Flapper Dick Ch. 15

"No, we push him to do max time and then explain why. I mean he shot her and was forcing. If the fellas just come in and rob they will have less time and we won't push for max time."

"Unsure on that working, but then we are the little guy, take it to your boss and let him ask around. Be up to a week before that fella is going to court anyway."

Nod since he has a point, the filth will sit in a cell for a little while. Mostly because Mr. Crowe likes to have a report in hand before moving for trial, and those are done on Mondays. Also just sit there for a little while longer and we get a new patrol to take the filth in. So we are going out to our jalopies, the door was locked and key handed to a neighbor, to realize we have three jalopies.

"One question, why did we wait for a patrol to pick up the filth?" Plenty of snorts then I am getting ushered into one of the jalopies.

"How it works, we are the initial officers on scene so we call in to ask for a patrol. That way nobody leaves until a report is taken from all witnesses. Granted in this case we didn't have a murder so staying there isn't needed, still how the regulations do it."

Makes sense to someone I am sure, but then again best to not question more on it. Seems like half the regulations are done the same for every instance just so nobody forgets them when it matters. Back at the station on inside with us and leave the fellas in their raid room. I go on through and stop at the sergeant, mostly because he asked.

"At the apartment building we found a fella holding a skirt high on heroin to sell. We kept the door closed and nabbed a fella that collects the skirts along with one who buys them, and a records book so more raids to come on that end." Sergeant puts his hand up.

"They get them high on heroin and sell?"

"Yeah, according to John that is new, though I am unsure on that since he only knows of five bordellos in south side." Sergeant snorts and shakes his head.

"There is ten, and we think there are two more but no idea where they are. All are being quiet so no complaints from neighbors. Also that is a new method. We had figured on more gangs grabbing and holding like you had found already. Skirts do disappear, we get reports on it from their families." I am nodding and sigh.

"Not happy with the records book, it listed how much was paid by the buyer, two sawbucks for a skirt is insulting." Sergeant is nodding.

"I think so too, and then they will make a bordello that much in a month if it is cheap. Most seem to be a full ace for a skirt."

"So something like five aces a day from every girl. That is good money, just wish the skirts were hired and paid to do it."

"I'm fairly sure a number of the bordellos do pay their skirts, just not all of them."

"Wish we could tell without having a skirt get grabbed and sold to one then telling us." Sergeant is nodding, the skirt standing next to him doing the same thing.

"I signed up for this because I figured I would get to meet plenty of fellas and perhaps find mine." Sergeant snorts so poke him.

"You shush, having kids is what we are supposed to do." She is nodding then sighs.

"Honestly at this point I am thinking I should go for skirts or simply stay single." Sergeant sighs and shrugs so poke him again.

"Having had one now I am wondering if I can not again, but then again I have a little girl and that is the bestest thing." She is nodding and grins.

"Yeah on that side it is magical, just finding a fella I can stand enough to get there."

"On that side mostly you just need to find a fella that will give you nookie. Course the government will make comments on need to find a fella. Manacles isn't needed, just need a fella living with you. Mr. Crowe has had a conversation on that about me." She is nodding and frowns.

"I would like to comment on new recruits being hired next year. Entirely possible you fall for one of those before they get jaded by the job." Sergeant says getting me to giggle.

"Also would be older than him, not a bad idea since we tend to live longer." She is giggling now, Sergeant tosses his hands.

"Not fair, but then again you skirts have the hard part, get to raise the kids."

"Fred is helping on that, not much at the moment but he does hold her for lunch feeding when I am not there. Pretty sure Brianna has him wrapped around her finger already."

"Maybe you will give him a son next. I had two daughters and the house made no sense until they moved out." Sergeant says getting me to laugh.

"At the moment it is still don't you dare touch me. There is one thing I want to know on, why is there never a jalopy parked in front of the station?"

"Captain has said no parking there, it is for those who come to complain or need help of whatever kind."

"Sort of wish south station did that, I parked in the lot the last time I went there." Sergeant is nodding and shrugs.

