Flapper Dick Ch 16

If you pay attention there is a brief mention of tennis. I only know the basic rules of tennis, namely the first to six set wins with more than one point lead wins the round. Namely there are scores of 6-4 being rather common.

Normally there are three rounds, each round normally taking about an hour. There is at the very beginning finishing a round of tennis. Which means running around hitting the green ball for an hour.

For those of you who don't know, giving birth sucks. Not precisely for the pain, most forget about it beyond to know it HURTS. The sucks part comes after because you are supposed to be taking care of your kid, along with for most women cleaning the house and making meals.

After giving birth and getting home, it's hard to do that. I mean walking is hard, which you have to do to clean, not to mention getting to your kid. So in the twenties, and honestly still, doctors would tell the new mom to do things to get stronger so she can manage to clean and take care of her new kid.

Which makes it harder to clean and take care of your new kid. Oh good grief, think about how much you manage to do when you are sick. Now imagine you are three times as sick and told to do twice as much as you do when you are sick. That is being a new mom in a nutshell.

Sort of makes one glad to not be ending up doing that, doesn't it?

**

Breathing hard but also jumping up and down, a little, since I actually finished a round of tennis. My opponent is giggling madly, she is also a mom, just has been for two months longer. Clapping off to the side too, we have an audience, there are more than two new moms coming to play tennis. Most of them were told to by their doctor.

Then my name is being shouted out so I am looking at Dennis, he is in charge of the park we play at. Also walk toward him, with a limp since I am tired. It is a good tired though, I lasted longer than I have so far.

"Betty I got a message for you, Mr. Crowe called and wants you to return to the office." That has me frowning.

"Didn't say why?" Dennis shakes his head.

"Honestly be glad I heard the phone, I was going to check the trash cans on the far end. Turned back due to forgetting my gloves so heard the phone." I snort and nod since the phone is in his shack where they store the tools and such he needs.

"Thanks I think, at least I need to sit down now." Dennis snorts and shakes his head.

"I'm just glad I get so many lovely skirts to look at." Roll my eyes and poke him then head for my breezer giggling.

Almost forget my racket and towel but do get those and make use of the towel to dry my face. At my breezer I get my jacket and shoulder holster out of the trunk then just sit there for a bit being glad it is a breezer, and not raining. Mostly because it was raining for three straight days. Not constantly but it was definitely a deluge of epic proportions.

Get moving finally and then spend a while getting over to the office. I play tennis in a park near to our house. Mostly because as soon as Brianna is old enough to enjoy park visits I can take her there. Oddly the driving in the big buildings isn't bad this time, though it is getting close to lunch time. Suppose those who need to drive to the businesses in here don't when it is close to lunch time.

Luck into a parking spot in front of the building, at least half of the spot is in front of the building anyway. Also something of a walk to get to the door, this building is pretty far on the scale toward huge. Reaching the secretary I can't help sitting on her desk, gets her to giggle.

"Hate to say it but you are wanted all the way to his office." Toss my hands and look up.

"Very tempted to shoot him. On the positive side I managed to do a whole round of tennis."

"Who won the round?"

"I did, six to four."

"She probably let you win." Groan then we are both giggling.

Also get a move on, once I get to his office I can sit in there. Likely be there for a half hour or more since most likely he is wanting me to look into a case again. Last time I had done that he spent half an hour relating the witness statements, then what they told him, and what the defense attorney had brought to him in the way of defense witnesses.

Usually it is pretty fast to go over the case, though Keira does them more and she can take a while. Apparently Mr. Crowe assigns the tough ones to her. Not that I blame him, she has a fella who is a bull. Then I am at his office so knock and step in to find Mr. Crowe holding up a folder and grinning.

"Good timing, I was thinking I would have to call around to find you again and miss lunch." Sigh and plop down in his visitor chair.

"I managed to do a whole round of tennis this time. Also think I better wait to do that tomorrow." Mr. Crowe snorts and shrugs.

"If you want to, though this one is a little muddied. Witness reports the bulls got made it out to be the fella pinched. He has prepared statements from a number of sources, one of them a bull, that he was not in the area." Make a face since I know where this is going.

