Jack Spade: Dream Detective

chapter 4

“Too bad,” replies Jack. “Nice looking babe. Well, I’ll see you later. Thanks,

O’Brien.” He then leaves and gets into his car. While driving, he can’t stop thinking about the hooker’s tattoo; he thinks he may have seen it somewhere before.

He decides to stop by the club to see Jennifer. Once inside the bouncer tells him not to start any trouble. Jack looks at him with that million-dollar smile and tells him he does not want any trouble. “I’m here just to see the show, Huck-a-berry.” He sits down at a table and orders a drink then Jennifer appears and starts singing.

After her number is over, she goes to Jack’s table. “May I sit down, handsome?” she asks softly, as if she is in the library.

“Sure, baby. So, you ready to talk to me now about Mrs. Jefferson?”

“Not here, handsome! Let’s go to my dressing room.” As they are leaving for her dressing room, Moreno comes out of his office. He gives Jack a leering stare and Jack smiles back at him. After they are in Jennifer’s room, she tells Jack to have a seat, steps behind a screen, and starts to change her dress for her next number.

“It’s like I said,” she begins her story. “We went to the same high school back in the little town where we grew up. It was a long time ago.” She pauses. “Then, about a month ago, she came to me asking for help, and I tried to get her a job here singing.” Jennifer appears from behind the screen and sits down in front of her mirror.

“And like I said, Moreno-“

“Who’s Moreno?” Jack interrupts.

“The boss,” says Jennifer ‘the guy that was giving you the once over ‘out there’ Oh’ says jack’ I was wondering why he was staring so hard. She begins to put on her make-up. “He didn’t like her voice, she left and I have not seen her since.” She starts combing her hair. “That’s the truth, handsome.” She peers at Jack through the looking glass, as if hoping he believes her.

“Okay, baby, I believe you…what time do you get off?”

“I got another number at three!”

After her number, they go to Jennifer’s hotel room, which is a fancy two-bedroom at a place called the Silver Platter. It sounds more like a place to eat in then to live! It has plenty of room to move around in and they go directly to her bedroom but first Jennifer wants to take a shower. Jack stays in the bedroom, but she leaves the bathroom door open. She takes off her clothes and steps into the tub then slowly begins to scrub down her beautiful, slim, curvy, perfect body. She suddenly looks up and sees Jack watching every move she makes. She smiles and stretches out her hand, inviting him to join her; and of course, he does. He jumps out of his clothes so fast he almost stumps his foot getting into the tub; and afterwards they make good old-fashioned love for the rest of the night.

The next morning Jack is up at the c***k of dawn. He leaves without waking

Jennifer but he does leave her a note which says ‘I will see you later tonight, baby.’ he goes straight to his office and finds Joe is already there, waiting for him. Joe and Jack met in the army and he would do anything for Jack, mainly because Jack took a bullet for him doing the war. After the war was over, they decided to work together as private

Investigators; and the rest, as they say, is history. If you asked Joe, he would say Jack was the boss; if you asked Jack, he would say they were partners. But Jack mainly gives the orders and that’s okay with Joe.

“You’re up early, Joe!”

“Not really,” he replies, as he stretches out his arms and lets out a boastful yawn. “I slept here last night.”

“You got anything else on the girl yet?”

“No,” replies Joe. “I can’t find anyone who has seen her. It’s like the city has swallowed her up.”

“You know, Joe, maybe she has left the city.”

“I’m already on that. I had Sonny check the train stations, bus stations and airport.

Nothing. No one has seen her.”

“Well, keep on it, buddy.” Jack takes another look at the bracelet then puts it in his desk drawer.

Just as Joe leaves, the phone rings. It’s Jennifer. “Hey lover boy, what’s the big idea? Leaving without saying anything?”

“I’m sorry, baby,” replies Jack. “I just didn’t want to wake you; didn’t you read my note?”

