Retribution Is Mine! Read online

  “I hoped that look didn’t have anything to do with me.”

  “It didn’t. Let’s go.”

  Outside the office, as we were waiting for the elevator, the same thing happened again. My innards twisted, and I couldn’t keep my tail under control until it passed.

  Down in the lobby, Viola handed me her keys. “Would you like to take my car?”

  “Sure.”

  Outside, the snow coated the ground in a wet slippery mess and was still falling. Heads down and coats pulled tight, we headed into the bracing wind to the parking lot where her Cadillac waited. I held the passenger side door open for her before jogging to the driver’s side.

  “Where to, my lady?”

  “There’s this little place downtown with the most delicious steaks. The people there are really nice. I found it a few months ago, and it’s my new favorite place. Shall we?”

  “You’re the copilot.”

  “Head down Broadway.”

  I started the car and headed into the storm with the windshield wipers on full. The only thing good I could see with the snow was that it thinned out the traffic. Closer to our destination, Viola pointed to an area ahead of us.

  “The next block, right off the corner.”

  “Are we going slumming? Or is this place a Village hangout?”

  “There it is.”

  Chuckling, I parked on the street.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You. You might need to get out more. That place is a pickup joint with a select clientele.”

  “You’ve been there?”

  “I’ve been thrown out of there. Well, sort of.”

  Viola gaped at me. “But everyone’s so pleasant. What did you do?”

  “One of their customers and I got into a tussle when he wouldn’t take no for an answer. A few chairs were broken along with an expensive bottle of booze. Let’s just say, I walked out of there by myself and on my own two feet.”

  “Oh my.”

  With a mischievous smile, I asked, “Do you want to see if they’ll let me back in?”

  “Okay.” She giggled. “Oh dear, I’ve been telling everyone about it. No wonder some of them have been giving me odd looks.”

  “You weren’t lying, the place has good food. Come on.”

  We hurried from the car to the door, and Viola brushed snow from her fur. Past the bar was the coat check booth. Several of the patrons along with the bartender gave me the eye, but I ignored them.

  The doe at the coat check booth was trying hard to look like a buck and not doing too bad a job at it. While she gave me a chilly glance, Viola got all the sweet smiles.

  Viola put a hand to her mouth and whispered. “I feel very silly now.”

  I shrugged, and we were led to a booth by a penguin. After we ordered drinks, the penguin winked at me and did a belly flop and slid toward the bar.

  “He definitely likes you,” said Viola.

  We toasted each other and had our steaks. Warm and content with full bellies, we chatted for a bit.

  I lit up a cigarette. “I’m getting distracted from work.”

  “Isn’t that a good thing?”

  “Not in this case. By the way, I talked to Linda Chevy. Dead end.” I gave her an appraising glance. “Why were you in the Bowery?”

  “Business, mainly. Plus, liquor can loosen a businessman’s tongue.”

  “I bet you’re the best in your field.”

  “That’s because I work hard.” Viola took a sip of her drink. “Allen helps. He takes more interest in his work than hogging the credit.”

  “I would too if I was him.”

  “And get into trouble I expect.”

  “You’re probably right.” Curious if she knew about the Black Lodge Inn, I asked, “Bruce is doing good for himself.”

  “Do you know him?”

  “From a while back. Do you know when he set up the Black Lodge Inn?”

  “Six months ago, perhaps? Bruce stopped by the offices and bought a bunch of photos of the females. Whoever was there that day signed theirs. He invited everyone to the opening. I believe he did the same with the other agencies around town.”

  “Smart.” I sat back in my seat and took another drag on my cigarette. “He plays the models, knowing they’ll bring the money with their escorts. Word gets around about the gambling and business gets better. The tourists bring even more money. I wonder who Bruce is paying off.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What Bruce is doing is illegal. Some of it, anyway. He’s paying someone with influence to keep the cops from shutting him down.”

  Viola laughed. “You make it sound like we’re living in the prohibition era.”

