Flapper Dick

"I'd think elsewhere, take a bunch of belts to end up wobbly when you leave. He has the hooch in the warehouse." Fred nods after a moment.

"Good thinking, but still checking in the locker. There would only be one bottle in the warehouse, extra would be in the locker. So if he swiped the bottles of brown plaid we are shy one is in the locker."

Makes sense to me, then Giovanni is taking my arm and into the locker room with us. At least the lockers are labeled so finding the right one is easy. Opening it up we don't find any hooch bottles, do find a really nice suit. It is not purple with gold striping though, this one is all grey, also gets me to squeak since I know the suit.

"I know this fella, at least the suit anyway." Giovanni frowns for a moment then asks.

"What do you mean?"

"I go around to speakeasies most every night, most nights I give out nookie, though half the time I go back to his place so it is the morning after on the nookie. A fella wearing this suit I have seen around, he is always going on about being high ranking and made."

"So he puts on airs to get nookie out of you?"

"Not just me, he is after skirts all the time. I don't know if he always manages but doesn't want to go home, the last time I ran into him I wanted to go to his place for nookie and sleep. Was tired and just wanted to get to bed when he asked. He didn't take me home, just said check and went after another skirt."

"So it was late when you ran into him last?" Fred asks so nod.

"Yeah, it was close to closing time."

"Had he gotten nookie with a skirt earlier when he asked you?" Giovanni asks this, and it is a good question so have to think about it.

"I'm not sure, I would think no. I mean he talks about being high ranking but never takes a skirt home with him, and then he is always alone. Sort of get the feeling he is a drugstore cowboy, which is fine enough since he does buy you drinks. First time I gave him nookie I was hungry and unsure on having the dough for a diner, he took me and paid for burgers."

"He had a car then?" Shake my head since we ankled.

"No we ankled, it was a short ankle so he let on as how since it is so close to a diner we will just ankle. This was six months ago so I would expect he got the jalopy recently." Giovanni is frowning now, so perhaps bad news for Franco.

"If he is simply putting on airs for nookie that is no problem, if he is taking hooch that is a problem, if he is getting money to be a pigeon that is a big problem, but then also gives us a line into them. We need to speak to Franco, and I need to know if it is the same fella you know." I am nodding then Fred asks a question.

"What did he tell you his name was?" Sigh and look down to turn red since this is a little embarrassing.

"I didn't ask. I'm not looking to fit manacles and do remember fellas if I enjoyed. Fellas always seek me out even, never need to know a fellas name that I am seeing to wiggle with or nookie." Giovanni is nodding, which is rather odd.

"I am in the same fix, I have to marry a good Italian so if skirt is not Italian I can't be getting serious."

"Is that Capone's view on it?" Giovanni snorts and shakes his head.

"My folks are saying that. Mr. Capone married a nice Irish skirt. Let's go find Franco."

We are all nodding then leave the locker room, over to a fella we go. The fella looks confused on why we are there but does point out where Franco is. Seems he has been at the back of the warehouse for a while now so he missed us coming in. So in the back with us to find Franco, he is sitting on a chair, and not paying attention to anything.

Know this since he is snoring, as in he stays out late often and then takes a nap here at the warehouse. Also find a bottle of hooch, but this isn't the high end hooch so we are sort of stuck here.

"Not the missing hooch?" Fred is shaking his head, we are having a discussion next to the snoring Franco and he hasn't stirred.

"I'd like to mention that it looks like Franco has gotten into the drink in a way that lead to the laws against hooch." Giovanni looks at me, then at Franco and sighs.

"I'd like to just shoot since he is sleeping on Mr. Capone's dime, but then the warehouse is where we store things and hooch isn't going out again for a while."

"We should question him, I mean if he is into the hooch as fully as this suggests, I am calling poker for the dough to afford a jalopy and treating skirts like Betty described unlikely." Giovanni nods and looks at me so put my hand up.

"Pretty sure that is the fella I met wearing that suit we found. He looks different asleep if you follow." Giovanni nods and sighs.

"Need to get tough on him, but then don't want to in front of you Betty and need a hand with it." Fred snorts.

"I can help with the tough part, was a bull and got training on that." Both look at me so shrug.

