An excerpt in honor of National Bootlegger’s Day
Piper took one step and almost twisted her ankle. She wasn’t used to walking in heels and stumbled twice more crossing the street to the Adonis Club.
It was Saturday night and a line had already formed at the door. But it moved quickly. When Piper reached the stairs, she was barely able to navigate the creaky steps down to the entrance. She rapped twice on the door and a small window slid open.
“What’s the word, doll?” A dark eye blinked at her. Piper opened her mouth and froze. The window slammed shut.
The people standing in line at the top of the stairs began to grumble. Piper thumped twice on the door again. The slot opened a crack.
“You again?” the eye said. “You got a spruce caboose, kid, I’ll give you that. Now haul it back to your dapper’s house this second or I’ll…”
“Bee’s knees,” Piper said with a plastered smile that looked like it belonged on a ventriloquist dummy.
The eye scanned her from head to foot.
“You ain’t old enough to be here.”
“Tell you what, you show me your liquor license and I’ll show you my birth certificate.”
The eye narrowed.
“You’re a real bearcat, ain’t ya?”
The peephole closed. Piper thought she had blown it until she heard the click of the doorknob.
“Welcome to the Adonis Club!” Continue reading
