Bob Moats - Jim Richards 01-03- 3 for Murder Box Set (28 page)

I smiled, remembering the way he looked when he did run out. “He had one local girlfriend, Lisa, and she just hung all over him. I never talked to her about the situation, but she would disappear when his California squeeze came to town. So she knew what the boundaries were. Lisa was totally into him. She even took a plane to Arizona to bring back his supply of drugs to him when his regular mule wasn’t available. I was pissed, knowing she could have been found out and end up in jail. She was a sweet girl.”

Deacon said, “The guy sounds like a real scumsucker.”

I said, “Please, don’t insult scumsuckers.”

We headed out and went over to the convention center to rescue Buck.

*

Chapter Six

I called Penny, said we were on our way there, and asked if she wanted us to come in or wait for her out front. She said she had another hour before it ended so we should come in. I drove around back to where the exhibitors parked, went to the entrance, flashed my exhibitor pass, and we went in.

We went to Penny’s booth and Buck saw us. He started babbling about Hulk Hogan like some star struck kid. Deacon wanted to wander around looking at all the technology. We said for everyone to meet there in an hour. Deacon and Maria wandered off. Buck said he was volunteering to come back tomorrow and do it again. I said that was fine with me. Penny just gave me a Mona Lisa smile and then greeted some new visitors.

I pulled Buck aside and said, “Do I have to smack you?”

“No, I’m fine now. It was just so great to meet Hulk Hogan. He shook my hand. I’ll never wash it again.”

“You mean you do actually wash?” I kidded.

He scrunched up his face and said that was cruel. I offered an apology and thanked him for watching Penny. He said it was his pleasure and he looked forward to tomorrow. Then I filled him in on everything that happened today and told him I had some great stories about Trapper I wanted to tell him when we had more time.

An hour later Deacon and Maria wandered up, Deacon carrying a bag of literature and pamphlets from the show.

“Man, what a rush! We saw all kinds of TV stars and even Hulk Hogan!” He grinned, looking toward Buck. “There’s some great electronics coming out to make watching TV an interactive thing.”

I didn’t realize Deacon was so into that stuff. One day I’d have to bring them back to explore more. Maria just yawned and said she had to be dropped off at the Trop to get ready for her show tonight, that she was already running late. We left, swung by the Tropicana and dropped her off saying we’d pick her up later, to call us when she was ready. Deacon told us to hold on. He decided to follow his sister and stay with her, just in case.

I said we’d be back and left them at the curb. I asked Buck why he didn’t go with them to watch the boobies. He said he wanted to hear all the stories I had about Trapper. I remembered I had mentioned it to him. We went across the road to the MGM Grand and up to the room.

Buck roared with delight as I related the stories that Weber had told me about Trapper’s early days on Vegas Metro. Penny sat with rapt attention to our conversation. She already knew the punch lines as she was there when Weber told us his tales, but she listened as though it was all new. She laughed and smiled during the good parts as if she was hearing it for the first time. I loved that woman.

It was now about 9:30 p.m. I took out my Palm TX and opened up my contact list. I scanned down and found I still had Lisa James’ number. Lisa was the last side dish I knew Nicky had, back when I was keeping his empire together. She was the cutie that risked her neck to travel across state lines to bring his drugs to him. Stupid woman.

I told Penny what I was going to do and went into the bedroom for privacy. I could still hear Buck and Penny roaring aloud, probably reviewing Trappers exploits. I dialed the number, and some girl answered, but it didn’t sound like the Lisa I remembered.

“Hi, can I speak to Lisa James?” I asked.

The person on the other end was silent for way too long. I said, “Hello?”

The person asked, “Who is this?”

“I’m an old friend of Lisa’s from back in 2003 when I worked for Nick North.” I hoped that would get a reaction.

“Yeah, well, that son of a bitch can kiss my ass,” she spit out.

I guess I got my reaction. “Is Lisa still at this number?”

She asked again, “Who are you?”

“My name is Jim Richards. I worked with Lisa for the son of a bitch.”

She laughed, and then said, “I remember you. Lisa spoke of how you always watched out for her.”

“I did, I liked her. She’s a great girl.”

“Was. She died last year. The police still haven’t found her murderer.” I could hear her take a sharp breath, and she started to cry softly.

That tingle in my body started again. I was shocked to hear Lisa was gone.

“Can you talk to me about her now, or shall I call back?” I said with respect.

“No, I’m all right. Just taken aback a bit hearing her name again.” She sniffled.

“May I ask what happened? I’m now a private investigator, tracking down a murder from today that may have a connection to Nick North.”

“Jim, meet me in the Piano Bar inside Harrah’s in a half hour. I don’t want to talk on the phone. They got a great dueling piano show. It’s noisy,” she said.

“May I bring a couple of friends?”  I asked.

“I don’t care if you bring a fucking army, the more the safer. Just be there and I’ll tell you everything I know.”

“How will I know you?” I asked.

“I’m blond, good-looking, and I’ll be wearing a low cut red dress. You can’t miss me. If you haven’t changed much, I’ll know you. We’ve met before.” She hung up.

I was puzzled by her last comment. I wondered when I had met her.

