It was raining out, it was also very cold. The fireplace in my office was the only source of heat in my office. My brown leather chair was heated, but that broke last week before the cold came in. I was sitting there smoking my pipe and Miss Dubose was sitting there fidgeting with her scarf. She thought I was ignoring her, when I was not, I really was observing her. She seemed nervous to be in my office. Being a private detective I see this all the time. I think there is something she is not telling me and I am going to find out just what that is.
“Again, Please ma’am, if you will.”
“Dubose. Please call me Miss Dubose.”
“Yes. Miss Dubose, again now, will you please tell me what you witnessed that night.”
“Well, it was so long ago. I was only in my twenties and I’m nearly eighty now. I will never forget the year though. It was December 16, 1926. I was very sure it was going to be a special night, and it was most definitely a night no one will ever forget. Like I said I was in my late twenties, and most of the people there were also. It was right after the Amendment was passed. Speakeasies were popping up everywhere and if you knew people around town, you would know where the popular ones were. Lucky me, I witnessed three murders, over love, money, and business. The most famous speakeasy was the one under the city. Everyone knew about it not just the rich, but the famous. It wasn’t just a speakeasy though, it was a night club, there was live entertainment, food, and like I said before celebrities. I mean they were harmless fun to us.”
“Harmless fun? You were breaking the law ma’am.”
“But then…you weren’t. I mean yes, the amendment was passed but everyone was doing it and not only that but the cops would come in for a raid and when they saw Clarence, they’d leave, just like that turn around as fast as they came in. You would walk into Clarence’s speakeasy and you would think you were famous, you just couldn’t help it. It took your breath away. It was amazing when you walked it, you’d see the stage and the live band and everyone dressed up and you felt famous, for the night. Clarence would let you stay for as long as you liked. The only problem for finding the speakeasy was it was under a loose floor board in one of his places, but when you opened up the floor board, you as a big hole in the ground. When you jumped in there was a number of chambers and tunnels you had to walk through to find the speakeasy. Most of them led you in circles; Clarence would walk through them every two weeks and look for people who…might not have been so lucky to find the speakeasy.”
“You are kidding aren’t you Miss Dubose?”
“Kidding, about them dying? Why no. If you got lost down there or you lost light, you were a goner; it’s cold and damp down there, there was no hope unless you had connections.”
“I see, Miss Dubose what was your relation the Clarence?”
“Oh there was nothing between us. We were acquaintances, if that.”
“Ma’am, I think there is something you are not telling me.”
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