The Detective The Dame And the Mob (closed)

[silvertongue217]

It started as it always did

A rain soaked night, a glass of scotch in his office, and a mountain of paperwork just to give him a headache. Running your own PI slash one man shadow war against the mob seemed to leave more paperwork than all of his years on the beat.

Of course there was the perks to help tide him over

Said perk was the scotch which he sipped as he leaned back and dotted a few more I's. The older male was all rough around the edges with black and gray short hair. A five O clock shadow and piercing steel eyes. His suit was slightly rumpled and his trench coat was hanging on the hook next to his beat up old fendora.

"What a night" He murmured reaching out to stroke his tie for a few seconds before pulling it lose.

He noted his scotch was empty and rose to refill. He lingered by the window however looking the neon tinted street below and eyeing it warily. So far he didnt think the mob was onto him but still....

It never hurt to be wary

 

[Opensesame54321]

The rain seemed a prerequisite for a night like this - full of shadows and just enough to water to be uncomfortable. Mirabelle Dupree pulled her raincoat closer around her, cinching the belt tighter. Her pale pink raincoat couldn't hide the shape that screamed 'woman' as Mirabelle had definitely been bless. Her matching hat luckily protected her head from the downpour, but if she didn't get indoors soon, the hat and coat would be reaching their saturation point.

She glanced back over her shoulder again. The figure was still there - no closer and no further than the last time she had checked. She tried to hurry as fast as her heels would let her. A car drove by and water splashed up from the puddle, just narrowly missing her.

She reached the building and pushed open the door, entering it. It wasn't until she got inside that she realized just how loud the rain had been. Looking at the directory, she found the office number and began the climb up to the 3rd floor. Somewhere around the 2nd flight, she thought she heard the door leading outside open downstairs.

She continued to climb till she reached the 3rd floor. 315. 315. Finally, she found it and stopped. What if he was gone for the day? Her hand paused on the door knob, shaking as she stood outside, dripping water to puddle at her feet before it ran under the door into to office behind it.

 

[silvertongue217]

He saw her

She was running and ducked into his building the minute she got close enough. In his line of work that screamed two things.

She was a woman in trouble

And she was looking for him

Sure enough he turned noting the slight water pooling under his door.

"You can come in" He called turning and pouring them both a stiff drink before placing opposite him. He then ducked into the small bathroom taking a towel and tossing it to her as she walked in.

"Towel off before you stain the carpet" He said his voice gruffer than he had meant it to be. He winced rubbing the back of his neck as he looked her up and down.

And there was A LOT to look at

She was stunning a real class A dame. He licked his lips unable to stop himself from doing that before he cleared his throat.

"Sorry" He said coughing "Please make your self comfortable your lucky my office is in my home I might not have been here at this time of night" He said gesturing at the chair "My name is Marty Marty Lock detective and PI how can I help you today Miss?"

 

[Opensesame54321]

She heard his voice call out to her and quickly opened the door, ducking inside and closing it behind herself as she leaned back against it. She caught the towel that the man pitched to her. Patting it against her face, she tried to clear away some of the rain and catch her breath.

The man facing her had that world-weary look. Someone who had seen it all and managed to live through it. Hopefully he could help her live through this bit of trouble she had managed to get herself in. She felt her stomach flutter, but stepped in to the center of his office. She reached out to hand him back his towel as she removed her hat, her blonde hair cascading lazily over her left eye. Her voice was low and husky, breathily coming through her red lips.

"Thank you, Mr. Lock. I'm Mirabelle Dupree. I think that someone wants me dead. "

 

[silvertongue217]

That was some thing he didnt hear every day

"Some one wants you dead?" Marty said raising an eyebrow at her words and taking the towel "Well you better get those wet things off then and come have a drink with me" He said turning and tossing the towel back into the bathroom. He strolled back to his desk turning and moving behind it. He didnt take his own seat until she seated her self and the minute he did he leaned in and ignore the drink for now.

"You better start from the beginning Miss Dupree" Marty said as the lightning flashed behind him and the neon sign hanging above the window flickered "Who wants you dead? And why?"

 

[Opensesame54321]

Mirabelle turned and slipped off the raincoat, hanging it next to his trench coat before turning back to face him. Her black dress fit her perfectly, with a neckline with open cut work and beading. Her hair, golden blonde, was arranged in a chignon to keep it out of the rain and though it artfully covered her left eye, the right one was bright blue and stared steadily at him as she crossed to the chair that he offered and sat down.

She took hold of the drink that he offered and, as if to grab courage, downed it in one gulp. The liquid burned its way down, and though she didn't cough, she took a moment to embrace its warmth.

"First off, I think I've been followed. Could you make sure we're alone before I talk?" She tried to make sure that her hand didn't shake and really wished for one more shot of the scotch.

 

[silvertongue217]

"You think you have been followed?" Marty said as his tongue once again flickered over his lips and he took in her dress. This woman truly was sin in a bottle! He thought to himself as he rose up and went over to the window.

"If you were then you might want to stay here tonight" Marty told her opening the curtains a tad to look out. He didnt see any cars around the area but if they had noted where she stopped and dug into the building....

