The Haunting of Eveline Paine

By John Robert Allen

The hurricane of 1929 devastated Miami and affected Eveline Paines plans for a new life in South Florida. Ransom letters and threats of kidnapping her sons, Patrick and Andrew, led Eveline to gangsters and situations that forced her to relive her previous life in New York State. Many individuals from her past and present had been involved in attempts to undermine her wealth that she inherited from her late husband, Wallace Paine. After attempts and threats to kill Eveline, a detective from the Miami Police Department, Jonathon Bingham, is assigned to the case and proceeds to uncover more criminal activity than expected. Eveline had believed the corruption that was exposed years ago, and put to a trial in Rochester, New York, a few years earlier, had been concluded. She is still haunted by suspicious characters and circumstances that appear to be people and events from her former life in Geneva, NY. After many months of uncertainty, situations unfold causing Eveline to learn the truth about people in her past when she and Eleanor Roosevelt share lunch at the Biltmore Hotel. After learning new information, Eveline is forced to rethink and face what had happened many years ago. Being concerned about her future now, because everyone is either dead, in prison, or moved away, Eveline suffers from a recurring ailment that has implications for her future. From The House of Many Windows and The Spirit of Wallace Paine to The Haunting of Eveline Paine, Eveline is forced to overcome unbelievable odds which ultimately give her the freedom for a new life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Nov 5, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496950888

John Robert Allen

A Life’s Journey is Mr. Allen’s fifth book. He was an educator of children and adults for 35 years. One of his life’s goals in retirement had been to write a book. The first book and the three that followed are a series of historical novels based on the family that built a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired prairie style home, which Mr. Allen owned in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. After having success with the four-book series, he has written his autobiography that includes themes related to Maslow’s theory of Self-Actualization, the environment, personal experiences, and prophetic spirituality. Mr. Allen has facilitated book clubs in Florida and New York State. He has conducted writing workshops, and offers writing support to individuals who are developing full manuscripts. While not spending time at his second home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he conducts writing support groups that are developing a book of short stories that will be published to exemplify senior’s involvement in writing.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Eveline Paine had been working to restructure her financial and personal life and decided to move to Miami, Florida. Winston, her longtime friend, was assisting in her move and was now the owner of the Spaulding Tropical Gardens. Eveline was in the process of having an Art Deco building constructed on Miami Beach when a hurricane hit South Florida. Her children, Patrick and Andrew, were in route by train to Miami as forecasters predicted the storm. Her possessions, including her Lincoln, were on the train with the boys. Everything was working out as planned even up to the last minute before the storm hit. All reports were that rail service and communications were not affected at this time. Mrs. Paine had been renting an apartment at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables until her new residence was completed. Winston had been busy with his new endeavor at the tropical gardens trying to clean it up and reestablish its grandeur. A few years ago, a hurricane had destroyed the property and it was left unattended after the storm. Eveline purchased the gardens as a gift to Winston for all his years of hard work for her. His plan was to re-open the Spaulding Tropical Gardens for tourists and public events. Sable and Olitha, Eveline’s domestic servants, were scheduled to arrive in Miami after the final moving was complete in Geneva, New York. Just as the storm began to worsen, Eveline was notified that there was a registered letter at the front desk for her.

The desk clerk handed Eveline the envelope, that turned out not to be a registered letter, which was addressed to: Mrs. Wallace Paine. Eveline looked at Winston, who was still groggy from being woken so suddenly, with a questionable look. She took the letter out of the envelope and read it out loud:

We regret to inform you that your boys Patrick and Andrew will not be arriving to you at the Biltmore Hotel. If you wish to see them again, a ransom of one million dollars will cover their safe return to you. Since you were so determined to undermine the business operations in Rochester and New York City, we feel the amount listed above will help to re-establish these operations you so happily ended with deaths and imprisonments. You will be receiving further instructions for the delivery of the ransom. Do not attempt to involve the law because we are the underworld lawmakers.