  I didn’t laugh, and the smile faded from her face. When I checked my watch, a good chunk of the afternoon was gone. “Let’s get going.”

  “Okay, just let me powder my nose first.” Viola slid out of the booth and followed the sign to the restroom. A tigress in a paint speckled outfit was at the bar, spotted her and followed. The tigress stormed back out with her tail swishing.

  After paying the cashier, I took a trip to the restrooms myself and waited for Viola.

  The snow was still coming down, and it took us twice as long to get back uptown. Instead of going back to the office, Viola had me take her home to an apartment building with a fashionable address.

  I told her, “Let’s park this boat, and I’ll take a cab.”

  “You could borrow it if you like.”

  “No thanks. The gas alone would chew a hole in my wallet.”

  “Then I’ll have the doorman park it.”

  We got out, and she handed the keys over to a bird dressed in red with enough gold trim that you could spot him inside a snowbank.

  “Why don’t you come up for a cocktail?” When I hesitated, she added, “Just one?”

  “Just one.”

  Viola’s apartment was on one of the higher floors, and when we walked in, I caught the scent of a male.

  “Is someone here?”

  Viola took a good long sniff of her own and frowned. “The maintenance man, I think. I’ve been having trouble with the pipes. Let’s hope he fixed it this time.”

  While Viola fixed the drinks, I kept my coat and hat on. Light came through the window, and once again, the ghost of Sylvia raised the fur on my back. I moved, but the beautiful picture of the female in front of me was still ruined.

  “That look is back in your eyes, Kaiser.”

  “Sorry.” I took the drink from her and slugged it down.

  “Who was she?”

  I didn’t want to answer, but I did. “Someone I loved and asked to marry me. Someone I sentenced to death for her crimes.”

  I didn’t want to see the sympathy in Viola’s eyes or feel her pity. Instead, I handed her back the glass, tipped my hat, and left.

  Outside on the sidewalk, the snow swirled around, and people pulled up their collars against the wind. I took a cab but only made it to Times Square before I got antsy and decided to walk down Broadway. The trek through the snow had both my shoes and pant legs soaked. At the corner up ahead, a car, its driver attempting to make the turn, forced pedestrians to scramble back onto the sidewalk. A stag slipped, spilling his packages.

  The sound of glass breaking filtered through the air as a store window beside me shattered and fell to the ground. The crowd of gawkers swirled about, curious as to what happened, and I followed a police officer through the melee and continued down the street. Wishing I’d stayed in the cab, I stepped off the curb to look down the street as the plate-glass window behind me cracked in a spiderweb design. No pedestrian, uncoordinated or otherwise, was near.

  The roar of a car’s engine caught my attention. Cool eyes, the face masked by a dark scarf, peered from the back of a sedan as it pulled away from the curb and disappeared down the street.

  I don’t remember getting back to my car or driving. The anger I felt at someone trying to kill me on a busy street, not once, but
twice, heated my blood and had me moving quickly. The first one I thought was an accident caused by the stag along with a bad instillation job. In the second I saw the bullet hole before the glass fell.

  The building in which I had my office had a garage underneath, so I used it and took the freight elevator up. Unlike everyone else in the building, Velvet was still in the office.

  “Kaiser?”

  I barreled past her and headed straight for the file cabinet. I had the bottom drawer pulled out along with half its contents before I found what I was looking for. The .25 didn’t have as big a punch as my .45, but it could still make a hole.

  “Kaiser, what happened?”

  “They tried to shoot me. Right out on the street, not ten minutes ago. Twice.”

  Velvet’s ears flattened to her head, and she hissed. “You’ve stumbled onto something if they want you dead.

  I paced up and down, cursing a blue streak before I could calm down enough to see straight. What I saw took my breath away. Velvet was in an evening gown that clung to every curve, and I mean clung.

  “Where are you going?

  “Bruce invited me out to dinner.”

  “If I would have known about the dress…” I let my words trail off. At one time, Velvet would have jumped at the chance to have a sandwich with me, and I’d messed that up but good.

