Albany Park (45 page)

Jack turned with a quick laugh, “sure, let’s see, Shirley Rabin, how bout, Sally Ray?”

With her hands pressed to her mouth she shrieked, “Oh, I
love it
.”

He laughed again.

Quickly, he dressed and once more kissed her lightly, letting his lips linger as he opened his mouth to hers.

Turning into her pillow, she heard him walk out of the room and sat up when she heard the door shut behind him.

Leaning back with her arms behind her head, she closed her eyes and felt her whole body fall limp. Then, stretching her arms, she sighed, feeling more complete than she had in years.

At two o’clock sharp, she walked into Financial Services’ office in a black pantsuit with a large Yves St. Laurent bag over her shoulder. Sandra led her to Jack’s office immediately; closing the door behind her. He kissed her cheek and escorted her to a chair in front of the desk.

“God damn, you look good,” he said.

“Thank you! It shows you what a good night’s sleep will do.”

“Are you ready?’ he asked, opening the door and asking his secretary to have Paul Freed come to his office.

A moment later, a soft knock on the door and Freed entered.

“Paul”, he said, “meet Shirley Rabin, no make that Sally Ray, she is going to take over that escort operation that her husband was running.”

“Are you serious?’ he blurted, his eyes opening wide behind his glasses.

Shirley, eyes ahead, kept looking at Jack, without turning in Freed’s direction.

Jack nodded. “We’ll discuss the particulars later today, but it’s a done deal. Tell Sal Farina to introduce her around and make sure she gets everything she needs to make it work. I also want you to put that loan that her husband has with Sal on hold for ninety days. And tell Sal she will report only to you, once he has introduced her. Now Paul, please excuse us. I want to talk to Sally for a little while. She’ll make arrangements to get together with you before she leaves.”

As the door closed, Jack turned to her. “Okay, Sally Ray, you’re in business. For your sake, I hope you know what you are doing. I want to remind you though, that while I’m here to help you, this is business and I do not like to interfere with the people that work for me. Be careful. This is not an easy deal.”

Grinning, her eyes sparkling, Shirley relaxed her shoulders and sighed. “Thank you Jacob. And I don’t expect easy. I also don’t want any handouts. I know how to pay my own way and don’t want anyone to own me. All I want from you is to be there if I need you. I will not disappoint or embarrass you. Sally Ray is going to run the best whorehouse you ever saw.”

With that she stood up, walked around the desk and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, Jacob. I’m going to make this work.”

As soon as she left, Jack barked to his secretary, “Get Freed in here.”

A moment later, Freed appeared wiping his brow and adjusting his glasses.

“Close the door, Jack growled. Glaring he waited for the door to shut, before saying in a very precise hiss, “Don’t ever question my decision in front of someone. You got something to say, you come to me in private.”

Still standing near the door, his face turning crimson, Freed tugged at his collar.

“I know about the deals you’ve made with guys like Sal Farina and I also know about the two women you’ve set up in apartments in Miami, plus some other shit on the side you think I don’t know about. So don’t get your balls in an uproar because I screw around with a crappy little operation that brings in a few bucks a month. Your job is to see that she gets what she needs to make it work. Maybe she’ll surprise us. If not, I’ll decide when to cut her loose. You understand?”

Freed exhaled as his face relaxed. “I only…”

“Now just get the hell outta here,” Jack interrupted. “And make sure Farina leaves her alone and keeps his big fuckin’ mouth shut.”

“You got it, Mr. B.” Freed said turning around so that Jack couldn’t see him grimace as he walked out. “I’ll do what I can for her.”

The next morning, Freed met with Sal at a coffee shop south of the Airport in Fort Lauderdale. As Freed outlined what had transpired with Shirley Rabin, Sal choked on his coffee.

“Oh, shit, you think that smartass broad can handle that operation, you’re nuts. And what about me, I was getting’ a good piece of the action there.” Pausing, he looked at Freed. Almost whimpering, “What the fuck is goin’ on? Are you fuckin’ her?”

“Look Sal, it’s a done deal and outta my hands. So my advice is to just go along with the flow and we’ll both be better off. You understand,” he said, looking over his glasses.

