The Case of the Ice Cream Blonde

Collins set down the newspaper and scowled at his servant. #xE2;#xAC;SYou#xE2;#xAC;"re not helping my paranoia, Rigby.#xE2;#xAC; Then the detective fished from his jacket pocket a silver cigarette case, opened it, grabbed one of its contents and stuffed the cigarette into his mouth. A moment later a teasing grin spread his handsome face. #xE2;#xAC;SIf this country goes to war Parasha and I will be in real a pickle.#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SI fail to see why,#xE2;#xAC; Rigby snorted, as he signed a check. #xE2;#xAC;SYou#xE2;#xAC;"d coddle your disreputable cat to the enth degree, war or not.#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SActually, I was thinking about you.#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SMe?#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SSomeone has to represent the Collins household in the front-lines,#xE2;#xAC; returned the detective, with mock insistence. #xE2;#xAC;SWe don#xE2;#xAC;"t want to be considered shirkers. Why, I#xE2;#xAC;"d be banned from the Stuyvesant Club.#xE2;#xAC; Rigby jerked upright, suddenly alarmed. #xE2;#xAC;SI should think it would be far more appropriate for you to volunteer if the worst happened!#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SI can#xE2;#xAC;"t do that,#xE2;#xAC; Collins protested, one amused eye on his agitated servant. #xE2;#xAC;SWhy not?#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SI#xE2;#xAC;"m much too rich to die in some sordid gun-battle with a Schnitzel chewing maniac. It#xE2;#xAC;"s far more appropriate for a man like me to pass-on in one of those bordellos you#xE2;#xAC;"ve been complaining about.#xE2;#xAC; The detective took out a small gold lighter, flicked it to life and put flame to the cigarette; his eyes twinkling. #xE2;#xAC;SI#xE2;#xAC;"m afraid you#xE2;#xAC;"ll have to fight the Bosch, Rigby.#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SYour concern for my future is touching, Sir,#xE2;#xAC; the butler returned, dryly. Then with a flurry of mutterings he resumed his work. #xE2;#xAC;SWhich brings me back to my original concern: with you wielding a bayonet in Europe, gutting the Hun, who#xE2;#xAC;"s going to steam Parasha#xE2;#xAC;"s oysters, and prepare my Manhattans?#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SI#xE2;#xAC;"m sure I don#xE2;#xAC;"t know, Sir,#xE2;#xAC; the butler gritted. The detective picked up the newspaper and flipped a page, laughing softly at Rigby#xE2;#xAC;"s irritation. Then his eyes narrowed. #xE2;#xAC;SGuess who#xE2;#xAC;"s looking down the barrel of an indictment, if John Theobald has his way?#xE2;#xAC; The butler leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes focusing upon his master. #xE2;#xAC;SHow many times have I warned you against gambling with Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky?#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SNot me.#xE2;#xAC; Collins wrinkled his nose as if a foul odor had suddenly filled the room. #xE2;#xAC;SLuciano. According to this article a new racketeering law is up for a vote. It#xE2;#xAC;"ll give the State of New York extensive and very liberal powers to control organized crime.#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SHow often have we heard that before?#xE2;#xAC; mocked the servant, tilting forward to fill-out another check. #xE2;#xAC;SNow, now give Theobald his due. Our District Attorney for New York County is an honest public servant.#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SI#xE2;#xAC;"m not faulting Mr. Theobald#xE2;#xAC;"s intentions, Sir. But you must admit there is a lot to be desired when it comes to the success of his actions. He#xE2;#xAC;"s arrested Luciano a dozen times or more - with nothing coming of it.#xE2;#xAC; Harper Collins blew a smoke ring, watched it float above his servant#xE2;#xAC;"s head and uncoil into frail wisps. #xE2;#xAC;SLuciano is a slick operator, Rigby.#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SIf you want my opinion, a bounty should be put on that gangster#xE2;#xAC;"s head.#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SAnd let just anyone take potshots at a poor, Sicilian immigrant? Nonsense!#xE2;#xAC; The detective forced a stoic expression as he turned his head to meet his servant#xE2;#xAC;"s shocked stare. #xE2;#xAC;SThe city would become a blood-bath. There#xE2;#xAC;"d be dead Luciano look-alikes everywhere. Lasagna could become a thing of the past.#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SWell, something has to be done! Luciano#xE2;#xAC;"s even suspected of killing Thelma Beale.#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SIf there were any proof in that, I#xE2;#xAC;"m sure Lucky would#xE2;#xAC;"ve been arrested.#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SAs you said, Sir, he#xE2;#xAC;"s a slick operator.#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SNot in a poker game. I#xE2;#xAC;"ve fleeced him and Lansky numerous times.#xE2;#xAC; #xE2;#xAC;SThat#xE2;#xAC;"s because you cheat.#xE2;#xAC;