"So you are trying to make me figure out if a bull is bought?" Mr. Crowe frowns for a moment then shrugs.

"Not really and yes all in one. I mean if you can figure out if the rest of the defense witnesses are lying, or that the witnesses we have saying this fella did it are wrong, the bull stops mattering." Sigh and look up since true, but still not something I want to get involved in.

"Hand over the folder."

Mr. Crowe snorts and hands me the folder so open that up and dive into that. I remember this one, it looked to be a good case all the way around. Then I am into the defense witness statements and these are good. Has a number of skirts saying he was shopping half an hour before the murder happened.

Bull is saying the same thing, he had stopped at the same grocery to do his shopping. Course it seems a bit odd that so many noticed the fella shopping. I can see the clerk at register noticing the fella, and then perhaps one more that bumped into him and talked. But six skirts noticing a fella shopping says either he was being funny, or offensive.

"Is it just me or a little odd that he has six skirts and the bull noticed him shopping in grocery?" Mr. Crowe snorts and nods.

"I had the same thought, even mentioned that and the fella simply said he is that good looking. His attorney rolled his eyes so I'm not sure if this is a line or not."

"This is your case?" Mr. Crowe is nodding and winks.

"Partly I took this just to keep my hands in court. Mostly it was simply the rest of my assistants have cases already, court has been busy this month." I am nodding since twenty reports is standard this whole month.

"Folk are paying attention to the gangs I think." Mr. Crowe is nodding then shakes his head.

"Many of the gang members have been reported by their own gang. Accepting them calling in without leaving a name has been rather good, gets the bulls out and arresting more often." Snort and go through the addresses to find this is south side which is a little curious.

"Huh south side, this is over by the house I grew up in." Mr. Crowe snorts.

"Good that I gave this one to you then, you know the area."

"I know the buildings, but the people I am unsure on, not been there for twelve years."

"Most don't move you know." Snort since that is true, all of the moms I play tennis with leave their kids at home with their mom.

"North side they seem to though, all the times I have gone to a house to find the wife there is nobody else there."

"Honestly be glad for that, the big houses the extended family stays there. All of them seem to plot on everyone else. I do get invited to plenty of the balls and such so I know the upper crust, most of them ask me for legal advice." Snort since I got a suspicion.

"Your wife doesn't want to go to those anymore." Mr Crowe snorts and shakes his head.

"She enjoys them, as she put it to me it is like seeing the radio drama shows being performed. She likes the satin dresses because they are wonderful, and then don't weigh forty pounds, at our age that gets hard to manage."

"Right now if someone was to try and put me in one of those ball gowns I would shoot them. I only just managed to do a full round of tennis." Mr. Crowe is laughing and nodding.

"I remember when we had babies, I got smacked a lot for doing that to her. Luckily it was before I managed to get into a position to be the County Attorney, no balls to attend."

Giggling I make my exit from his office, and eventually the building. Long walk and that is hard on me so simply sit in my breezer for a bit before I can get the gumption to start it. Leaving is easy at least, no traffic since almost everyone is parked in diners to eat lunch. Wouldn't mind stopping at a diner but on home with me.

Fred had commented on I eat less at home for lunch than a diner gives you. Which is true, so after I stopped smacking him for saying I am not thin enough for him, I said I would go home for lunch often as possible. Had Audrey laughing so hard she fell out of her chair at the sewing machine. Fred even was grinning, suppose he figured out that I only do that for the humor.

Then I am home so put the top up and on inside with me. Find Fred sitting on the sofa, holding Brianna and the bottle. She hasn't managed to hold those up so far though she is trying.

"You are late." Fred says getting me to roll my eyes.

"Mr. Crowe called the park and had me go over to the office. Get to look into a case for him, and the pinch lives in the same area I grew up." Fred snorts and Audrey appears in the hallway.

"Wish I had known you were going to show up, would have gone for harder. Grilled cheese and tomato soup is the order of the day." I am grinning since that is a good lunch.

"Is it all ready?" Audrey nods so go over to Fred and grab his shoulder to help him stand up.

On into the kitchen with us and sit around the table, then wait for Brianna to finish. I get to hold her after since I have been gone and she notices that. Luckily she likes Audrey, and then Fred is here during the day so she doesn't miss me that much. Which is not so nice but I knew that, she is attached to her dad.

