Flapper Dick Ch. 10

"No, we need to be getting a detective. Remember fellas talk to bulls, but dicks you have to talk them into it."

"If we had the Winchester I would pull that and have you carry it around and just go ask." Fred snorts and ushers me to the jalopy.

We get under way and head for the police station, though we are not going that fast. I would ask why but then it doesn't matter that much. Then notice Fred is looking around so do the same and all I am seeing is a lot of houses and snow that got plowed.

"Why are you looking around?" Fred snorts and shakes his head.

"Keeping an eye out in case we spot the fella. Dunce worthy but many times the offender lives near the crime scene." Snort then shake my head.

"Dick magazine says that too, though in this case we are looking at the fella done the offing works in the train yards or is part of the thieving there."

"Perhaps instead part of another group that is pilfering jewelry."

"I wouldn't expect that, there are plenty of reasons a fella offs another, looked at his wife wrong, got nookie from his wife, refused to get nookie from his wife." Fred is looking at me now so I am giggling.

"I'm not going to be passing you around like that. Oh and what was up with the neighbor?"

"I asked, he said she is their only kid and he isn't sure on picking a fella but is getting the nookie. So I suggested calling up Capone to work in a bordello. I mean if she just wants the nookie." Fred is nodding.

"You gave over the number to call?" I am nodding.

"Little surprised on not gotten a special one to get hold of his secretary." Fred snorts and shakes his head.

"I'm of two minds on that one, on one hand she is only a number for the made men to call to get things like a crew sent over and such. Other hand she is working as a bookie, taking bets on things."

"Does Capone do that?" Fred is nodding.

"I would expect so. Put money on the cubs winning today, the socks, even football. Not to mention horse racing, unless you go to the track you can't bet, but with a phone call you place your bet." I am nodding since I can see that.

"I never thought of that. Since we are heading to get a detective at a slow pace, what do you think we should do about a camera?" Fred is quiet for a bit then glances at me.

"I think we should buy one. I mean if you want to have a camera then we should buy one." Toss my hands and poke at Fred.

"You knocked me up so we have a kid on the way and that means we should have pictures. If it's a son we can horrify him by showing the pictures to his skirt." Fred is chuckling for a while.

"I'm hoping you don't actually do that, and I am wondering why we are discussing this."

"We are discussing this since I am unsure. Do we get a camera and then take the rolls of film off to a store to have them develop or set up a dark room?" Fred groans and looks up.

"That I am unsure on. I mean a dark room would go in the basement."

"I don't think it would take up the whole basement. Besides you are not using those weights every day."

"I think you have to do it near a sink."

"I don't know on that, John has a dark room in his basement so we can ask him. I was thinking we can go and ask someone who sells the things you need to have a dark room and find out. I mean if we have to spend a bunch of dough to put a dark room in we will simply use a company doing it." Fred is nodding then snorts.

"We can also take our own pictures for the investigations we do."

"You mean go around seeing if a fella is cheating on his wife?" Fred snorts and shakes his head.

"Not so much, we are court appointed and get investigations like this one today. I'm surprised on not getting more calls to pick up a witness." I snort since I am a little surprised on that too, then squeak since there is a fella sitting on a porch.

"Fred there is a gang house over there." Fred looks quick but I think missed since we are turning at the next street.

"We will go make sure, I will ask after a belt. Fairly sure they will try and sell more to me like drugs."

"Good plan, just if you buy drugs you are not trying them." Fred snorts and shakes his head.

"I won't have the dough for it but if it is brought up I will ask. Be the impatient girlfriend."

I am nodding and then we are pulling over. Fred gets out quick so I am leaning over to look out and see a fella sitting on the porch, house is not run down. Perhaps this isn't a gang house since all I am seeing is a fella on the porch. Fred gets over to the fella and is talking to him and some nodding of the fella then he is getting up and going inside.

Wait a little bit then climb out of the jalopy, this is as the fella is coming back. Also looks over at me.

"Daddy come on, I am sure her house is around here somewhere."