  Velvet pulled on her elbow length gloves in a way that felt like a come on. And I couldn’t do anything but growl.

  “This is business, Kaiser.” Her face was cold, stoic. “There’s a note and pictures on your desk. Pretty female pictures.”

  I growled, and she turned away. But not before I caught the glisten of tears in her eyes.

  “I’m a damn fool. I wish…”

  Velvet put on her coat, and turned to face me, the tears still in her eyes. “You’re not the only one with wishes.”

  Her kiss was warm, sweet, and though it didn’t last long enough, lingered well after Velvet bolted for the door. The click of her heels echoed in the hallway as I slumped into a chair.

  Forgetting to light the cigarette I stuck in my mouth, I called Duke. My fingers dialing the numbers automatically. When he answered, I told him to come to the office and hung up and thought of Velvet.

  CHAPTER 7

  A half hour later, Duke was in my office complaining about the weather. He dropped his briefcase on the floor and hung his coat up.

  I asked, “How are things on your end?”

  “Just peachy. If the D.A. ever gets his feathered butt run over, I’ll fight to be first in line to have roadkill for dinner.” He must have caught the astonished expression on my face because he continued, “You have no idea what I’ve been through. Aside from the red tape, that preening pin head is driving me mad. Do you know he threatened me? Not outright, but in that, I’m just giving you a friendly warning, type of way that you can’t justify smacking him across the beak way. Why did you have to lose your license?”

  “I’m getting it back. I need to with people taking potshots at me.”

  “What?” Duke’s attention riveted on me.

  “Car, crowded street, silenced gun, two windows.”

  “Well I’ll… a call came through about one of them. Thirty-third street. The bullet passed through the display. Where’s the other?”

  After I told him, Duke used my phone to call headquarters and ordered them to check it out. When he hung up, Duke turned to me. “The D.A. will probably blame it on your old associates trying to get back at you.”

  “Were you able to find Dagger?”

  “Yes. That snake is supposedly a legitimate fight promoter now. Professional fighting, complete with an arena on the Island.”

  Duke grabbed the bottle of booze off my desk, poured two drinks, and handed one to me. “Now what?”

  “Dagger is connected to this mess somehow. Not sure how, but he is. He got Enrico Price to lie and say Wells company was going under when in truth, the business is doing great. Price is so scared, he won’t talk, even to me.”

  Duke, his ears forward, whistled.

  “Yeah, and get this. Remember Lenard Pinky? Well, he’s now calling himself by another name. Would you believe me if I told you that he was running a fancy gambling joint in the city?”

  “No. Yes. Maybe? Why hasn’t vice busted him already?”

  “Because he’s paying someone, and I don’t know who that someone is. And,” I pointed a finger at Duke. “I haven’t told you about it… Yet.”

  “Where in the city?” Duke growled.

  “Later. I don’t need you messing up my leads until I tie up all the ends, okay? You’re too stuck to your rules, and if I told you now, you would be duty bound to go off barking, and we’d lose a killer.”

  “But—”

  “Hear me out. Dagger, Lenard Pinky, and Enrico Price can’t be the only ones involved. Someone else must be, and that someone has connections. Someone who’s managed to pull my license. Don’t you think they could pull your badge if they wanted? Do you want to risk getting kicked off the force? The D.A. is already giving you flack, and we both know that bird would love to see you walking the beat again.”

  Duke bared his teeth and bristled at the last comment. “So now what?”

  “If you mention a wolf by the name of Bruce Bixler is heading for trouble, that might stir the pot. It’s Pinky’s posh alias.”

  “The name’s familiar.” Duke’s eyes narrowed, and he grabbed a cigarette from the pack on the desk. “If it’s the same person, then you’ve stumbled onto a hornet’s nest of ward politics. That wolf has all the locals sitting up and taking notice. A body only has to say his name and people are groveling.”

  “Pinky’s small time.”

  “Is he? Things change.”

  I growled in aggravation. “What about the hotel?”

  “Checked it. Everyone has plausible alibies.”

  “Damn.”

