by Joe Corso
Red greeted them all as family, even Sophia. “Come on in the back. I had our chef come in early to cook us lunch.” Red pushed the button and the large doors telescoped opened.
Having only seen the great ballroom in the movies, Sophia’s eyes widened as the spectacular beauty of the room filled her vision. “My God, but this room is beautiful.”
Red gave her a tight-lipped smile. “This room is my hobby. It’s my baby. I spend hours thinking how to make this room the most beautiful room in the world, and right now I can only think of one room that might be more beautiful; and I say might be, because I’ve never seen it in person.”
That got everyone’s attention. It was Moose who asked the question. “Boss, what room could be more beautiful than this room?”
“The only room I can think of is Russia’s Amber room. The Germans dismantled it during the Second World War and no one has discovered where they hid it. So since they couldn’t find the original room, the Russians rebuilt it. But they only had the plans for 90 percent of the room. The other 10 percent they had to guess. But, in my opinion, that might be the only room that could be more beautiful than where you’re standing now, the Starlight Club’s ballroom.”
Swifty looked at Red with admiration. Here was a guy who never finished high school, yet he was so well versed in so many different subjects. Which one of the guys knew about the Amber Room?
After a delicious lunch—which was more like dinner—prepared by Luigi Monzanto, one of the finest gourmet chefs in the country, coffee and desert were brought to the table. Iris and Tiffany noticed a number of hard looking men taking seats at the tables. Red said nothing to indicate why they were there.
Red watched the room fill, then gave a slight nod to the headwaiter, who immediately motioned to the door. A slew of waiters pushed carts bearing coffee and pastries to the tables. After Red drank his espresso, he lit one of his Cuban Montecristo cigars, got up from the table and walked to the front of the room. Red took the mike that was brought to the podium and pressed the on switch.
“Glad to see you all could make it today on such short notice. The reason I asked you all here today is to see the NY premiere of the new moving picture featuring the two new stars of Starlight Productions. The movie is Love’s Child, courtesy of Larry Bernstein of Columbia Pictures.”
Red pressed a button and a screen, cleverly concealed in a beam, rolled down. At the press of a second button the opening credits flashed onto the screen.
When the picture ended and the men began to leave, they came first to the table to say hello to Red; then Red introduced each man to the girls. Both Iris and Tiffany noticed the respect the men gave Red, telling him and the girls how much they enjoyed the picture. It made them wonder just who Red really was. They knew him from their meeting in Florida, but they had no idea just how powerful he was. Maybe “powerful” wasn’t the right word, although it fit him like a glove. Maybe “influential” might describe him better.
The girls knew that he and Jimmy the Hat had silenced the threat that plagued them in Florida. While they were at the Elbow Room, Red and Jimmy had discovered that a man was following them. Red asked the girls to do them a favor and walk with them along the beach. He offered them each a hundred dollars. Iris told Red that they weren’t prostitutes and didn’t feel comfortable taking his money. He understood how his intention could have been misunderstood, so he explained why he wanted them to walk with him and Jimmy. “We’re being followed and I want the guy to think we met two beautiful girls in the Elbow Room, and we’re going back to our hotel for a drink. Meanwhile, I want to see what he’s up too.”
“Why didn’t you tell us that in the beginning? We would have walked with you for nothing. I hope you teach that guy a lesson.”
Red, who was never one to say anything that would give his intentions away, just nodded and said, “Me and Jimmy will have a talk with him in the morning.”
There is something about dangerous men that seems to light a fire in certain women, and Iris and Tiffany, having lived in a small town in Iowa all their lives, were just that type of woman.
When Red’s men left and the ballroom was empty except for their group, Swifty, Henri and Gonzo walked to the outside bar to talk to Tarzan, Shooter, Piss Clam and the rest of the guys over drinks. Red pressed a button, and the lights dimmed and soft music began playing. Red couldn’t tell Iris what he wanted to say in front of Moose, Sophia and Tiffany, so he reached over without a word and led her to the dance floor.
“How do you like being a movie star?”
“I . . . I don’t know. Everything is happening so fast. I used to go the movies and watch all the beautiful actresses on the screen, and I always wished it was me in the movie.”
Red smiled. “Well, you got your wish, didn’t you? Now it is you up there on the big screen.”
She looked up into his blue eyes. “You know, Red, when I first met you I felt there was something special about you, but I never in my life imagined that one man could alter the life of another person so completely. But that’s what you’ve done for Tiffany and me. If you had told me this would happen to us when we first met, I would have thought you were a crazy man.”
