Flapper Dick Ch. 13

Oh no it's the unlucky thirteen, run for the hills. Still there? Dang it, I guess that means I will have to try harder. I will get you to run away, oh yes I will.

I seem to have made this one a little long, so nine pages. So tempting to just keep typing stuff up here to stretch it to ten pages. I won't do that, at least not on purpose but maybe I can accidentally take it there.

Course then again not a good idea, as it is half of you will get halfway (page five) and forget what has already happened so start over. Most likely try to do shorter stories, do stop laughing I may just to spite you, and your little dog too.

**

Exit the house into the backyard to find all of the fellas that are here over where there will be a grill eventually. Audrey and Liza are watching from the chairs that had been bought. These are rather nice, lawn chairs as they are called, designed to be sat in outside. Really they are more along the line of sort of comfortable adjustable beds like found in the hospital.

The only thing that makes them bearable is the pad. If there is no pad you don't want to sit on it, never a pad at the lake so luckily the pads are sold separate. Entirely possible the ones at the lake had a pad that someone decided to take home. There is cheering as I sit on one of the chairs, I am sharing it with Audrey.

Look over at her and she shrugs so we all are watching the fellas. They are more animated now so there is something going on. At least for a rather short amount of time then they are moving back and we get to see there is a sort of brick box with fire coming out the top. Fred comes over and sits next to me as Simon and Franklin are setting patties atop the fire, though it is getting lower.

"We have a grill, you put the note on the door?" I am nodding then lean against Fred since he looks to be staying there.

"Note on the door, even put it on the outside of the door though you hadn't mentioned that." Fred groans and looks up.

"You had mentioned that you perhaps are having problems remembering things and want me to explain things when I say it." Liza is giggling into her hand so fix a glare on her, she had said I perhaps will forget what I am doing.

"You didn't listen, I said perhaps I will have problems remembering what I am doing. Liza had said that sometimes happens when a knocked up skirt gets as far along as I am."

"It is known to happen to skirts swelled as much as you are up to just before having baby in hand. You also should have cravings."

"All I want is sweets, suppose means I am having a daughter." Liza is nodding and grins.

"I wanted a daughter, and all I got was a son. Hopefully you have more than one." I whimper because I don't want that many.

"I'm happy with one, daughter or not. I do want more than one since I was an only kid, but also hoping for not many kids." Fred is nodding getting Liza to laugh.

"You have a nanny so many isn't that big a problem for you. Though I agree kids are expensive and cost more the more you have. Brian has five brothers and a sister, he shared tales on growing up with little more than food on the table."

"Growing kids don't need much more than food on the table, and then there wasn't that much in toys when I was a lad." Brian says coming around the corner with a number of fellas behind him, two of those I know from giving nookie to them, and they have skirts with them.

"If you brought medicinal the punch is over there, just set the bottles beside it, it's loaded."

Some chuckling but two do go that way to set their bottle of hooch on the table by the punch bowl. It is a huge bowl that we had in the cabinets, got Fred to chuckle when we brought it out and filled it up with what became the punch. Beside that we have a big jar filled with martini, Scott and Alfred had figured out the mixture for a big jar.

After some exclamations on having martinis all of them go over and fill glasses with martini. Course about half of the fellas get the punch, it's just lemonade with whiskey in. Easy to tell on that since the yellow tinted punch has turned brownish. The fellas are talking to each other on bull things so the skirts drift over and we are having our own discussion, with Fred sitting next to me.

Mostly we talk about fashion, until one comments on the wedding night finery and then we are discussing scandalous things to wear for our man. Leads to comparing notes with pauses to include more skirts that came with her fella. A number swear by the shorts and shirt that I designed first, though two of those have only gotten them after we made them two sided.

Has a number a little confused on how they are enjoying nookie in those so well. At least until I share that they have gone two sided to help on the nookie enjoyment. Then I share my experience with the sheer slip and everybody wants to buy that. Fred is grinning next to me since he does like me in the sheer slip, and more sales is good for my purse.

