Flapper Dick Ch. 15

I am following right behind to find the fella is curled up on the floor. I gut shot him so perhaps he will live. The raid fellas come in behind us, carrying the shot one. He doesn't look so good and is set on the sofa while one dashes to the phone. He is calling up for an ambulance, so I am looking around then just go exploring.

Got two bedrooms in this apartment and the first one I go in is the one he sleeps in. Something of a mess in here, mostly because he doesn't make the bed. Besides the unmade bed there is one boxer on the floor. I would believe he tossed it at the hamper and hasn't bothered to put it in yet since it is next to the hamper.

Look around some more and the closet is full of jackets, in a manner of speaking. This fella has a big closet and seven jackets. All of them are the same color, gray, so on that side not that nice. Go through his drawers now and find he wears gray suits. With black belts, black suspenders, and then white shirts, though boxers are the odd one, they are white with blue stripes.

Running out of things to look at in here, and no box of dough or dough stuck in a drawer, I exit to get to the other bedroom. In here I find John, along with a stockpile of dough, and some jewelry. Course in the amount of jewelry here, some isn't the proper word.

"He seems to be holding all of the jewelry taken in a caper." I am nodding and looking at the dough, mostly ones with some fives and even a couple tens that I can see.

"He seems to be the fella running a crew, this is more dough than there should be for a member of a crew." John is nodding then whistles to get a bull to come in.

"Count the dough please, it looks to be a thousand or so, but likely there is more than just ones and some higher bills." Bull nods and pulls out a sack that the dough goes into.

"Why is he sacking the dough?" John and the bull snort.

"He is doing that so he can take it to the table and sit. Also means we search the dough, sometimes there is more than dough in the pile."

That makes sense so go over to the closet, it isn't being looked through yet. Open the door and step in to find that this closet is empty, but there is a chest of drawers in here. Go through the drawers to find jars of what must be acids. Also find a heavy blanket that smells terrible, a large sack with a rope connected to it, and some tools.

Have to ask John on this to find the tools are for forcing a lock. Which doesn't really make sense and then does once he explains. It is a T tool with what is almost a knife on the end of it. That is shoved in the lock and then you twist with the T part to snap the lock and it opens. Not good for the lock since it doesn't work anymore, but then also good for the fella using that thing.

Almost want to suggest the bulls use that thing too. Don't for one simple reason, they are either forcing their way into a house or following a crew into a building. House doors always open after a good kick or three. Using that thing would mean complaints filed, both on destroying the lock and then that the bulls have those.

"There is one thing I don't get, who came up with that tool?" John looks over at me and snorts.

"Locksmiths, locks don't always stay good and sometimes when it goes bad the lock will stay locked. Can't turn the key, which means the locksmith can't get the door open without using that tool. Before you ask even if you can take the lock apart the bolt will stay stuck in the jamb. Simply easier to get it opened up, flat head screwdriver will do it."

"You have experienced it." I saw getting John to nod and grin.

"It was not nice when it happened but the locksmith explained the whole thing. That tool had been new at the time."

Snort then notice there is a box in the closet up high. Point it out and John hoists me up to get it. Big box and there is something inside that moves around when I am turning the box while getting set down. Inside the box we find a book, diary according to the cover. Opening it up I am giggling since this isn't a diary.

We found his records, which indicates who is on his crew so John is grinning. I am grinning too, this is good to find and I don't have to help him arrest all of the fellas. There are six in the crew, five names in the diary anyway.

"Suppose I can not help on getting the rest." John snorts then pokes me.

"You are getting lazy. I mean just because you got a little girl you don't want to help us arrest the rest of them." I am giggling now since that is silly.

"You do realize that I can't actually arrest anyone."

"You can, just you would do a citizen arrest. I think most of the reason we were told to help you out when you ask." I am nodding though there is one thing I want to ask on.

"Wouldn't it be better to simply give me arresting power?" John looks up for a moment then shakes his head.

"No because you are a private dick. There isn't any training to that so there shouldn't be more arresting power than any other person not a bull. Besides since you are higher rank than any of us you deal with, we simply arrest for you. Do be careful with that since complaints can be filed." Roll my eyes.

"I always ask for your opinion too, I know you have training in this and know it better. If I stop asking questions smack me." John is chuckling, along with a raid fella standing there.

"Only if you haven't gotten enough information, or saying we should arrest the wrong person." Snort then hold out my hand.

"Deal, and I will try and not muck it up."

John snorts and we shake, then get to work on searching the rest of the place. Along with taking notes on what all we found. Ambulance shows up early on in that so after a discussion we put a raid fella on going to hospital. John promises that we will pick him up and have him help on arresting. I'm not precisely happy on that but it is sort of fun to go around with the bulls.

Search and notes takes a while, and then I am sent to talk to the neighbor on the other side of Mrs. Davison. Go over to the door and don't have to knock, the door is open. Knock anyway since there is a skirt in the kitchen, she is cooking up a meal. Judging by the smell this is breakfast time for her so sort of odd.

Mostly I'm pretty sure she is a night worker like I was. Do get her attention with the knocking, and get waved at so go on over to the stove with her. Smile too since she is making hash browns, bacon, and there is an egg waiting to get cooked.

"Are you selling or looking for donations?" Snort and shake my head then pull out my license.

"Court appointed, I came along to assist the bulls in a search for a robbery crew. In talking to the manager we were told of your neighbor and how she is sure you I assume are a demon from hell." She is giggling pretty hard for a little while.