“You always got an answer, don’t you, Jack? You coming by the club tonight?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there. Can‘t miss my favorite singer.” After Jack hangs up, he wonders how she got his office number then he remembers that he gave her his card the first night he met her at the club…that suspicious mind of his, always working overtime. He then calls Jefferson at his bank and asks him about the bracelet. As he describes it to him, “It’s silver and has miniature birds all along its links,” Jefferson is listening intensely.

Then he answers, “No, I have never seen Lauren wearing such a bracelet.”

Jack hesitates. “Oh,” he says. “Okay” and starts to hang up.

“Wait a minute,” says Jefferson. “What about the address I gave you?”

“That’s what this call is about,” says Jack. “The address was a vacant lot but we found that bracelet there. It’s fairly new, and expensive. I thought it might have belonged to your wife.”

“Oh, I see,” replies Jefferson. As he puts down the receiver, he begins to wonder if Jack believed his story about it not being Lauren’s bracelet. He starts to have another one of his panic attacks as he paces back and forth across his expensive carpet. Then he gets a hold of himself

And settles down. ‘Spade doesn’t suspect anything,’ he says to himself. ‘If he did, he would have asked.’

“I’m okay,” he says aloud. He decides to make a night of it and go out on the town. After he is dressed, he has his driver take him to a club called The Oasis. It’s not the usual place he goes to but for some reason, he goes there. He drinks too much and starts to talk too much about his missing wife to anyone who will listen. He spills his guts out to a gentleman he just met and the man is all ears as Jefferson tells all his dark secrets. After he has gotten enough information, he takes Jefferson to his car and tells his driver to take him home. “Looks like he may have had too much to drink.”

The man Jefferson was talking to is Sam Deerfield. “Thank you, sir,” says the chauffeur as he takes hold of Jefferson and puts him in the back seat. As Deerfield is helping him in, he inconspicuously slips his business card into Jefferson’s pocket.

When Jefferson arrives at his hotel, it’s a little past 3 am. The driver helps him up to his room and undress and then he puts him to bed. In the morning Jefferson has a terrible hangover. He cannot believe he drank so much liquor as he is not really a drinking man.

Once he is feeling better and he is getting dressed, he notices a card on the floor.

He picks it up and just glances at it then puts it down on his dresser. Once he is dressed, he orders breakfast. He has two eggs over easy, two strips of bacon and a glass of orange juice. After he is finished, he starts for his bank. When he arrives,

His clerk runs up to him and announces that “This man wants to see you, sir. I asked him what about and he said it was none of my business.”

“All right, Smith,” says Jefferson. Go back to your desk.”

Deerfield stands up to reveal a mountain of a man. He is holding his hat in his hand as if he is trying to appear gentle and tells Jefferson it’s important that he see him. “All right,” says Jefferson. “Let’s go into my office.” Once inside, “All right, who are you?” demands Jefferson.

“My name is Sam Deerfield, we met at the club last night.”

“Last night?” replies Jefferson. “Yes, I was at the club but I don’t remember you.”

“That’s easily understood,” says Deerfield. “You were pretty,” he pauses, “Let’s say, tipsy,” he says, smiling then walks over to Jefferson’s couch and flops down on it.

Jefferson nervously walks to his desk and sits down. “What did I tell you last night?” he asks, not really wanting to hear the answer.

Deerfield searches around in his pocket for a cigarette then he notices

The expensive cigars on Jefferson’s desk. “May I?” he says as he takes one of them. Jefferson just nods his head as he nervously says yes. “You just kept telling me how worried you were about her missing, and how you wish you

Hadn’t done what you did-”

“Stop it,” says Jefferson as he jumps up from his seat. “Just what do you want from me?”

“I just want to offer to you my services,” says Deerfield.

“Your services?” repeats Jefferson. “Why would I want that?”

“You never know,” says Deerfield, “when you might need a little helping hand.

You still have my card?”

Jefferson looks blank for a second then he remembers seeing the card when he got up. “Oh yes,” he says.

