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“How are youout with investors?”

“Near fully subscribed— I ain”

Finnerty handed Van Dorn his card and was out the door

Isaac Bell was pacing in the front hall when Van Dorn bustled into the Yale Club at Forty-fourth Street Even ilided like a panther — precision-cocked to spring

“Sorry, Isaac Tied up in a ”

Bell led the way to a pair of wing chairs in a quiet corner of the lounge He related in detail what had happened at the Gleason jail and laid out his suspicions Van Dorn listened attentively, intrigued again by Bell’s speculation about a provocateur but still dubious about the evidence

“I’et to the bottom of this, sir”

“Your own squad?”

“It’s too big for one detective”

“Not possible,” said Van Dorn “We are stretched to the breaking Prince Henry is dragging us around the country like the tail of a kite and now he’s threatening to extend his visit They love hi a ball”

Bell spoke urgently “Before I went down in theI could about the coal business The mines employ half a million e tows that transport it In a nutshell, coal is the most important business in America”

“That nutshell does not alter the fact that the Van Dorn Detective Agency has other fish to fry,” Van Dorn growled back

Isaac Bell did not appear to hear him “Coal is indispensable for heat, for coke to eneration for lights, puriculture wells, and for fuel where wood is scarce Coal powers ocean liners, battleships, and railroad trains”

Van Dorn nodded i, All the s in Jack Finnerty’s supercoal He said, “I ainably immense, and the benefit to the entire nation is incalculable, as is ensuring a steady sup

ply”