Sixkill

33

The big windows in Rita Fiore’s top-floor corner office gave a grand overlook of everyone who worked at lower altitudes.

“Above it all,” I said.

Rita smiled.

“And yet still a woman of the people,” she said.

“I’ve heard that,” I said.

“For an okay time, call Rita?”

“I read it somewhere,” I said. “I want to talk with Jumbo Nelson alone.”

“Most people don’t,” Rita said.

“I know,” I said. “But I do. And I don’t want to have to fight with his bodyguard, or outwit his agent, or work around his lawyer.”

“And you want me to help with that?” Rita said.

“Yes,” I said. “Do you think, despite your recent estrangement, that you could get Jumbo to come see you alone.”

Rita began to smile.

“We both know how to get Jumbo here alone,” she said.

“Could you stand it?”

“I believe I could,” she said. “As long as I don’t actually have to be alone with him.”

“That would be your choice,” I said.

“I’m friendly,” Rita said. “But not desperate.”

“Jumbo would be a good working definition,” I said, “of desperate.”

“Maybe hopeless,” Rita said. “Can you fill me in?”

“Seems fair,” I said. “Since you’re prepared to sacrifice your virginity for me.”

“A,” Rita said, “I am not letting Jumbo Nelson within ten feet of my virginity, and B, I sacrificed it long ago, for two piña coladas and a half-hour of fun in the backseat of a Buick.”

“Girls gone wild,” I said.

“And the tradition lives on,” Rita said. “Fill me in.”

I told her what I knew about Jumbo’s Mob connections, about Silver and Ratoff, Alex and Augie, AABeau Film Partners, Alice DeLauria, Nicky Fellscroft, and Stephano DeLauria.

“Wow,” Rita said.

“Yeah,” I said.

“You’ve been a busy beaver...” Rita paused and smiled. “If I may use the term.”

“No one better qualified,” I said.

“You know a lot,” she said. “About this whole business.”

“I do.”

“And how is it helping your case?”

“Gives me more people to talk with,” I said.

“And what does it tell you about Jumbo?” Rita said. “Did he? Or didn’t he?”

“No idea,” I said.

“So you’re going to try and get him alone and sandbag him with all you know and hope it shakes something loose,” Rita said.

“I am.”

“Mind if I sit in?”

“No, maybe you can help,” I said.

“Maybe,” Rita said, and leaned forward and spoke into her intercom.

“Margie,” she said. “Get me Jumbo Nelson on the phone, please.”

Then she sat back and smiled.

“You expect to get him just like that?” I said.

“Watch,” Rita said.

In about five minutes, Margie’s voice over the intercom said, “Mr. Nelson on line one.”

“Thanks, Margie,” Rita said, and picked up.

“Jumbo,” she said. “Thank you so much for taking my call.”

She sounded like one of those women in an erectile dysfunction commercial.

“No, no, you’re very sweet... Listen, you know, you and I got off to a terrible start, but dammit, I don’t know why we can’t be friends...”

She giggled.

“Well, actually, yes, that is the kind of friendship I mean... No, me either... But you are one of the biggest stars in Hollywood...”

She giggled again.

“Define big any way you want to,” she said. “Really?... What I was thinking was maybe we could spend an afternoon together that I’d remember all my life, you know? My afternoon with Jumbo Nelson... right here in my office... We have all that’s required, a large couch, a private bar, a private bath, a lock on the door... No, I’m serious. How many chances are there to make love with a movie star... Yes, a lot of people tell me that... Oh, wonderful,” she said. “How soon... Oh, perfect. Time for me to take a shower and shake us some martinis... Yes... Come right to my office. My secretary will be expecting you... Not to worry, she knows the score... Wonderful, I can’t wait... You, too.”

She hung up and looked at me.

“Being a hot broad has its advantages,” I said.

She spread her hands and gestured at the big office.

“How do you think I got here,” she said.

“By being the best criminal litigator in the Commonwealth,” I said.

“And beyond,” Rita said, “but a tight skirt don’t hoit.”

“It certainly don’t,” I said.

“And it doesn’t do any harm, either,” Rita said, “if people think I might discard it easily.”

“More easily maybe than you actually do,” I said.

Rita smiled.

“I’m pretty easy,” she said.

“We all use what we’ve got,” I said.

“Like you don’t? You know what you look like. You know perfectly well that half the women in the city would disrobe in a heartbeat if you simply glanced at them.”

“Now you tell me,” I said.

“I’ll sit in on this if I may,” Rita said.

“Glad to have you,” I said.

“How you want to play the opening moments?” Rita said.

“Margie will let him in,” I said. “You’ll be sitting on the edge of your desk with your legs crossed.”

“You like that,” Rita said.

“I do,” I said. “So will Jumbo. I’ll be behind the open door, and when Margie closes it behind him, I’ll step out and lean on it.”

“And then?” Rita said.

“We’ll improvise,” I said.