The Family Business

Chapter 6: Double Trouble

Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Sunday, February 16, 1913.

Getting Dean and Sam sufficiently presentable for the Waldorf-Astoria wasn't the most pressing item on Neal's list, but the doorman probably wouldn't let them enter the hotel without a little sprucing up. The guestrooms were equipped with a long list of regulations. They included the prohibition of any guests of a less savory nature.

Luckily, he and Henry were both wearing overcoats. Neal gave his to Sam. It was a little short but covered up most of his clothes. With the addition of Neal's homburg, Sam would pass a cursory inspection. Dean's makeover was trivial since he and Henry were the same height. When they rode the elevator up, Neal and Henry were careful to stand in front. They kept the bellhop distracted with banter so he wouldn't pay much attention to the two men behind them.

They met in Henry and Chloe's room—now Dean and Chloe's room. Neal reluctantly gave up on eating in the dining room. Room service was more appropriate for the planning session ahead and the Winchesters' wardrobes wouldn't be an issue. While Neal ordered the meals, Henry went downstairs and reserved a room for himself and Sam. Tomorrow, they'd need to revisit their Fifth Avenue bank.

Over prime beef steaks as designed by Oscar of the Waldorf—and Neal promised himself to get his cookbook when they returned to the present—they caught each other up on the events of the past few days.

Dean and Sam readily agreed that they needed to prevent Astrena from victimizing Gleizes, but now the group had a second challenge. Dean didn't want to leave before they'd somehow rid the Bowery of Mickey Emerson. In principle, Neal would like to help, but taking down the head of an extortion racket?

Henry, however, was all for it. "This has to be the connection to June's mansion," he said. "That's been puzzling me ever since I heard about the message Sam had carved. How did you get in? Was there another reason for you being at the mansion? This must be it."

"I bet you're right," Dean said. "Neal and Mozzie told us about the old smuggling tunnel leading from the basement to the Hudson River. That could have been part of a con."

Henry picked up his slice of Red Velvet cake, one of the many dishes Oscar was famous for. "Give me a few minutes to work on it. I'll let you know if I need a second slice of cake." He went over to sit on the far bed, turning his back to them.

"Is he serious?" Sam murmured.

"Absolutely," Neal said. "And whatever he comes up with will be brilliant."

"Should we go to the other room so we won't disturb him?" Chloe asked.

"Don't," Henry called out. "Background chatter helps my thought process."

"You haven't told us how you'll tackle the Astrena problem," Sam said.

"That's slated for tomorrow," Neal said. "I plan to camp out at the Armory Show. I brought a sketchpad from home and clothes suitable for a student. Janet found a drawing of a university student from the 1910s. He wore a turtleneck, loose trousers, a tweed jacket, and a newsboy cap. Astrena's bound to be at the show since tomorrow is the opening day. I plan to impress her by sketching some of Picasso's surrealist works from the 1930s. She won't have seen anything like them."

Dean frowned. "Okay, so she meets you and gets glassy-eyed with hunger. Let's assume she even invites you to her lair. I know you're good, but how will you manage to snip the orchid bloom Chloe needs for her potion?"

"That's where we come in," Chloe said. "Sara and I are going to sneak into her house while she's ogling Neal at the art show. I'll take the bloom then."

The worry lines deepened on Sam's face. "How will you find out where she lives?"

"We already know, thanks to Sara," Chloe said smugly.