New York: 1928

It was another late night in the office. Not cause I needed to be there, but because it was the only real place I had left to go. I glanced absentmindedly over at the long trench coat on the hatrack in the corner. Just another tool of the trade in this line of work. The black shapes of cars moved past the windows looking out onto the street, silhouetted by the dying street lamp on the corner. A small bell rung as the door opened, someone other than me entering the building for the first time today.

She stood inside the entrance room, half concealed in shadows, little more then her curves visible in the low light through the doorway. "Nicholas Silvermane?" She asked.

I leant forward, resting my elbows on my desk and weaving my fingers together. "Depends who's askin'."

She stepped forward. Girl certainly wasn't the usual clientele of wealthy fat bastards looking to get their stolen goods back. She was slim, and short. Probably would have been shorter without the three inch heels she was sporting, along a tight blue dress, and fur coat. Her wavy red hair bounced around her shoulders as she approached. Beautiful, by some standards. Not my type. The woman sat down in the clients chair opposite me. "Genevieve Weasley." She said smoothly, crossing her legs.

I leant back in my chair once again, the soft wooden creak breaking the silence that had fallen between us. "Listen doll, I'll make it simple. Your daddy cutting off your inheritance, you already got enough dirt on him in your own house. You think your man's cheating on you? He either is, or you don't trust him, either way, leave him behind. That'll be eight dollars."

Genevieve stared at me for a long moment, her cold eyes looking from my hand to my face. "You read the papers, Mr. Silvermane?"

I scoffed, "Exaggerations and fake crimes? Why should I?"

"You shouldn't," she smiled darkly. She opened up a small purse and produced a yellow envelope, clearly full of cash, "Two days ago there was a murder. Friend o' mine. Girl by the name of Katherine Soucie. We performed together. Papers won't run it, police won't look into it, either don't know or don't care."

"So why do you think I care?"

"Because unlike them, I can pay you to care." She took out a handful of notes from the envelope and held it out to me. As I lifted my hand, she jerked the cash away. "Say you'll take my case."

"Listen, Weasley was it? I—"

"Say. You'll take. The case." She repeated.

I grimaced, staring directly into her eyes for a moment. "I'll look into it."

"Twenty percent up front," Genevieve extended her gloved hand once again, and I snatched the handful of paper slips from her grasp before she could change her mind. "It's all the same with your kind isn't it?" She rolled her eyes, standing to leave. "Detectives. Only in it for the money."

"What else is there to be in it for?" I shook my head, flipping through the notes as she exited through the door, the bell ringing as it closed. As I got to the last two notes, I came across a folded up flyer for a small nightclub to the east of town. The Raven's Roost. Must have been the performing she referred to.

I sighed, standing up and pulling my coat over my shoulders. It'd been a long rime since I'd had a case like this, and even longer since I'd wanted one. But if the pay was good enough, well... I'd better go see what I can dig up out this Katherine Soucie.

* * * * *

I'd been a day since the visit from Miss Weasley. I stood out in the dark, New York street, the lights flickering around be as I lit a cigarette. The sounds of yellow echoed from the dingy night club behind me. The Raven's Roost, just like on the flyer. Pulling my collar up around my neck, I blew out a cloud of dark smoke into the night air, and walked inside.

The muffled sounds from the street were amplified nearly tenfold, the sound of voices becoming clear, people yelling at each other over drinks and card games. The building was large, and dark. Bigger then what I'd have expected from the outside. A bar was pushed to the right, and the centre of the room was lowered into the floor, looking up onto a stage. The heavy crimson curtains were closed, leaving only an unmanned piano on the wooden floor.

I wandered over to the bar, sitting down at a stool. A man about my age leant on the other side of the bar facing away from me, cleaning out a glass with an old rag. He had blonde hair, and a slight brown stubble with a faint reddish tinge. He looked up into a mirror, catching my eye in the reflection. "Can I—"

A tall redheaded man threw himself onto the barstool beside me, burying his head in his long arms on the counter. "I need a drink, Riley."

The barman, Riley, sighed, turning placing the class down, "You're on in five..."

"Drink!" The ginger growled.

Giving me an apologetic glance, Riley took the glass he'd just cleaned and filled it up, placing it in front of the man, who quickly snatched it from the countertop and began to drink. When he was done, he slammed it back down and pushed himself up, walking away into the club. He was lanky, tall but hunched over, and a little more then slightly intoxicated.

