Corbyn Osric |
Corbyn stands wide eyed with his mouth open so wide his cigar falls out and bounces across the floor.
"OH!, You're in quite the pickle Corbyn. First Macguffin's and now this place. What are the odds of this happening twice in a night I wonder? Just keep your cool and don't draw attention to yourself. Find the secret exit and make your way to another Speakeasy.
Mike Cooper |
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Mike thoughtfully scratches as he ponders Jimmy's question. "The Tiger has made it clear, we figure out who's the coppers and we whack them, hopefully before those sneaky bastards take us out. The Dirty Sleuth and the Silencer, even I have heard of those two cold blooded bastards. Damn, I would almost rather have Ness and his boys after us."
Mike starts to slowly pace, stopping at the bar and downing his shot before continuing, "The problem is, Dominic was da fuzz. If they had someone in that deep, it could be any of you," Mike pauses and raises his hands before continuing, "ok, it could be any of us. I have sat hours flappin my gums with Dominic, talking about baseball and college football. The bastard owes me a bottle of good booze for the Boston Braves failing to make the playoffs. What I am saying is Dominic was tight, and he was the law, I mean really tight!"
Mike stops, looks over at the corpse, makes the sign of the peace and mumbles, "Why did you do it you stupid bastard?"
Mike then turns to the group, takes a deep sigh, and continues."Jimmy, Kitty and Marlene, I see you three everyday at work. I know about your families. Jimmy we sit and complain about our lousy neighbors wrecking our neighborhoods. Kitty, as you struggled with the death of your faithful pet and companion, how many hours did we sit here as you cried into a cup of coffee? Marlene, you are like a sister to me, we have helped each other out countless times. You all three helped me when my mother got sick and slowly passed away. I can not believe any of you are the law. But who better to get the dirt around here than one of us low-level, often overlooked bar staff. Mike shrugs toward the three, looks them in the eye and offers a silent apology.
Turning to Willard, Geoffrey and Rick, Mike continues, "I would have to eat my shoe if one of you were turned. Willard, is there a single penny that moves through The Tigers fingers that you do not count, catalog and put in its proper place? Christ, if you were the law we all would have been in the slammer a long time ago, you know all the dirt. Geoffrey, you may be the fry cook, but come-on man, we both know about those special jobs he keeps you around for. No, aint no way you are the law. Rick, I should suspect you, after all, how far of a stretch is it from private dick to detective? I just don't see it though, the two of us have been pals as far back as I can remember?" Mike looks at Rick in the eyes for a long minute before speaking in a quiet hard voice, "Don't be you, we come from the same streets, it can't be you."
Mike then turns quickly to the three remaining patrons at the bar, "That leaves you three. Harold, if you are the law you need to tell the city to start paying it's undercover dicks better. You have been coming in here for several weeks squeaking out a drink or two. Corbyn, you aint quite right in the head. Even you have to admit you were at MacGuffin's and it got raided, now you are here and it was going to get raided. Suspicious, very suspicious. Plus the whole butterfly thing?? Jeremy, I don't know you kid. Maybe you work for The Boss on special jobs, that is what I thought when you first came in bleeding all over. Willard, do you know this guy? If The Tiger has hired him for anything and he got paid, you would have known about it."
After all that Mike sits down heavily and drains his mug of suds. Wiping his sleeve across his mouth he looks at Jimmy and says, "Well, probably more than you were looking for, but there is my thoughts. We need to pick one of us and cut him open to see if there is a badge inside. We keep doing that till we find two badges." Mike appears to be finished when he realizes what he just said and continues, "Damn, it could be cutting a her open instead of a him." All color drains from Mike's face and he begins to shake as he whispers in a barely audible voice, "I can't do that, I can not gut either of those two beautiful creatures."
Harold Barnelby |
Harold is fuming at the accusations directed towards him (while ignoring that every other person was just as accused).
"After these events that have just transpired,
you claim that I'm nothing but a liar?
While that is usually true,
I've always been truthful to you,
and that's why my pants aren't on fire!"
