Fly Me to the Morgue (21 page)
The guy did, in a half-assed manner, which I found sort of insulting. I think I actually could have carried a gun in there and gotten away with it.
The man who had led us through the house was standing off to one side, hands folded in front of him.
âAre you Vincent DeStefano?' I asked.
âThat's right,' he said. He looked like what a bulldog would look like if it were human. Hunched, rounded shoulders, big jaw, thick chest, but short, bandy legs. âYou're Gianelli?'
âThat's right.'
âYou're here because Mr Giancana asked me to give you ten minutes of my time.'
âTen minutes?'
âAnd it's worth ten minutes of my time not to rub Mo Mo the wrong way.'
âThen we better get started,' I said.
âI know you?' DeStefano asked Jerry.
He shrugged.
âWhat's your name?'
âJerry Epstein.'
âA Jew,' DeStefano said. âFrom where?'
âBrooklyn.'
âI heard about a big Jew from Brooklyn,' DeStefano said.
âGood things?'
âBad things.'
âGood,' Jerry said.
âMr Sinatra,' DeStefano said, âit's a pleasure to have you in my house. I have quite a few of your records.'
âThanks,' Frank said. He looked a bit off balance. I think he'd intended on showing this mob guy why he and Mo Mo were friends, and the guy's compliment threw him.
âYou know a family named Arnold?' I asked DeStefano.
He took his eyes from Jerry and looked at me.
âArnold,' he said. âI know some brothers.'
âChris, Phil and Eric.'
âI know Phil and Eric,' he said. âNever met Chris.'
âDid you have Chris killed?'
âI said I never met Chris.'
âI know that,' I said. âThat wasn't my question.'
âWhy would I have some guy I don't even know whacked?' he asked.
âYou're in business with Phil Arnold, right?'
âWe have had some dealings, yeah.'
âAnd Eric?'
âHe's his brother's accountant.'
âThat's it?'
âThat's it.'
âDoes Phil owe you money?'
DeStefano sat back. âLots of people owe me money.'
âIs Phil Arnold one of them?' I asked.
He didn't answer.
âIs it a lot of money?'
He looked at his watch.
âSee, somebody killed Chris Arnold,' I said. âBeat him to death. I think it has something to do with Phil's business dealings, which you just admitted you're involved in.'
âDoin' business with the guy don't mean I killed his brother.'
âIt don't mean you didn't, either,' Frank said, wanting to be part of the conversation.
âYou're right,' I said. âIt doesn't
necessarily
mean you killed his brother.'
necessarily
mean you killed his brother.'
DeStefano looked at his watch.
âYou got a few minutes left.'
I wasted a few seconds of that time studying him.
âHe called you, didn't he?'
âWho?'
âPhilip,' I said. âHe called you yesterday after we left the office. He told you we'd be coming to see you.'
âWhat makes you say that?' DeStefano asked.
âI don't think you would've agreed to see us otherwise.'
âI told you why I agreed.'
âYeah, Giancana,' I said. âBut, you see, I think you would've tossed us out of here already if that was the case. You and Phil are partners, aren't you?'
âI said we had some dealings.'
âAnd that's all you're willin' to admit to?'
âTime's up, Gianelli,' he said, looking at his watch again, âand now I am gonna have you tossed out.'
His two bodyguards started for us.
âDon't try it,' Jerry said.
âBack off, pally!' Frank chimed in. He put his hands up.
They stopped. Apparently they'd heard about the big Jew from Brooklyn, as well. I don't think the skinny guy from Jersey backed them off, any.
âBoss,' said the man who had shown us the way.
âIt's OK, Sid,' DeStefano said. âJust show our guests out.' He looked at me, then at Frank. âYou'll tell Mo Mo I gave you the ten minutes I promised, right?'
âI'll tell 'im,' Frank said.
âGood.' Then he looked at Jerry. âYou ever think about leavin' Brooklyn lemme know.'
