’em rough enough they’ll go. If they don’t, then we’ve got to start shootin’, but that’ll be the last straw. We don’t want trouble with the cops. If we knock ’em about, cut ’em a little, the cops won’t do anythin’, but if we kill ’em, then they’ll have to get busy.”
“It’s goin’ to be tough on the guys who like whores,” Maltz said, thinking of himself.
“Now you’re gettin’ somewhere,” Raven said. “We’re goin’ to set up houses. Not these fancy brothels that Mendetta ran. There’s no big dough in those. He took a ten per cent cut on the house. The girls got fifty and the rest of the dough was put into expenses. That’s a crazy way of workin’ it. I’m doin’ it differently.” He edged forward. “Each girl will be paid a fixed salary. She’ll never see the dough. It’ll be put to her credit in a ledger. Out of this she’ll have to pay rent for her room, her clothes, smokes, drinks and whatever else she wants. The balance, if there is a balance, will be used to buy shares in the house to give her a business interest.” Raven smiled crookedly. “When she wants to go she can sell out at the market pricewhich will be fixed by meand she can beat it.”
Lefty understood a little of this. “She doesn’t see any dough at all, then?”
“That’s right. I’m using that dough as capital.”
“These dames like to see money. They won’t like this, boss.”
Raven smiled. His thin lips just showed his teeth. It was more of a grimace than a smile. “They’re not supposed to like it,” he said. “They’re goin’ to do as they’re told.”
The three exchanged glances. “Rough stuff again, boss?” Little Joe asked.
“Ever been to Reno?” Raven said. “I have. Know what they do to a dame who won’t play ball? They pour turpentine on her belly. They play ball all right after that.”
There was a long silence. The three digested that piece of information. “I guess that hurts all right,” Lefty said. “Gee! I’d hate that to happen to me.”