"Requiem For A Stripper" drabbles by Christopher

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 176

Requiem For A Stripper #176

"You made any headway on this case?" he asked.

"Nothing that would hold up in court. But I believe I'm closing in on who's behind this."

"Care to compare notes?" he asked.

"Jim, I need the L.A.P.D. to stay out of my way for now. If I give you any hints you'll have to investigate and you may spook these people. I can move in circles that you can't."

"I think you've been moving in circles your whole life, Randolph."

I grinned, "As soon as I have something tangible I'll let you know."

"Fair enough," he said and hung up...

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 175

Requiem For A Stripper #175

"Are you sure it was Debra?" I asked.

"Dental records confirmed it," he said.

"Did she drown?"

"No, she had a stab wound in the back from what was apparently a very large knife. Coroner said she was already dead when she was dropped in the drink."

"Well, I don't know of many people who commit suicide by stabbing themselves in the back and then diving into the ocean, so I can assume this is being treated as a homicide?"

"Well, it's not likely to have been an accident, Jake."

"Sorry. Cut me some slack, it's 4:30 in the morning."

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 174

Requiem For A Stripper #174

"What is it?" she said in a slurred tone.

"The phone," I said as I walked over to it and picked up the receiver.

"Yeah? Who is this?" I asked in a rather indignant tone.

"It's Harrigan."

"Harrigan, do you know what time it is?"

I heard a huff over the phone, "Yes, Randolph. I know full well what time it is. Now shuddup and listen. They fished a naked girl's body outa the Los Angeles Harbor near San Pedro earlier this evening. It was Debra Snow."

Horace Busby's sister. He was really going to hate the whole world now...

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 173

Requiem For A Stripper #173

She crawled over and laid her head down on my lap. She was asleep in seconds. I didn't fancy sleeping sitting up all night but didn't want to wake her. And within five minutes I was out like a light.

I was jarred awake by the ringing of the phone at 4:30 in the morning. My head had been back, apparently for some time, and my neck felt like it had been pummeled with a baseball bat.

I had to raise Jen Ann's head up to get out from under her to answer the phone, and she woke up too...

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 172

Requiem For A Stripper #172

I was afraid that my statement had dampened the mood for what I had planned later that night, but I understood that she was upset.

We got to my apartment at about 1:15 in the morning. I showed her around, which took about ten seconds, and she dropped on the couch.

"I'm exhausted," she said as she put her face down on one of the pillows.

"I'm pretty tired myself. Fancy a drink?"

She gave a muffled no with her face still down on the pillow.

"I don't think I do either," I said as I plopped down beside her...

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 171

Requiem For A Stripper #171

Jen Ann finished her show and we left the Daffodil and went to an all night diner on La Brea Avenue. We sat at the counter and had a couple of hamburgers and coffee.

As we were driving to my apartment Jen Ann turned to me and said, "Jake, what do you really think has happened to Honey and all the other girls?"

I exhaled. "I don't know, Jen. I suppose they could be held hostage somewhere for some purpose, maybe The Immoral Society's pleasure. But truly, I think someone has killed them."

She buried her face in my shoulder...

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 170

Requiem For A Stripper #170

She laughed and kissed me, then got up to get ready for her last show of the night. I watched her changing and wondered how a wide-eyed kid who was only three years removed from the bloodiest war in history wound up in a position like this. I sure did hang around with some unsavory people. I was thinking maybe I should have gone on to the police academy with Harrigan when we got home from the war. At least then I might have some respectability. Of course, Harrigan hangs around with some unsavory people too.

People like me...

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 169

Requiem For A Stripper #169

A guy came into the back and said, "Two minutes, Birdie!"

A girl with feathers all over her costume said, "Oh! I gotta go!"

She left as some of the other girls started getting into street clothes, oblivious to me sitting right there watching them. Jen Ann put her hand on my cheek and turned my head toward hers.

"I've got one more show to do in 20 minutes. Can you stick around?" she asked.

"Sure. You wanna see my apartment tonight?"

Her eyes lit up, "Yes!"

"It was featured on the cover of last month's issue of Architectural Indigestion!"

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 168

Requiem For A Stripper #168

I continued, "He said a guy matching Minga's description was here on or near the night that Honey disappeared."

The girls all had a look of disbelief.

One of the girls whose name I didn't know said, "Minga's a louse but he wouldn't be kidnapping dancers. He does alright with the ladies."

"Well," I said, "I'm convinced that Hoofers and Minga have something to do with all the girls that have gone missing."

"Why do you think that, Jake?" Jen Ann asked.

"Everything I've found out about the missing girls has Minga's name wrapped up in it. And Hoofers too."

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 167

Requiem For A Stripper #167

"It means you're all beautiful," I said, sounding more like a schoolmarm than a Casanova.

They all smiled.

"Now, lemme ask you a question," I said. "Have you ever heard of a guy who works at The Pink Pussycat and goes by the name of..."

I heard a chorus of "Nicky Minga!"

"Right first time," I said. "He works for the competition. Does he come here a lot?"

Jen Ann shook her head. "Not here. But he is always at Hoofers trying to poach us away from here."

