Yancy emerges from a blackjack club with his winnings and prepares to go with Pahoo to get an early breakfast. Blind Bill comes along and promptly removes his glasses when he sees Yancy. Bill says that he's heading to the French Market to steal some breakfast, and Yancy tells him that they'll see him later.
At the market, Celeste Duval is getting supplies from Carrie Meade when Francis Jordan comes along and asks if they considered the plan he offered. Celeste insists that they don't need protection, and Francis tells his men to go to work. They tear up the market and Francis joins in, shoving Celeste back. Her servant Sam grabs Francis, and Francis stabs him in the stomach. Yancy and Pahoo arrive and Yancy fires a shot. Francis and his men run off. One turns to return fire and Yancy brings him down. Pahoo goes after the others and Yancy takes Sam to the club and tells Bill to bring a doctor.
At the club, Yancy tells Francine what happened. Celeste gives an alias as Bill arrives with the doctor. Yancy introduces himself to Celeste, and she says that she can't see the police. Sam dies and Celeste says that she can't tell them who he is. Bill tells Yancy that Sam used to come to the market with Celeste and carried her flowers in for her. He explains about Francis's protection market, and Bill refuses to testify. He suggest that Yancy talk to Carrie and leaves just as Pahoo comes in. Pahoo admits that he lost Francis, and Celeste claims that she saw nothing. Yancy tells her to stay with Francine until the police arrive, and Francine assures him that Celeste will stay. As Francine tries to take Celeste upstairs, the woman shoves past her and runs out.
Later, Yancy and Pahoo meet John at his office. John says that Celeste got away and Francine is okay, and tells Yancy that he already told the police that Yancy has a witness confirming that he killed the thug in self-defense. He warns that Yancy is on his own, and says that he won't tolerate a protection racket in New Orleans. Unfortunately, there's nothing he can do about it because no one will testify. Yancy angrily says that he'll find John someone his way, and John tells him to stay angry.
Later, Celeste sits down at a cafe table with her grandfather Colonel Duval. Yancy is nearby and overhears them talking. Duval says that he was surprised Sam wasn't there, and notices Yancy., He calls Yancy over and introduces himself, and notes that he was Senior's father. Yancy feigns ignorance of having met Celeste earlier, and Duval says that Celeste grows flowers. The colonel grants Yancy his permission to visit them, and Celeste merely says that Yancy has her grandfather's permission. Yancy has Pahoo follow them.
Bill is begging on the street when Francis spots him, checks to see if Bill is really blind, and then tosses him a coin. Francis goes into a nearby house, and when Yancy comes by, Bill tells him what he saw. Yancy knocks at the door and a woman tells him to come in. When he walks in, someone knocks him out from behind.
Yancy wakes up tied and gagged. Carrie is watching him, and quickly cuts him free. She gets him sherry and admits that she doesn't know why they didn't kill Yancy. Carrie warns that they'll kill Yancy on sight for interfering earlier, and says that she wasn't there when the woman called Yancy in. Yancy says that it sounded like Celeste and Bill directed him there, but Carrie doesn't believe that the young girl could be involved. She explains that when her husband Major Zachary Meade died, she lost their plantation in Gainesville. Yancy knew of him, and Carrie admits that she and Celeste are both reluctant to admit that they've fallen on hard times. She tells Yancy that they have to pay half of what they earn, and she'd rather pay and live. Carrie asks Yancy not to interfere for hear that he might be killed. Yancy assures her that it's worth it and leaves. Once Yancy goes, Francis comes out and congratulates Carrie on her performance. Carrie says that she doesn't believe in deliberate murder and didn't want Yancy killed, but she's changed his mind. She orders Francis to kill Yancy and Bill as well.
Outside, Bill tells Yancy that no one is following him. He didn't see anybody leave the house, and Yancy tells Bill to get off the screen. Bill quickly leaves, and Yancy goes to the club. Pahoo is waiting and confirms that the Duvals got home safely. Yahoo asks her about Zachary, and she says that he was a member of the club. He always bragged about being a bachelor, and Yancy says that she just left Zachary's widow.
As Bill heads home, Francis stabs him in the back and walks away as Bill falls to the street.
Later, Yancy goes to the Duval plantation to meet Celeste. She asks him not to tell the colonel about Sam, and admits that her grandfather insists on living in the past. The colonel believes that they're living on the proceeds from their sugar crop, and the truth would shatter him. Duval comes in and Yancy tells him that Sam is dead, stabbed to death at the French Market. He then says that he has more to tell Duval, and he'll need his help.
Later, Yancy takes Celeste and Duval to John's office. Duval offers Celeste as a witness and she agrees to testify against Francis. John says that he's already issued a warrant for Francis because of his attack on Bill. Bill survived long enough to identify Francis as his killer. Yancy asks John to stop the search, figuring that he's just a hired hand, and asks Celeste to be at the French Market at dawn.
The next morning, Carrie tells the merchants that they must give in. Francis and his two remaining men watch from the shadows. The older woman says that they asked her to collect the money and hand it over to them, but Celeste refuses. The extortionists start tearing up the place, and Yancy and Pahoo attack them. Carrie shoots Francis in the back, but John grabs her as she tries to run and says that she's going to the calaboose. He gently leads her away, and Yancy invites Celeste to coffee. She says that she has a business to sell flowers, and he can meet her there at dawn any morning. Celeste kisses him and leaves.
Written by Gadfly on Aug 14, 2017