Chapter 33
CHAPTER 33
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1927
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Two police officers take hold of Mr. Barnes, freeing William to return to my side. Mr. Olson speaks with the third officer, filling him in on the events of the evening as Mrs. Oxley-Barnes watches from the corner of the room, out of the way.
I lean my head toward William. “I love my position at The Hamilton.” Lifting my chin, I meet his gaze. “Honestly, I do, but you were right. No job is worth letting someone else’s rules make me feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Sometimes, being a good employee means raising the red flag when something is amiss, even if you don’t think it is your job to do so.”
“I couldn’t agree more, Miss Wilson.” Mr. Olson steps toward us, indicating that the police officer would like to speak to William. “Rest assured, I will be amending the hotel policies first thing Monday morning. I’ve underestimated how a maid might find herself in a precarious position through no fault of her own. I want all the staff at The Hamilton to be comfortable coming to us for assistance of any kind. I won’t be so quick to judge the next time, though I do hope there is never a next time. I will discuss this evening’s events with Mr. Hamilton, and I promise you, we will come up with a better solution to keep our staff safe and happy. I imagine if our employees are happy, then the guests we serve will be as well.”
Ms. Thompson signals to Mr. Olson that she and Louisa are taking Gwen to the basement to telephone her parents. “I will be right down. I’ll stop by to speak with Mr. Reynolds first, and I’ll have him direct the doctor to your office. I don’t imagine this will be a comfortable or easy conversation for Gwen or her parents.”
The police officer in charge tells Mr. Olson they will be in touch but that he should expect to make time for all those involved to be interviewed in the coming days. “We will remove Mr. Barnes from the hotel. Would you prefer us to exit via the back door?”
Mr. Olson looks to Mrs. Oxley-Barnes and with a defiant tilt of his chin says, “Take him out through the lobby.” Checking his wristwatch, he adds, “It’s nearly eight o’clock. The place should be humming with a crowd by now.”
I stifle a gasp, but William, it seems, cannot hide his surprise and lifts his eyebrows in question. Mr. Olson’s sober expression tells me he means business. Humbled by the events of the evening, he is willing to face the whispers that are sure to come with the police escorting a guest out the front door. He is risking his own embarrassment and possibly the hotel’s reputation to ensure Mr. Barnes receives the public shaming he so readily deserves.
Mr. Barnes is placed in handcuffs. The sound of metal closing around his wrists is hard to ignore, and I feel the mood in the room grow sombre. The officers are pushing him forward to begin his walk of humiliation when I remember he still has Mama’s watch.
Before the officers can take him away, I spin toward the writing desk, shuffling papers onto the floor in a hurry. This may be my last chance to find it. “It has to be here.” I swipe an arm across the desk, finding nothing but dark wood beneath. My heart sinks at the thought of losing Mama’s watch forever. Deflated, my chin drops to my chest as William steps toward me with concern. Moisture rims my lower lids as my eyes scan the papers scattered about the plush carpet.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimmer of silver peeking up at me. I drop to my knees and breathe a sigh of relief. “I’ve got it.” I pluck the watch from the floor beneath the writing desk and lift it up to show William. Standing, I turn to call after Mr. Barnes before he leaves the suite and my life forever. “This”—I hold Mama’s watch up for him to see—“isn’t yours for the taking. In fact, none of us are.”
I place Mama’s watch on my wrist and try to force the clasp closed. Still broken, the clasp gives way and slips from my wrist. William catches it and tucks it into his suit pocket. “Why don’t I keep this safe for now?”
Appreciation rushes through me at his kindness. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t hide the smile William’s thoughtfulness elicits.
The police officer in charge raises a hand in farewell. “Thank you, everyone. We will be in touch soon. I hope you are able to enjoy the rest of your evening.”
We watch in silence as Mr. Barnes is escorted from the suite. Glancing around the room, I consider the chaos one man created in all of our lives. I wonder how it is possible for one person to cause so much turmoil.
People like Mr. Barnes may shout the loudest, but that doesn’t mean their words carry more weight. They are simply hiding their true intentions behind a wall of noise. I look at William, and though I don’t have the answers for everything, I know without a doubt that there are good people in this world. Those are the ones who deserve my time and attention.
William extends his elbow in a gallant gesture. “Miss Wilson, I believe we have a ball to attend.” I slide my arm into his.
“I believe we do, Mr. Thompson.”
We stroll past Mr. Olson as Mrs. Oxley-Barnes inquires about a room for the night. “This one appears to be vacant, and I have already paid for it.”
I marvel at the woman’s forthright approach. I imagine she ruffles her fair share of feathers, but I bet she isn’t concerned over whether her actions are deemed pleasing. I’ve learned from my dealings with Mr. Barnes that you will always disappoint someone, but that someone shouldn’t be yourself.