Satin Skylines

Chapter One - Take The Fire Escape

Chapter I -
August, 27th 1926

Evelyn Hollman had never put on a dress so quickly in her life. She was oftentimes found removing them post haste, but that was quite a different story. Tonight she was off to see the man of New York - Mr. Jonas Davenport. Many referred to him just by Davenport. He had the city around his finger and he lead all things that weren't meant to be lead. She quickly touched up her makeup she had worn throughout the day, and reapplied her wine colored lipstick that stood starkly against her cold, pale skin. Evelyn grabbed her little clutch purse from her desk and hopped excitedly out of her apartment, into the clammy August air of New York City. She was wearing her all time favorite dress, which was a sleek black dress that made her blend into the urban nighttime scene seamlessly. She felt like a viper in tall grass as her heels clicked against the sidewalks of the city.
She took a trolley all the way to Lexington Avenue, where she had already noticed a surplus of people - probably flocking to try to catch a glimpse of the notorious Davenport and one of his extravagant parties, they were some of the largest attractions Manhattan had to spare. Only the best of the best and their brother could get in. Men shouted to each other while women giggled and gossiped about the latest news and fashion. She discreetly turned into the alleyway as she was instructed to do. The green door on the left of the black garbage bin. Evelyn had hurried around the many dirty puddles through the damp alley way, all the way up to the eerie, sea green door. With three knocks, a small portion of the door slid open - revealing a pair of hazel and wrinkled eyes. Just as she had expected, the pair of eyes had a riddle for her.
"What are you selling?" The man said in a hushed voice. In New York, you really only need to know a handful of secret pass codes to get you into places like this.
"Just some gold from Uganda." Evelyn affirmed, while wondering who were the creative minds that came up with all of these passwords.
"Ah, yes." The man sounded content enough "Come in, dear." And with that, the rusted door creaked open, with a gasp of breathe. The old man that had opened the door was quaint and looked pleasant and smiled in a way made his mustache look like it was suspended by strings. Evelyn's eyes were promptly overwhelmed with the sudden contrast from the dark, decrepit alley to the amiable, undimmed parlor. Men were in ties and fancy shoes bustled around aimlessly, either conversing with each other, chasing a woman in a waistless dress, or drinking with oneself. Women scampered around tables, dressed lavishly with martinis equipped in hand, or dancing passionately to the rag tunes played by the band up in the front of the room.

Evelyn watched as a man stumbled over a leg in the midst of the chaotic jumble of people, tripped and spilled a glass full of liquor onto a woman in a light blue dress, like the mid summer sky. The drink stained her bosom, and made her face fall in disgust. She cursed him out, pulling on his collar. Evelyn's eye drifted to the dance floor, where a woman with foxy, rich brown was swirling and twirling around a man in a white button up. He cracked a smile as the girl did a huge spin that emphasized the way her dress progressed from white at the shoulders to orange at the bottom. Evelyn pulled her eyes from the couple, and looked around searching for the a familiar face. The face that sent her here, Josephine Knight. As the small, charming senior doorman shut the heavy door behind Evelyn, she gave herself three missions:
Find Josephine Knight, Meet Mr. Jonas Davenport, and get a fucking drink.

