I'm a Fool to Kill You (5 page)

Authors: Robert Randisi

BOOK: I'm a Fool to Kill You

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âTry the Beverly Hills Hotel,' Frank said. âYou might find her there in a bungalow.'

âMaybe I could callâ'

âShe wouldn't use her real name,' he said. âAnd the staff would cover for her. No, you're right, you'll have to go and see if she's there.'

âOK.'

âI wonder why she flew under her real name?' Frank asked.

âThat's somethin' else I'll ask her,' I said.

âCall me as soon as you see her,' Frank said. âIn fact, you can put her on the phone with me. Maybe then we'll get some answers.'

âOK, Frank.'

I got off the bar stool without having touched my beer. He grabbed my arm.

âSit down a minute,' he said. âThere are things you should know about Ava.'

I sat, sipped my beer.

âLike what?'

âShe's at an age where she's feeling vulnerable. You've got to be careful with her.'

Vulnerable was not a word I had heard used to describe Ava Gardner. Fiery, maybe, even wild. Not vulnerable.

âWhat do you mean?'

âShe's not happy,' Frank said. âShe thinks she's gettin older.'

âWe're all gettin' older, Frank.'

âAva doesn't like what she sees when she looks in the mirror,' Frank said. âAnd she's become hard to get along with. She gave them a helluva time on her last film,
Fifty-Five Days at Peking
.'

âHow do you know that?'

âI got it from Chuck Heston and Bernie Gordon, the screenwriter. Gordon says she was drinkin' a lot. Heston says her behavior was the worst he's ever seen from a colleague.' Frank shrugged. âHe's a bit of a stiff, but she still musta been pretty bad.'

âSo she's a drunk?'

âMaybe,' he said, âbut I think her problems go further than just drying out.'

âYou try to talk to her about it?'

âI called her a couple of times, but we got into fights,' he said. âBut if I could see her face to faceÂ .Â .Â . maybe I could get her to open up.' He looked at me. âOr maybe you can.'

âMe? She doesn't even know me.'

âI think I mentioned you to her once or twice,' he said. âAnd you're good with people, Eddie. You're real good. Look what you did for Marilyn.'

âI got there too late,' I said. In answer to her call I'd driven the night she died from Vegas to L.A. to see Marilyn but there were cops all over there when I arrived.

âWe were all too late for Marilyn, Eddie,' Frank said. âToo little, or too late. But I don't want that to be the case with Ava.'

âI understand, Frank,' I said. âI'll do what I can. I promise.'

âThanks, Eddie,' he said. âThanks a lot.'

TEN

W
hen I got to the airport in L.A. I met with security man Ben Hoff, he of the gruff voice, a big, beefy guy in his thirties who pumped my hand enthusiastically. He had black hair that was soaked with Brylcreem.

âGlad to meet ya, Eddie,' he said. âReal glad.'

âDid you find me a cab driver, Ben?' I asked.

âYeah, I found the guy who picked her up,' he said. âCome on. When you called me from McCarran I got ahold of him and made him wait in the security office. He's a little pissed off, but I told him it would be worth his while.'

âHow worth his while?'

âFifty should do it.'

âOK,' I said. âLet's go.'

Maybe I should have taken some expense money from Frank, after all.

Hoff walked me to the security office where a small, middle-aged man was sitting on a stool, his knees bouncing up and down with anxiety.

âHey, Ben,' he said, popping to his feet when he saw Hoff, âcome on, I gotta make a livin'.'

âTake it easy, Larry,' Hoff said, âthis is the fella I was tellin' you about. Wants ta talk to you.'

âMy name's Eddie Gianelli, Larry,' I said. âI'm trying to find Ava Gardner. Ben tells me she was in your cab this morning.'

Larry's eyes narrowed and took on a crafty glint in his eyes.

âShe mighta been,' he said. âI get lots of broads in my cab.'

âYeah, well this one you'd remember, wouldn't you?' I asked.

I looked at Ben Hoff, who nodded at me.

I took a fifty from my wallet and held it out to Larry.

âThat's all I get?' the cab driver asked.

