Innocence Lost

by Sherilyn Decter

  Frank has risen and is pacing. He scowls at her. “I need you to be safe,” he says. “Convince Joe. Convince him.” He walks out of the kitchen.

  “Mother, that wind is back. It just blew through the living room this time.” Tommy shouts from the living room. Joe leaves the kitchen to check on Tommy and ensure the front door is shut.

  Frank returns as soon as Joe leaves the kitchen. “How can you possibly think that you should continue to pursue Mickey Duffy? I saw you in the warehouse. You were hurt. You were almost killed,” Frank says. He’s standing arms crossed and legs wide.

  “This is as much my fight now as anyone’s, Inspector. The threats today were real. Tommy could be next.”

  Joe comes back into the kitchen. “Everything’s good. I think he’s still a bit rattled from the goings-on today.”

  Maggie aims her next remarks at Joe and the Inspector, who are the mirror image of each other, standing side-by-side with their arms crossed, scowling at her. “Look, Joe. Tommy and I won’t be safe if it doesn’t look like you’re backing down. Let Mickey think you’re playing by his rules now. It’s a good strategy. That doesn’t mean you actually have to stop investigating. I know you better than that. You swore an oath to protect the city. And Mickey is a threat. He’s evil.”

  Maggie lays her hands flat on the table. “But that doesn’t mean that you go charging over there to kick his door in. We tried that last time and look where it got us. Now, hear me out,” Maggie says as Joe tries to interrupt her. “We need to take another run at Mickey and his crew. But we need to make sure that it sticks. The best way to do that is to have him let down his guard. To get overconfident. If he’s sure of himself, he’ll grow reckless and make a mistake, and we’ll be ready.”

  “Good thinking, Maggie. Boney’s always said that ‘the art of war is to gain time when your strength is inferior’,” Frank says, nodding. “Joe’s apparent cooperation will give us time to lay a trap.”

  “Yeah, I get it. It gives us time to set a trap,” says Joe.

  “You’re a remarkable woman, Maggie,” Joe says. “I was expecting you to be afraid, and instead you’re telling me you want to fight back.”

  “Darn right, I do. I don’t run from a fight.” Maggie punches the air with her fist.

  Joe laughs. “Okay, slugger, I can pretend to back off, but I want you and Tommy safe. You stay out of it and let me and the police handle the dirty work.”

  “Yes, of course, Joe. But you know where to find me if you need me.”

  “And I’ll be checking out the next lodger, after I clean out Eugene’s gear,” says Joe.

  * * * *

  Maggie sits in the living room and opens her journal. Cab Calloway is quietly crooning on the radio. Leaning her head against the chair back, she closes her eyes, suddenly exhausted.

  “Should I go? Would you like to rest, Maggie?” Frank asks from his usual chair.

  “I don’t need rest, Inspector. I need restitution. I meant what I said in the kitchen, about Mickey and justice. It sounds like you don’t think that I can do this. After all we’ve been through, how can you doubt me? I will do this alone if I have to.”

  “I’ve not said anything of the sort. In fact, I haven’t had a chance to say anything at all. I know that you’re a tiger when your son and home are threatened. Peace, woman.”

  “Then we’re still after Mickey? And we’re still partners, right?”

  “Maggie, together we are an invincible force. Although I think that we might want to think about expanding our duo to a trio. Young Kelly has the makings of a fine policeman. He’s still wet behind the ears, mind you, and will need lots of seasoning to be a great policeman, but he does have potential.”

  Maggie smiles. The cranky old dog and the frisky pup working together.

  “You’ve come a remarkable distance, my dear. From that woman on the veranda, worried about keeping a roof over her head to where you are today, keeping a more dangerous wolf from the door. And you’re doing it with skill and cleverness. You remind me of myself, many years ago.”

  Maggie inclines her head at the compliment. “Thank you, Inspector. It’s an honor to work with you. It took a while but I feel confident now, being part of this investigation. Doing right, pursuing justice, protecting my family and community, it’s who I am.”

