Stilettos and Steel

by Jeri Estes

  Chapter 17

  CHINATOWN

  Junior and I leafed through a Playboy magazine in front of Tommy’s newspaper stand. A horn honked and we turned to see Bunny’s pink Caddy convertible pull up alongside us. The car was filled with three hot babes. Fresh out of the beauty parlor, Bunny’s hair was now a striking platinum blond. Her new hairdo matched her furry white mink. She smiled at Junior and me from behind her rose-tinted rhinestone cat eye glasses.

  Little Rosie sat shotgun with a lavender scarf tied under her chin, protecting her beehive from the wind. In the back seat sat Asian Pearl, an experienced hooker with china-doll features. Pearl’s red silk mandarin dress shimmered under the street lamp. Her slender shoulders were wrapped in a white cashmere wool shawl.

  A veil of detached annoyance cloaked Pearl’s demeanor as Little Rosie exuberantly shouted, “Hi Jesse, baby! Hop in and bring your badass bad boy with you! We’re going to Chinatown!”

  Rosie jumped out of the front seat excitedly. Her tight, short black dress showed off her dancer’s legs, and her exposed cleavage spoke up under her opened black wannabe mink coat. Pulling the seat forward, I said to Junior, “Get in.”

  Junior jumped into the back of the large cruiser with Little Rosie following behind. I hopped into the front seat and grabbed the Saks Fifth Avenue bags out from under the dash. I tossed them all to Junior, who caught the packages and piled them onto her lap.

  As I settled into the front seat, I admired Bunny’s bright white hair and exclaimed, “Wow! Girl, you might have to put the top up! Your hair is so gorgeous it could cause a riot!”

  “Oh, do you like it?” Bunny asked coquettishly, brushing her windblown hair off her forehead. “I’ve heard you have a fondness for auburn hair too lately.”

  I ignored the swipe about Carmen. She had obviously heard about us getting back together.

  Junior awkwardly kept her arms tucked around the bags, close by her sides, careful not to have her elbows graze the breasts of her traveling companions.

  “Junior,” I said, directing my gaze toward our stylish chauffeur, “this is Bunny, my sweet benefactor and too-hot-for-words girl.”

  Bunny smiled and put the car in gear. Wheeling away from the curb into the fast lane, she breathlessly said over her shoulder, “Hi, Junior. Welcome aboard.”

  “This is Pearl,” I said, motioning toward the Asian beauty in the back seat. “Pearl has a lot of street wisdom and fabulous looks, as you can see.”

  Pearl turned her gaze to Junior and gave her a weary nod of acknowledgment.

  I reached over the seat and gave Little Rosie’s hand a squeeze. I playfully said to Junior, “How lucky can a pimp be: a San Juan ruby, a gem from the Far East, and a Jersey ‘tits ‘n pearl’ girl.”

  As we cruised down the street, bobbing in and out of traffic, I viewed Junior through the visor mirror. She appeared afraid to look to either side of her.

  “Junior, Asian Pearl will show you around North Beach. That’s her territory.”

  Asian Pearl slightly inclined her head toward Junior. Her foot-high lacquered lovelocks were perpetually dressed with long chopsticks embossed with fiery white dragons. The tips, hidden in her hair, were razor-sharp steel. Pearl’s thin black eyebrows were permanently painted in a severe arch. One eyebrow raised skeptically above her heavily painted jade eye shadow. Her thick black eyeliner enhanced the cold, dramatic look in her hard gaze. “Move over, you’re squishing me,” demanded the leering Asian bitch.

  Junior fumbled with the large packages on her lap as she inched toward Rosie. Junior returned the gaze, not flinching from Pearl’s harsh demeanor. “Nice to meet you, Pearl,” she said.

  Pulling out my Pall Malls, I pushed in the silver car lighter. Bunny’s windblown platinum hair wisped around her baby blues as she glanced at me before turning back to the traffic. The lighter popped out and I lit my smoke.

  “Jesse, the girls and I have been shopping all day,” Bunny informed me. “You’re going to love the shirts and the boxers I picked up for you.”

  I leaned over and nibbled on Bunny’s ear, causing her to giggle as I whispered, “You’re the best.”