Does like me to hold her so that makes it all better. So rock her for a little while and then we are digging in. Today I am holding my little girl and eating so Fred is watching that. Luckily I can use my left hand to get soup and hold the sandwich. Not at the same time but then again it doesn't matter, I want to get thinner anyway so not eating all of lunch perhaps will help.

"What is the case?" Audrey asks halfway through lunch so glare at her for a moment getting a grin out of her.

"Murder, the bulls got a pinch on it and the witnesses say it was him. He has supplied six skirts and a bull saying he was shopping half an hour before the murder. Which puts him as possible to get there in time, but no groceries at the scene."

"He wasn't arrested there?" Fred asks so shake my head.

"He was picked up at work the next day. Mr. Crowe wants me to figure out if the defense side is lying or the bull side." Fred is nodding then shakes his head.

"There is one other angle, possible the witnesses didn't get as good a look as is hoped and just know the fella pinched." Ponder that one for a moment and nod since possible.

"Entirely possible, though I find the defense witnesses odd, six skirts that were shopping at the grocery with a bull noticed the fella."

"No clerks?" Shrug since it didn't say that.

"Didn't say that, it had their names and addresses. Mostly I was just struck at six skirts seeing a fella shopping. Usually you are not noticed by more than three on the outside unless you throw a tantrum or complain about shopping." Audrey snorts, I told her the story of shopping with Fred the first time.

"One other way, draping yourself all over someone else." Audrey says so we look at her and she grins. "Simon asked me to the first time he went shopping with me. Make sure the grocery we use isn't offended by it like the one you made him go to the first night." I am giggling hard now.

"I thought that was great fun, and the fella didn't overcharge." Fred rolls his eyes so we both degenerate into giggles for a while.

Finish off lunch and Brianna fell asleep. Which is wonderful, and then also a little not since I can do a little of the work on this case. Then we are moving to the sitting room so settle on the sofa with Brianna in my arms. Feeling good to, I got a little girl that I am mom to. Then Fred is reaching for my little girl.

"Give her over and go do some running around." Sigh and let him take her, sigh again when she snuggles into Fred.

"She doesn't get as comfortable with me." Fred is chuckling now.

"You are also a skirt, we have a daughter. She will like me better." Swat Fred for saying that, not that he is wrong.

"If you were say a hundred pounds lighter I would make you snuggle up to me." Fred glares at me while Audrey is giggling.

"Unfair, I am not two hundred pounds."

"You feel to be about four hundred when you stay on top of me after nookie." Fred snorts and shrugs.

"You also like me staying above you." Grin since I do.

"Doesn't make you lighter." Audrey is laughing now so Fred shoos me off before Brianna wakes up.

Go on outside and get my top down then climb in my breezer and grab out the folder to look at. Pondering on if I should go to the station or the grocery first, and I am joined in my breezer. So look over at Liza and she grins at me so roll my eyes.

"I am looking into a case, perhaps going to the station or a grocery, undecided on that." Liza snorts and waves onward.

"Station then grocery sounds fine to me, I can ask Brian what he would like me to get." Sigh and look up then hand the folder to Liza.

"Different grocery so I am unsure on what they have there." I say as I start my breezer.

Liza simply shrugs then we are off to the station first. Reaching that and no place to park besides the lot I park us there. Liza is giggling when I take her to the back door and inside. About half of the raid fellas follow us up to the front where there are desks for the sergeants. Course at this point mostly it is simply the skirts and most are not a sergeant.

There is actually a skirt sergeant, she had gotten the promotion around when the US entered the war. Not that she is in this station, she is currently in west station I think it was. Brian falls out of his chair when he sees us coming. Gets most everyone to laugh then he is hopping up and coming over to where we are.

"What brings you over here?" Liza looks at me so grin and wink.

"I caught her trying to steal my breezer." Brian's jaw drops then he pokes me, Liza is simply giggling now.

"Come on seriously." Take my folder back from Liza and wave that.

"I am working on a case and she is here to ask you questions. So I will go bother someone else." Go to walk past them and both grab me, Brian has my arm, Liza got my jacket.

