It Was a Very Bad Year

SIXTY-ONE

Evans and I found a corner where we could talk.

‘I wanted to thank you again for the information you called me with,’ Evans said. ‘It really accelerated the capture of those kidnappers.’

‘Accelerated?’ I asked.

‘Well, yes,’ Evans said. He was impeccably decked out in an expensive brown suit with creases in his trousers that could carve a turkey and a burgundy pocket handkerchief. He wore gold cuff links, a couple of gold rings, but nothing on his wedding ring finger. I bet myself that he was always in the society pages, one of LA’s most eligible bachelors. ‘We were going to catch them, anyway. But you helped speed up the process.’

‘I see.’

‘So I don’t think I should be reading anything in the newspapers about you being the one who caught the kidnappers.’

‘Is that what you’re worried about, Mr DA?’ I asked. ‘That I’m gonna try and take credit for bringin’ Frankie home? And findin’ the kidnappers?’

‘Well, aren’t you?’

‘I don’t care about the credit, Evans,’ I said. ‘You can have it.’

‘You getting paid that much that you don’t need to be the hero?’

‘I’m not gettin’ paid anythin’.’

He took a step back regarded me, puzzled.

‘So you did this — all of this — for nothin’? For. . what? Friendship?’

‘That’s right, friendship,’ I said. ‘Frank called and asked me to help, and I said yes.’

‘And you put your life on the line?’

I shrugged.

‘I don’t understand that,’ he said.

‘What? The concept of someone doin’ somethin’ for a reason other than profit?’

‘I’m a politician, Eddie,’ he said. ‘Altruism is not something I see every day. It’s not something I even understand.’

I wasn’t sure I knew what ‘altruism’ meant back then, but I pretty much figured it out.

‘Some people just do the right thing, Mr Evans,’ I said. ‘And I guess that’s somethin’ I wouldn’t expect a politician to get.’

For some reason he decided to take offense at that moment.

‘Oh, look here,’ he said, ‘don’t go getting so high and mighty on me. According to Mr Raggio you’re nothin’ but another hood. You work for the mob in one of their casinos, and you work to keep their friends out of trouble.’

‘I think I’m done talking to you, Mr Evans,’ I said. ‘I see a lot more interesting people in the room.’

‘Yeah, you listen-’

‘Dino!’ I yelled.

Dean Martin had just walked in. He spotted me and came walking over.

‘Hey, Eddie!’ He gave me a big hug. ‘Who do we have here?’

‘This is Mr Evans, the District Attorney around here. He worked with the cops and the FBI on gettin’ Frankie back.’

‘Well,’ Dino said to Evans, ‘let me shake your hand, fella. You did a helluva job.’

Evans shook hands with Dean but studied me. I guess he was waiting for me to play hero.

‘Thank you, Mr Martin,’ he said. ‘I was just. . just doing my job.’

Dino looked at me, a smile on his handsome face. He was wearing a blue suit that made the DA’s look cheap.

‘I wanted to come over while everything was going on, but Frank said no. He said it would attract too much attention.’

‘He was quite right,’ Evans said. ‘We had enough media attention to deal with.’

‘Well,’ Dean said, ‘it’s a pleasure to meet you. Eddie, I’ll see you later. I’m gonna go and find Frank and Frankie, so I can give the kid a big hug. Excuse me boys.’

‘Yes, sir,’ Evans said.

I nodded and Dean moved away into the room crowded with Sinatra well wishers.

I caught Evans looking at me.

‘Maybe I misjudged you, Eddie,’ he said, finally.

‘You know what, Evans?’ I said. ‘It really doesn’t matter whether you did or didn’t because we probably won’t ever see each other again after this.’

‘You’re right,’ Evans said. ‘We probably won’t.’

He turned and followed in Dino’s wake into the crowded room.