Lakefront and Mrs. Grey

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Chapter Six

Business

A black car with BIG CHINA DEPT. on the side soon pulled up to the curb beside her. "Mrs. Grey?" a young woman asked from the passengers side.

"Yes" Kathleen admitted. The woman then said something to her driver in Chinese before stepping out of the vehicle. "I am Ai Jing. We ride in back. If you acceptable?"

Kathleen didn't mind and the car rode well, taking traffic easily as they headed towards China Town. "I must warn you, I have a three pm meeting I must attend" Kathleen told her new companion.

"Not tell me about you gun? Shame Mrs. Grey. Grandfather was very explicit about where carry your item. I think you shock him, Grandfather has seen much during his life."

"How is he? Well I trust. And the wedding?"

Ai smiled, stretching her legs as she gathered her thoughts. "Grandfather is well. He took plane home. You will not meet him again I fear. Unless he returns. He like you much. Say you not interfere. You know business. Smart girl. My sisters wedding went well, there were no problems. A great day of joy."

"I do not quite understand how I may be able to help a department store" Kathleen admitted. "Or why your Grandfather didn't simply take me as he did the other" she noted.

Ai laughed. "You did not owe him money. You not try stop what must be. Then you did help him. Your talents are not unknown New York Mrs. Grey. You are quite secret hero many young Chinese women. Women who know how see you. But answer your real question. Big China having shipment problems. Every Chinatown merchant is. You see, all materials come by train or boat. We have no problem with train. Our lake shipper is problem. He want much money not 'lose' or 'damage' shipments. Too much. Then there new boss want take over Chinatown. That not good for business either. I think, maybe, you help both problems."

"I am brand new here” Kathleen admitted. “Don’t even know who claims which territory, or who’s territory I live in. How can I help you. By blowing up the shipping company and this new boss?" Kathleen joked.

"That something like my idea" Ai admitted. "We are here." A metal door opened, allowing the car to slip in out of public eye. "Come, we go my office. More comfortable there. My driver take you your meeting in time. I promise."

Kathleen stepped out of the car to find herself in a typical loading area. Chinese men worked all around them though none seemed to notice her. That she knew, was a lie. She stuck out among like a white woman in a sea of blacks. Still there was no reason to let them know she understood what was the truth, and what was lie. Following Ai to a loading elevator she soon found herself on the fifth floor. Fifth floors seemed to be part of her life now it seemed. Stepping out of the Spartan elevator was like stepping into another world. "Public does not come here" Ai explained. "This my place. Where I live." Dozens of people passed Kathleen as they walked to Ai's office, most very pretty young Chinese women.

"I think I understand. You supply?"

"Bordello's yes" Ai finished. "Speakeasy, some private citizen. Girl have make profit right?"

"Yes" Kathleen agreed, following her guide to find herself entering an opulent office, the likes she'd seen only in the richest New York business's. Ai motioned to a chair, one Kathleen found she was very comfortable in. Perhaps too comfortable. "A girl has to make a living Miss Jing, but we are from very different backgrounds. Tell me then Miss Jing. Just how may I help you?"

"Ai please. I want ship sunk. Can you do this?"

"How big?"

"Small freighter. Maybe 18,000 ton. Two screw, two boiler one stack. One leave Laketown every day six pm."

Kathleen thought about it. She'd read about ships, had even wandered around a few. Especially the one that had brought her to America. And she always listened. "Probably, but I've no supplies and no way to get a bomb where it needs to be."

Ai smiled again. "What do you need? Where does it need be?"

"I'll need an empty whisky crate, eleven bottles with corks, funnel, coal oil, rubbing alcohol, a small sharp knife, ten sticks of 60/40 dynamite, some cotton or old cloth, three blasting caps, some wire and a radio battery. It'll need to be against the hull in or near the engine room and opened anytime after the ships left port. That's a tricky part, that ship has to be under way or it won’t do more than let a little water in. But I think I know a way to manage it."

"Lee" Ai called. A middle aged yet also handsome Chinese male entered. "Get what she needs, chop-chop. Have Ton ready to deliver. And send in Su. I will need her."

"Yes mistress" the man answered, bowing before vanishing.

"You can speak your native language in front of me when you want" Kathleen noted. "I'm not paranoid. If you'd wanted me dead, I'd be dead a long time ago. If you wanted me as product I would already be naked in a cage. To make this bomb will take at least an hour and someplace quiet."

