Flapper Dick Ch. 10

"Not sure that is a good idea. Fellas running like to comment on can fire a fella for any reason." Ponder that then shake my head.

"They are saying that so you do what they want how. The fellas actually think like that does except worse are not to be found in the train yard, they are either owning it or working in other places. Likely up in north side to get away from the colored entirely." She is nodding.

"Never feel welcome going to Penney but it is the best place to be going for a number of things." I am nodding since we go there too.

"I don't much like going to north side, almost got forced up there, and then the other time we ran into this, though we had been driving by the house at the time. I will mention I am glad for your neighbor, and that we are south side, north side I'm not sure anyone came out their door." Fred is shaking his head.

"Didn't but then we had caught the fella and had a bull with us."

"Not really helping, almost want to ask north side station if anyone had called in on the shooting. Do you think you are up to going upstairs and getting in a new dress, or perhaps kicking him?" She nods then looks at me.

"I can kick him?" I am nodding.

"Kick him hard as you want, I almost ended up forced and I want to kick him for actually managing to on you."

Bull and Fred are nodding so help her stand up then we are fixing my coat on her. Over to the fella with her then she has reared back and laid in a good kick. She does it again and the fella is on his side and seems to have woken up and is struggling. Along with talking about how she will pay for it once he gets loose.

John comes down the stairs at this point so the fella is talking to John who simply turns around. Skirt kicks him good two more times then the bull is making her stop. Skirt is directed over to me so take her upstairs. Mostly so I get my coat back, and the skirt is a little happier with things. She is getting in her dress, or collapsed to the bed and crying, but I got my coat back so back downstairs.

"Like I'm going to be getting time for putting one in it's place." Is being said as I come down the stairs so hurry up a little and rejoin everyone.

"You will be getting time, the laws don't have anything about the color of someone's skin. It is simply if you beat up someone you get time." John says this then I am squeezing in between him and Fred, the bull is behind the fella.

"Personally I am thinking you are working in the train yards collecting things off the trains and putting more on, and then the colored fellas are doing twice as much so you are making less than they are." Bull has big eyes then grins, the fella on the other hand is sputtering some.

"I am twice the man of any of those coons, how we manage to be sneaking up to the trains and pulling items off." John snorts and the fella turns red since he realized what he just said.

"One of these days that won't work that fast." Fred says getting me to giggle.

"Doubt it, most fellas assume a skirt isn't good at anything but giving out nookie and cooking dinner. I admit cooking dinner is easy to make questionable on able. A skirt with a pistol and dick license is so far beyond that it can't be true. I'll be able to do that when I am old." John is chuckling into his hand.

"Maybe, though I think I want to hear about who is helping him pilfer off the trains." Gives me a thought on that.

"I'm thinking he has one of the colored fellas that works over there sharing on what is coming in and then this one is too stupid to recognize which one is working with them."

"Like I would talk to a coon." John frowns for a moment then brightens up.

"Means he is talking to one of the switchers, they are directing the fellas on which trains to load and unload. Rather good, he is dunce enough to not pay attention to a colored nearby listening so we will simply go and ask them." I am nodding and the bull is too.

"Good that you are bringing me along, a number likely wouldn't talk to you."

I'm unsure on that but then perhaps too since we are all white and they are used to being ignored. Do haul the fella up the stairs and into the sitting room, which we tell her about so she doesn't go in there. Drop him on the floor in front of the sofa then Fred sits and puts his feet on the fella. John goes outside to make sure the patrol comes to the right place.

Bull gets a chair over so I sit there, since he offered it to me. Bull then goes to sit on the sofa with Fred, and the fella on the floor. Course then I think of one thing and I better mention this.

"I'm pretty sure there is a jalopy in the alley." Bull frowns at that.

"Suppose we could just leave it there and have it towed tomorrow, trash comes through to pick up then." I am nodding then Fred is shaking his head.

"We need to go through the jalopy. Which means you are going to go drive it around and let John do it, his case now." Bull nods and hops up to go out the back door.

