Hey There (You with the Gun in Your Hand)

Four

“I’ve got a slight problem,” Sammy began.

That much I already knew, but I let Sammy get to it in his own time.

“There’s a picture … a photo … floating around that could be … embarrassing to me.”

“A photo.”

“Yeah.”

He sat there and waited. I didn’t say a word.

“Frank was right about you,” he said, then.

“What’d he say?”

“That you wouldn’t ask any questions.”

“Oh, I’ll ask questions,” I said, “when the time is right. Why don’t you just go on?”

“Okay, here’s the deal. The photo is not exactly floating around,” he said, “it’s in somebody’s hands.” He paused, took a drink. “This is the thing I can’t get my head around. A year ago my house was broken into and some negatives were taken. They were from a certain roll of film.”

“Wait, somebody broke in and stole one roll? That’s it? Nothing else?”

“Nothin’,” he said, “and I have some expensive equipment, jewelry, some cash-nothin’ but this roll of film.”

“Okay,” I said, “go on.”

“I’ve been waitin’ since then for the other shoe to drop and, man, it just dropped. I’m being blackmailed. Either I buy the picture back or it goes to the newspapers.”

“And have you already agreed to the buy?”

“Not yet,” he said. “I’m waiting to hear from them again.”

“Man or woman?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “I found a note here when I arrived.”

“In your room?”

“No, waitin’ for me at the desk.”

“Still got it?”

“Sure.”

He got up, walked to a sideboard, opened a drawer and took something out. He came back and handed me a regular white envelope. I took out a typewritten note and unfolded it. It read, “If you want the negative be prepared to pay for it. We’ll contact you.” There were no errors or misspellings.

I looked at him and he stared back. I decided not to ask if there was a photo in the envelope with the note. In all likelihood there was, and he’d removed it. I figured that was his prerogative.

I put the note back in the envelope and returned it to him.

“Are you gonna agree to buy it back?”

“If the negative really comes with it.”

“And how will you know that?”

Sammy waved his arms helplessly.

“I guess when we buy the photo the negative should be with it.”

“And what if they made another negative?”

He wiped his hand across his forehead and said, “I don’t know, Eddie. I’m making this up as I go along.”

“So what do you want me to do, Sammy?” I asked. “Find out who the blackmailer is? Do you have any idea-”

“No, no,” he said, cutting me off. “I know you’re not a detective, Eddie. I just need a-you know, a go-between, I guess.”

“So you want me to make the buy?”

“Yes.”

I could do that, I thought. Didn’t sound as dangerous as the other favors I’d done for Frank and Dean. No mob bosses or button men. Blackmailers didn’t kill people, did they?

“Okay,” I said, “I don’t see why I can’t do that.”

“You sure?”

“Why not? How hard could it be?”

“I appreciate it, Eddie,” Sammy said. “I really can’t think of anyone else.”

“Who else knows about this, Sammy?”

“Just you, me and Frank.”

“That’s it?”

“I haven’t told Silber, or my dad or uncle,” Sammy said. “I want to keep this as quiet as I can.”

I could understand that even though I didn’t know what was in the photo. I didn’t need to know.

“Okay,” I said. “You can count on me to keep it to myself.”

I stood up, and he stood with me.

“So should I call you in Vegas when I hear,” he asked, “or will you be staying in Tahoe?”

I looked at my watch. I didn’t think it made any sense for me to go back. If I stayed and took Frank up on his offer of the cabin I might even be able to put in a few leisure hours. I hadn’t had a vacation in a long time.

“I’ll stay over, at least tonight,” I said, as we walked to the door.

“I can get you a room here,” he said.

“That’s okay, Frank’s giving me a cabin at the Cal Neva.”

“Well then, at least let me leave a ticket at the door for tonight’s performance.”

“That I’ll take you up on,” I said. “I wouldn’t miss a chance to see you on stage.”

“I’ll leave two,” he promised. “Maybe you can get Frank to come, too.”

“I’ll tell him.”

At the door he shook my hand warmly, then hugged me impulsively.

“I really appreciate this, Eddie.”

“I haven’t done anything yet, Sammy.”

“I appreciate that you even came,” he said. “Stop backstage tonight after the show.”

“I will,” I said. “See you then.”