Raven nodded and sat down. He tossed his hat on to the table. “Get me a drink, one of you,” he said, lighting a cigarette.
Little Joe went over to the wall cupboard and began to fix drinks.
Raven stretched. “Right now,” he said, “there ain’t a girl hustling in this town.” He said it with great satisfaction. “Over at Franky’s we’ve got a hundred and forty picked hustlers. The rest of the stuff is finished.
Tomorrow we’re calling a meeting of bookers. I’m goin’ to explain what they’ve got to do. In another week we’ll reopen the houses. Then we’ll make money.”
Maltz took a whisky from Little Joe. “What are the bookers supposed to do?”
“They’re goin’ to work for a change,” Raven said grimly. “We’ve got twenty houses. Each house can take thirty hustlers. We’ve got a hundred and forty already. They got to get me four hundred and sixty new girls.
They’ve got to get them fast. I’ve been working this out. We can get girls from Kansas City, Jefferson City, Denver, Springfields, and Cleveland. Once I get these houses started we’ll organize houses in these towns as well. In every case we’re goin’ to secure a monopoly. Hustlers are not to work on the streets. We can’t check on their earnings if they do. This’ll take time. It’s goin’ to be big. The bookers will have to organize themselves and have a clearing−post. This can be at Sedalia. I don’t care how they get the stuff. That’s their look−out. The girls will only stay at one house for a week, then they’ll be moved on to another house. Grantham’s got to do some work. I’m takin’ him out of the 22nd. Any guy can run that joint. Grantham’s got brains, but he’s lazy.
You three guys have got to get busy too. Give me two months and you’ll all be makin’ more dough than you’ll know what to do with.”
Little Joe’s face fell. Actually he was already getting more money than he knew how to spend.
Raven finished his drink and stood up. “Tomorrow you guys beat up the bookers and take them along to Franky’s. We’ll have a general meeting and then I’ll explain to the girls what’s comin’ to them. Get some of the boys. I want the tough ones. Tell ’em to bring clubs. We might have a little trouble with some of those dames.”