Stan Ridgeway and Ray Conniff, co-owners of The Tiki Room, a nightclub in 1961 Chicago, are going over accounts after-hours when the phone rings. Ray receives a call from his wife that his son, Bobby, has gotten into a car accident. Ray asks Stan to stay at the club while he visits his son at the hospital. He also tells Stan to distract the first of several “clients” he is expecting that night. Ray exits, leaving Stan to wonder who these clients are and what they are buying. Several minutes later, Dionne Belmont, a singer from a rival club, The Cha, arrives. Stan suggests she stay till his partner gets back. Reluctantly, Dionne does so, but paces about, nervously looking for what Ray was supposed to give her. In doing so, she finds a gun Ray left behind on the bar. Stan offers to put it in the office. Dionne says she is not bothered by the gun, and puts it back on the bar. A knock sounds at the front entry doors. Stan answers them to find Dominic Frontiere, house pianist at The Cha and Dionne’s lover. Dominic has come to take Dionne home and clean her up. Stan, ignorant of what he is talking about, tells him to get lost. Dominic responds by beating Stan up. Dionne remembers the gun on the bar and shoots Dominic, killing him. After Dionne and Stan collect themselves, another knock sounds at the front entry doors. Stan drags Dominic behind the bar. As Dionne attempts to clean up the blood left by Dominic’s body, Stan opens the entry doors. Outside stands Ruby Delgado, owner of The Cha. She has come to meet up with her fiance and house pianist, Dionne’s now-deceased lover Dominic Frontiere. Reluctantly, Stan lets Ruby in …