The party got raucous and was going strong late into the night when Moretti walked in with Maria on his arm. Her men immediately grabbed their guns, but Moretti and Maria were followed by only a few men. They strolled back to Helen’s table. She bit her tongue to keep from asking how he liked sloppy seconds.
“What are you doing here?” she said instead.
“I’ve come to offer my condolences. I heard what happened.”
Helen motioned to an empty chair, noting that Maria was looking everywhere but at her.
“Do you know why the guys from the North wanted to get us?” she asked.
“No idea. You?”
“None.”
“Maybe they just got tired of shooting at us,” Moretti said.
“Who’d get tired of that?” Helen asked.
“Funny. That’s another reason I’m here. What do you say we call a truce to our little feud? I’d say there’s no reason for us to shoot each other up any more.”
Helen seethed inside. So he had his girl back and didn’t want Helen to fight for her. She’d be damned if she’d sit back and let him win. She wasn’t about to admit that to him, though.
“Sounds fair,” Helen said.
They shook hands and Helen saw Kevin breathe a sigh of relief. Damn him. Damn them all. She looked like a loser and she didn’t like that. She would be the victor in the end. She knew that. It was just a matter of time. Let them all be smug for now.
One of the working girls managed to squeeze behind Helen’s chair. She ran her hands over Helen’s shoulders and down across her chest.
“What’s a girl gotta do to get a dance with a handsome woman like you?”
Helen cringed inwardly. She wanted to hold Maria, to dance with that lithe, limber body. Still, she didn’t want to be a sad sack.
“Just ask, doll.” She stood. “Excuse us.”
They danced several dances together. It felt good to Helen to move to the music.
“Why don’t you come up and see me tonight?” the girl asked.
Tempting though it was, it wouldn’t be Maria. Helen wasn’t ready for that.
“Tonight’s about a good man,” Helen said. “Maybe some other time.”
*
The group at headquarters was somber, still reeling from Donnie’s death. Helen worked quietly entering numbers into the ledger while her men sat around, some talking, some just staring into space.
“What now?” Charlie asked.
“Yeah. What next, boss?” Kevin said.
Helen was drained. She didn’t want to fight any more. She just wanted to be left alone to do her business. She knew this was a price she was paying for firing back at both gangs when she didn’t know who was behind the hits earlier. But she was tired of it. She wanted to kill Moretti and take Maria back, but she didn’t want to mess with Hymie’s gang in the North any longer.
Still, she knew she’d have to. Her men wouldn’t respect her if she let Donnie’s death go unanswered.
“We need to hit them back, obviously,” Helen said. “Just give me some time to think. We’ll come up with a solid hit. I don’t want to lose any more men.”
Mikey walked in and added more dismal news to their day.
“The Prohis are in town,” he said, referring to agents from the Bureau of Prohibition.
“Where’d you hear that?” Helen asked.
“I heard they hit the Green Mill and Halligan’s last night.”
“No shit? Capone and Weiss must be fuming.”
“I heard they’re blaming each other for ratting the other one out. I don’t know who squealed, but I’m sure there’s going to be hell to pay.”
“I wonder who told them about those places,” Helen mused. “I’m just glad we weren’t mentioned.”
“Nope. No one suspicious was at the Beaver or Lucky’s last night.”
“Good. Let’s hope that continues.”
“Should we close them down for a few days, until the heat’s gone?” Kevin asked.
“No. I think we’re safe. We’re small-time. No one’s going to come after us.”
The phone rang and Kevin answered it.
“Sure thing. Hold on a sec.” He handed the phone to Helen.
“This is Helen.”
“Hey, Helen,” Mario the barber said. “There’s some guy here asking to talk to you.”
“Who is it?”
“He says he’s with the Bureau, ma’am.”
“Shit.”
“What shall I tell him?”
“Tell him I’ll be right there.”
She hung up the phone.
“What’s up, boss? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“The Prohis are here. I need to go meet with him. You guys lay low for a while, okay?”
She walked around to the barbershop. A man in a suit walked up.
“You must be Helen Byrne. I’m Agent Harold Waverly.” He extended his hand, which Helen refused to take.
“What do you want with me, Agent Waverly?”
“Please call me Harold. Is there somewhere we can talk?”
“Anything you want to say to me, you can say right here.”
“I think you’ll regret that, Ms. Byrne. I’d rather talk to you privately.”
“I’ve got nothing to say to you,” Helen said. “If you’ve got something to say, say it now.”
“I think you know that if we wanted to, we could shut you down and put you away for a long time.”
“Says you.”
“Says me. But we’re after bigger fish. No offense.”
“None taken.”
“In order to catch those fish, we could use your help. In return, we’ll look away from you.”
“I’m not a rat.”
“But are you a martyr? Are you willing to go to jail while they stay free?”
“I don’t know anything about anyone, Agent. I couldn’t help you even if I wanted to.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Believe me or don’t believe me.” Helen shrugged. “It doesn’t change the fact that I know nothing.”
“Maybe you want to make something up then? Anything to keep the heat off you? You know they wouldn’t hesitate to sell you out.”