Sal nodded but didn’t look convinced.

Freed sipped his coffee and slowly wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I’ll make it up to you. You can take over another twenty percent of Rabin’s juice operation. And don’t worry about the whores. I’ll keep her on a tight leash. She won’t last three months and you’ll get it back.”

“That cunt is bad news,” Sal scowled. “She’ll fuck up a good deal. Don’t forget I told you so.”

“Well, suck it up for now because she’ll be here any minute.”

Shirley arrived a few moments later and greeted Sal and Freed respectfully, calling them Mr. Freed and Mr. Farina and asking them to call her Sally. Through clenched teeth, Farina answered her questions about the business, and gave her the contact info for the girls from memory and a few scraps of paper he fished out of his pocket. She jotted everything down in a small notebook, and asked him to verify it.

“Whatta ya want? I told you everything; this is no goddamn charm school. Everything’s right,” he sputtered, knocking over his coffee and leaving in a huff without saying goodbye to either of them.

Freed showed no emotion, bur stood and shook her hand and offered to be available for her questions in the future.

That afternoon, she personally called all the ladies and set up a meeting for the next morning in the lobby of the motel in North Miami where she had met with Sal after Howie was arrested. .

Early the next day, Shirley, dressed in form-fitting grey slacks and matching jacket with a white, short-sleeved blouse drove to double-check the arrangements for the meeting with the women, she had made on the phone the day before, with one of the housekeepers at the motel..Pushing through the front door, she looked around.

A tall young black girl, in tight jeans and an oversized white Tee shirt came up to her. “You Miss Sally Ray?””

Shirley nodded.

“I’m Jesse, we talked yesterday. Take a look, everything okay?”

Four rows of card chairs were in the center of the lobby. Pushed against the walls were two faded couches and four patterned fabric chairs. Dusty sheer curtains surrounded by heavy green velvet drapes covered the windows. A cardboard tray of pastries and a large coffee urn with heavy paper cups next to it was on a table near the Reception Desk.

Shirley smiled and extended her hand, “Pleased to meet you Jesse. Everything’s good and how much do I owe you for the Coffee and donuts.”

“Don’t worry Miss Rae, we’ll settle up later, I gotta get back to work before the girls get here and start messin’ things up. Here’s the receipt for the stuff I bought. If you don’t mind, I need the money before I leave today.

Glancing at the receipt Shirley reached into her purse and handed the girl a twenty dollar bill, “Thanks Jesse, don’t bother about the change.”

“But it was only about eight dollars.”

“Thank you, I appreciate the way you took care of things.”

The tall girl started to turn and flashed a smile, lighting up her whole face.

“Anytime Miss Ray.”

Returning the smile, Shirley took a deep breath and walked across the lobby, peering down the corridors, which stretched in both directions, twelve rooms on each side.

Next she walked through the exit at the rear of the building and took stock of the outdoor area next to the parking lot, which included a patio with a small oval swimming pool and six lounge chairs, enclosed by a four foot chain link fence.

At nine forty five she went into the small office and sat behind the desk. Opening the drawers she found a bunch of keys, a few dozen condoms, some Playboy magazines, a carton of cigarettes and a half empty bottle of cheap vodka. Shaking her head, she shrugged and concentrated on her thoughts for the meeting.

At precisely the appointed time of ten, Shirley entered the lobby. Twelve women were milling about, chatting and sipping coffee. Others were straggling in. She retreated to the office and waited until she heard loud complaining directed at her, before returning fifteen minutes later.

“Hello ladies, I’m Sally Ray, your new boss,” she said loudly and waited to get their attention. Twenty one women were there.

“Make yourselves comfortable, I’ve cancelled all appointments for this morning because I need your undivided attention while I discuss our plans for the future. Please listen to me without interruption for about a half-hour and then we’ll take a break for questions.”

The women looked around nervously, unaccustomed to being addressed as ladies in a formal setting like this one. Shirley slipped off her jacked and folded it over a nearby chair, waiting as they stopped chattering and settled into their seats.

