American tabloid

JPK, SR.

Joseph P. Kennedy, Senior.

BB for Boston branch.

August ‘59-Sid Kabikoff talking to Mad Sal:

“I knew Jules way back when”/”when he was SELLING DOPE and USING THE PROFITS to finance movies with RKO back when JOE KENNEDY owned it.”

Stop. Make the call. Impersonate a Bureau hard-on and confirm it or refute it.

Littell dialed 0. He dripped sweat all over the telephone.

An operator came on. “What number, please?”

“I want the Security-First National Bank, in Boston, Massachusetts.”

“One moment, sir. I’ll look the number up and connect you.”

Littell held the line. Adrenaline hit: he went dizzy and parched.

A man answered. “Security-First National.”

“This is Special Agent Johnson, FBI. Let me speak to the manager, please.”

“Please hold. I’ll transfer you.”

Littell heard connection clicks. A man said, “This is Mr. Carmody. May I help you?”

“Th-this is Special Agent Johnson, FBI. I have an account number at your bank here, and I need to know who it belongs to.”

“Is this an official request? It’s a Sunday, and I’m here overseeing our monthly inventory-”

“This is an official request. I can get a bank writ, but I’d rather not put you to the trouble of an in-person visit.”

“I see. Well… I guess…”

Littell came on firm. “The number is 811512404.”

The man sighed. “Well, uh, the 404 listings denote safedeposit-box storage accounts, so if you’re interested in balance figures, I’m afraid-”

“How many storage boxes are rented out to that account number?”

“Well, that account is quite familiar to me, because of its size. You see-”

“How many boxes?”

“An entire vault now of ninety.”

“Can valuables be transferred directly into that vault from outside sources?”

“Certainly. They could be placed in the boxes sight unseen, by second parties with access to the account holder’s password.”

Ninety stash boxes. Millions in Mob-laundered CASH-

“Who does that account number belong to?”

“Well…”

“Shall I get a writ?”

“Well, I…”

Littell almost shouted it. “Is the account holder Joseph P. Kennedy Sr.?”

“Well… uh… yes.”

“The senator’s father?”

“Yes, the senator’s-”

The phone slipped out of his hand. Littell kicked it across the room.

The black book. Mr. 1408, millionaire loan shark.

He went back over the numbers and confirmed it. He triplechecked every digit until his vision blurred.

Yes: Joe Kennedy lent the Fund Sun Valley seed money. Yes: The Fund lent the money out to James Riddle Hoffa.

Sun Valley constituted felony land fraud. Sun Valley spawned two Pete Bondurant killings: Anton Gretzler and Roland Kirpaski.

Littell tracked 1408s across paper. He saw continuous commas-and no cash-out bottom-line one-time profit.

Joe only took interest out. Joe’s base loan sums stayed liquid inside the Fund.

Growing.

Laundered, hidden, obfuscated, tax-sheltered and funneled- disbursed to labor thugs, dope pushers, shylocks and mobbed-up fascist dictators.

The all-code books contained specifics. He could crack the code and know exactly where the money went.

My secrets, Bobby-I’ll never let you hate your father.

Littell went eight drinks over his limit. He passed out shouting numbers.