  “Is that everything?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I’ll see you tomorrow.” Duke grabbed his hat and coat, and I moved my butt over to the desks and the pictures Velvet left there.

  The photos were taken at the business party Wells was at. Linda Chevy didn’t look like she was anywhere near drunk, and her smiling face and slinky body held clear eyes.

  Frustrated, I pulled a matchbook out of my pocket and called the number. Ellen’s voice was soft and sultry. “Hello.”

  “It’s Kaiser.”

  “Hello, tiger. Up for another ride?”

  “Maybe. Are you busy?”

  “Busy getting undressed.”

  “Well get dressed, we’re going out.”

  “But it’s snowing. Do you really want my shoes to get ruined? What if my toes get cold?”

  “I’ll warm them up. Now get dressed.”

  After hanging up the phone, I loaded the .25, grabbed the envelope of photos and wrote a note to Velvet to keep me informed. Downstairs in the garage, the attendant was nice enough to put skid chains on my wheels, and I gave him an extra tip.

  The storm wasn’t letting up, and the drive to Ellen’s was bumpy on account of the chains. The skunk met me at the door with a drink. “The champion has arrived.” She pulled me into the room and sat me down on the couch.

  “What fancy place are you taking me to this cold winter night?”

  “That depends. Can you help me find a killer?”

  Ellen stopped smiling and studied me. “Maybe. Is that all you want?”

  “Yes, no, oh hell. Listen, Ellen, you’re gorgeous. You should be in the movies and not messing with the likes of me. Right at the moment, I’m running in circles and need help.”

  “At least you’re honest.” Ellen bopped my nose before sauntering over to a chair to sit. “What do you need?”

  “Answers. Do you like your job?”

  “Yes. I get to show off my assets and get paid good money to boot.”

  “How’s the boss?”

  “Viola is okay, I guess. I was thrilled to
pieces when she first called me. Thought I hit the big time. Now it’s just shoots with Allen.”

  “She does well?”

  “I’ll say. And not just the salary. Some of the gifts from clients make you wonder. What surprises me is that Allen doesn’t seem to notice. You’d think with being a Frenchman they’d have flaming rows about it, but no. For Allen it’s all his work.”

  “Do they have a thing going?”

  “Like I said, Allen’s all about the work. Rumor has it that Viola pulled him out of France right before he was arrested. Something to do with Nazi propaganda.” Ellen bit her lip and asked, “Do you think Allen’s ever had sex?”

  “Not a clue. Do you know anything about Bruce?”

  “Not really. He’s got a movie gangster vibe that people find attractive and hands out gifts. You know, the usual good business practices so that people remember to visit his club and spend money. Bruce is good at it too, because going to his place has lasted longer than the normal fads have in the past.”

  “Makes you wonder what will happen when ordinary people get wind of the place.”

  “Doesn’t it?”

  “Do something for me?” I leaned forward in my seat. “Get yourself invited to the Lodge. Find out who Bruce’s clientele are. The fancy people. Those who have connections in the city. But be careful. Bruce can be a nasty customer.”

  “Why can’t you take me?”

  “If I show my ugly mug back in there, you might end up with a tiger skin rug. Can you get an escort?”

  “I can get about a dozen.”

  “Take as many as you like, but like I said, be careful.”

  I pulled out the envelope of pictures I’d brought with me, and Ellen joined me on the couch. “What are these?”

  “Photos of the dinner party Wells was at. Recognize anyone?”

  “All the females. They’re all part of the clothes on crew.”

  “This one?” I handed her the photo of Linda Chevy.

  “One of Viola’s favorites. Linda came over from one of the other agencies and thinks she’s better than everyone else. Royal pain is what she is. And not particular about who she sleeps with. She’ll cost the agency money if she doesn’t tone it down. Reality and public image are two separate things.”

  Ellen rifled through the photos and handed me one of an antelope. “That’s Amy Warrant. She’s over thirty-five, but you wouldn’t think it. Amy was hired for an exclusive. Big bucks too.”