The air was thick with fog on the docks that night. Smoke swept across the water of the river while barges went on to rest for the evening. Sounds of foghorns filled the evening air and the skyline lit up with a thousand city lights casting their diamonds on the Hudson.

Amongst the watery stars, a body floated toward the muddy banks of the river, its new possession barely alive from the shots it had taken on the docks destined for a liquid grave. De Blasio had finished his business there and in his mind the problem, Dominick Trenton, had been taken care of.

"Very nice Ms. Samantha...I meant your story telling not the event."

".....thank you."

It's times like those that can really break a girl's spirit. Feeling as if you have the whole world in the palms of your dirty little hands, and let's face it... you get dirty carrying the world on your shoulders, then losing it all within a matter of minutes has that effect on you. We're all victims in this game, never willing players.

"Are you alright Ms. Samantha?"

"Yeah... just having to remember that scene is affecting me a little."

"Don't be sad...everything's alright now."

"Who said anything about being sad? I'm just pissed that I didn't....look at ya, ya big lug – about to make me give the story away too soon. Just let me tell it, will ya?"

"But I thought....and with the poetic beginning....and then you were....there were tears!"

(Sam makes to pull her gun to put an end to his squawking.)

"Nope, I didn't see any tears, nothing at all. Um hmm...as far as I know, it was just eye sweat......you had eye sweat."

(Looks at him pointedly then holsters her gun.)

The truth is, there was never a sadder lady than the one standing on the docks that night. My night, my love and my future had just been sent in the drink. The cops searched for the body and found none – he was gone.

"Nick!"

Emerging from the fog with a slight limp was nothing more than a ghost – a sure fire ghost.

"Nick! Oh my god! How?"

It had been a few years, a few tears and a wake from then to now. How was it possible that he would show up out of the blue like that? He was dead, I tell ya. But as sure as my trigger finger itched (and it did) – there he was. Big and bold as ever.

"Who's Nick? Who is this guy? Wait...don't run to....Sam!"

I ran to him, it was all I could think to do. My heart lead me right to his arms while my intellect shut down completely.

"Ohhh...where have you been you big galoot...I've mis---..."

No sooner than I was able to get the word "missed" out of my mouth – he'd spun me around and pointed a gun to my head.

"NO!" Tony shouted.

"Tony stay back! Nick what are you doing?"

"Shut up! Stay back or I'll make a mess of her!"

"What?!"

I fought free of him and pulled my own gun. Tony made to move across and position himself in front of me but I sent up a hand gesture letting him know not to.

"Looks like you still got men willing to die for you – you crook."

"The hell is the matter with you? Why are you doing this and what do you mean crook?"

"You stole my heart and my life, and all of this happened because of you. Dames, can't trust'em."

"I don't know what the hell you mean but you got it figured all wrong. I didn't steal anything from you – you stole from me!"

"I...I...I had to...to keep him off of me – you see."

"Ms. Samantha, back away slowly towards me... I don't like you standing so close to that guy – he's bad news."

I moved away slowly but away from them both – this was starting to shape up into some twisted love triangle nightmare.

"Love triangle?"

"...Uhhh...I meant....something else."

"You said love triangle. Ms. Samantha...you mean, you had feelings for an old magpie like me?"

"I had sympathy, now shut it."

"If you ask me – not to toot my own horn, I am pretty amazing."

"Who asked ya?"

"Well I never!"

"You keep that up and you won't!"

"Note... taken. But this story ... we were supposed to be done telling these guys what's what and now you're making it into a mini drama."

"Got a problem with that?"

"Yes! We have a date....or did you forget?"

"No, I haven't but one simply does not just rush through these things – they take a certain skill and finesse..."

"Then I'm gonna need another glass of whiskey and a cigarette. Carry on."

"So you think you're gonna just take my man away from me, huh? Findahs keepahs, hun!"

A voice squeaked from the other side of a cargo hold and out stepped a dark haired woman with about 5 feet of legs and at least 10lbs of breasts all tucked nicely in a navy blue strapless satin dress garnished with diamonds, with splits at the legs that went up to high heaven. Her feather boa rested lazily across her shoulders while the moonlight struck the diamonds on the wrists of her satin gloved hands. She put out her cigarette and walked towards Sam.

It was Satin Doll alright; she used to work the nightshift at the theater as a cigarette girl. De Blasio's favorite mistress – well...former favorite mistress. She got to be too much to handle for De Blasio and his men with her flirtatious ways and loose lips. She was the kind of girl known for sinking ships...if you know what I mean.

"Lost, misguided or confused... you can have that heaping mess. I'm done."

"Yeah, lady – take your sloppy seconds and scram!"

You could have bought this dame for a nickel at the sound of Tony's voice. She seemed to think that he was too square to speak or too timid to stand up – he did both and her face wavered a bit, showing all of her makeup in its excesses on her cheeks.

"I'll have you know that my Nicky- poo loves me and we are to be wed, ain't we darling?"

"Wed...?" Sam laughs, quietly under her breath.

"Don't be such a bluenose girly. He's been telling me plenty about you and you weren't right from the beginning; taking up with the bad boys and all – shame, shame."

(Wiggling her finger in the air towards Sam.)

"I hear you were the one that plotted Dom's death, you were the one that had Capone filch on his deal with De Blasio causing Dom to get caught up in the middle and you were the one who stole millions from De Blasio...honey just tell us where the money is then we can get out of your lovely hair."

"I'll tell ya, like I told your Nicky-poo, I had nothing to do with that. I never took anything from anybody and I ain't gonna start now. Tony's, let's go."

"Right right....go on and sell that story to the papers sister – they'll believe it." Satin Doll snapped back.

I stopped in my tracks and spun around.

"You calling me a liar?"

"If the shoe fits, sasquatch ..."

I looked over at Tony, then to Nick and back to Ms. Doll.

SMACK!!

Satin Doll rocked on her heels, staggered backward then went over the edge of the dock between two small boats. She screamed and yelped for help but Tony and I had other business to take care of – we figured we'd let the man of the hour see to his shabby Sheba.

The city was burning tonight, with fire, passion, words and worse yet hot tempers. Someone was playing me for a fool and I needed to find out who it was and for what reason. The mystery was setting itself up swift and I hated dragging out business matters. We had a "murderer" to find. We find him, we solve this case and life goes on.

Until then I just had to keep my wits about me and make sure my gumshoes didn't step into anything too ugly, I was ready for this to come to a head...even if I had to force it myself.

"There are eight million stories in the naked city...."

"What are you doing?!"

"Closing this chapter."

"You can't do that – that's copyright infringement..."

"Actually, it's a lovely shout out to one of my favorite shows!"

"You. Are. Going. To. Get. Us. Sued!"

"Glad to see you are feeling yourself again."

"Yeah...actually I am."

"Good. See, all that nonsense had a reason."

"The truth set you free – the ex was a top-notch jerk and you didn't need that."

"Well...yeah, I didn't..."

"... AND you found out what mischief was afoot."

"What are you getting at?"

"I need a kiss, Ms. Samantha."

"Oh hell..."

"I won't beg, Ms. Samantha."

"Well...why not?"

"Yowser!!