Evelyn had wandered around the party for a few minutes after she had gotten the cocktail that the bartender suggested to her, on the search for Josephine. Evelyn knew for sure that she was not on the dance floor, so she started to walk through the gambling tables. Evelyn walked passed many men in fedoras who were betting away their week's pay, and fatter men who squatted near tables with cigars stuck in their faces. Gambling was the one thing at parties that Evelyn found boring, but it was Josephine's favorite past time so it was a safe bet that she would be hanging around one of these tables.
Sure enough, Evelyn's eyes fell upon the one and only Miss Knight. Josephine's black hair bounced around her shoulders as she laughed along with the men that sat at her table. Everyone at the table was laughing and seeming to have a swell time except for a man that sat across from Josephine and was wearing all grey. Evelyn walked up to the table, and stood behind her without her noticing. Then, Josephine pushed a stack of red and white chips to the middle of the felt table. Evelyn always told her to leave the gambling and card games to the wallets that can afford them, but she couldn't help herself. It was in her blood, it was more addictive than dope, and it was the only time Josephine felt like men took her seriously. Gambling leveled the playing field, she felt. The mysterious man in gray raised her wager. Evelyn had little experience with cards, but she did know that this was a game of Schnapsen. As the game progressed, Josephine crept her way up to the winning number of 66. She was now at 56, her opponent in grey at 42. She only need one really good pair in order to win the match. The man across from her had a stern face that wouldn't admit defeat, but the sweat that leaked from his brow danced a different ballad across his face - performing the ballad of a loss. The man played the first card of the trick, the King of Hearts. This was oddly convenient for Josephine, who happened to have the Queen of Hearts in her hand. Josephine had a killer poker face when it was necessary, but the game was out of the man's hands - so Josephine's face broke into the smile of a prick. Josephine jumped up in celebration, cheering with her champagne glass raised high up in the air. The men at the card table and the flappers surrounding her table started to cheer along side with her. One man in a dark red suit started to hug Josephine until the man in grey slammed his fist onto the small card table, rattling all the chips in the pot. The table fell silent, and Evelyn felt for her cold iron that was pressed against her thigh.
"I knew not to trust a whore's hand in cards! That's 20 dollars worth! I know you had to have cheated!" The man knocked a glass of gin over onto the floor, which shattered theatrically and made the surrounding party goers gasp. He then reached across the table, gripped onto her wrists, and made her champagne glass shatter along side the glass of gin. Josephine shook her arm to try and release herself, but the man had the power of an ape.
"Hey I don't want any trouble man..." Josephine pleaded. The man laughed balefully. His laugh sent shivers down Evelyn's spine. She pulled out her luger pistol and began to slowly walk closer to the table.
"You've given me enough trouble." The man spoke through gritted teeth. The men around him then began to yell and rile him up, saying things like 'Yeah! Give her what she deserves!' or 'You show her, Gilmore!' The stark lighting of the table hit his face and made him look insane with power and rage. Shadows stood across his jawline and his stubble, intimidating Josephine and taunting Evelyn. He went to start again, but was promptly cut off by Evelyn clearing her throat and cocking her pistol over the table. She stood firmly, her feet shoulder width apart, and her black dress stood around her impressive figure.
"I'm sure Mr. Davenport wouldn't be pleased in hearing that you have made a spectacle at one of his parties, Mr. Gilmore. Especially if he hears that you were laying your hands on one of his more valued girls." She said as she placed her cocktail down on the table and took a swig from some man's whisky. Her voice was that of silver silk, composing a symphony of power and elegance.
"Evelyn Hollman." Jacob Gilmore said as though he was spitting out something slightly sour.
"I didn't even know you were back in New York. Since when did you work for Jonas?" He asked inquisitively, while letting go of Josephine's wrist. She sat down at the card table, rubbing her wrist and recovering from that moment of vulnerability - which she wasn't used to.
"Well, ever since Miss Knight here introduced us, Mr. Davenport and I have been making some business arrangements." Evelyn lied distinctively. Truth of the matter was, Mr. Davenport doesn't even know of Evelyn's existence, but if she could get Jacob Gilmore to believe that Miss Knight was important to Evelyn and Davenport, she could get him to forget how important that pot was too him. He looked from Josephine, to Evelyn, to the pot, and back to Josephine again, who was drinking from Evelyn's cocktail.
Jacob sighed, and put his hat back onto his hat with a fast and angry hand.
"It's always a pleasure, Miss Hollman. Please put in my good word with the boss, would you?" He said in a low tone, but Evelyn could still sense the anger shimmering off of him as he continued past her, and as he disappeared into the droves of people. Like a slow burning cigar, that left a blister when it burned your hand, Evelyn felt that this was not the last that she would hear of Jacob Gilmore. She quickly brushed the thought away as she put her pistol back into her garter.
"I swear if I had a penny every time I saved your ass..." she started to say as she sat across from Josephine.
"I know, I know, you'd be as rich as Lindbergh's cat. But, to be fair, It's not my fault that dude was on his menstrual. How'd you know him anyways?" Josephine inquired. Evelyn sipped on her cocktail and chuckled at her friend.
"Jo, a girl like me tries to know everyone in New York. Which brings me to my agenda for the night. I can't spend all night saving your ass, anyways." Evelyn said as they both stood up from the table.
"Yeah, yeah - you wanna meet Davenport. Well let me get a refill because that fucking hincty spilt my champagne and then we'll see if he's available." Josephine said, turning and leading Evelyn into the crowd. Evelyn was careful to keep her eyes trained on the golden shimmer of Josephine's dress to make sure she didn't lose her in the pandemonium that cascaded around her on the path to the bar.