Eveline began screaming and ran to the desk clerk and demanded to know who delivered the letter. The clerk explained it was left in the drop box during the night. As he attempted to explain, the lights went out and the front doors blew open. Winston held Eveline as she sobbed for her children and what terrible things may be in store for them. Eveline asked Winston what she should do. He told her that they first needed to get back to the apartment before the flying glass hurt them because the windows were being blown out. People were panicking and running in all directions. The stairways were full of screaming people. The hotel staff instructed people to stay away from the windows in their apartments or remain in the stairwells for safety. The sound from the howling wind was deafening and the smashing glass added to the terror throughout the hotel. Winston helped Eveline to the apartment and found the windows blown out with the curtains tearing off the rods. The torrential rain coming sideways through the windows soaked the furnishings in the apartment. Eveline began screaming louder than the sound of the wind rushing through the shattered windows. Winston was beside himself when he saw the effects of the storm and how Eveline was behaving. She had such a tight hold on the letter that it resembled a rag that had been wrung out. He told her to try to protect it from getting any wetter because they needed evidence to show the authorities. Eveline turned on Winston and screamed, Don’t tell me what to do and keep your hands off me! She looked as if she had gone crazy and accused him of being part of the conspiracy. She screeched at him, telling him he had been planning this for a long time. She was certain he knew who was involved and that he was a good cover because he knew so much about her life and finances. She lunged at him and began scratching and hitting him. Winston was shirtless as she attacked him leaving fingernail gouges over his arms and chest. She kicked him in the groin saying, Maybe that will calm your sex crazes down. Winston was enraged with these accusations and attacks as he stood up and hit Eveline in the face, knocking her out. She fell to the floor hitting her head. Winston had a look of terror thinking he may have killed her when he saw blood under her head as she lay on the floor unconscious. He realized the severity of what was happening to them. He ran to the bathroom for a wet cloth for her head, hoping to revive her. Luckily, it was only a cut from broken glass. Winston slapped her face a few times in hopes she would come to. She did not respond. He stood up, looked around, and had never been as terrified as at this moment.

It was September 17, 1929, the hurricane raged on for two days. As time went on, more and more damage was done and after the first hours, all communications were down. Transportation was called to a halt after treacherous conditions were reported by all the major railways leading into South Florida. After nearly a day of pounding rains and high winds, there was a lull in the storm. People began to venture out against hotel authorities warnings. Those who had never experienced a hurricane did not realize that when the weather calms, the eye of the storm is overhead. Within a brief time, the winds returned and rain came with a vengeance. Eveline had finally come to as the storm appeared to be over. She did not remember anything that had happened. She looked around the apartment and then called for Winston. He was nowhere to be found. She stumbled over the debris of furnishings and broken glass. She was soaking wet and felt her head and found blood on her hand. Eveline ran to the bathroom to look in the mirror. She did not recognize herself because of the condition of her hair and was shocked when she saw blood on her head. Then, she realized she had the letter still clutched in her hand. She looked at it but did not remember why she held it or what it was about. Eveline unrolled the wet letter and reread it. This time it was difficult to decipher because the writing had been smeared from wetness and her constant twisting of the paper. She attempted to read the letter which she understood to say: That because of the bad weather, your boys Patrick and Andrew will not be coming to the Biltmore. Squinting her eyes, she attempted to figure out what it read, while thinking that it may cost her more money to get them to Florida. She thought it read that the authorities were under the weather and would not be able to help her out. The remainder of the words had all run together.

Eveline cleaned herself up as the winds still howled through the apartment. She wanted to believe that the letter was giving her good news about the boys and that they would be late in arriving because of the storm. Why was Winston not with her? Her headache was intensifying as she moved around. She thought she should try to get to the lobby to find out the facts and inquire if anyone had seen Winston. As she left the apartment, she threw the twisted letter on the table but the draft from the winds blew the letter off the table as she opened the door. There was screaming and people were huddled in groups as she attempted to get down the stairs. Eveline decided she needed to rise above the panic and find out about Winston and the train delays because of the storm.