Red stopped dancing when the music ended. “Come on, let’s get back to the table.”
She had a face and figure to die for and, after all, he was only a man, a man who hadn’t been with a woman since Marilyn. He wanted to tell her how much he missed her, but words always came hard to the super secretive mob boss. He never allowed himself to be placed in a position of weakness or vulnerability, but having a family did just that. It made him vulnerable to his enemies. But wasn’t he entitled to have a life, to experience love, to be a father? Before they reached the table, he took her and kissed her hard, and she responded, melting in his embrace and the magic of his lingering kiss.
“Let’s do the town. I feel like visiting the Copa and maybe Ciro’s; and we’ll stop in at the Peppermint Lounge, which seems to be the current in place.”
“Can Tiffany come too?”
“Of course she can, and we’ll ask Moose and Sophia if they’d like to come too.”
Red lifted up the armrest of his chair and picked up a small round microphone. “Tarzan, I want you, Swifty and Joey to come over to my table for a minute.”
Shortly, the curly haired, always smiling, but very dangerous Tarzan walked in with Swifty and the brooding, never smiling Joey Bones.
“You wanted to see us, Red?”
“Yeah.” He pointed at Swifty. “You’re gonna be Tiffany’s date tonight. Tarzan, ask your wife if she’d like to do the town tonight. If she’s up for it, take her; but if she’s not, I’d like you to be there with us. That goes for you too, Joey.” Joey just grunted his approval.
“What time, Boss?”
“I’d like to take the girls to the Copacabana first, so make reservations for the first show. Then we’ll go to Ciro’s. And I’d like to take the girls to the Peppermint Lounge. It’s a good place for them to be seen, even though it’s owned by the Genovese family.”
Tarzan grinned. “It’s like old times, Boss.”
“Yeah, it sure feels like it.”
Epilogue
“Well, that’s all I have for you tonight concerning the Starlight Club.”
“But Dad!”
“What, Lynn?”
“You did it to me again. Every time you tell me a little more about the Starlight Club you leave me with more questions than answers. For example, did Red marry Iris? If they didn’t marry did they at least have a relationship? And what about Tiffany? Did she ever get married?”
Bobby raised his hand. “Funny you should ask that question. After that night on the town, Swifty and Tiffany became an item, and Red did have a relationship with Iris. But that’s a story for another time.”
“But Dad, what about Red’s construction company and the World’s Fair buildings? What about the Long Island Expressway. Was that ever completed?”
“Sure th
e Long Island Expressway was completed, as were the two buildings that Red’s company was contracted to complete. The World’s Fair was a rousing success. Red’s construction company did a great job on the Spanish Pavilion and the Ford building.” The old man smiled knowingly. “Come on, daughter, I know you have more questions locked in that pretty head of yours.”
“I sure do, Dad. Did Red’s investments in the two casinos work out for him? And what about Trenchie and Mary? Whatever happened to them?”
“Like I told you before, Lynn, those questions are a story for another time.” Bobby was silent for a long time. “You know, Lynn. I was never like those guys. I was an honest, hard working man, trying to raise a family the best way I knew how. But there was a certain code those men lived by, a certain honor they had for one another. I know that’s hard to believe, because they had no compunction against murdering someone, if they felt that person had violated one of their rules. I had occasion to meet plenty of the mob guys and I have to tell you honestly, they were pretty scary guys. And that’s what made the men at the Starlight Club different. I didn’t find them scary. They were tough, hard men who killed if it became necessary; but they never harmed a civilian unless it was called for. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that they are not the judge and jury, and they certainly aren’t God. But in one way, they were the judge and jury. Like what Trenchie did to those gang members when he beheaded them. He tried to make a statement, and he used an example that some would say was extreme, over the top. Even the hard guys were shocked by what he did. But you know what?”
“What?”
“There was no more kidnapping of young women, who would be turned into prostitutes. At least with Red and his men you knew where you stood.” Bobby stretched his arms and yawned. “If it’s all right with you, Lynn, I’ll tell you more about the Starlight Club another time. I’m a little tired right now.”
“Sure, Dad. I have the room upstairs all ready for you. Come on. I’ll walk upstairs with you and, if you like, I can bring you some warm milk and some cookies.”
Bobby nodded. “That would be nice, Lynn.”
She saw him wipe a tear from his cheek as he walked slowly up the stairs to the room she had prepared for him.
Don’t forget to grab a copy of Joe’s latest release, an Amazon Best Seller, Lafitte’s Treasure!