The Mammoth Book of Historical Crime Fic - By Mike Ashley Page 0,169

– his weapon of choice at any time during the course of an evening in the tavern and elsewhere – when and where needed.

And at times, Pinky had to resort to his third equalizer: a shiny silver and black .38 calibre Colt revolver, which he kept cleaned and polished in the embossed buffalo-leather holster hanging from the wide, thick belt around his narrow hips for all to see.

Not to be forgotten was Pinky’s fourth equalizer: the woman swathed in red velvet, including her bright red turban with its large, white ostrich feather. Lorraine sat at an unsteady, round table reading tarot cards when asked. But her preference was a simple game of poker.

No doubt about it, Lorraine was Pinky’s woman.

No family name. Simply Lorraine. Her talk was hard to follow or understand. As if, a time back, she’d bitten her tongue and it never healed right.

Even so, when she was the one standing outside under Pinky’s sign saying hello, men ogled her, for she was a sight to see, and they followed her into the tavern without a second thought. One of the reasons was her size. The woman stood well over six feet. Fully unfurled, she had to duck her head to keep from smacking into wood beams.

When she stood next to Pinky they were a comical sight. But nobody ever dared laugh. They say opposites attract. That might be why the giant Lorraine and the midget Pinky were lovers.

*

It was just before noon on this cold December day when the news came shrilling down the street, passed from one pushcart to the next. Most of Pinky’s tavern emptied out. Pinky didn’t leave the bar, so the news was delivered to him by one of his drunken patrons, who stumbled back into the tavern, yelling, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid just robbed the Union Square Bank and killed twenty-two people.”

8

Bequeathing the crime scene at the Union Square Bank to the precinct police sergeant and the medical examiner, Dutch and Bo walked the few short blocks to No. 5 Gramercy Park West, and declared themselves with the large brass knocker on the front door.

Wong peered out the small side window. If it was those two men who brought Miss Esther home, he would send them away. But it was Dutch Tonneman and Bo Clancy who stood on the steps, and Wong opened the door before Dutch could knock a second time.

“Miss Esther is resting in the parlour,” Wong said. “She wrenched her knee, and I’ve made her a cold compress.”

“Esther!” Dutch rushed into the parlour.

Esther was sitting on a chaise holding her Kodak camera. The parlour was warm as toast thanks to the blazing fire, and the spicy smell of pine cones filled the air.

Esther looked up, not really surprised. It was logical that the police commissioner would call up his special squad to investigate the bank robbery, as the robbers were Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. And it was probable that someone had mentioned a girl with a camera.

Bo overrode his partner. “Esther. We’d like to talk to you about the bank robbery.” He glanced at Dutch, who was already holding his beloved’s hand. “That is, if you two love-birds can put your minds to something important.”

“Sit down, please, both of you,” Esther said. “I’m all right.”

“You’ve been hurt,” Dutch said.

“It’s nothing. A sprain. Wong has me in an ice bandage.”

Bo removed his derby, as did Dutch. Wong placed the hats on the tall stand in the front hall.

“Tea, Miss Esther?”

“Yes, thank you, Wong. And please bring me that parcel we prepared.”

Before they sat, Bo said, “It has to do with the small matter of the Union Square bank robbery, which we think you may have witnessed.”

“Yes. I was there.”

“It’s a pity,” Bo said, “that you didn’t wait a few more minutes until the investigating team arrived.”

“I don’t understand. If I did do anything wrong, I do apologize. But, what was it I did wrong?”

“Damn it, Esther—”

“John, please.”

“Sorry, but this is serious. Three people are dead. We understand that you were seen in the company of two men who might have some connection with the robbery.”

“Your understanding is wrong.” Esther squared her shoulders and held her head high. “I did speak to two men. They were very kind to me when I was knocked down by one of the robbers, and they were in my sight when the two robbers ran off. They were proper gentlemen and saw me home. They went out of their way to