THE WALL STREET FILE

Chapter One

Anticipating a lack of parking and not familiar with the area, Mike Morlock reluctantly took the subway downtown. At Wall Street, he got off and surfaced in front of Trinity Church. It looked oddly out of place in this Mecca of great buildings where fortunes are made and lost everyday and occasionally stolen.

Morlock walked north with a swirl of light snow blowing in his face. He bent his head a bit and blocked the snow with his hat. The chilling air accompanied with the wind hurried him on his way.

At 120 Broadway, he crossed the street and entered the building. He located the elevator bank that took him to the offices of Vaughn, Farrell and Hilman, Inc. where a two million fortune in securities was missing.

The corporation name in small-dignified letters was visible from inside the elevator by anyone with at least 20/20 vision. The location of the sign seemed to indicate in a matter of fact manner as if anything else would be utterly ridiculous that they and they alone occupied this floor.

Employees and receiving preceded the left point of a two-pointed arrow. At the right point executive offices and visitors -- which meant him.

Ankles and high heels were all that was visible under the desk on the other side of the visitor's and executive entrance. Above the desk, a young brunette's red lips parted into a cordial smile before it disappeared and she asked, "Can I be of help, sir?"

"I have an appointment with Miss Halpern."

The girl looked at her watch, and then spoke, "she's at lunch now. She should be back momentarily. Your name is?" She asked then picked up a pencil.

"Mike Morlock," the detective replied in a bored tone of voice.

"Nature of your business with Miss Halpern?"

"It's sort of a little of this and a little of that."

"That s fine for a start, but now will you identify what this and that are?"

"This and that are between Miss Halpern and me. Does she have an office I can wait in?"

"That is out of the question. Completely out of the question," the receptionist said, raising her eyebrows as if he had made the blunder of the century. "I can't even allow you to remain here if you refuse to disclose the nature of your business, let alone allow you to wait in an office when the occupant isn't there."

"Is physical restraint the way you protect the castle?" Morlock asked with a smile now that he could see more of her. "That could be fun!"

"I don't think so! When necessary, I push a button under my desk; and a tall, armed guard comes running."

"You're right, that could be a drag," Morlock replied, then seated himself on a cushioned chair a few feet from the receptionist. Long, nylon covered legs under the desk was the reason for the flap covering the front of it, too good a view for such a stolid firm.

Morlock looked away for a moment when a tall, burly man wearing a dark suit started down an escalator. They occupied another floor or part of one, Morlock thought, his eyes returning to the more pleasant sight.

"Where is the prospectus on Health Care international?" A booming voice asked from the escalator when he neared the bottom. "It was supposed to be here this morning.

"I don't know, Mr. Farrell."

"Did you call the printer?"

"No one told me to."

"Doesn't anyone have any initiative in this firm anymore," his husky voice sounded like a drill sergeant addressing the troops. He stopped and looked down at Morlock curiously.

"This gentleman is here to see Ardene."

"In reference to what?"

"I don’t know!"

"You know the new rules require..."

"He wouldn't say. All I could find out was this and that. I was still trying to persuade him to be more candid when you came down the escalator."

"At times, I'm hard to persuade," Morlock said getting to his feet. "And it could be of a personal nature."

"There are not many people permitted to conduct personal business on company time, and Miss Halpern isn't one. Only officers are permitted that privilege," he added in a stuffy tone that prompted Morlock to remark, "you sound like one of the privileged."

"I'm an officer, if that is what you mean?"

"Then you should know there are a million each of this and that."

"Oh, the snooper!" He growled nearly dislocating his fat face.

"I’ve been called worse."

"I don't mind telling you, I wasn't in favor of you at the start and now that I ye met you, I've even less. Nothing more than a bookkeeping error that our accounting staff will clear up in a few days, and we throw good money down the drain because some of our officers are nervous Nellie's."

"If it were my two, it would be a few days too many," Morlock shot back.

"Miss Jones, I don’t see a telephone in your hand. What are you waiting for?" He screamed at the receptionist. "Are you intending to call tomorrow, next week, next year?"

