I'm a fool to kill you

SIXTY-TWO

I slept fitfully. I didn’t like the idea that someone knew which door to slide a message underneath — a threatening one at that. I probably should have changed rooms, but I was tired — so tired.

I got up early the next morning, had breakfast in the coffee shop, then went to the front desk.

Sean was working and I asked him about the message.

‘I swear, Eddie, it wasn’t me. I didn’t take a message, or slide one under your door.’

‘OK, then somebody grabbed a sheet of your paper,’ I said. ‘Who? Did you see anyone hangin’ around the desk yesterday?’

He thought a moment, said, ‘No, not really.’

‘OK, what do you mean “not really”?’

‘Well, there was somebody hangin’ around the desk, but he wasn’t suspicious.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because he was flirting with Rose.’

We both looked over at Rose, a stunning blonde who worked behind the desk and had a jealous husband. Who wouldn’t flirt with her? And what better ruse to not seem suspicious, waiting for your chance to grab a slip?

‘You can ask her about him, but I know for a fact that she never remembers guys who flirt with her. She puts them out of her mind.’

‘I’ll ask her anyway,’ I said. ‘Maybe there was something memorable about this one.’

‘There was something memorable about him,’ Rose said, moments later.

‘What was it?’

‘He was a creep,’ she said. ‘He wasn’t charming at all. He was smarmy and made me feel dirty.’

‘Why didn’t you have him tossed out?’

She lowered her eyes.

‘I can’t have every man who flirts with me thrown out, Eddie,’ she said.

‘No,’ I said, ‘we wouldn’t have any men in the place. Can you tell me what he looked like?’

‘I guess some women would think he was good-looking. He had strong features, an almost hawk-like nose, slicked back black hair — oh, and he had a pinky ring on, with a big diamond. I think I was supposed to be impressed.’

‘OK, Rose. Thanks.’

‘Have I gotten myself in trouble, Eddie?’

‘No,’ I said. ‘You didn’t do anythin’ wrong. Don’t worry about it.’

She’d just described every would-be wise guy who ever came out of Chicago and New York.

Damn it, what had Ava gotten herself into?

I was wishing Danny would call with some information or, at least, Jerry, when Sean called my name.

‘I got a call for you.’

‘Who is it?’ I asked, hoping it was Danny.

‘I don’t know,’ he said, ‘but he says it’s important. About somebody named Danny Bardini?’

With a cold feeling in the pt of my stomach I grabbed the phone and put it to my ear.

‘Hello?’

‘Eddie?’

‘That’s right.’

‘’ey, how you doin’?’ the voice asked. A familiar voice, too, one I wasn’t expecting to hear. ‘You know who this is?’

‘Yeah, I know, Mo-’

‘No names!’ Sam ‘Momo’ Giancana growled.