“I’m sorry, Agent Waverly. I really am. But I don’t have any information you might need. So if you’ll excuse me.”
She turned to leave, but froze when the agent spoke again.
“You sure about that? You don’t know a woman named Maria Falco?”
“Nope. I don’t know that name.” She walked out, a cold pit of fear in her stomach.
“How did it go?” Kevin asked when she got back to headquarters,
“They wanted me to spill on one of the other gangs.”
“And you didn’t?”
“I’m not a rat,” Helen said.
“So what does that mean for us?” Charlie asked.
“It means they say they’re looking at us.”
“That ain’t good,” Kevin said.
“They’re after the big guys. They’re not going to waste their time with us.”
“I hope you’re right. We don’t need no trouble.”
“They’ll leave us alone. Trust me. But just to be sure, make some phone calls. I want Lucky’s and the Beaver closed for the next few days. Until the heat’s gone.”
“Where will we hang out?”
“We’ll lay low, too. I don’t want any trouble from these guys.”
“You said they’d leave us alone.”
“And I think they will. But there’s no reason to invite them to come sniffin’ around us.”
“They already are.”
“Not really. I don’t believe they want to bother us. They want information from us. That’s all. And I don’t want anyone squealing on anyone else. Do you understand me?”
They all nodded.
“Good. I don’t expect these guys to be around long. They won’t get anything and will be on their way soon.”
Cha
pter Seventeen
Helen was restless. She didn’t like laying low and knew her men were getting antsy, too. Kevin was particularly on edge.
“Hey, Kevin, why don’t we head over to Gattino’s?”
“Why?”
“Because I feel like blowing off some steam.”
“Why support them? Why not just open Lucky’s or the Beaver?”
“It’s only been a few days. Give it a few more. As long as the Prohis are in town, we’ve got to lay low.”
“So how do we know Gattino’s will even be open?”
“We don’t. But let’s go try.”
They hadn’t been driving long when Helen spotted their tail.
“Shit,” she said.
“What’s up?”
“We’re being followed.”
“So what do I do?”
“Just drive me to my apartment over by Lucky’s. No reason to lead them to Gattino’s.”
“Okay, boss, but wouldn’t it be nice to turn Moretti over to them?”
“No. That would be suicide. I wouldn’t cry if they caught him, but it’s not going to be with my help.”
She checked the mirror and saw the car still following.
“You want me to lose them?” Kevin asked.
“No. It’s not worth it. Just drop me off and head home.”
“You got it.”
Helen paced back and forth in her apartment. It was too early for her to be home. She was tired of being good and laying low. She needed something to do but could think of nothing. What she really wanted to do was call Maria, but that wasn’t going to happen. She’d called her a couple of times, but Maria hadn’t taken her calls.
She wondered how Maria was doing and how Moretti was faring with the government in town. How she wished they’d arrest Moretti and throw away the key. Then she’d be free to have Maria to herself. But that hadn’t happened.
She sat down and tried to plot a comeback against Hymie Weiss’s men for killing Donnie. She needed to hit them hard. Her men expected it. She finally decided on a repeat of their previous drive-by.
*
The next day, the men were lounging around headquarters, wishing they had something to do. They looked up expectantly when Helen finally arrived.
“I’ve got an idea,” she said.
“What kind of idea?” Kevin asked.
“I want to hit some of Hymie’s men. They killed Donnie. I want them to know we’re not going to take it lying down.”
“But with everyone lying low, how are we supposed to hit anyone?”
“Charlie, I want you to take some men and cruise the neighborhood by Schofield’s again. Keep your eyes peeled for anyone who looks like they work for Weiss. Then shoot ’em. No questions asked. I want at least one dead. For Donnie. More would be better. Got it?”
“Got it, Helen. When do you want us to do this?”
“Now. Get out of here.”
Charlie wrestled up a few men off couches and out of poker games and headed to the North Side of town.
Helen sat and played poker as she waited. She was so distracted that she lost the first few hands. Forcing herself to focus, she finally became a contender, winning most of the hands from then on.
It wasn’t long before Charlie and his men returned.
“We shot five men,” he announced.
“Yeah? Did you kill them?”
“I’m pretty sure. We couldn’t really hang out since there were cops crawling all over. They chased us for a while, but we lost ’em.”
“Good job. Do you think the people who saw you knew you were from our gang?”
“I’m pretty sure. Weiss’s men were everywhere. They sure ain’t lying low.”
“Good. I want them to know we hit them back.”
The men were drinking and everyone was relaxed when the phone rang.
“Yeah. Just a second.” Kevin handed the phone to Helen.
“That agent guy is back,” Mario said. “He wants to talk to you.”
“Shit. I’ll be right up.”
She walked around to the barbershop.
“Agent Waverly. What a pleasant surprise.”
“Spare me the sarcasm, Byrne. What happened today?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’ve got balls for a woman. I’ve gotta give you that. There’s federal agents everywhere in this town and you still execute a hit. I’m impressed.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Everyone knows it was your men who took out some of Weiss’s men an hour or so ago.”