"Right away, sir," she answered meekly and picked up the telephone.

"I want an answer in less than ten minutes," he grunted, then hurried back to the escalator.

When he was out of sight, the receptionist mumbled, "I would just love to put the point of my toe up his...Oh!" She exclaimed blushing. "I forgot about you."

"In his case I recommend it."

She finished dialing, then waited impatiently drumming the fingers of her left hand on the desk. When the door opened and a girl stepped in, she returned the telephone to its cradle.

"Ardene, this gentleman is here to see you."

"I'm Mike Morlock. You look like you’ve been through a blizzard."

"I was about four blocks away when it started coming down with a vengeance. You should have seen me when I entered the building? I looked like the abominable snowman."

Morlock rubbed his chin and grinned. "You'll never convince me of that."

"If you had seen me a few minutes ago before I deposited a ton of snow in the lobby, I’m sure I was absolutely sexless. This is some storm!"

"Coming this late in the season, the snow won’t be around very long. If the sun comes out it could turn to slush in a few hours."

"Come up to my office, Mr. Morlock, where we can talk."

Morlock followed Ardene onto the escalator where she opened her long coat that ended at her black boots and shook the collar vigorously.

"Hey!" Morlock cried.

Ardene turned around. "I m very sorry," she exclaimed and began brushing the snow from his coat.

Her open coat revealed a pink sweater snug around her waist. The bulges were firm and pleasingly beyond adequacy. Her lower measurements had a similar appearance.

Ardene was still facing Morlock when they reached the top. The escalator carried the detective right into her. His arms went around her slender waist keeping her from being bowled over. Morlock laughed. "That old Toyota commercial is all wrong. Get your hands on Ardene and you'll never want to let go."

She was in no hurry to speak, which meant to Morlock, no hurry to move on. There was always pleasure for the male in the casual holding of a female, not always though for the held, but what about this female. She didn't appear displeased, or in any hurry to end the contact until his hand started down her broadening hips.

Ardene's lips parted into a sweet smile, then she spoke unhurriedly, "but, I m afraid you shall have to."

"Reluctantly!" Morlock replied and removed his arms; then her breasts and his chest parted.

"I’m glad none of the VPS were in the hall. Some might have got the wrong impression. Mr. Farrell would have built it up to seduction at first sight."

"Mine or yours?"

"I'm sure he would blame me. Girls aren't his favorite people."

"I met him. I think he is his favorite people."

"He was dead set against hiring a private detective."

"I know, and our meeting shook his confidence in my profession to absolute zero."

"I don’t think it’s that so much. When it comes to spending money, he has a death grip on every dollar. That s why it’s so urgent that you give this matter all your time. If you can t show some results by Friday, he' s bound to convince the other officers and that will be the end. He carries a lot of weight. This is the controller's office," Ardene said stopping at a paneled door. "I'm his secretary."

When they went inside, Ardene removed her coat and hung it up. Morlock was right behind her and did the same also removing his hat. He combed his fingers through his black wavy hair.

Ardene removed a pin from her hat and took it off, then shook out her long, auburn hair. It was parted in the center and brushed smooth. She swirled it over the back of her shoulders.

"You know, Mike, do you mind if I call you Mike?"

"Fine with me, doll."

"Your voice sounds a great deal different than it did on the phone. It has a much stronger tone. I had expected a man of lesser dimensions, not one built like a football player...six feet of..."

"Six two barefoot. You didn’t speak to me."

"I don’t understand."

"I’ll clarify that." I did say hello to you, but when you started talking I was called away. You actually spoke to my partner, Bert Langley.

"Oh!" She exclaimed. "Did he fill you in on much?"

"You were taped."

"I’m glad I don't have to go over everything again."

"I imagine you’re handling things so the officers won’t have to associate with a lowly private detective."

"Well, no!" She replied unconvincingly. "They’re all very busy, and my boss is more in the money part of the business than anyone else. I guess that was why I was chosen to be your liaison between whomever you have to see.

"How did you come to pick my agency?"

"One of the officers had read in the Times that you had recovered securities for another firm that were stolen."