Jerry didn't answer. We followed Sid out.
As we approached the Caddy Frank said, âWell, what did that accomplish?'
âMr G?' Jerry said.
âDeStefano and Phil Arnold are partners,' I said.
âSo you're sayin' he didn't have Arnold beat up?'
âNo,' I said. âIf he had, Philip wouldn't have warned him about us. In fact, I don't think DeStefano had anythin' to do with killin' Chris.'
âWhy not?'
âHe was way too calm about seein' us, and about the questions I was askin'.'
âThen who did have Philip Arnold beaten up?' Frank asked. âAnd his brother killed?'
âI don't know,' I said, as we piled into the car under the watchful eyes of Sid â who handed Jerry back his gun â and the two outside bodyguards. âI think we may be back to square one.'
FIFTY-SIX
We drove back to the Sands, but didn't get out of the car right away. It was as good a place as any to talk.
âDid the two of you notice something back at DeStefano's?' I asked.
âLike what?' Frank asked.
âLike while we were talkin' to him neither one of us mentioned that there was an Arnold sister; let alone two,' I said.
âAdrienne,' Jerry said.
âThere's an Adrienne Arnold?' Frank asked.
âYeah,' I said. âShe took over the negotiation with Bing about the horse.'
âAnd DeStefano said he knew the Arnold brothers,' Frank said.
âPhil and Eric,' I added. âBut not Chris.'
âBut he knows
about
Chris,' Jerry said.
about
Chris,' Jerry said.
âIf he knows the Arnold boys â about all the Arnold boys â wouldn't he know about her?' I asked.
âAnd there's another?' Frank asked.
âYeah, but she lives in Europe, so she's out of the picture. But Adrienne lives here . . . he'd know about her.'
âMaybe,' Jerry said.
âNot necessarily,' Frank said.
I looked at Frank.
âWell,' he said, âyou know Adrienne Arnold and you didn't mention her.'
We sat in silence for a few moments, Frank drumming out a rhythm on the back of my seat.
âI guess,' I said, after a few moments, âthat was a question I should have asked him.'
âWell,' Jerry said, âyou did only have ten minutes.'
âTen minutes?' I repeated, looking at Frank. âThat was all you could get me?'
âI didn't know about that part. Sorry.'
âYeah, well . . . that's OK.'
âThose guys at the house,' Jerry said.
âWhat about them?' I asked.
âNone of them came out of the elevator at Philip Arnold's building.'
âYou're right.'
âDeStefano could have used local muscle,' Frank said. âCouldn't he?'
âI doubt it,' Jerry said. âHe didn't look like he needed any extra help.'
âAnd any of those guys looked capable of knocking Phil Arnold around.'
âSo what's next for you guys?' Frank asked.
âWhat's next for you?' I asked.
âI got a show to do tonight. Frankie and me are leavin' tomorrow,' he said. âHeadin' home. You guys can come to the show if you have time, but I'll understand if you can't make it.'
âWell then,' I said, âJerry and me will have to try and find Phil Arnold again. Only he can tell us who knocked him around.'
âOr,' Jerry said, âwe could talk to Adrienne again.'
âAnd what?' I asked.
âWe could ask her the question you didn't ask DeStefano. If she knows him.'
âGood point.'
We all popped our doors and got out of the Caddy.
âThanks for your help, Frank.'
âGuess I didn't help all that much,' he said.
âYeah, you did,' I said. âThe ten minutes was enough to tell us DeStefano didn't rough up Phil or kill Fred Stanley.'
âThat's not definite,' Frank said. âIs it?'
âNo,' I said. âIt's just what I believe. I'll have to run it by Danny.'
âGood idea,' Jerry said. âAfter all, he's the dick.'
âYeah, he is,' I said. We went inside the Sands.
âI should tell Jack what happened,' I said, as we entered the hotel.
âI can do that,' Frank said. âI want to see him one more time before I leave, anyway.'
