Robert Randisi - It Was a Very Bad Year

‘I’m lookin’ for a guy who’s probably hidin’ out,’ I said. ‘A photographer named Barney Irwin.’

‘I know Barney,’ she said. ‘He’s a sleazeball, always tryin’ to get me to strip for his camera.’

‘He hasn’t succeeded?’

‘I don’t do nothin’ for nothin’, Eddie, you know that.’

‘I do know that.’ I handed her a twenty. ‘Keep an eye out, put the word out. A C-note for anybody who finds him and lets me know.’

‘You got it, handsome.’

The double sawbuck disappeared into her bra.

‘Bye, sweetie,’ Darla said to Jerry.

‘So long.’

‘Your friend knows where to find my friend, if you get the time,’ she said.

‘I’ll remember.’

Jerry put the car in drive and I directed him up a few more blocks.

‘Pull over here.’

He pulled to the curb and stopped.

‘What’s here?’

‘Wait for it.’

We waited a few minutes and then a guy came staggering down the street. When he got to the car he sort of lurched, bounced off the hood and ended up by my door.

‘Hey, Eddie.’

‘Dewey.’

‘You’re not lookin’ ta score, so what’s up?’

I told him what I told Darla. He didn’t know Irwin, but took his description and promised to be on the lookout, and pass the word. After that he staggered off.

‘I hate stoners,’ Jerry said.

‘He’s not a stoner,’ I said. ‘He’s a dealer. Never uses his own stuff, just acts like it.’

‘Don’t like dealers, either.’

‘Well, you don’t have to deal with him, I do.’

‘Where to?’ Jerry asked. ‘Time to eat?’

‘Yeah, but not around here. Drive. I’ll tell you where.’

I asked Jerry if he wanted hot dogs but he said not unless they were from Nathan’s of Nedicks. We settled on burgers and I directed him to a small burger shack I’d never taken him to before.

‘For a guy who’ll eat anythin’ you’re a real hot dog snob,’ I said to him when we sat down at an outdoor table with baskets of burgers and fries.

‘Ain’t my fault,’ he said, with a shrug. ‘Stuff in Brooklyn is real good. Come on, Mr G. Pizza? You got good pizza out here?’

I had to admit, Brooklyn pizza was still the best I’d ever had.

‘We gonna call the dick today?’

‘Yeah,’ I said, ‘right after this. He doesn’t have as many ears on the street as I do, but he’s got a network.’

‘You know a helluva lot of people, Mr G.,’ Jerry said. ‘This photographer ain’t got a chance of stayin’ hid — unless he left town.’

‘Even then we might be able to find out where he went.’

‘What about hired help?’ Jerry asked. ‘If he hired them two jamokes at the warehouse he could hire some more.’

‘Cheap labor,’ I said. ‘He either can’t or won’t lay out the dough for prime help.’

‘That’s good for us,’ Jerry said. ‘I’m gettin’ another burger. Want one?’

‘I’m still workin’ on this one,’ I said. ‘I don’t inhale food the way you do.’

He went off and came back with not only another burger, but another basket of fries. I still had half mine left. We were washing everything down with Cokes.

‘Got any more people to hit today?’ he asked. ‘Some real lowlifes?’

‘You don’t think we talked to any lowlifes today?’

‘That Dewey looked like a scumbag.’

‘Not Candy and Darla?’

‘They’re just whores, Mr G.,’ he said. ‘Whores are OK. They’re just workin’ girls.’

‘Well,’ I said, ‘we could go out to some of the ranches.’

‘What ranches?’ Jerry asked. ‘We gonna talk to cowboys?’

‘Brothels, Jerry,’ I said. ‘Whorehouses.’

‘You call them ranches? Are they legal?’

‘No, but they should be,’ I said. ‘Someday they will be, when the politicians get their heads out of their asses.’

‘So they makin’ payoffs?’

‘Oh, yeah,’ I said. ‘They pay through the nose to operate.’

‘You think Irwin went to one of ’em?’

‘Not if he’s cheap,’ I said. ‘Rather than go out there, I’ll just make some calls.’

We finished eating and I went to a nearby pay phone to call Danny. I found him in his office, answering his own phone,

‘Where’s Penny?’

‘Out. What’s up?’

I told him I was spreading the word on Irwin, and wanted him to do the same.

‘He may be on a bike.’

‘A bike? Like a Schwinn?’

‘No, like a Harley.’

‘Irwin?’

‘Last time I saw him.’ I told him about the warehouse.

‘You let him get away?’

‘Don’t rub it in,’ I said.

‘What about Jerry?’

‘He was dancing with the Rienza brothers at the time.’

‘The guys who jumped you in Reno?’ he asked. ‘Where are they now?’

‘In jail. Hargrove’s keepin’ ’em under wraps.’

‘How do you stand with him now?’

I explained how he’d taken me from the plane to an interview room, where we talked.

‘Like human beings?’

‘Believe it or not,’ I said, ‘we came to an understanding.’

‘I don’t believe it,’ he said.

‘I think he still sees a chance to get in on the kidnapping,’ I said. ‘Like catching the last one.’

‘Barney Irwin?’

‘Well, he’s related to one of ’em,’ I said. ‘That’s close enough for Hargrove.’

‘OK, so I’ll put the word out on Irwin,’ he said. ‘Between you and me we got the town wired. We’ll find the bastard.’

‘Call me when you do.’

‘You do the same.’

We agreed and hung up. When I got back to the table I couldn’t believe Jerry had another basket of fries.

‘What the fuck?’ I said.

‘I got lonely.’

When we got back to the Sands, Entratter had once again put the word out that he wanted to see me.

‘Where is he?’ I asked the bellman. ‘In his office?’

‘No, sir, I just saw him go out on the casino floor.’

‘OK, thanks.’

‘I’m gonna go to my room and wash up,’ Jerry said. ‘I’ll meet ya out there.’

‘OK.’

We split up and I went looking for Entratter. I found him watching two middle-aged women playing blackjack at a high stakes table.

‘They’re cleanin’ up, and I can’t figure out how,’ he said.

‘Maybe they’re lucky.’

‘Gotta be more than luck.’

‘You wanted to see me,’ I reminded him.

‘You didn’t come see me when you got back.’

‘I figured Mickey would tell you what happened.’

‘Mickey doesn’t know what happened,’ he said. ‘He thinks he got you out just by bein’ there.’

‘You don’t think he did?’

‘Mickey’s a good guy, but he gets a little puffed up about himself,’ Entratter said. ‘He ain’t no criminal attorney.’

‘No, he’s not.’

‘So what happened?’

‘You wanna get a drink?’

‘No,’ Entratter said, ‘I’m watchin’ these two broads. Tell me here.’

‘Hargrove and I came to an understanding.’

‘How the hell did that happen?’

‘He still thinks Barney Irwin had a hand in the kidnappin’, and if he catches him, he cashes in on some of the glory.’

‘And you let him think that?’

‘Why not? What can it hurt? I’m thinkin’ Irwin had somethin’ to do with his man Wayne’s murder. So I help Hargrove catch him, he charges him with the killin’ and the kidnappin’. Where’s the harm?’

‘And how are you gonna find him?’

‘I’m already workin’ on it.’

‘I suppose you’re usin’ your pals Jerry and Bardini?’ he asked.

‘Among others.’

Suddenly, Jack’s face changed. He looked away from the two women and directly at me for the first time. Then he put his big hand on my shoulder and squeezed.