1520 Main – Elmer Gantry

by | Nov 8, 2024 | Fiction, Prohibition | 55 comments

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A U G U S T 1 9 3 1

MARINA SAT IN Independence, Missouri, in the basement of the church building where the baptismal font was, in a white dress, holding hands with Dot and watching with great trepidation while Bishop Albright prepared to say the words that would make Trey a member of a church he didn’t believe in. His path was paved from this moment to bishop in two weeks and Sister Albright was thrilled to turn the reins over to Marina.

After months of indoctrination, neither she nor Trey could imagine themselves believing any of it (although the nonexistence of a place of eternal torment was one concept they would be happy to latch onto), yet here they were.

Though Gio’s uncle had been killed, the bounty was still in force. He had left town the second Trey, Bishop, Boss Tom, and Brother John finished hammering out the deal, and had begun to establish himself with a new name, religion, and occupation in a place the Cosa Nostra would never think to look.

The Albrights’ bags were packed with plans to leave in two days, and Dot was quivering with excitement to embark on her own adventure. Trey, Marina, Susanna, and Ida had moved into the Albrights’ house. Trey had finished training his replacement to take over 1520 and it was running smoothly. Boss Tom and Brother John and Trey were allies now that Trey had been elevated to the same plane of power, with Charlie Carrollo put on notice that Trey was off limits completely. Trey had sold his bootlegging operation to Lazia for the same amount he’d been offered for 1520, with forty percent of that going to Boss Tom. Trey would start classes at Avila University in three weeks.

It was too late to go back to Minneapolis, if she wanted to, which she didn’t. No matter how cute her apartment or how nice the Pedersens were, it had been a prison. The fact that it hadn’t even occurred to her to buy a house to stay meant she was simply biding her time, waiting for Trey to divorce 1520 Main.

Once she’d informed Trey she would embark upon this bizarre path with him, Marina’s anger had faded to uncertainty and fear—not from the Mafia or Machine, but her ignorance as to how to do Sister Albright’s job. Marina was a fraud, yet she would be expected to deliver spiritual comfort the way Sister Albright did, and worse, Trey would be preaching it.

Just like Gil Scarritt.

And Elmer Gantry.

With Bishop’s right arm and Trey’s hands and arms in a square arrangement, Bishop’s other hand high in the air, he said some words just before plunging Trey into the water.

Trey, dripping wet and faking a big grin, shook hands with Bishop Albright and lied enthusiastically about how happy he was to be here and part of these people. Marina saw Bishop roll his eyes and read his lips: Save it.

“Ready?” Dot whispered as Trey climbed out of the baptismal font and wrapped himself in his robe.

“No,” she whispered back.

“You don’t have to believe,” Dot insisted in her ear. “You just have to do the job.”

Alice’s words came back to her: You don’t have to like your customers. You just have to act like you do.

Marina felt a comforting hand patting her shoulder. Behind her, Grandmother Susanna and Grandfather Elliott, dandling Susanna on his knee, gave her warm smiles.

Joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the only thing she could do to get her boisterous husband back. Whether it was the right thing to do, well, she didn’t know and neither did Trey, but even right things were uncomfortable at first.

She arose and went to the baptismal font the way she had gone to the altar so long ago. Bishop’s smile faltered a little, but he recovered. He helped her down into the font and turned her a little to speak without being heard.

“You don’t have to do this,” he whispered.

She shook her head. “I’m a good wife.”

He sighed. “Okie dokie, let’s go.” He turned her again so she was facing the congregation. Except for Gio, everybody who needed to know the Dunhams and their helper Ida were joining a polygamous, nondrinking, nonsmoking, nonswearing, dancing, Satan-worshipping cult were there: Dot and Sister Albright, the Pendergasts, the Lazias, the Grandparents Dunham, all the elders who kept Boss Tom’s honest set of books, and half the rest of the congregation of the Independence Ward.

Marina held her nose when she was supposed to and found herself under water, but only for about two seconds, then was brought out. Her dress clung to her, but nobody could see through it and the five satin slips under it.

Once Bishop Albright had helped her out, Trey wrapped Marina in her own robe, hugged her to him, and pressed a long kiss on her temple as Ida prepared more or less enthusiastically to take the plunge. Once Ida was baptized, she and Marina went into the women’s lavatory where Sister Albright and Dot helped them change out of their sodden clothes and into their good Sunday ones.

