The Life and Times of Cheater Hayes

Lieutenant Fluke

      He was not a young man, not anymore. In his mid 40s, he was definately in his prime. He was personally responsible for the imprisonment of Buggs Tulip, for income tax evasion. Fluke was incredibly clever, always planning accurate stings against gang members, making and transporting the illegal hootch all around New York.

    Having taken down the Brewery Street gang, his next project was closing down and locking up every speakeasy in town. The first on his list was the Crazy Cat, which wouldn't be too much of a problem, most of the town thought the bar was a lost cause anyway.

     Fluke wasn't always a good cop, dead set on doing away with gang members and in full support of Prohibition. In fact, once upon a time, when Lieutenant Fluke was just Sylvester, a new cop on the force and excited to have some power. He abused it for years, after his shifts, he went out drinking. He met many women, many young flappers, who wanted a piece of the fun. He did find a woman that stayed for more than a night. Her name was Adrienne, and she was beautiful. Fluke loved her, and soon after meeting her, he asked her to marry him. Two weeks before the wedding, Adrienne stumbled upon a gang fight and ended up with a bullet in her head.

    From that point on, Fluke gave up his party ways and hid his pain in his work. 

    So few knew this story, and so few had sympathy for him. Mona Schlumpgarden was one of these people.

    "Get out of here, Fluke. I'm only trying to make a living!" She shouted at the cop, her green eyes ablaze.

    "Why don't you try making an honest living, Schlumpgarden?" He asked, his posture and cold blue eyes betraying his calm tone.

     "Do you see an honest living on these streets? And you should know by now that there's no way in this hell on earth I'm taking on some traditional job!"

     "Take your issues up with culture, not me. I intend on closing down your shop, like it or not."

     " I don't like it."

     "I don't care."

      Mona stormed off, leaving the three gangsters alone with the master law enforcer. Only for a moment, Cheater's eyes met Fluke's, and he nodded, a polite gesture for a hated man. Cheater followed in Mona's wake, feeling her anger wash over him. He eventually caught up with her. Angry tears streamed down her face.

    "I can't believe him sometimes. Why does he have to make everything so hard?" She asked. Cheater shrugged, unable to think of a good enough answer, not that he thought Mona wanted an answer to begin with.

     Mona shook her head, her curls bouncing around her head. She wiped the tears out of her eyes, and saw a blurry version of Cheater with a grin on his face and his arms half open.

     Mona smiled. He looked so stupid, just standing there. She opened her arms and let him hold her.

      Suddenly, she shoved him away.

     "Get your friends and get out. Remember the plan."

_______________________________________________________________________________

The most romantic chapter so far, but worry not, my nonexsistant readers, it will get better. As always, Flapper was written by Tim Kelly with music and lyrics by Bill Francoeur, but the backstory belongs to me! Comment, vote, crit, fan, pleaseee!