Alice & Harriet

New York City, New York. 1921.

"You understand why we brought you in, right?" Detective Manson said to the young woman across the table.

"Because you boys got nothing better to do?" Alice Sampson quipped as she looked around.

"Don't be cracking wise!" Detective Manson barked before calming down. "The reason you're here is because we believe you're the perfect person to help our cause."

"Mighty flattering, Detective, but I'm just a cook." Alice said. "Not sure what I could do unless you're throwing a dinner party."

"Tell me, have you heard of Rachel Florence?"

"The big time lady mob boss who earned the moniker 'The Lady Al Capone' and pretty much owns half the city?" Alice asked before giving a smug smirk. "Maybe."

"Well, that sounds like the one my boss, Mr. Hoover, is talking about."

A look of shock came to Alice's face as her smug smirk disappeared. "Mr. Hoover? As in... Herbert Hoover? Of The Federal Bureau of Investigations?!"

"I don't mean the guy who invented the vacuum cleaner." Manson said as Alice got more serious. "That's right, Ms. Sampson, this is a federal case. Now, we brought you in because Ms. Florence has had an opening in her secretive business during these prohibition times. However, she only hires women into her crime syndicate. All we ask of you is to act as our mole and report everything back to us. You will be rewarded handsomely."

Alice blinked as she thought about the idea...

"Welcome to the family, Kid!" Rachel Florence said with a grin, leading Alice to an elevator in the back of a flower shop that acted as a front. "Ya might not be mob material, but..." She led Alice into the doors and pressed a button, "we need a few waitresses to hand out our hooch, yeah?"

"Uh, thank you, Ms. Florence." Alice stammered as the elevator headed down before stopping, opening up to reveal a large bar and dining room where several men and women drank away their money to the mob.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! None of that Ms. Florence bull!" Rachel barked as she left the elevator, Alice following in tow. "Ya work for me, ya call me Rachel. Get it?!"

"Got it."

"Good!" Rachel exclaimed as the band began to swell, a look of excitement coming to the older and heavyset woman's face. "Ooh! Just in time! You're gonna love this, Kid!"

Alice looked up at the stage where the audience were going wild, her eyes widening as the twenty-five year old's jaw dropped. Walking onto the stage was another woman her exact age, completely naked as she held a large bubble shaped balloon in front of her as she smiled seductively to the cheering and whistling crowd.

"That's Harriet." Rachel explained, "The best burlesque dancer money can buy! Pretty sweet, huh?"

Alice could only stare as Harriet did her dance, her face heating up as her heart skipped a beat.