"I kind of want to keep him." Fred rolls his eyes.

"He isn't a virgin." I am giggling and shake my head.

"Not like that, it's just he's smart and can see what can be a problem." Fred is nodding and shrugs.

"I'm not sure he can be made a detective, remember the colored bulls can't be arresting white fellas."

"No idea why not on that, but still. There are plenty of colored living in Chicago and I sort of doubt it is only white fellas breaking the law." Fred nods after a moment.

"That is true, but still all we can do is make suggestions and this one I would think won't go anywhere. Even if he is made a detective the colored are almost always attacked by whites so he wouldn't be able to arrest." Ponder that and shake my head since there is one thing.

"Not if he takes along another detective or a patrol. Remember John said that he can get help if he asks for it."

"Yeah, but the problem is there is no telling if he would get help." Nod since that is true.

"Suppose we can only make favorable reports on him and hope something good happens. I mean according to the bull we went around with north side the courts are bought, but they don't really look to be."

"No, but to really tell we would have to be watching the courts, judges mostly since defense attorney by definition is bought every case." That gets me to giggle.

"True, though they are also a little friendly with the prosecutor too, unless it is only one defense attorney."

"Wouldn't think so, but then think of it this way. The defense attorney has to get his client off or a favorable deal for the client, as in less time than they probably will get. Best way to do that is be friends with the prosecutors." I would say something except the door opens and there is John with a grin.

"Patrol is here for him, and good idea on the jalopy, we got a treasure trove of things. He has a paper with their target tonight and some items that tie him in to cases of thieving."

I am grinning and we take the sputtering and denying fella out the door. Spend a bit longer there to make sure the skirt is alright, and leave her with her neighbor. The one that had gone running to find a bull so I am thanking her for doing that. Then we go on over to the train yard and into the building first.

Pull a lot of eyes since the building is where the white fellas are. At least there are a bunch in here. I think mostly because we got a colored bull going along with us. Find an office and go right on inside, surprised on not having a secretary here, to find an older fella looking at us with jaw dropped.

"This is odd." John snorts and shakes his head.

"Right now we are here to tell you that one of your loaders had his wife attacked. We stopped before the fella finished but Betty here wants to get her husband sent home." Fella sighs and is nodding.

"Definitely, that is not something covered in the regulations and we only have one more train coming in for this shift. Most are over at the warehouse section, there should be a group out loading a train so check warehouse first." I snort and elbow the bull who is chuckling, gets the fella to look at us with eyebrows high.

"Sorry, the fellas wife and this bull figured on not getting sent home without losing pay." Fella is chuckling and shakes his head.

"Dock in pay if the fella isn't doing the work assigned, or sneaking out to get to the store. Just going home and not sharing on that is a dock in pay. Honest asking to go home since feeling ill or appointment means they go home with full pay for the day."

"We also have reason to believe that the fella that done the forcing is talking to one of your switchers to find trains to pilfer. We got information out of his jalopy. One of the things is a train coming in tonight from Detroit." Fella tosses his hands at that.

"Not helping much, we have a listing of trains coming and their expected arrival time. Switchers are either out in the yard or in the lounge here in the building. Foreman assigns switchers to trains who then collect loaders and go meet." Put up my hand since there is one thing I want to ask about.

"How do the loaders get things to a train or off if they are going among the tracks?"

"There are loading and unloading sections, not to mention carts. The trains or car goes over to there and is loaded or unloaded, sometimes both, then taken back to the train. Depends greatly on if the car was part of a passenger train though usually we get the whole train to there and take off what is needed. Will mention if you want to catch the rest of the group set up over there and wait." John is frowning now.

"I'm unsure on that, they will notice they are shy one fella and likely will figure on know of this train so will come back another day. Better to find the switcher they are talking to and get names." True but then perhaps they would simply assume on not making it.

"See if you can get a raid over here to make sure. It is possible they don't normally see each other except when getting to the train yards." John is nodding after a moment.

"I can see that, criminals seem to be getting better."

