Chapter 6

Laura watched her husband replace the microphone on the stand and bow to the audience. Many people in the large cabaret closed stood and applauded and Laura felt the tears filling her eyes. It's so rotten, she thought, he's the greatest singer in the world and he's being torn apart by that bastard Vito!

She began to wonder what would happen if she ran up onto the stage and told everyone in the audience what the gambler was doing to Johnny and her--if she made Johnny take off his shirt and show them the great, raw bruises that covered his chest and ribs. And then she remembered what she had read lately about human apathy, about crowds standing by in New York and watching a woman get raped and killed, the bystanders doing nothing because they 'didn't want to get involved.' Damn them, if she told them about Deke Vito the audience would probably just get up and leave mumbling something about it being someone else's problem.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Harry, the bartender, as he reminded her that it was almost eight-thirty.

"Mrs. Dutton, are you crying?" There was genuine concern in his voice as he stared at the pain-stricken expression on the young girls' face. "Is something wrong, is there anything I can do?"

"What? Oh, Harry, no, there's nothing... I'll tell you about it someday. I promise I'll tell someone!" she said cryptically.

He looked wonderingly after her as she abruptly left the bar and walked toward the elevator. It's Deke Vito, he guessed correctly. I'll bet that son-of-a-bitch finally got to her.

As he walked back down to the customer at the other end of the bar he hoped he was wrong. Harry was one of the few people in the casino who was aware of Deke Vito's activities. The bartender had been working that same bar for so long that there was very little that went on in the club that didn't eventually reach his ears.

I'm sure it is, he thought again, Vito's probably holding Johnny's gambling over her head and making her work for him. I sure like that little girl, and if I find out that that bastard's putting the screws

136 to her--maybe I'll return the favor. Yeah, maybe I'll tell Laura Dutton a few things that could be very embarrassing for Deke Vito.

The bartender went back to work, but as he did he made a resolution to himself to talk to the singer's wife and find out if his suspicions were correct.

A bartender is forced to turn a sympathetic ear to most of his customers, and many of the girls that had worked through the years for Deke Vito had stopped in at some time or another to cry on Harry's shoulder. Harry had listened to what the girls were forced to do, and he'd also found that Deke Vito bad a weakness. The bartender knew that the casino, Mr. Mornay in fact, paid for the girl's services whenever they were sent up to one of the big-time gamblers--but Harry also found out that Deke Vito had been cheating the casino. He'd told Mornay the girls charged one price and then made a substantial cut off the top before he gave the girls a smaller amount.

Harry knew that information relayed to Mr. Mornay could make things very unpleasant for Deke Vito and had saved it in case the gambler ever tried to make things rough for him. And, now he'd decided that if Veto was hurting Laura Dutton it might be the time to pass along a few facts to the casino owner.

He had no doubts about what Vito would do to him if he found out where the information had come from, but he'd watched what that greasy sonofabitch had done to too many young, innocent girts... married or not.

Laura's mind was numb with anger and pain as she stepped out of the elevator on the top floor. She took a tissue out of her purse and wiped the tears from her eyes and touched up her make-up before she rang the doorbell at Mornay's suite.

I don't care so much anymore about those photographs, she thought, I just can't let him hurt Johnny. I'll do what I have to, but I'm going to find some way to get back at that bastard. I wonder what sort of treat that greasy pig has in store for me tonight. I'll get him. Oh God, I swear I'll get him!

It was Black Jack again who took her coat as she stepped into the huge living room. It's strange, she thought as she looked at the giant Negro. Even after what happened that first night, somehow I feel he's my friend. The only one I have up here.

She smiled at him, "Good evening, Black Jack."

"Good evening, Missy." That great rumbling voice was so low that no one else in the room could have heard it. Laura wondered it she was still the only one that had ever heard him speak

She was a little surprised by the scene before her. Laura had thought that she would be the only one up there tonight, but there were about ten other girls talking and drinking, some of them she recognized from the last time she walked into this room

"Black Jack, please make me a drink. A strong one!" She turned to the huge man. "What does the greasy bastard have planned for this evening?"

"Another party, Missy. Another bad party." He took her elbow and led her to the bar. Silently, he mixed her a drink and then as he handed it to her: "Take care of yourself, Missus Dutton."

"Hey, girls Look! Look at the new one."

