It Was a Very Bad Year

FORTY-THREE

It came down to me, Jack Entratter, Jilly Rizzo and Frank in his room, first drinking coffee, and then ordering some bourbon from room service. I took the opportunity to tell Frank about Jerry meeting us in the morning.

‘That’s good,’ he said. ‘I want him to make sure the exchange goes down perfect, and you get back safe.’

‘Where will you be staying in LA, Frank?’ Jack asked.

‘I called Nancy,’ Frank said. ‘I’m gonna stay in her house in Bel-Air. When we get Frankie back I’ll have him brought there. His mother and sisters are worried.’

‘Everybody’s worried, Frank,’ Jilly said.

‘I know,’ Frank said. ‘The word’s got out.’

‘How’d that happen?’ Jack asked.

‘You know, Jack,’ Frank said. ‘This kind of thing is hard to keep a lid on. I got some calls offering to help.’

‘From who?’ Jilly asked.

‘Bobby Kennedy, for one.’

‘What?’ Entratter said, shocked. ‘What did the boy Attorney General want?’

‘He said if there was anything him or his family could do, I should let them know.’

‘Have you heard from them since Jack was killed?’ Jilly asked. ‘Since they wouldn’t let you go to the funeral?’

‘No,’ Frank said, ‘this was the first time.’

‘What did you tell him?’ I asked.

‘I said I appreciated his offer, but that me and my people had the situation in hand.’

‘You know who he’s gonna think you mean by your people, don’t you?’ Jilly asked.

‘I don’t give a rat’s ass what he thinks,’ Frank said. ‘As a matter of fact, I also got a call from Mo Mo.’

‘What’d he say?’ Jack asked.

‘Pretty much the same thing. If I need any help, give him a call.’

If Frank had allowed Giancana to get involved, the kidnappers probably would end up dead.

‘And what’d you tell him?’ Jilly asked.

Frank actually smiled, but just for a second.

‘Pretty much the same thing. I don’t need either one of them gettin’ involved. I just want to pay the ransom and get my boy back.’

‘We all want that, Frank,’ Jilly said.

‘We better turn in,’ Jack said. ‘We have to get an early start in the mornin’.’

‘Are we all going?’ I asked.

‘Yeah,’ Jack said. ‘Jilly and me, we’re stickin’ until the kid is back home safe and sound.’

‘I appreciate that,’ Frank said, ‘but Jack’s right. And I need to talk to Eddie for a little bit, alone. So you two get out.’

Frank was kicking Jilly and Jack out as nicely as he could. The bottle was empty, so they didn’t put up much of a fight.

When the door closed behind them Frank said, ‘Any coffee left in that pot?’

I picked it up and shook it.

‘A little.’

‘Pour it out, kid,’ Frank said.

I poured and handed him his cup.

‘What’s up, Frank?’

‘Just wanna give you a chance to back out, Eddie,’ he said. ‘You might be puttin’ your life on the fuckin’ line, here. Jerry’s flyin’ in, he can do the swap if you’d rather not.’

‘Frank, I said I was in, and I am. I’m not going to change my mind.’

‘You’re a good friend, Eddie,’ he said. ‘A good friend. If we get Frankie back — what am I saying? When we get Frankie back you got a big fuckin’ thank you comin’ to you.’

‘It’ll be enough for me to see that kid safe and sound.’

‘Yeah, well, we’ll see,’ Frank said. ‘You just might find somethin’ nice on your doorstep. Somethin’ real nice.’

‘Frank, I don’t-’

Frank drained his cup and slapped me on the shoulder.

‘Now get out of here so I can get some sleep. We’ll meet in the lobby at seven a.m.’

‘Seven,’ I said. ‘I’ll be there.’ I put my cup down, untouched. It was cold, anyway.

I left the room, walked past two of the FBI men and entered my room.

‘Eddie.’

I jumped. I hadn’t expected to see anybody in my room, so the DA, Bill Raggio, scared the shit out of me.

‘Close the door, Eddie,’ Raggio said, standing up from the bed, where he’d been seated. ‘We have to talk.’