  Bunny replied, “Sit still. I can’t concentrate. I am trying to get us to Chinatown.” She kept her eyes on the road as she added, “I’m excited to show you the new jewelry store I just bought.”

  “Wow! That’ll work,” I responded, surprised.

  Bunny proudly explained, “It’s a great way to launder money. I learned about finances from my father. He was a CPA.”

  Rosie piped up, “I’ve always wanted a ruby tiara.”

  Asian Pearl sarcastically said from the back, “A white girl playing retail in Chinatown, this should be entertaining!”

  We ignored the geisha wannabe, realizing her need for negative attention.

  Bunny countered, “Girls, Mr. Chang’s cousin is managing the store for me.”

  “Aye aye aye,” Rosie said. “Deadly Chang gives me the creeps. You know he keeps sharks for pets? They never find his enemies.” She quickly crossed herself. “That’s right, child.”

  I fought off the cold shiver that ran down my back at the thought of Bunny doing business with the mob boss. I realized that we were already in Chinatown as I was violently jolted by the vision of a naked duck hanging by its neck in a shop window. Soon, we pulled up in front of a small jewelry store next to a Chinese restaurant.

  Bunny requested, “Rosie and Junior, would you be sweet enough to wait in the car? Pearl, come with us, I may need you to translate.”

  I watched the hard-edged beauty come to life. Pearl’s high cheekbones and pretty lips revealed a small blossom of excitement. “I want diamond-studded hair combs.”

  “Diamonds! You wish, Pearl!” I shot back. “Win next month’s sales contest.”

  A large painted marquise diamond on the glass door advertised, “Chang’s Fine Jewelry.” The jingling bell above the entrance announced our presence. Inside, Nag Champa incense sweetened the air. Across the room, a few red and gold Chinese teacups and bright oranges rested at the feet of a smiling Buddha. The spiritual teacher sat lotus-style above a large glass case which displayed colorful jewelry. A brilliant blue Oriental rug softened our footsteps.

  Bunny waltzed up to a Chinese couple attending the shop. Both were dressed in rich purple Mandarin silk jackets and black pajama-style bottoms.

  “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Chow,” Bunny greeted them. “Mr. Chang said you’d have my keys ready for me. I’d like to show Jesse the office.”

  Mr. Chow, a radiant Chinese man with slick polished hair parted at the side, broke into a broad grin. At his side, a solemn-faced Mrs. Chow stood stiffly as her fingers rubbed prayer beads. Her features were set in disapproval. Ceremoniously, the pair bowed in unison.

  Mr. Chow said, “We are happy to see you, Miss Bunny.”

  Bunny proudly took me by the elbow and nudged me forward. “Jesse, this is John Chow and his wife, Helena. They will continue on as our store managers because they do such an excellent job.”

  “John, it’s nice to meet you,” I said politely with a bow of my head.

  “It is my pleasure, Jesse.” Mr. Chow returned a small bow.

  Mr. Chow led Bunny and me to a room at the back of the shop. A teak Oriental chair was tucked under a matching table. A telephone sat on the table next to a tall filing cabinet in the corner of the room.

  Mr. Chow reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a set of gold-colored keys, attached to a small jade cat. He presented them to Bunny. “Here are your keys.”

  “Thank you, John,” Bunny replied and placed the keys in her purse.

  “I’ll leave you two alone. If you have questions, I’ll be up front.” He left the room, closing the door behind him.

  Bunny turned to me and smiled. “You know, Jesse, this room would make a wonderful office for you. It’s a great location. You can walk over to Marie’s whenever you want to check out the business at the house.”

  Bunny reached o
ut and took my hands.

  “Jesse, I’d like to call my banker and have you added to the deed.”

  Not sure where this was all coming from, I studied this new woman in my life.

  “Bunny,” I replied, “my father always told me that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. That’s a generous offer, but I think I should decline. This doesn’t have anything to do with me seeing Carmen again, does it?”

  Bunny pulled back in surprise. “Of course not. It was a given when I met you that you’d see her again. You’re already with both of us, so why not enjoy the best of both worlds?”

  I couldn’t read her reaction. Was Bunny playing me, or was she for real? I said suspiciously, “I can see how this could benefit me, but I don’t see how it will help you.”

