STILETTO D'ORO — James Thomas

Prologue


Ft. Lauderdale, Florida is a waterfront city that has long been a playground for the rich and famous. Million dollar homes nestle alongside multi-million dollar estates, all of which are built along interconnecting waterways. It is a city where boats number in the tens of thousands. Naturally, such a concentrated abundance of wealth has served to upstart a vast number of waterfront cafes and bars from which party goers and fine diners alike may watch the nightly parade of expensive yachts as they transient the Intracoastal Waterway. It is a parade of affluence and decadence at its finest.





The Gold Coast of Florida is an area where wealth goes beyond measurement and is perpetual. There always has been, and always will be, someone bigger and faster -- someone with a larger yacht, a faster car, a sleeker jet. The possibilities are directly proportionate to desire and the sky is the limit. Competition is fierce, perhaps even audacious. Yet, that only serves to attract the wealthy. It is a melting pot for the rich. However, for many it has also been their waterloo. Trust Fund Babies -- young recipients of inherited fortunes -- flock from near and far to jockey into position as potential suitors for devastatingly beautiful women. Those in the know often refer to those beauties as Zoologists. When referred to in this context, a Zoologist is one who is on the hunt for four particular species -- a jaguar in her garage, a mink in her closet, a tiger in her bed, and a jackass who will pay for it all without questions asked.




Unfortunately, those not in the know must learn. Many a wealthy man has relocated to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to, show them how it is done, only to find himself well laid, but penniless, some three years later.



Of course, as with any game of desire, the have nots are always figuring a means to compete with the haves. Enter crime, cons, strippers, smugglers, gambling . . . it would be necessary to update the list daily, for imagination and desire know no holiday. There is but one desire . . . one goal . . . and that desire knows no discrimination whatsoever. In order to compete with the haves one needs nothing more that a burning desire to become a Player.





This is a story of some of those Players, so please, read on . . . if you dare!