Big Bangs, Prohibition, and a Sugar Daddy

Luke's Business

I walked through the empty house. I imagined that Henry was putting up the Buick. He seemed conscientious about caring for Luke's vehicles. I went up to my room. Aside from the lingerie, day dresses, Ingrid left me with a swimsuit. Not one of the old Edwardian suits, but a sleek modern one. I put a robe over the swimsuit and went out to the pool.

It was cool for a swim, but I wanted to take advantage of the pool while I still could. I found the exercise stimulating. I had learned to swim in the ocean when I was younger. I was still considered a boy when my Father taught me. I hadn't swam in years, but I remembered. It didn't take me long to get into the rhythm of it.

I found the cold water somewhat refreshing. As the afternoon wore on the air became slightly warmer. When I finished I came back in through the kitchen. I had dried off and was dressed in my robe. I decided to make some quick entries into my ledger.

The office door was slightly opened I heard Luke having a conversation with a man I thought to be O'Brian. I stood at the door as the two men talked. Listening to them without their knowledge.

"---every time we establish an airfield in the Northern states along the Canadian border the Feds seem to find it." I caught the middle of a sentence as Bobby O'Brian was speaking. "We may have to establish several fields for airplanes along the border."

"That will cost us. I'm surprised some of our Southern airfields haven't been compromised." Luke spoke now. "What is frustrating is that we have ships full of hooch just sitting along the border which we can't get to because of the Coast Guard."

"It seems that other people don't have the bad luck that we do." Bobby replied.

"Or, we have an informer in the organization." Luke suggested.

Since the passing of the 18th Amendment people have developed an obsession about alcohol. Especially the upper classes. The average working man didn't seem to care as much, but there were those who relished defying the authorities. It has become big business to illegally import alcohol and sell that alcohol in a secret saloon known as a speakeasy.

This was how Luke made his money. He ran illegal speakeasies and ran the alcohol in himself. That must have been what Luke was doing in the South. Running corn whiskey and bathtub gin from the Southern states to New York speakeasies. Speakeasies had opened up as soon as the formally public saloons had closed down when the 18th Amendment was passed making the purchase and selling of alcohol illegal.

I smelled the cigar smoke through the office door. I decided that I would walk in like I had heard nothing they said. I opened the door fully and stepped into the room.

"Don't you know how to knock." Luke turned to me angrily. "Did you hear what we were saying?"

"Your business is none of mine." I said to Luke. I held out my hand to Bobby. "We haven't been properly introduced. I know you are Bobby O'Brian, my name is Ellen Cross."

"Charmed. Luke just wants to keep you from us low lifes is all." Bobby smiled at me. "Especially Antonia and Marco. Of course I can be trusted, even if I am a low life."

"Did you hear what we said?" Luke wasn't amused by our exchange. I knew he was furious.

"No. If I had, I might suggest flying circuses, that move from farmer's field to farmer's field across the Northern states. This flying circus would be constantly on the move and could perform for money during the day while running Canadian Whiskey over the border at night." I didn't care if Luke got angry at me for listening in to their conversation. I wasn't some pretty blond or little animal. I could help. "I might suggest that you create party boats, or floating speakeasies that can go into international waters legally. You could purchase the 'hooch', as you call it, from the boats already out there and the customers can drink it in international waters. Immune to any Coast Guard or other legal problems."

"You know, Luke." Bobby said. "She might be right. It's a little unorthodox, but it could work for us."

"Bobby, I'll think on it. In the meantime, could you leave Ellen and I alone for a bit while I discuss this with her." Luke was still in a lather about my overhearing them.

"I'd hear her out on those ideas." Bobby patted my cheek before he left the room. "She's a smart one."

Once Bobby left, closing the door behind him, Luke grabbed me by my robe. Pulling me over to a chair, pushing me into it with a rough shove. "Did you not hear me before. I told you I didn't want you involved in my business. That it's dangerous."

"Don't try to bully me." I shouted back. I tried to stand up, but Luke pushed me back into the chair.

"You will do what I say. I'm not bullying you, I'm telling you. If you live in my house, you will obey me." Luke leaned on the arms of the chair, bringing his face inches from mine. Trapping me in the chair. "If you don't I will punish you. Even if I have to turn you over my knee, you will do what I tell you."

"Go ahead. Hit me. If you feel it makes you more of a man. Push me around, punish me, spank me. You're a real man, you can beat me up." I was crying. I don't know why. I didn't usually cry when I was angry. "But, Bobby O'Brian knows I'm right, so do you. I can help you."

"I'm not going to hurt you. I want you to understand that there are others who will hurt you, worse, they will kill you to get at me." Luke stood up straight. He walked over to the desk and sat on the edge. "Don't you understand that I'm trying to protect you by keeping you away from my business and my partners in this business."

"You can protect me better if I'm informed. If I know what is going on so I don't walk blindly into something I wasn't expecting." I sat still a little cowed. "I know now why you were so anxious to keep me out of your business, but now that I do know I can act as your secretary. Help you in ways that your associates don't need to know about."

Luke paced in front of his desk. Smoking his cigar. He would stop and look at me now and then. I remained seated, regaining some of my composure. Luke put the cigar out in the ashtray on the desk. He sat back on the edge of the desk.

"You will speak only when spoken to. You will listen, take notes if necessary, then make suggestions if you must. Not in front of the others, but to me in private." Luke had that firm scary voice that he used when he insisted on being obeyed. "Do we have an understanding?"

"Yes, Luke. I understand." I said timidly. More so than I felt. I didn't want Luke getting in a lather again.