Terry and Jen

Paul Pumpian

Description

Terry Nolan, young and ambitious, rejects college scholarships to enter the world of organized crime. Soon, he's employed by Arnold Rothstein and Lucky Luciano, while being involved in the murders of Dutch Schultz, Mad Dog Coll and other notorious gangsters of that violent era.
Jen Walker, a lovely Oklahoma ranch girl, left home to join the chorus line of sizzling hot dancers in Texas Guinan's famous night club where she rose to become the club's hostess.
When Jen takes a wealthy polo player as her second lover, the sparks ignite a firestorm that sweeps over Broadway.

Sujets

• Gangsters
• Romance
• Fiction
• Action

Informations

• Publié par: AuthorHouse
• Date de parution: 04 mai 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9798823006156
• Langue: English

Extrait

TERRY and JEN
 
 
 
PAUL PUMPIAN
 
 
 

 
AuthorHouse™
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.authorhouse.com
Phone: [phone]
 
 
 
 
© 2023 Paul Pumpian. All rights reserved.
 
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
 
Published by AuthorHouse 04/28/2023
 
ISBN: 979-8-8230-0617-0 (sc)
ISBN: 979-8-8230-0616-3 (hc)
ISBN: 979-8-8230-0615-6 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2023907045
 
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
 
 
 
