Ken gets into his car and looks at his watch. It’s not even 6pm yet. Too early to go straight to the Coconut Club. But if he swings by the Palace Hotel, he might be able to deliver a message then go to the club.
Parking on the street, he walks into the lobby. He looks around and sees Frank Jackson, sitting in a chair, reading the evening paper.
“Is that what you do all day? Read the morning papers and then the evening ones? It must be such a tough job.” Ken says with a laugh.
“Oh, it is. Especially when I have to deal with mugs like you.” Franks says, laughing as he folds the paper and stands up. “Are you here to bother more of our residents?”
“Nothing of the sort. I just thought you might to know one of your ‘residents’ got pinched in a vice net.”
“So Mister Powell was sitting at the table when the cops showed up?”
“Frank, You didn’t hear it from me, but they raided a joint which also had young girls working. Girls being used.” Ken says as he lowers his voice.
“Are they going to hold him?”
“I really don’t know. But I think that if you see him return, you should recommend that he pack up and leave.”
“Why’s that?” Frank asks. “If he’s released shouldn’t I…”
“Given some of your other guests, do you really want someone who the cops are watching, living here?”
Frank thinks for a second and nods. “Okay, let me talk with the Manager.”
Ken extends his hand. “I will leave it up to you. As I said, you didn’t hear it from me. If you really want, you can call some of your friends downtown and get the real scoop.”
Frank shakes it. “I might. Are you going to hang around?”
Ken looks at his watch. “I can’t. I have another meeting.”
“Ok. See you around.”
“If I’m doing my job right, you won’t.” Ken says with a smile.
As he drives to the Coconut Club, Ken mutters to himself, “I can’t believe how quickly everyone believed that ‘Sugar Daddy’ was going to sell ‘Doll’. There was no real proof he did anything other than gamble and have sex with her. It is amazing how everyone jumped to conclusions, just like I wanted.”
As he gets out of the car, looks down at himself. “I probably should have gone home and changed.” His suit looks wrinkled, but the rumpled, hard-boiled detective look fits him.
He checks his coat and hat, smiling and winking at the girl. She smiles back but she probably does that to everyone, Ken thinks.
He finds a table not too close to the bandstand but not too far away. The band is doing its warmup set of a few swing dance standards. A waitress in a sleeveless shirt, short skirt, and nylons asks him what he wants. He was going to say a cup of coffee but then he realized he isn’t working so he says “Gimme a Cuba Libre.” She nods and comes back in a few minutes.
Joan comes from behind the bandstand, straightening her skirt, and sits down. “Boss, do you need me to sit in on this one?”
He takes a sip, enjoying the flavor of island rum, coke, and hint of lime. “No. But you can sit here until he arrives. So did Pete get his mouth warmed up?” He asks with a wink.
She smiles “You know it. He made my knees so wobbly I had to wait a bit before I came out.”
“I might have to ask him for some pointers.” He responds with a wicked grin.
A large man still wearing an overcoat walks up with Theodore Huddler trailing behind him. “Is you Mister Cooper?” the big palooka asks.
Ken notices the bulge in the jacket where a pistol is probably concealed.“Yes, I am, and this is my associate Miss Joan…”
Mister Huddler steps forward and interrupts. “I thought this meeting was to be just between us. Mister Cooper.”
Ken extends his hand, “Mister Huddler, it is. Joan was just keeping the chair warm for you. Please sit.” He then pulls a couple of bills from his pocket and says, “Joan, why don’t you go to the bar and wait as we talk.” She takes the money and slowly walks away. Her hips swaying in an exaggerated manner. The muscle looks at her for a moment and then to Teddy who nods and motions for him to follow her.
He then sits down without shaking Ken’s hand, and looks around for a moment.
“You know your business. The music is loud but not too loud for us to talk, we are off to the side, but not so it looks like we are hiding. Hillary was right, you know your business.”
The waitress walks up, “What can I get you?”
Theadore turns towards her, pulls a $10 bill from his money clip, “I will have a pina colada. And some privacy.”
She takes the money and nods. “I’ll be right back.”
Ken watches as she goes to the bar, and says something to the cigarette girl, who then whispers something to the busboy.
“You seem to know your business too, Mister Huddler. Should we wait for your drink or just start talking?”
Theodore leans forward, “I want to thank you for killing Oscar. I probably shouldn’t say that but Oscar always was trouble.”
Ken sips his drink. “You don’t need to thank me. He had kidnapped Julie, I was paid to rescue her. If he hadn’t pulled a gun, he’d still be alive.”
“I don’t think so, Mister Cooper, Oscar was already losing control. He wanted us to start carrying cargo that our family doesn’t associate with. I reminded him that, even though it could be profitable, there are other families who are already involved.”
