The Way You Die Tonight (7 page)

‘Excuse me,' I said to Robinson. ‘Jack?'

‘Where are you?'

‘At lunch with Eddie,' I said.

‘Ain't that gonna get confusing?' he asked. ‘Callin' him Eddie?'

‘He's Eddie, I'm Eddie G.'

‘Yeah, whatever,' he said.

‘What's got you so happy?' I asked

‘I heard from your friend Hargrove.'

‘Already?'

‘Yeah,' he said. ‘He's callin' Helen's death a suicide.'

‘Oh.'

‘Yeah, oh,' he said. ‘The man's an idiot. Look, Eddie, I need you to see to Eddie while he's here, but I also need you to do what you can to find out what happened to Helen.'

‘I understand, Jack.'

‘I know I'm puttin' pressure on you, but I'm gonna make it worth your while. You know that new job we talked about?'

‘Yeah.'

‘Well, think about it,' he said. ‘We'll structure it any way you want. You want out of your pit? You got it. You wanna spend some time in the pit, OK.'

‘This host thing, Jack,' I said, ‘you'd be sort of inventing a new job, wouldn't you?'

‘Yeah, whatever,' he said, sourly. ‘Listen, go ahead and use that PI buddy of yours, if you want.'

‘Will you pay him?'

‘Yeah, whatever his fee is,' Jack sad. ‘Eddie, I want the answers, here. Maybe you didn't like Helen, but she was a good kid.'

‘Hey,' I said, ‘she's the one who didn't like m—' but he'd hung up on me.

I hung up and Eddie asked, ‘Trouble?'

‘Nothing you have to worry about, Eddie,' I assured him.

‘Well, we can talk about it, can't we?' he asked. ‘While we eat?'

I thought a moment, then said, ‘Yeah, sure, why not?'

Nell came with the iced teas and asked, ‘You done with the phone, Eddie?'

‘No,' I said, making a sudden decision. ‘While I've got it here I'm gonna make a call.'

‘OK,' she said, ‘let me know.'

‘Excuse me one more time?' I asked Robinson. ‘And then I'll explain everything.'

He took a sip of his tea and said, ‘Go ahead, don't let me stop you. I'll enjoy watching the legend at work.' There was no hint of humor in his remark. He meant it.

I dialed a long distance number and when it was answered, I said, ‘Hey, Jerry, how'd you like to meet Edward G. Robinson?'

‘I'll be on the next plane, Mr G.'

O
ver our sandwiches I told Robinson what had been happening.

‘The poor woman,' he said, shaking his head.

‘Jack finds it hard to believe she committed suicide,' I said. ‘I do, too, having witnessed the scene myself.'

‘It's a terrible thing, either way,' he commented. ‘What did you see that leads you to believe it's murder?'

‘Two things,' I said. ‘One, the only way she could have hung herself was to stand on a sink – only the sink was too far away. And two, you need a key to get into the ladies' room, and she didn't have one on her.'

‘Could it have been on the floor?' Robinson asked.

‘I looked,' I said. ‘It was nowhere in the room.'

‘Perhaps,' Robinson said, ‘it was flushed down the toilet or washed down the sink drain.'

‘Why would somebody do that?'

‘I don't know,' he said, ‘I was just suggesting a way the key could have vanished.'

They were valid suggestions, two ways that a key could have been disposed of, but why? And by who?

‘Who is Jerry?' he asked, picking up the second half of his sandwich. He paused a moment to lick mayo off his thumb.

‘Jerry Epstein's a friend of mine from Brooklyn, where I grew up,' I said. ‘When I need help, he's usually the one I call. He and my friend, Danny Bardini, who is a private eye here in town.'

‘And Jerry? Is he a private detective, as well?'

‘Uh, no,' I said, ‘Jerry sort of comes from the other side of the tracks.'

‘A gangster?'

‘I wouldn't call him that to his face.'

‘And yet you and he and the private eye, you work together?' he asked.

‘We're all from Brooklyn,' I said, ‘and we work together well.'

‘So you're all friends?'

‘They're my friends,' I said, ‘and they get along.'

‘So you're going to find out what happened to this poor unfortunate girl?'

‘I'm gonna give it a try.'

‘What about the police?'