Well that could be bad

"I dont see any one" He called over to her turning and pouring her another finger of scotch "However if some one was following you they might be parked up ahead or some thing along those lines now miss whats going on? You look far to pretty to be up to any thing untowards" He told her sitting back down.

 

[Opensesame54321]

She took the scotch and quickly downed it again.

"Thank you. I needed that." She took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts into a coherent story.

"I work at White Gardinias as a chanteuse. Tonight is my night off."

She took a deep breath. "I started noticing a couple of weeks back that it seemed like someone was going through my things at my apartment. Just little things. Like something moved. Little things missing. "

"I thought at first that I was imagining it. But the other night, I came home after work at the club. I get home around 2:30 in the morning. Started getting ready for bed. I was so sleepy. More so than usual. I finally noticed that my pet parrot was quiet. Someone had turned on the gas. I managed to get the window open and air out the place. Too late for Bobby - that was my parrot. And now, for the last 2 days, any time I go out, someone follows me. "

 

[silvertongue217]

"I see" Marty said pulling a leather bound dusty old notebook out of his pocket and taking notes.

"And has any thing happened in the past weeks? Some thing you saw that you should not have? Some thing in the club? A break up or some thing" Marty asked wondering if she would think the last question was to personal for him to be asking.

"Any thing that would suggest why some one was killing you and before that going into your place and looking for some thing" Marty asked her scribbling down a few more notes and looking up "also sorry about the parrot"

 

[Opensesame54321]

She paused, thinking back. "If I know something, then I don't know that I know it. Things at the club are just as they usually are. Normal is not normal. Fights happen. Girls break up with their guys, get back together, break up again. There's been maybe a little more traffic than usual but nothing that stands out in my mind. "

She stopped, biting her lower lip as she weighed her options.

"This evening, I received a phone call at home. It was a man's voice. He told me to keep my mouth shut if I knew what was good for me. If I wanted to be able to keep singing. He sounded like he meant it. "

 

[silvertongue217]

"Thats not a lot to go on" Marty said jotting a few more notes down and pouring another glass of scotch.

"Did the man seem farmilair in any way? Did you recognize the voice?" Marty said locking eyes with her.

"If you have any thing even if its small let me know, Did there seem to be an area of your house the people paid particular attention to? Any clues to what they could have been after" Marty asked her raising his eyebrows.

 

[Opensesame54321]

Mirabelle held her breath as his eyes locked with hers. She bit her lower lip again, then looked away. A slow blush rose on her cheeks as she hesitated. She finally spoke, avoiding his eyes.

"No, I don't know who it was. " There was another hesitation. "Most of the rifling was in my bedroom and living room."

She changed the subject. "Could I use your bathroom?"

 

[silvertongue217]

Marty narrowed his eyes slightly

There was some thing she wasnt saying

He knew BS, he was a good judge of a person it was one of the reasons he made a good cop and detective. This woman whoever she really was had some thing she was not being entirely honest.

Which of course only deepened the mystery

"Of course" He said instead rising up and pointing "Its right there ill go ahead and check the window again while you are in the bathroom" He told her moving over to the window even as he eyed her coat.

There might be some hint there

 

[Opensesame54321]

She thanked him and crossed to the bathroom, closing the door and leaning it to catch her breath. She hurriedly turned on the water in the sink and then realized that she had left her purse in the chair out in the office. She took a deep breath and ran a paper towel under the tap before squeezing the water out and pressing it against her cheeks, trying to cool out the blush in them. She looked at herself in the mirror - pale and wide eyed, with two pink cheeks.

Maybe she should not have come. Damn! The scotch was starting to take effect and she could feel her muscles starting to relax. She just wanted to sleep. She bit her lip and took a deep breath, thinking about the gun waiting in the bottom of her purse.

 

[silvertongue217]

He noted the purse out of the corner of his eyes.

He looked back rubbing his jaw as he gave it another glance down. He was not one to riffle through a ladies things but when said lady was claiming some one wanted to kill her and not giving the full story.....

Well it was enough to make him curious

He walked over and with a side glance at the bathroom quickly undid the clasp on the purse. It opened slightly just enough for him to peek inside and see if there was ANYTHING to suggest some thing untowards.

And there was

It was a gun not a particularly powerful one but enough to do some damage. He glanced back his eyes narrowing. Was she with the mob? Paid to kill him? He couldnt be sure after all that they didnt know about him. He reached in taking the gun and popping the bullets out before tucking it back in. He pocketed them and then after sitting back down opened the locked drawer in his desk and took out the 1911 the army had given him. He kept it in the drawer.

For now

 

[Opensesame54321]

Mirabelle flushed the commode and quickly washed her hands and dried them. She gave one last look in the mirror before opening the door and stepping into the room. Marty Lock was in the same place as he was before she entered the bathroom and her purse looked untouched.

She gave him a fleeting smile and crossed to pickup her purse, feeling the welcoming weight of the gun in it.

"Mr. Lock, I've probably just have an overactive imagination. I'm sorry that I've taken up your time. I'll pay you for it. I'm sorry to have bothered you. " She opened her purse, hesitating before reaching in.

