1972 - You're Dead Without Money (2 page)

I said a dip was a man who put his hands in people’s pockets and stole what he found there.

‘That’s exactly right. Joey was a small time dip. If he picked up a hundred dollars a week which he seldom did he thought he was Henry Ford. From way back, Joey always thought and acted small, but this made him smart because he acted so small the cops never got on to him. There’re plenty of dips who act big and land up behind the walls, but not Joey. He didn’t even have a record. Now, I want you to understand, Mr. Campbell, that Joey . . .’

I thought I had better get this straightened out once and for all so I interrupted him to remind him my name was Cameron.

‘That’s right . . . Cameron . . . yeah.’ He scratched the end of his nose, shifted on his seat and then went on, ‘As I was saying, Joey wasn’t a bad sort of guy. In fact you could say that he was a nice guy. I got along with him. When he had a bit of extra money which wasn’t often he would buy a friend a beer. I would like you to get a picture of Joey: tall, thin with a lot of greying hair. He had one of those nondescript faces you see every day on any busy sidewalk: a face you don’t remember, a face you don’t look at twice. He always wore a shabby grey suit and a battered straw hat. He was around fifty years of age. He married young and his wife died giving birth to a baby girl who he called Lucinda. From what I hear Joey never got along with his wife so her loss didn’t bother him. He was crazy about Cindy. He gave her a decent education and made no secret to her about what he was. Cindy adored him and as soon as she left school, she became his partner. He taught her all his tricks, and by the time she was eighteen she was as good a dip as he was which is saying something. During the summer months they worked in New York, but when winter came, they moved down here. There was plenty to work on here, but they kept their operations small, living decently, but with no ambition to get rich.’ He paused to stare at the beer in his glass, then went on, ‘I’ll give you a picture of Cindy. At the age of twenty, she was sensational. I’ve seen lots of girls of her age in my time, but none of them were a patch on Cindy. Like her old man, she was tall. She was blonde, with a traffic-stopping figure and a pair of legs that cause car accidents. Her looks bothered Joey. He knew sooner or later a man would turn up and he would lose her. This became a nightmare thing for Joey. He just couldn’t imagine life without her. Up to the age of twenty, Cindy showed no interest in boyfriends. She could have had her pick, but she didn’t play. Going around with Joey, dipping, keeping the home nice seemed to satisfy her. Joey prayed this would last, but he knew he was kidding himself.

‘To put you more in the picture, I’ll give you a brief idea of a routine day in their lives. They got up late and over coffee they discussed the menu of the day. They believed in eating well, but at the low expense of the various self-service stores in the district. Joey had dreamed up a smart idea of getting all the food and drink they required, not only for nothing but without risk. He had made a lightweight oval shaped basket with an open top which Cindy strapped to her tummy. Over this she wore a maternity dress. Leaning on her father’s arm, her make-up pale, she looked the part of a brave little woman about to have her first baby. Not only did they jump all queues, but they lulled all suspicion while Cindy stowed away in the basket the best cuts of meat and the necessary accessories to a good meal while Joey’s lean frame sheltered her activities from prying eyes. It was a nice little racket and provided them with good food for nothing. They then returned to their pad and while Cindy cooked lunch, Joey read aloud items from the newspaper which he considered of interest. After lunch they would separate. Cindy would work the stores while Joey worked the buses. They would meet again around five o’clock with enough money to eat out in the evening and put a little by for the rainy day. Then they would watch TV until bedtime and the following day would be a repeat of the previous day. Not what you could call an exciting way of life, but it suited them.’ Barney nodded to Sam who had just put down another beer. The time came for their move down here. They had rented a small bungalow on a five-year lease on Seaview Boulevard - nothing very special but they liked it, being people, as I have said, without ambition. They arrived, settled in and began the same routine as when they lived in New York.’ Barney paused to sip his beer. ‘But this trip to Paradise City was to be different. This was when Joey’s luck began to run out. The thing which he dreaded happened. Cindy fell in love.’ Barney ran his finger around his plate, then conveyed the grease-ladened finger to his mouth.

I asked him if he would like another hamburger.