“Now,” she said when Marina and Ida were Sunday presentable, “I am going on a very long vacation.”

“I’m not going to have one of those for a long time, am I?” Marina asked morosely.

“Probably never. Dot, you and Ida run along. Marina and I will be out in a bit.” The two women left, and Sister Albright put her hands on Marina’s shoulders and said softly, “Marina, I want you to know how proud of you I am. You are not the girl we’ve known from first grade, or the one who came to us bloody and broken two years ago. You’re a strong woman now. You made your stand, several times in fact, the way I did with Rev. After everything you’ve done and seen, this will be a piece of cake, trust me.”

If anybody should know, it would be Sister Albright.

“And even if it gets difficult, it’s worth it when you love each other.”

Marina bit her bottom lip, sad to have to admit, “We don’t love each other like that, the way you and Bishop love each other. We’re just best pals.”

Just best pals, pffft.” Sister Albright smiled. “What did you tell me once? That Trey makes the voices go away?”

Marina was surprised. “He did, but I … They’re … I haven’t— I don’t— Oh! I mean I don’t remember the last time I heard them.”

Sister Albright dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Maybe you should think about that.”

When Marina, Trey, and Ida were all dry and presentable, there was something called a “confirmation,” where they each sat while Bishop and another Elder put their hands on their heads, and prayed for the Holy Ghost to be with them. She had never had a harder time keeping her eyes from rolling out of her head.

Then, as was the way of Mormons, they had a party, albeit this was quieter than most. There was cake and cookies and punch at the back of the room. And as at her and Trey’s wedding, Bishop Albright, Grandfather Elliott, still holding Susanna, Boss Tom, and Brother John were having a nice chat. Pendergast and Lazia both took time to speak to and play with the baby a little bit and, as Susanna was a happy baby, she giggled and babbled at them, sad no longer the only word in her vocabulary. Sister Albright, Grandmother Susanna, and the Missus Pendergast and Lazia had their heads together and were whispering and cackling, likely about something indecent.

Dot, her hands full with a plate of cake and a glass of punch, was bouncing on the balls of her feet and excitedly chattering at a couple of girls in the congregation, completely oblivious to their slightly resentful expressions at her beautiful engagement ring.

Ida was off to the side, warily allowing a woman in the congrega­tion to sympathetically and critically inspect her hand, massage it for her, and speak with her, likely about how to care for it.

“Look, Sugar,” Trey said, dropping his arm across her shoulders, “I know you’re not happy about this, but we’ll get through it and get you to law school, put you on that bench. Trust me?”

“I do,” she said simply.

He looked shocked. “You do?”

She smiled a little sheepishly. “I … Yes. You seem to be able to make anything happen even if it doesn’t want to happen. You always find a way, even if it’s difficult or, or, or it doesn’t happen right away or the way we want it to.”

He grinned then he pressed his mouth to her ear. “You look so cute in that dress, I want to toss it up and bend you over a table.”

“I’d like that.”

“Needing to feel safe again, I get it.”

“No, I just want to have some fun with my best pal.”

“Does that mean you’re not mad at me anymore?” he asked carefully.

Marina sighed. “I’m not mad. I’m not even unhappy or sad. I’m scared I won’t be able to do Sister Albright’s job.”

He stopped. “That still has your draws in a twist?”

She nodded morosely.

“Sugar, nobody’s going to come to you for anything for a long time. You’re an eighteen-year-old new convert who’s connected to the mob and everybody with any savvy whatsoever knows we haven’t exactly been touched by the Holy Ghost.”

Oh.

Marina suddenly felt much, much lighter.

“And this isn’t forever, since Kansas City doesn’t have a medical school. But we’re partners, best pals. I feel like, if you’re beside me, I can do anything, and I want to prove to you once and for all that I can really be your best pal and partner. I want— Yeah, it’s everything I want, but I hope that someday you’d help me bury a body, the way you would for Dot.”

She scowled. “Well, of course I would help you bury a body. What made you think I wouldn’t?”

He pulled away a little. “A real dead body?” he asked suspiciously. “Or is that something you think good wives should say?”

She laughed. “Good wives don’t even know about the dead bodies, much less help bury them. They also don’t cook the books or help hide their husbands’ bootlegging operation or put a gun to their heads or demand things from Boss Tom or threaten divorce to get what they want.”

He snickered. She loved seeing his ice blue eyes twinkle like that.

