William Monroe: The alleyway (Chapter 2)

As the two men stand facing each other in the dimly lit alleyway, Will Monroe can't help but feel a sense of foreboding. He knows that this is a dangerous place to be, especially given the recent rise of organized crime in the city. But he has a job to do, and he can't let his nerves get the better of him.

The man in the fedora steps closer, revealing his name as Jack Delaney. His hand still in his pocket, he asks, "So, who are you looking for?" his voice low and gravelly.

Will takes a deep breath and responds, "I'm looking for a man by the name of Tony. He's involved in the bootlegging business, and I need to talk to him."

Jack nods slowly, his eyes narrowing. "Tony, huh? Well, I might know a thing or two about him. But before I tell you anything, you gotta answer me one question. Why do you need to find him?"

Will hesitates for a moment before replying, "I'm a private investigator, and I've been hired to track him down. My client has some business with him, and they need to talk."

Jack regards him skeptically. "All right, fair enough. But you gotta understand, Tony's not someone you wanna mess with. He's got connections, if you know what I mean. If you go poking around where you're not wanted, things could get ugly real fast."

Will nods in agreement, understanding the risks involved. "I know what I'm getting into," he says, his hand still on the gun. "But I have a job to do, and I can't back down now."

Jack regards him for a long moment, as if weighing his options. Finally, he nods and pulls his hand out of his pocket. In it, he holds a slip of paper with an address written on it.

"Tony's been hanging out at this speakeasy on the east side of town," he says, handing over the paper. "But like I said, be careful. You never know who you might run into in a place like that."

Will takes the paper, grateful for the information. He nods to Jack and turns to leave, keeping his hand on the gun as he makes his way out of the alley and into the night.

As he walks down the dark streets, he can't help but feel a sense of unease. He knows that the path ahead of him is dangerous, but he also knows that he has a job to do. With a deep breath, he sets off toward the speakeasy, ready to face whatever may come his way.