Ken nods. “I understand. During the war, I encountered some of that. What did you do during the war, if I might ask.”
The waitress quietly brings the white frothy drink in a large hurricane glass, then wordlessly turns and leaves. Theodore sips it using the straw.
“I ran my family’s business. We lost so many drivers and trucks to the war effort, but we still had to maintain things moving stateside.”
Ken leans in, “Do you have trouble with the Teamsters? I heard that unions cause people like you big headaches.”
Teddy leans in, almost conspiratorially, “Really? Which people? Wealthy families or homosexuals?” He winks and then leans back sipping his drink.
Ken shakes his head slowly and smile. “You got me with that one, Mister Huddler. But seriously, do you have union troubles?”
Teddy shakes his head, “No. The demands made for drivers’ pay and work hours are all understandable. It is just good business to offer a living wage and hire good people. During the war, we hired who we could get, and when the war ended, we kept the good ones and let the other ones go.”
“Do ‘the good ones’ all look the same?” Ken asks in a roundabout way.
“If you are asking if we kept on or hired black and Spanish drivers, of course. We proudly hired some “Red Ball Express” veterans.” Teddy comments in an almost proud tone. “But we aren’t here to talk about my company’s labor practices, or why you killed Oscar. I want to know why you are following me and asking about my son.” He says as he sets down his glass and leans in.
Ken sets his highball glass down and runs his fingers though his hair. “It was a misunderstanding and a feeling. I looked at the photo of you in the paper a week or so ago and it didn’t sit right. I wasn’t working on a case, and I felt like there was something where there wasn’t. I’m sorry.”
“So why were you watching the penthouse at the Palace?”
“I was on a case. Your neighbor there was ‘wining and dining’ my client’s wife. I was just gathering info. While I was taking photos, I happened to notice you and your personal secretary. I called to mention that if I could see, then others, who might have something against you, could see too.”
Teddy leans back and sips his drink for a moment, thinking.
Before he can say anything, the lights go down and a spot light points to the stage, and Julie Schmidt moves to the center. Looking around at the faces in the club, she notices both Ken and Teddy at a side table. She nods toward them then whispers something to the band leader.
Turning towards the crowd again she says into the microphone, “Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank you for coming out tonight to the Coconut club. The band and I are always happy to see everyone. Let me start off the night with something a little different.”
She steps off the stage, the spot following her as the band begins a version of “My Funny Valentine”. She sings without the microphone, but her clear full voice fills the club. “My Fun-ny Val-en-tine, Sweet Com-ic Val-en-tine….”
She walks from table to table, smiling and winking at the people seated there.
As she gets closer to Ken and Teddy she sings “Your looks are laugh-able….Un-photo-gra-ph-able…..Yet you’re my favor-ite work of art.” She reaches down, takes Kens drink, and sniffs it, hands it back, she then winks and blows a kiss to Teddy before turning and continuing to make her way around the club.
Ken watches her as she glides so effortlessly from table to table.
“She is a beauty to behold, Mister Cooper.” Teddy says as he watches her too.
“I didn’t think she was your type?”
“She isn’t, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t find her beautiful to watch and listen to. I may be gay but I’m not dead.”
She continues around and whispers something to the cigarette girl who nods and makes her way towards Ken and Teddy’s table.
When Julie takes the stage again, she says something to the band leader again. He nods in response and says something to the band.
She grabs the microphone and says “Ok, lets speed things up a bit.”
The drummer picks up the tempo and the horns start as she begins singing “Cuban Pete”.
“Mister Cooper and Mister Huddler” the cigarette girl says as she makes it to their table.
“Miss Julie said you might want to continue your talk in her dressing room. It’s much more private. Please follow me.” She walks towards the backstage.
Ken and Teddy grab their drinks and follow. Joan sees them moving. Ken nods for her to sit at their now empty table. She slowly nods and moves from the bar to the table. Ken notices the gunsel following her. Teddy nods and makes a hand motion for him sit and stay. So they both occupy the formerly empty table.
Once again Ken admires how sexy the cigarette girl is. She opens the door with a key. “Miss Julie said to relax. I can have a waitress check on you if you need.”
Teddy enters the room, “Thank you, but that won’t be necessary.”
“I agree. By the way, what time do you get off?”
“I finish at closing time.” She says with a wink and a smile.
“If you want a bite to eat after work, I know great little all night diner.” Ken responds.
“Maybe Mister Cooper. Enjoy your night.” She says closing the door behind her.
Teddy is seated in a soft chair, leaving only the stool or the dressing bench. Ken opts for the stool.
“I wonder why she offered us her room?” Ken asks aloud.
