I'm a fool to kill you

SIX

I used one of the phones behind the front desk to call Ted Silver, who worked in Security at McCarran Airport. I had to wait a while for him to come on the line. In those days the airport — named for Senator Pat McCarran — was pretty small, so he came on the line quick.

‘Eddie G., my man,’ Ted said. ‘What can I do for you, brother?’

‘Ava Gardner.’

‘Sign me up.’

‘I need to know if she flew in or out of Vegas in the past couple of hours.’

‘You’re kiddin’, right?’

‘Not kidding, Ted,’ I said. ‘In fact, she may be in the airport right now. Or stepping out of a cab.’

‘Jesus,’ he said, ‘what the hell am I doin’ on the phone with you?’

‘Find out for me, Ted.’

‘And whataya want me to do with her if she’s here?’ he asked. ‘You want me to hold ‘er here? She run out on a marker?’

Good question. What did I want? Entratter didn’t say anything about bringing her back to the Sands.

‘No, no,’ I said, ‘don’t detain her. I just need to know if she was here. And where she goes.’

‘That’s it?’

‘That’s it.’

‘What’s it about, Eddie?’ he asked. ‘Did she run out on a debt?’

‘Just do it for me, Ted. OK?’

‘OK, Eddie,’ Ted said. ‘I’ll give ya a call back at the Sands, right?’

‘Right. Thanks, Ted.’

‘Tickets to a show, right?’

‘Whenever you want.’

‘I’ll be talkin’ to ya.’

I hung up, nodded my thanks to the people behind the desk and got out of their way.

I decided not to bother Dean Martin with this. Frank had told me on more than one occasion that we were friends, and that I could talk to him anytime. On the other side of the desk I found a house phone and asked for Frank Sinatra’s suite, made arrangements to see him.

But in the end I decided to go ahead and check with Dean before seeing Frank. I knew how volatile Frank’s relationship with Ava had always been. Maybe I could avoid throwing wood on that fire.

I found out Dean had arranged for a tee time at the Desert Inn Golf Course. The last time I bothered him there he’d been playing a round with Bob Hope. This time — according to Jack Entratter — I might’ve been interrupting a round with Jack Benny.

I found Mack Gray, Dean’s Man Friday, in the clubhouse bar. After we shook hands he confirmed that Dean was on the course with Jack Benny.

‘You want I could drive ya out there?’ he asked.

‘You know what hole they’ll be on?’

‘We could probably figure it out,’ he said. ‘Come on.’

We got a golf cart and after Mack wedged his bulk behind the wheel, we took off. Several times as he executed a bend I thought Mack’s weight was going to overturn us. But somehow he managed to keep the cart upright.

As we drove I asked Mack if he knew anything about Ava Gardner, any recent news.

‘I know what I hear the boss talk about,’ he said. ‘She took some time off from movies, but just made one recently. I think she finished last month.’

‘Where did they shoot?’

‘Spain. I think that was the only reason she did it. She ain’t made a Hollywood movie since nineteen sixty.’

Some of that I already knew.

‘There they are,’ he said.

They were on the tee for the eighth hole. As we drove toward them Dean noticed us, must have recognized Mack behind the wheel. He said something to the other men — presumably Jack Benny — and walked towards us.

‘What’s goin’ on, Eddie?’ he asked, as I got out of the cart. With my weight gone the thing almost tipped over on Mack, but he quickly got out before that happened.

‘I just wanted to ask you a couple of quick questions before I bother Frank with them,’ I said.

Jack Benny looked over at us, and then checked his watch.

‘I won’t keep you long, Dean,’ I said. ‘I don’t want to get Mr Benny mad.’

‘Don’t worry,’ Dean said, ‘He’ll sulk a bit, but when I beat him he’s going to blame you.’ He put his right hand in the pocket of his white pants, leaned on the golf club with his left. ‘What’s this about Eddie?’

‘Word’s goin’ around the hotel that Ava was there this morning.’

‘Ava? I thought she was in Spain.’

‘That’s what I thought. So you didn’t see her? Or hear anything?’

‘No.’

‘Nothin’ from Frank?’

‘Nope,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘If he saw her he hasn’t told me.’

‘Would Frank bring Ava to Vegas while his kids were here?’ I asked.

‘Maybe,’ he said. ‘After all, she was their step-mother for a while.’

‘But would he bring her while their real mom was here?’

‘No,’ Dean said, shaking his head, ‘that’d be looking for trouble.’

‘Well,’ I said, ‘I guess I’m gonna have to ask him if he’s seen her. Entratter wants me to find out if she was really here.’

‘Well, ask him, then,’ Dean said. ‘Maybe he did see her, but he sure wouldn’t mix her with Nancy.’

I nodded.

‘Thanks Dean.’

‘Anything else?’ he asked ‘Or can I get back to my game?’

‘How’s it goin’, Boss?’ Mack asked.

‘You and me are gonna eat in style tonight, Big Guy,’ Dean said, ‘on Mr Benny’s dime.’

‘That’ll make ‘im cry,’ Mack said.

‘Let me know what happens, Eddie,’ Dean said, and returned to his game.

As we drove back to the clubhouse I said to Mack, ‘It should be interesting to have dinner with Jack Benny, huh?’

‘Oh, Mr Benny won’t be there.’

‘But Dean said you’d be having dinner with him.’

‘We’re gonna have dinner on him,’ Mack said. ‘If he loses and has to buy two dinners, he sure ain’t gonna wanna buy a third!’