I went out and rallied my troops saying we had business to attend to, and we all went off to Harrah’s. It was just up the strip so it took no time to get there.

Penny asked what nefarious maneuver we were attempting, and I replied, to meet a mysterious woman from my past. She hoped it was over between us, and I said I was sure it was since I didn’t even remember her.

We parked and entered the bar. It was crowded, and the piano players were putting on their show to rousing cheers. We walked around for a while and then I saw her. It was Lisa, but it wasn’t. It was her sister. I remembered her from when she came into town to visit Lisa. So many years ago, but I remembered her beauty. We approached her.

“Jamie, it’s good to see you again.” I smiled and kissed her cheek.

“You remember me, thank you. Good to see you again, although you have gotten a bit older.” She grinned.

“We all get older,” I kidded, and then introduced Penny and Buck. “Talk to me.” I wanted to know.

“Well, you know Lisa was involved with Nick back when you worked with him. I was in town staying with Lisa when you quit. Lisa was very distressed that you were gone, but Nicky badgered her into taking your job.”

“I remember. I had to show her everything I did for the son of a bitch,” I added. “I didn’t mind helping her out. I wouldn’t have done it for him.”

“She hung on for a while, and then she started acting strange. Something was bothering her. She wouldn’t tell me, but I could see she was getting impatient with his involvement with Sue, the woman in California.”

I had forgotten her name.

“Lisa was starting to bug Nicky about him getting more involved with her, pushing out Sue. Nicky bullied her into being just the other woman, and Lisa wasn’t happy about it. She told me she threatened Nicky with telling Sue about their affair. Just after that, Lisa was found out in the desert, stabbed to death. I told the police about the deal with Nicky, but he had an air tight alibi. He was in California on business.” I could see tears welling up in her eyes.

“I remember Lisa didn’t take my place entirely. She only worked the stage for him. She wasn’t in on running his finances or taking care of his business affairs. Who was it that did?” I asked.

“Some guy named Kris Wallace. He was a shrewd bastard. He bullied Lisa and everyone else who worked for Nicky into doing things his way. Nicky didn’t care, as I’m sure you remember. He let people around him run his empire. He didn’t want to have to worry about all that crap.”

“Do you know anything about him, where he came from or if he still works for Nicky today?”

“I know he was a prick, didn’t care about the feelings or needs of the people who counted the most. He definitely didn’t like Lisa. He didn’t come out and say so, but you could tell. I stayed in town for about six months and watched over my sister. As I said, she started acting strange.”

“I’m going to ask a delicate question. Do you know if she was pregnant?” I asked.

Jamie looked a little shocked, and then said, “I wasn’t aware if she was, but now you mention it, she did seem a bit off. She was sick a lot, and she had these mood swings. If you hadn’t asked, I would have never thought about it. Yes, she could have been pregnant.”

I looked at Buck and Penny. I could see in their faces that they knew where I was going.

“Jamie, the girl who was murdered this morning was pregnant, and from reports from the underground, it was Nicky’s baby. Now she’s dead, just like Lisa was, stabbed with a pair of scissors. You said Lisa was stabbed, did they say what the weapon was?”

“They didn’t tell me crap. I was just the sister. I guess they don’t tell family what is going on.” She looked bitter.

“I’ll see what I can find out. I know a few people in Metro that may help,” I consoled her, but she was still bitter.

The waitress finally came around. Slow going tonight, big crowd. We gave her our orders. I said, doubles on all, and she went off. I wondered how long it would take to get a drink there. Surprisingly, she came back in quick order and dropped our drinks, took my money and went off. Jamie thanked me for the drink. She said she was having a tough time. She lost her job at the Fitzgerald Hotel due to cutbacks, and her parents helped as best they could. She was behind on her rent, and prospects for work didn’t look good.

“What did you do at the Fitzgerald?” I asked.

“I worked in their small theatre as a prop handler. Union job, but they didn’t help much. I didn’t work enough hours to qualify for unemployment. Bastards.”

I thought a minute, and excused myself to go to the restroom. After I entered the stall, I took out my cell phone and called Wally.

“James, two times in one day. I told everybody you were here. They all said hi.” He laughed through the phone.

“Wally, I need a favor.” He said name it. “You remember Lisa James?” He said of course, great little gal. “Did you know she was killed last year?”

He was quiet for a second. “Son of a bitch, this just keeps getting deeper and deeper in shit, doesn’t it?” He whistled. “What’s the favor?”

“First, how’d you like to meet my TV host girlfriend?”

“I’d be hurt if I didn’t get to meet her.”

“Is it OK to come by with a few friends tonight?”

He said the show was almost over, come on by. I said we’d be right there.

We hung up, and I went back out to the table. I gathered up everyone including Jamie, and we went out to the car.

“Where are we going?” Jamie asked.

“To see an old friend of mine who knew and liked your sister,” I replied.

We went back to the same parking garage and across the tunnel. The guard remembered me from earlier in the day and said to go in. We went down the stairs to the backstage and sat by Wally’s desk, waiting till the show was over. I said to Penny, it was too bad Maria wasn’t there when Donnie Osmond walked by and went up to the dressing rooms.