When it is getting dark Fred has me help him set out the lanterns. We had bought four of the oil lanterns since there isn't much light in the backyard. One goes on the punch table, second goes on the fixings table. Fred takes one over to the grill and the last goes on a pole we had set up. Audrey and Liza are getting the salads out to the fixings table, along with the fixings.

Dinner is rather grand, and we have a black and tan party in our backyard. Rather grand all the way around, especially since we have cheeseburgers. Cheeseburgers are hard to find in the diners south side. Course a few of the fellas are working north side so have cheeseburgers often so everybody swats them.

Plenty of laughing after too since it is rather funny. Mostly I think since the fellas are all rather plastered. The punch got filled twice with plenty of medicinal poured in so it got stronger. Only one jar of martini but us skirts didn't down it as fast. Party ends and we have some help cleaning up, mostly that is taking things inside since it may rain tomorrow.

Last Sunday of March and it is rainy now, mostly why we waited for the last Sunday. Original plan had been all day Saturday so Fred can enjoy, but it was raining. Luckily Brian had gone to the bulls and said Saturday unless it is raining then Sunday after mass toward dinner time. Finally get it all cleaned up enough and everybody has gone home so we are sitting on our sofas.

"That was nice, I'm surprised there wasn't more bulls." Audrey says getting Simon to chuckle and shake his head.

"A number had asked me how to do a grill since the news on it had spread. I shared the one we have with the brick and how it can be filled with coal or wood." Fred is nodding though there is one thing I want to ask on.

"What were you fellas doing that you cheered about before you started grilling?"

"We had to fit the grilling on over the opening. There is a sort of recess it fits in and not precisely easy, but only way to fix it in place without attaching."

"Had to fill it with coal to, why the fire went so high at first, we poured lighter oil all over it." Fred says getting me to giggle.

"There is an opening to fill it?" Simon is shaking his head.

"The grill can be slanted upward and then load the pit. There is an opening to get the ashes out, simple thing, open the door then use a brush." Audrey sighs with me since we had the same thought, us skirts are cleaning it.

"So we will have to do that tomorrow?" Simon snorts and shakes his head.

"Fred or I will, next time perhaps. Depends on how much ash is in the pit. Be glad we didn't use wood, many times they don't burn all the way down like coal." I am nodding since that is a good point.

"I am happy with that, and then not minding since you two are minding it. There is one thing, will getting the ash out on the grass be alright for the grass?" Simon is frowning, so is Fred when I look at him, then Simon sighs.

"No idea, and good thought. I guess we can take a garbage pail out and empty the ash into that. Perhaps even just a dustbin and empty that into the alley trash bin." Fred is nodding to that one so I suppose they will do that.

"Oh Betty I found the last Agatha Christie book, at least so far. It is her first novel and according to the jacket has that Belgian fella." I am smiling now since I do sort of like him.

"Good, I will take it with me to that office. Hopefully I am just going in and sitting there all day." Simon snorts and shakes his head.

"If it's anything like the station you will spend the day at a typewriter." Fred snorts and shakes his head.

"Lawyer offices the lawyers handle the typing. You said they wanted you to look over the police reports too." I am nodding then groan since something came to me.

"In other words I won't see the desk from all of the reports stacked on it." Fred and Simon are laughing.

"No, the only reports you will see are the ones they don't have going to court. Perhaps will see some of the soon court cases. If the investigation is poor they will want to add in information if possible, makes the County Attorney look better to have more convictions than acquittals."

"If I find more than one can I make you get up?" Fred sighs and shakes his head.

"I have to work tomorrow, Hayseed normally is off today but we did the party late. Next weekend we will have it on Saturday."

"What if it is raining again?" Audrey asks getting Fred and Simon to snort.

"If it is raining again we simply sit in here and the kitchen."

"Need more chairs." I put in getting everyone to look at me and some snorting.

"True, though some of the fellas had mentioned putting boards down means regular chairs can be used." Simon says which is a good point.

"Yeah but where do we get the boards?"

"That part is being handled for us, one of the fellas volunteered. He knows a fella that does woodworking, can borrow some boards from his work."