The barman turned back to me, "Can I get you something?"

"Whisky," I grunted, looking over my shoulder and scanning the club.

"Don't get many new folks around this place. Too hole in the wall... So what'd you want with us?" Riley slid a glass across the counter, "You're not another one of Thaxis' goons are ya'?"

I shook my head, making a mental note of the name Thaxis, "Woman paid me,"

"Usually it's the other way around," The barman smirked. I rolled my eyes.

The lights all around us dimmed slightly, distracting me from the conversation. For a moment I thought it was a fault in the electrics, before the redheaded man from the bar walked out on stage, sitting down in front of the piano. He stretched his fingers, and began to play. Not long after he did, a woman's leg extended from the curtains. The crowd in the lowered section of the club cheered and whistled. The rest of the woman emerged. Genevieve, dressed in a red dress, with matching gloves and headdress. She blew a kiss to the audience, before the music built up, and she began to sing.

"When the circus came to town, Jay Augustus Henpeck Brown,
Bought himself a ticket for the show.
Passed by all the acrobats, all the clowns in funny hats,
Went to see the animals below.

Saw a "tamer" put his hand into a lions mouth
Waited 'till the tamer man was through.
Shook his hand and said "At taming animals your a bird,
But there's just one thing that I must ask of you.

Can you tame wild women?
Yes can you tame wild women?

You made a tiger stand,
And eat out of your hand.
Made the hippo do the flippo,
Honest it was grand.

But can you tame wild women?
So they'll always lead a sweet and simple life?
With a wild—"

"She's pretty good, ain't she?" Riley smirked, watching the redheaded woman on stage. I nodded in response. "Used to be better... Course, you already knew that, didn't you?"

That got my attention, I spun around to face the bartender, "How do you—"

"Woman's outraged. Parter murdered three nights ago, right after the show. Police did nothin. Didn't expect they would. All the crime going in in this city, the death of some flapper ain't gonna phase 'em."

"If you know what's happened, you won't mind me asking a few questions, will you?"

Riley gritted his teeth. "Ask all the questions you want... Just not here, or now," I raised an eyebrow, "We close at seven." He grunted, throwing a the cleaning rag over his shoulder and moving on to serve another patron.

Time passed faster then it seemed to, and before long Riley was ushering drunken customers out of the nightclub. He returned to the bar, leaning against shelves and surveying the room, as if making sure no one was there. Two redheads emerged from behind the stage curtains. The tall redheaded pianist, and Genevieve, who both approached and sat down at the bar.

The singer gave me an amused smile. "Didn't think you'd make it."

I shrugged, "I do the jobs I get paid for."

"I-I'll have another drink, thanks." The pianist stammered, massaging shaking hands.

Riley looked him up and down. "You sure you ain't had enough, Dave?"

"J-just... Come on, it's me..." Reluctantly, Riley took out a fresh glass from the shelf behind him and filled it with beer, which the ginger quickly began to chug.

"I take it you've met our fearless leader," Genevieve smirked, waving a hand at the barman before pulling off her elbow length gloves.

"Not formally," Riley shrugged, extending a hand, "Riley Vagnr. Own the club."

"Nicholas Silvermane, P.I." I shook his hand, before turning to the tall man sitting beside me, "And you are?"

"David." He grunted, giving no impression he was going to give further information.

"Davids our accompaniment," Genevieve told me, pushing herself up and sitting on the bar, "He's... He was Kath's fiancé, before she..." Her voice tickled off. The three of them were silent, the only sound the rain beginning to hammer against the sidewalk outside.

"How'd she die?" I asked, eyeing David.

Riley sighed, massaging the back of his neck. "Kath was shot. Straight through the heart, three nights ago now in the alley outside."

"What happened to the body?"

David choked on his drink beside me, making a whimper. The others ignored him. "Six feet under." Genevieve said quietly, "Gave her the best funeral we could, but three folks on out level of pay? Wasn't anything special."

I nodded, turning to Riley, "Is a room somewhere here? I'd like to speak to you all individually, if possible."

Riley cleared his throat, "Huh? Oh, yeah, there's a storage room just down there," He nodded his head towards the end of a bar, where a door stood, a key in the lock, "I'll move a set of chairs in there for ya'." Before he could move however, the doors to the club were thrown open.