âOK,' I said. âThanks. He won't get mad at me if he sees you're OK.'
âAw, was he worried?'
âYeah,' I said, âhe thought I'd get you . . . damaged.'
âI'll make sure he knows I'm undamaged.'
âI'm glad you didn't try to act like a gangster when we were there,' I said.
âI'm not an idiot, Eddie,' Frank said. âCatch you later, pally. See ya, Jerry.'
âLater, Mr S.'
Frank headed for the elevator.
âWhere to boss?' Jerry asked.
Good question.
FIFTY-SEVEN
We needed to find Phil Arnold again. Where to look? Where did he live?
âYou were right,' I said to Jerry.
âI was? About what?'
âWe need to talk to Adrienne again.'
âYou wanna do that with me,' Jerry asked, âor without me?'
âLet's do it together,' I said.
âYou sure?'
âYeah.'
âWhere?'
âShe gave me her number, and her address.'
âYou wanna call her?'
âNo,' I said. âI think we should just . . . drop in on her.'
âNow?'
âRight now.'
He grinned.
âBack to the Caddy!'
I was surprised to find that Adrienne Arnold lived in a brand new building, walking distance from the strip. From her door to the Dunes was about a ten minute walk.
âWe goin' up?' Jerry asked, as we stood in front of the building.
âHuh? Oh, yeah. I was just finding it odd that the Arnold who lives closest to a casino is Adrienne, when the two brothers are supposed to be gamblers.'
âYou think she's a gambler?'
âThat would explain why she still wants to sell the horse even though her brother Chris was murdered.'
âMaybe the whole family gambles.'
âThat's what I'm startin' to think.'
We went inside, found a young, uniformed doorman standing behind a desk.
âHelp ya?' he asked.
âWe're lookin' for Adrienne Arnold.'
âWho ain't?' he asked, with a silly grin. âShe's hot.'
âYeah, she is. Is she also in?' I asked.
âNah, went out early. Ain't come back, yet. Believe me, I been watchin' for her.'
âAny idea where she went?'
âSure,' he said, âif she ain't home, she's at the Dunes, hittin' the blackjack tables. If she's not there, just keep tryin' casinos.'
âThe lady is a gambler?' I asked.
âYou kiddin'?' he asked. âShe's jonesin'.'
âDoes she play all day?'
âOh, yeah,' the man said. âShe can be gone for hours.'
âOK,' I said. âThanks.'
We went back outside, stood in front.
âWant me to wait here while you go lookin' fer her?' Jerry asked.
âNaw,' I said, âwe can both go lookin' for her.'
We walked down the block and got into the Caddy.
The Dunes was located at the southernmost tip of the Strip. Along with the Sands and the Desert Inn it was known as one of the Kings of the Strip.
It didn't have the success the other two had, though. Not right away. Not even booking Frank into their showroom could help. However, when they started their first topless review, that put them on the map. From that day on they were a huge success.
I knew they were planning to spend some money on a huge neon sign the following year, '64. It would be one hundred and eighty feet high and shoot âelectric lava' into the sky every minute. It would lead the way toward lighting the Strip.
Inside the Dunes we split up.
âIf you find her, then find me,' I said. âUnless you wanna question her.'
âI'm the muscles, Mr G.,' he said. âYou're the brain. I'll find you.'
The Dunes ran a lot of blackjack tables. Jerry took one end of the room and I took the other. I got lucky and hit the jackpot. I found her seated at one of the high stakes tables. I watched her play for a while. She was in my world now. There was nowhere to hide.
She was occupying the middle spot. She played with her body leaning forward, watching every move the dealer made, oblivious to the fact that the eyes of all the males at the table were on her. She played with intensity, shaking her leg, biting her lip, tensing her shoulders. She'd go from elation to despair from hand to hand. The doorman was so right. She was jonesing for it. Blackjack was her drug of choice.
I spotted Jerry across the room and waved to him. He started over.
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