"My office will do" Ai answered. "I spoke English to be polite. Thank you for allowing me speed." She stood, walking to a window and looking out. Sunlight burned through her thin dress, outlining her form perfectly. Exactly like an x-ray Kathleen noted. "Solanio's Shipping has been thorn in Chinatown side months now. Since gang war end. No one else carry Chinese... Cargo. He think he big man now. And new boss?"

"You want an honest opinion or a lie" the Irishwoman asked. "And you haven't asked my price for this job."

"Whatever cost, better than slow bleed Solanio is. Give me honest opinion. I do not much understand you white people."

"First Ai I'm Irish, not white. My maiden name is O'Flynn. The English, Anglos look at me just like they do you. Second class. Good for the dirty work, good to clean the bathroom, never for the front door. This new boss, it really depends. Do you want to be a boss?"

"No. Boss target everybody. Boss always high profile. My business everyone need. Not mess with. Not even FBI know me. But need legal business too. So we more alike than I think. That good. What you think I do this new boss?"

"I take it your letting Solanio know this sinking isn't an accident. Then send a message to this new boss. Tell him in advance he could war, and it would be bad for him and Chinatown. Or make a deal. Chinatown is untouched by him, he is untouched by you. You both do business as equals, with small and very well understood profits. I take it you carry Opium?"

"Some yes. Sometimes use train girls mostly. My little sister, brother very good train. Come in scream, leave docile. Hungry. Pleasing. So I trade women, drug for peace?"

"More than that, less than that. Allied you can both become a power the Feds can't touch easily. Or you could tell him his sister, or wife could be just as easily trained. For free. Some men are sick like that you know. Some women too. Then after seeing one of your girls it just might frighten him as well. You can never know in advance."

A knock on the heavily carved door herald the arrival of a very pretty young girl. "This Su Lin, once very angry woman. Once bother to family. I pay three hundred for her six year ago. Now she polite. One my better forgers, business manager trainee. I make you bet... You want how much sink ship?"

Kathleen raised an eyebrow. "Dealing with explosives, setting a trap.... Innocent people will die. That always pushes up my price. Still your supplying the materials, delivery and a place to work. Say $800?"

Ai raised an eyebrow. "Lot money."

"A great deal of danger" Kathleen agreed.

"Ai make bet. Not think you sink big ship so little. I bet Su Lin against bill. I win, you get ride back town. You win, you get money, Su and ride. Deal?"

Kathleen had to think that one over. "You say the ship won't leave until six?"

"Six. Six thirty. Solanio have fourteen ship, most same same. Always slow leave port. You back from meeting by five?"

"Easily. I'll take a taxi back. I sink this ship I get my $800 and this girl. I noted you sell beds, I need one. Fully decked. You keep the $800 and I get a bed worth forty or fifty max. Delivered to my apartment and set up today."

"You hurt ship I'll bet. Not sink it. Big ship. Little bomb. Only hurt, not kill. Still good enough my need. Maybe."

"She'll be a lot of trouble, not really worth it" Kathleen decided after studying the silent Su Lin.

Ai laughed, snapping an order in Chinese. In seconds the woman's clothing was laying on the floor, her hands held behind her head, legs well spread. "I see how you look at me. I not that way but Su. She well trained, no problem owner. What you say now?"

"Its a deal" Kathleen husked, agreeing against her better judgement. A trained girl was worth way more than eight hundred dollars. A very lot more. Ai snapped another order and the girl dressed just as quickly. "Su does not speak very good English. Read very good yes. You teach her, if you win."

"No. I'll teach her the Irish. No need for anyone else to be able to talk to her."

Another knock came at the door and when Ai called three men quickly entered, each carefully setting their loads on a bare part of the wooden floor. "Do magic" Ai laughed. "I think I get free job. Not enough here blow down building. Ship? Not happen."

"Really? Lose the boys" Kath ordered, already beginning to undress. "I'm not ruining a brand new dress and their not gawking." Ai nodded knowingly, quickly ordering the men out. Su Lin took Kath's dress and slip, staring at the holster strapped to the inside of Kathleen's right thigh. Kath ignored both women as she settled to the floor. "Back up girl, or we might not be here long." Ai translated and Su Lin moved away hurriedly.

Setting all the empty bottles upright on the floor she slowly filled half with the coal oil. That done she followed the same plan with her provided rubbing alcohol. Once done she carefully corked each one, setting them staggered in the crate, leaving the center slot open. Picking up the explosive she studied it, it wasn't sweating which told her several things. One was that Ai had easy access to new explosives. Most importantly was being new it was pretty stable. Carefully cutting each stick in half width-wise, then again lengthwise she started pushing them into what space was between the bottles and their wooden slots. By the time she was finished she was sweating, though it wasn’t that hot in the room. Taking three remaining sticks she pushed the knife gently into each one, opening a long slot that the blasting caps would fit into. Then using wire leads from the caps she wrapped each stick, insuring that the caps wouldn't slip out. That done Kathleen wiped her face, it still wasn't hot but dealing with explosives was always tricky. Carefully she pressed each stick between the bottles necks, then started working on her electrical trigger.

