The cold six thousand

117

(San Diego, 6/3/68)

Bobby soared.

He jabbed the air. He tossed his hair. He praised Dr. King. He co-opted him. He out-orated him. He made his praise sing.

It all worked. It all sang-the sunburn/the bray/the rolled sleeves.

The crowd soared. The crowd roared. The crowd cheered in sync. Two thousand people/crowd ropes up/parking-lot streams.

Littell watched. Littell willed Bobby: _Please look at me_.

See me. Don't fear me. I won't hurt you again. I'm a pilgrim. I fear _for_ you. My fear's justified.

Bobby stood on a flatbed. The tailgate shook and dipped. Aides stood below him. Aides steadied him.

_Look over. Look down. See me_.

His fear boiled over. It popped two weeks back. His fear stretched and peaked. He linked fear dots. He plumbed fear lines. He read fear hieroglyphs.

The news pic/the El Encanto/suite 301. The Sam line: "Box of goodies." The Carlos line: Pete's "small favor." Fear connections/hieroglyphs/puzzle chips.

It got bad. It ate him up. It ruined his sleep. He split Vegas. He flew to D.C. He called Paul Horvitz.

Paul hung up. He called Mr. Hoover. He called Dwight Holly. They hung up. He drove to the Bureau. Door guards ejected him.

He flew to Oregon. He approached campaign staffers. Staff guards restrained him. He saw his name on a list-all "Known Enemies."

He told the guards I _sense_ things. He said _please_ talk to me. They said no. They manhandled him. They ejected him.

Chips dovetailed. He sensed things. Mr. Hoover _knows_-just like he knew about Jack.

He flew to Santa Barbara. He got a hotel room. He staked out the El Encanto. He watched 301. He followed wires. He found the listening post.

Suite 208/fifty yards up/manned twenty-four hours per day.

He staked it out. He wore disguises. He worked six days and nights. He waited. The post stayed manned-all day/all night.

He went schizzy. He gave up sleep-six days/six nights. He lost weight. He saw goblins. Spots torqued his eyes.

It rained on day 7. One agent stayed on-post.

Luck:

Said agent goes off-post. Said agent visits suite 63. Said agent has a prostitute.

Littell hit 208. Littell picked the door lock. Littell locked himself in. Littell tossed the post.

He found a transcript log. He found a routing log. He found transcripts stacked. He skimmed back through mid-March. He saw:

March 15/16. Two three-way talks transcribed. Bobby plus Paul Horvitz. One man un-ID'd. Bobby's voluble. Bobby's effusive. Bobby talks anti-Mob.

He skimmed the routing log. He hit 3/20. He saw tape copies routed. The tapes for March 15/16. Said tapes routed to the Boys.

To Carlos. To Moe D. To John Rosselli. To Santo and Sam G.

That was this morning. That was twelve hours back.

He tracked Bobby's schedule. He drove south. He hit San Diego. He called the Bureau office. The ASAC hung up. He called SDPD. He told his story. A sergeant blew up.

The sergeant yelled at him. The sergeant said, "You're on a list." The sergeant hung up.

He drove to the rally. He got there early. He saw sound men set up. He braced them. He braced staffers. He got the bum's rush. He left. He came back. The crowd ate him up.

Littell watched Bobby. Littell waved his hands. _Look at me please_. Bobby soared. Bobby waved. Bobby loved up the crowd. Bobby spread contact thin.

Littell waved his hands. Something jabbed him-a needle/a pin/a stick. He went woozy-BOOM like that-he saw Fred Otash thiiiiiinnn.

(Las Vegas, 6/4/68)

Wild Janice-frail now.

More gray hair. More black eclipsed. More lines and hollows.

Wayne walked in. Janice shut the door. Wayne embraced her. He felt ribs. He felt hollows. He felt her curves slack.

Janice stepped back. Wayne took her hands.

"You look pretty good, considering."

"I wasn't going to put on all that powder. I'm not dead yet."

"Don't talk like that."

"Let me indulge myself. You're my first date since Ward deserted me."