"There is one other person we are looking for, fella is about six foot with a mustache. Wore a blue suit and gray coat though mostly we just need to find a mustache fella." Fred says getting the fella to shake his head.

"Only have one fella with a mustache working here, and he has a black coat. See them sometimes due to the passenger trains, but most are not staying in Chicago." Fred looks at me so sigh and look up.

"Suppose means I am staying out at night trying to find that safe cracker crew with John." John sighs and tosses his hands.

"I think we will draft him to sit with you. I am supposed to be doing a raid here tonight." Sounds alright to me, though perhaps John can sit with us.

"Depends, how many stores are there around the train yard with a safe?" Bull sighs and holds up four fingers.

"Three groceries and a small clothing store." John shakes his head.

"Clothing store was the one I got to look into and learned of a fella with a mustache standing outside. I think not bother with the grocery, those are not robbed that often."

"What else do we got?" Bull snorts.

"Got a diner, this is over in the white section but barely. After that have two other clothing stores."

"John what time was the clothing store hit?" John sighs and tosses his hands.

"Mustache fella was noticed at ten. No idea on when got there to start and when left. The witness saw him since they had been opening the window to let out smoke." Sort of good since we would be looking before midnight then Fred opens his mouth.

"There is one thing, how did they get the safe open?"

"Acid, but my witness didn't smell it so they are covering the safe and doing it fast." There is so a question to ask now so I do before anyone says anything.

"How does covering the safe mean there is no smell of the acid later?" John sighs so this can't be good.

"Thick cloth, like say a blanket or two. The smell goes into the fabric so you never want to use the blanket for anything else. Makes it hard to catch them since there is no warning except for the fella sitting watch outside." This is bad then the bull mentions one thing.

"Some acids the fumes from them are flammable so perhaps the fella went outside to smoke and was noticed since he went far away from the fumes." John is nodding now and even smiles.

"Yes I never thought of that. Some fellas smoke often so would be kicked out. The back door was forced at the clothing store. I will mention that acids take a while so they were working on that safe minutes after the store closed. That was at six." Fred is frowning now then shakes his head.

"No, unless the safe is a floor safe it wouldn't take more than three to four hours. Your fella was spotted at ten, but did the witness watch and see when he left?" John is shaking his head.

"No and good thinking, though there is one thing. You two will have to go into alleys and check the back doors, I wouldn't expect they have a lookout. The one smoker struck me as odd, but then I didn't think of the danger of smoking near acids. Usually they are either in and out fast, or close the door and do it in the dark." I am nodding though there is one thing.

"Wouldn't there be a jalopy in the alley?" John waggles his hand.

"Perhaps though likely not. Sneak into the place with their jars of acid and when finish sneak out with the dough rolled up in the blanket. Look like nothing more than some fellas on a stroll."

Makes sense and then we are heading for the warehouse section. Which is not what it sounds like, there is a roof and no walls. This is where what is taken off and goes on the trains sit and wait to be picked up or taken to the train. Not to mention a large number of colored fellas, about all of them see us coming then they are noticing I am there and a skirt so some whistles.

"This ain't the beach." One yells getting some laughs, which confuses me so look at John who rolls his eyes.

"We have lady bulls, mostly they are monitoring the beaches and then markets." Roll my eyes then nudge the bull.

"Go find her husband, or yell I'm unsure on him being here." Bull nods then yells out a name and then he isn't in trouble, which has most of them laughing and saying he is, but a fella does emerge.

Bull takes him off to the side which the fellas are watching. John instead is yelling out about wanting to hear about a switcher talking to outside fellas. Gets all of them to talk at once, so I whistle and wave my hands.

"Fellas, what we want is a switcher talking to outside fellas recently, and this is in relation to talking about trains. From Detroit being the one we know about, and then any of the trains that got pilfered." Hand pops up in the back so Fred motions him up.

"I heard Burt talking to some fellas about a train that got robbed. Belts I think was taken off that train."

"Do you know Burt's full name?" Fella shakes his head.