Corbyn Osric |
Corbyn, you aint quite right in the head. Even you have to admit you were at MacGuffin's and it got raided, now you are here and it was going to get raided. Suspicious, very suspicious. Plus the whole butterfly thing??
"I'm plenty right in the head!" Corbyn refutes. "Its all of you who are to blind to open your third eye! Coincidence is my substitute for suspicion. And butterflies are the least of your concern. Doesn't it bother you that there is a small Cockatrice infestation in this very building?"
Corbyn leans over and picks up his cigar. He takes a long puff and savours a taste from his glass of Absinthe.
Jimmy C Smith |
"I hope it doesn't come to that, Mike." Jimmy says solemnly and leans his elbows on the bar.
" I just sling the suds and listen to the music." Jimmy glances wistfully at the empty bandstand. The regulars know that jazz is Jimmy's other passion. He service improves as the music gets better, up to a point. If an improvisation is hot enough, Jimmy will just stop working until the solo is over.
"Rick, you do this for a living. Any idea How to sort out the bad pennies?"
Kitty Turner, B-Girl |
Kitty shakes her head in bewilderment. "Marlene, hon, could you hand me my purse from behind the bar? Thanks, doll."
She digs in her purse, sauntering over to Jeremy, then pulls a little book out of the bottom with a little coo of triumph. She pours the pine spirits in a glass and drops in a needle and coil of thread.
"Don't worry, I used to stitch Daddy up when he came home bloody after a bar fight. Mama's hands usually shook too much. Pour some of this over the cut, then I'll stitch you up." With a humorless laugh, she explains, "Need something to keep my hands and mind busy with all this ruckus, and you're the second-worse-cut-up person here. Can't help Dom with this emergency sewing kit, and he doesn't deserve it, the rat. Lucky these kits come with a curved needle. Hold still, now."
If Jeremy allows it, Kitty deftly puts a row of neat stitches in his arm to keep the skin closed.
Rick Schroder |
"Mike I'd think you 'o all people known me long 'nuff ta know jus' how far a stretch PI is from a stinkin copper. An' I know I ain't afficially part a da crew, but Tony never treated me like an outsida." Rick grumbles to his friend as he opens up the first aid kit, he picks out a few things that he can use to patch up Jeremy he nods to Kitty when she comes up with a sewing kit "Thanks doll, arm's the wurst 'o it. I ain't tink anytin's broke, but hard ta tell, kid's like one big bruise."
He glances towards Dom's body as he helps tend to Jeremy's wounds "Ain't da first time I see it, but 's never easy ta see Tony take care 'o dis kinda bizniss... sum 'o da folks he had me find he wasn' 'zactly happy wit. And well... ya cross da Tiger sooner 'r later ya get mauled." He sighs and shakes his head "I ain't ever tought it'd be our on da receivin end dough. I can't see ya as cops... pushes my s'spicions t'wards da ones I don't know" Speaking up the investigator addresses everyone "If I wuz a copper I'd turn m'self in, Tony's terrifyin' when he's mad, but he ain't no monster turn yerself in werk fer feline instead'a swine an' maybe he'll letcha live, he'll at least make it quick fer ya."
Corbyn Osric |
"Third eye?? Cockatrice??" Mike asks is utter confusion, "you just break out of the nut-house? I must be in a dream, no a nightmare."
"A house made of nuts? All I've heard coming from your mouth all night is nonsense. Why dont you take a page out of the horned rhyming man's scribblings and really look into it. He's the only one who makes any sense around here besides me."
Jeremy Gudwal |
Jeremy looks at Mike and says with a hallow laugh "Speical jobs... I suppose you could call it that. Listen, the less you know the better, I just wanna get out of this mess less sober than I went into it. And alive, that would be nice too. Look, you don't have to trust me and you don't have to like it. Hell, for all I care you can just cuff my legs together and leave me in a corner with a bottle of whiskey. But I ain't killing nobody tonight and I ain't dying either."