"I hate to be the one to disillusion you, but that wasn't my agency. It was probably Morshock."

"Well, its too late now," she replied thoughtfully.

"We'11 need an office to work in.

"My boss, Joseph Parkinson, is convalescing from a heart condition. You can use his private office."

Morlock followed Ardene to a nearby door and into the private office.

"This should do just fine. Did he get the heart attack when he discovered he had two million less to control?"

"it was around that time, but I don t think that was the cause. He's used to handling big somes of money. You are going to start right away, aren’t you?"

"How late are you open?"

"The cage has a 4 to 12 shift."

"What s the cage?"

"That s where we process the securities. And also the vault is there too. That is where we store them."

"That s fine!" My partner should be here soon. He’ll want to examine your personnel records and look around the area where the securities are processed. He'll probably work all night. If you can get him a list of all employees that left since and around the time the discovery was made, it’ll save him a lot of time."

"That can be arranged."

"Fine!"

"May I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead!"

"What do you do for the business?"

"My partner likes digging around records where it’s nice and peaceful. He's good at it too. I do most of the outside work. Sometimes it takes a special kind of approach to get people's cooperation.

"Did you major in psychology?"

"No, much better! I have a couple years of field experience with the CIA."

"For your type of work, it must be a big help."

"Asking the right questions in the proper atmosphere usually gets results. At times, though, it becomes necessary to use some green lubrication. But sometimes people can be stubborn, then a bit of leaning is required."

"By leaning, do you mean a closed hand striking some...?"

"Usually where it doesn't show."

"Not around here! Rough stuff would be all Mr. Grumpy, I mean...Mr. Farrell, would need to end your services. Besides, we have a lot of female employees."

Morlock laughed. "I take great care with the opposite sex, so as not to damage any of you delicate creatures."

"I'm flattered," Ardene replied with a grin, "but I never thought of myself as a delicate creature."

Morlock looked Ardene over from her shoulders to the ankles of her boots while his right thumb and index finger rubbed his chin.

"I was aware of my being evaluated earlier when I removed my coat."

"Yes, before that too, which I m sure you were aware of, but the third appraisal sometimes discloses a more complete or a slightly different picture. The boots! That’s what does it."

"Does what?"

"Removes that delicate feeling. I can just see you this morning standing in front of your full length mirror looking at yourself before you put your skirt and sweater on; the reflection telling you, "Ardene, you're a young Amazon go out and conquer that male world."

"Mr. Morlock, if I didn't know better, I would swear you were peeking through my keyhole, but your mental telepathy is a bit off."

"A bit isn't too bad. Where did I go wrong?"

"That would be telling. I think a detective should find things out for himself, after all that’s his profession, now isn't it?" She purred a smug look on her face.

Morlock noticed the door move slightly. "That seems fair enough, Miss. Halpern, but first I'11 have to find out the location of the keyhole, "he replied then whispered in her ear, "there s someone listening at the door."

The detective was just a few feet from it, with a couple soft steps he reached the doorknob, yanked the door open and was confronted by another female.

"I was just going to knock, Ardene. I thought you might be in here," she sputtered, then her eyes seemed to light up. "Is this him?"

"This is one him. There's another him on the way. Mike Morlock meet Mary Lamke, the firm's only female VP."

"You're the second officer I met since I arrived." Morlock smiled and gave her a quick scrutiny. Early thirties, beginning to let her figure go, otherwise attractive enough. Neatly dressed in a conservative suit in quiet tones. Her skirt ended a few inches below her knees. The part of her legs that was visible was nicely formed. No doubt the proper attire for a VP.

"I'm going down to the personnel office and get them organized, Mike. I'11 leave word with the receptionist to have your partner shown directly to the personnel office."

"That should save time, Ardene."

Morlock followed her out of the room, then stood watching her bouncy walk. The female VP did the same, then turned to Morlock when Ardene was out of the office.

"You would think in such refined surrounding's, she would try to walk in a more lady like manner."

"It must have taken a lot of time perfecting it. She might be working on a more refined means of locomotion." Morlock laughed. "Then again she might think it’s just right for this executive hunting ground."