As Eveline approached the front desk, a man came up to her and spoke calmly about the storm telling her that it would be over soon. She thought about how strange it was that he was one of the few people not in a panic. He asked, How can I help you? Thinking he was a hotel manager, she inquired about the severity of the storm. He explained that the eye of the storm was passing over and they should brace for another round of bad weather. He added that probably tomorrow, the weather would still be bad but not a danger. Eveline smiled and thanked him. Then, she asked, Have you seen a man with only a pair of shorts on? The man paused and told her that he was seen running out of the hotel and that he had deep scratches on his chest and arms. Eveline asked, Who would have done such a thing to him? He is my friend. The man told Eveline that all Winston screamed was, I’ve got to get help for Eveline. The same man told her that the hotel staff tried to hold him back but that Winston was as strong as a bull. Eveline smirked and said, That sounds like Winston, but why was he so bloody? Eveline excused herself and went to the desk. She inquired about the delays and was told that all communications and transportation were cut off to South Florida. There was no telling when it might be restored. She turned from the front desk and the man who spoke to her was gone, but Winston came running through the blown out doorway of the hotel. He was soaking wet and blood was on his entire body. He looked like he had just come from a battle. Eveline went to him and he appeared terrified of her. She looked at him and asked, What the hell are you doing out in that weather? He shook himself as the blood splashed everywhere and said, I thought I could find someone to help you. Eveline looked confused and said, Why would I need help, I am fine considering everything. I also know that Patrick and Andrew will be late in arriving. It may cost me more money but who cares as long as they get here. You know that the authorities are under the weather too. At that moment, Winston realized Eveline had not remembered that he had hit her, knocking her out. He knew this because the letter had been wrung out and she reread it, thinking all was going to be okay. Maybe, when she hit her head, the blackout changed her ability to figure out the letter. Winston suggested they go back to what was left of the apartment and try to stay safe. As they were going up the stairway, Eveline told Winston about the gentleman that helped her in the lobby. As she put it, He was the only person who did not seem affected by the storm. Winston wondered if the man had anything to do with the real story that Eveline had somehow twisted up in her mind. He decided not to say anything about knocking her out or her attack on him.

CHAPTER 2

When Winston and Eveline returned to the apartment, Winston saw the remains of the letter, which was now torn, with no way to decipher what was written on it. He picked it up and showed Eveline the scraps. She was confident and satisfied that all would be well in a few days. She chatted in a nervous way about Patrick and Andrew being on a train in such treacherous conditions. All she kept repeating was, I’m sure they will be okay. Eveline told Winston to get cleaned up because he looked like he had been in a fight. Winston went to the bathroom and was shocked at what a bloody mess he was. He cleaned himself up and found a shirt and shorts that were clean but wet from the water in the apartment.

The remainder of the day was spent in as safe a place as possible. During this time Winston questioned Eveline about the boys and whether the letter had any mention of money. She remembered the part about the cost being more because everyone was under the weather. When Winston heard this he knew Eveline did not have all the facts. Winston had read in the Miami Herald, a few days before the storm, about Al Capone. He was a notorious mobster from Chicago who was involved with underworld activities who had visited Miami. Winston explained the article to Eveline in hopes she might remember more about the letter when she heard the mention of underworld corruption. Al Capone assured the officials he had no intention of being involved in corrupt activities in Miami. He loved the weather because it was better than California and he had purchased an estate on Palm Island. The newspaper stated that Chief of Police Quigg told reporters that he did not see any reason why Capone should not be treated as any other winter visitor. Eveline stood while Winston talked and finally asked, Why are you telling me about people who are involved in underworld crime? I’ve been through that and it is over. Winston asked, Are you sure you are finished with corrupt people? She looked at Winston with a questionable stare. He continued to explain about gangland style murders and groups who are organized in crime to rob banks, trains and kidnap people, mainly children. Eveline was beginning to get impatient with Winston’s conversation. She wanted to know if he had a reason for such information at a time like this. Eveline accused him of trying to confuse her with unimportant news. Winston said, I think you may have read the wet letter incorrectly. You received the letter before the storm hit. It did not say good things about Patrick and Andrew. No one is under the weather but they are the underworld police. Eveline demanded he tell her why he was dreaming up such a story. Winston suggested they go to the front desk to find the person that gave her the letter. Then Winston asked where the letter was. Eveline looked bewildered as if she had never seen the letter. Winston told her she had it twisted up and it got wet. She looked at him and admitted she read the letter but it did not say what he just told her. Eveline had had enough chitchat and started for the lobby with Winston following behind. The crowds of wet people were everywhere. The rain and wind continued to beat through the openings of the hotel. When they reached the front desk, the clerk remembered Eveline and how she reacted to the letter. He reminded her that she read it out loud and she was highly upset with what it said. Eveline stared at him in disbelief. She demanded he tell her again about the letter. The clerk asked, Where did you put the letter? Eveline admitted she treated it like a rag and wrung it out when it was wet. Winston interrupted to remind her that the letter was a blur because the ink ran all over the paper. Eveline was speechless.

While they were standing at the front desk, they heard officials in the street, telling people to remain inside and not to attempt to go anywhere. People began to panic when they realized how bad things were. The desk clerk looked at Eveline and said, All I remember was you reading that two boys would not be arriving because you had to pay a ransom of one million dollars for their return. It also stated that the authorities should not be notified because they were the underworld police. He looked at Eveline, who was now beginning to put the pieces together, and explained that was all he knew. Winston watched Eveline withdraw into herself. Winston wondered if she understood the severity of everything that had happened. He decided to let Eveline question him when she felt ready.