"Hey, we're closed!" Genevieve called out. The large man who entered ignored her. Riley swore under his breath as the man approached.

"Listen, Ricky, I-I don't owe Thaxis anything this time, alright?" Riley stammered, his hand dropping below the counter.

The thug chuckled to himself. "Calm down, Vagnr, he don't want nothin' from you. This time it's him." Ricky pointed to David, who looked up from his drink, pale faced.

"I-I..." David stammered, "But my money's not due till Saturday!"

"Change of plans, Bronzcert. Thaxis wants his money, now. Or maybe we'll see how well you can play piano with broken fingers."

"Hey, leave him alone." Genevieve snapped.

The man turned to her, smiling. "Protecting music man, hey? Well I'm sure if he can't pay up, a girl like you could find a way to pay it up for him." The singer smiled sweetly, curling her finger at the man, until he leant in right next to her. She went to whisper something in his ear, and punched him in the face. Ricky staggered backwards, pulling a knife from his pocket.

"Wait!" David yelled, standing up shakily from his seat. He fumbled around in his pocket and pulled out a small wad of cash. The redhead held it out to Ricky. "T-That's at least half, okay? Tell Thaxis I can get him the rest by Thursday."

Ricky seemed to consider this for a moment, before snatching the money from Davids hand. "Wednesday." He put the knife away, and stormed out of the club.

The room fell silent around me once again. Riley leant across and placed a hand on Davids shoulder as he sat back down. "You didn't tell me you owed 'em money, Dave."

David tensed. "It's nothin... I had to borrow some, it's from a while back..."

Riley glanced over at me, realising I was still there. "I'll uh... I'll get you those chairs."

A few moments later I was sitting in the small supply room across from Genevieve, a single flickering lightbulb suspended above us. "So," I tapped a pen against my notepad, glancing over at the woman, "How long did you know Katherine?"

She exhaled. "Seems like forever. Must have have met when we were maybe twelve, been close ever since."

"How close?"

"Like sisters." She responded.

"And how did you two come to work here?"

Genevieve shrugged, "Riley's folks were old family friends of mine. We was just looking for work when he rang us up, said he needed staff. Started off as bar maids till the last band quit. Must have been right before Dave showed up."

I scribbled the story down on my notepad, "This David, what's his deal exactly?"

Geneveieve glanced over at the door, where a muffled conversation from the two men outside could faintly be heard. "Sweetest guy I've ever met. But always on edge, nervous. Only ever saw him relax around Kath. He seemed even more uncomfortable once they were engaged though, almost as if something was wrong. Course, after she died..." She nodded at the door, "David wasn't close to too many people. And when the one he was close to was taken... He broke."

I nodded, "So tell me about working here with Kath. Anyone treat her differently? Patrons, colleagues?"

"Well David loved her, of course. That said everyone did. Tall, dark hair, mysterious. All our clients wanted to get to know her, if you catch my drift. Probably even Riley."

"What makes you say that? Was she paid more—"

"Course she was paid more," The singer laughed, "Not much, but enough."

I nodded, raising an eyebrow. "So you were jealous?"

She considered this. "You could say that. I didn't kill her, if that's what you're implying."

"It wasn't," I shrugged, "So it's interesting you immediately jumped to that conclusion. Anything you wanted to confess?"

"Course not," she snapped, "Why would I kill my childhood friend? Better yet, why would I come to you to investigate it if I did?"

"Could be a guilty conscience, trying to get out," I told her, quickly reading over my notes, "Could be for the thrill of the chase. Some people get off on that."

"Are you speaking from personal experience there, Mr. Silvermane?" She raised an eyebrow.

I shook my head, standing up. "Can't say that I am. Thank you for your time here, Miss Weasley."

"Pleasure was mine," He muttered, standing up and leaving the supply room.

I followed her out, going over and leaning on the edge of the bar. David had a bottle of whiskey on his hand, much to the annoyance of Riley. "Don't suppose I could talk to you now, David?"

"Don't suppose you can, no." He answered, taking a swig from the bottle. Genevieve elbowed him, and he swatted her arm away.

"You owe people money, maybe they have a motive for killing—"

"Stop!" She growled, "Just-Just stop, alright?"

"David..." Riley muttered.