"No doubt she has in mind snaring a VP, but she won’t. It takes a lot more than that."

"I would say she has a lot more," Morlock replied, then turned and faced Mary.

"I meant mentally! The IQ at this level is pretty high. There are those that will play around, but the lifetime arrangement won t materialize. It hasn't yet, and she has been here nearly a year."

"Maybe she s not a fast altar worker, Miss Lamke or is it Mrs.?"

"It's Miss! What other officer did you meet?"

"Mr. Farrell!"

"That can be an ordeal."

"I'm used to ordeals. Was he the only officer against hiring a private detective?"

"No! Most though were undecided, but they came around in favor of it after our president, Mr. Vaughn gave his complete support. Do you solve all your cases?"

"Most of them. What about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Were you in favor or against?"

"I guess you'll find out. I was against, but I must explain. I'm sort of on the spot. I work very closely with Mr. Farrell. He can be very overbearing at times."

"I know! When you were listening at the door, was it for him or yourself?"

"It wasn't intentional. I heard a male voice, and I thought Mr. Parkinson was back. But when I went to knock, the voice sounded different and I really didn’t know if I should knock or not."

Morlock smiled looking at her intensely. She squirmed a bit, then looked away. "Is that the best you can do?"

"Alright! I was curious." Mary turned and their eyes met again. "I just came out of my office when you entered with Ardene."

"Very understandable, you re a woman. Women are expected to be curious. It’s part of their nature."

"I'm glad you’re knowledgeable about the female mystique."

"It's easy to understand your curiosity. Ardene brings a strange man into her office. Your female nature starts jabbing at you. Find out who that man is. What are they doing behind that closed door. You fight it, but it’s too strong. They may be making love in there, you have to find out."

"Now wait a minute. I had no such thoughts."

"Oh come, Miss Lamke. Two empty offices! It must have entered your mind."

"You couldn't be more wrong. She wouldn’t do anything to compromise her position."

"But somewhere else!

"You'll have to find that out for yourself."

"In those few words, Miss Lamke, you’ve changed my first impression of you," Morlock said as he went to the coat rack.

Chapter Two

The next morning, Morlock went straight to the Broadway office of his new client. Ardene wasn’t in her part of the Controllers office. Through the partially open door to the private office he is using, Morlock can see the back of the female VP. He opened the door noiselessly and watched her examine the contents of a manila folder.

"Anything interesting?" Morlock growled after slamming the door shut. It caused the VP to jump nearly a foot, dropping some of the contents of the folder on the floor.

"You startled me!"

"Intended!"

Morlock recognized the printing--WALL STREET FILE--on the folder as that of his partner.

"I would assume, you thought this was the public library and you were looking for something to read when you saw the folder on the desk."

Morlock watched her scramble around the floor for the papers with care that not too much of the area of her legs that her skirt covered were exposed. Before she reached the last piece, she seemed to become unconcerned and he got a glimpse right to the beginning of a black garment.

"The fact is Mr. Morlock, I heard your partner was here late last night; and I was curious to see what he discovered. It doesn't appear to be much," she concluded and handed Morlock the folder and the papers she picked up from the floor.

"Maybe it's not all here."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Things that have to be checked first for their relevance to the case. You found nothing in these about you yet."

"Oh! But you think there will be."

"You are making yourself one of our top suspects."

"Maybe there could be another reason," Mary replied and started for the door. She turned when she reached it and said, "Think about that."

Morlock waited until the door closed then began to examine the contents of the file.

List of missing securities:

Avon products, Bausch Lomb, Bell & Howell,

Coca Cola, Corning Glass, Delta Airlines, Dupont, Honeywell, IBM, Libby, Merck, Polaroid, Texas Instrument, Walt Disney, and Xerox.

One personnel record interested him. He left it on top of the desk and had just finished reading the note his partner left for him when the door opened; and Ardene stood for a moment, beautiful in a form fitting skirt and striped pull over top, loose fitting with lace trimming at the bottom. The movement inside was what received Morlock's attention. Several steps brought her to the desk where the upper beauty was serene as it expanded the upper part of the top.