"I can't decide between the old bird is a loon or has a pretty good sense of humor. Her husband is a right fine fella and apologizes about her often, though half think that is so he can look me over." I am giggling now since I am pretty sure on the same thing.

"Pretty sure all fellas do that. Will mention that the fella on the far side of Mrs. Davison seems to be the boss of a robbery crew. There was a short shoot out, that I think you slept through. Waitress or clerk?"

"I didn't sleep through it, heard it and woke up, but went back to sleep. I am a waitress."

"I will guess in that speakeasy nearby, and don't worry we won't arrest you over that. I was a waitress in a speakeasy myself, sort of until June fourth when I had my little girl. Hadn't really worked there in months before then but I was the singing waitress." She is giggling and nods.

"I remember seeing you there, I think every time I was there with you was when you sat at the bar." I am nodding and wink.

"Getting knocked up does limit you on walking around, though mostly I was just being a bimbo. Fred mostly only took me to work when Hayseed wasn't there."

"Do you think the bulls you got with you are looking for a skirt?" Nod then look her over and sigh, she is young at most twenty.

"They are all my age, or lots older so really you should look for younger. Hang on let me ask John, I think we have a few younger fellas come to our grill party that isn't seeing anyone. Most of the fellas don't talk to me as much." She is grinning as I go out her door and yell at John, he appears after a moment and walks over with a frown.

"What did you do?" Roll my eyes and poke him.

"Skirt here is young, twenty or so. She is looking for a fella and I think we have a number around there at our grill party." John is nodding.

"Yeah, give her the address and when to show up. Looks like a demon from hell?" Snort and shake my head.

"No, apparently Mrs. Davison is either loony or has a great sense of humor. Also has a husband who apologizes to the skirt here, she is fairly sure so he can look her over." John is nodding and we both grin.

"Think we can introduce her to the recruits that way." I frown for a moment then nod.

"I get it, make sure they are nicer to her." John snorts and shakes his head.

"No, just a joke. I mean they mostly won't believe you will give nookie to all of them anymore." Roll my eyes.

"Why do they tell me they were told that anyway?"

"I'm split in the middle on that, half of me thinks the sergeants want you to shoot the dunce. Other half is sure to make the recruit feel like a dunce for believing them in the first place."

"Enough on that, when it is mostly skirts in the station, what happens when there is a call?" John sighs and looks up.

"As it was explained to us, Captain had talked to patrol and detectives on this. Skirts will mind the station and calls will be covered by raid crew and the small number of patrol that will be stationed there every day. Five is the current thought on it, they get to go out before raid."

"Insulting to the skirts but not a bad plan." John shrugs.

"Most skirts don't want to go around gangs and such like you do." Roll my eyes and poke him.

"I don't like doing that. Honest I would much rather simply go around talking to witnesses along with making sure they get to court. Gangs are mostly same street as the crime scene I am looking into since it isn't investigated good."

"Mostly I am just glad those haven't been my cases. Word is when you do that your boss calls the captain and he yells."

Makes me giggle but do go on back to her and share the address. She will come to our grill parties and perhaps get with one of the bulls. Also will have competition to a small extent, a number of nurses come over too. Most Saturdays we have around fifty people at our parties. Luckily besides the skirts we see different people.

Not that the skirts only come to our house. There is a second grill set up and does parties on the same day. So the skirts sort of rotate and the fellas do the same. There are a number more parties on Sunday, which is a pretty good day for it. Half think some of the skirts only show up to get nookie and go to the Sunday parties too, which I would think about doing if Fred wasn't so good at it.

We leave eventually, and this takes a little while. Partly because John got on the phone and called the station to get patrol sent to the addresses. Nothing else just sent so I am thinking half of our arrests won't happen. Course when we do leave we are stopped by reporters so I pose next to John for the photographs and we do a report.

Don't make mention of how we found them, and do all in one. Mostly it was simply a comment on checking on the map to come up with locations to look at. Which is the same thing we said yesterday, though there is mention of perhaps we have nabbed the doodle crew. Which has the reporters grinning.

Then we are off and after a stop at the hospital and a check up on the shot raid fella we are off to arrest the rest. Raid fella was hit in a bad spot, but will make it out of the hospital above ground. Which is great, and has the fellas relaxing. First arrest is easy, the fella lives in a house alone, and was mowing his front lawn when we drive up.

Second and third arrest are slightly harder, namely both try to run for it. Second fella is chased down by the raid fellas and I don't think he will feel good for a while. Third we had sent some fellas to the back door and simply let the fella run into their arms. Fourth fella runs, but he also shoots at us, luckily he has a house so the brick wall stops us from being hit, and the fellas in backyard off him.

Fifth pinch has a wife, and baby so this one takes a little while. Not in getting him we just came in the house and pinched right off. Then we talked to his skirt for a while explaining what we are doing. Also sharing things she can do to have enough dough for food. Luckily she has experience as a waitress and there is a diner hiring down the street.

Unsure on finding a nanny though while a baby taking to work should be alright. When I mention that she snorts. John then mentions that perhaps one of the bull wives would nanny for her. Tells her to call up the north station, the last three pinches are in north side. Also when we make our exit, hoping she can manage alright.

Rather interesting end of this crew, though I am sure a new one will form. Still surprised on half being in north side. Most of the offices are north side so most of them make more than I do. Course the lawyers make more too, but then they also went to college for multiple years.