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Ava drew in a deep breath that straightened her spine. Her face went hard, blank. “Let me guess: this man answers to the name Roman O’Reilly.”
“Yep.” Sally made a show of rolling her eyes. “I play it up, right? He already knows this is one of Manny’s places, so I point out how close we are, and he bites. Says he’ll pay me for any information I can get from you to put your man away. Actually believed me, and didn’t bat an eye when I said I’d need a cover story for visiting you. So he agreed to take me to Colosimo’s and gave me some money to buy a new dress, as an excuse to get you to go shopping with me.”
Ava looked caught between caution and amusement. “So you need my advice on…”
“Clothes. I don’t know what to wear to Colosimo’s, I’ve never been to the joint. And I figure while we’re out, you can give me the line you want me to feed him. I gotta have something to report, or he won’t keep peeling off the bills.”
Ava smiled again and relaxed a little. “Sure, Sally. Let me grab my things, and we’ll head out. Did he mention what it is he’s looking for information on?”
Sally followed Ava out of the sitting room and into her bedroom, the largest on the hall. She waved off the question. “He was pretty vague. I tried to get him to spill, but I don’t think he trusts me that much. Just said to try to confirm some rumors, like whether or not Manny had taken over Eddie’s brewery. That sort of thing.”
“Ah.” Ava picked up a purse and looked around, presumably to see if there was anything else she needed. She favored Sally with a warm smile. “I’m sure we’ll come up with something for you to tell him.”
“I’m sure we will.” Which was hardly her concern. As they left Ava’s Place and headed for the shopping district, Sally concentrated on getting Ava to relax even more, never so much as bringing up Roman again except as the john she needed to look good for that night. Predictably, Ava was laughing with her by the end of their first hour, fully engrossed in the process of selecting the perfect gown within her budget.
“This one’s divine,” the elder declared, holding up a rose silk with intricate beading.
Sally looked at the price and smiled. “It is. But I was hoping to have enough left to buy a string of beads to go with it. Maybe crystal ones, like yours.”
Ava frowned and shook her head. “You’d have to settle for a far simpler dress if you wanted crystal. Why don’t you just borrow mine?”
Sweet, predictable Ava. For a second, Sally’s conscience wiggled to life. But she had long practice at shoving it aside. Ava couldn’t get her out of the Levee—how could she, when she’d made it her home? So she couldn’t afford to give Ava her loyalty. Sally pasted hesitation onto her face. “Are you sure?”
Ava smiled and pressed the dress into Sally’s arms. “Of course. You know I don’t mind if you borrow my things. Come on, we’ll buy this and head back to my place. You can look through my necklaces to find the perfect one and help me pick out what I want to wear tonight while you’re there. Manny’s taking me out, too.”
This was going far better than Sally had hoped. She gladly forked over Roman’s money to the salesclerk and headed back into the Levee with Ava, their arms locked together and their laughter bright. The conversation stayed on easy subjects until they were once again at the bordello, closed in the safety of Ava’s elegant bedroom.
“Here.” Ava urged Sally onto a padded stool before her vanity, which had sides that opened out into an armoire. She pulled out both little doors, revealing her full collection of necklaces, some expensive and others just pretty. “You can borrow any of the beads. I need something special, though. I’ll go try on my dress so we can see what would work best.”
This was so easy that Sally wasn’t even sure she could trust it—nothing in life came easily. Nothing worth having, anyway. Still, she flashed her friend a smile and poked through the jewelry while Ava disappeared behind a dressing screen. Finding a string of beads that would look good with the pink dress was simple. Trying to verify the absence of the Czech piece was by nature more difficult. She poked through all the gold, all the silver, setting a silver-and pearl filigree pendant swaying with a finger. She didn’t see any red-stoned flowers. But how could she be sure Ava hadn’t just lent it to some other girl?
Then Ava emerged in a burgundy gown with a low V of a neckline, solving that problem for her—if ever a dress demanded a red necklace, it was this one. Sally let out an appreciative whistle. “Your man sure keeps you in style, Ava.”
Though Ava laughed, sadness lit her eyes. “I’ve earned it. Trust me.”
She didn’t know Ava’s story—none of the girls did. Sally had asked, when she first found herself in the Levee, but Ava kept her own council. Still, it didn’t take a genius to figure her tale had been an ugly one. A dame like her didn’t end up running a bordello and wearing a mob boss’s jewels without making some compromises over the years.
“I’ve no doubt.” Sally tapped a thoughtful finger to her mouth. “Do you have anything red? I don’t see anything.”
“I’m afraid not.”
Not anymore, she meant. “Well then, let’s see how this double strand of pearls looks.”
Ava stepped closer so that Sally could stand up and secure the strand around her neck. They looked at the reflection in the mirror, both smiling at how well the dress and necklace complemented.
“You have a good eye.” Ava touched a finger to one of the smooth, iridescent pearls. Then she met Sally’s reflected gaze. “Don’t get too involved with this cop, Sally. It’ll only be bad news if you do.”
It was a warning, but it wasn’t a threat. No, the look on Ava’s face was the same one Mother had worn that last day she’d sent her off to school, when she’d said, “Be a good girl, honey. Don’t make Daddy angry.” The day Sally’d gotten home and found no Mother.
She couldn’t blame her for getting out. But that last directive haunted her—as if she had any more control over her father than she had over Al Capone. Sally swallowed hard. “Why?”
“Because the more questions he asks, the more enemies he makes. Enemies that you don’t need to share. Trust me on this one. That young man is only alive right now because Manny’s daughter’s fiancé asked for him to be spared. If he doesn’t let this go, Manny’s mercy may run out. And even if it doesn’t, O’Reilly’s stirring a pot that has more gangsters in it than he probably thinks. Others will be happy enough to do what Manny won’t if he keeps digging.”
Ava turned to face her and gripped her fingers. “Tell him I wouldn’t open up to you so that he keeps you out of this. The risk of having anything to do with him isn’t worth what little he can pay you.”
Cynicism crept in, tugging Sally’s mouth up in one corner. “With all due respect, Ava, that’s easy for you to say with your gold and jewels and nice clothes. I need every dime I can get if I ever want to pay off Capone and Torrio.”
Ava pressed her lips together and shook her head. “Sweetheart, you’re never going to pay them off. You think they don’t make sure of that? Your only hope is finding some rich john who wants you enough to give them however much they ask for you.”
