been invited by her family friend for dinner and a play, and would be unavailable for the rest of the day. She then suggested a return to Chumley’s for just the three of them, the following evening.

  “Great, it’ll be just the three of us, Esther’s busy anyway,” said Lottie, noticing a look of relief cross Lew’s face.

   “Until then,” said Hedda.

   “Until then,” agreed Lottie.

  Lottie arrived back at her room to find Harry there, waiting with Jo. “How would I ever explain this, if Hedda had come in here with me?” she whisper-yelled in his direction.

  “Tell her Jo let me in,” he whispered back.

Lottie continued in a hushed tone as she told Harry about the man leaving Hedda’s room the night before, and about her ‘friends’ immediate plans.

  The hallway suddenly got loud as Hedda and Lew began arguing in German, while heading back out to wherever they were going. The voices faded as they made their way toward the elevator.

  “Well, they’re both fluent in German,” said Harry.

  “I can’t speak for Lew, but she is also fluent in three other languages.”

  “Great, let’s add linguistic bullshit artist to her already lengthy resume.”

Lottie chuckled. “Harry, we need to go, we have to follow them,” said Lottie suddenly panicked.

Harry assured her that he had his men watching their every move, and that Hedda and Lew would never know they were under surveillance.

  “Don’t be so sure of that. This is a game she plays notoriously well.”

  “Kolorz has decided to roll the dice in my city, and they’re coming up snake eyes for her. She won’t win.”

  “I hope you’re right. I’d really love to take her down. I have seen inklings of the dark ugliness that lurks just below the surface of that beautiful mask she wears. Esther got a small taste of it the other night.”

Harry barked out a deep belly laugh. It still played like music on Lottie’s ears. “And then she got an even bigger taste of Esther, and I bet that left its own scorch mark,” said Harry sounding like a proud big brother.

Lottie nodded, knowing full well that Esther’s sharp tongue could leave a blister.

  The telephone began ringing in Lottie’s room. She’d barely got the receiver to her ear, before Esther began her rapid report. “The two schmucks led Maddox straight to The Bowery Bank in Manhattan. For professional spies, they’re not all that covert,” said Esther.

  “Maybe they don’t think they have to be, now that they’re here in the States.”

  “Anyway, they met up with some middle-aged man with a goatee. Who still wears a goatee?”

  “Stay on point, Esther.” 

  “Right, anyhoo, they went into the bank together, and haven’t come out yet.”

   “Thanks for the update, we’ll head straight over there.”

  “Did I happen to mention, that I am dating the manager of that very bank?” said Esther.

  “Then, we'll pick you up on the way.”

Chapter 8

  Harry parked his car a block away from the bank, and the threesome jumped out. They found Agent Maddox ever vigilant, in his black Oldsmobile. He gave his report and told them that the second surveillance vehicle had followed their primary target’s cab.  Harry went to a payphone, and called the office for an update. He arrived back, motioning for the ladies to follow him, while he instructed Maddox to find a locksmith.

   “We need to move, now!” barked Harry.

They raced across the street, and up the bank’s vast concrete steps, as Maddox peeled out.

    Esther sweet talked her new beau, Ari Gould, into telling them what Hedda and her entourage had done at the bank. Harry flashed his identification, and demanded to have a look into the safety deposit box that Hedda and her friends had previously pulled out.

Maddox arrived fifteen minutes later with a lock-man, who immediately went to work.

  “What secrets lie in wait?” Lottie wondered aloud.

   “Oh, just the usual Pandora’s Box kinda stuff, greed and madness at the very least,” added Esther.

  “Ladies, less chatter,” said Harry, moving in to lift the heavy steel lid.

  It was filled with secret documents and papers, involving many important people from around the globe, some needed decoding. There were two passports, with new identities.

  “I just want to get to the truth,” said Lottie.

  “The truth is all here and it has teeth...and it is about to bite her right in the ass,” said Harry with a wide grin.

  “Well, hello, Mr. and Mrs. Harold and Lottica Granch,” announced Esther, holding open the passports.

  “Harry and Lottie for short,” she added, chuckling.

  “They smooshed up our last names, and married us off. Fuckers!” said Harry.

Lottie noticed Ari Gould’s mouth drop open. She shrugged, and said, “Sometimes it’s the only word that works.”

  Harry refocused, and pulled out two thick stacks of American money. He then turned to Ari, and told him to find him a box. Ari instantly ran to do Harry’s bidding.

  “I just love a man that takes orders well,” said Esther.

  “Yep, you two were made for each other,” said Harry sarcastically.

  “And you now have your proof,” said Harry in Lottie’s ear, as she leaned in close beside him. “We have our proof.”

Chapter 9

    Hedda Kolorz was arrested the following morning, for espionage. She had probably hoped that she was about to get lucky, when she first saw Harry at the door, but quickly realized she was anything but, when she was abruptly slammed into handcuffs. Agent Maddox, who was Harry’s backup, found Lew soaking in a bubble bath, singing along to the radio. In all his naked slipperiness, he offered little resistance to being taken into custody.

They of course declared their innocence.

  Hedda Kolorz and Lew, who seemed to have no last name other than Granch, took up residency on Ellis Island, where those involved in tradecraft uncomfortably awaited their fate.

  Harry got credit for the brilliant takedown of a pair of notorious spies, and an open invitation to England anytime he wanted, and he wanted.

  Esther Tuttlebaum also received her dues in the apprehension, but seemed far more excited about her boyfriend Ari’s proposal.

  Lottie Lynch stood with her beloved bull terrier on the deck of the ocean-liner, that was set to sail back across the pond. Her mission had been a success, on many levels. She had outplayed Hedda at her own game, she’d reopened an old wound that was seeking closure, and was now contentedly sailing back, to the life she had chosen.

  The End.