Chapter 29

A week later, Malik, in one of his new suits, began his round of visits in Washington City, starting with his old law school roommate in the Attorney General’s office. As he related to Gabriela later, he was immediately glad that he had decided not to seek his roommate’s counsel regarding Senator Ranford. His former classmate was fully engaged in the bureaucratic rivalries and scheming in the federal capitol. The man’s name-dropping and assumed airs quickly put Malik off. After picking what he could of the other’s brain regarding Ranford and the other elected officials from home, Malik excused himself as being neglectful of his bride.

Representative Mortonson was not available as he was back at home, in Aranoso, politicking and campaigning, but Senator DeBray was in the federal city and accepted Malik’s appointment. On a whim, but more at her insistence, Malik took Gabriela along. It was a smart choice. Her grace, charm, and presence changed the tenor of the meeting to one of relaxed comradery. Malik entered into a serious discussion of his issues rather than having to listen to the standard platitudes of high-level politicians. As they were preparing to leave, one comment unintentionally caught Malik’s ear. Gabriela had mentioned looking forward to meeting Senator Ranford, and DeBray had muttered, under his breath, “He’s going to love you.”

He cited the remark while discussing the visit with Gabriela after they returned to their rooms in the Willard Hotel. She had already reached the conclusion that Ranford may be something of a ladies’ man. This was in keeping with some of the comments Malik had heard from his law school acquaintance in the Attorney General’s office as well as the gossip Gabriela encouraged in the hairdresser’s shop in the hotel.

Malik had already located Senator Ranford’s home, in the area of the former city of Georgetown, which had been absorbed into the federal district’s consolidated government in 1871. Ranford’s home was a three-story row house, meaning that the building was directly abutted on both sides by the neighboring residences, so that the only access was from the street in front or the alley in back.

Three live-in servants had rooms there. One was a middle-aged Negro woman who was the cook and housekeeper. The second was her husband, who served as a liveried general factotum. Finally, there was a tall, burly Irish roustabout who drove the Senator’s carriage and always accompanied the him. The man wore a tan, gabardine hunting coat, apparently as a sort of uniform. The coat did little to conceal the bulge under the bodyguard’s left arm, no doubt covering a revolver in a shoulder holster. Ranford, while not especially cautious otherwise, was never out in public without the presence of this man.

With the unexpected attendance of the bodyguard, Malik decided that he would have to enter the home as a burglar, rather than confront Ranford on the street.

Should no better situation present itself, Malik had determined that he would enter through a third floor window, on the rear of Ranford’s row house, a window which never showed any light of an evening. A trellised vine would provide access. It appeared the two Negro servants occupied an attic room with a dormer window, but it faced the street. The bodyguard had a room at a back corner on the ground floor. Ranford’s room occupied the front of the second floor.

First thing Saturday morning, Malik sent this wire to Cowboy:

Hope things well at ranch. Bought a hat for me, spats for you. Found source for darker leaf cigars. To get price may have to buy five boxes or more. How was hunting trip?

But there had been no reply by the time they went to bed that night.