Fly Me to the Morgue (25 page)
âSo you've pretty much been chasing two cabbies around for two days?'
He pointed his finger at me.
âThis is the dirty part of the job, Eddie,' he said. âBelieve me, I've been in places that have never seen soap.'
âOK, OK,' I said, âI'm just pokin' at ya. Findin' a body is no bed of roses either, you know.'
âYeah, I know,' he said.
âBesides, don't we already have a cabbie who saw Stanley hustled into a dark car?'
âWe do, but he didn't see any faces. I'm still lookin' for somebody who can describe these two jamokes. I'm hopin' that's one of these missin' cab drivers.'
âI hope you're right.'
âYou're gonna have to deal with Hargrove sooner or later.'
âHopefully I can give him a killer.'
âBefore another body shows up.'
âI just hope if the fired cabby did see somethin', he's not in hidin'. That'd just make him that much more trouble to find. He probably found a hole and pulled it in behind him.'
âYeah, but you're good at findin' holes, Danny,' I said. âNobody can hide from you in Las Vegas. Not for very long, anyway.'
We finished our drinks and I settled up with the bartender.
âYou know,' I said, when we got outside, âif the next victim is DeStefano it might get the cops off my back and lookin' at the mob.'
âSo you just wanna hope he's next,' he asked, âor set it up? Jerry can make the hit.'
âYou know, Jerry likes you,' I said. âHe'd never make a remark like that about you.'
âHey, I like the big buy, too. I was just kiddin'. I mean . . . you don't
wanna
kill DeStefano, do you?'
wanna
kill DeStefano, do you?'
âOf course not.'
âOK.'
We started back to my house, where our cars were.
âI'm just sayin' if somebody did kill him, it would take some heat off us. That's all.'
He looked at me.
âI'm just sayin',' I said.
When we got back to the cars he asked me the question I didn't want him to ask.
âSo what kind of alibis did you and Jerry set up? Do you need my help?'
I looked at him and smiled. âHere's the part you're gonna find funny.'
SIXTY-SEVEN
I went back to the Sands and did a late shift in my pit. Jerry was nowhere in sight. Maybe he and Mack Grey had found something else to do, or maybe they really were in his room watching movies. Maybe they actually got along.
I kept my eyes peeled for Hargrove, or any other cop. When they didn't show up by three a.m. I started to wonder what was going on? Phil's body must have been found by now.
It was almost four a.m. when Jack Entratter appeared as I was getting ready to hand my pit off. He looked as if he had dressed quickly after somebody woke him up. His suit and white shirt were wrinkled, and he wasn't wearing a tie.
âEddie,' he said, waving to me.
My replacement moved into the pit and I joined Jack on the casino floor.
âWhat's up, Jack?'
âI just got woke up by the cops,' he said. âThey were lookin' for you and Jerry.'
âHargrove?'
âNo,' he said. âI don't think Hargrove would've called. He would've wanted to surprise you.'
âAre they comin' here?'
âYeah,' he said. âI called our lawyer, he's on his way, too. Can you think of any reason why you shouldn't be here when they get here?'
I scratched my cheek and said, âIt might not be so bad if it's not Hargrove. Maybe he's . . . off.'
âYeah, maybe.'
âI'll get a hold of Jerry. He's probably in his suite.'
âI'm wonderin' Jack said, âif we should bring Bing in on this?'
âLet's not wake him and Kathy up just yet,' I suggested. âWe can do that if the cops ask for them.'
âOK,' Jack said. âI'm goin' to my office to take some bicarbonate before they get here. Although I doubt very much it'll help.'
âI'll come up after I talk to Jerry,' I said.
âYeah, OK.'
He didn't ask me to come to his office and make the call. I was glad. Let him have his bicarbonate in peace.
I decided to go to Jerry's suite instead of calling. I only had to knock once and he answered.
âHey, Mr G.'
âGuess I didn't wake you.'
âNaw, come on in.'
As I entered I noticed that the TV was on, and Mack Grey was asleep sitting up on the sofa.
âHow long has he been asleep?'
âI think he nodded off halfway through
The Charge of The Light Brigade
.'
The Charge of The Light Brigade
.'