A contemptuous sniff came from their left, and Marina turned to see the woman whom she had long ago overheard complaining about Bishop Albright’s bootlegging and Sister Albright’s flapper past standing there with her arms crossed over her chest and an angry expression on her face.

Marina wanted to say something rude, but she shouldn’t, so she didn’t. “Hello, Sister Kidwell.”

“Hrmph. I don’t believe the Lord called you to be bishop,” she said haughtily.

“Neither do I,” Trey said amiably, which made Marina chuckle.

Sister Kidwell curled her lip and gave them the once-over. “You’re worse than Reverend and Elizabeth. We might as well call you Bishop Gangster and Sister Moll.”

Trey burst out laughing.

Marina smiled sweetly. “And don’t you ever forget it.”

THE END


Thank you for reading!

Trey and Marina went on to have 8 more daughters and reared them all in the church. Trey did indeed become an ob/gyn and Marina did indeed land on the bench.

They are the grandparents of the characters Giselle Cox, Sebastian Taight, and Knox Hilliard*, in the first book I published in 2008. The Proviso is the hub of the Dunham universe.

*Knox is also the grandson of Oliver and Leona Hilliard, whom you met here in 1520 Main.

About The Author

Mojeaux

Mojeaux

Aspiring odalisque.

55 Comments

  1. robodruid

    Thank you.
    Looking forward to pirates.

  2. Aloysious

    8 more daughters?

    Great Scott, that’s a lot.

    Thanks, Moj. Good story. I like that it never quite went the way I thought it would.

  3. Sean

    Quite the ride!

    😁

    Thanks Mojeaux.

  4. Festus

    Thanks for the tale, Mojo! Not my normal cup of tea but I enjoyed.

    • juris imprudent

      Likewise, you tell a good tale.

    • Toxteth O'Grady

      Festus! How you?

      • Festus

        Kinda crippled. Sort of house bound. Not happy. How’s you?

  5. ZWAK, doktor of BRAIN SCIENCE!

    Two years went by fast.

    Thanks for this Mojo, it was fun.

  6. Mojeaux

    Okay, so. I had to get a gangster into the church somehow because Giselle, Sebastian, and Knox were raised in the church (because I wanted to write characters with my cultural background) and “Grandpa Dunham” was a church bigwig (dead by the time The Proviso starts). BUT “Grandpa Dunham” also had a curious way of thinking he was the instrument of the Lord’s vengeance. Giselle references the “Two-Rules sermon” and they all think their grandpa came up with it. But when I first started building this world, shit just kind of came to me and then I had to retrofit stuff. In my mind, Trey was a church bigwig long before he was a gangster, but I needed to give him an edge, and well. He’s loosely based on my grandpa who is about the same age, too young for WWI and too old for WWII, was a lawyer, worked for the FBI, and was a church bigwig. But it all kind of came together, so …

    And then there is the issue of sex. This book has by far the least amount of sex I’ve ever written. Marina is her own person. I did a lot of fade to black with Marina because I wanted to respect her privacy. I know that sounds weird, but there it is.

    • rhywun

      FWIW, I hope she got busy with Trey more than was mentioned. And more than eight times.

      • Mojeaux

        Oh, she did within the bounds of her comfort zone, but she wouldn’t initiate except to request sweet tea.

    • rhywun

      Not sure I believe this. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

      • Sensei

        If you read through the poorly written article it appears that it was actually confirmed by FEMA.

        Of course it was one rogue actor who as been removed and reeducated.

      • UnCivilServant

        Of course it was one rogue actor who as been removed and reeducated.

        and won’t be revealing such malfeasanse again.

  7. Grumbletarian

    Thanks for the story, Mo.

  8. rhywun

    *rousing applause*

    Can’t wait for the next one!

    Also… to read this one at one go so I can follow it a little more easily….

  9. ron73440

    Thanks Mo, I enjoyed this one.

  10. Mojeaux

    So, this is what I asked Tundra when he finished: Do you think they love each other?

    • rhywun

      I’m actually not sure. But I’m a terrible judge of these things. My gut instinct says of course they do.

      • Mojeaux

        Well, that was an experiment. I call it a romance novel because that’s what I do. However, they never actually SAY it* and I never really felt they needed to or were inclined to do so.

        *except for that moment she’s dying and he tells her he loves her.

      • rhywun

        I say they do because people who don’t love each other don’t do the things they do for each other.