âTake it, Larry,' Hoff snapped.

âYeah, yeah,' Larry said, snatching the bill from my hand, âso she was in my cab.'

âWhere did you take her?'

He hesitated.

âLarry!' Hoff said.

âI drove her to the Beverly Hills Hotel.'

âOK,' I said, âtake me there.'

âFor how much?'

âThe going rate,' I said, âplus twenty bucks.'

âI'm your man,' Larry said. He grabbed my suitcase from my hand. âLet's go.'

âThanks, Ben,' I said, shaking the security man's hand.

âAnytime, Eddie.'

âSee you in Vegas,' I said, and followed the cabbie.

Larry stopped his cab in front of the hotel and hesitated before getting out.

âDid you wait to see her walk in?' I asked.

âWellÂ .Â .Â . I watched her walk, if that's what ya mean,' Larry said. âCome on, it's Ava Gardner, right? So yeah, I saw her go in.'

âOK.' I grabbed my suitcase and started to get out.

âYou want me to wait?' he asked. âYou're gonna need wheels, right?'

âYeah, I might,' I said. I paid the fare, gave him the extra twenty, and then another ten. âOK, wait. And keep the meter running.'

âSure thing!'

I got out of the cab, hesitated, then decided to leave my overnight bag. Even if Larry took off on me, there wasn't anything of value in there anyway.

I walked up to the front door and entered, crossed the lobby to the front desk.

âCan I help you, sir?' a polite, impeccably dressed desk clerk asked.

âYes, could you tell me what room or bungalow Miss Ava Gardner is in?'

âSir?'

âAva Gardner.'

âI don't believe Miss Gardner is in the hotel, sir,' the man said.

âI think she is,' I said. âI just spoke to a cab driver who brought her here from the airport.'

âSir,' the clerk said, âeven if she was here it's against hotel policyâ'

I was tempted to invoke Frank's name, but five minutes after I spoke it, it probably would have made it into the newspaper.

If Ava was registered under an assumed name, and I knew that name, maybe that would have gotten me further.

âOK,' I said, âthanks.'

I searched the lobby and found the public phones. I called Jack Entratter in Vegas.

âYou in trouble already?' he asked.

âNo,' I said. âI just need you to ask Frank something for me.'

âWhat's that?'

âIf Ava used an assumed name to register at a hotel, what does he think it would be?'

âThat's what you want to know?'

âThat's it.'

âWhere are you?'

âBeverly Hills Hotel, but I'm on a pay phone. Here's the number.'

âI'll call you back the minute I find out somethin',' he said.

âOK. I'm gonna check the bungalows, but I should be in the lobby or the bar when the phone rings.'

âFrank's in the building,' he said. âIt shouldn't be long.'

âThanks Jack.'

ELEVEN

M
y plan had been to go out to the bungalows and look around, but that could have gotten me arrested as a peeping tom.

Instead, I decided to go into the bar, have a drink, and wait. But first I went back out to the cab.

âI'm gonna be longer than I thought,' I told Larry. âYou want to come in and have a drink in the bar?'

âIn there?' he asked. âWhere the movie stars drink? Sure thing!'

âOK,' I said, as he got out of his cab, âbut turn off the meter.'

âAw, Mr Gianelli,' he said, âyou didn't think I'd leave it runnin', didja?'

âNo, of course not,' I said, âand my name's Eddie G., Larry.'

âOK, Mr G.,' he said. âLet's go.'

We went into the building, entered the Polo Lounge and sat at the bar. Right off the bat I spotted Debbie Reynolds having lunch with somebody. Howard Duff and Ida Lupino were at a corner table, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme in a booth. I had to keep Larry rooted to his stool so he didn't charge anybody.

âYou're a cab driver in Hollywood,' I said. âI would think this was old hat to you.'

âYou kiddin'?' he asked. âA star's a star, man.'

âEddie?'

I turned and saw Joey Bishop walking toward me. There was a woman behind him, but all I could see was blonde hair and a shapely figure.

âHey, Eddie G.,' he said. âWhat're you doin' out of Vegas?'