“My men? I’m a bookkeeper for a barber. I’m afraid you give me too much credit, Agent Waverly.”
“Bullshit. We’ve been watching you, and we’re going to keep watching you. One false move and you’re in the slammer.”
“I’ll mind my p’s and q’s.” She turned to leave.
“I don’t think I dismissed you.”
“I told you the other day, I’ve got nothing to say to you.”
“Watch yourself, Byrne. No one likes a wise guy.”
Helen threw her head back and laughed. She was a wise guy and everyone loved her. He was so full of shit.
“I’ll consider myself warned.”
She walked back to headquarters and poured herself a drink.
“I’ll be so fucking happy when the Prohis are out of here. I don’t like them hanging around. They’re cramping my style.”
“What do they want from you now, boss?” Kevin asked.
“I’m not even sure. I mean, I know they want me to rat out the big boys, but today it was almost like he thought I’d admit to hitting Weiss’s men. I don’t know what he’s thinking, but he’s crazy if he thinks I’m saying one incriminating word to him, about myself or Weiss or Capone.”
Helen left the men and drove to her apartment. She dialed Maria’s number. The woman who answered said Maria didn’t want to talk to her.
“Shit!”
Helen really missed Maria and wanted the opportunity to prove herself. But she had no way of doing that. She decided she had to take a chance. She drove back and picked up Kevin.
“We’re going to Gattino’s,” she said.
“Why?”
“I want to know how hot the heat is right now. Waverly can’t be the only game in town.”
“You sure that’s what you want?”
“I’m sure.”
They walked in to the quiet speakeasy, noting that the Prohis’ presence wasn’t just hurting her and her men.
“Slow night?” she said to Moretti.
“The slowest.”
“Hey, doll,” she said to Maria. “How you doin’?”
Maria looked at her fingernails, apparently lost in admiring them.
“So, what? You’re not talking to me?”
Maria leveled a glare at her, but said nothing.
Moretti laughed.
“You girls have a falling out or something?”
“Or something, I guess,” Helen said before changing the subject. “So how hot’s it gonna get, Moretti? Have you heard how long the Prohis are gonna be here?”
“I haven’t heard. Have they been talkin’ to you?”
“They’re tryin’ to. I’m not giving them anything.”
“Smart woman.”
“Are they leaning on you guys pretty hard?”
“They’re sniffin’ around. They’re not getting anything.”
“Shit. I wish they’d fuckin’ leave already.”
“You still operating your places?” Moretti asked.
“Nah. We’re closed for a few days.”
“Smart.” Moretti nodded.
Helen felt how small she really was at that moment. If the Prohis closed down Gattino’s, Capone and his men still had dozens of speakeasies. If they closed one of hers, she’d take a hard hit financially.
She made her mind up then to reopen Lucky’s. At least she’d have some income. She’d have the guys watc
hing the door be hyper vigilant. That decision was followed by the decision that she needed to get out of there. She needed to get as far away from Maria as possible. She obviously didn’t want to have anything to do with Helen, and that hurt.
“Thanks for the information.” She stood.
“Wish I had better news for you.”
“Me, too. Good luck.”
“Yeah, Helen. You, too.”
“Well? That was a waste of time, huh?” Kevin said when they were in the car again.
“Not completely.”
“No?”
“No. I’ve decided to reopen Lucky’s. If they can keep their places open, we can do the same. At least with one. I have to believe the Prohis aren’t really interested in me.”
“That’s a gutsy call, Helen.”
“Tomorrow, I want you to get the word out that it’s gonna reopen. I don’t care if there’s not a huge crowd, but I want people to know we’re alive and kickin’ right now.”
“You got it, boss.”
*
The next night, Helen and Kevin and a few of the guys were at Lucky’s. They weren’t alone, but it was a subdued crowd. Helen wanted to see people let loose and party.
“Kevin, give a little hashish away. Not a lot, but a little. Get people happy.”
He left to circulate. Helen and her men continued to people watch as they drank. One of the working girls walked up behind Helen and tossed her leg around her, her foot landing on her chair between her legs. She leaned forward and whispered in Helen’s ear.
“Hey good lookin’.”
“Hey yourself.” She leaned back and rested her head on the woman’s ample bosom.
The woman ran her hands up and down Helen’s chest.
“We’ve missed you upstairs,” she said.
“I like to think you’ve been busy enough without me up there,” Helen said.
“Yeah, but no one treats us as well as you do.”
Helen laughed. She enjoyed the women who enjoyed women. She felt sorry for them, having to sleep with men all the time, but that was their job.
“It’s a slow night, boss lady,” the woman said. “Why don’t you come upstairs and have some fun?”
Helen thought long and hard about the offer. The comfort the woman could provide would be sorely welcomed. She could get her mind off the Prohis, the gang wars, and Maria. Maria. She wouldn’t be able to get her off her mind, no matter how talented this woman was. Maria would be the one she was thinking of, and that wouldn’t be fair to anyone. Damn, she hated that woman.
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