Marlene Mercer |
Marlene looks on aghast as the Boss, Tony tells about Dominic and the raid later on tonight. She shakes her head at Kitty, slightly shocked by the events, for although the bar was rough and ready she'd not seen too many sights as horrid.
Nodding to Mike with a smile for his kindness to her, she gets Kitty's purse and hands it to her friend. Then looks to her own purse and digs around in it for a mirror.
However her eye is then caught by Jeremy's sad eyes and she gets him a decent scotch with a hint of water. "Here it's a good Highland double malt." She leans in; "Don't worry about the tab, I'm not sure money will be good for anyone tonight."
Geoffrey Jacks |
After the Tiger's announcement, Geoffrey turns back to the kitchen and disappears for several minutes. When he returns, he has more food which he promptly starts placing anywhere he can on the bar top and the serving station.
"Well, seeing as is this is somebody's last meal, you should all start eating. I got more cooking in the back."
His lips are pressed thin as he looks at each of the others.
"I know I ain't high on the food chain here, but I want it to be clear. The Tiger has been nuffin' but good to me. I'm his man through and through. No matter what gets decided or if the coppers get the best of us, you'll all see I'm not in bed with no fuzz."
He shakes his head. "This business is just..."
Kitty Turner, B-Girl |
Kitty finishes her stitching and cleans up her needle and bloody hands. She passes her purse back to Marlene to stash behind the bar with a nod of thanks.
"Hope you're right, hon. I'da sworn on my mother's grave that Dominic wasn't a copper, same as I'd swear about Geoff. Rick's a gumshoe, but not the heat. Heck, anybody here could have me fooled. Being a peeper must be hard."
She shakes her head at Geoffrey's offer of food. "No way I can eat with that lying there." Her finger points in the general direction of the pile of blood and offal that was, moments before, Dominick the Lying Bootlegger, though her eyes are directed away from the gory sight.
Geoffrey Jacks |
Geoffrey shrugs.
"I git ya, Kitty," he says with a rueful shake of his head. "Sometimes I firget you're on the more del-i-cate side of the biz."
Without any hesitation, Geoffrey starts eating a slider while throwing some deviled eggs, stuffed mushrooms, and savory cheese balls onto a plate.
"Sad to say, not all of us here lose sleep or appetite when it comes to blood," he says between bites. He makes a casual gesture to the thief and P.I.
"Take Jeremy or Rick here. They know what I mean."
Marlene Mercer |
Marlene takes back the purse from Kitty, with a loud click to ensure it's closed. Though she has a tickle in her throat as she heads back to the bar the place the purse back under there. She makes a round of drinks for everyone, taking one over to Geoffrey then Rick....
"See, I'm sure we can do alright out of this business. With a minimum of bloodshed."
Geoffrey Jacks |
"So, are we all in agreement that we will wait and see what investigations turn up?"
Geoffrey looks around the room.
"It's hard to say if that's a good plan," he begins slowly. "I'm sure every minute we're wastin' here is another the fuzz gets their raid ready."
He tips his hat back a bit and scratches his head where the sweat-liner sits.
"But we can't just skidaddle until we've cleared out the coppers or else they'll be able to finger us. Plus the Tiger and this impending raid."
He shakes his head. "We're in a bad spot. In the end, it just may come down to us all killin' each other just to make sure the boss is safe."
Geoffrey reaches under his apron and draws a semi-automatic Colt 1922 slowly and points the barrel into the air with his trigger finger well outside the trigger guard. Regardless of how much alarm he causes to the others and their reactions, he simply lowers the weapon and places it on the bar next to him.
"Let me be very clear. Ain't anyone gettin' out of here alive as long as there's any chance you're the fuzz." Geoffrey's eyes take on a deadened look. Evidently this was his work face...when he does his other work.
"You'll have to step over my corpse before I let you hurt Tony. Whichever ones of you are the pair, you'd better kill me first. Cuz if I find you, it won't be a bullet."
With a spin and flourish, Geoffrey suddenly produces a wicked looking blade nearly a foot long and serrated on the back edge. He lays it on the other side of his plate opposite the handgun where its polished gleam catches the low light menacingly.