‘Not right now, thank you, but maybe a little later,’ he said. ‘Well, Cindy fell in love and this brings Vin Pinna on the scene. Although Pinna was only twenty-six years of age, he was a veteran in crime. He specialized in burglary and there were few locks, alarms or security guards he couldn’t cope with. He made a decent living, ran a Jaguar car, travelled a lot and kept on the move so the police of the various states didn’t catch up with him. The trouble with Vin was he couldn’t hold on to money. As soon as he got paid by some fence he promptly spent the money on clothes, high living and dollies. In his way, he was a looker: tall, handsome, tough and vicious. He wore his hair long as they do these days and he spent a lot of money on this cockeyed gear young guys of today like to wear. He had come to Paradise City for a look around. It’s no secret that this City is stuffed with people who have more money than sense and the villas up on the hill are crammed to the ceiling with valuable loot.

‘Before coming to Paradise City, Vin had been working Miami. While leaving a Miami hotel bedroom with some old dowager’s jewel box he had the bad luck to walk into the hotel dick. He knocked the dick cold. In the struggle he dropped the jewel box, but he got away. He knew the dick would give the cops a good description of him so he decided to move on and he moved here.

‘Cindy spotted him as he was buying himself some neck ties in one of the best stores in the City. She thought he was a real doll, but that didn’t stop her trying for his billfold. There must have been something about Vin that spoilt her concentration because he felt her fingers slide into his hip pocket.

‘He turned and smiled at her. They looked at each other and this chemistry thing called love clicked in her. She handed him back his billfold with a nice apology and accepted his offer of an ice drink. They talked for the rest of the afternoon until Cindy realized she should have been home an hour ago. This threw her into a panic. Not only had she been chatting up this handsome guy for hours but she had neglected her afternoon’s work and had earned no money. This she explained to Vin who laughed and gave her twenty bucks, telling her he wanted to see her the following afternoon.

‘Vin was pretty blasé about girls, but Cindy got to him. I’m not saying he fell in love with her as she had with him, but he liked her better than any other girl he had met and he wanted to see her again.

‘Cindy agreed to meet him at the Lido where they could swim and talk. She had made no secret about what her father and she did for a living. Vin had been genuinely amused and he hinted he was in the crime racket himself although he didn’t go into details. Cindy was impressed as he drove off in his Jaguar. Not only was he handsome, fun and sexy, she thought as she made her way home, but he was rich.

‘Joey was quick to spot something had happened when Cindy came in. There was that faraway look in her eyes that girls get when they are turning soppy over some man.’ Barney paused to heave a great sigh. ‘The number of times, when I was young, I’ve seen that look would surprise you. Like me, Joey knew the signs and a cold wind blew over him although he was smart enough not to ask questions.

‘During the next six days, Cindy and Vin met every afternoon and by that time they were both crazy about each other.

‘Then Cindy decided it was time to break the news to Joey. She dreaded telling him, but it had to be done. She couldn’t go on deceiving him. She explained all this to Vin and asked him to meet her father. At first, Vin said no, but Cindy pleaded and because he wanted to please her, he shrugged and agreed.’

* * *

‘Be nice to him, Vin,’ Cindy said. ‘He’s been a wonderful father to me. Come around tomorrow at midday. That will give me time to break the news and get him in the right mood.’

‘Okay . . . okay,’ Vin said indifferently. ‘I’ll come. I wouldn’t do it for any other doll, but for you, I’ll make the exception.’

‘Joey knew he was going to be told by the nervous way Cindy behaved when she came home. Joey had had six days in which to get used to the idea that Cindy was finally in love. He had told himself over and over again this was inevitable and he now knew if he wasn’t to lose Cindy he would have to play his cards carefully. This could be calf love: something that wouldn’t last, but he doubted it He decided there was only one thing to do: he had to be understanding, pretend to be happy for Cindy and hope the guy came up to expectations and wouldn’t let Cindy down. The thought of spending the rest of his days on his own depressed him, but this he knew he would have to accept. If he could persuade Cindy not to rush into marriage, he would try, but he would try gently.

‘After supper, instead of turning on the TV set, Joey said quietly, ‘What’s on your mind, baby? Something you want to tell me?’

‘So Cindy told him.

‘Joey nodded.

‘It happens all the time and it had to happen to you. If you’re happy, then that makes me happy, but are you sure?’

Cindy went to him and put her arms around him.