‘The police and I don't get along,' I said. ‘Specifically, the detective who was assigned to this case. I think he's calling it a suicide to get my goat. Or Jack Entratter's.'

‘He doesn't sound very good at his job.'

‘He lets his personal feelings get in the way.'

‘I see. Can't you simply go to his superiors?' Robinson asked.

‘That's not the way things are done in Vegas, Eddie,' I said. ‘There's no way to be sure who to trust in the police department. I have to stick with the people I know are on the level.'

‘Like your friends.'

‘And Jack Entratter.'

‘Isn't he your friend?'

‘He's my boss before he's my friend,' I said. I checked my watch. ‘Frank should be here soon. Do you want to go back to your room until he gets here?'

‘I would like to get some rest before dinner,' he said. ‘Why don't you and Frank just come and get me when you're ready to go?'

‘And for dinner, you want to stay on the strip?'

‘Well, of course,' he said, spreading his arms expansively. ‘I'm in Vegas, I want to see the lights.'

‘OK, then,' I said. ‘I'll show you back to your roo—'

‘I can find my way to the elevator, Eddie G.,' he said. ‘You probably have some plans to make.'

‘Yeah, I do.'

He stood up and said, ‘I'll see you later. Is this …' he waved at the table.

‘On the Sands,' I said. ‘You bet. You're our guest.'

He laughed, patted me on the arm and said, ‘See you later, my boy.'

Nell came rushing over, looking disappointed.

‘I waited too long,' she said, pushing out her cute lower lip.

‘For what?'

‘I was gonna ask for his autograph.'

‘Don't worry, sweetie,' I said, ‘he's gonna be around for a while.'

‘He's a real charmer,' she said. ‘Not at all like he is in the movies.'

‘You like older men?' I asked. She was in her mid-twenties, which put her right on the edge of being too young for me.

She poked me in the chest and said, ‘
Charming
older men, Eddie.'

Once again she flounced away, fully aware that I was watching. But I couldn't watch for long, because I had things to do. Frank was coming in, Jerry would probably be in tomorrow, and I had to find out if Danny had learned anything.

A
s I got out of the elevator on Frank's floor I saw him come out of his suite and turn my way.

‘Frank—'

‘Eddie, baby,' he said, spreading his arms expansively. The famous smile lit up his face. ‘Come on, we gotta go.'

‘Go? Where?'

‘I was just comin' to find you,' he said. ‘We're goin' to the Sahara.'

‘Frank, if you wanna eat—'

‘I do, but not here,' he said, hustling me down the hall. ‘You got your Caddy?'

‘Yeah, but—'

‘Never mind,' he said, as the elevator doors closed. ‘It's stupid to drive your car to the Sahara. We could walk there.'

‘Yeah, but Frank—'

‘I know, I'll be recognized. But you can get us a limo, right?'

‘Well, yeah, right, but—'

‘Then let's do it, pally!' he said. ‘We can talk on the way.'

In the lobby I grabbed a valet named Tommy and told him I needed a limo fast.

‘Sure, Eddie,' he said. ‘Comin' up.'

‘Are we running from somebody, Frank?' I asked.

‘No, no,' he said, ‘nothing like that. Did Eddie get in? Hey, that's right, he's Eddie and so are you. And Eddie G.—'

‘He and I went through that already,' I said. ‘Yeah, he's here and we got acquainted over lunch.'

‘Good, good,' he said. ‘What's the plan?'

‘Dinner tonight, the three of us,' I said. ‘Somewhere on the strip.'

‘OK, good,' Frank said. ‘I'll let you set it up.'

‘Only not the Sahara, if we're going there now.'

‘Right, right, not the Sahara. Man, I need a drink.'

‘What's going on, Frank?'

‘Nothin', nothin',' he said. ‘Take it easy. All is well.'

I knew Frank had his manic moments – probably more so since last year, when Frank Jr had been kidnapped and JFK killed – but since I wasn't a doctor I didn't know if this was an example of a high, or if it was actually a low.

‘Car's out front, Eddie,' the valet said.

‘Thanks, Tommy.'

‘Let's go, kid,' Frank said.

