"Man over there says he wants to talk to you Mr Wilmot". said Adam Henry, the Bartender, while turning his head towards the man.
"Tell him one hour in my Office and give him a drink" said Wilmot. "Yes Sir" replied Henry... "One drink only Henry" said Wilmot..."Yes Sir" and Adam Henry walked towards the waiting man.
Wilmot flung his now spent cigar on the floor and rubbed his boot over the butt. He got up and walked down towards a door to the left of the entrance of the Byway. As he passed an older woman sitting at a table near that door he leaned down and rested his arm on her chairback bending his head, then he said in a muffled voice "How the Girls doing?" The Woman tilted her head back till her mouth was at Wilmot's ear "twelve so far this evening Wilmot" she said quietly. Wilmot made no comment, he pulled himself up and headed for the Door, unlocked it and went inside his Office.

He had been expecting Jacobs to get in on Friday but he was two days early.
No matter thought Wilmot.
He went behind the desk and sat himself down. Opening the bottom drawer he pulled out a full bottle and a glass. Poured himself a whiskey and drank it back in one slug.
"La Fleur....now that is one piece of work" and the bemused smile returned to his face. How long has she been here now...over a Year" His mind drifted....

"I am looking for work and someone told me that you were the man to speak to?"

Standing in front of him was a tall, long black haired, kind of pretty girl with the most piercing eyes he had ever come across. Green, bright green. In fact so green and so piercing he had the feeling they were looking straight through him right into his Soul and might, just by the power of their stare, cause it to wither.

He collected himself quickly. "What kind of work are you figuring on doing."
"What kind of work do you have?" asked the girl.
"Well I'm in need of Kitchen help and I could be use another Roo...
The girl cut in,
"I ain't in the business of cleaning or cookin, I am in the business of Whoring." she said with a confidence that took him by surprise.
"Get out of here Girl. What would you know about pleasing a man." and Wilmot waved his hand as if to shoosh her away.
"I know more than you ever will." said the Girl and she turned away from Wilmot and started towards the door.
Wilmot let a gaffaw escape at her remark!
"Wait up there Miss....eh? he widened his eyes in expectation of an answer
"Dixie La Fleur Sir"                                             
Again he laughed, "La Fleur it is then, and just where would you have learned your Business then Miss La Fleur?"
"Why in a bed of course Mr..?" the girl tilled her head to the side.
This time he laughed from his belly...she was quick he thought
"Wilmot, just Wilmot no Mister, no Sir, Wilmot" he paused as if thinking but really he already knew what he was about to say..
"Can't hurt to try you out. You need to get prettied up. One week should tell. Ill try you for one week. Then we will see if you know your Business well enough to stay. Your room is free. You get food from the kitchen and make sure you eat it there, go see about a dress at the store on North Street and tell them to bill me, you will of course pay me for the dress at the end of the week. Now I pay my gir.....

Again he was interupted.
"I would like to pay for my own room and Board, clothing and so on and may I suggest 30 percent of my earnings to you would be a fair deal"
Wilmot laughed then became very serious...
"You realize Miss La Fleur that you didn't come here today to 'ask' me for a Job, you came here today to put a business proposal to me and that is an entirely different matter".
"If you say so.. but that does not change what I have just said or what I have in mind" said the Girl.
She won't last the week he thought. Then I will give her a job....oh yes I will give her a job alright, she should clean up well and could be a real good earner....
Wilmot chewed over his thoughts. Something about this girl was different, real different and it irked him that he could not figure what it was, still, she could be handled after the week was out.
Dixie never took her eyes off him. When he turned to look at her, that stare was fixed right at him and a feeling crept up his back. He felt a need to end the conversation now so she would leave.
"Settled then, you pay your room and Board, buy your own fancy stuff, make sure it shows what you got and you give me 50 percent of your takings this week".
"I said 30 percent Mr Wilmot."
"Let's not split hairs Miss la Fleur 50 percent."
"no more than 40 percent 'Mr' Wilmot"
"You have a deal Miss la Fleur, eh just one question, what age are you Dixie, I can call you Dixie?"
"You can call me what you please but did know one ever tell you that it is rude to enquire after a Ladies age 'Mr' Wilmot?"
"They did Dixie but you ain't a lady, you're a whore, so what age are you?".
She smiled and fixed that gaze on him again, completely unmoved by his last remark, "I am old enough 'Mr' Wilmot, old enough"
Dixie la Fleur gave a quick nod of her head and turned toward the door. "Good Day 'Mr' Wilmot"
"Be ready and downstairs by 5 on the clock tonight and tell Adam Henry behind the bar that I said he was to take you up to Room 9". Wilmot got up and turned away from Dixie and walked over to the window. A few seconds passed then he heard the door close and he turned around. The girl had left.


"La Fleur....she truly is a piece of work" He opened the whiskey Bottle again and poured another glass.
The door knocked and Adam Henry stuck his head around it.
"Should I send that man into you now Mr Wilmot?"
"Alright Henry, bring him in". Wilmot went into the drawer and brought out another glass.
"Jacobs your back sooner than I expected, good, close the door and have a drink, and tell me what I need to know"