"Tough away, if I need to step away I will. I will mention that perhaps I can get him to talk if you simply hold him against the wall or a box with pistols out."

Fred snorts and pulls out a pistol, never knew he carried it around with him. Giovanni does the same after a moment and both are grinning, then they pull the chair out from under Franco. He goes down with a yell, I think because he landed on his back and that hurts. Then Fred is reaching down to grab him by the suspenders and pull up.

Giovanni grabs the other side and they shove him against the wall. Giovanni is yelling in Italian and Franco seems to follow that because he has turned white. Perhaps he just knows Giovanni so sidle in between the two fellas and rub Franco on his jaw so he looks at me.

"Hello again fella. We ran into you because of a caper, somebody has pilfered two bottles of the high end hooch. Driver swore he didn't swipe so we have come here. We think you are not the sort to pilfer the hooch in question but you likely have answers, so I am going to ask." Franco sputters for a moment then finds his voice.

"I am not taking the hooch."

"We already knew that. Giovanni has some concerns with you since you seem to be living above your pay and the poker tale is called into question since you are asleep here with hooch. On my side I just want to know if you have seen anyone opening up boxes and nailing shut again." Franco gulps and glances at Giovanni so poke him. "Before Giovanni gets his answers answer me, have you seen someone opening and nailing boxes?"

"Not seen that, have noticed nails on the floor, that was two days ago but we didn't report since it's just nails and Carl had been doing repair on his house, we figured he done dropped."

"So if we go and ask the rest of the fellas here they will say the same thing?" Fred practically snarls out and Franco is nodding.

"God's truth, we only noticed nails and discounted for the reason said." Giovanni looks at me so nod.

"Fits with what we have seen so far, ask your questions." Fred nods too so Giovanni looks at Franco and puts his pistol to him.

"Are you taking dough from outside to talk?" Franco shakes his head fast.

"The dough is coming from poker and then lifting off passed out fellas. Ran across a small paper bag filled with plenty of clams."

"Little too easy, you are making a sawbuck a week here so you wouldn't need to pilfer for belts to get skirts giving out nookie." Franco sighs and shakes his head.

"Rent is two sawbucks a month, plus have to buy food." Giovanni looks at me.

"Are you believing the line he is spewing?" Have to shrug since it is possible, high rent but depends on where he is.

"Depends on where he is living. Some places have gone high in rent."

Giovanni nods and turns to Franco to get the address out. It is not one I know but do know the street and that is getting improved. Don't think his apartment building is getting improved but the rent increase means they want to or just to fit in with the street. Fred is nodding to my reasoning so Giovanni gives Franco a warning and makes a comment of sleeping at home more.

That done we go and ask the rest of the fellas, then go looking for other ways into the warehouse. Find one in the back, the fence has come apart so it can be moved. Which is a good way to get in and out, but only for those who are smaller than me.

"Gives us a dilemma, this is used at night since nobody has seen someone taking hooch." Fred says and Giovanni is nodding though there is one thing.

"This is a good way in for a small fella or skirt. I don't see kids coming in to pilfer hooch." Giovanni is frowning now.

"Good point, though if we are talking of mick kids I can see the kids going around to find hooch for folks or themselves."

"Entirely possible we got kids coming in to take hooch to sell around to others too. I don't think those in the outfit are the only ones to know what the warehouse is used for." I am nodding to that.

"I agree, I had no idea you used a warehouse but I am a skirt, we don't get work in these places and not talked of around us often." Giovanni snorts but does nod.

"This is true, unless you are living with your folks and have a brother looking for work."

"Italian skirts probably know too, do know you lot are always talking of things over dinner." Giovanni turns red.

"Of late when I am home it is questions on if I have found a skirt. Do get told of skirts but I at least get to look them up." Do snort this time then pat him on the shoulder.

"I feel the pain, I was asked if I found a fella to put manacles on often. Miss it now but then it was so not the bee's knees."

"What happened to your folks?" Fred asks for them both.

"Bus accident during the war. I was old enough to stay on my own, but did have to find work."

"So did you only have hooch after the law?" I am nodding since it is a little funny.