When she was done the crate was closed and nailed shut like a normal crate of whiskey. It might be a little heaver than one she thought, but not enough for a hurried man to notice. "When the top is opened that second wire coil pulls up though the first one. As soon as both bare conductors touch its boom. Now I need it delivered to the engine room, left as close to the outer hull as possible. Preferably next to a rib or weld. Then someone tells a stoker its there as a gift from one of the lower officers. They are to open it after the ship leaves port. Not before."

"If wires touch now?" Ai asked.

"Can't, not until the tops removed. That's what the cotton is for, to hold both coils apart." She stood, stretching until her joints popped, then taking her clothing from Su Lin she started dressing. "What's the time?"

"Twelve two" Ai answered. "Driver take you back Nelson's. Okay?"

"That is good, thank you. I'll see you around five then." She left with Su Lin showing her the way back to Ai's waiting driver.

Entering Esmeralda's Bookstore just before three Kathleen walked directly to the counter. "I was told to ask for Esmeralda" she explained to the woman in front. The clerk simply pointed to the back of the building, then returned her attention to the customer she'd been talking with. Kathleen walked to the store's rear where a woman stood, apparently browsing.

"I'm Esmeralda" the woman whispered. "Come with me, upstairs. Your.. Interested right? Is that Miss or Mrs Interested."

"It's Kathleen. After you?"

Esmeralda lead Kathleen upstairs where two men sat talking. It was a small room they waited in, with only one light which was directed to the door. That left the rest of the room partially hidden in darkness. Esmeralda left Kathleen in the room and returned downstairs. One of the men in the room stood to greet Kathleen though he remained in the dark.

The man that was still sitting spoke softly, there was a very slight Spanish touch to his words: "My friend told me you are interested in the MacGregor's store."

Kathleen remained silent, only nodding yes in response.

"I see. I was also once interested in that store. But lost that interest due to a small problem I had with another Boss."

"That is none of my business" Kathleen responded. She kept her voice soft. It would not do to anger either of these men she knew from experience.

"You show interest in that store. Why I do not understand. I have been informed that there are old world connections. We don’t need more problems in Lakeside Kathleen. So I’ve a business offer. Tentative yes. But I have already heard good about your professional behavior. We know a lot about the MacGregor store and we are willing to share that knowledge with you. You'll have to work for us, we'll go fifty-fifty in the results of your work..."

"Fifty-fifty" Kathleen repeated. “Of whatever interest I manage to obtain in MacGregor’s Department Store. No thank you. I am not here for a business deal sir. I am here for work. I’ve not even applied for a job at that establishment. It is too early to begin making deals I may not be able to, or want to honor later.”

"You’re one smart chickadee. I give you that. All right, table MacGregor’s until you want to talk. I do have a job though. Small thing, one of my bookies seems to have started squeaking. Can’t have that. Bad for business. But all my men are too well known. I have been made to understand you have some experience in oiling squeaks. How much to ace him?”

“Where is he. How long do I have to prepare.”

“Cops have him” Spanish voice answered. “‘Protective Custody’ they call it. Cell on Main street, third floor. He is due to go to court Monday.”

“Give me a day to see what can be done. If I can, I will oil your hinge. Two grand only if I am successful. Breathing is not considered successful.”

“Two. On contingent. Good enough. Jake here has an envelope. Anything you need?”

“Hunting rifle. Iron sites. Three rounds” Kathleen answered. “A place to leave it for you. Nothing more.”

“Pretty sure of yourself” Spanish voice noted. “Three shots are enough?”

“One is. The other two are to site the weapons iron sites in. We are done here?”

“Someone will contact you about that gun. Tonight, tomorrow night. No later. We are done.”

Accepting the envelope Kathleen turned and left, finding Esmeralda again browsing the books. Tapping the envelope lightly against a bookshelf Kathleen waited for the woman to notice her. “Something cheap to hide this in please” she whispered. When she left the store it was with a bag holding three movie magazines. Not what Kathleen liked to read but it would do. MacGregor’s was next on her list, then home. Then back to China Town. For being in Lakeside less than a week she was already a busy woman.