1960: My uncle is the FBI Director

Chapter 229 Watch your mouth!
Violet Club is a high-end club with legal operating rights.

The club has a neon sign and well-dressed security guards at the entrance.

The interior is luxuriously decorated, with comfortable booths, a stage, professional sound and lighting systems, and alcoholic beverages are served in the lobby.

The club holds live music or striptease performances from time to time, and anyone can enter and watch the performance as long as they pay the admission fee.

The club itself does not directly offer sex transactions, but rather serves as a secure meeting place.

The girls hired by 'Smiling Joe' would wear sexy clothes and mingle among the customers, getting to know them, flirting, reaching an agreement, and then moving to a nearby hotel to complete the transaction.

The Violet Club takes a large commission from each completed transaction.

'Smiling Joe' told Bernie that the person they were looking for couldn't possibly be at the Violet Club.

He caters to high-end clients, and the girls are required to undergo regular health checkups.

Once diagnosed with the disease, the employee will be immediately dismissed.

The girls here would never have the chance to contract a whole host of diseases.

Bernie was amazed by the Violet Club's business model.

He had never heard of such a pimp before.

They only provide customers and a venue for 'business' negotiations, they don't take all the money from prostitution, they rarely use violence to punish, and they even arrange regular medical checkups for the prostitutes.

If the prostitutes don't want to work here anymore, they can simply tell the club and leave.

Bernie spoke while sighing:
“These prostitutes are like employees of ‘Smiling Joe’; they just come to work at the Violet Club.”

The car wasn't moving. He sat in the driver's seat, half-turned, gesturing back and forth with his hands:

"Salary is based on commission; the more you work, the more you earn. If you don't want to work anymore, you can resign and leave."

"They also have regular medical checkups!"

Walter Pritchett introduced them to the group:

"The Violet Club is very famous in this industry, and many girls are eager to join them."

"But the Violet Club only wants the best."

Walter Pritchett's tone was slightly boastful, yet also somewhat proud:

“Every day, a large number of girls come to the Violet Club to try their luck, hoping to be selected and join the club.”

“If a girl wants to leave the club, ‘Smiling Joe’ doesn’t need to stop her at all, because a better girl will soon join to fill her vacancy.”

"The Violet Club is never short of good girls."

Theodore looked at him with a strange expression.

Billy Hawke was more direct.

He stared at Walter Pritchett as if he were looking at a fool.

Walter Pritchett, oblivious to everything, lowered his voice:
"It is said that 'Smiling Joe' once provided services to big shots in the Northwest."

Seeing that no one took it seriously, he dropped an even more explosive bombshell.

He stuck his arm out of the window and pointed in the direction of the club:

"It is said that they also provided services to a member of Congress, whose wife came from here."

"I used to do this."

It's unclear what Bernie said to Walter Pritchett during the short hour that Theodore and Billy Hawke spent at the Alexandria Police Department.

Walter Pritchett now appears very relaxed, showing none of the tension he displayed earlier.

Theodore's gaze shifted to Bernie.

He was somewhat curious about Walter Pritchett's transformation.

Bernie didn't notice Theodore's gaze.

He eagerly inquired of Walter Pritchett about further information regarding the congressman.

Walter Pritchett had only heard about it; he did not know the name of the congressman or his wife.

This left everyone somewhat disappointed. Bernie shook his head and steered the conversation back to the case itself.

He summarized his investigation into the Violet Club:

"The person we're looking for is almost certainly not here."

"They are from completely different worlds."

Theodore agreed.

He checked the time and suggested going to the terminal bar.

Following Walter Pritchett's directions, the Chevrolet stopped at the intersection of M Street and Fifth Street.

M Street and Fifth Street are old neighborhoods with narrow streets, potholes, and litter and sewage stains everywhere.

The air was filled with a damp, fishy smell, the stench of rotting garbage, and the occasional whiff of industrial diesel fuel.

The terminal bar is located underground at the southeast corner of the intersection.

A wooden sign with the words "Terminal Station Bar" is tied to the railing of the steps leading to the underground, with an arrow drawn at the bottom pointing downwards.

Next to him was a secondhand store that looked exactly like the "largest gun trading place in the Northwest," with the door open but a "closed" sign hanging on it.

At 2 p.m., the terminal bar was already open for business.

Within minutes, several pimps, surrounded by girls, walked down the steps and into the bar.

At this time, the owners of other bars are probably still asleep.

The appearance of Chevrolet has attracted the curious gaze of many girls.

A short pimp stood on the steps, pointing at the Chevrolet and spitting as he spoke to his girl.

A moment later, a young blonde woman wearing a sequined miniskirt and a cheap faux fur coat walked over, swaying her hips in high heels.

She leaned down and knocked on the passenger window.

The faux fur coat slipped down, revealing her thin shoulders:

"Hey handsome, all alone? Want to chat with someone?"

Walter Pritchett rolled down his window and greeted the girl:

“It’s me, Canary.”

The canary leaned back slightly, glanced quickly at the pimp standing not far away, and then raised her hands:
“Officer Pritchett, I just came to have dinner with a friend, I didn’t do anything.”

A pimp not far away noticed what was happening and was looking over with a frown.

Walter Pritchett gestured to the pimp, then to the canary, introducing them to Theodore and his companions:

“That’s Marino, they all call him ‘Ant’.”

"This is a canary, the ant's girl."

"Ant" Marino strode over aggressively, grabbed Canary's arm and pulled her back, glaring fiercely at Walter Pritchett.

Walter Pritchett stopped smiling and stared at 'Ant' Marino.

Marino, nicknamed "The Ant," is short in stature but has a commanding presence.

He didn't seem afraid of Walter Pritchett.

He pulled the canary closer to him and warned in a deep voice:

“We haven’t broken the rules, Pritchett.”

Walter Pritchett was somewhat embarrassed and annoyed.

He paused for a moment, then suddenly pushed open the car door, causing 'Ant' Marino to stumble.

Before 'Ant' Marino could regain his balance, he grabbed 'Ant' Marino by the collar and slammed him against the streetlight:

"Watch your mouth!"

"Otherwise, I wouldn't mind offering help."

(End of this chapter)