"Not so easy to find places to give nookie out to a fella until after the law. I mean bars were places fellas went and no music aside a piano or maybe a phonograph. Had to go to a theater to get a band."

"I never heard, where did you work?"

"First work I got was in a store, I was a clerk. Mostly I got stuff out of the back and on the racks. Was young if you follow so they didn't want to put me on register." Fred and Giovanni are nodding.

"Most places they stick a fella on register to keep the dough in the register." Giovanni says with Fred nodding.

"So what was after that?"

"I quit before you two think I got tossed, after that I was a clerk again, but this time in a smaller store. I also helped with the mending since that was offered up besides making up new dresses. I didn't get to that though the fella was making noise on letting me. He up and died one day so the store closed up, his skirt couldn't do that and I was untested so sold and I got tossed by new owner, not blaming."

"Not often to find a clerk in one of those, most often it is the one fella who does the mending and dresses." Grin and shake my head.

"Was a skirt that bought, she tossed me on account of couldn't afford. New owner doing the work and customers would lag for a bit."

"So you could make up your own dresses?" I am nodding since I could, plans are easy to get and I did learn how to sew.

"I could, faster with one of them machines. Partly why the toss, she brought in a machine to do it so would have dresses done in an hour to check fit."

"Could you do suits?" I am nodding though there is one thing.

"Shirts are tough to do, and then the ones in the regular store done in factory are quite nice." Giovanni nods then shrugs.

"I was thinking mostly in the jacket, I am upwards of this side so the jackets are a little tight and the pistol is noticeable." Look him over and nod, I can see that.

"Why not buy the next size up jacket?"

"Sits poorly, I need a half size larger which is special order and the stores don't. I don't want to go to the fella Capone uses on account of he is expensive and kept busy by most of the big shots." I am nodding since my last boss made mention of wanting his work, partly why I got hired.

"Know of the fella you mean, my last boss hired me in part to try and get at his customers. He had a few fellas come in for nice suits while I was there but not enough to enlarge like he wanted."

"How much for a sewing machine?" Fred asks getting me to sigh since they are up there.

"Eighty clams, need the special one to do suits, thicker thread." Giovanni is nodding and grins even.

"I can fork that, need to set up for later to sit here. Need to get permission and a typewriter mostly."

"Make sure Betty is not needed." I'm lost on that part.

"Why do I need to be here with him?"

"In case can catch the thief, need to find out why bottles are suddenly pilfered." Giovanni is nodding.

"I agree, if it is kids I'd rather not off. If it is not kids need to figure out how they learned and why all of a sudden. This is a new caper, no other beefs have come to us of this caliber."

"I don't like this plan, but alright and is there a way to turn the lights on that is not near the boxes?" Giovanni is nodding.

"The switches for the lights are in the office. They are turned off at night when everyone goes home. Most likely our thieves are coming in with a flashlight so we can wait in the office. If we are lucky we get one or two more to stay out there and hold in our one or more."

"If we are not lucky?"

"I'll have a typewriter and be near the door, so when they come in you hit the lights and I threaten."

"No other exits?" Fred asks and Giovanni shakes his head.

"The windows but have to get on the walkways to get to them, the stairs are next to the door."

"Why no other doors?" Giovanni snorts.

"Only one way in or out so the boss can make sure his fellas actually work, if this was a regular warehouse there would be guards up in the walkways watching. Factory is done the same way but we do not run any of those, silent partner if we are involved."

"Why guards to make sure they are working in a warehouse?" Fred and Giovanni snort this time.

"Warehouses are not usually a place where things are stored, even though that is what is said. Boxes come in that need to be sorted and moved around so that other boxes can be moved on to trucks to get driven off for shipment by train or truck. Warehouse work sounds easy except when it is often wanted things like hooch or food, those are always active moving boxes, counting boxes to keep records up to date, and then getting boxes on to trucks."

"I think us skirts get it easier." Fred is shaking his head.

"Untrue, you are tasked with keeping the house clean, making meals, mending clothes, getting the shopping done, and anything I missed." Giovanni is nodding, which is a lot but never all in one day.