Wayne smiled. "You were my first date, ever."

Janice smiled. "Are you talking about the Peru Cotillion of 1949 or the one time we did it?"

Wayne squeezed her hands. "We never got a second shot."

Janice laughed. "You weren't looking for one. It was just your way to cut loose of your father."

"I regret that. That part of it, I mean."

"You mean it was good, but you regret the timing and your motive."

"I regret what it cost you."

Janice squeezed his hands. "You're leading up to something."

Wayne blushed. Shit-you _still_ do that.

"I was hoping there'd be one more time."

"You can't mean it. With me like _this?_"

"You never get things right the first time."

o o o

It went soft. It went slow. It went like he wanted. It went like he planned.

Her body showed the hurt. Sharp bones over skin. Gray tones over white. Her breath tasted bitter. He liked her old taste-Salem Menthols and gin.

They rolled. Her bones scraped him. They touched and kissed long. Her breasts fell. He liked it. Her breasts used to stand.

She still had strength. She pushed him. She clutched and grabbed. They rolled. He tasted her. She tasted him.

She tasted sick. It stunned him. The taste settled in. He tasted her inside. He kissed her new scars. Her breath fluttered thin.

He got her close. She pulled back. She guided him in. He reached over. He turned on the bed lamp. The beam settled in.

It caught her face. It bounced off her gray hair. It caught her eyes flush.

They moved together. They got close and held. They locked their eyes up. They moved. They peaked close together. They let their eyes shut.

o o o

Janice played the radio. KVGS-all lounge stuff.

They hit some Barb songs. They laughed and rolled. They kicked the sheets up. Wayne dimmed the volume. The Bondsmen purred. Barb sang "Twilight Time."

Janice said, "You love her. Ward told me."

"I outgrew her. She grew up and messed with my crush."

Barb segued upbeat-"Chanson d'Amour." Janice dimmed the volume. Barb blew a high note. The Bondsmen cued her back up.

"I ran into her, about two years ago. We had a few drinks and discussed certain men."

Wayne smiled. "I wish I could have been there."

"You were."

"That's all you're saying?"

Janice zipped her lips. "Yes."

Barb segued dreamy-Jimmy Rogers' "Secretly."

Janice said, "I love that song. It reminds me of the man I was with then."

"Was it my father?"

"No."

"Did he find out?"

"Yes."

"What did he do?"

Janice touched his lips. "Be still. I want to listen."

Barb sang. Her voice held. She segued. She went upbeat. Reverb killed the mood.

Wayne killed the volume. Wayne rolled close to Janice. He kissed her. He touched her hair. He got her eyes close up.

"If I told you I could help you settle the one score that counts, would you want to do it?"

Janice said, "Yes."

o o o

She slept.

She ate pain pills. She drifted off. Wayne fluffed her hair on a pillow. Wayne pulled a quilt over her.

He checked his watch. It was 6:10 p.m.

He walked to his car. He grabbed two laundry bags. He grabbed a scratch pad and pen. He walked back. He bolted the door. He walked the living room. He pat-checked the walls. He patted and touched.

No hollow thunks/no wall seams/no panels.

He walked the bedroom. He worked around Janice. He patted and touched. No hollow thunks/no wall seams/no panels.

He walked Littell's study. He slid out a cabinet. He saw a wall seam. He found a catch and flipped it. A panel slid back.

He saw shelves. He saw a.38 snubnose. He saw ledgers stacked.

He opened the blue ones. He saw Teamster nomenclature. He opened the brown ones. He saw typed notes and hand scrawl. He skimmed the text.

Arden-Jane indicts Teamsters. Arden-Jane indicts mobsters. ArdenJane culls anti-Mob facts.

Book 2-page 84:

Arden-Jane rats "Chuck the Vice" Aiuppa. Arden-Jane rats Carlos M. She heard a rumor. She confirmed it. She transcribed.

March '59. Outside New Orleans. Carlos gives "Chuck the Vice" work. A "cajun fuck" fucked Carlos. Carlos says clip him.