Deerfield gets up and starts for the door. Before he goes, he takes a few more cigars, saying, “These are good, Mr. Jefferson. You will call me?” “Yes,” says Jefferson. “I will give it some thought.”

“You do that,” replies Deerfield.

As Jefferson closes

The door, he is sweating profusely. He then cracks it open to watch Deerfield leave the bank. He knows exactly what he might have said to him last night. He takes out a handkerchief and wipes his forehead. ‘

That man is dangerous,’ he says to himself, ‘but I can’t worry about it now.’

Jack Spade had gotten up early and was already at his office. He is still at a standstill with the Lauren Jefferson case but there is something about Mr. Jefferson he is not sure of. He takes out the bracelet again and stares at it for a long time then he remembers Lauren Jefferson was wearing a bracelet just like this when he saw her at that bar. Why did Jefferson say it was not hers! He decides not to press him for answers just yet and returns it to the desk drawer.

Later in the week on Friday night at the Blue Cage night club, Jennifer is singing at the mike dressed up as Little Red Riding Hood. It’s October 31st and the club has requested that the customers come in costume. Some do and some don’t –Jack’s case he is a don’t. When she notices him coming in, she quickly stops what she is singing, turns to the band and tells them to start playing “I’m in the mood for love.”

Jack sits down at a table and orders a double bourbon. As he is sipping his drink,

Mr. Jefferson comes over to his table. He is not in costume either. “May I sit down?” “Sure,” replies Jack.

“What can you tell me, Mr. Spade?”

“Nothing yet.”

“That’s what you said the last time I asked you, Mr. Spade.”

"No, that’s not true, Mr. Jefferson,” replies Jack. “As you recall, I told you about a bracelet I found, or should I say, my partner found!”

“Oh yes, I forgot,” says Jefferson, looking a little confused, then add’s, “But you seem to spend a lot of time in this club!”

“About as much time as you,” replies Jack, “And why didn‘t you tell me you owned part of this club?”

“I didn’t think it was any of your business.”

“Oh,” says Jack, a little surprised at Jefferson’s bluntness. “You’re right, it’s not. Look, Jefferson, these things take time. If you’d rather have someone else look into this, go ahead, I would understand.”

“No, no, you stay on the case,” replies Jefferson. “I trust you, Mr. Spade.” As he leaves, a young man is coming into the club; they stop and talk for a few seconds then leave together.

Jack sees the young man and wonders who he might be. By this time, Jennifer has completed her song and is on her way to Jack’s table. “That was

Great, baby. And that’s a nice costume you have on.” He gets up and pulls the chair out for her. Jack is always the gentleman. “Thanks,” replies Jenifer. “Where’s yours? I told you to wear a costume!” “I’m wearing it baby’ says Jack smiling.

“Oh really! And who are you supposed to be?”

“A private eye,” he says. “What else!”

“Very cute, Jack,” she replies. She is also pretending to be upset and she adds, “How would you know how good my song was? You were too busy talking to your friend.”

“That’s no friend of mine, just a client. In fact, that was Mr. Jefferson.” He hesitates then says, “Oh, and baby, have I ever told you that you have a beautiful voice?”

“Yeah, right, handsome,” replies Jennifer. Their relationship is just starting but they seem to know each other like a book. Jack tells the waitress to bring her a drink.

“So, how is the investigation going? You find Mrs. Jefferson yet!” “Well not since I last saw you.” Jack smiles.

“Boy, you’re some private detective.”

“It’s investigator, not detective.”

“Whatever,” says Jennifer. “I just don’t think you are a very good one

Whatever you call it.” As she turns her head to light her cigarette, Jack is about to say

Something but then the lights goes out. When they come back on after about ten seconds, Jack is gone and Jennifer is sitting there wondering what happened to him. She even peeps under the table.

Meanwhile, Jack had been tied up and taken to the manager’s office by Moreno’s men. “What’s going on?” he yells. “What’s this all about?”