He hurried across the lobby with me running after him …

When we got to the Sahara we were let off in the back, in front of the restaurant. There was a well-cared for lawn there ringed by over 200 motel rooms.

We went in and were immediately shown to Frank's table, which was always held for him.

Once we were seated, Frank ordered a martini, and I had a beer. After he sipped the drink he seemed to settle down a bit.

‘What's goin' on, Frank?' I asked again.

‘Nothin', Eddie,' he said. ‘I've been on edge a little lately, that's all.'

‘You want something to eat?'

‘Maybe an appetizer,' he said, ‘nothing much. We're gonna have dinner with Eddie.' He waved to the waiter and ordered an antipasto.

Then he sat back and took a deep breath before lighting a cigarette and taking another sip of his martini. Suddenly, he seemed calm.

‘So what's goin' on with you?'

I told Frank about my lunch with Robinson.

‘I like him,' I ended with. ‘He seems like a cool old guy.'

‘He's a legend in this business, Eddie,' Frank said. ‘I'm proud that I got to do two movies with him, especially
Hole in the Head
. That was some experience.'

Our antipasto came and we began to pick at it, after ordering two more drinks.

‘You gonna get in trouble for bein' out of your pit?' Frank asked.

‘Jack's thinkin' about creating a new job for me,' I said. ‘Casino host or somethin' like that. Leave me free to do stuff for people.'

‘What do you think of that?'

‘I like bein' in the pit,' I said. ‘We have to talk about it, after …'

‘After what?' Frank asked. ‘Somethin' else goin' on? Come on, kid, spill. Tell your Uncle Frank everything.'

So I did …

By the time I was done, so was the antipasto. Frank had a third martini, but I nursed my second beer along.

‘So, the cops are sayin' she killed herself, but you and Jack don't believe it.'

‘Jack doesn't want to,' I said. ‘I just don't see how she could've.'

‘Because of the sink and the key.'

‘Right.'

‘Sounds like you know what you're doin', Eddie,' Frank said. ‘You gonna be able to work on that while you're dealin' with Eddie? Or should we get somebody else to show him the ropes?'

‘No, no,' I said, ‘I wanna do that, Frank. I've already got Danny looking around at Helen's apartment, asking some questions of her neighbors.'

‘And what about bringin' Jerry in?'

I smiled and said, ‘The big guy's on his way. He's gettin' the first available flight.'

‘I'll foot the bills, Eddie G.'

‘You don't have to—'

‘Listen,' he said, ‘you're doin' a lot, for me, for Eddie, and for Jack. It's the least I can do.'

‘OK,' I said. ‘I won't argue with you.'

He checked his watch, then downed the last of his martini.

‘I gotta get back and sleep off these martinis,' he said. ‘You set up dinner tonight with Eddie, anywhere you want, and let me know.'

‘OK.'

‘How'd you leave it with him?'

‘That we'd pick him up from his suite.'

‘What floor's he on?'

‘Two below you.'

‘OK.' We stood up. ‘You go out and get the limo and I'll settle up.'

There wasn't much to getting the limo, but I got the feeling Frank didn't want me to see him settle up. I went outside, found the driver leaning against the car.

‘Where to, Eddie?'

I looked at him. More and more lately it seemed that people knew me, even when I didn't know them. Or maybe I just didn't remember.

‘What's your name?'

‘Lou.'

‘We're headin' back to the Sands, Lou, as soon as Frank comes out.'

‘Right. Should I open the door for him?'

‘Naw, just get behind the wheel. I'll get the door.

‘Right, boss.'

As Lou slid behind the wheel, Frank came out and I opened the door for him. He slid into the back, I got in next to him and slammed the door.

‘Home, Lou.'

O
n the way back to the Sands, Frank got quiet. Not depressed again, just quiet. When we got out of the car in front of the hotel he said, ‘I'm gonna go see Jack. Pick me up at my suite for dinner, and then we'll get Eddie. OK, pally?'

‘OK.'

Inside we split up. He went to see Jack, I went to my car. Driving to my house I tried to compartmentalize my thoughts, my tasks. I had to take care of Edward G. Robinson and help him with his research for
The Cincinnati Kid
; and I had to find out if Helen had killed herself or not. If not, did Jack also expect me to find her killer? And then, of course, there was Howard Hughes.