"Chuck the Vice" obeys. "Chuck the Vice" kills said fuck. "Chuck the Vice" buries him.

Across from Boo's Hot-Links-six miles from Fort Polk. Look there-you'll find the bones.

Wayne pulled page 84. Wayne grabbed his scratch pad. Wayne wrote a note:

Mr. Marcello,

My father bought Arden Breen-Jane Fentress's file from her before she left Ward Littell. Ward has no idea that such a file exists.

My father plans to extort you with information contained in the file. Can we discuss this? I'll call you within 24 hours.

Wayne Tedrow Jr.

Wayne checked Littell's desk. Wayne found an envelope. Wayne dropped the page and note in.

He sealed the envelope. He addressed it: Carlos Marcello/Tropicana Hotel/Las Vegas.

He grabbed the ledger books. He filled a laundry bag. He walked out. He killed the bedroom lights. He kissed Janice.

He touched her hair. He said, "I love you."

(Lake Tahoe, 6/4/68)

News flash! It's over! Bobby K. wins!

The TV ran figures. Percentage points and precincts. It's Bobby decisive. It's Bobby's big win.

Pete watched. Ward watched near-comatose. Ward watched shellshocked.

They got Wayne's tip. They jumped him. They spiked him with Seconal. Pete drove him up. They hid in Wayne Senior's lodge.

Wayne was in Vegas. Fred O. was in L.A. Fred O. was priming Sirhan.

Ward slept crypt-style. Ward slept sixteen hours. Ward slept cuffed to a bed. He woke up. He saw Pete. He _knew_. He refused to talk. He said zero words. Pete knew he'd want to _see_.

Pete cooked pancakes. Ward ate zero. Pete ran the TV. They waited. Ward watched election news. Pete twirled his cane.

He'd called Barb. She said Fuck You. I won't run. I won't hide.

Pete babied Ward. Pete said talk to me please. Ward shut his eyes. Ward shook his head. Ward cupped his ears.

News flash! The Ambassador live! Bobby proclaims victory!

A camera cut to close-up. Bobby's all tousle-haired. Bobby's grinning all teeth.

The phone rang. Pete grabbed it.

"Yeah?"

Wayne said, "It's me."

Pete watched the TV. The picture skipped and settled. His pulse skipped. Bobbyphiles cheered Bobby.

"Where are-"

"I just talked to Carlos. He had plans for you and Barb, but I talked him out of it. You're free to do whatever you want, and Ward is retired as of now."

"Jesus Chr-"

"Dallas and up, partner. I pay my debts."

The picture skipped and settled. Pete put the phone down. Pete felt his pulse skip.

Bobby splits the podium. Bobby waves. Bobby steps away. The camera pans a doorway-Bobby adieu-the camera cuts back.

The camera pans Bobbyphiles. A mike gets the gunshots. A mike gets the screams.

Oh God-

Oh no.

No not _that_-

Senator Kennedy has been-

Pete hit the remote control. The TV bipped off.

Ward cupped his ears. Ward shut his eyes. Ward fucking screamed.

(Lake Tahoe, 6/9/68)

Reruns:

The eulogies. The High Mass. The funeral scenes. Wakes plural-King and Bobby.

He watched. He watched all day and night. He watched four days on.

Reruns:

The kitchen chaos. The cops with Sirhan. The Feds with James Earl Ray. Caught in London. "I'm a patsy." A familiar theme.

He watched TV. He watched four days on. It would end soon. The news would shift. The news would move on.

Littell flipped channels. Littell saw L.A. and Memphis.

He was hungry. His food was gone. Pete stocked for two days. Pete left four days back. Pete cut the phone lines free.

Pete said walk to Tahoe. It's six miles tops. Catch a Vegas train.

Pete was disingenuous. Pete knew he wouldn't. Pete knew he'd stay. Pete caught the drift. Pete left his gun behind. Pete told him straight:

They killed King too. You should know that. I owe you.

Littell said goodbye. One word and no more. Pete squeezed his hands. Pete walked away.

Littell flipped channels. Littell caught The Triad: Jack/King/Bobby. Three funeral shots. Three artful cuts. Three widows framed.

