The Perfect Partnership

The only thing missing at Lillian’s wedding was an armed escort. With the Red Devil Gang still at large in the desolate streets of 1932 Chicago, reporter Lillian Charles and detective Edward Gray remained prime targets of unprovoked violence. Their repeated victories against the leaders of the gang almost ensured the visit of several uninvited guests on their special day.

Regardless of the relaxed security system, there must have been at least three hundred people squeezed into the small church, all dressed in the best they could afford. The depression hadn’t been kind to many.

Lillian brushed her cheeks with a soft pink blush. Margaret burst into the room and quickly shut the door, as if she were being chased by a deranged bobcat.

“Where’s the fire?” Lillian asked, looking at Margaret through her mirror’s reflection.

“Have you seen how many people are here? There’s got to be a thousand!”

“Now don’t exaggerate. Your career in acting has gotten you dramatic about everything.”

“Lily, I’m serious. There are a lot of people out there. I warned you this might happen. You never should have put your wedding date in the press.”

“They are just excited to celebrate something for a change,” Lillian replied, setting down her make-up brush. “It feels like there’s hardly anything to smile about these days.”

“That’s just my point!” Margaret replied louder than was needed. “William Florence could waltz into the reception with a handgun and an entree of cold revenge just for you. He almost killed you once.”

Lillian straightened a pearl pin in her dusty brown hair before turning to glare at Margaret.

“Now you’re just being ridiculous. William Florence has been behind bars for six months, and Edward assured me that an escape is impossible. You’re letting my editor’s headlines bother you too much. Besides, Chance will protect me. Won’t you, boy?”

The mutt lying at Lillian’s feet lifted his head and barked.

“That’s just the problem, Lily. You’re putting your life in the hands of a fifty-pound dog you found on the street. There should at least be an officer posted outside this door. Maybe two.”

“Chance is not a raggedy mutt. He’s helped sniff out more than his fair share of drug dealers and shady businessmen, haven’t you?”

Chance barked and rubbed his head against her white dress.

“Whatever,” Margaret sighed, sinking into a chair. “There really aren’t any officers anywhere? Maybe in the bell tower? Or behind a curtain?”

Lillian shook her head and allowed a smile.

Chance suddenly sat up and bounded to the closed door with a bark. The door creaked open as Mrs. Charles peeked inside.

“We’re ready for you, Lillian.”

“We’re coming, Mother. And if you’re done fussing, Margaret, you’re welcome to join us.”

Margaret huffed and bounced out of the chair. She grabbed the large bouquet of roses from the table.

“I’m coming just so I can say I told you so. There’s bound to be a ruffian in that crowd. I just know it!”

Edward pulled at his tie and swallowed hard. He tried keeping his composure, but remaining stone-faced was becoming increasingly difficult.

Lillian was late.

Had something happened to her? Had she changed her mind? A sense of dread filled him, and he itched to search for her. As he was about to move, the bride entered the auditorium. He froze as a dancing melody wafted through the air. It swirled around the guests, giving them a sense of peace as they stared. Edward straightened, his eyes locked on Lillian’s veiled face. Her veil was thicker than most and certainly against high fashion, but Edward wasn’t concerned. Lillian had never been keen on keeping up with the latest trends. But even though the thick lace hid her face, Edward knew she was just as lovely as ever.

Edward reached for her hand and grasped it tightly as she joined him in front of the minister. But a cold chill suddenly ran down the detective’s spine when his bride laced her fingers with his.

She’d never done that before.

Another quick but observant glance was enough to run his blood cold. He leaned over to whisper:

“Weren’t Margaret and Chance supposed to be with you?”

“Don’t worry,” she whispered back. “They’ll be along in a minute.”

She seemed to grip her large bouquet of roses tighter as if she were struggling to hold onto it with a singular hand, and Edward swallowed hard. Was her voice lower than usual? He shook the thought from his mind, but the hollow feeling in his stomach remained.

The minister started with his speech, but Edward found it hard to concentrate. Something was wrong. He could feel it. When the music stopped, he heard a noise that drained the color from his face. Chance was howling.

He turned toward the aisle while releasing his bride’s hand, and the large bouquet of roses fell to the floor. As the petals hit the steps, Edward felt the chilling touch of a pistol at the base of his skull. He refrained from turning around, but the instant chatter in the audience told him all he needed to know.

“Where is Lillian?” he asked, itching to retrieve his own gun hidden in the back of his belt. Margaret flipped back the veil as a thin smile graced her lips.

“I’m surprised at you, Detective Gray. No officers? No escort? Did you really think your sweet Lillian would even make it to the altar?”

“What have you done with her?”

“Detained with that rat of a dog. Which is better than what awaits you.”

She removed the gun, fired into the air, and returned the barrel to his head so fast she would have passed for a gold-rush gunslinger. At the sound of the shot, as many as twenty men sprang up from the audience, all brandishing their own weapons.

