The Switch

Chapter 16

THURSDAY MORNING, the first couple of times Ordell phoned Richard's house, Louis answered and Or-dell hung up hearing his voice. The third time he called, by then about twelve-thirty, Richard answered. This was the Freeport-Detroit conversation:

Ordell: Finally. Where's Louis?

Richard: I'll get him--

Ordell: No! Richard, wait! ... Richard? Listen, I'll tell you and you can tell him. It's all set, man. It's done. You gonna be able to go to California, Richard.

Richard: Boy, that's good to hear. It's all set, huh? Ordell: Yeah, taken care of. Home free, man. Richard: Somebody called twice, and hung up.

We don't know who it was.

Ordell: Don't worry about it, it's cool, Richard. Listen now what I want to tell you. Listen very carefully, Richard. It's the most important thing has to be done.

Richard: Just a minute, I'll be right back-- Ordell: RICHARD!

Richard: I got to turn the fire down under the cabbage.

(Ordell waited in the phone booth in the lobby of the King's Inn, ten dollars worth of quarters stacked on the metal shelf.

(The way Ordell saw it, Louis would be against the idea. In fact, Louis would kick and scream if he even knew about it. So why cut him in? Louis was a nice person, but it was a different whole new deal now. He had to tell Richard something to tell Louis. Then he had to get Richard to do the job and not fuck it up. All this over the phone in the hot phone booth. It wasn't going to be easy. But whoever said picking up a hundred and fifty grand was? That going to Paris, France, sounded pretty good, you know it? Send Louis a postcard ... )

Richard: Hello?

Ordell: Your cabbage all right?

Richard: It was boiling over, but I got it.

Ordell: Louis upstairs, Richard?

Richard: He's always upstairs. I think he's screwing her, but when I go up there they aren't doing it.

Ordell: Richard, tonight ... I want you to take the lady home.

Richard: I think he screws her real fast and doesn't take his pants off or anything.

Ordell: Richard! (pause) You have to listen to me, man, very very carefully. You listening? Richard: Yeah, I'm listening.

Ordell: Since we all through, I want you and Louis to take the lady home tonight.

Richard: Tonight take her?

Ordell: Tonight when it's dark. Tell Louis to get a car like he did and put her in the trunk. You follow in your car, Richard, case he has a flat tire or something. You understand? See, my van's at the airport, Richard. But you don't want to use it anyway. Always, Louis say, steal a car. It's a rule.

Richard: He gets a car and I follow him in my Hornet.

Ordell: In the black Hornet. Tell Louis, take her in the house, lock her in a closet and cut the phone wires so he'll have time to get way away from there--you understand?--and she can't call anybody. But then, Richard?

Richard: What?

Ordell: This next part you got to do without Louis knowing about it. You got to when he's gone, Louis's gone, you go back to her house ... go in ... find out where he put her so you don't have to look all over for her, you understand?

Richard: Yeah, find out where he put her. Ordell: Then, Richard ... you have to kill her. Richard: (pause) I do?

Ordell: You have to, Richard, on account of she knows who you are. She told me. She said she recognize your voice and saw your pants. She know you the one came to her house. That's what the Jew lady told me, Richard. She said you ain't getting away with this, cause I know who that fat son of a bitch rent-a-cop is and I'm gonna see him put in jail.

Richard: You know I wondered about that. There was something she said--

Ordell: We don't have no choice, Richard. I don't want to see you, any of us go to jail. Man, it'll kill you, worse than kill you in there with all those perverts, man, taking all kinds of trips on you. Richard ... you got to kill the Jew lady. There ain't no other way.

Richard: Well--(long pause) What should I use?

Ordell: You the expert, Richard. (pause) But, Richard, listen to me. Don't ... tell ... Louis. He'll chicken on you, Richard, and mess you up.

Richard: I think the Python, the mag. It's my favorite. (pause) You know something?

Ordell: What, man?

Richard: I knew she was a Jew. I could tell.