Teddy sips his drink and sets it on the vanity. “She probably knows more about Oscar and my wife than I thought and wanted to give us privacy.”
Ken almost chokes on his drink. “Wait!, What? Is Oscar the father of your son?”
Teddy almost looks disgusted by the thought and says in a very serious tone. “No. I am his father.”
Ken looks perplexed. “Okay, Theodore, then back things up and help it make sense. What was between your wife and Oscar?”
Teddy sighs and sits back in the chair. “You already know that Oscar was trying to take control of the family business.”
Ken silently nods and listens.
“Our father stipulated that I, as the eldest son got the company. Oscar only got what I gave him. When he got involved in drugs and wanted to use our trucks and ships to ferry them around, I told him ‘No’ and I cut him out of the family.” Teddy looks at Ken for a response but seeing none, he continues. “One night he broke into our home and apparently found Karen alone in our bedroom. He was high on drugs and attacked her. He tried to rape her. I was in the study with Ramon when I heard her scream. I rushed into the room, pulled him off of her and had Joseph and Ramon throw him out.”
“Ramon is….”
“My private secretary. He is a wonder at taking care of my needs.” Teddy says in an almost wistful tone.
“Did you file a police report?”
“No. We increased the security around the house and made sure that Karen was never alone.”
“So how do you know that he isn’t the father?” Ken asks, taking a large sip of his drink.
“I stopped him before he entered her, if you must know. After that, Karen had me spend every night with her. She also wanted me to get her pregnant. She didn’t want Oscar to try again and maybe succeed.”
“Why was having a child so important?”
“According to my Will, unless I sell the company, control of it goes to my heirs. Oscar must have thought that if Karen was carrying his child, he could somehow be brought back into the family.” Teddy shakes his head in almost disbelief.
“So, you went to fulfill your husbandly duties to your wife, until you she was with child? What did Ramon and your other boy toys think about this?”
Teddy straightens up, “Mister Cooper, I don’t know what gossip you have heard, but aside from my wife, Ramon is the only one I am with. It is an arrangement that we have agreed to. We stay married to each other and we are each allowed one extra-marital partner.”
Ken finishes his drink and sets the empty glass on the vanity. “Ok, here is the $1,000 question. How do you know that Karen’s lover isn’t the father.”
Teddy breaks out into smile that grows into a full-throated laugh. “Mister Cooper. You are good at your job but not perfect. My lovely wife Karen has a lover, but there is no way that she can get pregnant by her.”
Ken stares for a moment. “Oh my God.” All the pieces fit together. Hillary and Karen. “Uncover things that we don’t want out.” He mutters.
“Mister Cooper, you are a very good detective. I would like to put you on retainer.” Teddy pulls out his money clip and places a $100 bill on the vanity.
Ken looks at the money, “Why? For what?”
Teddy takes his glass and finishes his drink. “You warned me about Ramon needing curtains. An unscrupulous man would have just taken photos and tried to blackmail me. You think like an agent and try to counter things. What is that radio program? ‘Counterspy’ or something like that? I want you hire you as my ‘counterspy’.”
“Mister Huddler, I don’t know anything about corporations or business espionage. That’s not my line of work.” He says looking at the money.
“Oh, I realize that.” Teddy says standing up and looking at his watch. “I need to go home. Tell Julie, thank you for allowing us to use the room. Keep the hundred dollars, call me tomorrow with your answer. Good night.” He says extending his hand, which Ken shakes.
“Good night.”
Ken sits on the stool for a moment, thinking about everything, as he reaches into his breast pocket for a cigarette. Before he can light it, he remembers that Julie doesn’t allow smoking in her dressing room.He gets up, grabs the empty glasses, and heads back into the club with the unlit fag still in his mouth. He sees Joan sitting alone, watching the band. “She must be watching Pete.” Ken mutters before he sits down.
“What did you say, Boss? Are you and Mister Huddler all done?”
He sets down the empty glasses and pulls the $100 bill from his pocket. Grabbing his lighter he lights his cigarette. Looking at the bill he says, “Joan, how would you like us to be on retainer to the Huddlers?”
“Is that what the C-Note is for?” she asks looking at the bill.
“I have to call him tomorrow with my answer.” He exhales a puff of smoke.
“It could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” She says doing a bad Bogart impression.
“That it could. That it could.” He says.
(This was the final portion of “Who’s the Father”, a AAA Detective Agency Story. If you enjoyed this story, leave me a comment. For my usual readers, I apologize for the lack of graphic sex. I will do better next week and return to writing Erotica. If you prefer this to my usual erotic writings, tell me. If you have an idea of for another Erotic Tale, tell me that too. And of course, if you enjoy my writings, follow and subscribe.)
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