Ladies' Night by Naomi Hirahara

Author:Naomi Hirahara
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Down & Out Books

It was an open secret that the Clipper Club belonged to Nicky Rivers. Max’s name was on the paperwork because he trusted Max almost as much as he trusted me. But it was my house. I ran the operation, Nicky Rivers provided the real estate. We lined up a joint around the corner from Central Station, so we had plenty of traffic. I came up with “Ladies’ Night,” first drink free, the rest half off, to give a girl cover for walking in alone. Every night was Ladies’ Night at the Clipper Club.

It was never Nicky’s plan to gussy up the place. He liked to keep a low-profile base of operations. For high-profile he showed his face at the Quadrille out on Sunset, which had a bandstand in the big room downstairs, and gaming tables upstairs. The Clipper gave us a place to bring some talent off the street and put them in front of the impatient gentleman who didn’t have time or inclination for dancing or dice.

Nicky was enjoying a laugh with Max and Giorgio when I walked into the office. Nicky had his revolver out, a nickel-plated .38, and was demonstrating how he once pressed it against Big Lou DiParma’s head.

“Honest to God, he was so ashamed to be pissing his pants. I said, ‘Don’t you know how much more of a mess your brains are gonna make?’”

No matter how many times I’d heard that story, Max must have heard it fifty times more. And still he played up the guffaws. Giorgio’s eyes twinkled in my direction and he made polite chuckles.

“You have a visitor,” I said.

Nicky slipped the gun back into his coat pocket and said, “I don’t see people in here, Jessie, you know that.”

“I know it, you know it. Tell her.”

“Send her over to the Hedges house. If you think she’s someone I want to see.”

“You’ll want to see her now. I’m not sending her anywhere.”

He started to get that look in his eyes, the one that the smart ones knew to be afraid of. It was a look I was always able to find the right words for.

“You’re a movie fan, Nicky. Don’t tell me you want to say no to a star like Eve Larraine.”

No, he didn’t. I set up fresh drinks from Nicky’s private bar and went out to retrieve our guest. As I walked back to her table, she had a cigarette going, and was poised to look oblivious, the better to allow the admiring stares of her public.

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