"So we will have a factory worker here next weekend?" Simon opens his mouth then closes it and shrugs.

"Not sure, he had said he would get the boards and how, we asked. Factory worker wouldn't be that bad, today we just talked about what we see at work. A fella doing something different would be rather nice." Sigh and look up.

"Mostly us skirts talked about nookie." Fred is chuckling next to me so elbow him.

"I found the discussion fascinating. Also seemed to be whatever you wanted to talk about, this time it was nookie since there was the discussion on pleasing your fella. If you really want to talk something else, like mysteries, just need to talk about that."

"I'm not sure I should, what I know besides in the books is murders." Fred opens his mouth and then closes it since we mostly just work in murders, besides the gang houses and the grabbed boy.

"This is true, we have two capers, and that fella with a condition, then almost entirely it is murders." Simon snorts and is chuckling.

"Murders are better than what most bulls deal with. Mostly we see family disputes and fights. Sometimes come upon a forced skirt, or get alerted to it happening. I am glad that mostly is not in the sections of town I am covering."

"I am glad we made so much potato salad." Audrey says into the quiet that fell after the comment on forced skirts.

"Should have made more of the corn salad." I mention since we ran out of that, mostly why so much potato salad was eaten.

"Ambrosia went away fast too." Fred mentions getting all of us to nod.

"First party, next we will do better. I think perhaps cookies so there is eating before we move to cheeseburgers." Audrey is nodding.

"A few of the skirts mentioned bringing salad. We will have more of a pot luck dinner next time but more food." I am nodding and grin since there is something else we can do.

"Share recipes too, I mean if someone brings a smashing salad we should learn how to make it." Audrey is nodding with me, then Fred groans.

"Oh no, you are turning into a proper skirt, caring about nookie and cooking only."

Groan and swat at Fred with Simon and Audrey laughing. Fred fetches my book, not the new one the one I am reading now. So lean into Fred and read the novel, it's a good book but not a mystery which I am rather liking better, suppose good I am a dick. Simon and Audrey go to bed much sooner than Fred and I do.

Wake curled up on Fred with Audrey poking at me so check the clock. Half an hour before I am supposed to be at the office so not a good time, but can't be getting up later either. Climb over Fred and dash into the shower with Audrey giggling behind me. Shower finished and happy to have a shower cap, I am applying some makeup before going into our bedroom to get dressed.

Sort of agonize over what to wear for a moment then get to work on garter and stockings. Add in panties just to try it out. Then I am getting in a cloth suit, since they are in larger sizes and still fit. Close to not fitting anymore too so likely I will have to make up a dress and wear a jacket soon. Which is not right this moment so finish getting dressed in the pink suit.

Audrey is giggling like mad when I get into the kitchen. Also get shoved to the table and sit since there are two plates with breakfast on there. Mine is rather full but then I am knocked up and do eat plenty.

"Are you alright?" I am nodding then realize why she is asking.

"Fred took me to bed a little early, and then I had fallen asleep before then. Are you going to bed after I leave?" Audrey turns red and shakes her head.

"Simon got his hours moved, since he convinced me to like him. He leaves at six thirty now so I am doing alright with just getting up with, it's only an hour earlier."

"I'm surprised nobody has mentioned he went after the wrong color skirt." Audrey rolls her eyes then giggles.

"According to Simon they are either saying they don't know what I see in him, or think I have no faith in me since I settled for a colored." I'm sort of lost on that for a moment then giggle.

"So they are putting him down?" Audrey snorts and shakes her head.

"Mostly the other colored are saying that. The white bulls are mostly just glad he isn't trying for their sisters anymore." There is definitely a question to ask on that one.

"So Simon went around trying to pick up white skirts?" Audrey snorts and shakes her head.

"No, this is simply because he looks so good. A sister to one of the bulls went to the station for something or other and saw Simon so made a comment on she wouldn't mind trying him out. Plenty of teasing on that, I think half was on the fella who's sister said that."

Has us both giggling as we finish breakfast. Then comes getting my breezer and getting on the way. Which is when I realize it is raining, not much but definitely raining. So fetch my coat then outside to get the tarp off and raise the cover. Almost forget the new book but Audrey had run it out to me so off to the offices I go.