  * * * *

  Maggie climbs the stairs to tuck Tommy into bed. After everything that she’s been through today, that cherished routine is a balm to her nerves. He’s sound asleep. Pulling the covers up around his chin, she looks down at his freshly scrubbed face, the collar of his pajamas slightly askew, she feels a rush of protectiveness that almost overwhelms her. She will do anything to keep him safe.

  Clever and brave. Imagine that. I can’t let Tommy down, nor the Inspector. They’re both counting on me. I’ll need to be clever and brave so I can find a way to give Mickey Duffy what he’s got coming to him. It’s time to make this neighborhood and this city a safe place for our family.

  Maggie’s mood is high as she heads back downstairs to turn off the lights and lock up the house. You know, I’m going to bob my hair. Don’t be afraid to start over, my girl. There are seven days in the week, but Someday isn’t one of them. I’ll call the hairdresser first thing tomorrow.

  And speaking of Somedays, I think the Inspector and I had better start working on that trap.

  The End

  Wait!! Don’t go.

  There are two exciting opportunities you might want to check out.

  Curious about the day that Edith and Mickey met?

  Was it love at first sight or fireworks?

  Only Bootlegger Readers Group subscribers get the exclusive novella, Destinations.

  Go to https://sherilyndecter.com/destinations-landing-page

  and you can start reading today!

  Book Two: TASTING THE APPLE

  Release date: March 21, 2019

  A young widow on the edge. A policeman back from the dead. Together, can they take down the city's most notorious bootlegger?

  Philadelphia, 1925. With a son to raise and boarders to feed, Maggie Barnes is at her wit's end. But when a criminal element infiltrates the police force, the single mother puts her cares aside to help. As she tries to dig up dirt on bootlegger mastermind Mickey Duffy, Maggie realizes she can't take on the case alone…

  Inspector Frank Geyer used to patrol the streets of Philadelphia a century before Maggie was born. As he attempts to clean up crime from beyond the grave, the spirit uses his Victorian sensibilities to fight back against lawbreakers. But with corruption throughout the police force, can the Inspector save his city and Maggie’s livelihood?

  With the roof leaking and the lawlessness spiraling, Maggie and Frank have one chance to take down a criminal and prevent the unthinkable…

  Tasting the Apple is the second thrilling book in The Bootleggers' Chronicles historical mystery series. If you like strong female characters, stories inspired by actual history, and a touch of the paranormal, then you'll love Sherilyn Decter’s tale of temptation and corruption.

  Buy Tasting the Apple to experience the dark side of the Roaring Twenties today!

  The Bootleggers’ Chronicles series:

  Innocence Lost (Book One)

  Tasting the Apple (Book Two)

  Best Served Cold (Book Three)

  Watch Your Back (Book Four)

  Come at the King (Book Five)

  Coming in 2020

  The Rum-Runners’ Chronicles series

  Author’s Notes on the Bootleggers’ Chronicles:

  There is the romantic image of a writer, toiling alone in a garret, suffering for her muse. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. I write all my books with a couple of bad dogs curled up at my feet in the comfort of my home, either in Canada or Mexico.

  Standing behind me and peering over my shoulder (figuratively, at least) is my editor Marie Beswick-Arthur and her trusty partner in crime, Richard. She’s been the most patient of edito
rs and coaches and I certainly couldn’t have done it without her. (Although I will keep insisting that draft ninety-seven wasn’t necessary- LOL). I was also lucky to work with a great cover designer, Jane Dixon-Smith. She reached into my imagination and brought Maggie, Frank, and all the other rogues and heroes to life.

  I also had a great team of beta readers for Innocence Lost: Kate Decter, Rachel Andrews, Jessica Decter, Kim Mitchell, Grant McPhail, Pat Britton, Karen Oliver, Chris Bouchard, Cindy Bouchard, Vickie Brown, Pat Carrabre, JoAnn Engels, Chris Pollard, Sarah Zama, and Nathalie Jottard. They were very kind and gentle in their comments to a first time writer.