He begins to eat glancing once at the elaborate cuckoo clock behind the bar to check the time remaining in the night.
Jimmy C Smith |
Jimmy stares at Geoff with his mouth hanging open a little before addressing the crowd of regulars.
"Looks like I've been a little naïve about everyone here. I just pour the drinks, and listen to the music. I don't know anything about killing or cops, or any of it. So, I'll back you Mike, and Rick and Geoff. We'll let the cops sweat, and maybe they'll tip their hand."
Jimmy slides down the bar and pulls a plain whisky bottle from underneath. He pours himself a shot, corks the bottle, and throws it back. Then he slides the bottle back under the bar.
No vote for lynching.
Meowselsworth |
End of Round 1!
You all decide together that you will not unleash violence upon one another for this hour, because there are those who are working their investigation in the background. Tony always has people for these kinds of jobs. This seems to work out well for you, and things are quiet in the speakeasy.
In fact, the quiet is a bit unnerving. Usually there is the music, the dancing, the talking, the excitement, but now there is nothing. Not the clanking of glasses or the booming laughter or even the clacking of keys on a typewriter.
For any who realize why this may be strange, they may notice that Willard Wainwright appears to be staring ahead with eyes glazed, wearing a rather out of style sort of necktie, tied too tight and made from piano wire.
Willard Wainwright was garroted. He was a criminal.
Round 2 starts now.
Mike Cooper |
Mike swears with a passion, "Those dirty rat bastards, what did Willard ever do to any of you?? The most violent thing he ever done was catch a butterfly in a net, and I bet he felt guilty for doing that!! Targeting the weak, no better than a bully in Gym class!" Mike paces back and forth, clenching his fists in anger as he rages.
Jeremy Gudwal |
Mikes ranting snaps Jeremy out of his drunken moping and he muses "Piano wire... it's a strange choice, probably means they don't have much to work with and they want to keep things quiet. We know they got cop training but they aren't showing us what they can do in a fight. I hope we can get the the bottom of this: these guys know their stuff." after saying his piece he stares into his glass of scotch, admiring how the light reflects and refracts, seemingly deep in thought.
Kitty Turner, B-Girl |
Kitty backs away from Willard's table, eyes wide and one hand at her throat, as if checking for stray piano wire. "My God, they killed the bookkeeper. He seemed so harmless. I guess... I guess that's why. They haven't got the guts to go after a guy with a knife. Marlene, hon, we gotta be careful here."
Harold Barnelby |
Harold is still carrying around one of the two drinks he had bought earlier; in all of the frenzy he has forgotten to even take a sip. As he is becoming increasingly nervous of the presence of cops. He looks at Geoffrey
"This is the only guy I think I can trust, what cop carries around that type of gun and leaves it poised in such a way"
he offers Geoffrey his drink.
"to you my friend, I am to nervous to drink, and you look as though you can use one"
Jimmy C Smith |
"Maybe you're on to something there, Rick. Willard kept the books for all Tiger's businesses. Maybe there's a clue in his papers."
Jimmy dodges around the end of the bar and seizes one of the ledgers. Then he puts it down. "Maybe we should clean up Willard and Dominic first. We can put them in the corner by the door. That way we won't have to look at them."
Geoffrey Jacks |
Geoffrey grunts when Willard's death is discovered.
"Gah, what yellow belly tactics. We ain't dealin' with honorable folks here, are we?"
He eyes Harold and his drink with a bit of suspicion, but Geoffrey picks it up and drains it with a shrug. The cheap liquor Jimmy used is completely unnoticed except for its burn.
"Thanks, kid. You talk funny, but you seem to have some sense."
Geoffrey watches as Jimmy and Mike start setting the freshly dead to one side.
"I guess that's my cue," he says with a sour twist to his mouth. He picks up his blade and tucks it back to wherever he keeps it but leaves the handgun on the bar. Then he disappears into the kitchen for a moment only to emerge with several kitchen rags, a mop, and a bucket of sudsy water. He moves around the bar to begin cleaning up the blood and other viscera Dominic left behind.