Winston told Eveline that they needed to go to the apartment and decide what to do. Eveline still in a pensive mood, agreed with him. Winston could tell Eveline was not acting her usual self. He hoped that when she hit her head that it did not cause a permanent lapse of memory. Eveline found what was left of the letter in the apartment. Winston unwound it and could read more of the print in the letter than Eveline. He could read the part about a ransom of one million dollars and not to notify the officials. He watched Eveline become more like herself when the mention of not seeing her children was understood. It was as if she was knocked out again when she said, Now, I remember the whole thing. Someone had kidnapped Patrick and Andrew. What can we do in all this confusion and is there anyone we can notify? Winston told her that they may need to wait until the storm was over and communication restored. Eveline agreed.

During the next few days, the weather improved but there was much devastation throughout Miami. People were allowed to go outside but the humidity was oppressive and there was very little drinking water with limited amounts of food. Winston spent time with Eveline making sure she understood what had happened. She was a bit vague in her recollection of that time. Winston asked if she wanted him to tell her what had happened. Eveline acted surprised as he explained how upset she was after reading the letter. He told her how she attacked him and accused him of being in the conspiracy. Eveline sat in silence and stared as Winston spoke. He told her how she scratched his chest and kicked him in the groin and told him that would curb his sex crazed behavior. Eveline said, I can’t believe I would do such a thing to you. You are the only person I trust. I feel like I’m being haunted by my past again. Winston stared at her thinking that was an odd response.

Eveline apologized to Winston. She told him she hoped his sex-crazed behavior never ends. She liked him just the way he was. Now, Winston felt he could make some progress with her to help to decide what should be done about the boys and the ransom. He suggested they contact the railroad company to find out if Patrick and Andrew even got on the train or did someone take them. Eveline decided to try to make a call to Sable and Olitha, her domestic servants in Geneva. They went to the lobby where things were cleaned up and new windows and doors had been installed. Eveline inquired about making a long distance call to Geneva, New York. The desk clerk nearly laughed in her face. He said, My dear woman, there will be no communication or trains to South Florida for at least two more days. Eveline thanked him and returned to the apartment. Winston reassured her that the minute a call could be made; they would be the first to do it.

Eveline kept thinking about the man she met in the lobby who was so calm. Was she dreaming this or could it be true? He stayed only long enough to speak to her. Eveline remembered his face and thought he looked familiar. Why would anyone seem familiar to her so far from New York State? She dismissed any thoughts of familiarity. When they went to the lobby to see if there was any word about conditions around Miami, there was a large notice posted for all to read. It explained the importance of being careful in times of crisis. The notice warned of individuals that would promise assistance after a storm. They would guarantee transportation or help in recovery issues. These imposters would require prepayment and never show up. When Eveline read this she looked at Winston and said, I guess I can’t go to Miami Beach. I need to hire someone to take us there. Winston had the same idea about going to the tropical gardens. He wondered if there was anything left of it after the storm. After reading the warning, they decided to sit on the patio and wait. In a typical Winston way, he asked Eveline if he should get his bathing suit. She laughed, for the first time, and told him it would be a good show, especially when he got out of the water to see what he looked like when the suit clung to his body.

Eveline began to think about who would be trying to destroy her family and cause the fear of never seeing her children again. Everyone she thought about was either dead, deported, or in prison. When she thought about the dealings of gangsters and underworld behavior, it may be someone she knew nothing of from the Foreign Exchange Company. It had been many years since she forced its closing, but maybe there were debts she knew nothing of. The more she thought about the Foreign Exchange Company, she realized there were many people involved in the corrupt operation. Maybe some were never known but had significant influence on operations. The more she pondered the idea; she sensed the ransom had something to do with someone she did not know anything about. Who could it be? Rudolph was dead. My parents have been deported to Canada. Lucille Preston and her husband are in prison. This is Prohibition and still there were many rum runners. Could they still be operating in Rochester, New York after the operation in the hotel was closed? The more she thought about whom it might be or if it was an organization behind this; she became more determined to set out to tackle yet another hurdle. While she was in thought, Winston came up behind her and pushed himself on Eveline’s shoulders. She knew who it was by what she felt when he pressed himself to her. She smiled and told Winston to get in