Also realize one thing, plenty are going to work at the same time. So I am having to look around plenty along with listen good since the rain means the road is wet and jalopies don't handle wet good. Do manage to get to the offices without an accident and even better, there is an empty spot right in front.

So park there and then a little dashing inside. Go along the hallway and open the door to find no secretary. So sit at her desk since she will show me where I have an office. Also grab up my new book and open it up, odd name for it. I mean you can't really call A Mysterious Affair at Styles something you would think of as a serious mystery.

Doesn't start off as one either since it is giving the back story to the place the story takes place in. I have gotten to the point where Poirot makes an appearance in the book when people are showing up. So I am looking at them as they come in, and plenty of looking back since I am not their secretary. Then she is there with a fella wearing a rather nice suit, his hair is stylish for an office worker.

"Suppose I should have mentioned nobody actually comes in at eight." I am giggling now, and this is Mr. Crowe, my boss.

"I managed to get a great parking spot so I had good timing." Entire room snorts.

"Suppose means you own the breezer." I am nodding as the secretary gets me to get out of her chair.

"Almost took Fred's jalopy but it wasn't raining that hard and I get the breezer to move better. Also would like to see my office so I can make a little headway on those police reports you buried the desk in."

Mr. Crowe offers his arm so collect my book and coat and put my arm in his. Door is opened by one of the other lawyers then we are going in and don't go very far before a door is opening. In we go and I am looking around a little shocked. I got the first room and besides being a little bit small it is very nice.

Got book shelves on the wall facing the door, the desk is to the right of the door facing the rest of the room. Got two desk chairs that I probably won't need, and the desk is outfitted fully. Have a typewriter but that is off on a side table with a collection basket for the things I type up. Sadly the book shelves are filled with books, likely on law and such, though perhaps will come in handy.

"Nobody likes this room since you can't be meeting the accused in here. The officer that comes along can't be in here and best not in the hallway, so the lawyer that had this room had to go to a conference room to meet accused to talk terms. Since I have empty offices everyone moved one office over. This is the only office without a second room. Also handy for the lawyers, they walk past you to head to court so can alert on needing a witness picked up." I am nodding since that is rather good, though there is one question.

"Why can't the bull stay in the room with the accused and lawyers?"

"Mostly because sometimes the accused will talk of things that if an officer overhears can use to arrest others. Accused don't want to snitch without a benefit to them so we leave it only lawyers in the room to talk terms and such."

"Interesting, now where are the police reports?" Mr. Crowe snorts and shakes his head.

"Most of what we get there is an accused arrested already. Despite what is said the police do an admirable job most of the time. That said if we get anything we want more information on we will bring it to you."

"Not to mention look for more after an arrest is made." Mr. Crowe is nodding and smiles.

"Hopefully without another gang house. Though the one looking into a murder made me look like a genius."

"I don't want to do that again." Mr. Crowe snorts and leaves me there.

Go back into the book and this is really a most interesting story. Not that I get all that far into it before there is a fella coming in the office holding a folder. Set my book down and get handed the folder so look at it for a moment then up at him.

"Case is starting today and the accused has denied a deal. It is investigated alright but there are holes so if you could look into it a little." Nod and open the folder though there is one thing.

"You think you can get a conviction anyway?"

"I do, most of our jurors are from north side and they are tired of the violence so will be more ready to simply say guilty. Before you ask that is mostly because colored are not asked, most of them can't afford to not work or are not old enough to be asked so we simply don't summon."

"Makes an odd sense, is the accused in a gang?"

"Not a known associate of a gang, he lives in an area known to have gangs but as near as I can tell not in one."

"So mostly it's just the simple fact that it was a violent offense that he is likely to be convicted?"

"He doesn't actually have an alibi, asleep in bed alone doesn't hold up and we have witnesses."

"Are the witnesses going to court today?"

"No, they will be home today, at least probably. Two skirts and neither has said she has a job. Addresses in there if you want to question them."