“Let me guess. Friends of yours?”

“You could say that. Now on your knees!”

“Margaret-”

“Now!”

Edward obeyed her screeching command but kept his eyes up. His hands started inching toward his concealed weapon, but a smart tap in the head from Margaret’s pistol halted further attempts in retrieving it.

“Margie, whatever they’ve promised you isn’t worth all of this,” he said, sweat beading his forehead as the Red Devils paced the perimeter of the sanctuary. “Just think about Lillian. Is hurting her really worth the money they’re promising you?”

“Don’t call me Margie,” she hissed. “You don’t know what it’s been like for me.”

“You don’t owe an explanation, love,” a new voice cut in.

To say the arrival of the well-groomed gentleman was unexpected would have grossly underwhelmed the panic that rose in Edward’s chest the moment he stepped into the room. Whispered terror erupted in the crowd, especially when they all saw Lillian in the man’s tight clutches. Her face was deathly pale, but she’d refrained from fainting. She and Edward locked eyes as William dragged her down the aisle. He stopped half-way, shifting his hold on Lillian. His posture changed from a rigid oak to a bending willow, his fingers brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. She inhaled sharply, and Edward turned from white to red.

“I’m almost pleased to be in this position again, detective. Only you can’t save your precious bride this time,” he said, his hands snaking toward her neck. “And after I squeeze out her last breath, you’ll be next.”

“Not if I can help it,” Edward snarled. He dropped his hands to the floor and swept a leg back, catching Margret in the knees. She toppled, the pistol firing just above William’s head. Lillian stomped onto William’s foot with her heel. He grunted but kept a firm hold on her waist. The Red Devils immediately moved to surround Edward, but the detective had caught Margret’s gun with his left hand and whipped out his own with his right. He fired two consecutive shots, taking down the first thugs running toward him.

Massive chaos ensued.

Most members of the crowd, mainly the women and the elderly, ducked below their seats and lay flat on the floor, while several men, who turned out to be Edward’s planned backup, remained upright. They pulled out their guns and attacked the closest Red Devil they could each get their hands on. Officer Clements, a particularly spirited young woman, ran up behind one of devils and landed a sharp kick to the back of his knees with her pointed heels as she flashed her badge.

Margret crawled unnoticed down the stairs and moved behind William Florence, who was too preoccupied with keeping a hold of Lillian to notice. She grabbed a hold of his pant leg and ripped his feet out from under him. As he fell, Margret jumped back to her feet and grabbed Lillian’s arm, keeping her from falling with him. William stared up at the women in utter disbelief.

“Margret? I-”

“You didn’t think I’d really side with you, did you Willy?” Margret asked, still holding onto Lillian. “Actress, remember?”

“YOU SNAKE! YOU UNRULY TEMPTRESS!” he screamed as the undercover officers held him down. “YOU’LL PAY, MARGRET! YOU’LL PAY WITH YOUR LIFE!”

“Sorry, Willy,” Margret gushed, giving him a coy smile. “I guess you’ll have plenty of time to think of ways to kill me when you get back to that cramped cell of yours. But don’t count on escaping again. That was a one-time deal,” she winked, and he continued yelling all sorts of curses as he was dragged out of the building. The rest of the Red Devils filed out of the building, each escorted by an undercover officer. As they walked past Lillian, one particularly large man halted in front of her. He sent her a snarling glare, his lip curling into a sneer.

Lillian swallowed hard but kept emotion from her face, determined to stay strong in front of her old adversary.

“I apologize for making you leave so soon, Harlan, but I’m afraid we have a policy against devils in church.”

He laughed—a dark, chilling laugh that was certain to haunt her dreams for the next month.

“My fair Lily. Do you really think you’ve got all of us behind bars? You and your detective better watch your backs.”

“And I suggest you watch yours,” Lillian sharply interrupted. “I’m not the one facing a trial for attempted murder.”

“Keep talking like that, Missy, and it will no longer be attempted.”

The officer pushed Harlan along as Edward wrapped a protective arm around Lillian’s waist. He pulled her close, and she rested her head on his chest. When the doors closed behind the last officer, all the guests blinked at Lillian and Edward. A few still scanned the room as if expecting another Red Devil to come up from the floor.

“I sincerely apologize for the horrendous events you have witnessed this evening.”

“Did you really think we’d come if we thought this would be a normal wedding?” a man near the back shouted.

Nervous laughter rippled throughout the room. Lillian and Edward shared a relieved smile as Margaret joined them at the front. Lillian hugged her friend tightly.

“We couldn’t have done this without you, Margie,” Edward said. “You played your part beautifully.”

“I am an actress, after all,” Margret replied, fluffing the bob of her hair.

“It was a genius plan, Edward, to draw the rest of the gang out of hiding,” Lillian added, receiving a pointed look from her mother. “But shouldn’t we proceed with the ceremony? These kind people have earned a happy ending.”

“So have we, my Lillian. So have we.”