"You're here early..." came from red covered lips, "any developments yet?"

"Bert made copies of some of the personnel records. One has a very interesting ring to it, "Morlock said and picked up a sheet of paper and looked at it. "Charley Stang worked here about three weeks before being dismissed. He quit his full time job as a bartender to take a trainee position paying considerably less. Reason stated, he wanted employment where he doesn't have to stand all day. He also has another bartending job on weekends. He never did any clerical work before. He stated he heard about the firm on the radio."

"The radio!" Ardene exclaimed. "We never advertised on the radio for personnel."

"I would like to talk to his supervisor."

"I'll call the cage and have him come here right away," she said resting her left thigh on the desk as she picked up the phone.

Her skirt now just reached the end of a flesh colored stocking that was held up by a black garter belt. It caught Morlock's eye as she spoke.

When Ardene put the phone down, Morlock said, "He found out another interesting piece of information, "A girl cleans up around the cage at night."

"I know that! She was questioned, but nothing came of it."

"Then you didn't know that one night she had another girl helping her who was a real knockout."

"No!"

"The staff thought she was the cleaning girl's replacement, but she wasn't and that was the only night she was there. She did the cleaning in the vault. The cleaning girl denied it, saying the guys were all nuts."

"Your partner got the basic facts, maybe you should wait around tonight and question her, using your CIA experience."

"I'm going to do better than that. You're going to get me her address. Since she works nights, she's probably still sleeping."

"I'll bet you just enjoy waking girls up?"

"I don't know about the cleaning girl, but "I'd enjoy waking you up some morning."

"Would it be by ringing my door bell or would you use your skeleton key and nudge my elbow."

"I like the kind of thoughts you're planting, but I'll bet you have an inside chain on your door?"

"Would that really stop you or just slow you down?"

"It would cause some noise and probably wake you up which would ruin the effect."

"Yes! It wouldn't be the same as finding you practically in bed with me when I woke up. That's the breaks."

I'll see what I can do about getting that girl's address. I don't think it should be too difficult. I'll tell them it's due to our new security policy. There s a coffee service by the elevator, should you be interested."

"I'm interested," Morlock said getting up quickly.

His sudden move startled Ardene causing her to leave the desk before her left foot was on the floor. When she started to fall, Morlock was at the side of the desk. He quickly extended his arm reaching the upper part of her back as she fell. His other hand went to her waist. Only her right foot was on the floor. Her top now above her waist, a slight area between the skirt and the top was bare. His hand was at the beginning of her upper garment. As he eased her to an upright position his left hand moved up her side underneath the top.

Ardene was almost in a standing position when his hand reached the side of a bare breast. When she turned his hand moved over the top points.

"That was a close call," he said. Their eyes met. Hers, he noticed for the first time were emerald green.

"I would thank you, but considering where your hand is...?"

"Oh!" Morlock exclaimed and let his hand move back down her side."

"I don't think that's the proper expression. I know why you like your part of the business. Opportunities! I would have been surprised if you hadn't turned the opportunity into a fringe benefit.

"Disappointed also!"

"That you'll have to speculate about," she replied, then turned and went through the open door.

Morlock followed as far as the door where he stood and watched her cross the room to the outer door with a more pronounced hip movement.

Two girls and five men were on line at the coffee service. When the girls made up their minds, the line moved faster. The conversation of the two men in front of Morlock became interesting.

"I heard from one of the night shift that there's a detective making inquiries."

"About what?"

"I couldn't find out."

"It's probably just a rumor or maybe...probably not."

"Maybe what?"

"Well, Hamilton has really been spending the dough since he got promoted to supervisor. He bought the entire Plymouth Bar a round of drinks yesterday."

"I can't understand how he got the job. He knows practically nothing."

"It doesn't matter if you kiss the right ass."

After getting his coffee, Morlock stood near the line hoping that he might over hear some other bits of gossip, but nothing of any value was voiced. When he returned to his office, Ardene was sitting at her desk; a young man was seated nearby.

"This is John Fenton, the supervisor."