Laura heard the woman's strident voice, and then saw everyone's eyes on her. She tried to return their stares calmly but felt the chills run down her back and felt the weakness beginning in her knees. Finally, she turned her back to them and tried to collect her thoughts as the sipped her drink.

How was the going to do it, she thought. Whatever "IT" was. Laura didn't know exactly what was expected from her. She hadn't seen any men yet, not even Vito, but she knew that pretty soon that would change. What do they do, I wonder, herd the lechers in like cattle for feeding?

She turned at the touch of her shoulder. A girl had tapped her, a beautiful blonde girl who looked about twenty-two.

"Hi. I'm Rita, what's your name?"

"Laura... I mean..."

"That's all right, Laura. We don't really care what your real name is. Nobody ever uses their real name."

"Laura sensed the warmth and friendliness in the girl's voice. It made her feel a little better, and she relaxed as the girl took her arm.

"Come on. Let's sit down."

She followed the girl over to the couch, feeling a small laugh inside as she wanted to ask what a nice girl like her was doing in a place like this.

"You're new, aren't you?" the girl asked her casually as she raised her glass in a toast.

"Yes, I've never been to a party like this before." There was a tremor in her voice as she spoke.

"Hey, you're scared, aren't you. How in the world did Vito ever get you to... well, never mind, it's none of my business." The girl, Rita, nodded to Black Jack to bring them another drink. "Listen, don't worry, there's nothing to be afraid of."

"Rita, what do they do? What happens here later on?" Laura forced herself to ask almost fearful of what the answer was going to be.

The girl laughed. "Well, other than the obvious, nothing much. We just stand around for a while and watch the tricks gamble, and tell them how brilliant and handsome they are."

"Where do they come from, the men, I mean. Who are they?"

"Gamblers mostly. Or some special friend of Vito's or Mornay." She paused. "And actors too. Hey, guess who I was with last time? Rita actually seemed to be waiting for her to guess, then she added very proudly: "Hal Wilson!"

Laura was a little surprised at the mention of the legendary financier, then the girl continued:

"I was so surprised when he picked me. Imagine... Hal Wilson! And you wouldn'ta believed it, he was so nice. Wow! and afterwards, that man sure knew how to play in the sack. I was beginning to feel like an acrobat."

Laura listened as the blonde girl went into great detail about her adventures with Wilson.

"... and we were in the big bedroom, the one with the round bed... you probably haven't seen it yet... and..."

Laura almost stopped her to tell her she was wrong, that she had photos to prove it, but the girl was completely engrossed in her story.

"... and, then he wanted another girl, Lily--and she came in too." She went on to describe what had happened with the three of them, finally finishing as she pulled Laura over and whispered softly: "But he told me afterwards I was the best. Don't tell Lily, but he called her a whore!"

Laura laughed, and saw the puzzled look in the girl's eyes. She knew the girl wanted to ask her why she'd laughed but they were interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

"Come on, Black Jack, pour the girls some more champagne. We want to have a lively little party tonight, don't we girls?" Deke Vito's voice hushed the feminine chatter around the room and no one answered him.

At least, Laura thought, I'm not the only one that doesn't like him. While Vito walked around talking to each of the girls and patting or pinching them, it gave her a chance to take a closer look at the other women in the room.

It's strange, just like the other night. They all look alike; short or tall, blonde or brunette, they all look and sound the same. And I guess this must be the cream of the crop, she thought. All of them really are extraordinarily beautiful.

"Laura Baby. I'm so glad you could come."

That Bastard!

"Girls, I want you to meet Laura. I thought it was time to give you a little competition. Remember when you used to look like that? You bags are all getting tired and worn out."

Laura saw the others stare at her, even felt the girl stiffen at her side, and knew that Vito had just made a lot of enemies for her. It was true, she thought, that I do look a little better than they do--or at least, not as hard and brassy--but I wish he hadn't said anything.

As the giant Negro poured champagne in everyone's glasses the talk picked up again, and the nattily dressed gambler walked over to the couch.

"Yeah, Laura Baby, I'm glad you made it. Buzz off, kid," he waved a hand at the girl sitting beside her.

"I figured when you saw those pictures you might decide to join us." He stopped, and then continued: "and I'm sorry about Johnny, but don't worry. You two stay in line and he won't get hurt anymore."

She turned her head away from him. She knew that if she had to look at his fat oily face she wouldn't be able to control her anger.

Finally, he grabbed her chin brutally and spun her head around.

