Available on Amazon at:   http://tinyurl.com/2s4ab6a2

Continued from:  https://tinyurl.com/65b8ed74

~~~

“Well, maybe Molly was onto something with that Palmer House booking but I haven’t got a gripe with folks of color.”

“Eugene, it’s not about you; it’s about respecting the folks in this neighborhood. We better tread lightly; outsiders might not be welcomed with open arms.”

“Alright, Murph, I messed up good. We tried to dodge crime outfits back in New York, and here I’ve led us right into the lion’s den.”

“Don’t be too hard on yourself, Eugene, let’s make the best of a bad situation. Who knows, we might just take a liking to Chicago.”

“Okay, if the room isn’t up to snuff, we can always make a move. It might not be as dire as you figure.”

We check in at the hotel, the grand lobby is adorned with opulent chandeliers and velvet drapes. It seems to whisper secrets of bygone eras. We make sure our rooms are far from Capone’s and hidden from any potential drive-by shooters. The desk clerk assures us that having Al Capone around makes this place the safest joint in town.

We’re told to ignore the well-armed torpedoes in the lobby pretending to read newspapers when in fact these men are constantly casing the lobby for any threat against ‘Snorky’ Capone’s preferred nickname.

It’s rumored that Louie, Little New York Campagna, another one of Capone’s favorite bodyguards, sleeps on a cot beside Al’s suite door at night with two automatics at the ready to protect the Big One.

 (to be continued…)