Importance of Slick's Bar and Grill

In "The Silver Bullet," Slick's Bar and Grill provides the setting for much of the action. It is run by Alphaeus Jones in the absence of the owner, who some say has died of TB in New Jersey, but at any rate has not been seen in years. It is also said the bar is protected by the rackets. Willis Davis is sent to knock the bar over as an admission test to the Henry Street guys, but is backed down by Jones. When Willis returns with R.V. Felton to spell out the conditions of the shakedown, Jones trains a shotgun on them and they leave. Willis is ready to apologize to Jones when R.V. and his hot-tempered associate Auburn show up to look at the books, the Henry Street guys show up to protect their territory, and Slick, very much alive, steps in to convince everyone to leave his premises alone.