 

[silvertongue217]

"Listen lady I am not sure what your not telling me" Marty said raising his hands at her offer to pay him and noting she was reaching into her purse. He made no move to stop her however counting on the fact that it was unloaded to prevent her from doing any harm.

"But if you got a phone call like that and you had all that happen then I would venture to guess you are not being over active" Marty told her rising up and clearing his throat "So lets do this tonight you stay here and I will keep a look out see if we have any unwelcome visitors tomorrow I will take you back to your place and we will look thoroughly.... is that clear?"

 

[Opensesame54321]

Mirabelle paused, weighing his words. When she drew her hand out, it was empty. She closed her purse, the red-tipped nails accenting her long slender fingers as she held tight to her purse. She still wouldn't look him in the eyes, afraid that she would spill too many secrets. Nodding her head, she acquiesce to his suggestions.

"All right." She sat down on the couch, still clutching her purse. "I'm just tired of being afraid. I want to fight back and I don't know who or how."

She closed her eyes, sitting very straight and still.

 

[silvertongue217]

"Yeah I notice your stiff as a board" Marty said softening a little as he took her in.

"I am guessing you didnt bring any thing but why dont you go take a shower or some thing" He said pushing the drawer with the gun back and rising "Your so stiff and tight and you can stop clutching that purse like its a life line" He told her grabbing the bullets out of his pocket and dumping them on the table.

"No offense but your shooting is decent but not as good as mine" He said tapping his desk "And no ones shooting my place to hell any time soon"

"Do your self a favor go draw a bath and have a smoke" He said fishing a pack out of his pocket and putting it on the desk before pushing it over "Im going to check the window again and see if any ones driving by more interested than usual okay?"

 

[Opensesame54321]

She looked at the bullets that he dumped on the desktop, then glanced back down to her purse before opening it up and taking out the gun. She stood up and crossed over to the desk, pitching the gun on the desktop with its bullets.

"Damn. I can see that nothing is sacred here." She was getting angry now. "Did you check my coat too? Maybe you should frisk me too. I might be hiding something that could hurt you. I come to you for help and this is what I get? Thank you very much, Mister Lock!"

She turn and crossed over to get her coat, anger sparking from her eyes.

 

[silvertongue217]

"I searched your purse because your not the only one with some one gunning for them" Marty said calmly as he crossed his arms "And I get the sense your not saying the full story and that your keeping some thing from me"

Marty rose his hands "You can leave if you want but you seem scared of some thing and if some thing is after you then your a sitting duck your parrot died Ma'am died because of gas leak that could have also killed you do you really want to take your chances? Or do you want to tell me the full story and take that bath and smoke?"

 

[Opensesame54321]

She stopped, her back to him. She whispered, "I can't. I can't tell you." She stood there, unable to move, unable to face him.

For a moment she thought she might pass out. Or throw up.

She bit her lip, and without looking back at him, crossed to the bathroom and closed the door. The sound of running water helped her block out the thoughts of the day. She could hear the rain still beating against the window in the small bathroom.

She slowly undressed, folding each article of clothing and placing it on the little table in the corner holding extra toilet paper. She turned the water off and slowly sank in its warmth. She had not realized how much the rain had chilled her. Leaning back, the top of the water rested just under her heavy breast as she let the tears silently slide down her cheeks to join the water in the tub.

 

[silvertongue217]

"Of course you cant" Marty said sighing and shaking his head as she went into the bathroom. He sighed leaning back and running a finger through his short hair before he poured himself another scotch. He didnt down this one however instead he nursed it moving into his bedroom and riffling through the drawers before he found a clean button down shirt.

He went over to the door and knocked before opening it and closing his eyes "You can wear this" He said thrusting the shirt into the room and hanging it on the towel rack before moving back and shutting the door. He took her soaked raincoat and put it by the heater letting it dry that way as he went to the couch and laid down. He closed his eyes taking another sip of his scotch as he listened to the falling rain batter the window.

 

[Opensesame54321]

She watched him enter, bringing her something to wear. It was somehow touching watching him trying to save her modesty as he walked about with his eyes closed. So different from Alexander. Alexander just took. Once he believed you were his, it was always his. Alexander took. Alexander had no problems with "reminding" some one just how much of them he owned. She looked at the shirt on the rack. At least the bruises on her stomach would be hidden by that shirt.

She finished the bath, climbing out and letting the water out as she toweled off. She had to admit that the bath did help.

She put on the shirt, the bottom of it skimming just below her butt. She just had to remember not to raise her arms or she might show off her assets.

Looking in the mirror, she took the pins out of her hair and it slipped down to caress her shoulders, ending just about where the back of her bra would be, had she been wearing one. She smoothed it with her fingers and, biting her lower lip, stepped out of the bathroom.

 

[silvertongue217]

HE heard the doors open but kept his eyes shut still

"Ill open them in a second" He said chuckling as he drained his scotch "No offense but uh your quite the dame"

He rose keeping his eyes closed "And I have no doubt im going to open those eyes and get quite a sight probably more than I deserve to see" He told her the third drinking having helped to loosen him up.

"So you might want to sit down or some thing before I do" he quipped grinning a little "Might help just a tad"