I'm a fool to kill you

FIFTEEN

I called Jack, filled him in, told him where I was. He said he’d pass the information on to Frank.

It was late in the afternoon when the phone rang. By then I had talked to the hospital and found out Larry’s last name, and his condition. I snatched it up on the first ring, so it wouldn’t wake Ava.

‘Eddie? How is she?’

‘She’s asleep now, Frank, has been for a couple of hours. I have the feeling it’s the first sleep she’s gotten for a while.’

‘But did you get a chance to talk to her?’

‘Briefly, but she didn’t tell me much. Just that her life was unraveling.’

‘She’s told me that on the phone, too,’ he said, ‘but not why.’

‘She’s not very forthcoming about that, Frank,’ I said. ‘And if she won’t tell you, she certainly won’t tell me.’

‘Maybe she will,’ Frank said. ‘Keep asking, Eddie. I can’t come there right now, but maybe in a few days. .’

‘She knows you’re with your family. She understands.’

‘Eddie. . is she drinkin’?’

‘Yes.’

‘A lot?’

‘Who can tell what a lot is, Frank?’ I said. ‘She’s sleeping because she passed out. Maybe from exhaustion, maybe from drinkin’, maybe a combination of both.’

‘OK,’ Frank said. ‘OK, Eddie. You need anything?’

‘Some answers.’

‘For what?’

I told him about the cabbie picking up a call for me, and then being hauled off to the hospital.

‘How bad was he hurt?’

‘I talked to some sawbones a little while ago. He was hurt badly enough to be admitted, but he’s not in danger of dying. Some broken bones and a lot of bruises,’ I said. ‘I’m gonna go and see him when I get a chance, and I want to take care of his medical bills.’

‘I’ll do that,’ Frank said. ‘You can count on me.’

I had planned on the Sands footing the bill, but I said, ‘Thanks, Frank.’

‘Why do you think he was jumped?’

‘I’ll know more when I’ve spoken to him. Maybe whoever beat him up said something. I still don’t know if he was jumped because he’s him, or they thought he was me.’

‘Why would somebody wanna jump you?’ he asked. ‘You’re only there because of Ava.’

‘I know,’ I said. ‘I need answers, from the cabbie and from Ava.’

‘Maybe she’s in trouble, Eddie,’ he said.

‘Yeah,’ I said, ‘and maybe I am too.’