Avis. I can return the compliment. You’re a cute girl, actually the cutest one in the place.’
‘Well, now -‘
‘There is something I’d like to talk to you about. The first time I saw you a week ago, and just a little while ago, you voiced some displeasure with Aida and Minna. You spoke of setting up your own shop in a hotel. Were you serious?’
Avis shrugged her bare shoulders. ‘I don’t know. Just a thought I’d had.’
‘Will you do it?’ asked Holmes, putting away his speculum.
‘Probably not. I’d like to. I don’t think I have enough initiative. I can’t do things on my own.’
Suavely, Dr Holmes posed a question. ‘What if you didn’t have to? I mean, have to do something on your own?’
‘It would help, but still, for all the boredom, it’s pretty cosy here. Having someone take care of you.’
‘What if you left with someone’s help and had that someone take care of you?’
She considered Dr Holmes curiously. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean I have an idea,’ Dr Holmes went on. ‘I gather, from something you mentioned last week, that you don’t have any money worries. True?’
‘True. I’m a small-town girl. I watch every penny. I’ve seen what happens to other girls in the Levee who spend every dime they have on clothes, on booze, on drugs. I’ve held on to my earnings.’
‘I have something in mind,’ said Dr Holmes. ‘Can I ask you this? How much have you saved up?’
‘A decent sum. About $2,000, at my last count.’
‘Just right for what I have in mind, Avis,’ Dr Holmes continued. ‘I have a suggestion to make, a proposition, really. Right now you keep half of what you earn every night. Isn’t that so?’
‘It’s so.’
‘How would you like to keep more, much more?’
‘I’d sure like that. But how -?’
Dr Holmes proceeded more confidently. ‘Like letting me set you up in your own house, maybe smaller than this one, but just as luxurious. We could be partners. You would be in competition with the Everleighs, but you would be independent, your own boss, and keep most of what you earn. If you put up your savings, and I put up an equal sum, we could rent and furnish a really classy establishment. You could keep not half your income, but three-quarters, and I’d keep one-quarter for my investment. How does that sound?’
‘Too good to be true.’
‘There’s more,’ Dr Holmes added. ‘You wouldn’t be alone either. You could move in with me, and stay with me after hours. I’d take care of you.’
‘You would?’
‘I’d like to. You’re a very special sort of girl. We’d get along very well. Of course, only if you’d want to live with me. Would you?’
‘And how! I already hinted to you, I find you well, attractive, and someone I’d like to bed down with on the side.’
‘Well, there you have it,’ said Dr Holmes, exhilarated. ‘Our own business, and our own home - together. You ready to do it?’
‘Just say when!’
‘Tonight, Avis. Tonight. I’ll go back to my office and prepare the contract for our partnership. You pack up and meet
me at my place. Here’s my card. Come at six o’clock. Bring all your things. Can you do that?’
‘I’ll manage.’
‘Then we’ll celebrate. I’ll take you to the Palmer House for dinner -‘
‘Oh, my, I’ve never been there.’
‘Just the beginning. Then you can look over our partnership contract and we’ll both sign it. In a week I’ll pay down on the lease of a building, and we’ll furnish it together. In a month you’ll be in business and making a fortune.’
‘I’m so thrilled.’
‘And you won’t be alone at any time. We’ll be together.’
He stood up. Immediately, she was on her feet in front of him, naked and wildly aroused. She hugged him tightly and kissed him.
‘You’ll never regret it,’ she whispered.
‘Neither will you, Avis,’ he said wryly. ‘We have a memorable date for tonight.’
‘I’ll be there,’ she promised. ‘I can’t
‘Well, now -‘
‘There is something I’d like to talk to you about. The first time I saw you a week ago, and just a little while ago, you voiced some displeasure with Aida and Minna. You spoke of setting up your own shop in a hotel. Were you serious?’
Avis shrugged her bare shoulders. ‘I don’t know. Just a thought I’d had.’
‘Will you do it?’ asked Holmes, putting away his speculum.
‘Probably not. I’d like to. I don’t think I have enough initiative. I can’t do things on my own.’
Suavely, Dr Holmes posed a question. ‘What if you didn’t have to? I mean, have to do something on your own?’
‘It would help, but still, for all the boredom, it’s pretty cosy here. Having someone take care of you.’
‘What if you left with someone’s help and had that someone take care of you?’
She considered Dr Holmes curiously. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean I have an idea,’ Dr Holmes went on. ‘I gather, from something you mentioned last week, that you don’t have any money worries. True?’
‘True. I’m a small-town girl. I watch every penny. I’ve seen what happens to other girls in the Levee who spend every dime they have on clothes, on booze, on drugs. I’ve held on to my earnings.’
‘I have something in mind,’ said Dr Holmes. ‘Can I ask you this? How much have you saved up?’
‘A decent sum. About $2,000, at my last count.’
‘Just right for what I have in mind, Avis,’ Dr Holmes continued. ‘I have a suggestion to make, a proposition, really. Right now you keep half of what you earn every night. Isn’t that so?’
‘It’s so.’
‘How would you like to keep more, much more?’
‘I’d sure like that. But how -?’
Dr Holmes proceeded more confidently. ‘Like letting me set you up in your own house, maybe smaller than this one, but just as luxurious. We could be partners. You would be in competition with the Everleighs, but you would be independent, your own boss, and keep most of what you earn. If you put up your savings, and I put up an equal sum, we could rent and furnish a really classy establishment. You could keep not half your income, but three-quarters, and I’d keep one-quarter for my investment. How does that sound?’
‘Too good to be true.’
‘There’s more,’ Dr Holmes added. ‘You wouldn’t be alone either. You could move in with me, and stay with me after hours. I’d take care of you.’
‘You would?’
‘I’d like to. You’re a very special sort of girl. We’d get along very well. Of course, only if you’d want to live with me. Would you?’
‘And how! I already hinted to you, I find you well, attractive, and someone I’d like to bed down with on the side.’
‘Well, there you have it,’ said Dr Holmes, exhilarated. ‘Our own business, and our own home - together. You ready to do it?’
‘Just say when!’
‘Tonight, Avis. Tonight. I’ll go back to my office and prepare the contract for our partnership. You pack up and meet
me at my place. Here’s my card. Come at six o’clock. Bring all your things. Can you do that?’
‘I’ll manage.’
‘Then we’ll celebrate. I’ll take you to the Palmer House for dinner -‘
‘Oh, my, I’ve never been there.’
‘Just the beginning. Then you can look over our partnership contract and we’ll both sign it. In a week I’ll pay down on the lease of a building, and we’ll furnish it together. In a month you’ll be in business and making a fortune.’
‘I’m so thrilled.’
‘And you won’t be alone at any time. We’ll be together.’
He stood up. Immediately, she was on her feet in front of him, naked and wildly aroused. She hugged him tightly and kissed him.
‘You’ll never regret it,’ she whispered.
‘Neither will you, Avis,’ he said wryly. ‘We have a memorable date for tonight.’
‘I’ll be there,’ she promised. ‘I can’t
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