He saw the little twitch of panic at her mouth. “II don’t know,” she said. “Anyway, you’ve found me”
“Yeah, I’ve found you all right. Maybe the other girls think it healthier to stay at home,” Little Joe said, tossing the vitriol into her face. He heard the little hiss as the acid travelled through the air. Then she began to scream horribly.
Little Joe broke into a run. He knew the district very well, and by doubling down an alley and then a side street he reached the St. Louis very quickly.
Raven would never let any of his mob come in through the front entrance. They all came in by the staff door. He knew that there’d be a lot of trouble from the hotel if Little Joe kept coming in and out in that suit of his.
Little Joe rode up in the small elevator, very pleased with himself. How he dealt with that floosie would get around. The girls would think twice before coming out. He rapped on Raven’s door, and Maltz let him in.
“Boss in?”
Maltz nodded. “Yeah,” he said in a bored voice; “he’s playin’ with his toys.”
Little Joe grinned. “I’ll get his mind on to somethin’ else,” he said, moving towards the big double doors at the end of the passage.
“Not a chance. That guy’s very busy right now.”
Little Joe opened the doors and stepped quietly into the big room.