I'm a fool to kill you

SIXTY-NINE

I took the first watch, sitting on the sofa with Jerry’s.45 either in my lap, or on the cushion next to me.

It seemed to me I hadn’t done all that much for Ava, except run her around L.A. and Las Vegas. If wise guys from Chicago stopped coming after her it would be because Sam Giancana put an end to Tony Napolitano. But if I could find out for her who actually killed Vito Napolitano, and prove to her that she didn’t do it, then I would have done something real for her.

Of course, if Giancana killed Vito to get at Tony, and then later killed Tony, he wasn’t about to admit any of that to me. But then I didn’t really have to prove who did kill Vito. I just had to convince Ava that, during a drunken black out, she hadn’t.

I picked up Jerry’s.45 and walked to the front window — the one without Jerry’s cardboard patch. I didn’t think the two goons Jerry had killed had help out there, but if they did we had to be aware and ready. There was plenty of moonlight and I could see the front of the house clearly. Then I walked to the kitchen door and looked out. The lock had been shattered by a kick. Jerry had found some tools the same place we found the shovels, and nailed it shut.

Satisfied, I got some water from the tap, carried the glass back to the living room with me and sat down on the sofa with the gun on the cushion next to me. We were taking a chance that I was right, that the two dead men were working alone, and that no one would come looking for them for at least a day. I was ready, though, in case someone kicked in the front door.

My four hours were about up and I was in mid yawn when Jerry came walking in, looking refreshed. I knew from past experience that he could operate on remarkably little sleep.

‘Hey, Mr G,’ he said. ‘Why don’t you turn in?’

‘Jerry, there’s a chance Hargrove will be waitin’ to catch me at the Sands,’ I said.

‘So if he catches you, he catches me, is that what you’re gettin’ at?’ he asked.

‘Pretty much.’

‘I’m sure you can get us into the Sands without goin’ through the front, Mr G.,’ he said. ‘I got lots of faith in you.’

I stood up, and his.45 changed hands, as did Ava’s little gun. We decided not to let Ava hang on to it herself. Less chance she might shoot one of us.

‘I hope I can earn your faith, Jerry,’ I said.

He grinned and said, ‘Hey, Mr G., no worries. You already have.’