I'm a fool to kill you

FOUR

The next morning I drove up to the Sands, stopped to take in the marquee. The day before it had said FRANK SINATRA, DEAN MARTIN, SAMMY DAVIS JR. On this morning it said NAT KING COLE, and below that TONY LABELLA in the lounge. Later that morning I watched from my pit as Jack Entratter walked across the casino floor towards me. He had a determined look on his face, one that said he either had indigestion, or a problem. Or maybe one was causing the other. As usual, his shoulders were straining the seams of an expensive suit.

I stepped out to meet him, and to keep our conversation away from the tables.

‘What’s up, Boss?’ I asked.

‘Have you seen Ava Gardner?’

‘In which movie?’

‘Don’t be a wise guy, Eddie,’ he said. ‘Have you seen her in the casino?’

‘Ava Gardner? Here?’ My heart started beating faster just at the thought. ‘If she was here I missed her, Jack. What the hell-’

‘Somebody said they saw her in the lobby of the hotel — twice,’ he said. ‘Once coming in, and then going out. Very upset, apparently.’

‘When?’

‘This morning. Seems she came in and left within half-an-hour — if it was her.’

‘Who saw her?’

‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘Word’s gettin’ around. You know how that works. Nobody ever remembers where something like that got started. That don’t stop them from spreadin’ it around, though.’

‘How are you gonna find out if she was actually here, Jack?’

He smiled at me and poked me in the chest with a thick forefinger. ‘I’m not, Eddie. You are. I’ll be in my office. Let me know what you find out.’ He started away, then stopped and turned. ‘Oh, and stop the word from going around. I don’t want to hear it again.’

‘Why me?’ I asked.

‘Because you’re the guy, Eddie,’ he said. Only he said, ‘The Guy,’ with capital letters. ‘You’re my go-to-guy, right?’

‘But why, Jack.’

‘Why what?’

‘Why do you want to know if it was Ava?’ I asked. ‘I mean, we get lots of celebrities here. It’s Vegas.’

‘Because I’m the boss,’ he said, ‘and I’m tellin’ you to find out for me. Do you need more than that, Eddie?’

‘Ya know what, Jack?’ I said. ‘I kinda do. I mean, after all this time workin’ for you, doin’ what you say without question-’

‘Ha!’

‘-I need an explanation for this one.’

He hesitated, then said, ‘OK, Eddie. This is not just a celebrity, this is Ava. Frank’s Ava. If she came here it was to see him, but then she ran out. I wanna know why before it gets back to Frank. That enough?’

He was looking out for Frank, like always.

‘Yeah, OK,’ I said. ‘That’s enough.’

‘Thank you,’ he said, and started to walk away.

‘Wait, Jack!’

He’d taken two steps, stopped and turned, frowning.

‘What about Frank?’ I asked.

‘What about him?’

‘Well. . can I just ask him if he’s seen her?’

Entratter rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.

‘I don’t see why not, but he’s got his ex-wife here, and his kids,’ he said. ‘Tread lightly.’

‘I always do, Jack,’ I said, ‘when it comes to the guys.’

‘Check with Dean first,’ he suggested. ‘Maybe you won’t have to bother Frank. Those guys usually know everything about each other.’

‘I’ll do that,’ I said. ‘I had dinner with him last night, but do you know where he is now?’

‘I can’t do your job for you, Eddie,’ he said. ‘You know Dino. Check the golf course. I heard Jack Benny’s in town. They’re probably playing.’

Entratter started to walk away, then stopped and turned, raising his arm like he forgot something.

‘What’s with Rachel?’ he asked. ‘She’s in my office, sayin’ you sent her home yesterday.’

‘She’s got two left hands, Jack,’ I said, scowling at him. ‘And she doesn’t have the head for a dealer. And why the hell didn’t you tell me she was some mob guy’s goumada?’

‘You didn’t ask,’ he said. ‘Besides, I’m the boss. That means I don’t have to explain everything to you. Right?’

‘But Jack. . does she have to be a dealer?’

‘No, she don’t,’ Jack said. ‘Why don’t you just find something else for her to do?’

‘Why do I have to-’ I started to ask, again.

‘Because I foisted her off on you,’ he answered, cutting me off. ‘You don’t want her? Foist her off on someone else. But don’t let it interfere with finding out about Ava.’

‘You got it, Boss.’

Since I was going to have to leave the casino floor — and probably the building — I needed somebody to cover my pit for me. One of my floormen was just weeks away from becoming a pit boss himself, so I asked him to take my place for the day.

‘Just today, Eddie?’ he asked.

I grinned and said, ‘I’m hoping it won’t be much longer than that, Phil, but if it is you’ll be the first to know.’

‘Anythin’ you wanna tell me before you leave?’ he asked.

‘Yeah,’ I told him, ‘just don’t piss off any of my regulars.’

Then I went in search of Ava Gardner.