“Sorry, Spade,” replies Moreno as he unties his hands. “I’m Bill Moreno.” Jack is not sure how to take all this seeing how Moreno is in costume as Henry the Eighth. He can hardly keep a straight face. “I just wanted to talk to you about Lauren Jefferson

And I didn’t want Jennifer to know.”

“So what do you want to know?” replies Jack, holding back his impulse to laugh.

“Have you found out anything yet?”

“No,” he replies then ads, “

We had some leads but they all led to dead ends. And anyway, that’s client privileged information,” he says, rather boldly. “Why are you interested?”

“Never mind that. I don’t care what you call it, I want all the information you get on Lauren Jefferson! You got it?” says Moreno, getting up from his chair and trying to stare Jack down.

But Jack catches his stare right back and replies, “People in hell want cold water but they don’t get it. You want any information, you check with Mr. Jefferson, he’s the only one I report to. And why don’t you want Jennifer to know anyway?”

“You ask too many questions, Spade; and that’s privileged information,” he says, smiling.

“That’s my job, Moreno, to ask questions.” Jack then gives a big smile, turns and starts for the door. As he does, two of Moreno’s men step in front of him to block his way, but Moreno gestures for them to let him pass. “Just one more thing,” says Jack, “who the hell are you supposed to be anyway?”

“A king,” replies Moreno as he takes another puff on his cigar.

“Oh really?” says Jack, smiling. With those tights’ I thought you might be a Queen! Then quickly leaves.

Outside of Moreno’s office, Jennifer is singing another number. Jack watches her for a while then waves. Thinking there’s nothing more for him to do here, he leaves without speaking to her; which is not a good idea. When he arrives at his hotel room, it’s about 3am and he decides to get some rest but just as he lies down, the phone rings.

It’s Jennifer. “What happened to you?” she screams.

“Ask your boss,” replies Jack, half asleep. “What do you mean?” She says’ He had his men grab me when the lights went out. “Why?” He wanted to know how my investigation was going. “Why’ she asked again.

You have to ask him. I’m going to bed.” “But Jack…” click. The sound of the phone rings in her ear as he hangs up. Jennifer is furious but at the moment there is nothing she can do. She thinks about calling him back but decides not to.

Jennifer is truly a lovely woman. She has been singing at Moreno’s club for about two years and the customers love her. She sings with soul. Her voice is so good that one time a gentleman from a record label wanted to sign her to a contract, but Moreno scared him off one night and he never informed Jennifer about it. If she had known about it, she surely would had left to further her career.

She sits there on her empty bed, wondering why Jack is being so mean to her. Pretty soon she will understand that Jack was just being Jack. He has always loved his women and left them, but as he will soon find out, Jennifer is different.

***

Then there’s the roar of the plane landing in Paris, France. James Harper is at the airport checking his bags and when he has finished through customs, he locates the hotel where Chloe Fontana is staying. It is a luxurious high-rise called the Carlton Heights. She is staying in the penthouse. ‘I guess nothing’s too good for Daddy’s little girl.’

As large as her room was, James took a room of his own. After he was all settled in, he went to see Chloe. You could park twenty cars in the place, it was that big. “You want to do anything, kid?” he says to Chloe, and she quickly snaps back at him, “My name is Chloe, not kid!”

“Okay,” replies James. “Excuse me, Chloe, what do you want to do? We got plenty of time; our flight does not leave until tomorrow evening.” “Can we go see a movie?” she replies with excitement.

“I don’t see why not, as long as it’s not X-rated,” says James, smiling.

Chloe is about thirteen, with golden pigtails down to her shoulders. ‘She’s going to be a beautiful young lady when she grows up. I wonder how much she knows about her old man,’ he thinks. ‘Well, it’s none of my business anyway.

So off they go to the theater to see a G-rated movie. Before they go into the movie, he asks Chloe if she wants any to eat! She nods her head. When they get to their seats, James quickly settles down and, before you know it, he is fast asleep. And one thing about James, he can sleep through anything. As he sleeps he dreams and soon we are back in 1947.

***