"Not knowing that but do know there's only one Burt. At least only one that is coming out here to collect us." John is frowning though this is rather good so poke him.

"This is good, we spotted a gang house and bought a belt from them that is known to have been lifted. So with this Burt we can figure out who else is getting the belts at least." John nods then smiles so that is good, then he is standing a little taller.

"Anyone seen a switcher talking to a fella about the Detroit train that is coming tonight?" Plenty of shaken heads so that isn't so good, though there is one thing we can ask about.

"Any of you seen a switcher talking to fellas about trains in the last week?" Hand pops up and the fella is coming up front.

"I heard Burt talking to fellas, and then another time John was talking to fellas and that was the usual times on trains coming in. Most of the time when a train is in to get loaded and unloaded we are only on the one side, but trains open on both sides." I sort of knew that, but still this is good information.

"I think now we better be asking on if John and Burt are in the lounge?" Fellas are all nodding so this is good.

"I think if you could come with us and point out John, I'm sure there is more than one here." Fella is nodding then shakes his head.

"They don't allow us up in the lounge." I snort and grab his hand.

"They will allow this time since you are escorting a flapper dick." All of them are laughing now and John ushers us off.

Fella has to show the way to get to the lounge, there is access from the outside. He is talking about how passengers are allowed into the lounge. It's not just a place to get soda bottles since there are booths and tables to sit at, some vittles though mostly that is hamburgers. Basically it is little more than a diner with limited things to have.

Then we are going inside and this limited diner is very nice. Darkened wood benches and booths all over. There are tables that are just as nice, candelabra up above and a counter with some folk sitting at with bottles of Coca Cola, Pepsi Cola, and I think one is root beer even. Our guide directs us to two tables set close together with bunches of fellas at.

John pulls out his badge and is asking for Burt. I get our guide to show me which one is John and go over to him. When I tell him what we want to know he is shoving me aside and making a break for it. He gets maybe ten steps and the bull is tackling him, though more bull rushed him into a booth, happily an empty booth.

Burt is collected too, he just stood up and went to John. The other John on the other hand gets fitted with bracelets and then Fred hauls him up. John decides both will be taken to the station so I take our guide over to the counter and buy him a soda. This he takes with a grin and on back to the warehouse area.

Catch up with everyone else and we got the two fitted into the jalopies. Which I notice after a moment, we got a white fella in the colored bulls jalopy.

"I thought he wasn't allowed to pinch white fellas." John snorts and shakes his head.

"That one is Burt, he is simply coming in to talk about who he has talked to. I would figure on he wasn't paid for information, just was asked about the train."

"As in a fella comes over asking where the train with belts is?" John nods and shrugs.

"Suppose, honest I don't really care, he was pointed out as the fella that talked to fellas about the train that got pilfered belts from. That isn't my case, more or less your case since you found the gang."

"So I have to ask him who he talked to?" John shakes his head.

"Raid would get a detective assigned, that raid is happening soon I would think. If you got it called for when you drafted me anyway. Takes about fifteen minutes to get a warrant to the raid, they call the courthouse and it is driven over."

"So we hand Burt to the sergeants?" John sighs and looks up then nods.

"Suppose so, they would know the detective assigned."

"Alright one more question, how am I getting with him to look into the robbery when it is your case and it's not until tonight?" Bull snorts and shakes his head.

"Come to the station at six, gives me a chance to eat, then we can go over the map and pick out likely targets." John is nodding and points at the bull.

"What he said, we don't know if you will find them tonight, I mean perhaps they go to other sections of town or are not hitting a place again. Depends greatly on if this crew will stick around or already left. Your offed fella was found day before yesterday, the robbery I am on with the mustache fella happened the night before your victim got offed." Ponder this for a moment.

"Possible it is either tonight or tomorrow, unless they left town." Fred, John, and the bull are nodding after a moment.

"Good thinking, so I guess you will go out looking tonight and then tomorrow I can go along with. Got a raid tonight." John says so that is all set, though there is one thing.