You're nobody 'til somebody kills you

Fifty

We drove back to Brentwood and Marilyn’s house. It seemed to be that was all we’d been doing, driving back and forth, accomplishing nothing.

As soon as we entered the guesthouse I phoned Fred Otash’s office.

“Is he in, Miss Deeds?”

“Yes, he is, Mr. Gianelli,” she replied politely. “Hold on, please.”

She switched me over and Otash came on the line.

“Mr. Gianelli, I assume you’re back?”

“Yes, we are.”

“Good,” he said. “May I drive out to see you?”

“Sure, when?”

“Now,” he said. “I can be there in an hour. I have one other short stop to make.”

“Okay, we’ll be here. Pull into the drive and come to the guesthouse.”

“The guesthouse, all right. I’ll see you soon,” he said, and hung up.

“Wonder if he’s got any news for us?” Jerry said.

“I just hope nobody else is dead,” I said. “Seems like every time we get together somebody-”

“Don’t say it, Mr. G.”

“Yeah, okay,” I said. “It’s just such a … coincidence.”

“That’s the word I didn’t want you to say.”

“We got any coffee to make when Otash gets here?” I asked.

“I can get some from the kitchen in the main house,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”

But he didn’t come right back. In fact, he didn’t come back at all and I had to go looking for him.

“Jerry?” I called, entering the main house.

No answer.

“Crap.” If he went missing like Danny … but he wasn’t, so I didn’t have to finish that thought. Instead, I had some new thoughts. When I entered the kitchen and saw him spread out on the floor, blood pooled around him, I feared the big guy was dead.

Fred Otash made good time, which meant he got there while the ambulance crew was still loading Jerry into the back.

“What happened?” he asked, coming up on me.

“He went into the main house and walked into somethin’,” I said. “I don’t know what happened because he’s not conscious, but at least he’s alive.”

“That’s good, that he’s alive, but what’s the diagnosis?”

“They have to get him to the hospital and see how bad the head injury is.”

“What was he-”

“Look, can we talk on the way?” I said, cutting him off. “They won’t let me ride in the ambulance with him, but I’m going to the hospital.”

“Okay, I’ll drive,” Otash said, “and I’ll bring you back.”

“No, I got a better idea. I’ll drive myself. You go into the house and see what you can find. Figure somethin’ out, Fred. Do your job.”

Before he could respond I trotted over to the Caddy and got it started. He was still standing in the drive when I backed out and took off after the ambulance.