"We will let you do the same, I mean your breezer is rather distinctive. Hard to think it being anyone else parked there. If it wasn't raining I would complain about you leaving it there." Snort though there is one thing I want to ask about.

"So the gangs will know me by my breezer?" Sergeant snorts and shakes his head.

"Likely not, though eventually it may happen so you wouldn't be able to buy from them anymore. Course by the time that happens you likely will have bought a new breezer anyway, we are talking years. The reporters don't talk about your breezer so unless you need to get a raid on a gang you talked to already." I am nodding though there is one thing.

"The gangs I talked to already likely would simply hand over the guilty fella. I mean they know what happens when I talk to a gang in a bad way."

"True, likely would demand a better deal for pleading guilty, but then it is one less gang member on the streets and Chicago is wanting that."

I am nodding and make my exit, my belly rumbled and it is a bit after noon. Still raining but it has lessened so perhaps I can take my top down when I drive home. First I need to get lunch so keep an eye out as I go along until I spot a diner so pull over and ankle for it. I think the entire place is looking at me when I step in shaking water off my new umbrella.

Look around and head for the counter after taking my trench coat off. That stays with me, the coat rack is full. Luckily the first stool is open so I can set my trench coat on the counter, with my hat. Then there is talking again, and I realize I am the only skirt in here besides the waitress. She is grinning when she gets over to me and hands over the menu so I look at that fast and no salad.

"No salads?" She snorts and shakes her head.

"I wouldn't mind salads but our boss is one of those men need meat fellas. We have steaks and hamburgers. Do have pork chops if you would rather." I snort and look over the menu again.

"Will have a cheeseburger then, can I get it with bacon?" Her jaw drops for a moment then she is grinning.

"That sounds good, will have to mention that to him, more meat anyway." I am nodding.

"One of the detectives has taken me to a restaurant twice, the second time was at lunch time and they offered cheeseburgers with bacon. So for a nickel you get three strips of crispy bacon. So we have bacon done up at our grill parties to have with the cheeseburgers. Live in south side and far as I know all of the bulls that come over are same. Hard to find cheeseburgers there." She is grinning now.

"Odd on the cheeseburgers in south side. Just isn't the bacon strips long for the hamburger?"

"Yes, when we do them for the grill party we cut in half and cook that way." She is grinning now.

"That is a good way to do it, will get you three strips of bacon cooked up and cut in half so six pieces. Cheeseburger with bacon coming right on up."

I am grinning now, waitress is giggling since some four fellas said they want to add bacon. Into the back with her and a little later she is coming back with cooked up bacon. These are handed out to the four fellas and told it is a nickel more. Little while later I am getting my burger and that looks really good.

Have a really wonderful burger and only half the fries. Have the waitress giggling when I comment on wanting to get thinner so I can keep up with my little girl. Not sure half the fries is enough on less of the food. The hamburgers here are pretty good sized. Leave thinking I should have gotten a BLT, but back to my breezer and head for the office.

Luck into getting a spot on the opposite side of the street from the office, but two jalopies from the corner and the light. So wait for the light to change and dash across the street then right on over to the office. Into our office with me and no Keira so that is peculiar, course likely she was asked to look into a case better.

The lawyers have started to ask us to do that before getting a court date lined up. Which is a great idea, and finally take my trench coat off. Hat follows and jacket then exit our office and head for Mr. Crowe. Knock and enter as Mr. Crowe is saying come in so he waggles his finger at me as I go sit.

"Honestly I am tempted to tell you to knock and wait for the come in, but then you perhaps would simply come in."

"I don't think I want to just come in, suppose I have a sordid boss who is handling himself during the day. Better for me to not know that." Mr. Crowe snorts then he is chuckling.

"I am not that sort but then again good thing to remember, I am not sure on running again."

"So long as I don't lose the job it doesn't really matter who is my boss."

"I see how you are, trying to get me to run again just to spite you." I am grinning now, he is too.