Fred tosses his hands and is talking to the fella who is chuckling. Then Fred is handing over something, has to be a dime or something since I can't see it. Then Fred is getting a belt, this one is still in the little box you can buy them in from most stores. They talk a little more so I am yelling at Fred again, then he is coming over to the jalopy so climb in.

Get joined in there and we are taking off again. Going faster this time so that is rather good. I think at least then I am handed the belt and this is a rather nice one.

"This is a good belt, Penney sells it." Fred is nodding.

"Not just them sell those so we got a pilfered item. Has the lot number on it so perhaps there is a report on it so ties them to the theft. Not just that either, the fella was talking about having some good drugs, he offered up opium and heroin. Said you would stop being in a hurry on those." I am nodding and then realize one thing, I didn't look at the address.

"Did you check the address?" Fred is nodding.

"I got the house number and the street. Write it down for me so we can't forget."

Nod and pull out my notepad and then write down the address. Takes a little while longer but we do finally get over to the station so inside we go. Also find us behind a patrol and a pinched fella so toss my hands which the sergeant notices and is chuckling. Also tells me to stop being so impatient, that gets Fred to chuckle.

Different bull comes over and leads us to his desk. He sits then looks around and hops up to pull a chair over for me to sit. So I sit, not that I needed to but still that was nice of him.

"We are filing a beef on that sergeant over there." Fella is chuckling and shakes his head.

"Come on you have more than that." I am nodding and hand over my notepad.

"We found a gang house. I spotted it and he turned us around to go over to it and talked to the fella on the porch. He bought a belt and was told that he can buy opium or heroin to make me not so impatient." Fella snorts and looks up.

"Not related to him trust me, he never got a skirt." Fred is chuckling and hands the belt over.

"I told her to be the impatient girlfriend." Fella is nodding and looking over the box then whistles.

"This is from a shipment that got partially lifted from the trains. This is rather good to have. Perhaps will find those who did the lifting."

"If the raid doesn't off all of them again."

"Little danger of that you are not over there." Roll my eyes though Fred is chuckling.

"Going to be shortly in that area again. We came to get a detective since we got a lead on the fella done the offing at the train yard."

"That is good I think." I am nodding since it's not much of a lead.

"Just a description on the fella but it could have been gotten by the detective, he was told about it and never went back." Fella is frowning now.

"Go on up and yell at them, I know our detectives get new cases fairly often but that is rather bad." I am nodding though there is one thing.

"You got enough to do a raid?" He is nodding and grins.

"More than, just the belt was enough but then he can attest to told of heroin. Also the court appointed dicks so the judge will see that and give a warrant."

I'm unsure on that part but Fred is pulling me up. Up the stairs we go and I see John over there so yell dad and run over to him. Everybody is laughing when I drop in his lap and give him a hug. John rolls his eyes and grabs me so he can stand up and drops me in the chair. Fred comes over shaking his head.

"I wanted to get the detective that was assigned to this case to begin with." Shake my head and wink.

"If we don't draft this one I may have given the fella nookie already." Fred rolls his eyes.

"I thought you had only been with a couple of the detectives here." Sigh and look around then whistle.

"If you got nookie with me put your hand up." Ten hands pop up then some more and all of them are laughing.

"Drafting me into what? I do happen to have cases of my own." Look up at John and grin.

"We got asked to look into the train yard offing. Found a witness the detective was told about and never came to talk to him. Honestly this one is sounding like when we met you. This time the fella done the offing is about six foot and has a mustache. Was wearing a gray or white coat and a blue suit." John is nodding and frowns for a moment.

"Oddly enough I am working a case where a fella with a mustache is spotted. He was leaning against the wall and smoking at a place that got robbed." Toss my hands.

"Jewelry again?" John snorts and shakes his head.

"I don't always have jewelry cases, there is one we are handling right now and I'm not on it. This time it was a smaller store, safe was popped." Makes me frown for a moment.

"Sort of suspect Capone did that, his people learn how to do that." Fred is shaking his head.

"No remember, Giovanni said flat out they don't do jewelry theft and then they learn how to crack a safe so they can spot it happening." John is nodding.

