It Was a Very Bad Year

FORTY

‘So they said nothing about the kidnapping?’ the DA asked.

‘No,’ I said, still rubbing my stomach, ‘nothing.’

We were in my room and I was sitting on the bed. Raggio, Rudin and the FBI agent who had saved me were there, along with Jilly Rizzo and Jack Entratter. Up to that point we had not told Frank what happened.

There was also the hotel doctor in the room, cleaning the gash on the back of my head.

‘It won’t need stitches,’ he said. ‘I could shave the area and put a bandage-’

‘That’s OK, Doc,’ I said, waving him away. ‘I don’t wanna be walking around looking like a monk. Thanks.’

He nodded, closed his bag and left the room.

‘So all they said was that they were delivering a message?’ Raggio asked.

‘Right.’

‘And nothing about Frank? Or Frankie?’ Rudin asked.

‘Not a thing.’

Raggio looked at the FBI agent, whose name was Kent.

‘Agent Kent? You didn’t hear anything?’

‘No,’ Kent said. ‘I’m sorry, I stopped for a pack of smokes, or I might have been able to save Mr Gianelli some trouble.’

‘I think you saved me a lot of pain, Agent Kent. I’m grateful.’

‘I’ll have to report to the agent in charge,’ he said.

‘Sure,’ Raggio said, ‘you go ahead.’

‘Mr Gianelli. . I’m glad you’re OK. Again, I’m sorry about the smokes-’

‘Never mind,’ I said. ‘You have my thanks.’

As he left I sipped some water somebody had gotten for me. My throat was sore from losing my lunch. I wished I had a cup of hot coffee.

‘Mr Gianelli,’ Raggio said, ‘is there anything else going on in your life that might explain this? So that we might — and no offense — look past it?’

‘I’ve been thinking about that,’ I said. Considering what their message had been — not to mess with anyone’s business — I figured the only person whose business I had affected was Barney Irwin. Because of me, his photo studio was closed. ‘I think so. I had some-’

Raggio held up his hands and said, ‘I don’t need to know what it is, especially if it’s not in my jurisdiction. I just need to know that this incident has nothing to do with the kidnapping.’

‘I’m fairly certain it doesn’t.’

‘Good.’ Raggio and Rudin exchanged a look. ‘Then we’ll leave you to recover.’

‘Yeah, thanks.’

They left the room, leaving me alone with Entratter and Rizzo.

‘Jealous husband?’ Jilly asked.

‘No.’

‘Then what?’ Jack asked.

‘I think this is a holdover of that Abby Dalton thing.’

‘Ah. . I don’t know all the facts about that,’ Jack said.

‘Believe me, you don’t need to,’ I said. ‘I’ll take care of this when we get back to Vegas.’

‘So you really don’t think this is connected to the kidnapping?’ Jilly asked.

‘No, I don’t.’

‘OK, then,’ Jilly said. ‘I’m gonna go back and sit with Frank.’

‘We’ll be along in a while,’ Jack said.

When we were alone, Jack sat on the bed next to me. The mattress sagged significantly.

‘You on the level about this?’

‘Oh, yeah,’ I said. ‘They never said a word about the kidnapping, and when I mentioned it they looked confused.’

‘You mentioned it?’

‘I said the word “kidnapping”. That’s all. I never mentioned Frank or Frankie.’

‘Were they gonna kill you?’

‘No,’ I said, ‘at least, I don’t think so. Why lie about a message, and needing to hurt me, if they were plannin’ to kill me?’

‘And you know who’s behind this?’

‘I think so,’ I said. ‘It’s a guy who’s afraid of Jerry, but apparently not so scared of me.’

‘OK,’ Jack said, ‘OK. I’m glad Agent Kent was on your ass.’

‘I wish he’d been a little closer,’ I said, rubbing my stomach. ‘The worst thing was tasting that spaghetti again.’

‘I know,’ Jack said. ‘That was pretty bad going down. Maybe later we can get a couple of steaks upstairs.’

‘I hope their steaks are better than their Italian.’

‘The Sky Room is supposed to be pretty good.’

‘I hope so.’

‘I’m gonna check in with Frank.’

‘I’m going to make some calls,’ I said. ‘I’ll see you later.’

He put his hand on my shoulder, squeezed it once, then left. I immediately picked up the phone and dialed Danny’s number in Vegas.