"You bitch! You listen to me when I'm talking, understand? He sneered contemptuously, "Maybe I'll be able to think of something special for you tonight to teach you your place!"

He checked his watch angrily and walked away from her. Laura watched him, wondering what he'd meant by his last remark, and held up her drink for Black Jack to refill it.

She was watching the door several minutes later, waiting for the 'guests' to arrive, when it opened and a tall grey-haired man walked in. She heard one man deferentially call him Mr. Mornay and watched him survey the room. His eyes touched hers momentarily before he walked over to join Deke Vito.

They talked for a while, apparently going over the plans for the party, and then the gambler brought him over to the couch.

"Mr. Mornay," Vito said servilely, "this is Laura, the new one you asked me about."

"Hello, Laura, it's a pleasure to meet you." She was surprised at the warmth in his voice. Strangely enough, he seems to mean it, she thought.

"Thank you." But he had already walked off with Vito to talk to someone else. Then she saw him leave a few minutes later.

During the next hour the door seemed to open continuously, and soon the room was quite crowded. There was a lot of liquor and laughter and it seemed like any other cocktail party Laura had been to, except for the gambling in the other room and the sprinkling of famous florid faces she recognized from newspapers and magazines.

Actually, it was quite pleasant. No one had made any unusual advances toward her and the men that had spoken to her seemed very polite. But, she could feel a strange tenseness or excitement in the smoke-filled air and she knew it wouldn't be very long before the atmosphere changed. I wonder how they do it, she thought, do they just come up and grab you by the arm and drag you into a bedroom?

She wandered from one room to the other, catching Black Jack each time and having her drink refilled. She was fascinated by the gambling in Mornay's private casino. Laura had never seen such large sums of money cross the tables and finally stopped trying to count the size of the bets.

Nobody seemed to worry about money at all. The men just laughed as the dealers or croupiers raked in the large stacks of chips and then the men replaced them with another just as large or larger. She realized that most of the girls had more or less attached themselves to one of the gamblers, and she watched them as they giggled at the hands that were beneath their skirts or brushing across their breasts.

There were several men there that were either too old or too intent on their gambling to pay any attention to all the feminine pulchritude around them, but Laura knew that unless she kept moving from one room to another she wouldn't be able to avoid being latched onto herself.

The girls all seemed to be drinking champagne and the men bourbon or scotch, but she finally decided that the champagne was too slow in bringing her the alcoholic numbness she was searching for. She switched to straight brandy, and soon, she began to feel a little more at ease.

Even when one of the more obnoxious men pinched her painfully on the rear she was able to laugh it off coyly and escape from him as he turned momentarily back to his betting.

The party was already several hours old before she began to notice the change coming over the crowd. The betting began to get more reckless and the laughing and shouting increased to a deafening roar. She recognized the glazed drunkenness that was settling over the gamblers and the girls, and the two cocktail waiters were hard put trying to keep up with all the shouted calls for drinks.

The brandy was working very well and she, too, was getting a little unsteady on her feet and could feel a slight numbness in her tongue.

She flinched at a sudden touch at her elbow, and turned to look into the grinning face of Deke Vito.

"Laura Baby, don't look so sad." He spoke to her in a soft voice that was strangely gentle. "Laura, it'll be easier for you... I mean, this being your first party like this... if you'll have several drinks."

She started to point at the brandy in her hand when he took the glass and replaced it with another.

"Here, this is imported. It's a little stronger and it'll make you feel a little better."

She took the glass without arguing, wondering at the change that had come over him. He left her after patting her on the shoulder, and she tasted the drink. It had a slightly reminiscent flavor, but she couldn't remember where she'd tasted it before.

She stood there sipping at her drink, and after a few minutes she felt a great lassitude slipping over her. The liquor made her feel so warm and alive. Swaying slightly to the rhythm of the music, she watched the enlivened crowd at the tables. Though she stood only a few feet from them she felt as if she were a spectator, in another room or watching through a great window. The noise and laughter seemed to be filtering through a softening haze and the people moving gracefully in slow motion.

She watched one of the girls removing her clothes in a bumping parody of burlesque striptease, and she felt the heat of her own clothing and she found herself wishing strangely that she, too, could rid herself of her constricting cocktail dress.

The sight of so many men and women caressing and pawing at each other aroused strange sensations of excitement and desire, sensations that raced through her like a small, growing blaze.