"Don't tell me what to do," David snapped, pointing a finger at the barman, "I'm not just gonna sit in a room while this stuck up bastard accuses me of killing... Killing..." His voice trickled off, and he almost dropped the bottle in his hands. David shook himself, "I'm going home. Have fun here with your detective." The redhead stormed out of the club, the door slamming shut behind him.

Riley pinched the bridge of his nose, cursing under his breath. "You're not gonna go after him?" Genevieve asked him. "If Ricky's still out there he'll—"

"Dave can handle himself well enough. Besides, there's no way I'm gettin' him back here." He scrunched up the rag he was using to clean Davids glass, before looking at me. "I'll come in. Gen, you can leave, I'll lock up afterwards." The ginger looked as though she was about to protest, before shaking her head, and walking out into the street.

Riley leant against the bar. "Suppose there ain't no point to going in here now, is there?" He nodded at the storage room.

"Suppose ere isn't," I agreed, taking out my pen once again, "So, how much was Katherine paid, compared to the others?"

Riley tensed slightly, before regathering himself. "Same as the other pair, why?"

"No reason," I shrugged, "And she was popular, I understand?"

The barman smirked, "You could say that."

"Probably popular enough to be getting offers from other clubs?"

"Excuse me?" He asked.

"Well it only makes sense. This Katherine was popular, a real fan favourite. Performing day in, day out here must have got repetitive, and, she probably got some offers from other, more extravagant establishments, didn't she?"

Riley fidgeted with the cleaning rag, "I don't know what you—"

"So of course, you couldn't let her go, not your biggest star. So you paid her a little more, that's fine. Until what she was demanding got too high for you. Of course, you knew she'd take her partner and fiancé with her, didn't you? You couldn't afford to let that happen. So—"

"So what?" Riley asked.

"So you killed her."

"I'm offended—"

"Did you kill her Riley?"

"I..."

"Did you kill Katherine?"

"No!"

I sat back slightly, watching the sweat collect on his brow. "Then what are you hiding?"

Riley threw the rag at the bar, "I-It was only once, okay? Well, maybe two or three times, but only once after she was engaged!"

"You slept with her?"

"Course I slept with her..." He sighed, resting his head in his hands as he leant against the counter, "Half the men on e block wanted to. And, for a little extra cash on the side, she was willing. Listen I'm not proud of what I did, but I did it, alright? But I didn't kill her. I swear it on my mothers life I didn't."

"And does David know?"

Riley laughed. "Course David doesn't know. He's a friend o' mine... I couldn't tell him something like that. Especially not now, after..." He shook his head. "It was Thaxis, I'm telling you. Half of New York owes that man money. I did, Dave does... This was all about that, I'm sure of it."

I nodded, slipping the notepad into my pocket. "Thank you for your time this evening, Mr. Vagnr. I hope you don't mind if I come back tomorrow."

Riley shrugged, pulling a jacket over his shoulders. "As long as you're paying for drinks and not causing trouble." He waited for me to leave, before turning off the lights, and locking the nightclub behind us. He nodded at me in the light of the street lamps, and walked off into the darkness.

* * * * *

I awoke mid afternoon the next day. It started with looking through my notes over a glass of scotch the night before. It ended with an empty bottle. I wasn't an alcoholic by any means, but there was just something about this case. Something that didn't quite add up, or that I hadn't noticed. I shook myself, looking over the scattered pages across my desk.

It was the connection to Thaxis that bugged me. I'd heard of him, sure, most people had around these parts. Notorious gangster, owned half the city, leant money to whoever wanted it, provided you could pay him back. But I hadn't seen him stretch this far, stretch to murder. He usually stuck to having his goons torture people.

I leant back in my chair, trying to think past the pounding in my temple. I suppose, the loss of the person close is the worst torture you could put up with. David showed that perfectly. Man was a wreck. I couldn't lock him up for it though. If anything only the goon he got to do it for him, and even then I didn't have enough physical evidence. I decided to think about it later. I could head back to the nightclub and try and explain to the staff why the cops won't be able to arrest the man who murdered their friend.

* * *

I entered The Ravens Roost early, only to find the place just as packed as it had been the night before. Riley was busy at the bar, but nodded at me as I approached. "Good to see you've come back. Was just beginning to think you wouldn't."

Genevieve paced around behind him. She glanced at a clock on the wall. "He's still not here, Riley."

"If he hasn't arrived yet, he won't. You don't have to go one tonight, Gen. I can always use a hand here behind the bar." Riley suggested.