"Came to alert on what I found today. Due to the article on the doodle crew we checked the map and found an apartment building in the lines that cross. So I went over to that with some raid fellas and while we didn't find the crew we did find something worse. A fella had rented an apartment there and was using it to hold skirts before they are bought. Before they are bought they are hopped up on heroin and used for his pleasure. A younger fella would go around talking to skirts looking for their fella and get them to go to the apartment." Mr. Crowe is frowning big now.

"Oh my, that is horrid and not something I have seen before." I am nodding.

"The bulls haven't either, I was told that twice since one of those is a detective and he isn't kept up on much."

"There will be an article on it?"

"All of the newspapers had sent a reporter. Also found out an interesting thing, they can't take a picture of me unless I am in my silk suit." Mr. Crowe snorts and is chuckling.

"I only said poor quality pictures of your face. Though the suit is always seen and that is distinctive." I am nodding and shrug.

"Honestly I am rather surprised at not seeing more skirts wearing that silk. It is so wonderful and then four aces for a roll large enough to get two dresses from."

"I am happy my wife likes your satin dresses." I snort and shake my head.

"Most of the satin dresses I had little involvement in. Two are copies of designs I used to make dresses sold there, the rest were a group refinement or I didn't take part."

"She is thinking of wearing the latest one to the ball this year. I think it is a grand dress so not faulting her, though not precisely a ball worthy dress."

"I don't want to wear a ball worthy dress, forty pounds in a dress I am wearing is shoot the fella that put me in it worthy." Mr. Crowe snorts and is nodding.

"Why she will wear the satin dress, and why there are always plenty of backless chairs. The women sit until asked to dance."

"I know why. There is another thing, on the way back from the apartment building we followed a patrol to a house, the skirt was getting forced by a gang fella after he shot her. She will be fine but I am thinking don't offer a deal and ask the judge for max time." Mr. Crowe is frowning now.

"I understand why you are thinking that should happen, but if I do that the rest will expect the same and likely off the witness." I am nodding and put my hand up.

"One of the raid fellas said the same thing. Just we do an announcement, the fella is getting that long because he tried to kill her. Less time if all the fella does is rob the house." Mr. Crowe frowns again.

"I am unsure on that working, will talk it over and see what is said. On the one hand it perhaps would make Chicago less likely to demand gangs are shot down. Other hand it makes it easier for them to get arrested since there are witnesses. I really think they would make sure no witnesses survive."

"I think they would not. Though if it happens the newspapers would comment on how gangs are simply killing off families and more calls on them."

Mr. Crowe snorts and sends me home. Not that I go home, there are reports so I plop down and look those over. Two murders and then four more robbery are in the stack, along with the report on accidents. None of these are worth running down information, the murders they have a pinch and it reads good, the robberies there is clues but not enough.

Also can't be running down clues on a robbery since there are no witnesses. Set everything in the out box then collect everything and head for my breezer. Still raining outside though it has gone to more of a drizzle so there will be more folk coming out. At least there are not that many jalopies driving around right now.

Get to dart across the street and get to my breezer, then wait a bit to get moving. No accidents on the drive home so that is new, though do have to stop and get gas. Fella comes out with an umbrella and gets me to laugh, asks if I want him to clean my window. Then on home feeling better about fellas, not all of them shoot at skirts and have their way with her.

Reaching home I leave the top up on my breezer and just head for the door. Also wave at Liza, she is sitting on her porch. She waves back then resumes watching the rain like half the street. I'm sure the rest of the wives are inside making drinks or cooking up a pie. Does make me wonder why nobody is on our porch, so on inside with me after shaking off my umbrella.

Trench coat goes on the coat stand and no umbrella bin so that is leaned against the wall. Remember the hat cover then so that goes into my coat and hat comes off to get dropped on the joe table. Fred is sitting at the sofa holding our little girl and watching me do this. Audrey is at the sewing machine so wave to her then sit with Fred.

"Umbrella?" Fred asks first thing so I am giggling.

"I had to get a witness and it was raining cats and dogs. I'm fairly sure there is only ever one umbrella in a house until you have kids going to school." Fred snorts.

"Maybe in south side, office workers make more. Must have been something else today, you were here when I got up last week." Sigh and lean against Fred to look at our little girl, she looks so angelic like that.

