Lincoln’s address, Stephen Douglas had been saying that the framers of the Constitution firmly believed that the federal government had no power to regulate slavery outside the states. The Dred Scott decision and the Kansas-Nebraska Act destroyed the Missouri Compromise, and the expansion of slavery into the territories would be the overriding issue of the next election. At Cooper Union, Lincoln took his audience through the fifty-five delegates to the Constitutional Convention to show how their votes and actions after the Convention demonstrated that they did believe the federal government had the power to regulate slavery in the territories. He decimated Stephen Douglas, the likely Democratic candidate, with logic, facts, and ridicule.”
“ How does this fit?”
“ In the speech, Lincoln reviewed the political histories of all of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention. The text may provide a clue to the Shut Mouth family.”
“ Something no one has picked up?”
“ Something no one would notice if they didn’t know about the Society.”
Evarts finished his beer and motioned to Baldwin to ask if she wanted her drink refreshed. Getting a positive nod, he picked up their glasses and went into the kitchen. From the kitchen, he yelled, “What do you propose?”
“ Do you have broadband?”
He returned to the library. “Of course.”
“ Then if you think the house is safe, I’d like to stay here tomorrow and do some research.”
“ No problem. Tomorrow will be a short day for me. I won’t be gone long.”
“ What do you mean? Won’t you have a lot to do on the Douglass case?”
“ I’m being sent to a seminar, one far away. Because of my personal relationship with Douglass, they want me out of the way so the press can’t grill me.”
She sipped her wine and then asked, “The Shut Mouth Society?”
“ No. It smells too strong of city politics. Besides, their tentacles can’t reach everywhere.”
“ What about me?”
“ I’m going to pretend to go to the seminar, but I’ll stay with you until we get to the bottom of this. I need time, and probably your help, to break that code. Until I break it, nobody will believe that far-fetched story.”
“ Speaking of that, I have some additional thoughts.”
“ Let’s hear them.”
“ The law book idea is good, but there are more possibilities than I originally led you to believe.”
“ How many?”
“ Possibly a hundred, maybe more. We need to include books any lawyer might reference, like John Marshall rulings and dissertations on Constitutional law.”
Evarts smiled. “In the code-breaking business, a hundred or so possible keys isn’t overwhelming.” He finished his second beer and said, “Hungry?”
“ No. I had some of that pizza your cops brought in.”
“ Tired?”
“ Yes.” She took the last half swallow of her wine and rose from the loveseat with the empty glass. “I’m eager to go to bed.”
Evarts was tired as well, but he suddenly felt a need to be close to someone. “I have two guest rooms. Unless …”
“ No unless. I’m sure either of your guest rooms will do just fine.”
She walked to the orderly kitchen, rinsed the wine glass in the sink, and then held it aloft in an unspoken question. Evarts opened the dishwasher, and they both added their glasses to the neatly stacked top rack. Before showing her to her room, Evarts showed Baldwin the security features of the house.
After he led her downstairs to the bedroom level, he pointed to the first door in the hall. “This room has its own bathroom. You’ll find disposable toiletries in a basket by the sink.”
She gave Evarts an encouraging smile, but in a tone filled with finality, she said, “Thank you. Good night,” and closed the door.
Chapter 11
After he showered the next morning, Evarts became annoyed when he found neither of his newspapers on the front stoop. Living at the beach had disadvantages, and petty thievery ranked at the
“ How does this fit?”
“ In the speech, Lincoln reviewed the political histories of all of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention. The text may provide a clue to the Shut Mouth family.”
“ Something no one has picked up?”
“ Something no one would notice if they didn’t know about the Society.”
Evarts finished his beer and motioned to Baldwin to ask if she wanted her drink refreshed. Getting a positive nod, he picked up their glasses and went into the kitchen. From the kitchen, he yelled, “What do you propose?”
“ Do you have broadband?”
He returned to the library. “Of course.”
“ Then if you think the house is safe, I’d like to stay here tomorrow and do some research.”
“ No problem. Tomorrow will be a short day for me. I won’t be gone long.”
“ What do you mean? Won’t you have a lot to do on the Douglass case?”
“ I’m being sent to a seminar, one far away. Because of my personal relationship with Douglass, they want me out of the way so the press can’t grill me.”
She sipped her wine and then asked, “The Shut Mouth Society?”
“ No. It smells too strong of city politics. Besides, their tentacles can’t reach everywhere.”
“ What about me?”
“ I’m going to pretend to go to the seminar, but I’ll stay with you until we get to the bottom of this. I need time, and probably your help, to break that code. Until I break it, nobody will believe that far-fetched story.”
“ Speaking of that, I have some additional thoughts.”
“ Let’s hear them.”
“ The law book idea is good, but there are more possibilities than I originally led you to believe.”
“ How many?”
“ Possibly a hundred, maybe more. We need to include books any lawyer might reference, like John Marshall rulings and dissertations on Constitutional law.”
Evarts smiled. “In the code-breaking business, a hundred or so possible keys isn’t overwhelming.” He finished his second beer and said, “Hungry?”
“ No. I had some of that pizza your cops brought in.”
“ Tired?”
“ Yes.” She took the last half swallow of her wine and rose from the loveseat with the empty glass. “I’m eager to go to bed.”
Evarts was tired as well, but he suddenly felt a need to be close to someone. “I have two guest rooms. Unless …”
“ No unless. I’m sure either of your guest rooms will do just fine.”
She walked to the orderly kitchen, rinsed the wine glass in the sink, and then held it aloft in an unspoken question. Evarts opened the dishwasher, and they both added their glasses to the neatly stacked top rack. Before showing her to her room, Evarts showed Baldwin the security features of the house.
After he led her downstairs to the bedroom level, he pointed to the first door in the hall. “This room has its own bathroom. You’ll find disposable toiletries in a basket by the sink.”
She gave Evarts an encouraging smile, but in a tone filled with finality, she said, “Thank you. Good night,” and closed the door.
Chapter 11
After he showered the next morning, Evarts became annoyed when he found neither of his newspapers on the front stoop. Living at the beach had disadvantages, and petty thievery ranked at the
Similar Books
