A Christmas story - Part 2

I entered the "Blue pearl Oyster" lounge. The dim light and smooth jazz music coming from the piano filled this place with the melancholic air of a rainy Monday evening. As I walked to the bar, I noticed the club was half full with people trying to escape the problems of their dead end jobs at the bottom of a glass. As I sat and order a double scotch on the rocks, I took another glance at the place and that's the moment when I saw her.

She was a short haired brunette, wearing a little black dress, sitting alone in a booth with a martini glass and a lit cigarette. I took a sip from my drink and decided to approach her. As I got closer, she started to look familiar.

-May I join you?

-It's a free country.

Her smoky eyes and cherry red lips contrasted with her milky pale skin.

  -I should introduce myself. Max Coleman.

  -Vicky Brooks. Nice to make your acquaintance, Mr. Coleman.

I know I heard that name before.

  -What do you usually do for a living, Mr. Coleman?

  -I'm a writer. Right now I'm working on something new.

  -Anything I've read?

  -Unfortunately I couldn't publish anything I wrote so far.

  -It's a shame. What is the new one about?

  -I don't really know. I'm still searching for inspiration.

  -Maybe you'll send me a copy when you finish.

  -Will do. So what brings you here, miss Brooks?

  -It's Mrs. Brooks or better said it was. Call me Vicky.

  -What do you mean "it was"? What happened?

  -Two months ago my husband died.

Now I remember her. She was the 20-something wife of a notorious 60-something mob boss operating in the city. I read about their wedding in the paper. I also heard the police tried to nail him and his crime family for years, but never succeeded. His death was on the front page of evey newspaper and on every radio program. They said he died from natural causes.

  -I'm sorry to hear that. What happened?

  -He was shot.

  -Shot? looks like the papers were right

  -Yes! He had a very dangerous line of work. I don't know if you ever heard of him. His name waa Jack Brooks.

  -Jack 'The Knife' Brooks? The mob boss?

  -So you have heard of him.

  -I know he was the most respected and feared mobster in the city. Who shot him?

  -I did!

  -You? asking with a tremor in my voice.

  -Scared, Mr. Coleman? she asked with a dangerous and sexy smile on her face, just like a black widow.

  -I'm just a little shocked that's all. Why did you shoot him?

  -Wouldn't you like to know. Let's just say it had to be done.

  -So you did it for the mone...

That's when she slapped me. It hurt, even though I was quite numb from the scotch.

  -How dare you! I loved him with all my heart and soul! I'm not one of those floozy gold diggers, I didn't need his money. I had my own business long before I met him, I graduated from college top of my class, I could go to any top med schools in the country.

  -I'm sorry and I take back what I said. How come you didn't go to med school?

  -I met Jack. I was out with a couple of friends and this low-life, smelling like cheap liquor, was trying to get lucky with me. I tried to blow him off, but the guy wouldn't take a hint. When he started to get rough, Jack came to rescue me and teach that poor idiot a couple of manners.