  Finally, where would I be without my husband Derry? He listened to the subtle difference of phrasing many, many times, provided his medical expertise for several key scenes, and kept me going when I was ready to give up.

  Thank you one and all.

  * * * *

  Historians are vital for those who want to understand our present and get a sense of what the future may hold. They sift through the detritus of people’s lives, pulling out facts and patterns and then reweaving them into a whole to provide us mere mortals with a path forward.

  As appealing as that is, I am not an historian. I am a story teller. I take those same facts and attempt to reshape them into something that I hope you will find entertaining. My fictional characters get to live with factual characters.

  These books are works of fiction and should never be considered anything but. While I’ve tried to stay true to the grand arch of history, occasionally I’ve moved an event that happened in one month into another so that it has a better flow through the story.

  The Bootleggers’ Chronicles series is based in Philadelphia during the 1920s. It is set during the time of Prohibition, an era that reshaped America. Many of the characters found between the pages of the Bootleggers’ Chronicles were actual people, walking the streets and living their lives in Philadelphia during this time. I have been inspired by their individual stories, but have reshaped them to fit the plot of my books. Sometimes things happened in real life in a similar fashion to what I have laid out, and sometimes it is a complete fabrication.

  In the character listing at the back of each book is a Wikipedia link to many of the real individuals, and I encourage you to do your own research into their fascinating lives. They were compelling characters, both fictional and historical, and it was an honour to get to know them all better.

  Cast of Recurring Characters in the Bootleggers’ Chronicles:

  The Gangsters

  Mickey Duffy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Duffy) a fictionalized portrayal of a real bootlegger who was affectionately known as King of the Bootleggers in Philadelphia during the 1920s.

  Married to Edith Duffy (http://www.dvrbs.com/people/CamdenPeople-MickeyDuffy.htm)

  Duffy crew includes:

  Henry Mercer- chief lieutenant

  “Fingers” McGee- muscle

  Gus Toland- muscle

  Porter- muscle

  Eugene Smith- accountant, and lodger, Innocence Lost

  Mike Malazdrewicz- accountant, and replacement for Eugene in remaining books.

  John Bricker- Mickey’s driver and bodyguard (http://www.dvrbs.com/people/CamdenPeople-MickeyDuffy.htm)

  Arthur Werblun- Mickey’s attorney

  “Boo-Boo” Max Hoff (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Hoff_(mobster))

  Hated rival of Mickey Duffy, bootlegger and boxing promoter

  Crew includes:

  Charlie Schwartz- chief lieutenant

  Max Hassel (http://www.berkshistory.org/multimedia/articles/beer-baron-max-hassel/) Sometime rival, sometime partner of Mickey Duffy

  Bailey Gang

  Frankie Bailey (http://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/bootlegging/)

  James Bailey

  Petey Ford (Philadelphia: Organized Crime in the 1920s and 1930s)

  Gilbert “Bert” Bailey

  George “Skinny” Barrow

  Louis “Fats” Barrish

  Delores Bailey

  Chicago Gangs

  Al Capone (The Chicago Outfit) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Capone)

  Bugs Moran (The North Side Gang) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugs_Moran)

  The Law

  Colonel Smedley Butler- Director of Public Safety (aka Chief of Police) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler)

  Joe Kelly- member of the Philadelphia Police, and lodger

  Ralph Copeland- Captain of Special Enforcement Unit Number One

  District Attorney Samuel Rotan

  Inspector Frank Geyer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Geyer as well as Detective in the White City, JD Crighton, 2017, RW Publishing House)

  The Politicians

  Mayor Freeland Kendrick (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Freeland_Kendrick)

  William Vare (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Scott_Vare)

  The Community

  Maggie Barnes (aka Peggy or Margaret)

  Tommy Barnes

  Archie Mansfield- match teacher, and lodger

  Dick Beamish- reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, and lodger

  Reg Littleton- car salesman, and lodger

  Cordelia Gifford- Maggie’s Mother

  Fanny- Joe’s fiancé

  Jimmy- Tommy’s friend