The Black Car Business Volume 1 by Lawrence Kelter

Author:Lawrence Kelter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Down & Out Books

NINE

Dahl answered the door wearing nothing more than a silk charmeuse bra and matching tap pants.

“You want to throw something on?” McKay asked.

“Why? I ain’t cold.”

“For modesty, ma’am”

“I’m not modest.”

“Well I am,” Kennedy interjected. “I’m getting seriously chubbed up, and it specifically states in the policeman’s handbook that it’s against regulations to pop a boner in front of a lady while on duty.”

She smiled. “How long are you going to be on duty?”

“That’s not the point, ma’am.”

“Suit yourself.” She walked off leaving the two detectives waiting by the door. She threw on a matching silk robe and cinched it tightly around her slender waist. “All covered up, boys. Come on in and shut the door. I warn you though, it gets mighty stuffy in here, so if either of you two brawny micks feel the need to take your shirts off…well, that’ll be all right with me.” She held up a faceted bottle of amber-colored liquid. “Either of you two boys care for some…coffee.”

“I prefer to commit my misdemeanors when I’m off duty,” Kennedy said.

“You can bend the rules a little can’t you, Detective Kennedy.”

“Get me good and liquored up, and I’ll bend more than the rules.”

She smiled wickedly. “You’ll hear no protests from me. I’m double-jointed.”

“You’re a brazen little thing aren’t you?”

“Aw come on, Detective Kennedy—you know I wouldn’t look good in prison stripes.” She filled three crystal tumblers and handed one to each of the detectives before offering a toast. “To New York’s finest and strong Irish whiskey.”

“Who am I to turn down a lady’s hospitality?” Kennedy took a belt. “Velvety smooth. This ain’t exactly bathtub hooch.” He took another sip. “Want to take a look at some pictures, dollface?”

“Nekkid?”

“Mug shots, sister.”

“If I must.”

They followed her over to the couch where McKay took a set of black and white pictures out of his breast pocket. “Ever seen any of these clowns before?”

She took a gulp before setting her tumbler on the coffee table, then took the photos and flipped through them rapidly. “I’ve seen some of these faces at one time or another.” She pointed at a mug shot of a man with a jagged scar across his face. “Like him. Check out that kisser—a face only a mother could love.”

McKay stifled a laugh. “You saw him recently?”

“At the…coffee shop.”

Kennedy savored his scotch, taking small sips to make it last. “You can drop the sham. We know Roselli ran Masseria’s speakeasy over on Fifty-second. It don’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that’s where you were with him last night. I already told you a witness spotted you. You see any of these mopes hanging around?”

“Maybe.” She went through the pile again before dealing two of the snapshots onto the table as if they were playing cards. “This greaseball and this rat-faced grifter. Why?”

“They’re both with Joe Adonis’s crew. Who left first last night? You or Roselli?”

“Tony. He’d been up since four a.m. and was falling off his feet.”

“Either of these two apes go out the door after him?”

She was silent for a moment and appeared to be deep in concentration.

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