  Bunny playfully grasped my trouser pockets and pulled me to her. “Jesse, I’m a woman who knows how to protect my assets. The more money you make, the harder you’ll work. We’ll have a joint venture as equal partners, preventing future resentments.” With a sparkle in her eyes, she went on. “We could have so much fun building a small empire together, Jesse. The way for us to make really big bucks is by running a high-priced escort service. This little room could make us a fortune, baby.”

  “So you’re sure this has nothing to do with Carmen, huh babe?”

  Her baby blues locked on mine. “I don’t care how many girls you have in your life. I’m a woman; I can handle a little competition.”

  I remembered another complication and I voiced it. “I don’t know about this, Bunny. The mortgage could be pricey and I don’t feel comfortable being this close to Chang… hope you don’t mind.”

  Bunny wrapped her arms around my waist and pulled me close. Sweet perfume drifted up from her as she softly said, “Don’t be silly. I’ll make the payments reasonable for you. I’ll be your business partner, not Chang.”

  Deadly Chang must have been pussy-whipped when it came to Bunny. That was the only scenario that made sense. Her filthy rich sugar daddy was the most terrifying Chinatown mob boss on the West Coast. I just hoped he never fell out of lust.

  “What if I can’t make my mortgage payments?” I asked hesitantly.

  Bunny pushed her breasts against me, rested her head on my chest and sweetly said, “Rumor has it you’re pretty good at paying out on trade.”

  I laughed at my seductive landlord. “Okay Bunny, I’m sold.”

  “Great! I’ll call the banker and have him draw up the paperwork.”

  We walked into the showroom to find Mrs. Chow standing over a jewelry case like a gargoyle with both eyes on Pearl.

  “John, I’ll have to rely on your expertise,” I said, “because I just became co-owner of the shop. I know nothing about the jewelry business. In fact, I’m concerned. I may have too much on my plate to run more than one business.”

  “Why only one business?” he asked with the solemnity of a Buddhist monk, his question phrased like a philosophical inquiry.

  “It might be hard for me to concentrate on this and my other endeavors.”

  Mr. Chow replied in a tone of complete calm and awareness. “I will teach you how to have a disciplined mind. You will learn to cultivate your Buddha nature.”

  His stoic mate flushed with anger. She nudged him and curtly and barked something in Chinese.

  Mr. Chow responded to his wife with a few harsh words himself. He then turned to us and politely continued, “Please allow me to give you jade prayer beads on authority of Mr. Chang. He wants us to respectfully welcome our new boss.”

  Mrs. Chow was also all sweetness and light. “Yes, dear.” She deftly opened a display case behind her. An array of beautiful jade bead bracelets with bright red strings running through them glimmered under the lighted glass counter. With slender fingers the merchant’s wife delicately pulled out two bracelets and carefully laid them on the counter in front of us.

  Mr. Chow picked up a bracelet and held one of the little round stones between his thumb and forefinger. “Na mor bun schi da zi zai wan fo.” He then moved onto the next stone and repeated the same words. Bunny and I watched until he finished. Mr. Chow held the bracelet toward Bunny and gently slipped it over her hand.

  Bunny responded, “They’re beautiful! I will wear them with pride. Thank you, John.”

  “Now, what is it you just said?” I asked Mr. Chow as he held the other bracelet up toward me. Bunny watched as Mr. Chow took my hand and placed the beads on my wrist. The rich green stones rested under my white French-cuffed shirt, dressing up the gold tone in my cuff links.

  “Miss Jesse, this is a Buddhist prayer. It is called the ‘Nine Word Prayer.’ It means, ‘I take refuge in Buddha nature and follow the original wisdom of all Buddhas and bodhisattvas.’”

  “That is very spiritual sounding, John,” I said. “I’m sure I’ll grasp the meaning later.” Maybe a lifetime later.

  I took Bunny by the hand and said to Mr. and Mrs. Chow, “It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Chow, but we’ve got to get going.”

  As my girls and I reached the sidewalk, I turned to Pearl and curiously inquired, “What were Mr. and Mrs. Chow arguing about in there?”

  “Mrs. Chow reprimanded Mr. Chow for revealing the sacred Nine Word Prayer to a gangster. Mr. Chow replied, ‘Who needs it more?’”

