Fly Me to the Morgue (10 page)
âBecause, detective,' I said, âwhen we got to the place, we found the horse owner, Chris Arnold, dead.'
âDead?' Freeman asked. âHow?'
âHe had been beaten to death.'
Both detectives turned to face me.
âDid you call the police?'
âOf course we did,' I said. âTwo Sheriff's detectives responded.'
âYou have their names?'
âI do,' Bing said. âI wrote them down.'
He took a slip of paper from his pocket, walked up to Freeman and handed it to him.
âI don't know these guys,' Freeman said, âbut we'll get in touch.'
âBut we do know you, Gianelli,' Moore said.
âWell, I don't know you guys.'
âWe know a friend of yours,' Moore said. âDetective Hargrove?'
âHargrove's no friend of mine.'
âWe heard,' Moore said. âSo you just happened to find a dead body, huh?'
âHey, hey, what's this about?' Bing asked. âThe only reason Eddie was even out there was as a favor to me. So why's he being badgered?'
âYou don't know who you're dealin' with, Mr Crosby,' Freeman said. âGianelli's got a history here in Vegas with the police, and it's not a good one.'
âI don't care about that,' Crosby said. âEddie's a friend of mine, has been for some time. I certainly do know who I'm dealing with. And I think any further dealings I have with you guys will be through my lawyer.'
âThat's the way you wanna play it?' Moore asked Bing.
âEasy, Ray,' Freeman said to his partner. âIf Mr Crosby wants us to talk to his lawyer, that's his privilege.'
âI'll have him get in touch with you, Detective Freeman,' Bing said. âToday.'
âThat'll be fine, sir,' Freeman said. âLet's go, Ray.'
They headed for the door, but before he could leave, Moore decided to get in my face. He got almost nose to nose with me.
âThis ain't over for you, boyo.'
âBoyo?' I repeated. âThat's the best you got?'
âWhy youâ'
âWe're leavin' Ray,' Freeman said, grabbing his partner's arm, ânow!'
As they headed for the door Bing's wife, Katy, decided to use her key to enter. She stopped short as the two men almost bowled her over.
âOh, excuse us, Ma'am,' Freeman said. âWe're so sorry.'
âSorry, Ma'am,' Moore said.
Kathryn Crosby's beauty drained the two men of all their animosity.
âThat's quite all right,' she said to them. âGood day.'
âGood day, Ma'am,' Freeman said, closing the door behind them.
Kathryn, holding several shopping bags, looked at the three of us and said, âWould anybody like to tell me who the men were who almost trampled me?'
âKaty, this gent is Danny Bardini, a friend of Eddie's.'
âThe detective who's looking for Red Stanley?' she asked.
âThat's right, honey. Why don't you take your bags into the bedroom,' Bing suggested. âI'll be right in to explain everything to you.'
âDid you find him?' she asked Danny.
âMa'amâ' Danny said, somewhat tongue-tied.
âKaty?' Bing said. âHonestly, I'll explain everything. Just let me finish with Eddie and Danny.'
TWENTY-THREE
âThey never asked about Jerry,' Bing said, when Kathryn had gone into the bedroom.
âSo you didn't have to lie,' Danny said.
âBut once they talk to the Sheriff's detectives,' I said, âthey'll know about Jerry. And when they talk to Hargrove, they'll come lookin' for him.'
âI can fly him back to New York,' Bing offered.
âProbably not a good idea,' Danny said. âThey'd make him come back, even if they had to call the NYPD to do it.'
âAnd Jerry probably wouldn't go back,' I said to Bing.
âWhy not?'
âIt's not his style,' I said. âHe'd feel like he was runnin' out on both of us.'
âSo what do we do?' Bing asked.
âWe wait and see what happens,' I said. âMeanwhile, you better stick to your guns and have your lawyer contact all the detectives involved.'
âI'll call him as soon as you gents leave,' Bing said, âand I finish explaining everything to Katy. I don't know if you fellas noticed, but she ain't happy.'
