You're nobody 'til somebody kills you

Forty-nine

By the time I got out to the pool Frank, Jerry and Bailey were drinking coffee. The detective had apparently put his notebook away.

“Eddie,” Frank called, “your coffee’s going to get cold.”

“Thanks, Frank.”

I walked over and picked up the cup that had been poured for me.

“Am I interrupting?” I asked.

“No,” Bailey said, “I finished up with my questions. We’re talking about what a dick Burt Lancaster was on the set of From Here to Eternity.”

“I never said that,” Frank pointed out.

“Yeah, but you insinuated it.”

“Jerry?”

“I didn’t get that from what you said, Mr. S.”

“Thank you. Hey, here’s Marilyn.”

I turned and saw Marilyn and Stanze walking toward us; they were both laughing. I could tell by the look on Stanze’s face that he was in love with her, like every other man who’d ever seen her. She was even hanging on to his arm. The man who I thought might be playing us was now being expertly played by a woman who didn’t even realize she was doing it. I wondered how dangerous Marilyn Monroe would be if she ever acquired some self-confidence.

“Coffee, Marilyn?” Frank asked.

“I had enough tea, Frank, thanks,” she said, “but maybe Detective Stanze would like some?”

“No, thanks,” Stanze said, “I think my partner and I have what we came for. We should stop bothering you folks. You have busy lives.”

“That’s very true,” Frank said. “I have a commander in chief to prepare for.”

“That’s right,” Stanze said. “I read that JFK was coming here. That must be very exciting.”

“It is,” Frank said.

“Come on, Dave,” Stanze said. “Let’s go.”

They shook hands with Frank and Marilyn-Bailey stammering his name as he did so. I walked both detectives to their car.

“Our alibis check out?” I asked.

“For now,” Stanze said. “And Miss Monroe supports your story.”

“So while you’re lookin’ for the killer of the clerk, you’ll be lookin’ for Danny as well?”

“Yeah, Eddie,” Stanze said, “we’ll keep our eyes open for Danny. But tell your PI to stay out of our way. Comprende?”

“I think he knows how to do that,” I said.

Stanze laughed. “Not if past history is any indication.”

He and Bailey got in their car and drove away. I returned to the pool.

“How did we do?” Frank asked.

“Great,” I said. “I think Jerry and I are off the hook … for now.”

“Good,” Frank said. “I’m gonna get my construction crew back here.”

“Thanks, Frank.”

“Sure, kid.”

He went into the house, leaving Marilyn by the pool with me and Jerry.

“That detective was very nice,” she said. “Nicer than the first time, and very young.”

“He had stars in his eyes,” I said.

“For Frank?” she asked.

“And you.”

“He was sweet to me.”

“Aren’t men usually sweet to you, Miss M.?” Jerry asked.

“Not all of them, Jerry.”

“Then the ones who ain’t are jerks.”

She smiled.

“And you’re sweet, Big Jerry,” she said, stroking his face. I’d never seen Jerry blush before.

Marilyn turned to me and asked, “Are you staying?”

“No. And we’ve been back and forth too many times already.”

“What do you mean?”

“This time we’re going to stay in L.A. until we find Danny, and until you’re able to go home again.”

“How long will that be, do you think?”

“I don’t know, but at least now we’ve got the cops and a private eye working on it.”

“That sounds like a lot,” she said.

“Yeah, it does.”

I only hoped it was enough.

We said good-bye to Frank and Marilyn, telling them we’d see them again when it was all over.

“Stay in touch, Eddie,” Marilyn said, “so I know you’re safe.”

“I’ll call,” I said. “I promise.”