Something Strange and Deadly (Something Strange and Deadly #1)(37)

“Daniel is correct,” Joseph said. “Mayor Stokely and many of the Exhibition board members are focused on the upcoming political elections. None of them wish to draw attention of any kind to themselves. Too much focus on the Dead or decapitations might bring attention to some of their shadier dealings. Every American politician is under new scrutiny now because of the Whiskey Ring.”

“The Whiskey Ring?” I picked at the buttons on my glove. “You mean that group of Republicans, right? I don’t see how that’s related to any of this.”

Daniel pressed his lips into a grim line. “Because those officials were using taxpayer money for their own misbehaving. And your local politicians aren’t any nicer. They rig the votes, keep tax money, and don’t want any of the visiting federal workers or foreigners to notice.”

I pressed my hand to my forehead. “I still don’t understand. If there’s so much danger from the Dead, wouldn’t the whole city want you to have the resources you need?”

“You’d think.” Daniel ran his tongue over his teeth. “But the board’s convinced we can keep the problem contained until the end of the Exhibition.”

“But that’s not for months!” I cried.

Joseph winced. “Wi, but with the elections coming up, the politicians need to downplay the Dead as a minor problem.”

“Plus,” Daniel hastened to add, “they don’t wanna spend precious campaign and bribery money on some worthless Spirit-Hunters.”

Joseph nodded. “Money that is also needed to pay for all this grandeur.” He flicked his wrist toward the window. “We, the Spirit-Hunters, have made progress, for we are training Exhibition guards to disable corpses, and it looks as though Mayor Stokely may also provide some police. This helps, but it is not enough. I am still the only person who can lay hundreds of Dead to rest at once.”

“So what do you need?” I asked, glancing around for a clock. There was none, but I was certain enough time had passed to raise Clarence’s suspicions over my extended absence. “If people aren’t enough, Mr. Boyer, then what is?”

Joseph grimaced. “Money, equipment, and when the time comes, more men. Many more men.”

“The time comes?” My eyes flitted between Joseph’s frown and Daniel’s glower. “Time for what?”

“Entering Laurel Hill.” Joseph spoke so low I could scarcely hear the words. “To stop all the Dead at once.”

Daniel huffed out a sigh. “But first I gotta finish my newest invention. And...” He dragged out the word and rolled his hands, as if the next step in his explanation was obvious.

But it wasn’t obvious to me, and I wagged my head. “And what?”

“And I can’t finish it.”

“Why?”

“I don’t have access to research. I need more information on electricity, explosives, chemicals, and the like.”

I wrinkled my forehead. “Why don’t you just go to the library?”

“We don’t have the right subscription.” Daniel scratched his jaw. “Sure, I can waltz into the Mercantile Library downtown whenever I fancy, but it does me no good if I can’t get into the private collections. And the Exhibition board does not seem keen on sharing that sort of subscription.”

Joseph spread his hands, palms up. “The city does not allow just anyone access to potentially dangerous information. It is for the safety of the citizens.”

Private collections. The Mercantile Library. Excitement bubbled through me—I could help! I’d spent many a childhood afternoon in that very same library, squeezed together in a chair with Elijah or exploring endless shelves. It was several miles east of the Exhibition, directly in the center of Philadelphia.

I stepped toward Daniel. “Do you mean the Mercantile on Tenth?”

“Yeah.” Daniel picked at his fingernails and avoided my eyes. “Why do you ask?”

“Because I can.”

“You can what?”

“I can go in the private collections!” I scurried toward him. “My father had a lifetime subscription, Mr. Sheridan, and not just that, but he had special privileges. I’m certain I could use his name to get you into the private collections.”

Daniel’s jaw fell. “Why didn’t you say so before?”

“What?” I recoiled. “How was I supposed to know you needed it?”

“We could’ve gone ages ago!”

My enthusiasm transformed into outrage. “In that case, why didn’t you say you needed it?”

“Because I didn’t know you had a subscription!”

“Aha!” I cried, thrusting a finger at him. “Your argument’s a circle!”

Daniel sprang up. “We wasted all this time—”

“Silence!” Joseph roared. “You are like squawking parrots, and I have had quite enough. Miss Fitt, I would ask that you take Mr. Sheridan to the library immediately. Daniel, I would ask that you keep that big mouth of yours silent.”

My shoulders drooped, and all my indignation washed away. “I-I can’t go now,” I replied meekly. “I’m here with someone, and I’m afraid...” I stopped my words and gulped.

Daniel’s face lost all color. “She’s right. Now won’t do. Tomorrow morning, first thing.” At Joseph’s questioning eyebrow, he added, “I’ll explain later.”