"Do you recall Charley Stang?" Morlock asked and seated himself on the edge of Ardene's desk where he took the copy of the personnel record from his pocket.

"I remember Charley very well."

"He was dismissed for lateness and general lack of interest. Can you elaborate on that?"

"His last week was what did it. He was late everyday. Also, he would go out to lunch for two or three hours. And he took three or four times longer to do a job than anyone else. He turned into a real stiff. I couldn't figure him out at all. At first, he was a ball-of-fire, a real winner if I ever saw one; then he just died."

"Did he work in the vault?"

"Yes, he asked to!"

"Did he give you the impression he wanted to be fired?"

"As a matter of fact, he did. But I couldn't understand why."

"You've been a big help, John, thanks," Morlock said and shook his hand.

"It looks like you have one good suspect," Ardene said when the supervisor left. "Here's the address of the cleaning girl."

Morlock took the sheet of paper Ardene handed to him; looked at it, folded it up, put it in his jacket pocket, then started towards the coat rack, stopped and turned. "Oh, you have a supervisor named Hamilton?"

"That would be Richard Hamilton--another suspect?"

"Could be! Call the personnel office and have them make me a copy of his record. I'll pick it up on the way out."

"Sure! Eh, have fun waking up the cleaning girl," Ardene said coyly.

"Strictly business," Morlock replied.

Milly lived in a small run-down walkup on the west side. Two flights of stairs and three doors from the stairs was her Manhattan castle, which was about to be entered. Morlock banged on the door in a forceful manner until he heard a weak female voice call, "who s there?"

"Fire inspection," Morlock shouted, "open the door."

Almost immediately, the door opened. Morlock stepped in, without speaking, walked passed the young girl into the one room that was half filled with a folding bed. She shut the door and followed him asking, "You have badge? You show me badge."

Morlock turned and faced the small, thin, nearly shapeless, pajama clad girl with her short black hair in curlers and said, "I want to talk to you about that girl you brought to work with you."

"Bring no girl. You crazy, get out of room."

"After we've talked."

"You go now!" She shouted and hit Morlock on the chest with her fist.

Morlock grabbed her by the arm, spun her around a couple times, then pushed her onto the bed face down and sat on the small of her back. Milly shouted what were probably Spanish obscenities in a continuous stream. Morlock gave her a whack on the seat of her pajama pants, which subdued her struggling; the second, turned her off.

"That s better! Now lets talk about the shapely doll with the long blonde hair."

"No blonde!"

"I say yes, Milly, but if you insist that there was no girl; then you’re in trouble. Some stocks were stolen that night, by her or you."

"I no steal."

"I believe this other girl did the stealing. But you say there was no other girl. I'm helpless! Someone has to take the rap. If I can't find her, I'll have to be you. The police will want to know what you did with the stocks."

"I no have!"

"I know, but they won't! When you don't tell them, the rubber hose will come out. I'll tell you what it's like. They stretch you out over a desk. One cop holds your ankles while another holds yours wrist. The third is usually muscle bound. He uses the hose on you." Morlock stood up. "Get dressed, you’re going to the police station with me."

"No," Milly cried! She jumped up as white as chalk. "There was a girl."

"That s better! How did she contact you?"

"She called me at work."

"By your name?"

"Yes! Said she wanted know about job. Said she buy lunch. We talk about work. During talk, say she could get more money if she could say she was experienced. She pay me fifty dollars to let her work with me one night."

"Did she say if she had a day job?"

"Say she dance, no pay enough."

"What else did she say that might help me find her?"

"I no know."

"Think, Milly, it’s important." "I can t think of anything." "Was she in the vault?" "Yes!"

"Did she do anything to distract the vault clerk?"

"She distracted everybody. She no wear bra. When she bent over breasts nearly fall out. I tell her. She only laugh, say I no mind, they saw by thousands of men."

"I wonder if she could be one of those topless dancers," Morlock said remembering that Stang bartended on weekends at a 46th Street bar where most of the topless bars are located.

"Milly, we're going to do some bar crawling tonight."

"Me work tonight." "Call in sick." "No work, no pay. "I pay, no work--play." "Double pay."