Corbyn Osric |
"Gah, what yellow belly tactics. We ain't dealin' with honorable folks here, are we?"
"I'm ashamed to be alive to see the day when those sworn to protect us good citizens have becomes the ones we fear. And for what? Because we enjoy the drink! Well I plan to continue enjoying it to the fullest! If some dirty Copper has a problem with that they can come face me like a man!
Corbyn downs the last of his Absinthe
"Jimmy, I'd like to buy the house a round! Surely, and good law abiding officer would refuse. If not that proves their corruption and how morally unjust their dirty tactics are."
He slams his empty cup on the table and then places an assorted handful of crumpled bills beside it.
"Let anybody who refuses drink be suspect in my eyes! Any any Copper who accepts can rot in Hell!"
Kitty Turner, B-Girl |
Kitty takes a glass of whatever Jimmy serves in response to Corbyn's round on the house.
"Thanks, Corbyn. But I don't think a dirty copper - or anyone who would do that to the poor accountant - would hesitate at taking you up on a shot." She sets down the empty glass and sighs, looking around at the group.
"So now what? We just sit around and wait for them to pick the next one off?"
Geoffrey Jacks |
Geoffrey finishes up the mopping and props up a small wooden floor stand that says Caution: Wet Floor near the area. He raises the drink Corbyn offers and takes a quick swallow. Then he goes back to check on whatever else he has cooking in the back. A moment later he returns with a couple brick-oven cooked pizzas which he places on a table and proceeds to slice them up expertly.
"Sit and wait? Nah, that's just stupid." Geoffrey shakes his head.
"Tony already told us to sort it out. So either we start fishing for badges down people's gullets or the damn sneaky bastards will just kill us off or take us in once the raid occurs. I've talked loudest, so I'll get this started."
Geoffrey looks around the room.
"Well, Jimmy, you know I've like you, but you have always been pretty slippery. You change faces for the customers like a damn chameleon. Seems like bartender would be a pretty damn fine job for some kind of sneaker. Whatcha ya gotta say?"
Geoffrey votes for Jimmy cuz why not? *shrug*
Mike Cooper |
Mike sighs heavily and shakes his head in sorrow. "I was hoping to avoid drawing names out of a hat, but looks like it has come to that. Is there any chance I can convince you to withdraw your vote Geoffrey? Give our guys a chance to figure out who the rats are, Tony told us to figure this out, well lets figure it out before we just start gutting fellas."
Taking a couple pieces of pizza Mike sits and continues as he eats. "If those of us with brains enough to figure this out have a clue, please let me know."
Mike holds his vote for now
Geoffrey Jacks |
Geoffrey scowls as Mike makes him sound ignorant.
"I'm a man of action, Mike. That's why I'm here: To 'manage' the people that interfere with Tony's business. You're asking me to just, just—!" Geoffrey makes a funny noise. Once he composes himself, he continues.
"You want I should jes let these mooks take us out, one-by-one? I don't think I like this plan at all. Ain't nobody talking, so how are you smarties supposed to be letting any of us know who the damn coppers are?"
Geoffrey smacks the bar.
"How can a man pick anything with nothing to go on!"
Geoffrey doesn't sound happy to be so clueless in this game of cops and robbers, and he is clearly out of his element and frustrated.
"Mark my words, Mike, if we don't get started on taking these bastards down ourselves, ain't even one of us going to make it."
Geoffrey withdraws his vote for Jimmy.
Mike Cooper |
"I know Geoffrey, I don't like it none either. I try to figure it out, but I got nothin but a big rock in my head, can't figure it out at all. I have to trust The Boss got some smart people here to figure it out."
He thinks some more as he eats another piece of pizza before continuing, "I agree we have to take them down, but right now we loose a member when they attack. If we choose wrong, we loose two each time, not just one. I know I aint the sharpest knife, but that don't make sense to me. Our boys will figure it out, and once they do then we can take 'em out."