The singer shook her head, curling a strand of red hair around her finger. "I'm what brings in your costumers. Do we still have that old phonograph back stage?"

The barman bit his lip. "Maybe. I'll go set it up for you." Riley pulled a small sign from under the bar that read Temporarily Closed and placed it on the counter, before disappearing into a door that lead backstage.

Genevieve went to follow, but stopped, rushing back towards me. "After my first song, come see me backstage. I-I have something to tell you. About the case." She raced through the door, leaving me alone at the bar.

A few moments later, Riley appeared on stage in front of the microphone. "Alright ladies and gentlemen, our pianist couldn't be here today, but we have a show for you none the less. I present to you, Miss Genevieve Weasley." He stepped aside as Genevieve emerged from the curtains, and began to sing.

Riley jumped off the side of the stage and made his way through the crowds back to the bar. He put the sign away, before turning to me. "She tell you to meet her backstage too?" I nodded. He smirked, cleaning out a glass, "Pity. Thought I was getting special treatment." The pair of us waited until the song was over, and the record played to a stop, before Riley lead me through the backstage door.

We arrived just as Genevieve was taking off a feathered headdress. "What is it you have to say exactly?" I asked, reaching into my coat for my notepad.

The woman looked at the ground. "It's just... I think that..."

A gunshot went off. Genevieve stood there for a moment, a shocked expression on her face, before she collapsed to the ground with a cry of pain. Blood began to pool around her on the floor as she pressed against a bullet would in her side. I glanced over my shoulder to see a small hole in the wall. The bullet had gone straight through. Couldn't have done too much damage.

A second shot pulled me back into the moment. This one sailed a few inches to the right of my shoulder. A voice swore, and the sound of glass shattering came from the darkness to our left. Riley ripped open the curtains as I charged into the darkness. "Somebody call the police! Or a doctor, or-or, somebody do something!"

I leapt over Genevieve, who writhed on the ground in pain. Footsteps pounded against the floor ahead of me, but the room was too dark to see who it was. I leapt forwards, throwing myself at the figure.

I crashed into them, and we both went tumbling to the ground. I pinned the attacker down snatching the gun rom his hand and cracking him across the skull with it. The redheaded man stopped struggling as I rolled away. David lay unconscious on the floor beside me...

It wasn't long before the police arrived. A doctor was tending to Genevieve as Riley tried to explain what had happened. I dragged Davids body into the light for them. Riley swore. Genevieve clasped her hands over her mouth, before gasping in pain as she moved the muscles around her wound,

"That's not..." Riley muttered, "But... Why?" He asked, as the police put cuffs around Davids wrists, lugging his unconscious form away.

I threw Davids gun at his feet, "Models common, but not cheap. Would have needed money to buy it. About twice the amount he paid back Thaxis last night," I nodded at Genevieve, "She says he was different after he was engaged. My guess he found out what you'd been doin' with his girl."

Genevieve glared at the barman. "Riley?"

I continued before he could respond. "Wouldn't have held it against you for wanting her if everyone did. But the fact she did stray?" I shook my head. "When a man's not close to too many people, and one of them betrays him? Not gonna end well for them."

"But then, why shoot Genevieve?" Riley asked.

"My guess?" I raised an eyebrow, "He wasn't trying to. He came to finish me off so I didn't pick up his trail. That smashed bottle over there? Whiskey. He's been drinking days straight, and his aim suffered for it." Both Riley and Genevieve were silent, looking from me, to each other, to the ground. "I'm sorry for your loss." I said quietly, "Both of them."

Genevieve reached into a purse on a table, and pulled out an envelope, which Riley handed to me. I thanked him, slipping the money into my jacket before I moved to leave.

"Hey," I felt Riley's hand on my shoulder, "If you ever need a drink, there's always a free one for you here."

I nodded, heading towards the backstage exit. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Riley."

"See you tomorrow, Nick."

I nodded as the door closed behind me. The storm clouds that had hung in the air over the last few days had finally begun to part, and moonlight shone down onto the street around me.

I'd planned for another late night in the office. But now, I had somewhere else to go. I pulled my trench coat tighter around me, feeling the small stack of money press against my chest. Just one of the perks in my line of work. The black shapes of cars moved past me on the street, silhouetted by the dying street lamp on the corner. I smiled to myself, my headache subsiding and my mind becoming clear for the first time that day...