There was a room service tray with a metal pot of coffee and a few cups.
âAnything left in there?'
He nodded. âMight even still be warm.'
I poured and sipped. Just warm enough not to be cold.
âWhat's up? Cops around?'
âThat's what I came to see you about,' I said. âThey'll probably be here within the hour. Called Jack Entratter already.'
âHargrove?'
âThat's the odd part,' I said. âIt's not him. Not yet, anyway.'
I noticed we were both speaking in hushed tones so as not to wake Mack.
âSo what do we do? Wait for them to come lookin'?' he asked.
âNo, I told Entratter we'd come down to his office and wait.'
âThat's real cooperative of us.'
âYeah, it is.'
âYou talk to the sister?'
âAdrienne,' I said. âYeah, we . . . talked. She's gonna try to come up with a name for us, somebody doin' business with her brother and DeStefano who might be targeting Vince next. She's also tryin' to get me a meeting with Vince.'
âShe's bein' helpful, too.'
âYeah,' I said. âWe're all bein' so damned cooperative.'
âWhat should we do with Mack?' he asked.
âLet's just let him sleep, for now.'
âOK,' Jerry said. âI'll change.' He was wearing a t-shirt and trousers. I knew he'd want to change into a sports jacket, though. Even if he wasn't going to wear his gun beneath it â I hoped. Jerry was only casual when he was at home.
I finished my lukewarm coffee while waiting.
âI'm ready,' Jerry said, when he reappeared.
âJerry . . .' I said, eyeing him.
He held his jacket open and said, âNo gun, Mr G.'
SIXTY-EIGHT
When we got to his office Jack was taking two aspirin.
âOn top of the bicarb,' he said, putting down the glass of water. âDoes wonders.'
âI'll pass,' Jerry said.
âMe, too.'
We both sat.
âWell,' Jack said, âthis is a switch.'
âWhataya mean?' I asked.
âYou guys really haven't done anythin' wrong, and you're still in trouble.'
Jerry held up a huge forefinger and said, âWe did break into the dead guy's house.'
âWell, compared to murder, that's not much of a charge,' Jack said.
At that point the phone rang. Jack picked it up, said, âWhat?' listened, then said, âThanks,' and hung up. âTwo detectives are on the way up.'
âDo we know them?' I asked.
âWe'll know when they walk in.'
We waited, heard the elevator, then the footsteps and some unintelligible words. Presently, two men wearing suits walked in, both looking like they'd been awake for many hours. Happily, neither of them were familiar to us. No Hargrove.
âMr Entratter?' one of them said.
âThat's right,' Jack replied, standing.
The detective shook Jack's hand, took a quick look at us.
âI'm Detective Maddox, this is my partner, Detective Lang. I'm the one who spoke to you on the phone. Sorry to have to wake you.'
âThat's all right,' Jack said. âMurder's a serious business.'
âYes, it is,' Maddox said. âI assume these are the two gents we talked about?'
âThat's Eddie Gianelli, one of my pit bosses,' Jack said, âand Jerry Epstein, a friend of his who is a guest with us right now.'
Jerry and I both stood up.
âStay seated, guys,' Maddox said. âWe just have a few questions.'
We sat back down.
âYou gents know a man named Philip Arnold?'
âWe know him,' I said.
âHow?'
âWe were helping another of our guests, Bing Crosby, buy a horse from a man named Chris Arnold. As you probably know, he was killed a couple of days ago.'
âWe do know,' Lang said. âThat's how we got on to you.'
âWe got a flag that cases involving anyone in the Arnold family should be referred to Detective Hargrove,' Maddox said.
âWe know Hargrove,' I said. âWhere is he?'
âHe's off, today,' Maddox said, âbut when he gets in this morning he'll find a note on his desk.'
Great.
They asked us when we last saw Philip, what the circumstances were, and then what we had been doing last night. We told the truth, that we'd gone to the show at the Flamingo and then for a night out with Frank and company.
