A Lady Never Tells

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Stepping into Charlie Martino’s speakeasy awed Lillian just as much as it did the first time she came here. Lillian looked around the club and saw the other flappers drinking their alcohol, the singer singing her heart away to the pianist, the mobsters loitering in the back corner. Lillian made a mental note in her head to avoid being with Charlie Martino alone again. She didn’t want a repeat from last time; especially now that she and William were together.

“So, what are you thinking Lily,” William asked, breaking her from her thoughts.

Lillian sighed. “Honestly, I don’t know. I was thinking maybe start at the bar again? It’s what I did last time.”

William stared at her for a moment, sighed, and took her hands in his. He placed his lips on them before saying, “I’m not going to tell you what to do, because I know you’re too stubborn to listen to me anyway. But please, do not get involved with the gangsters like last time. Can you promise me that Lily?”

Lillian leaned into William and placed a light kiss on his lips. “I won’t do anything stupid, I promise.”

“Thank you, Lily,” he said as he let go of her hands.

“Where are you going to be?”

“Um, I’m going to make conversation with some of the other women here, purely for investigation reasons. I won’t be too far behind you though, so if you need anything, I’ll see.”

“Alright, let’s go then.”

“I love you Lillian. Please be safe.”

“I love you too and I will be.”

Lillian was sitting at the bar not even ten minutes before Charlie Martino came up to her.

“Well, well, well, I can honestly say I didn’t expect to see you here again,” the mobster said.

Lillian shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve been known not to stick to the status quo.”

Looking intrigued, Charlie pulled up a bar stool and leaned closer to Lillian, as if he were an old friend trying to catch up with her. “What are you really here for?”

“I need to find out where the Cheeky Monkey is located. Do you have any idea?” Lillian paused, looking at Charlie’s face, waiting for him to say anything. When he didn’t, Lillian started to stand as she said, “I didn’t think you would tell me. Since you don’t have anything that I need, I’ll be on my way.”

“Wait a second sweet,” Charlie said, louder than usual. Lillian turned to look at Charlie again. “If you come back to my office, I’ll show you where it is.” When he saw the puzzled look on her face, he added, “I’m not playing any games here sweet. You can even get your boyfriend to come back just in case.”

Lillian cocked her head to the side. “Why would you help me?”

“Jonathon is a hell of a business partner, but as a person, he’s a sleeze ball. After I talked to you the other night, I looked up stories about the fire that killed your parents from old newspapers. If he is the one who caused the death of a pregnant woman, I hope he gets what’s coming to him.”

Lillian genuinely smiled. “Thank you Mr. Martino.”

“Go get your boyfriend and meet me in the back booth in two minutes.”

Lillian raced off to find William talking to some drunk women at the poker table. William seemed much too happy to leave the women behind. When Lillian questioned him about it, he said shrugged and said that not every women in the world is as special as Lillian. Lillian then dropped the topic.

As promised, Charlie took Lillian and William to his office and showed them where the Cheeky Monkey was. Come to find out, the speakeasy was located at the back of a furniture store. Charlie told the two to walk right into the store and tell the clerk at the counter that they are looking for an antique French wash basin. The clerk would then take the two to where the club’s bouncer was located. The bouncer would then let to two in if, and only if they announced the password, which was now gold rush.

Satisfied with their work, Lillian and William returned to Lillian’s house for the night and resumed their activities they were doing earlier that night.

I am soooo sorry that I have been MIA lately. I've been super busy since school ended!!! Forgive me!!!