"Sometimes they use acid and it takes a couple days or the smell is rather pervasive."

"Isn't that sort of noticeable?" John is nodding and then shakes his head.

"Depends on the safe, wall safes you can do that with because you don't look at the hinges. Most are set up a little high so you are looking up at it." Fred is nodding, though I am tossing my hands since we haven't gotten a safe yet.

"Fred we haven't gotten a safe yet." Fred sighs and shrugs.

"We will next month, Christmas isn't really cheap." Have to nod since that is true.

"Have you got a tree yet?" I groan and Fred snorts.

"I won this argument, we will get a little tree on Christmas Eve." John snorts and shakes his head though that reminds me of the dark room.

"John you got a dark room, do you need a sink for that?" John shakes his head.

"Easier with a sink but just having a jar or bucket of water is enough. Most basements have a drain in case of seepage or pipe burst. Are you getting a dark room?"

"More of thinking about it, suppose we better talk to the shop selling what you need and see how much that is. I think we will call a plumber and ask after a sink in the basement." John and Fred are nodding.

"I will mention it doesn't take over the basement. I got drapes hung in a section of my basement and then over the windows. So long as nobody turns the light on in the basement that is all you need after a table and I use clothing line and pins for the paper to dry."

"Do you have rolls of film or the plates on your camera?" John snorts.

"I have rolls of film, besides having to get the film on a spool in the pitch black it's not hard. That takes practice or you can make him do it." Fred is shaking his head and I am giggling.

"I will do that, I am home at night time more often."

"Where was the store?"

"South side, in fact this store was over toward the train yard. Did you two have an idea on where to look for your suspect?"

"I was thinking train yard since perhaps he works in there." John frowns for a moment and then nods.

"Not precisely a bad notion. Either we find him by asking about or go out at night and try to find him watching out for others."

I'm not liking that one but I can do it since I only have to go in when we are not having a case. Discussion on what we have to ride in and John is taking us to his jalopy. Sort of nice, and then not really mattering since John's jalopy is the same as Fred has. Course John has the police lights on his so that is sort of nice, and gives me a thought.

"Hey John can we draft one of them colored bulls?" John looks over at me a time or two then asks.

"If we spot one, and why?"

"Well so perhaps they and the colored will like us better, more you I suppose but then colored fellas can't do an investigation my backside." John snorts and nods.

"I think they can do it too, just there is little point in letting them since generally it is a white fella done the crime."

"Yeah I heard about that, colored bull can't be arresting a white fella, why not?"

"Bigwigs are saying that, I think mostly on account of the colored we have are from south and were not doing much besides cotton picking and loading boats and wagons. Generally there was a white fella making sure they do it right, so the bigwigs are thinking why change what works."

"Except they allow colored to be police, so why not let them arrest white fellas?"

"Because the colored patrol we have are only in the colored section. I'm fairly certain we only hired them on because they are colored and we have a lot of colored here. Sort of avoid having white fellas pinching colored."

"This isn't making much sense." John is nodding and shrugs.

"I think the same thing on it, but what we have until we get in a new superintendent. Perhaps a new mayor will call for colored bulls having regular duties like a white fella." Fred snorts.

"According to the paper the last mayor is going to run again."

"Likely will but then if he does something like call for colored to have the same duties as a white patrol the colored will vote for him and he wins the election. Something like half the colored have the vote, which them klan dunces were saying." Fred snorts.

"We had a couple come in last week, they left again since we allow colored."

"You never told me that." Fred rolls his eyes.

"You were being a waitress and I didn't feel like grabbing you up so you don't shoot one." Toss my hands then squeak since John is turning us quick to follow a patrol with the lights on.

"Sorry, lights on means follow if you spot the patrol. Perhaps why the detective assigned never returned, got busy with something else."

"So this is your case if there is anything?" John is nodding.

So pay attention and we are not chasing anyone, besides the patrol anyway. Then the patrol is pulling over so we follow. John is first out of the jalopy and runs over to it. We follow a little slower and we do have a colored bull so that is rather nice. Get over to them and they are still talking then the bull notices us and stops talking.

