THE FLAPPER'S FAN

Chapter 10 - Silly Young Things

The next day the rain had cleared and I decided to take a walk. I had not been able to stop thinking about Mrs Brewer's sister and her own time traveling story. What did that mean for me? I hoped it meant I would return home once I had completed my task here, and if that were to happen then I needed to solve the mystery surrounding Grace Howard. As I walked, my step lightened and my mind whirred and by the time I reached Nick's house once again, I had formed a plan.

Charlie had been most disappointed Nick couldn't join us but of course the messenger had delivered yet another note advising of his further delay that afternoon, and so it was only the three of us heading to the Trocadero for the evening. Harry was beaming from ear to ear with one of us on each arm as we entered the club where dancing was in full swing and beautiful people laughed and drank cocktails beneath a haze of cigarette smoke. Ever the gentleman, Harry found us a table and quickly ordered three champagnes. While he whispered in Charlie's ear, I surveyed the nearby tables, finding what I was looking for with little trouble. A gang of young men in spiffy suits restricted my view of all but her shapely legs and diamante-encrusted shoes, but I knew it was Grace immediately, not least because I could hear her musical laugh from here, especially once the music ended. As the band struck up another well known tune, Charlie dragged a willing Harry onto the dance floor where they were quickly engulfed by the dense crowd. Grace had turned down all offers and only a few die hard suitors remained, sitting around the table, each trying to win her attention by regaling more and more improbable tales of their exploits. I reached her but she had not seen me when I suddenly exclaimed loudly "Oh my goodness, it is Grace Howard!" She turned to me, and I gushed. "I loved your last movie, you are my favourite actress!" Obviously I wasn't hers however, and I had to admit my acting skills left a lot to be desired. However, her eyes twinkled and she turned to the young men and waved them away. "Sorry boys, but I need some time with my fans!" They groaned and looked at her pleadingly with their big brown or blue eyes and like a passel of puppies they gamboled away as she shook her head.

"Oh thank you so much, they were boring me to tears!" she laughed, patting my hand. Her eyes narrowed. "Wait, I know you don't I?" She tapped her chin with one buffed fingernail. "The restaurant! Le Bon Melange. You were there alone, with some kind of bodyguard as I recall."

"Oh, how embarrassing! I was stood up as you may have noticed. Again! For the last time though, I told him we were through after that."

She nodded sympathetically. "I know the type. You are well rid of him darling." She held out her hand. "You know who I am, but you've yet to tell me your name."

"Of course! Edith Ryan. My friends call me Eddie."

"And is that what we are?" she waved her cigarette holder in an elegant arc. "Friends?"

I blushed. Was she hitting on me?

"Not that I'm not flattered, but I'm sorry, I'm not interested." I said gently.

She looked at me with blank surprise and then started laughing uproariously.

"Oh darling," she said, patting my hand once more, "you are definitely not my type! But perhaps we could just be friends?"

"Of course," I accepted. I could see Charlie and Harry returning to our table and stood, getting ready to return.

"Don't leave so soon!" Grace pouted. "Those boys will come back and bore me some more. You'll look back at my table and I will probably be dead from boredom, just my skeleton sitting here, still wearing this fabulous dress of course, and the silly young things won't even notice, they'll whisk me onto the dance floor and do the Charleston with my bones!" I laughed at the amusing imagery, but agreed to stay and chat. I turned to find Charlie and Harry heading straight for me and got ready to make introductions.

"Eddie, there you are!" she bobbed a curtsey to Grace who looked amused but not surprised. Obviously things like this happened to her every day. "Harry met a few friends who want to go to the Kit Kat Club. Do you want to come?" She included Grace in the invitation.

"I'm sorry, Grace Howard, my friends Charlie and Harry."

"So pleased to meet you," Grace smiled at them both and then sighed. "Alas, I won't be going to the Kit Kat club, although I appreciate the invitation. Eddie, you're quite welcome to stay and chat with me, my driver can drop you home when you're ready to leave."

"Do you mind?" I looked at Charlie but her eyes were flashing a message - I was in for a serious debrief when we caught up after this. She would want all the gossip.

"Of course not, you gals have a fabulous time! Eddie, I'll see you tomorrow!"

As promised, Grace and I chatted for almost two hours. I had not had a best friend since Belinda Johnson in primary school, but I felt in Grace I had found someone I could share all my deep, dark secrets with. Well, maybe not the deepest, darkest secret. Charlie, Mrs Brewer and even Nick, and now Grace - this time was becoming more of a home to me than my own. No-one judged me here, not any of those whom I had shared the tragic story of my marriage, not even Mrs Brewer who knew my improbable tale of time travel. I felt stronger and more confident than I ever had and the thought of returning to the empty and lonely future caused a physical pain in my chest.

The club was still filled with couples dancing, drinking and touching beneath the tablecloths when I took up Grace's offer to drop me home. On the way I realised she might know it was Nick's house, and I began to prepare a story. As it turned out she asked to be dropped off first, giving me a kiss on the cheek and a cheerio as she was helped out of the car by her driver.

"Thank you so much Eddie, I had a wonderful time," she said, then leaned forward and whispered: "you know they will be saying you're my new lover, don't you?"

I laughed. "Let them, I'm flattered!" She smiled at me and gently shook her head.

"You're a strange girl, Edith Ryan, but I like you very much." Then she nodded to the driver who shut the door firmly before escorting her to the door. Later he did the same for me, seeing me safely inside. I thought of the fan and photograph, safely in my suitcase, and what they meant. I was still sure that the mystery I needed to solve involved Grace, but I was convinced that whatever it was, she was not the villain of the piece.

I waited until the driver had departed and then knocked on Joe's door. I laid out my plans and he accepted my request without a word. Soon we were heading back to Grace's house, this time in Nick's car rather than Joe's cab, arriving only just in time, as a dark coated female figure distinguishable only by the white blonde wisps peaking from beneath her hat, scurried out of the front door. We watched her until she was out of sight and then followed in the car. At the next street she turned, and so did we, but I asked Joe to pull over so I could get out and follow on foot. He grumbled a little but he did as I asked. I knew he would keep me safe. I hurried up the street after her, but Grace was nowhere to be seen. If I hadn't heard her voice, I would have walked right past the laneway and given away my presence, but as it was I heard the conversation just in time and pressed up against the wall, my heart pumping. The conversation was too low for me to distinguish words, but the tone was urgent and laced with fear. There were long pauses and I had the uncomfortable feeling they were kissing.

"I'll wait to hear from you," Grace said, getting closer. I looked around wildly for somewhere to hide, but there was nowhere so I headed back the way I had come, almost at a run, on my toes to prevent the click of my heels giving me away. Joe pulled up beside me and I jumped in. We had turned the corner before Grace had even exited the lane.

"So what did yer hear then?" Joe asked from his seat in the front.

"I couldn't hear what they were saying, only that it was a man." I was seething with frustration. I needed to solve this mystery so I could go home, which was what I wanted. Wasn't it?