Bullet Holes in Silk pt 2

Ridge walked into the Captive Creeper, his hat already off his head and put on stand by the door. The speakeasy was busy, per usual, and the sound of people beating their gums rose and fell periodically. Ridge smirked as he wove his way around patrons and waitresses with ease.

"What'll it be?" Minty asked as he walked up to the bar.

"Oh my usual hair of the dog," he replied with a smirk, ammused at the obvious play on words he used.

"It'll cost you."

"I can afford it."

"I'm sure you can," Minty said as she poured the shot. She looked up, a strand of blonde fell into her face. "Blackrock crew's here."

Ridge looked back to see Rythian and Zoeya walking towards the bar. He turned back and smiled.

"Minty, can we both have a cup of Joe?" Rythian asked. "It's been a long night and it's about to get longer."

"And make it quick!" Zoey piped up sweetly. "We're on a case right now!" Ridge smirked at the smears of purple makeup on her cheek.

Rythian turned and leaned against the counter looking around the bar. Ridge could tell that the detective's gaze lingered upon him.

"Didn't think I'd see you here," Rythian said, taking a seat next to the mob boss.

"Change of scenery," Ridge replied carefully. "And the music isn't half bad." He turned on the barstool and raised his glass slightly to the singers on stage, Sparkles* and Cassandra, who were singing a nifty number that Parvis was playing on the piano. The clack of the ceramic mug on the bar pulled Rythian's attention from his suspicions of Ridge, and to the coffee. Ridge turned back to face Minty, who was now absently wiping the bar. "Another, barkeep."

"Coming right up."

"I hear Honeydew got mugged," Ridge started, both Minty and Rythian leaning in, wanting to hear any fresh news. "Got severely injured as well."

"Didn't hear anything about it," Minty replied.

"Just got the news."

"Well, I heard," Rythian countered. "That the big cheese of the mob is going to be pinched soon."

"Oh?" Ridgedog perked up. "This sounds good, I want to know this." Had he gotten a bit careless?

"We got an informant," Rythian replied, lowering his voice. "A dame by the name of Polterpastry. Apperantly, he got her angry and now she's out for revenge."

"Not surprising," Minty replied with a pointed look at Ridge. "Being a crime boss can't make you a lot of allies."

"Sure doesn't," Rythian agreed, taking a swallow from his mug. Ridge laid a few clams on the bar and stood up. "Where're you going?"

"I just slipped out for a drink or two," he admitted before starting to leave. "Still have paperwork that needs to be done." And a couple of murders to be planned.

"Just be safe, ok?" Rythian called after him. "Don't want a swell guy like you to get mugged, huh?"

"Happened once," Ridgedog replied lightly, turning and running a finger lightly over the scars on his face. "Don't plan on it happening again!" He put on his coat and hat and stepped out into the drizzly rain, quickly walking away from the speakeasy.

"Hey, mister!" A young teen in a leather jacket ran up alongside him.

"Toby," Ridge replied smoothly, catching a glance at the switchblade in the boy's hand.

"Ridgedog," Toby breathed out, a light cloud of mist hanging in the cold wet air, his face considerably paling.

"Don't mug unsuspecting people here," the Dogfather said, casting a hand back to indicate the Captive Creeper. "This is where the Mob likes to hang out." He leaned in, his voice now carrying a dark undertone. "And they don't like it when one of their own gets mugged, wouldn't want a pretty face like yours scarred like mine, do we?" He walked off before the frightened boy could respond.

"Yes, sir!"

Ridge rolled his eyes, and focused on the real problem; Polter. Now she was a threat. Getting in the way with Peter, and now ratting on him to the cops! She was giving hints to the police. He knew she couldn't just say that it was him, otherwise Peter would end up in the crosshairs. He could work with that.

"Polter, I guess you and I have that haunting business to attend to."