"Had two bad things and then one sort of interesting thing that has some bad in it. Will talk about the interesting thing first. After getting witness to court I went up to north station to find an Italian family there yelling in Italian, after whistling to get them to stop they explained. Family had been accused of stealing by a clerk who is against anyone not white. They don't have a jalopy because they are opening an Italian restaurant three miles down the road from Penney. So I called up Capone and he will get them a jalopy, and see about getting the restaurant ready to open faster." Fred snorts.

"That sounds like a place we should visit."

"Don't see why not, so long as I don't have to make the pasta." Audrey is laughing, along with Fred and Brianna wakes up so spend a little while seeing to her.

"That shoofly smells good so I am glad you made that." I am nodding since it smelled so good when we cooked it.

"I thought it smelled great too, also glad Audrey helped, she had tips on how to do it. Molasses doesn't like cold water but hot water is good." Fred snorts.

"So what else happened?"

"So because of the article on the doodle crew I had figured on being asked to help look for them at night. Getting to the office I find Keira looking at the map, their capers were plotted. So we look at that for a little while and I notice the lines cross at what is a really nice apartment building. Chemist and grocery on the same street. Get over to there with seven raid fellas, they drove me in two jalopies. Go on inside, chemist sold the umbrella I bought before you ask, to find a bunch sitting there watching the rain. We asked them and get told of an apartment that skirts go in and don't come out. So we go up to that apartment and find a fella that was in the middle of using a skirt high on heroin. They take them to the apartment get high and keep there until sold for two sawbucks." Audrey has stopped sewing whatever she is doing and turned to look at me.

"Making me glad I have always lived in south side." I am nodding.

"I got the same feeling on it, though according to John and the sergeant this is a new development. John knows of fellas grabbing skirts and driving off with her, but getting high and selling is new." Fred is nodding.

"The gang fellas we found those skirts at would sweet talk her or simply dragged off like what we know about before. Getting them on heroin is new, and suppose would keep them compliant."

"Eventually maybe, just the one there was so out of it she barely managed to talk." Fred sighs and shrugs.

"Don't know anything on heroin, was restricted when I was a bull. What else happened?"

"On the way back from the apartment building we had to follow a patrol with the lights on. Same thing as the last time we did that, except this time the filth had shot her before getting to enjoying. Skirt will live according to a medic that went along with me. I suggested giving the filth max time for all offenses and then explaining why to press. Mr. Crowe will ask around and see what the experts say." Fred doesn't say anything for a little while then sighs.

"I can see that meaning the robber will simply off the skirt home." Shake my head then groan since I skipped part of that.

"I skipped part of that, the whole idea was that one gets max time and then less than max time to those who simply rob. I mean if it's storm into the house wave a pistol and collect the dough he can find or handed over it's a lot better than storming in shooting at the skirt and forcing himself on her before taking the dough." Fred nods then sighs.

"Not sure many would go for that, seems to make most fellas randy to barge into a house and find a skirt there."

Groan and poke at Fred then hop up and go over to Audrey. She has gone back to what she is sewing. I gasp because she is making a purse, except not a bag, she is making a full on purse. Except this one is made with cloth and not leather. I am unsure on this working but don't say anything just watch her.

Design is pretty good really, the purse is a little like a mailman bag, big long flap. As a sort of bonus because the whole thing is cloth it can be compacted to fit in a pocket if you want. Then realize Audrey is looking at me so check the thing out and she did good. Triple sewn the connections, and the purse is a loop of cloth held closed on the sides with more cloth.

Means it won't rip open unless you drop a bunch of heavy things in it, or take a shiv to it. The flap is pretty good, but I would think a button to keep it closed would be a good idea.

"What do you think?"

"I think it is a good design, though the flap can have a button to keep it closed." Audrey sighs and opens the flap to show me, there is a pocket inside.

"I put a pocket there, figured good place to put dough, the rest is handy to hold makeup or what you buy."

"It's not all that big of a purse though. I mean it's good if you are picking up a handful of apples but much else and it won't fit." Audrey rolls her eyes and pokes me.