"What about the case?" Sigh and look up then open the folder to find the name.

"Defense has a bull as a witness, says the pinch was shopping half an hour before the murder." Brian frowns and takes the folder to look at that for a moment then looks up before turning to face the skirts at the desks.

"Melanie come here for a moment."

Melanie hops up and comes over with a frown. I am looking at her and smiling because she looks good in the suit. Also wearing the tie that always looks better on the bull suit. The scarf works good on the regular suit, and then without a jacket on.

"Did I mess up again?" Brian snorts and shakes his head.

"No and don't worry, when I was new to the job I made mistakes too. It's part of the job. Instead this is about your friend, Daniel. Has he been getting more money of late?" She shakes her head and looks a little lost.

"Not that he has said, mostly we just girl talk." She gets big eyes then and does an O face before hiding it behind her hand.

"Girl talk..." Brian starts then stops when I grab his arm.

"Let that go, has he found someone?" She is nodding.

"He has, says it is wonderful." Liza is giggling into her hand so poke her and wave around, she nods and simply grins.

"Oi not all fellas are clueless you know." Roll my eyes and poke Brian.

"Admitting to liking fellas by a fella means he doesn't work anymore. So we never had this conversation and you don't know anything about that." I say quiet with Brian nodding and rolling his eyes.

"There are five patrol west side the same way, perhaps not quite." Melanie is giggling now.

"Does the captain know?" Brian sighs and shakes his head.

"Something of a sergeant trick, when doing the briefing you start it off with saying quiet down and kiss the fellas later. Anyone that turns red is asked to stay and talked to. We want them doing the job, so if they are interested in fellas we want to make sure they can do the job." Roll my eyes since there is another reason for that.

"Also handy way to say around that this fella is a little squirrely and needs to be watched." Liza is nodding, Brian sighs and nods too.

"It has been used for that too, but most of us sergeants don't really care." Melanie snorts with me though there is one thing.

"Has he said the name of his special person?" Melanie shakes her head.

"Has only said he has an office worker. Most of our talking has been in the station so have to watch what is said." I am nodding since that makes sense.

"Suppose I should go to the grocery next. At least one of the defense witnesses works there. Course it is putting this whole thing in a different light, perhaps the wrong fella was fingered and pinched."

Liza snorts and ushers me off to my breezer, so get going. She catches up at the door to the lot so we go out together. Climb in my breezer and after a wave at the kids watching, get us going. No idea why they were collected at the fence, not like anything interesting happens. The grocery takes a while, I moved forty miles to get my apartment.

Reaching the grocery I am grinning, I would shop here with Mom and then alone. Also no parking lot, luckily this is south side so jalopies are sort of scarce. Park on the cross street and we simply ankle around the corner. Inside I point Liza toward the berries and fruits then head for the register.

Then change direction, Mr. Cooper is in the office. He has big windows so he can see the store, and then the door is never shut. Reaching the office I knock and then ask since it has always bugged me.

"Why is there even a door here?" Mr. Cooper snorts then stands up to greet me before leaning in closer.

"I think I know you." I am nodding and grin.

"Same little girl that would complain about not getting enough gumballs out of your machine. Not there anymore so progress is good." He is grinning and shakes his head.

"Older machine, it stopped working some five years ago. How have you been?"

"I've been good, I turned into a flapper, had the bob hair and everything. Then moved in with a fella, and got knocked up. Have a little girl now, living way up near the river and I am one of the court appointed dicks." Mr. Cooper's jaw has dropped then he is chuckling.

"Good, now you have a kid just like you."

"Not yet, this is her third month outside of me. She is still working on rolling over, crawling is a bit longer."

"Will come and then you won't ever sit down, when you are there anyway. So I am thinking this wasn't you coming by to see me." Shake my head and read out the list of names that are defense witnesses.

"Those are defense witnesses and I need to talk to them, are any working here today?" Mr. Cooper is nodding and points to the skirt on register.

"Diane is right there. Is she in trouble?" Shake my head.

"She is a defense witness, says that the fella that was pinched for murder was shopping here half an hour before the murder. Crime scene has no evidence that someone went to the store, and while the murderer drove away I am thinking they pinched the wrong fella."