She had seen the circulating waiters pouring drinks for everyone from a single cut glass decanter, and in a blurred way it occurred to her that the drink Deke Vito had given her had something to do with the way she felt.

Then Laura saw the giant Nubian, Black Jack, tossing huge, red velvet pillows on the floor in the middle of the room. She wondered what they'd be used for, and she heard the soft rustled whispering as the man arranged what seemed to be a circular velvet arena with them.

Then she heard Deke Vito trying to quiet everyone. The raucous laughter and shouting at the tables was stilled as everyone stopped gambling and tried to find a seat. The huge rounded bed sank under the weight of about five couples and others settled themselves in a circle around the large red pillows.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the man standing in the center broke the silence, "I think it's time we turned our thoughts from money to the more important Joys of life."

He paused, grinning at the murmurs of assent. "Before we each go our individual ways," Deke Vito laughed aloud, "I thought I might be able to provide a little inspiration. Yeah, a little inspiration for the rest of us."

Laura glanced nervously around her and thought she saw a slight flicker of fear pass across the other girls faces and then she looked back at Vito.

He turned to the huge black man behind him. "Black Jack, why don't you go get ready while we have our little drawing."

The man left, and Vito turned back to the seated crowd. "Gentlemen, would one of you be kind enough to pull a name out of this bowl?" He held out a large silver bowl with several slips of paper in it to the man nearest him.

Taking the proffered slip of paper from the man's hand, he read the name aloud:

"Jacqueline!"

There was a puzzled murmur as everyone looked around, and then a small, lovely redhead was pushed forward until she stood before him.

"Ah, yes, Jacqueline... gorgeous, isn't she? he added as he turned to the men. The girl laughed and kissed him on the cheek Laura could see that the small girl was a little puzzled, but too drunk to really care as she stood posing provocatively before the rapt audience.

"Jacqueline, you'll do just fine. 'Course, you're still a little too dressed." He smiled wickedly and continued, "Why don't you let the men here give you a hand in removing some of those things."

He nudged her toward the man just in front of her, and she stood smiling and obligingly as he unzipped her green dress

Then, the men moved forward anxiously and each one eagerly helped to remove her clothes. The room was filled with loud laughter and cheers as each garment was thrown into the air, and then quieted when the girl stood there completely nude.

The noise and excitement had sobered Laura slightly. I wonder what they're going to do to that poor girl, she thought, but noticed that the girl, Jacqueline, didn't seem to be worried at all as she stepped back laughing to stand beside Deke Vito.

The crowd edged forward and waited for Vito to speak again. The tension and lust hung in the air like a great cloud as they watched the gambler run his fingertips across the girl's firm, erect nipples.

"How about you, kid? You ready for a little fun? He chuckled as he posed the question to the girl at his side.

"Sure, Deke, you know me. I'm always ready. What do you want me to do?" But, the answer to her question was readily apparent as a door opened and Black Jack stepped into the room.

The giant black man wore only a white silk robe and looked like an enormous prize-fighter as he strode into the center of the velvet cushion circle.

A multi-voiced gasp filled the room as everyone realized what was about to take place. And then there was a wild, excited clamor as Deke Vito helped the Negro remove his robe.

Even Laura, who only vaguely remembered having been made love to by the giant Negro, was started by the man's phenomenal development. My God! I couldn't have taken any man that big, she thought, it's physically impossible.

The little redhead, seeming even smaller by comparison with the tremendous man, shrank away from him--and looked as if she wanted to run until Deke Vito grabbed her.

"Hold on, Jackie, baby, we won't let him hurt you," he grinned obscenely.

Black Jack picked the hesitant girl up and then, kneeling, he laid her down on her back on the pillows

Laura stared as the man began to caress the reclining girl gently, felt the heat of remembrance in her own body as she watched the huge ebony hands gliding across the girl's milky white skin. The lewdly exciting scene continued for several moments in absolute quietness. No one seemed to be willing to break the stillness, or to interrupt the sensuous scene before them.

Then, softly at first, the audience could hear the low, throaty moans coming from the girl. Her pleading groans changed the mood in the room, and everyone started talking excitedly and moving even closer in order to watch more carefully.

Laura's legs trembled as the girl on the floor began arching her back and crying out to the Negro to heap greater and greater indignities upon her. The drug that Deke Vito had passed around had effected everyone, though not as much as the trembling Laura--Deke had pound Laura's drink himself and had purposely given her considerably more than the others.