I got off my stool and shook hands with him.

âThey let me out once in a while, Joe.'

âWhat are ya doin' here?' he asked.

âI'm here on some Sands business, Joe,' I said.

âTrackin' down some bad debts?'

âYou got it. Oh, this is my friend, Larry.'

âHey, Larry,' Joey said, shaking hands. He stepped aside so we could see the woman behind him. I found myself looking at the second most beautiful overbite I'd ever seen this side of Gene Tierney.

âThis is my TV wife, Abby Dalton. We were just gonna have lunch. Honey, this is Eddie Gianelli, and his friend, Larry.'

âGeez,' Larry said, staring at Abby.

âThe famous Eddie G.,' Abby said, with a dazzling smile. âI've heard so much about you. It's a pleasure to meet you.'

âMiss Daltonâ'

âOh, no,' she said, âany friend of my TV husband's is a friend of mine. You call me Abby. In fact, you can call me any time you want.'

âHey, hey,' Joey said, âno fair flirtin' right in front of your husband.'

Joey pulled Abby away from me.

âCan you have a bite with us?' she asked.

âI'm sorry, no,' I said. âI'm, uh, waiting for somebody.'

âIt was good to see you, Eddie.'

âYou too, Joey,' I said. âHey, Abby, if you ever get to Vegasâ'

âI was born in Vegas, Eddie,' she said. âNext time I come to see my folks I'll look you up.'

âYou do that.'

As they walked away to a table Larry said, âDamn, that babe was comin' on to ya. That happen a lot?'

âOnce in a while,' I said.

âMaybe,' he said, when we had our drinks â a couple of beers â 'we should go look by the pool? Maybe Miss Gardner's there? Or some other movie stars?'

âRelax, Larry,' I said. âIt's lunch time. They'll be flocking in here pretty soon.'

âI could just go up to Debbie Reynolds and askâ'

âNo,' I said, âleave her alone. She's doin' business. Like most of these people.'

âHey, Eddie!'

I turned and got a quick kiss on the cheek from Eydie Gorme.

âWe've got to run, Eddie,' Steve Lawrence said, âbut we wanted to say hi.'

âHey, Steve,' I said, âI love
Go Away Little Girl
.' He had a number one hit that year with that song.

âThanks a lot, Eddie.'

I gave Eydie a squeeze and shook Steve's hand and they went on their way.

âGeez, everybody know you?' Larry asked.

âNo,' I said, âjust some.'

I was starting to feel dumb about using the pay phone. There was no guarantee I'd hear it, or that anyone would pick it up when it rang. And if someone did answer it, would they come looking for me? I should have had Jack call me at the front desk. Then they could have paged me, which might have given me some credence with the desk clerk.

âIf a movie star walks in,' Larry said, âmaybe they can help ya find her?'

âYou think all movie stars know each other, Larry?' I asked.

âHell, Mr G.,' he said, âHollywood's a small town. Yeah, everybody knows everybody. Look how many know you? And you ain't from here.'

âWait here,' I told Larry. âHave another beer. I'm gonna make a phone call.'

âSure.'

I put money on the bar to cover the drinks, then went back out into the lobby.

I was walking towards the pay phone to call Jack again when it rang. I stepped in, closed the door and answered.

âEddie?'

âHey, Jack.'

âFrank says when Ava was first put under contract the studio wanted to call her Lucy Johnson, but she wouldn't go for it. She insisted on using her real name. But she uses Johnson sometimes as an alias.'

âOK,' I said. âI'll try that. Listen, if you don't hear from me in twenty minutes call me at the hotel and have the desk page me.'

âWhat for?'

âI'm just trying to raise my profile here, Jack,' I said. âBeing paged in the Polo Lounge will do that.'

âI didn't know you went in for that sort of thing, Eddie.'

âJust call me.'

âI'll have my girl do it.'

âShe won't,' I said. âShe hates me.'

âWe'll take care of it,' Jack said, and hung up.

TWELVE

â
W
ho?' the clerk asked.

âLucy Johnson,' I repeated. âDo you have a Lucy Johnson registered?'