Hey There (You with the Gun in Your Hand)

Forty-one

The police station was on West Russell, just off Las Vegas Boulevard. We could have walked, but we were able to snag a cab easily for a ride to the Sands.

When we got back it was after 2 A.M. The cops had given us all the coffee we wanted, and we were coffee’d out. But for once I was as hungry as Jerry, so we went to the Garden Room and each ordered the $4.99 special.

“I thought they’d keep us there all night,” Jerry said. “A few more hours and I woulda starved to death.”

As I cut into my prime rib it seemed to me more like days than hours since we’d been in Tahoe with Sammy that morning.

Which reminded me.

“Shit, I’ll have to call Jack early in the morning to arrange for the copter again. He’s not gonna like why we missed it.”

“It ain’t your fault the cops hauled ya in,” Jerry said.

“When this all started Jack told me not to find any more bodies, like last year.”

Jerry shrugged.

“He don’t know that we did.”

“What did Hargrove tell you?” I asked.

Jerry gave me the rundown on his interrogation by the detective, and it was pretty much the same one I’d experienced, except that Hargrove had been much more aggressive with him.

“Cops always try that with me,” he said. “They think they can break me down.”

“Well, he kept me waiting longer than he questioned me. I assumed he was with you all that time.”

“He left me alone for a long time, too.” He shrugged. “It’s just another cop trick. He didn’t get nothin’ outta me.”

“Me, neither.”

“I knew he wouldn’t,” Jerry said.

“How could you be so sure?”

“Easy,” he said. “You had every chance last year-and tonight-to throw me to ’em, to keep yourself in the clear. You never did.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you, Jerry.”

“I know. You’re a stand-up guy, Mr. G.”

We finished our meals and ordered some pie. Jerry had more coffee, but I stuck with water.

“Why don’t we try to get to Reno tonight?” the big guy asked.

“I’d have to wake Jack, or Sammy, to arrange for the copter,” I said. “The meet isn’t until tomorrow night. We can get to Reno in the morning and have time to check it out.”

“You know people in Reno, Mr. G.?”

“I know some people, and I can get around,” I said. “I can arrange to get us a car.”

“So all we gotta do now is get some shut-eye.”

“Right,” I said. “If I can sleep on a full stomach.”

“Me, I sleep better on a full stomach.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“You takin’ care of the check, Mr. G.?”

“I got it, Jerry.”

“Then I’m gonna go; I’m done in,” he said. “Meet in the lobby again?”

“Yeah,” I said, “make it nine-thirty, this time. Gives me time to call Jack early.”

“G’night, Mr. G.”

“ ’night, Jerry.”

He left the Garden Room and I signaled the waitress for the check.

I sat back. I was going to have to wake Jack Entratter early, unless he was in his office early again. He seemed to have a lot on his mind, lately, so it was real possible he would be.

I paid the check and headed for the elevators, but detoured to the front desk. Anthony was working, this time not alongside Caitlin.

“Where’s Caitlin tonight, Anthony?” I asked.

“The weirdest thing happened,” he said. “She quit.”

“Oh? Why?”

“Beats me. I got the word when I came on. Now I got this guy to train.”

There was another young man behind the desk, looking confused and lost.

“You’re pretty new yourself, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, but I catch on quick,” he said. “Can’t say the same for him.”

“What about Caitlin?”

“She caught on quick,” he said.

“She was real pretty,” I said. “You, uh, have any luck?”

“Huh-uh, not me. She said she was into older guys.”

“Is that a fact?”

“Yeah,” he said, “in fact, she seemed pretty interested in you.”

“How interested?”

“She asked a lot of questions.”

“Too bad she’s gone.”

“Yeah.” Anthony looked over at his shift partner. “No, Hector, not like that.” He looked at me. “Gotta go, Mr. Gianelli.”

“Sure,” I said. “One more thing. Caitlin say anything about havin’ a boyfriend?”

Anthony laughed. “Caitlin had lots of boyfriends but the same guy picked her up every morning.”

“Really?”

“I gotta straighten Hector out, Mr. Gianelli,” he said, apologetically.

“I tell you what, Anthony,” I said. “You do that and I’ll wait. This is kind of important.”

Now it was Anthony’s turn to look confused.

“Oh, well, okay,” he said. “Let me just … I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll wait here,” I said.

He went over to straighten out the new guy. I leaned on the counter to wait for him. Hopefully, he’d be able to tell me something about Caitlin’s boyfriend that would help me find him. Somebody was responsible for sending four guys to their deaths. Maybe it was two people who were running things. Maybe it was Caitlin and her boyfriend.