"The bartender described a guy that sounded an awful lot like Minga."

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 166

Requiem For A Stripper #166

I got to the back and Jen Ann was in with the other girls. No broom closet rendezvous for me that night.

"Jake!" she said as she jumped up and kissed me. The other girls giggled and whispered to each other.

"Hello, ladies," I said as Jen Ann pulled me over to a couch and sat down, pulling me down with her.

"The girls want to know what you've found out, Jake," Jen Ann said.

I nodded, "All in due time, ladies. I need to catch my breath from being around such treasures of true pulchritude."

They all looked confused...

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 165

Requiem For A Stripper #165

But what would Nicky have been doing in the Gilded Daffodil? Had he been recruiting girls out of the other strips clubs too, and not just at Hoofers? That was quite an interesting development.

I sat there while Jen Ann did her striptease. She made eye contact with me but didn't let anything show on her face. She was nothing if not professional.

After the hooting and hollering subsided she exited the stage. I finished my second bourbon and headed for the back.

I was apparently becoming a fixture. The Italian guy guarding the dressing room door didn't even blink...

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 164

Requiem For A Stripper #164

I took a swallow of my drink and the bartender said, "Wait a minute...I dunno if it was the night Honey disappeared but it would've been close."

"What would've?"

"I remember a guy comin' in and sittin' at the bar. He asked if Honey was on that night and I said yeah. The only reason I remember is because the guy had black hair, slicked back. He had on a pinstriped suit and when he took the drink from me I saw he had manicured fingers. A real dandy."

If I didn't know better, I'd swear that was Nicky Minga...

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 163

Requiem For A Stripper #163

Since it was Saturday night the place was packed. It was also smokier than the south side of Chicago on October 8, 1871. I went to the bar and sat down. This was the first chance I'd had to ask the bartender if he knew whether or not Honey Comb had received a note the night she disappeared.

When I asked, after ordering a bourbon on the rocks, he put the drink down in front of me and said, "I can't remember. You see how crowded it is in here?"

I supposed I wouldn't find the answer to that one...

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 162

Requiem For A Stripper #162

I got up around eight p.m., slipping on some brown trousers and a blue pullover sweater. I got a comfortable pair of brown loafers out of the closet, put them on and then left my apartment.

I stopped at The Feed Bag, a new restaurant that opened just down from my office, and had what turned out to be a pretty good dinner. After a T-bone steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, and an ear of corn I was ready to head to the Gilded Daffodil to watch the current lady in my life take her clothes off in public...

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 161

Requiem For A Stripper #161

He gave me her address on Oakhurst Drive off Wilshire Boulevard. I thanked him again and told him I would do my best to get his sister back to him.

I went home to get out of my funeral suit and get ready to see Jen Ann's performance at the Daffodil. I needed to acquaint her with what I'd uncovered. I just wondered if I was going to get another go round in the broom closet first. Hope springs eternal, isn't that what they say?

I showered and then fell on the bed for a nap.

More dreams about strippers...

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 160

Requiem For A Stripper #160

I started out the door and Horace said, "There may be someone who can tell you where that house in Nichols Canyon is. That is, if she ain't disappeared herself."

"Who's that?" I asked.

"There's a girl that was takin' dancin' lessons with Deb. Her name was Mindy, uh, I think her last name was Porter. She wasn't a stripper, she was just takin' lessons at Hoofers. Deb introduced me to her when I first got out here. She went to that same party that Deb went to."

I nodded, "Thanks, Horace. How do I get in touch with her?"

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 159

Requiem For A Stripper #159

Jackpot! It all tied up into a nice, neat little bow. The problem was I didn't have any actual evidence yet. But there was no way that Hoofers, Minga, Madame Helga and The Immoral Society weren't involved in the strippers' disappearances.

"Thank you, Horace. I'll do my best to find Debra and the other girls."

He nodded.

"Oh, and you might want to do something about those unpaid parking tickets."

"Stupid cops! You have to drive here. In New York you could take a cab everywhere. I hate finding parking spaces!"

Horace Busby seemed to hate everything but his sister...

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 158

Requiem For A Stripper #158

"I want my sister back!" he yelled.

I nodded, "I'm trying to find her and all the other missing girls. Do you have any idea where these private parties that Debra went to were held?"

"One was in a place called Nichols Canyon. That was the last one I know she went to."

That was up in the Hollywood Hills area, between two other canyons, Laurel and Runyon.

"Do you know the names of anyone involved with those private parties?"

"Just Minga. Debra told me he would supply girls for rich people's parties. Oh, and some old broad named Helga."

Jake Randolph in "Requiem For A Stripper" Pt. 157

Requiem For A Stripper #157

"So, how do you know Nicky Minga then?" I asked.

He looked angry, "Debra's a good girl. Sure, she got into the stripping, but that's all. Then Minga got her to start doing these private parties for rich people. I hate rich people!"

"Where did Minga meet her? At Hoofers?"

"I guess so. She takes dance lessons there. I'm not too familiar with this place. I just moved here from New York a few months ago."

That explains why his phone number was in the back of his sister's address book, instead of up front with the other family members...