I'm a fool to kill you

SEVENTY-ONE

Danny and Penny were waiting for us, so when we rang her bell — second floor, back — Danny opened the door immediately.

Penny tried not to gush, tried her best to be professional, and she almost made it.

When she went to her kitchen to get coffee Ava said to all of us, ‘She’s sweet, is she really the one who’s going to be responsible for my safety for the next few days?’

‘No,’ Danny said before I could respond, ‘she’s not. I’ll be staying here, too.’

‘And what will the sleeping arrangements be?’ Ava asked with a grin. ‘You and Penny in her bed and me on the sofa?’

‘No,’ Danny said, ‘you could share the bed with Penny, or you could have the bed, Penny will take the sofa and I’ll take the floor.’

‘Or-’ Ava started, but I cut her off.

‘You three can work that out,’ I said, ‘and I’m hoping it won’t be more than one night. If Momo is true to his word, that is.’

‘I’ll go help Penny and get acquainted, then,’ Ava said. ‘I’ll see you boys later.’

‘That was good thinkin’, Danny,’ I said.

‘You had a good idea, Eddie, bringin’ her here, but you didn’t think it through, and neither did I, until now.’

‘You’re right,’ I said. ‘I don’t know what I was thinkin’.’

‘Well, we’ve got it straight now,’ he said. ‘You and Jerry go and do what you gotta do. We’ll just wait here for the good word.’

‘OK,’ I said.

‘Remember,’ Jerry said to Danny, ‘she’s a lady.’

‘You mean a threesome is out of the question?’

Actually, knowing Ava, I didn’t think it was, but I dragged Jerry out of there before he could belt Danny.

When we got to the front stoop Jerry stopped and looked around.

‘Were we followed?’ I asked.

‘No,’ he said. ‘I’m sure we weren’t. I’m just bein’ careful.’

‘And to that end,’ I said, ‘we should find a place to drop you off while I go back to the Sands.’

He grinned.

‘I know just the spot.’

I dropped Jerry at Benny Binion’s so he could eat at their coffee shop, then drove to the Sands. A couple of stacks of pancakes would keep him busy.

Jack was waiting for me in his office. His girl didn’t bother looking up at me.

I walked to his desk and dropped the rings on it, next to a jar of Momo’s sauce, which was still there.

‘You know what these are?’ I asked.

‘Rings?’ He picked one up, looked at it, and set it down.

‘One of the two guys who beat up the cabbie in L.A. wore one. And two other Chicago goons who came after me wore them.’

‘Two others? There were four altogether?’

I held out my hand, fingers and thumb extended.

‘Five?’

‘But only three wore these rings.’

‘Wait a minute,’ he said. ‘What happened to the five men?’

‘They’re dead.’

‘You?’

‘Jerry,’ I said. ‘And Ava.’

‘Ava?’ He dry washed his face with his big hands several times. ‘This is gettin’ way out of hand.’

‘Getting?’ I asked. ‘It’s got. But Momo’s gonna take care of it, right?’

He looked uncomfortable.

‘Isn’t he?’

‘He wants to,’ Jack said, ‘but I got a call this morning.’

‘What about? Is Momo-’

‘No, not that,’ he said. ‘Napolitano, he’s gone.’

‘Whataya mean, gone?’

‘Disappeared,’ Jack said. ‘Left Chicago.’

‘To come here?’

Jack shrugged.

‘Momo thought I should warn you. He said he was sending some guys.’

I sat down heavily.

‘Yeah? When will they get here?’

‘Any time now.’

‘Any time could be too late.’

‘Is Ava safe?’

‘Yes, but any time I say that, something happens.’

‘Meaning?’

‘Meaning somehow they always find us,’ I said. ‘How does that happen?’

‘I don’t know. Momo is probably bugged.’

‘Momo didn’t know where we were.’

‘Then who did?’

‘Nobody,’ I said. ‘Nobody but me, Jerry and Ava.’

‘And Tony.’

‘Tony only knew I asked for the key,’ I said. ‘He probably thought I was taking a girl there.’

‘So? He could’ve told somebody.’

‘I don’t think-’

‘Ask ’im’ Jack said. ‘See what he tells you. Sometimes the simplest answer is the best, Eddie.’

‘But not always. .’ another voice said.

Jack abruptly looked past me. I turned in my seat, saw a man in his fifties standing in the doorway, wearing a very expensive black suit.

‘Napolitano,’ Jack said.

‘Tony Napolitano?’ I asked.

‘Antonio,’ the man said. ‘Don Antonio Napolitano, at your service.’

He stepped into the room, hands in his trouser pockets. Behind him two men came in, with Jack’s girl between them, looking very frightened. Both men had guns. One of them was wearing a silver snake ring.

Great, I thought, just fuckin’ great.