Read The Other Teddy Roosevelts for Free Online

us.”
    He trotted off down Mitre Street. The police began using their whistles to identify each other, and soon the shrill noise became almost deafening. Roosevelt had gone a short distance when he heard a faint moaning coming from a recessed doorway. He approached the source warily, gun in hand.
    “Who are you?” he demanded.
    “Thank God it’s you, sir!” said a familiar voice, and as he moved closer he realized that it was Irma, the midwife. He lit a match and saw a large bruise over her left temple.
    “What happened?”
    “I was coming back from Elsie Bayne’s when I heard a woman scream. Then a bloke dressed all in black run down the street and bowled me over.” She was overcome by a sudden dizziness.
    “Did you see his features?”
    “He had crazy eyes,” said Irma. “The kind what gives you nightmares.”
    “What color were they?”
    “I don’t know,” she said helplessly. “It’s dark.”
    “How tall was he?”
    “Taller than you, sir,” she replied. “Much taller. And thin. Like a skeleton, he was!”
    “Was there anything, however small, that you can remember?” demanded Roosevelt. “Think hard. It’s important.”
    “All I know is he wore black gloves.”
    “No distinguishing marks?”
    “Just the wound.”
    “Wound?” said Roosevelt, pouncing on the word. “What wound?”
    “On his cheek. It was dripping blood, it was.”
    “Which cheek?”
    “I don’t remember.”
    “Please try.”
    She frowned as if trying to recall, then whimpered in pain. “I don’t know, sir.” She looked down the street, where some bobbies were approaching them. “He done sliced another one, didn’t he, sir?”
    The American nodded. “Not far from here.”
    “These poor women!” sobbed Irma, starting to cry. “When will it stop?”
    Roosevelt stood up. “You’re our only eyewitness,” he said. “The police artist may want to speak to you later.”
    “But I done told you what I know!”
    “Other details may come back to you. Try to cooperate with him.”
    She nodded her head while rubbing her tears away with a filthy coat sleeve, and Roosevelt turned to the nearest officer. “When she feels strong enough, take her to the nearest hospital.” He turned and walked rapidly back to the latest victim.
    “He really did a job on this one, sir,” said one of the policemen, staring down at the corpse.
    The woman’s throat had been slit from ear to ear. The Ripper had then opened her up from neck to groin and gutted her like a fish. Each of her internal organs lay on the ground, neatly arranged in a seemingly meaningless pattern. A piece of her apron had been cut away; the Ripper had evidently use it to wipe his knife.
    “Jesus!” said another officer, staring in fascination. “I never saw anyone sliced up like this!”
    “You’re the taxidermist, Theodore,” said Hughes, joining them. “Can you tell if anything’s missing?”
    Roosevelt studied the organs. “A kidney, I think.”
    “I’ll have the police surgeon make sure,” said Hughes. He paused. “If you’re right, then we have to ask the question: as crazy as he is, why would he steal her kidney?”
    “I’d hate to know the answer to that one, sir,” said one of the policemen.
    “Does anyone know who she is?” asked Roosevelt.
    “If she’s got any identification on her, it’s too blood-soaked to read it,” replied Hughes. “We’ll ask around. We should know by morning.”
    Roosevelt walked away from the corpse, then signaled Hughes to join him.
    “What is it, Theodore?”
    “I wanted to speak where we couldn’t be overheard,” replied Roosevelt. “I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that we can definitely eliminate Prince Eddy from the list of suspects.”
    “I am, of course,” said Hughes. “But how do you know?”
    “I’ve met him,” said Roosevelt. “He’s a weak man, ravaged by disease. He could barely grip my hand.”
    “Are you saying he’s too weak to have killed these women?” asked Hughes,