"You drive a hard bargain. I’ll meet you here at seven."

"First pay!"

"How much?"

"Eighty dollar!"

Morlock removed his wallet saying, "I'm going to ask your employer how much you make. If you're cheating me, you’ll be in that position you were just in, but this time minus your pajamas."

"Fifty dollar!"

"That, I can believe," Morlock said and handed her half, "You'll get the rest tonight."

Chapter Three

Milly was ready and waiting when Morlock arrived a few minutes after seven. She had on tight fitting pants and an equally tight sweater. She wasn’t as shapeless as she had looked in pajamas. She would probably cause some guy's pulse to flutter that wasn't accustomed to girls with more flesh on their bones. She must have noticed the inspection and turned around so it would be complete.

"Look alright?" Milly asked.

"You look just fine," Morlock said and took her by the arm. When they were in the car and on the way, he asked, "Do you recall her name?"

"Wilda!"

"I don’t imagine she told you her last name?"

"Only first!"

"Did you call her by it?"

"Yes!"

"Did she respond right away or did you have to address her more than once?"

"No, right away."

"Then it is very possible that is her real name." Morlock parked his car in a garage on 44th Street a couple blocks from the bar. The short walk took a few minutes. Inside the lounge, two girls wearing only a skimpy lower garment were doing their thing.

Idly behind the bar, two bartenders eyed the new arrivals hungrily at exactly touch down zero on the shinny leather bar stools the nearest bartender pounced.

Morlock ordered bourbon on the rocks, a rum Collins for Milly and got a twelve-dollar mauling. When the bartender returned with the change Morlock asked, "is the tall girl with the long blonde hair going to perform tonight? You know the one I mean. I think her name is Wilda."

"I don't believe I do. None of the girls here tonight are named Wilda."

Morlock nudged Milly who seemed just as interested in viewing the girls as most of the men at the bar and said, "I think your nose needs powdering, Milly. There s usually an attendant in the powder room. Tell her you borrowed five dollars from Wilda and you want to pay it back."

When Milly left, Morlock occupied himself in girl watching which was almost in the natural state. The nearest girl was jiggling her upper male pleasers, while the other girl used her hips to entertain the opposite gender.

When Milly returned, he could tell from the look on her face that she had found out something.

"Her name is Wilda Lefort. She works now at bar on 44th Street. It's new bar. She no know name."

"That s good enough, Milly," Morlock said and finished his drink.

When Morlock and Milly arrived by foot at 44th Street, they passed one bar that Morlock knew had been there for years. A sign further down the block caught his eye--topless just opened.

Barely inside, Milly excitedly nudged Morlock and pointed to a girl on a platform near the far end of the bar.

"That her!"

"When we get a little closer wave to her," Morlock prompted.

When Milly waved, Wilda started to smile, but it never blossomed. For a few moments, she was frozen in a bending position. The appearance of Milly definitely affected her style. The tall, shapely, longhaired beauty wasn't putting too much into her dance now.

Morlock sent Milly to tell her to join them for a drink when she finished; then he picked out a table close to her. Quite a few words passed between Wilda and Milly before she joined him at the table.

"She asked about you."

"I noticed she didn't like what you told her. She's practically standing still now."

On one side her long blonde hair completely covered her breast. She turned and spoke to the bartender, then got down from the platform and came over to the table.

"I can t join you like this. I'll have to put some clothes on."

"Go ahead, Wilda," Morlock replied with a smile.

When she disappeared through a door, Morlock took some money from his pocket and gave it to Milly saying, "I'm going outside and look around. If I'm not back in a half hour pay the bill and leave. Should Wilda return go outside and get me."

Morlock left the lounge and looked over the building. To the left was a narrow, dimly lit alley with a door on the lounge side, a high fence at the end. He went back out in front and leaned against the building near the alley keeping the main entrance to the bar in sight.

A few minutes passed; then he heard a door close. The clacking of heels followed. It became louder, swifter nearing the sidewalk and ended abruptly when Morlock stepped into the alley. She let out a little cry and turned to go back. Morlock s long arm reached out for her an