"Don't mind them, court appointed dicks so talk as if they are police." Fella is nodding and resumes talking.

"Not sure what we have here, skirt had come along waving her hands so stopped to ask and she had talked of a scream and other noises."

"Likely got a fella come in through the back door looking to rob, and getting his enjoyment of the skirt inside." Bull looks at me then crosses himself.

"Hope not, most every house this area is married couples, most have kids." I am nodding then look at John.

"You and Fred go in through the back door, I will go with him to the front door. We will count to ten and kick the door in." Bull is shaking his head.

"Most are not locking their doors during the day." John snorts and shrugs.

"Same plan minus door kicking. Watch your aim please and pinch if it is a white fella." Bull is nodding and grins.

Out of his jalopy he comes then John and Fred are going around the house so I am counting as we head for the door. Also look and this is not a two story house. Count to ten reached so the bull tries the door and it is locked. So I am grinning as he steps back then kicks the door. Door pops open so he is rushing in and I am following.

No skirt under an attacker in the sitting room, spot John and Fred in the kitchen so point to the door for basement. Bull and I are going to the bedroom on the right first, door is reached first. Open standing to side for both of us and peak in to nobody there. Move to the other bedroom and open to see nobody there.

Trade a look with the bull then we go to the last door, this is for the bathroom. Door opens and nobody in there so head for the stairs down. Down we find Fred and John standing over a white fella and a black skirt is down here. Her dress is ripped and she is crying so take my coat off and rush over to her to wrap up in my coat, and get grabbed up to cry on.

"John go call this in and then request a patrol for the filth, I like this one and want him to go over to the train yards to help investigate." John is nodding and heads up the stairs, the bull is smiling a little.

"Sounds fine, though would rather toss him in the street and let the skirts take a little measure." I am nodding since that sounds good.

"I know what you mean, but if this one can manage we will let her kick him plenty. Last time we ran across this the fella didn't manage to start." Notice the fella isn't saying anything so I better ask after that.

"Fred what did you do to this one?"

"Smacked with my pistol. Would have shot but was on top of her and bullets do go through." I am nodding since that is true.

"At this point, I am wondering what on earth he is doing here. Most all of the houses down here are working in the train yards and I don't think the fellas are getting paid good." Skirt sputters some then pulls back.

"He was talking about teaching a coon a lesson." Frown and look at the bull who is frowning too.

"Suppose means that works in the train yard and was shown up, or is one of those doing the pilfering." Fred sighs and goes through his pockets to come up with a wallet.

"Driver license, south side address I think." Bull is shown the wallet and he nods after a moment.

"Yeah south side, over toward west side so almost has to be involved with the pilfering at train yard." Fred snorts and checks the rest of the wallet.

"Some dough but not much, suppose means he keeps a box in his closet or something. Will need to be asking the fellas working in the train yard on this fella, and then the mustache fella. Course him I think is simply involved in the pilfering John is looking into and used the train yard since it is surrounded by colored." Bull is nodding.

"I would expect so, most don't seem to think we are capable of anything." I am shaking my head.

"The bigwigs think that, us regular folk know better. Fairly sure it is more along the lines of keep those under me there."

"Sorry about your jacket." Look at her then look at my jacket and shrug.

"Just have to clean it off, never worn this one before." Fred snorts and shakes his head so glare at him. "I am helping to design clothes for a store, last week I was given all of the suits. I prefer wearing my silk suit but then with all of these suits I can look different." Fred is nodding.

"She wears the silk suit to go to cathedral."

"If I ever get called in to court to testify on something." She actually smiles, not a big smile but then she is having a really horrible day and then one thing strikes me.

"Have you been blessed?" She is nodding.

"Have a son, he is at school." I am nodding then a thought comes so look at the bull.

"Do you think you could go get her husband?" She squeaks and is shaking her head.

"Would lose dough if he comes home now." Bull is nodding so frown, then one thing comes to me.

"Perhaps not if we explain why to his boss. If the boss mentions doing that I will pull pistol and explain why not." Bull snorts then looks at Fred who is nodding so the bull is frowning.