âWe'll leave you to it, then,' Danny said. He shook hands with Bing.
âThanks for everything, Danny,' Bing said. âYou'll send me the bill, huh?'
âNot a chance,' Danny said. âThis one's on Eddie. He owes me.'
âWell, if you're ever in Palm Springs give me a call. We'll have you out to the house.'
âI'll take you up on that,' Danny said. âYou comin'?' he asked me.
âIn a minute.'
âI'm headin' back to the office. See you later.'
I nodded, and he left.
âThis is a mess,' Bing said.
âIt'll take some cleanin' up, that's for sure,' I said.
âCan you stay with it?' Bing asked. âI mean, the cops'll be back.'
âYou'll have your lawyer.'
âI want you, Eddie.'
âYou'll have to clear it with Jack, Bing.'
âJack won't be a problem,' he assured me.
âAs long as you're in Vegas, Bing, you can count on me.'
âGood man!' He grabbed my hand and pumped it warmly. âWhy don't you plan on having dinner with me and Katy tonight.'
âOh,' I said, âwill that go over OK with her?'
âSure, sure,' Bing said. âShe likes you. And bring Jerry. She's real interested in him.'
âWell, OK,' I said. âWe can do that.'
âI'll have a car pick us up in the front of the hotel,' he said. âEight o'clock OK?'
That was two hours away. âI'll check with the big guy, but it should be fine.'
âThis may sound cold,' he said, âbut I'm still interested in that horse. I came all this way to see her.'
âI suppose Chris Arnold might have a wife, or family,' I said. âYou want me to check?'
âNo,' Bing said, âthat might bring you into contact with the cops. I'll have my lawyer check on it.'
âOK,' I said. âWe'll meet you in the lobby.'
âI'll pick the place, OK?'
âYou're the host.'
He walked me to the door and we shook hands again.
âSorry to get you mixed up in all this, Eddie.'
âThat's OK, Bing. Listen, I'll check in with Jack so he knows what to expect.'
âOK.'
I grabbed the elevator and took it to the second floor to Jack's office. His girl's desk was unoccupied, so I knocked on his open door.
He looked up from his desk, waved and said, âEddie, come on in.'
I walked to his desk and sat down across from him.
âWhat's goin' on?' he asked. âOr am I gonna regret askin' that question.'
âUm, yeah,' I said, âyou pretty much are, Jack.'
âTwo dead bodies?' he repeated after I'd finished my story.
âI'm afraid so.'
âYou bring Jerry in from Brooklyn and find two dead bodies?'
âFirst of all, Jerry's got nothin' to do with either one,' I said. âMe and Bing were with him when we found Chris Arnold. And Danny found Fred Stanley for Bing.'
âYeah, yeah,' he said, waving his hands, âforget I said that. It just seems when you and him get togetherâ'
âThat's the way the cops are thinkin', Jack,' I said. âI don't need for you to be thinkin' the same way.'
âOK, I said forget it!' he snapped. âLook, I'm sorry. Where's Jerry?'
âBing got him a suite.'
âGreat,' Entratter said. âGlad to hear he's comfortable.'
âJackâ'
âOK, OK,' Jack said. âSo, the Vegas cops don't know about Jerry yet.'
âRight.'
âAnd when they find out, they'll come callin'.'
âRight again.'
âIs he heeled?'
âHe is.'
âWell, tell him for Chrissake to leave the piece in his room somewhere.'
âI'll tell him.'
âAnd you know Hargrove is gonna be all over you.'
âIt's not his case.'
âThat don't matter,' Jack said. âIf he sees a chance to come down on you and Jerry, he'll take it.'
âBing's gettin' his lawyer involved.'
âI'll call our lawyers, too,' Jack said. âKeep them on call.'
âProbably smart.'
âJust try to keep your ass and Jerry's ass clean on this.'
âSo far we haven't done anything we could be faulted for, Jack,' I said. âAll we did was ride out there with Bing.'
âIs he stayin' in town?'
