Page 140 of If Looks Could Kill
“How should I know?”
“Because she’s your tenant,” the young man snaps, “and she moved out.”
The big fellow lays a hand on the younger man’s arm. “We think she and her men kidnapped one of our Salvation Army girls.” He bows slightly. “Paddy Campbell, at your service.”
Johnny feels a lurch in his gut. “Miss Pearl?”
“No,” Paddy tells him. “Miss Tabitha.”
Johnny feels a wave of relief. “Ah,” he says. “The clever one.”
Young Mike’s face flushes. Paddy, who looks like a boxer, says, “They’re both bright, high-spirited young ladies.”
The elder O’Keeffe is surprised. “You know them, Leone?”
Johnny admits it. “They were… energetic in their saloon work.” He turns back to the young hothead. “Didn’t I hear something about you running afoul of the law tonight?”
“It was a ruse,” Mike says, “to get me out of the way, to kidnap Tabitha.”
“She your girlfriend?” He grins, but the kid is not amused.
“Kidnapping is a serious accusation,” Johnny says. “Do you have proof?”
“We do,” young Mike insists, “but there’s no time for that now. Can’t you just tell us where she is? We’ll go make inquiries and leave you alone.”
Johnny Leone presses his fingertips into his temples. “I’ve got nothing to gain by starting a quarrel with Rose Hertzfeld.”
“You could say we were clients of hers,” the young barkeeper suggests.
“And sully the good name of the Salvation Army?” Johnny amuses himself, at least. “Not to mention O’Flynn’s.”
Paddy holds his hands out beseechingly. “Please. If our fears are correct, what they plan to do to Miss Tabitha…” He gulps. “She don’t deserve that.”
Plenty of young ladies find their way to the devil in saloons like yours.
You have no problem cashing in on their downfall.
He’s got Pearl in his ear.
Little Giovanni,his mother’s voice says.Didn’t I raise you to be a good boy?
Damn that Pearl. Now his mother’s in his ear too, and he was there to shovel the dirt into her grave.
“There’s not enough of you,” he tells them. “You armed? It’ll be a death trap.”
The three men exchange nervous glances.
“Leave my name out of it,” he tells them. “Hold on, I’ll get you the address.”
Greenwich Village, ManhattanTabitha—Wrath and Bile(Early Morning, Tuesday, December 4, 1888)
Sarah, called Delilah, is gone by the time Rosie arrives to check on my progress. I’m still in my normal clothes. The salmon-colored silk obscenity lies on the floor. Rosie crosses the floor to deliver a stinging slap to my face. It knocks me sideways. She deals a slap to my other side.
“Let’s get one thing straight in your head,” she tells me. “MissTabitha.” As if my name is a mockery. “You belong to me now. You live here. You stay here. You do as I tell you. You eat what I give you. You wear what I tell you. You open your legs to whoever I tell you. Got that?”
My head is still throbbing and my ears are still ringing from the slaps.
“We’re going to start you off with a practice run,” she says. “Zeke’s going to take care of you. Which is why I told you to put that peach number on. So put it on.”
