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And with that I walked to the train station.
* * *
Chapter Seven
Halcyon, on Smith St. in Brooklyn. I got there a little before ten and went inside. I looked around for Mrs. Childers, but she was nowhere to be found, so I took a seat in the back of the room so I could see the entrance. It was about eleven twenty before she finally showed up. She was wearing a powder blue dress that showed off her legs. Mrs. Childers had a seat at the bar, looking around for Ben. She ordered. For the next half hour I sat and watched her. I wanted to be sure that Ben didn’t have a change of heart and show up. During that time I watched as she dismissed man after man who approached her. The list was long. Knowing I wouldn’t fall prey to the same fate, I got up and approached her. I tapped her on the shoulder. "Mrs. Childers." She turned quickly and smiled when she realized who I was.
"Nick. What are you doin’ here?" Mrs. Childers asked.
"I stopped in for a drink. Mind if I join you?" I asked quickly before she asked why I was in Brooklyn.
"Well." She scanned the room again. "I was supposed to be meeting somebody here, but I guess they’re not going to make it."
"Then this must be my lucky night." I sat down next to her and signaled for the bartender. "Johnnie Black, straight up. Can I get you something?"
"Hennessy Martini, with a twist."
"So tell me, Mrs. Childers, what man would be foolish enough to stand up a beautiful woman like yourself?"
Mrs. Childers turned away and made one last look around the room for Ben, shrugged her shoulders, and turned to face me with a smile. "Who said I was waiting for a man? So, Nick, have you found out anything about Jake?"
"Not really. I did have a chance to look around his apartment. Do you know if he was working on something?"
"No. I really didn’t get into all that stuff he was into. A little too far over my head."
I reached in my pocket and took out the picture of Jake and the mystery woman. "Do you know who this is in the picture with him?" I handed her the picture. She glanced at it for a second.
"I’ve never seen her before. Where did you get this?"
"That doesn’t matter. Has he ever mentioned dating any other woman, other than Lisa Ellison?"
"I’m not my brothers keeper. He’s very private."
"So how do you know Lisa?"
"He’s been seeing Lisa for years now. He brings her around to parties, family gatherings, things like that."
"Now let?
??s talk about you, Mrs. Childers."
"Me? What about me?"
"You haven’t exactly been honest with me."
"What do you mean? I’ve told you everything I know."
"About your husband, Mrs. Childers."
"Chilly. What about Chilly?"
"Well, Mrs. Childers, he’s a little more than just involved with drugs. He controls most of the drug traffic uptown."
"And?"
"Don’t you think that was worth mentioning?"
"Yes."