âThe cops want him to stay,' I said, âplus he's still interested in that horse.'
âIs there family he can deal with?'
âHe doesn't know,' I said, âbut he's gonna have his lawyer find out.'
âWell, I guess you won't be goin' back to your pit any time soon,' he said. âHow's your replacement doin'?'
âHe's doin' great.'
âYou better hope he don't do that great.'
âWhy?' I asked. âYou'll promote me?'
âYeah, right,' he said. âLook, clear this up as soon as you can.'
âClear what up?' I asked. âThe cops are investigating both murders. I'm just gonna try to stay out of the way.'
âFunny,' he said, âtell me another one.'
I started for the door.
âOh, by the way.'
âYeah?'
âAren't you supposed to be showing Frank Junior a good time?'
âOh, crap,' I said. âI forgot. Hey, you think he'd like to have dinner with Bing Crosby?'
âWhen are you going?'
âAbout an hour.'
Jack shook his head.
âHe'll be on stage. Give him a call and arrange to meet him after.'
âI'll do that.'
TWENTY-FOUR
I found Jerry in his suite, watching TV. He was sitting on the big, overstuffed sofa. I had the feeling he was really comfortable in his suite. Going back to his little apartment in Brooklyn might not be so easy.
On the bar was a demolished tray of food, so he'd availed himself of room service.
âJust a snack,' he said, when he saw me looking. âDon't mean I don't want dinner.'
âThat's what I came to see you about,' I said. âBing wants us to have dinner with him and Kathryn.'
He sat up straight.
âYou and me?'
âThat's right.'
âJeez, Mr G., I don't know. Mr C.'s wife is a real lady.'
âSo? You managed to choke down your food last year with Ava Gardner.'
He smiled.
âMiss Ava ain't no lady. She's a broad, if you know what I mean.'
âI know.'
âWhen's dinner?'
âAbout an hour.'
He leaped off the sofa.
âI gotta take a shower and get dressed.'
âYeah,' I realized, âso do I. I'll stop by here and pick you up in about fifty minutes.'
âOK, Mr G.'
âOh, and Jerry?'
âYeah.'
âLeave the rod home.'
âI'll feel naked.'
âDo it, anyway.'
âOK,' he said, glumly.
I went to the room I was using at the Sands and took a quick shower. I'd already grabbed a suit out of my locker first. Checking myself out I had to admit, I was cooking.
Before I left I called the Flamingo and got Frank Junior's room. I asked him if he wanted to meet me in the lounge at the Sands after his show. He told me he already had a date, but if he could make it he'd meet me there. I hung up, thinking that Junior was apparently seeing to his own good time.
I knocked on Jerry's door and he answered, looking very proud of himself. He was wearing a suit, his hair was slicked down, and I smelled cologne.
I stared.
âWhat?'
âNothin',' I said. âI'm just . . . not used to seeing you so . . .' I waved my hands, words failing me.
âI look OK?' he asked, worried.
âYou look great, Jerry.'
I frisked him.
âI left the gun in the room, Mr G.,' he said.
âHidden?'
âNaturally. I always figure some cop is gonna toss my room, even if it's just for the practice.'
I frowned. He may have been right. Once Hargrove heard from Freeman â or the Sheriff's detectives â that Jerry was in town, that wasn't something I'd put past him.
âWe better go,' he said, looking at his watch.
I was wearing a sports jacket and no tie. Jerry made me feel underdressed as we walked to the elevator.
We got to the lobby before Bing and Kathryn, which suited us. We didn't want to make them wait for us.
Bing was wearing a jacket and tie, a fedora and his ever-present pipe. Kathryn wore a dress that showed bare shoulders and great legs, and looked stunning.
âJerry,' Bing said. âI didn't recognize you. You look . . .'
âHe looks very handsome,' Kathryn said. âHello, Jerry, good to see you again. How about you call me Katy?'
Jerry was speechless. Kathryn had extended her hand so he took it and shook it delicately.
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