…….WERE BORN SEVERAL YEARS AND THOUSANDS OF MILES APART
YET, THEY MET AND FELL IN LOVE DURING THE MADCAP ERA OF THE ROARING TWENTIES…
AND THEN……..
Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER ONE
As young Sean Nolan left the Administration Building on Ellis Island, a sudden chill in the morning air caused him to clutch his shabby jacket a bit tighter. He had barely taken a few steps on the soil of his newly adopted country when he was approached by a large, beefy gent who greeted him with a warm smile and a hearty handshake. This man, Arthur Rafferty, was among the contingent sent by Tammany Hall to greet the newcomers. Tammany, the most powerful political machine in the country, had known in advance that today’s arrivals would be primarily Irish and dispatched their cadre of Irish representatives to greet them. Never missing a trick, Tammany would also send representatives from every other ethnic group on their majority days, as well.
In an act guaranteed to cement their new relationship, Rafferty pressed five crisp, dollar bills into Sean’s hand and informed the new American that he was now among friends from the Democratic Party. These are the folks who will enable him to vote on Election Day as many times as possible—even before adhering to that pesky formality of becoming a citizen. Though Rafferty had come to New York many years ago, he reverted to his Irish brogue when speaking to the immigrants.
“Would you be wantin’ a good American job, me boy?”
“Aye, I would, that.”
“And what be your trade?”
“I been workin’ the docks since I was a lad of fifteen.”
“I can see from the muscle you’ve earned that you’re no slacker. My organization, the Tammany Hall, has ties with those fine gentlemen who run the docks both here and in New Jersey, so we’re sure to find work for you.”
These fine gentlemen (often known as The Boys) who ran the New York and New Jersey docks, were deeply embedded in organized crime. They lorded over the corrupt unions and inhaled money from every facet of the waterfront industry.
Rafferty made one phone call and Sean was on his way to Hoboken. After a brief interview his stevedore credentials were accepted and he was told to report for work the following day. The Union boss insisted that he take his lodging in a nearby apartment house featuring one-room bachelor quarters. This building, no surprise, was financed by mob money.
The Boys quickly learned that they had a true gem on their hands. Sean, an alpha male, quickly inspired the entire crew to a greater work ethic by setting his own example. Those who failed to comply, found him re-arranging their features with his ready fists. When three unhappy crewmen had their fill of Sean they decided it was in their best interest to eliminate this overbearing workaholic. Fortunately, The Boys learned of this plan and quickly thwarted the effort. Two of the perpetrators were badly battered and sent packing, while the ringleader found permanent rest beneath a New Jersey swamp.
Sean’s leadership qualities accelerated his rise to the position of Chief Foreman, where he became adept at exacting the most work from smaller crews—stuffing even more money into The Boys’ pockets. The State Inspectors who came sniffing around for the perks that are expected by men in their position found Sean to be a willing accomplice. He kept those worthies in his hip pocket by catering to their most pressing needs whether they were financial, alcoholic or carnal. Most important of all, he knew how to make himself scarce when The Boys were conducting a manner of business where witnesses were undesirable.
With his increased income, Sean found a charming house situated on a grassy lot with a traditional white picket fence. The Boys held his mortgage, charging him less than their normal vig . ( vig , is abbreviated from vigorish , a word that originated in the Yiddish language, meaning interest on a loan).
Now he was ready to start his family.
It was two years after Sean’s arrival when Kate Donnegan, seventeen years old and fresh as an Irish meadow after a summer rain, arrived at Ellis Island. She was promptly guided to an agency that specialized in supplying excellent Irish maids to homes of the wealthy. The agency put her through a demanding course in the intricacies of that position with the provision that once she had been placed, the agency would deduct a healthy bite of her wages. If she proved to be a difficult hire, the agency had other ways of recovering the time and money they had invested in her.
Kate’s second interview was successful and she became upstairs maid in the 5 th Avenue mansion of a brilliant young stock broker, his society bred wife and their two teen age daughters. She was now part of a staff that also consisted of a downstairs maid, a butler, a chauffeur and a chef. She and the other maid shared one room and bath on an upper floor, while the butler and the chauffeur were assigned to another. The chef and one helper shared a room and bath nearest to the kitchen. The help ate together in the kitchen after the family had completed their meals in the spacious dining room. These live-in servants were each allowed one weekday off for their personal affairs and were told to serve (with no additional pay) at the household’s lavish functions. They were, however, allowed to have their way with the exotic party leftovers once the guests had gone home.
Kate noticed that while the man of the house would only speak to her on matters pertaining to her duties, she began to sense his eyes continually searching her ripe, young body. When he was sure they were alone, he would reach out and playfully pat her saucy buttocks. In time, the pats progressed to a squeeze and then to a persistently inquisitive finger.
It that period, it was a common practice for men of wealth to jolly their female servants with no fear of retribution. These men attended the same parties and theatres, belonged to the same exclusive clubs, went to the races and played cards together. If a maid had the temerity to lodge a complaint it would be occupational suicide as being blackballed by one would result in being blackballed by all. If the complaint became a legal matter it was even worse for the victim as all of these men were well connected in the court system.
When Kate tearfully unveiled her problem to older, more experienced maids, their unanimous response was, “Be happy you’ve a roof over your head, food in your belly an’ foldin’ money in your purse. Just grit your teeth ‘til some lad asks for your hand in marriage. Then you’ll be free to start your own family.”
It was on the following St. Patrick’s Day when Sean and Kate, two young people anxious for marriage, found themselves drawn together by the mystique of this Gaelic holiday. Many employers in the area had given their Irish help the day off to celebrate, but this generosity was merely a sham. All parties were aware that if this privilege hadn’t been offered those crazy Micks would have taken the day off anyway— regardless of the consequences. Once Sean and Kate had spent quality time together, wedding plans quickly followed.
The day that Kate resigned from her job, she took the opportunity to berate the man of the house for his shameful actions and as a fitting touch, she ended her soliloquy with the back of her hand to his reddened cheek.
The Boys gave them an all expense paid, three-day honeymoon to Atlantic City, where son Terry was conceived on their wedding night. Kate’s extremely difficult pregnancy preceded an agonizing labor and when her pains became unbearable, Sean brushed the midwife aside and rushed her to the hospital. Only a physician’s skill and God’s will were able to spare the lives of mother and infant.
A day later, Sean was called to his wife’s bedside where they were told that she would never bear another child. Kate sobbed and clung to her screeching baby boy while Sean flopped into a nearby chair and dabbed at his eyes. When Kate’s grief had su