because it was as white and smooth as a gardenia blossom. Rumor had it that she had undergone a facelift without anesthesia so that she could oversee the surgeon's work and make certain he was acting on her precise instructions. But the story was a little too far-fetched to be believed, even for Ruby Bouchereaux, about whom rumors abounded. In any event, she was stunning.
Since he entered the office, her lavender eyes hadn't wavered from his.
She was old enough to be his mother, and he knew her art of flirtation had been perfected over years of practice. Nevertheless, he felt himself blush at her compliment.
"I'm afraid I can't afford your services."
"We've made allowances for other city officials." Eyeing him with interest, she toyed with the strand of pearls around her neck.
"I'd be pleased to discuss several discount options with you."
He smiled, but shook his head."Sorry, no. But I appreciate the offer."
Her lips formed a rueful pout."The girls will be.disappointed.
And so am I." Then, folding her small hands together on top of her desk, she inquired why he had come to see her.
"Pinkie Duvall."
The change in her expression was so subtle, only someone with Burke's experience in gauging people's reactions could have detected it.
"What about him?"
"You two were partners in a club down in the Quarter before you had a falling out a couple years back."
"That's correct."
"What happened?"
"Off the record?"
"Entirely."
"Pinkie wanted one of my girls to come dance in the club. She wasn't interested, and politely turned him down. Shortly after that, Wayne Bardo paid us a visit and requested this girl. After an hour with him, she couldn't even walk, much less dance."
"Bardo was sent by Duvall to teach her a lesson." When Ruby agreed with a slight inclination of her head, he asked if he could please speak to the girl.
"I'm afraid not, lieutenant. Two days after her session with Bardo, she took a razor to her wrists. She didn't believe that her face would ever look the same, and, frankly, neither did any of the doctors we consulted. She was a gorgeous girl. Mr. Bardo ruined her not only for this profession, but for any other where meeting the public is required."
"I don't suppose you reported this to the police." "A whore getting assaulted in a whorehouse?" she said with a harsh laugh."How sympathetic do you think the authorities would be? I couldn't prove that the assault had taken place here, or that Bardo was the culprit, or that he was carrying out Pinkie Duvall's directive.
"Besides, it would have been bad for business. I don't advertise our mistakes and misfortunes. Anytime a girl goes into a room alone with a man, she runs the risk of being hurt. I and my staff do everything to prevent that sort of thing from happening, but we can't be in the rooms to guarantee that it won't. It's a hazard of the profession."
Burke leaned forward slightly."Ms. Bouchereaux, as a former partner, do you know anything about Duvall's sideline businesses?"
"I assume you're referring specifically to drug dealing." "So you're aware of it?"
"Of course, but I couldn't prove it, any more than you can. He's incredibly shrewd. Pinkie and I only discussed business relating to the club we held in common. He didn't pry into my other interests, and I didn't pry into his."
"You see my dilemma?" Burke said."District Attorney Littrell won't touch Duvall without hard evidence, and there's not a chance in hell that he's going to make a mistake and give us any room to maneuver."
"What has all this got to do with me?"
"I was hoping that you'd be willing to cooperate with the Narcotics Division. Help us out, maybe work out an arrangement."
"Like no more raids for a while if I help you catch Pinkie Duvall?"
"Something like that."
She gazed at him unflinchingly while still fiddling with the strand of pearls."You're in no position to be making deals on behalf of the Narcotics Division. You no longer work for the police department."
Caught,
Since he entered the office, her lavender eyes hadn't wavered from his.
She was old enough to be his mother, and he knew her art of flirtation had been perfected over years of practice. Nevertheless, he felt himself blush at her compliment.
"I'm afraid I can't afford your services."
"We've made allowances for other city officials." Eyeing him with interest, she toyed with the strand of pearls around her neck.
"I'd be pleased to discuss several discount options with you."
He smiled, but shook his head."Sorry, no. But I appreciate the offer."
Her lips formed a rueful pout."The girls will be.disappointed.
And so am I." Then, folding her small hands together on top of her desk, she inquired why he had come to see her.
"Pinkie Duvall."
The change in her expression was so subtle, only someone with Burke's experience in gauging people's reactions could have detected it.
"What about him?"
"You two were partners in a club down in the Quarter before you had a falling out a couple years back."
"That's correct."
"What happened?"
"Off the record?"
"Entirely."
"Pinkie wanted one of my girls to come dance in the club. She wasn't interested, and politely turned him down. Shortly after that, Wayne Bardo paid us a visit and requested this girl. After an hour with him, she couldn't even walk, much less dance."
"Bardo was sent by Duvall to teach her a lesson." When Ruby agreed with a slight inclination of her head, he asked if he could please speak to the girl.
"I'm afraid not, lieutenant. Two days after her session with Bardo, she took a razor to her wrists. She didn't believe that her face would ever look the same, and, frankly, neither did any of the doctors we consulted. She was a gorgeous girl. Mr. Bardo ruined her not only for this profession, but for any other where meeting the public is required."
"I don't suppose you reported this to the police." "A whore getting assaulted in a whorehouse?" she said with a harsh laugh."How sympathetic do you think the authorities would be? I couldn't prove that the assault had taken place here, or that Bardo was the culprit, or that he was carrying out Pinkie Duvall's directive.
"Besides, it would have been bad for business. I don't advertise our mistakes and misfortunes. Anytime a girl goes into a room alone with a man, she runs the risk of being hurt. I and my staff do everything to prevent that sort of thing from happening, but we can't be in the rooms to guarantee that it won't. It's a hazard of the profession."
Burke leaned forward slightly."Ms. Bouchereaux, as a former partner, do you know anything about Duvall's sideline businesses?"
"I assume you're referring specifically to drug dealing." "So you're aware of it?"
"Of course, but I couldn't prove it, any more than you can. He's incredibly shrewd. Pinkie and I only discussed business relating to the club we held in common. He didn't pry into my other interests, and I didn't pry into his."
"You see my dilemma?" Burke said."District Attorney Littrell won't touch Duvall without hard evidence, and there's not a chance in hell that he's going to make a mistake and give us any room to maneuver."
"What has all this got to do with me?"
"I was hoping that you'd be willing to cooperate with the Narcotics Division. Help us out, maybe work out an arrangement."
"Like no more raids for a while if I help you catch Pinkie Duvall?"
"Something like that."
She gazed at him unflinchingly while still fiddling with the strand of pearls."You're in no position to be making deals on behalf of the Narcotics Division. You no longer work for the police department."
Caught,
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