Prohibition is the law of the land, but Nellie needs cash - after socking a gangster in the face, she's got ten days to make it right. Frightened and caught empty-handed, Nellie turns bootlegger.
She accepts a job from her sly friend Lola to pick up...
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It happens slowly. His hazel eyes, poison-colored, don't leave my face as he rub, rub rubs. I catch his face with my fist just as he straightens out his spine. He yelps, clutching at his face while I clutch at my hand; it's throbbing—I didn't realize how much it could hurt.
Blood oozes from between his fingers.
"You broke my nose!"
His voice catches on the word nose. I stand my ground, tensed, ready just in case he wants to reciprocate—but I've got my wrench handy, too. Richie sneers. I open the door.
"You've made a mistake," he says, and I'm really not so sure that he's wrong. But there's nothing to do about it now. I point with my wrench, just in case he has doubts about how serious I am. I begin to think that maybe I doubted how serious he was.
"Get out," I shoot back, pulling the wrench back, "Or I'll start down south South and work my way up!"
Richie brushes past me, rough like a gale.
"Regret" is the last word I hear from his mouth because I slam the door shut and lock it just as soon as he's through it. Never mind that the lock wasn't much trouble for him to pick before.
He's gone. And he took my money with him. I bend down to pick up my grandmother's handkerchief, and stow it carefully in a drawer. Then I sink into a chair. My left foot's gotten cut up pretty badly. There's nothing to do but to hobble over and fetch some iodine and a rag. I fill a pan with water and set that down. The water's bound to be icy, but I can't wait.
The iodine is a searing pain in my cuts and I dab it away, blinking quickly. Wrapping my foot in a rag will have to do.
Next time I won't scold Felix for being a baby when I pour the nasty stuff over one of his cuts. The sting's ebbing away, but far too slowly. I shrug off my pearls and my dress. With any luck there's no stains on it. I can't afford another like it, not after losing a brand new pair of shoes, a shawl, and a handbag all in one go.
I do the math. Twenty-five dollars just like that. Up in smoke, along with the rest of my cash. I don't dare go back to poke around, but maybe Lola will get back in there and fetch back my things.
But my poor little bed is a comfort. I nestle under the sheets and yank the blankets over my head. Alone in the sudden stillness.
I just want to live on my own. I want to be left alone. How can that be such a hard thing to ask?
At least I won't be waking with a hangover.
* * *
It's time to see Lola. I have another two hours before I'm due at the diner.
It's easy to find her during the day. She spends a good deal of time at the family's warehouse. Most of the Collins' family speaks receives their merchandise here. The local cops are all on their payroll. Nobody would dare raid this place. I rap on the back door and wait.