  I smiled and said, “Wow, that Zen dude’s enlightened.”

  Chapter 18

  POST & POWELL

  My elaborate office in the jewelry store was filled with expensive European furniture that echoed the grandeur of old San Francisco. Hot babe Bunny sat across from me in the large Italian leather guest chair. Her black lace blouse and soft platinum curls accented her stunning figure. The exotic scent of Jungle Gardenia perfume wafted over me as she swung her petite foot back and forth and methodically applied red lipstick. My eyes traced the outline of her calf up to the slit in her black silk skirt.

  It was our late Friday afternoon meeting. Like the Prime Minister visiting the Queen, we honored our tradition. During the past few months every stone in our castle of success had been planned in meetings like this one. Strategizing, brainstorming and implementing our goals were the aphrodisiacs of our relationship. The leather placemat protecting my mahogany antique desk displayed my itinerary for today’s meeting.

  “Jesse, why don’t we get out of here and talk business over an early dinner?” asked Bunny.

  “Not tonight, Bunny. Carmen and I are going out,” I said nervously.

  “That’s nice. Are you going anywhere special?” Bunny asked, feigning interest.

  “Not too special. We’re just gonna catch dinner at the Drake. Carmen wanted me to take her to the opera.”

  “Since when has Carmen been into the opera?” Bunny asked, her feathers slightly more ruffled.

  Ignoring her comment, I switched to a business topic. “Baby, I have to tell you I’m impressed with that corn-fed whore you recruited. She’s been bringing in top-dollar johns. What’s her name again, Melinda?”

  “Her name is Linda. Linda from Missouri,” Bunny responded, her thoughts still on socializing. “I hope you haven’t forgotten, we’re supposed to go with Chang to dinner and the opera this weekend. It’s an important social event that I don’t want us to miss.”

  “Yes of course, Bunny. I haven’t forgotten,” I said, just as determined to stay on track. “Linda, huh? Linda from Missouri. She’s so wholesome-looking Bunny. Where the hell did you find her?”

  “Oh, the poor thing. She was a manicurist at my salon on Post. The pretty girl was so distraught one day; she couldn’t focus on my nails. Her husband left her high and dry. He took everything including all of her cash. She couldn’t even pay her rent.” Bunny gestured with her bejeweled hand and said, “By the way, Jesse, these rocks are the greatest recruiting tools ever.”

  “You got that right,” I replied, enjoying the congratulations. “Linda seems so sweet.”

  “Yes, Linda looked like an innocent angel, but as we started chatting I realized she
had been around the block a few times,” Bunny continued. “I’m happy she’s been working out well. Linda is one of the prime girls in our escort service. Pearl did a great job teaching her the ropes.”

  “Pearl’s the best,” I commented. “Do you think Linda’s old man will be a problem? When husbands smell cash, they have a tendency to pop up.”

  “Yeah, especially when they’re named Calvert Lee Tucker,” Bunny said with a chuckle. “He sounds like a dreamboat. We should be all right, though. Linda thinks he’s in jail for some assault beef.”

  “That’s good,” I replied, checking my watch. “Carmen should be here any minute.”

  Bunny smoothly got up, walked around the desk and stood behind me. Her soft fingers played with my hair and caressed the back of my neck. Leaning forward, her warm breast pressed against my cheek as she pretended to study the itinerary on my desk. Bunny softly kissed my ear and whispered, “I love studying your itinerary.”

  Hearing the longing in Bunny’s voice, I placed my hand between her thighs and caressed her.

  The oak door to my office opened slowly. Carmen, draped in a full-length black mink, entered.

  She ignored Bunny, who respectfully straightened up.

  “Hi, Jesse. Hope you’re done with your work,” she commented with a subtle glance toward Bunny.

  “Hi, baby doll. Good timing,” I said as I got up to go grab my Stetson and camel hair overcoat.

  My girl intercepted me with a hug. Hands on my shoulders, she gave me a long kiss on the lips. Strands of beautiful pearls lay over her black cocktail dress. Carmen’s luscious auburn hair was up in a French twist. Her delicate ears wore the finest iridescent mother of pearls, plucked from the sea.

  Bunny greeted Carmen with a sigh of admiration. “Oh, my God, Carmen, that coat is just gorgeous.”