Authors Notes/Rantings/ Warnings: This one isn't too dark yet. I don't know how dark it's going to get to be honest but so far it's not too bad. There is a translation of the noir phrases used located at the bottom of the page and as always if you'd like to see more of this or anything I write for that matter you gotta leave me a review! Hope you enjoy this installment seeing as this is the last of what I have written on this and there is no telling when I'll be getting back to it. I'll try though. ~ Bella
Pearl of the Isle
Chapter 2
Stepping fresh from the small shower in her apartment Emma pulled a towel around her body tucking the corners in to keep it up. She wiped the steam from her mirror studying herself in it. The few drinks she'd enjoyed before heading up to Ruby's apartment hadn't affected her all that much just given her a pleasant buzz along with the sex she was feeling pretty damn relaxed. She squeezed water out of her hair before walking into her small closet like bedroom and pulling on fresh clothes. Black pants with a white button up and her black tie. She pinned her hair up again in a ponytail knowing the heat it would dry it quickly no matter what she did to it. She pulled on her black shoes and grabbed her ever present fedora before pulling her black suit jacket from the closet and walking out.
The heat was stifling even at 11 o'clock at night. Steam poured from the drain grates as she walked down the sidewalk heading towards the club she'd sworn she'd never enter again. She'd left that life behind a long time ago. She wasn't about to go back but here she was for a measly thirteen dollars going into the heart of the underworld. She pulled on her jacket as she neared the club already hearing the sounds of the nightlife that flowed around it.
The Black Butterfly was a well-known very swanky club. The line normally stretched out the door to get inside. Live musicians blared the sweet jazz and big band era songs right along with alcohol that flowed as freely as the dames lined up to spend a night on your arm as long as you had enough mazuma to pay 'em that is. Emma kept her head down as she entered the smoky club. Velvet ropes blocked patrons from going into more private areas.
The club featured deep rich burgundy walls with gold accents a throw-back to the twenties before the stock market crashed. The bar dominated one large wall with it's beautiful gold poles and crown molding with two large mermaids holding it the flat top of the bar aloft at either end. Tables lined the front area revealing a beautiful blond woman with the biggest blue eyes Emma had seen in a while singing her heart out while the band played on. Her blue dress was tight in all the right places revealing slender curves. Emma studied her for a moment trying to place her before it occurred to her who she was. Ashley Boyd she'd sprung up on the scene a few years ago. Blonde dame with the vocal range of a siren. But everyone knew not to go near that broad, she belonged exclusively to a man named Sean that was well known in the circles as working for the number one gangster here in New York a lug who went by the name Gold. Everyone knew that he had most of the city in his back pocket. His pockets were deep and if his dough couldn't get you then he'd find some other way to get what he wanted out of you.
Emma pulled herself up onto a golden stool at the bar barely restraining herself from kicking it as she settled. She watched the bartender, a good looking man with shortly cropped blonde hair and kind blue eyes. Now this was a sucker that might give her the information she needed. He looked like an easy mark in his tuxedo with the coat off and his long sleeves rolled up to the elbows.
"What can I get you?" He asked when Emma motioned towards him.
"A snort and maybe something else," Emma said softly.
The man merely dipped his head and pulled a clean glass from the rack pouring the gin into the glass over ice he slid it across the bar to Emma before coming to stand before her.
Emma subtly held out her hand slipping him a few bills for the information.
"What can I do you for?" He asked pocketing the cash and going back to grab the glass he'd been polishing.
"I'm looking for a dame. Pretty thing," Emma kept her voice low as she lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip of the burning liquid.
"Aren't we all?" The man asked with an easy smile. He was quite handsome and his nametag read James.
"Maybe not like this one; she's a fresh faced girl right off the train from some podunk town pretty but not likely to do well in this place."
"You're tooting the wrong ringer." James said softly continuing to polish the glass.
"Am I?" Emma asked reaching subtly into her breast pocket and pulling out the picture. "You seen her?"
"Oh I seen her but trust you don't want to. He don't take kindly to people look at his moll."
"His moll? Spill." Emma commanded softly.
James merely motioned with his head and Emma turned. Time seemed to stop itself for just a moment as she was met with the sight of the most beautiful woman she'd ever laid eyes on. It was her, the woman in the picture, but she looked different. No longer the fresh faced pretty girl with the open smile, she was dolled up to the nines in a deep red dress that hugged her small curves and left her back exposed with nothing but little straps running over the olive toned skin. A black shawl was wrapped around her elbows dipping low in the back to reveal her skin. Her short hair was flipped out prettily pinned on both sides in the front with diamond encrusted clips. Her cherry red lips perfectly matched the red of her dress as her amber eyes scanned the club. Around her neck was a thick diamond and ruby encrusted necklace that sat high on her throat and dipped low heading towards her cleavage. Was definitely worth a pretty penny, Emma thought as she glanced down at just a hint of perky breasts that lay beneath the fine silk.
She glanced over arching a brow when she saw just who's dame she actually was. Gold was smirking as he spoke to one of the men at his side, his gold capped front teeth flashing as he laughed. His cane tapped the floor, its gold handle looking obnoxiously garish in the light of the club. His black suit set off the red of her dress and Emma immediately noticed his tie was the exact same color. Gold always did like his moll's to be seen as his property. Probably dressed her to match him, she thought sourly.
She turned her eyes back to the dame on his arm and their eyes met. Emma felt like the air had been sucked out her lungs. She saw the woman's lips part as though she too felt the electricity that passed through their gaze. Emma stood up from the stool taking a step or two towards her before she stopped. The beautiful woman gave a subtle shake of her head her eyes darting back to the man whose arm she was on before she broke their gaze and moved away as though it had never happened.
Emma moved back as her eyes followed the beautiful dark haired woman before she fell onto the stool and forced herself to look away.
"You must be looking to get dropped looking at that dame that way." James remarked.
"What's her name?" Emma demanded as she turned.
James didn't say anything for a long time studying her desperate eyes before he sighed, "Regina, Regina Mills." He answered.
"Regina," Emma breathed, "Even her name is like music."
"You better get that thought out of your head if you wanna live to see tomorrow. That is one dame you don't wanna mess with."
Emma sighed looking down at the empty glass. "Get me another giggle juice."
James nodded and moved to do as she asked.
Emma glanced back over her shoulder observing that the beauty was now settled in a rounded booth beside the gangster. The man was talking to more of his associates ignoring the beautiful woman that was sitting next to him. For her part, Emma noticed, Regina seemed to be staring around boredly not paying attention to what was happening around her as any good moll would do. It was best not to get involved in the business of the mob. Her eyes Emma noticed, never strayed far from her though she hid it well. Emma tipped her hat to her before turning back to the bar not wanting to see how that went over should she be caught doing so.
"You're a brave sucker that's for sure." James muttered watching the interaction. "Brave or just plain stupid," he added.
"I told you I was looking for a dame and I found her. That's all I need to know." Emma grinned at him as she downed her drink. She pressed a few bills to the bar getting to her feet. "Thanks for the drinks hombre. I'll see you later."
James tilted his head picking up the money from the bar as he watched the gumshoe make her way out of the smoky haze of the club and out into the hot night air of the city.
Snort- a drink of gin
You're tooting the wrong ringer - You're asking the wrong person
Podunk - backwater/small town
Lug - Man
Broad - Woman
Dame - Pretty Woman
Moll - Gangster's Girlfriend
Mazuma - Money
dough - money
Spill - Tell me
Dropped - Killed
Giggle Juice - alcoholic drink
Sucker - idiot essentially
hombre - man, fellow
gumshoe- detective