Robert Randisi - I'm a fool to kill you

‘I’m going to put the groceries away,’ Ava said. ‘Jerry, put my suitcases in the big bedroom, will you?’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

Jerry did that, came out and made sure Ava wasn’t in the room before saying to me, ‘This place has a lot of windows, Mr G.’

‘I noticed,’ I said.

‘Later I’ll scout around, see where somebody might set up,’ he said. ‘That way I can keep Ava from certain windows. Or off the deck.’

‘Nobody should be able to find us here,’ I said. ‘She should be able to sit on the deck. But go ahead and take a look.’

‘That’s a big, solid sofa,’ Jerry said. He was right, it looked as if it had been hand crafted by somebody who knew what they were doing. ‘You take the second bedroom, I’ll take the sofa.’

‘OK,’ I said. ‘I’m gonna call Entratter now and see if he’s talked with Hargrove.’

‘I’ll put your suitcase in the bedroom, and then make some coffee.’

‘Sounds good.’

The phone was next to the sofa. I sat down, realized Jerry was going to be very comfortable. I dialed the Sands, got Entratter’s girl.

‘Is he in?’

‘Yes.’ So much disapproval in one word. Maybe I should have told her how the waitresses felt about me. Entratter came on the line.

‘Eddie?’

‘Yeah, Jack.’

‘Where are you? Wait, don’t tell me. I don’t wanna know. Is Ava with you?’

‘Yeah, Ava and Jerry. Jack, I saw Hargrove in the casino. Did he come to see you?’

‘Yeah, he was lookin’ for you.’

‘For what? I didn’t do anythin’ to attract his attention.’

‘Since when do you have to do somethin’ to get on his wrong side?’ Entratter asked.

‘He didn’t say why he was lookin’ for me?’ I asked.

‘No, just that he was. He warned me to tell you to call him.’

‘Yeah, right away,’ I said. ‘Jack, did he mention Jerry?’

‘No,’ Entratter said. ‘No mention.’

‘That’s good, anyway.’

‘What did you do, Eddie?’

‘I’m just tryin’ to keep Ava safe, Jack,’ I said. ‘And find out what’s goin’ on. Like Frank wanted.’ I knew all I had to do was mention Frank and Entratter would back off.

‘Yeah, OK,’ he said, ‘OK. Look, here’s his number.’ He read it off to me. ‘Just keep in touch. And stay safe. All of you.’

‘Sure, Jack,’ I said. ‘Thanks.’

I hung up, sniffed the air, smelled the coffee. Ava came into the room, also sniffing the air.

‘This must seem small to you,’ I said.

‘It’s nice.’

‘You’ve probably got a big villa in Spain.’

‘Big enough.’ She sat down beside me on the sofa, put her hand on my thigh. It was a sexual gesture that was decidedly non-sexual at the moment. ‘Are you all right?’

‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘Just got off the phone with Jack Entratter at the Sands. The cops are lookin’ for me, but not Jerry.’

‘That sounds good and bad,’ she said.

‘Good for Jerry,’ I said. ‘Definitely.’

‘What about you?’

‘I’m gonna have to talk to Hargrove sooner or later and see what he’s got,’ I said. ‘I can’t run from him. He’s not the kind to give up.’

‘So what are you going to do?’

‘I’ll have to drive back to Vegas, leave you guys stranded here.’

Suddenly, her hand tightened on my thigh and the situation became very sexual. She also leaned over so that her shoulder was against mine, she lowered her voice.

‘I’m getting pretty horny, Eddie,’ she said. ‘If we don’t do something about that soon your friend Jerry might be in jeopardy.’

I turned my head and looked into her eyes. I almost said that I’d bet she could not get Jerry into bed, but I didn’t want to challenge her. But I was pretty sure Jerry’s loyalty to Frank would keep that from ever happening — unless, of course, Ava pulled out the big guns.

So I just gave her a stern look and said, ‘Behave,’ and slapped her hand away.

‘Fine,’ she said.

I had something to eat with Jerry and Ava, then Jerry took a walk before it got dark, while Ava and I sat on the deck with glasses of wine.

‘Franks and beans,’ Ava said. ‘I can’t remember the last time I had that.’

‘Me, neither.’

‘It was good.’

‘Surprisingly good,’ I agreed.

‘But because I’m eating, and trying to keep up with you and Jerry, I’m getting fat.’

‘You’re not fat, Ava,’ I said.

‘What am I?’ she asked, sipping her wine. She batted her eyes at me over the rim.

‘Oh no,’ I said, ‘you’re horny enough without me making it worse by telling you how beautiful and sexy you are.’

A self-satisfied smile spread over her face.

‘Thank you, Eddie, for not telling me.’

We clinked glasses.

‘What’s he doing out there?’ she asked.

‘Making sure there’s nobody in the bushes with a gun,’ I said.

‘Really?’

‘Kinda,’ I said.

‘Are you staying here tonight?’ she asked.

‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘I was planning to, but now that the cops are lookin’ for me I should call the detective and see what he wants.’

‘And?’

‘He might want me to come back to town.’

‘Tonight?’

‘Maybe. If he does, it’s not that late, and only thirty miles.’

‘Why can’t it wait until morning?’ she asked.

‘Maybe it can,’ I said. ‘That’s what I’m going to find out. I’ve had trouble with him before,’ I said. ‘Me and Jerry both. He’s got it in for me.’

‘Fuck him, then,’ she said. ‘Don’t call him.’

‘Well, if it was just me I might do that, but there’s you and Jerry to consider.’

She tapped the nail of her forefinger against her glass.

‘Well then, why don’t you go and call him now and get it over with?’ she suggested.

‘You know what?’ I said. ‘That’s what I’m gonna do.’

‘Do you have his number?’

‘Yeah, Entratter gave it to me.’ I stood up, left my glass on the deck rail. ‘I’ll be right back.’

As I headed for the door Jerry came up the steps.

‘What’d you find?’ I asked.

‘Nothin’. Looks good so far.’

‘I’m gonna make a call,’ I said. ‘Go ahead and sit with Ava.’

‘OK, Mr G.’

I went inside. I’d left the number on a piece of paper next to the phone, so I sat and dialed.

‘Detective Hargrove,’ he said, after four rings.

‘If you’re lookin’ for somebody, Detective, maybe you should answer your phone on the first or second ring.’

There were a few moments of silence and then he said, ‘Fuck you, Gianelli. Where the hell are you?’

‘I’m around,’ I said. ‘Not far. What’s goin’ on? I heard you were lookin’ for me.’

‘I’m lookin’ to throw your good for nothin’ ass in jail, that’s what I’m lookin’ for,’ Hargrove said with not a hint of humor.

‘What for?’ I asked. ‘What did I do now? Or what didn’t I do that you want to pin on me?’

‘Never mind,’ he said, ‘just get your ass in here so we can talk.’

‘OK, I’ll be there first thing in the mornin’,’ I said.

‘No, not mornin’,’ he said. ‘Now, so I can call off my men and not waste their time lookin’ for you.’

‘What, you got an APB out on me? Am I gonna be charged with somethin’?’

‘I told you, I just wanna talk.’

‘No, you said you wanted to throw my ass in jail, but I thought you were just talkin’ like you always do, in general. You got somethin’ specific you wanna toss me in a cell for?’

‘Eddie,’ he said, ‘if you run I’ll find you.’

‘What the hell, Hargrove,’ I said, ‘what reason do I have to run? Look, I’ll be there in an hour.’