    • Aloysious

      To a certain degree, yes. By the end of the story it takes a more realistic (mature?) form, rather than childish or simplistic.

    • Tundra

      I’ve read it a couple times and I’m not sure.

      Love is a weird thing.

      What I do know is that you are a fantastic writer.

      • Mojeaux

        ❤️

  11. Grummun

    Really enjoyed the story, Mo, and thanks for serializing your work here. I’ve already read the pirate book, but I’ll be happy to read along on Friday nights.

    • Mojeaux

      You have???? YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!

      It took me 25 years to write that book.

      • Grummun

        I’m a sucker for a romance. I was happy with the ending.

      • Festus

        I never missed a single chapter.

      • Mojeaux

        Thank you, Festus. 😊

  12. The Gunslinger

    Bravo!

  13. cyto

    Just checked election results.

    California is *still* only at 63%.

    Someone needs to investigate this crap. That is insane.

    Florida counted more votes *per hour* than California can count *per day*.

    Crazy.

    • LCDR_Fish

      Radio Free California had a note about this. They have some state policy about “soaking” the ballots in counts and they technically have till 9 Dec or something like that to complete their counting.

      But yeah, Congress should pass something pushing Florida’s policies on this for federal elections (don’t care about state elections).

      • dbleagle

        My thoughts.

        Since the Jan 6 certification of the election is by law then the new GOP Congress should ram through a short law that says the certification of the election shall be held 14 days after the election; only slates certified by the appropriate state authority NLT 12 days after the election shall be eligible to cast their ballots; that if a state has not met this requirement, then the state is ruled ineligible and the number required for election be adjusted down to reflect 50% plus one of the eligible state votes. Oh yeah, no new Federal funds for the States to get to this timeline.

        Cali, Arizona, etc. can all then be free to fix their systems anyway they desire to meet the new requirements.

  14. whiz

    Okay, here’s a new one to me: watching the Iowa/UCLA game on Fox, UCLA was called for “illegal equipment, two players with the same number” — a 5-yard penalty.

    • rhywun

      two players with the same number” — a 5-yard penalty

      lol They’ve thought of everything

    • Festus

      Gah! I remember our team getting called every time for five yards when two of us forgot to use mouth-guards and the other team forgot once.

  15. Festus

    Sorry TPTB, not liking the new homepage. As someone else stated before, puffed-up tail and hunched back.

  16. Fourscore

    Thanks Moj, was a surprise ending. 8 daughters, hopefully none trans.

    Enjoyed every Friday night, though this is Sat Morn ’cause deer season put me to bed early and up early.

    • Gender Traitor

      Good morning, Sean and 4(20)!

    • Suthenboy

      Morning all. I woke up a few hours ago…perfect day. Rain most of the day, occasional thunder, cool temps. That means lying about, puttering around in the kitchen and watching movies with the Mrs.
      Hmmm. Maybe simmer a pot of chicken and dumplings while we watch tv.
      I cant wait for it to get cold enough to have a day like this with a fire going.

      • R.J.

        There’s some rain coming I think. I am taking some old furniture to Killeen, TX today. So that’s the whole Saturday. Hoping for cooler weather and a little rain as I drive.

        Thank you Mojo for such an awesome book!

    • rhywun

      It’s ridiculous.

    • Suthenboy

      Of course it is a false flag. Anyone who cant see that is too stupid to remember to breath. Ignore that too.
      How long before poop swastikas come back into fashion?

  17. Suthenboy

    Ugh. The videos of people having emotional breakdowns over the Trump win are legion. These people have serious issues…as someone yesterday said “The biggest mental health crisis in American history”. Also, note that all of these people are performing in front of video cameras.
    It’s just more virtue signaling and ‘look at me’ crap.

    Ignore them.

    To repeat what I said yesterday morning….fuck everyone’s pet projects. All of that will take care of itself if Trump finds the heart of the dragon and puts a spear in it. Get rid of the income tax and disband the IRS.

  18. Gender Traitor

    Well…per the Dashboard, there’s a DRAFT of Saturday AM lynx (with an intriguing title that suggests a fun OMWC story.) Based on a comment he made last weekend, I suppose it’s possible a distraction has come up at Glibs Gulch – a happy event, one sincerely hopes. In the meantime, we can always continue to talk amongst ourselves (if anyone else is still here.)

    • Gender Traitor

      …aaaaaand as if on cue, there it is.