Jerry slept on the sofa. It was a large one and almost accommodated him. But he’d slept there before and knew how to maneuver it. Besides, he could sleep on a picket fence.
I lay awake for a while, wondering if the words on the list had anything to do with Abby Dalton, then decided they didn’t. It had to be something totally unconnected. I was just making things more complicated. We simply had to find those photos and negatives, and reveal Irwin to be the culprit.
I finally fell asleep, wondering why Barney hadn’t asked for any money. Or should that be. . yet?
Food was never as big a part of my life as it was when Jerry was around. The next morning I packed a small bag and we went to a diner near my house, where we had eaten breakfast a few times before. He ordered pancakes. I ordered a Spanish omelet.
‘What about French toast?’ I asked.
‘A poor substitute for pancakes.’
‘Waffles?’
He shrugged. ‘Same thing.’
I left him alone after that and let him eat his pancakes.
I had called Danny’s home number before we left my house and gotten no answer. Then I called his office, but it was too early. I was starting to worry about him, and having flashbacks to when I had asked him to go to LA with me, and he’d disappeared. We were lucky to get him back that time.
Jerry drove us down the strip, past the marquees that announced Alan King was at the Riviera, Louie Prima was playing the Desert Inn. As we made the turn into the Sands I saw that Nat King Cole was at the Flamingo. The Sands’ marquee said ‘A Place in the Sun’ and announced Tony Bennett.
When we got out of the car Jerry said, ‘I’m gonna find Billy, and also go to my room for a shower. Let me know when you hear from the PI guy.’
‘I will.’
I went to my locker first and put the fresh clothes away. When I came back up I was walking through the lobby of the hotel when one of the girls behind the desk waved at me.
‘I’ve got some messages for you, Eddie,’ she said.
I didn’t remember her name, so I said, ‘Thanks, sweetie.’
She handed me the slips. She was new, a pretty brunette. I’d have to ask somebody her name, and then make a point of remembering it.
One slip was from Danny. It said he’d meet me in the Garden Room at noon. I checked my watch. It was just after ten.
The second message was from Barney Irwin, and only had a call back number on it. I could have gone to the desk to use the phone, but I decided to use a pay phone, instead. More privacy. I got into a booth, deposited a dime and dialed the number.
‘Irwin Studios.’
‘Barney? This is Eddie Gianelli.’
‘I got what you want, Gianelli,’ Irwin said, ‘but it’s gonna cost you.’
This was more like it.
‘I told you I’d pay,’ I said. ‘I’ll come and pick the photos up.’
‘Not here,’ Irwin said. ‘There’s a bar on Decatur called Clipper’s. Meet me there at six tonight.’
‘I’ll be there.’
‘Leave your big dog home,’ Irwin said, and hung up before I could respond.
I came out of the phone booth and walked smack dab into my boss, Jack Entratter.
‘There you are!’ he said. ‘I’ve been lookin’ for you.’
‘I’m early, Jack,’ I said. ‘My shift’s not till later.’
‘I mean I been lookin’ for you for days, Eddie,’ he said.
‘Yesterday was my day off.’
‘Always an excuse,’ he said. ‘Come up to my office with me.’
‘What’s it about?’
‘Let’s wait until we get upstairs.’
Obediently, I followed Entratter to the elevators, then to his office. When we walked in his girl was at her desk and gave me one of her looks of disdain. I had never gotten into it with her about why she disliked me. I guess it just wasn’t that important to me.
‘Close the door, Eddie.’
I closed it. Jack was behind his desk, so I went and sat across from him.
‘What’s up, Jack?’
‘I like to know what’s goin’ on in my place, Eddie.’
‘I know that.’
‘Your buddy Jerry Epstein is in town. In fact, he’s in this hotel.’
‘I know that, too.’
‘What’s he doin’ here?’
‘He brought his nephew to Vegas for his twenty-first birthday.’
‘What?’
I shrugged. ‘That’s it. It’s a family thing.’
‘What’s his nephew doin’?’
‘Playin’ craps,’ I said. ‘He’s got a system.’
Jack settled back in his chair. ‘God bless system players.’
‘I know, that’s what I told them. But he insists it’s gonna work.’
‘OK, so what’s Jerry gonna do while his nephew is gambling?’
‘Cousin,’ I corrected. Here was my chance to tell Jack what I was doing for Abby Dalton, except she didn’t want it to be generally known. Jack had always told me he wanted the guys to be happy when they were here. That usually meant Frank and Dino, but I extended it to mean Sammy and Joey, too. (Peter Lawford could fend for himself. I never liked Lawford, and now he was on the outs with Frank.)
‘I guess he’s gonna play the ponies and eat.’
‘That’s it?’
‘No,’ I said, ‘I’ll probably have some meals with him. After all, we’re friends.’
‘Yeah, well. . OK.’
‘That’s it?’
‘No,’ Entratter said, ‘I wanna talk to you about some of the new dealers. You got time?’
‘Sure, I got time, Jack,’ I said, even though I was chafing at the bit to get out of there and call Abby. ‘That’s my job.’
‘OK, then,’ he said. ‘You want coffee. I’ll have my girl bring it in.’
‘Yeah, but don’t tell her it’s for me,’ I said. ‘She’ll spit in it.’
‘She ain’t gonna spit in it, Eddie,’ he said. ‘She knows I gotta drink it, too.’
‘Yeah, well. .’
He buzzed her and said into the intercom, ‘Coffee, please, and two cups.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘OK, Eddie,’ Entratter said, ‘let’s talk about that kid — what’s his name. .?’