Taking out her notes, Shirley eyed her audience. Sprawled on the chairs and couches, they looked bored and uninterested. Wearing skimpy outfits, mostly tight shorts and halters with high platform shoes or boots, they did not look dressed for a business meeting. Some wore garish eye makeup and dark lipstick. Almost all had long unkempt hair. A few looked like housewives or school girls in skimpy outfits.

Shirley began by talking to them as if they were applying for a new position with a company, explaining what they would be doing, noticing as she spoke that most of them were mumbling and rolling their eyes as though they couldn’t believe she could tell them anything new about plying their trade. As moans and muttered profanity filled the room, Shirley paused, arms crossed as she stared at those talking and waited for them to simmer down. When quiet resumed, she continued. “I want to make this the best job you have ever had and intend to help you become better at what you do than you ever dreamed possible.”

Smiling, she noticed that a few of the women were quietly paying attention to her. “I plan to make demands on you but I promise you that you will make more money and be treated better than you’ve ever been before. I expect you to trust me and follow my guidelines, but this is a two-way street. I will also trust and help you.”

A tall blonde with messy hair, her foot slung over the arm of a chair near the wall, spoke up. The other women looked her way.

“What kind of bullshit is this? For chrissake, I know how to hustle and I don’t want anyone messin’ with my dates.”

Shirley stopped, riveting her eyes on the blonde and held up her hand to stop her. “Before you interrupt, let’s get a few things straight,” she said in a forceful voice. “First, shut the hell up when I’m talking. You’ll get your chance when I’m through.” Shocked at the sudden tone of her raised voice, a few of the women began to mutter amongst themselves. Pausing, with her hands on her hips and still looking at the blonde, she continued. “Beginning now, pay careful atention. What I’m telling you is important and I want to make sure we understand each other. Glancing at her notes she continued. If you are using drugs, stop. If you can’t, either leave now or talk to me and maybe I can get you some help to stop.”

She waited for that to sink in and the grumbling to subside. “Another thing; when you’re working, there is going to be a dress code. You will be required to be dressed and made up in a manner approved by me.”

Again she waited as she would after each statement. “You will also be required to read the local paper each day and be prepared to talk about current events with your clients.”

A collective groan arose from the room.

“You will also have to speak correctly and avoid using profanity.”

More groans.

She went on, “We will be instituting regular doctor’s appointments for each of you to be sure you will not transmit any diseases to our clients. And yes ladies they are clients, not tricks or Johns.”

After going on for several minutes, while the women continued to move around and roll their eyes, Shirley concluded by saying, “Ladies the saying is that every man wants his woman to be a lady in the living room and a whore in the bedroom. Well, I want to fulfill that desire and much more. And let me tell you, clients will pay well for that dream.”

“To make it happen I will give each of you an allowance for clothing and makeup and appointments at the right stores and boutiques for consultations. You also will have meetings here on a regular basis to educate you in the ways necessary to do your job properly and profitably.”

“Now, ladies we are going to take a small break, after which I will take questions. So talk amongst yourselves and keep in mind that I’m dedicated to making this work and I welcome you to come along. The choice is yours.”

With that, she walked over to the table where coffee and sweet rolls were laid out and said, “Help yourselves girls, I’ll be right back.”

For a moment, the room was deathly quiet. But as soon as the door to the private office closed behind Shirley, the lobby erupted with the sound of female voices, a few exclaiming loudly, “I don’t fuckin’ believe it,” and “Who the hell does she think she is?”

A couple stayed in their chairs and said nothing. A plump Cuban girl looked around and shrugged. “Let’s hear her out. Maybe she knows something we don’t.”

Some walked out.

Five minutes later, Shirley returned. Sixteen girls joined her as she welcomed them to SR Enterprises. The questions came immediately and Shirley assured them that while she didn’t have answers for all of them, she would get them. As the meeting came to an end, she set up interviews with each woman and passed around clipboards for them to sign up for appointments with the doctor and the clothing and makeup consultants. All were told that they could resume their appointments that afternoon; instructions would follow as the new programs were instituted.

An hour after the women left, she met with an interior decorator to work on re-furbishing the motel.