The Referral Game

Susie for now. We’ll see how that goes first. Then who knows?”
    He nodded and scurried away. The club was filling up fast and the smoke from dozens of cigars and cigarettes hung low in the air. The odor of smoke, booze, sweat and lust made me vaguely nauseous. I hoped that I wasn’t in for a long wait. Thirty minutes and two drinks later I was getting groggy and impatient when I discovered Martinez at my elbow.
    “It is arranged sir. Follow me if you will.”
    I arose and he led me through a side door and into a room off of a carpeted hallway. The room was small, maybe 15 by 15 with the usual mirrors on all the walls. A leather-upholstered couch took up one wall. To one side was a small wet bar, a television and a telephone. In the middle of the room stood a round heavy-duty glass table.
    “Your private show will begin in a moment,” said Martinez with a discreet smile. “If you require any other, shall we say amenities the phone has a direct connection to my office.”
    “Thank you Mr. Martinez,” I said, deciding to make nice. It had an immediate affect as Martinez beamed at me. “You’ve been most kind. I won’t forget the splendid service that your club has provided to me.”
    He gave a short bow and left the room. I sat down on the couch and loosened my tie. I had drank too much today and I felt a little light-headed. I trying to add up how many drinks that I had tossed down since three o’clock when a woman entered. She was wearing thigh high black boots, black leather mini-skirt, black leather bikini top and a black cowboy hat. Judging by the fact that an entire cow must have given its life just for the material in the bikini top it was obvious that this was Susan Maxwell.
    I was surprised to find what a petite girl she was, not over five feet tall. Her skin was porcelain white that had never been exposed to the sun. Her eyes were a deep blue and she had long blonde hair that cascaded over her shoulders. The effect against the black outfit stunning and for a moment she took my breath away.
    She walked over and sat down on my lap without a word.
    “So you’re my big fan,” she said with a hint of a southern accent. Whether it was real or feigned I couldn’t decide, but regardless it was charming.
    “I have been looking forward to meeting you.” That much was true.
    “Well we’ll have to make certain that you have a memorable experience then won’t we?” She stated and began to unhook the leather bra.
    “Could we just talk for awhile?” I said quickly.
    “Sure honey,” she said, sounding disappointed. “If that’s what turns you on.”
    She sat down again, this time on the couch and looked up expectantly at me. “What do you want to talk about?”
    I should’ve lain off the booze earlier. My ears were ringing and I still hadn’t decided how to play this with her. But since I was still kind of foggy I decided to play it straight and hope for the best. If she wouldn’t play ball I could always fall back on bad cop and threaten to blow the whistle on this little game that she was part of here.
    “Susan, I need your help,” I stated flatly.
    “Why sure honey,” she cooed. “We all need a little help sometimes. That’s what I’m here for.”
    I took a breath and took a chance. “I’m looking for an old friend of yours, Paula Wray.”
    “Paula?” She repeated woodenly.
    “Yes, do you know where I can find her?”
    She thought about it for a moment.
    “Is she in trouble?”
    “No.”
    “You a cop?”
    “Private.” I handed her one of my cards.
    She scanned it carefully. “Why do you want her.”
    I had played it straight so far, so I decided to go whole hog. “Her ex-husband has come into an inheritance and he feels like some of it belongs to Paula.”
    “The professor?”
    “That’s the one.”
    “Yeah, she used to talk about him. Edgar something, right? She liked him even if he was a mama’s boy. I guess the family didn’t take to her. She said the mother was no box of chocolates.”
    “The mother’s dead. That’s where the inheritance comes in.”
    “Is that a fact?”
    “It is.”
    “Then little Paula is coming into some of it?”
    “It wasn’t in the will for her. It’s Edgar’s own idea to cut Paula in for a slice.”
    “How big a slice?”
    “I don’t know,” I said. “Can you help me Susan?”
    “I might be able to mister. PI, what’s in it for Susie?” She said with hooded eyes.
    That sobered me up. I decided that she wasn’t as