When they asked what we'd done during the day Jerry gave them Mack Grey's name, and I reluctantly gave them Penny's name and contact info. Reluctantly, because when I told Danny that I'd be using Penny as my alibi â that she had
volunteered
â he hadn't been real happy about it. But there was nothing he could do about it, because he knew if he told Penny she couldn't do it, she'd just dig her heels in.
volunteered
â he hadn't been real happy about it. But there was nothing he could do about it, because he knew if he told Penny she couldn't do it, she'd just dig her heels in.
âBut don't use her unless you absolutely have to,' he told me.
âI'll do my best,' I promised.
So much for my best.
The detectives finished their interview in about twenty minutes. They thanked Jack Entratter for his assistance in gathering us in one place, then thanked us for our time.
âI'm sure Detective Hargrove will be in touch when he gets to his desk in the morning and catches up,' Maddox said.
âI'm sure he will,' I said.
They said good-morning and left. We waited until we heard the elevator come and go.
âWow,' Jerry said, âgood cop and quiet cop.'
âWell,' I said, âI'm sure Hargrove will play the bad cop very well.'
âYou fellas and your other buddy, Bardini,' Entratter said, âbetter try to wrap this thing up today. The only way you might stay out of jail is to hand Hargrove the killer.'
I looked at my watch.
âHave you slept?' Entratter asked.
âNo.'
âYou?' he asked Jerry.
âNo.'
âYou both might as well catch four or five hours,' he said.
âThree would be more like it,' I said. âIn four or five hours Hargrove will be here lookin' for us.'
âOK,' Jack said, âso three hours. Do it, and then go catch a killer.'
Jerry and I stood up and headed for the door.
âYou'll have to get Mack off your sofa,' I said, as we walked to the elevator.
âLet him sleep,' Jerry said. âHe won't bother me. Are you gonna be in the hotel?'
âYeah,' I said, âI'll go down to the desk and get a room. I'll meet you at seven forty-five . . . but not in the lobby. We might accidentally run into Hargrove.'
âThe café?'
âNo,' I said. âThe parking lot, by the car. We'll get somethin' to eat and figure out our next move. I'm too tired to figure it out now.'
âMe, too,' Jerry said. âI've seen enough TV to last me a long time.'
SIXTY-NINE
I got into bed at five a.m.
The phone rang at seven fifteen.
For a moment I debated about answering it. What if it was the cops? Hargrove? I answered it.
âI've been lookin' for you,' Danny said.
âAt seven a.m.?'
âI haven't been to bed at all. Do you wanna know why?'
âDefinitely.'
âI found the fired cab driver. He's our guy.'
âDid the cabbie see anybody's face?'
âHe was in line behind the cab they pulled Stanley away from.'
âSo he got a clear view of his face.'
âHe did.'
âAnd is he able to describe it?'
âHe is, and he did.'
âAnd?'
âHe said he has a face like mashed potatoes,' Danny said. âLike somebody who'd spent his life in the ring. And this cabbie should know. He used to fight middleweight.'
âCould he be more specific?'
âSix three or four, big mashed nose, square jaw, and startling blue eyes.'
âStartling?'
âYeah, he said “startling”.'
âJesus, I haven't seen anybody like that this whole time.'
âSorry,' Danny said. âI was hopin' that would be helpful.'
âLook, Jerry and I are gonna be on the move today,' I told him, âtryin' to avoid Hargrove. You wanna meet us for breakfast?'
âGee, that's just what I need to start my day, watching that guy wade through stacks of pancakes. Of course I do.'
âOK, let's make it someplace Hargrove would not look for us.'
âOK, that means not anywhere near a casino,' Danny said.
âYup.'
âI got just the place.'
Just as my favorite burger place was out of the way, so was Danny's favorite place for breakfast. Well, one of his favorite places. It was in one of those long, silver diner things, but it was more than a diner.
Other books
The Dogs of Athens by Kendare Blake
Let Me Be Your Star by Rachel Shukert
Assassin's Touch by Laura Joh Rowland
Star Force: Shame (SF59) by Jyr, Aer-ki
Wolf’s Empire: Gladiator by Claudia Christian and Morgan Grant Buchanan
FOREWORD by Dean
Waiting for Mr. Darcy by Chamein Canton
Cowboy in My Pocket by Kate Douglas
Love's Road Home by Lisa Lewis
The Tin Man by Nina Mason