"Never all in one day. Even if I was a singer so out all night I could manage to do the shopping, mending clothes, and keeping the place clean. Meals would even be made though I would think most would be gotten out of a diner. Giovanni has it easy, you do to, all you do is sit at a door and then occasionally give out a bum's rush."

"All I am asking you to do is be a waitress." Toss my hands and poke at Fred.

"I am also giving you nookie and if am able eventually most likely knock me up so I will have to do all that you said, along with waitress on account you likely don't make enough dough."

"I was under the impression you two were going to dick, that will pay out at least some."

"Not to mention making you jackets, that will pay, or better anyway." Giovanni tosses his hands this time.

"Course it will, and not just to get the machine and cloth. Honest if you do jackets most of us not at the top will come to you, I'm not the only one large for the size." Fred is nodding to that.

"I'd even think you should stop waitress, you have the good voice but if you take up tailor work then you can go out at night like you used."

"I'll stay waitress for now, only four nights a week and tailor would give me things to do during the day unless you are thinking we get an office and put advertisement out."

"How much cloth would you need to take up tailor?"

"Not that much really, most of what I would do is mend and that is just sewing. Jackets on the other hand I need to get the heavy cloth unless you want a light jacket."

"Light jacket, say could you work silk?"

"No idea, for that you would be better to ask a regular tailor, I'm good at mending and do know how to do a jacket like you have there. Dresses I am thinking I can do best since those are easy." Both are looking over my dress now so put my hands up. "This dress is embroidered, I like the look of those best, and easier than you think, mostly it is taking a hot iron to the embroidery and sewing on after for high quality."

"Just a hot iron?" I am nodding and even grin.

"Most of the embroider comes in a roll, because it is simply cloth with the embroidery sewed on with a backing of glue, so hot iron to get it on and stay. Mostly the hard part is getting it to arrayed in a good fashion because it's a long string. Some of the dresses have a sort of star burst, those have a round edge to the outside, that is a second bit of hot iron work. Sew on after is to keep it on since the glue wears out after a while."

"So if I bought practice silk?" Roll my eyes but do nod.

"I don't want to do trousers in silk, though will try. I will practice a dress first, do know the silk jacket I am sewing extra, need two layers to that." Fred opens his jacket and I am nodding, and then shake my head.

"Not like this?"

"No, silk is a thin fabric so would double up the layers just for that, inner layer for pockets isn't needed though usually added and that is usually satin, can even buy pre done inner layers. All one size before you ask, can simply shorten the opposite side to fit the jacket."

"I am thinking us fellas get it easier, only need to make the dough and keep the skirt happy." Giovanni says and Fred is nodding, I just giggle.

"One question then we are leaving, where do we go for the machine and cloth?"

"Most tailors get a fella come by to sell supplies once or twice a week. Luckily we can go to a store, most of the clothing stores sell for the skirt that wants to do her own dresses. Do see fellas come in, usually so they can have a suit, and then tailors if they run low between visits by their supplier. Mine had me run off for buttons regularly, his supplier was iffy on having some styles."

"Does make me wonder, are the tailors losing sales to the factory stores?" I am nodding to that.

"Most of my dresses I bought at the store, sometimes I will upgrade later. I heard tales of getting patterns in the catalogs and you had to order the cloth to make that."

Nobody has anything else to talk about, so we go to a store. Takes a while but it is a good store, I only came to this one once before since it is higher end. Do find the machine and cloth, along with bunches of thread, and buttons. Even find some things that have me bouncing, there is better embroidery stuff here and a lovely silk that comes with a pattern.

The mentioned pattern is in the coloring since it is sort of colored in squares, but not solid. Very lovely and I get the clerk jealous since I buy enough to make a dress. Course Giovanni is paying for it but still, I will have a lovely dress and then there is a good cloth to use for a jacket for him. Also get patterns, a book but they are large and dimensioned so I can transfer straight across, makes it perfect.

Also find larger patterns I can fit to the cloth, so I don't have to measure and mark. Just in case I decide to try and make shirts as she put it but there are patterns I can do for dresses too. Also if I want to make me a suit, can make up the shirt and jacket then size a detachable skirt, new design nobody is making yet.

"Why isn't anyone making separate skirts?" Look back at Giovanni scrunched in with the sewing machine and grin.