I killed them. It's my fault. Their blood's on me.

He waited. He watched the screen. Let's try for all three. He flipped channels. He got one and two. He lucked on all three.

There-old footage. It's pre-'63.

They're in the White House. Jack's at his desk. King's standing with Bobby. The image held. One picture/all three.

Littell grabbed the gun. Littell ate the barrel. The muzzle roar shut off all three.

(Sparta, 6/9/68)

The cat hissed. The cat snarled. The cat paced his cage.

The cab hit ruts. Pete bounced. His knees bumped the cage. Sparta in bloom. Mosquitoes meet Lutherans and trees.

He flew unannounced. He brought truce papers. He brought seller's deeds. He sold the Cavern. He took a loss. He sold Tiger Kab to Milt C.

The cat hissed. Pete scratched his ears. The cab cut due east.

His wind was back. He ditched his cane. He still tired easy. He was fried/fragged/_frappйed_. He was frazzled and free.

He tried for regret. He fretted the bad shit on Ward. He ran his fears for Wayne T. Nothing jelled persistent. You're fried/fragged/frappйed. You're frazzled and free.

The cat snarled. The cab cut south. The driver read address plates. The driver pulled over. The cab grazed the curb.

Pete got out. Pete saw Barb. She's pruning fucking trees. She heard the cab. She looked over. She saw Pete.

Pete took one step. Barb took two steps. Pete jumped and took three.

(Las Vegas, 6/9/68)

He's home.

The lights are on. The shades are up. One window's cracked free.

Wayne parked. Wayne walked up. Wayne opened the door and walked in.

He's upside the bar. It's ritualized. He's got his nightcap. He's got his stick.

Wayne walked over. Wayne Senior smiled. Wayne Senior twirled his stick.

"I knew you'd be by."

"What made you think that?"

"Certain allegedly unrelated events of the past few months and how they relate to this burgeoning partnership of ours."

Wayne grabbed the stick. Wayne twirled it. Wayne did a few tricks.

"That's a good place to start."

Wayne Senior winked. "I'm sitting down with Dick Nixon next week."

Wayne winked. "No, I am."

Wayne Senior laughed-faux rube/yuk-yuk.

"You'll meet Dick in good time. I'll get you a box seat at the inauguration."

Wayne twirled the stick. "I've spoken to Carlos and Mr. Hughes' people. We've come to some agreements, and I'm assuming Ward Littell's position."

Wayne Senior twitched. Wayne Senior smiled in slow-motion. Wayne Senior built a slow-motion drink.

One hand's clenched. It's on the bar rail. One hand's pure free.

Their eyes met. Their eyes held. Their eyes locked shitfire.

Wayne pulled his cuffs. Wayne freed a ratchet. Wayne snared one wrist. The cuff snapped on. Wayne Senior jerked back. Wayne jerked him back in.

Wayne flicked the spare cuff. Wayne freed the ratchet. Wayne cuffed the bar rail crisp.

Good cuffs/LVPD/Smith Wesson.

Wayne Senior jerked. The cuff chain held. The bar rail squeaked. Wayne pulled a knife. Wayne flicked the blade. Wayne cut the bar phone cord.

Wayne Senior jerked the chain. Wayne Senior dumped his stool. Wayne Senior spilled his drink.

Wayne twirled the stick. "I reconverted. Mr. Hughes was pleased to know that I'm a Mormon."

Wayne Senior jerked. The ratchets scraped. The bar rail held strong. The chain links went _screeee_.

Wayne walked out. Wayne stood by his car. The Strip lights twinkled waaay off. Wayne saw incoming beams.

The car pulled up. The car stopped. Janice got out. Janice weaved and anchored her feet.

She twirled a golf club. Some kind of iron. Big head and fat grips.

She walked past Wayne. She looked at him. He smelled her cancer breath. She walked inside. She let the door swing.

Wayne stood tiptoed. Wayne made a picture frame. Wayne got a full window view. The club head arced. His father screamed. Blood sprayed the panes.