Episode 2: The Pussy Kat Klub
Wilhelm enters The Pussy Kat Klub. Slow, sleazy bump n’ grind music playing. A girl dances carelessly on stage, one lone customer watches her. Wilhelm approaches the bartender.
Wilhelm: Who’s in charge here, Miss?
Bartender: (Yelling) Hey, Mr. L! Some cop is here looking for ya.
Lorenzo enters from a back room. He’s a small, thin man with slick black hair chewing on a cigar. As he walks past the dancer he pauses to watch for a few seconds. She’s really not trying, she’s even chewing gum as she gyrates, and Lorenzo shakes his head disapprovingly. He sees the customer nursing an almost-empty glass and taps his shoulder.
Lorenzo: Drink up pal, this show ‘ain’t free. Though God knows, it should be.
Lorenzo continues to the bar.
Wilhelm: You the guy in charge?
Lorenzo: Depends who’s asking.
Wilhelm: Detective Robert Wilhelm. I’m looking for a kid from around here. Hasn’t come home in a while.
He shows Lorenzo a picture of Alleen Rowe.
Wilhelm: You seen her?
Lorenzo: We don’t let kids that young in here, what kind of a joint do you think we’re running?
Cut to shot of dancer, still at it, as she blows a bubble from the gum she’s chewing.
Wilhelm: A joint with pretty low standards, far as I can see. A joint that might not care too much who comes in.
Lorenzo takes a draw on his cigar and slowly blows smoke in Wilhelm’s direction…
Lorenzo: Yeah, some nights we even let cops in.
Wilhelm: Listen, pal. I got better things to do than drop by here some night and start checking ID’s, and I’m pretty sure your customers don’t want me showing up and asking them too many questions either. How about saving both of us the worry and take another look at the picture?
Lorenzo: (looks at picture again) I tell you, I ain’t seen her. Maybe Nancy can help you out, she’s in the back room changing. But I warn ya, getting anything out of her ain’t gonna be easy if yer not willing to pay. No matter if you’re a cop or not, Nancy’s all business.
Wilhelm walks over to the back of the Pussy Kat Klub.
Cut to Nancy in the changing room of the club. She’s a long-legged beauty, wearing high heels, a thigh length coat, and very little else. She’s putting on makeup, looking in a mirror. Wilhelm enters.
Wilhelm: You must be Nancy.
Nancy: (without looking up) I’ll be anyone you like, honey. So long as you’re paying. You a cop?
Wilhelm: I’m not here for that. And yeah, (flashing his badge) I’m a cop. Looking for a girl that’s not come home, wondered if you might have seen her. Or maybe this guy who goes by the name of Smitty?
At the mention of Smitty, Nancy gives a nervous glance. Wilhelm notices.
Nancy: (still applying makeup) Tell you what. Why don’tcha take a seat over there and little Nancy will be right with ya?
Wilhelm sits in a chair.
Wilhelm: Seems like this Smitty character struck a nerve with you, Nancy.
Nancy: (Getting up from makeup mirror and walking over to Wilhelm) Look, I ain’t seen your girl, and that Smitty cat is bad news, trust me. But if you want anything more you gotta buy a dance, just like everyone else. Don’t fear none, I won’t bite. Unless you pay the extra, of course.
Wilhelm reaches into his jacket pocket, pulls out his wallet and hands Nancy some money. She takes the cash and tucks it in the top of her stocking.
Nancy: Attaboy. That’s how we do business. Now, what were you asking me about?
Wilhelm: Smitty. Tell me what you know about this Smitty character.
Nancy begins to slowly gyrate her body in front of Wilhelm. She closes her eyes as she dances.
Nancy: You seem like a decent kinda guy, for a cop. You married?
Wilhelm: Happily so, with a teenage girl of my own, who loves me and calls me Daddy. But we’re talking about Smitty now, remember?
Nancy: Well ‘Daddy’, I do recall a guy who goes by that name. He comes here sometimes, with that crew of his. Weird little guy, but pretty good looking. Walks with a limp, which I heard him tell he got from tangling with some gangsters. I swear he wears makeup, even has a beauty mark sometimes. Right ( Nancy strokes Wilhelm’s cheek as she says) here… Always looking for a good time, and always with plenty of cash. The kid has a gig, plays guitar at some joint downtown, the Flamingo maybe. Thinks he’s Elvis, but from what I seen in here, the only thing he’s got in common is his ‘medications’ if you catch my meaning.
Wilhelm: I catch it, I catch it. Tell me more about this crew of his.
Nancy continues to do her lap dance routine. She sees Wilhelm’s handcuff pouch on his belt.
Nancy: What do you keep in your pouch, Daddy?
Nancy pops open the snap and pulls out Wilhelm’s cuffs.
Nancy: You ever been on the other end of these, Detective Daddy? Given the right atmosphere, they don’t always hurt.
Nancy quickly cuffs Wilhelm’s wrist to the chair.
Wilhelm: Hey, cut that out! You can’t…
Nancy: (putting a finger on his lips) Shhh….Now Daddy is going to be nice, and his little Nancy is going to continue to tell him what he wants to know. We were talking about Smitty and his crew…
Nancy stands in front of Wilhelm, raises her leg and puts her foot delicately on his thigh.
Nancy: Let’s see…there’s Richie, tall lanky guy, always dressed very sharp. He and Smitty seem to be real…tight. (As she says ‘tight’ she pushes her heel down into Wilhelm’s thigh. Wilhelm loosens his tie with his free hand) Getting a little hot for you, Daddy?
Wilhelm: (ambiguously) Please, continue…
Nancy: The other one has real big ears, creepy looking guy. I think he’s called Johnny. They usually have a girl with them, a real moody piece of work, always scowling at Smitty. I think she has a thing for Johnny. (Nancy’s heel moves slowly up Wilhelm’s thigh toward his crotch)
Wilhelm: (looking down) I think that will be all for now, Nancy.
Nancy: (Digging her heel in again, and pointing the tip of her toe close to Wilhelm’s crotch) Are you sure that’s all?
Wilhelm: For now, yes.
Nancy slowly removes her foot from Wilhelm.
Wilhelm: Now, if you could release me from this chair.
Nancy: I’ll need a key, I think.
Nancy straddles over Wilhelm, reaches into his pocket and pulls out the keys. She uncuffs Wilhelm and walks away holding the cuffs, stopping at the door to the dressing room.
Nancy: I do hope you got what you needed from me, Mr. Detective. You’ve been a real sport, and if you ever need anything else…well, you know where to find me.
Wilhelm slowly rises from the chair and exits the dressing room and goes back into the bar, where he sees Lorenzo.
Wilhelm: You were wrong about Nancy. Getting her to open up really wasn’t too hard at all. I think it was harder on me.
Wilhelm turns and walks to the exit, as Lorenzo smiles, and the smile becomes a laugh.