‘I was scared of telling you. I thought you’d be angry.’

‘What’s there to be angry about? A girl like you should get married.’ Joey forced a smile. ‘Besides, I want to be a grandfather. I like kids. When’s the wedding to be?’

Cindy’s eyes opened wide.

‘We’re not planning to get married yet. We just want to be together, have fun . . . we don’t want kids for heaven’s sake . . . anyway, not yet.’

Joey suppressed a sigh of relief.

‘But you do plan to get married, baby?’

‘We haven’t discussed that,’ Cindy frowned. ‘We just want to have fun.’

Joey nodded.

‘Well, tell me about him.’

He listened to Cindy’s eulogy, his heart despairing and his face alight with false interest.

‘He’s a big operator,’ she concluded. ‘He hasn’t told me just what his racket is, but it must be big. He’s a terrific dresser and drives this big Jag and he’s free with his money. You’ll love him, dad. I’m sure you will.’

Joey said he hoped he would. Then after a pause, he asked if Vin had a record.

‘A record? What do you mean?’ Cindy stiffened.

‘Well, you know . . . do the cops know him. . . has he ever been inside?’

‘I’m sure he hasn’t! Of course not! Vin’s much too smart to have a record.’

‘That’s fine.’ Joey hesitated, then went on, ‘We have to be careful, baby. So far we have kept clear of the cops. The bigger the operator the more dangerous he is.’

‘I don’t know what you mean!’ Cindy had never spoken so sharply to her father before and Joey inwardly cringed.

‘I don’t mean anything, baby. I just said we had to be careful.’

‘We are careful. I can’t see what Vin has to do with it. I tell you . . . he’s as smart as a whip.’

From his long experience in petty crime, Joey knew those who were smart as a whip were those who invariably got caught, but he didn’t say so. He could only hope now that this affair wouldn’t last long.

When Cindy said Vin was coming to lunch the following day, Joey told her he was delighted.

* * *

Barney leaned forward and looked over at Sam. He pointed to his enormous belly and wigwagged with his eyebrows.

‘If it’s all the same to you, mister,’ he said. ‘I’ll have another hamburger.’

* * *

The meeting between Joey and Vin went off better than either man expected. Joey certainly leaned over backwards to be pleasant, knowing Cindy was listening to every word he uttered and watching every change of his expressions. There was something about Vin that impressed Joey: his self-confidence, the determined light in his steel grey eyes and the suggestion of ruthlessness told Joey this was no ordinary smalltime crook. He also realized that Vin seemed genuinely fond of Cindy and this pleased him: at least, his adored daughter wasn’t going to be given the runaround.

Rather to his surprise, Vin found Joey easy to talk to, quick-witted and in no way the heavy father.

The lunch which was elaborate was a success. After the meal, Vin took them in his Jag up in the hills, away from the crowded beach and went out of his way to make Joey feel he wasn’t the odd man out.

Around 16.00, Joey who had enjoyed talking about his past life, telling Vin some of his varied experiences, said it was time for him to go to work.

‘You take the day off, baby,’ he said to Cindy. ‘You and Vin have a little fun.’

They drove back to the City and dropped Joey off at the bus station. As they drove away, Cindy looked anxiously at Vin.

He grinned at her.

‘He’s a nice old guy,’ he said. ‘Small time - but I like him.’ He put his hand on Cindy’s. ‘We three are going to get along fine together.’

That’s the way it turned out. After a week, Joey suggested that Vin should move in with them at the bungalow. After some thought, Joey had decided he could see more of Cindy if Vin moved in and besides, he found he liked having Vin around to talk to. He didn’t realize until now how he had been missing male conversation.

After hesitating, Vin agreed. He was getting a little worried about his financial position. He was staying at a modest hotel, but the rates of even a modest hotel in Paradise City came high. Before very long, he told himself he would have to do a job. Up to now, he had been content to enjoy Cindy’s company.

He refused to admit to himself that the encounter with the hotel dick had shaken his nerve. He decided he would give hotels a wide berth. He must tackle one of these villas he had heard so much about. So when Joey suggested he took one of the spare bedrooms and contribute twenty dollars a week to help out, Vin, after checking his billfold and finding he was down to his last five hundred dollars, agreed.