The Double Vice: The 1st Hidden Gotham Novel by Chris Holcombe (free ebook reader txt) 📕

tinkling, filled the air. The bar hugged one of the far walls and was about three-fourths full with a mix of suits and dresses, their backs to the action. Dash was the only white person here.

True to his word, the maître d’ sat them next to a stunning man in a slick black tuxedo and a lovely woman dressed in purple with white sashes. Painted lashes fluttered Flo’s way. Flo smiled politely but didn’t exude too much warmth. The man in the black tux sent an interested look to Dash, who replied with a smile.

Flo slapped his shoulder. “We’re not here to make friends tonight, Mr. Parker.”

“No reason not to be polite.”

“Uh huh. Keep it in check. I need all the blood to be going to your brain, not elsewhere.”

She got the attention of the bartender, a short and stout man in a checked brown suit jacket with a flat cap on his square head. He came her way. A slow, smoldering smile followed.

Flo murmured to Dash, “Pretend you’re not with me.”

Dash nodded. She was going to use her feminine wiles to find out where Zora Mae was in this sea of men and women. Dash backed away, standing closer to the man in the tux giving him eyes, and pretended to watch the band while eavesdropping on Flo’s conversation.

The bartender said, “Now how can I make you happy this evening, baby?”

“You can get me a Gin Rickey and don’t be stingy with the gin. I’m not asking for sugar water.”

He laughed at that. “A woman who knows what she wants and ain’t gonna settle for less. Coming right up.”

He set about making her drink, stealing glances back at her whenever he could.

Poor man, Dash thought. He’s going to waste his hype.

When the bartender returned with her cocktail, he said, “It’s a tragedy when a beautiful woman is all by herself.”

She held up her glass. “Nothing a good drink can’t cure.” She tasted it and smiled. “Good to know you can follow directions.”

The bartender leaned in close. “I follow directions very well.”

Dash suppressed a smile.

“Uh huh,” Flo said, making her voice low and husky. “That so?”

The bartender started drawing tiny circles on the bar with his fingertip. “Oh yeah. You tell me what to do and I’ll do exactly what you say.”

“Exactly what I say, huh?”

“And I won’t stop until you tell me to.”

She licked the gin and stray crumbs of sugar lining the glass from her lips. “I need you—”

“Woo! Music to my ears!”

“—to get me the Baroness.”

It took a few seconds for her request to register, then for disappointment to show. “Say again?”

She took another healthy sip of her drink. “Do I really need to ask you twice?”

His finger stopped swirling on the hardwood of the bar, and he stood up straight. “I get drinks, not people.”

She slowly wagged a pointer finger at him. “You said you follow directions. You said you’d do exactly what I say.”

“I did but—”

“But nothing. I gave you my instructions. Unless you want to disappoint me.” She gave a theatrical sigh. “A shame, really. I don’t entertain men who let me down.”

One of the men at the other end of the bar called for him. The bartender kept his eyes on Flo. “Who should I tell the Baroness is wanting her?”

“A friend of an employee of hers.”

“Who’s the friend?”

Flo snapped her fingers, getting Dash’s attention.

He turned and said, “Dash Parker. Tell her I have, sadly, some bad news about Karl Müller.”

Flo jerked her head towards the bartender. “Give him the card.”

She meant the blue card Karl had.

Dash reached into his inside jacket pocket and handed it to the bartender.

The bartender flashed a look at him. “I see she got you trained like a dog.” He returned his eyes to Flo, anger slowly widening the pupils. “This dog doesn’t do tricks without a treat.”

Oh my, Dash thought. Normal men get so angry when they are denied female attention.

Flo slapped a quarter on the bar with a hard thwack! “You’ll get another one if you give us the answer we want.” She didn’t blink as she stared at the bartender’s face.

The bartender smirked, then slid the quarter into his palm, glaring once more at Flo. He went down the bar, whispered to one of the waiters collecting drinks, and then set off to get his next order, only paying half attention to his new customer, as he kept glancing back at her.

The man in the tux sitting next to Dash said, “The Baroness sure knows how to throw a party.”

Dash turned and regarded the man with an interested gaze. “Does she now?”

The man nodded. “Best time I ever had. Got to see some things I never thought I’d see.” He turned and set his warm, brown eyes on Dash. His voice became a little softer. “Got to do some things I never thought I’d do, too.”

Dash felt a tingle at the base of his neck. “And did you like it?”

The man laughed. “Oh yes! Yes, sir, I did. Whenever she throws a party, I make sure I’m there. Have you ever been to one?”

Dash shook his head.

“Well, if you want to go to her next one with somebody—”

A female voice called out, interrupting them, “Whatchu want with Miss Mae?”

Both Dash and Flo turned their heads. The woman in the purple and white dress glared at them from her barstool.

Is this Zora Mae’s moll? Dash thought. The crazy one?

Realization dawned on Flo too. Trying to keep it casual, she shrugged, making her voice nonchalant. “A conversation.”

“Uh huh. We both know that’s bushwa.” The look hardened. “Zora belongs to me. I’m her Sheba, got it? So, whatever you say, it better be quick. And then you and your ofay pet here better get gone.”

Dash tried to intervene. “Miss, you have nothing to worry about. Our interest in Miss Mae is strictly professional.”

Those jealous eyes bored into Dash’s. “It better be, mister. It. Better. Be.”

The bartender came back, decidedly less flirtatious this time around. He had the sulky