It Was a Very Bad Year (21 page)

‘OK, thanks.'

‘I'll go to my room,' Jerry said.

‘No, Come with me,' I said. ‘Let's see what this is about.'

We took the elevator up. Jack's girl was back and, probably in deference to the fact that Jerry was with me, said, ‘Go right in.'

As we entered Jack jumped up from behind his desk. ‘They got the bastards!'

‘The kidnappers?'

‘Yep,' Entratter said. ‘You were right, Eddie. The first one they caught was Johnny Irwin. He had forty grand with him. And then he gave up the other two.' He looked at a piece of paper on his desk. ‘Joe Amsler and Barry Keenan.'

‘You nailed that one, Mr G.,' Jerry said.

‘You sure did,' Jack said. ‘Frank wants you to come back to LA with me. You, too, Jerry. It's his birthday and he's havin' a party.'

‘Today?'

‘Right now,' Jack said. ‘I was waitin' for you to show up so we could leave.'

‘Um . . .'

‘What's wrong?'

‘I had a talk with Hargrove last night,' I said. ‘He said if I had to go back to LA to let him know.'

‘Well, OK,' Entratter said. ‘Use my phone and let's get goin'.'

He moved around his desk so I could sit in his chair and call. It took a while for Hargrove to come to the phone, and when he did he sounded breathless.

‘Who is it?'

‘Eddie G.,' I said. ‘I've got to go to LA. You wanted me to—'

‘What are you tryin' to pull, Eddie?' he demanded.

Uh-oh, I thought, he'd already heard about the kidnappers.

‘What do you mean?'

‘What do I mean? I mean the Rienza brothers were found tied up in a warehouse downtown. Their guns were on the ground next to 'em, unloaded. You don't know anythin' about this, do you?'

‘Why would I?' I asked. ‘Did they say I did? Did anybody say I did?'

‘They ain't talkin',' Hargrove said. ‘What's goin' on in LA?'

‘I don't know,' I lied. ‘Frank told me to come back. He says he's got some news.'

‘Well . . . fine. You go, but the minute you get back, haul your ass in here. I want to get to the bottom of this.'

‘We still talkin' about the murder?' I asked. ‘Did those two kill Wayne?'

‘We're doing a ballistics check on their guns right now,' Hargrove said. ‘By the time you get back, I'll know something.'

‘OK, then,' I said. ‘I'll see you when I get back.'

‘You and your big friend aren't off the hook yet, Eddie,' he said. ‘Get that idea out of your head.'

‘Yes, Detective.'

‘And make sure he comes in with you.'

‘Yes, Detective.'

‘Are you yessing me, Eddie?' he demanded. ‘You think you're handling me, right now?'

I said, ‘Yes, Detective,' and hung up.

F
rank had called Chasen's and had them bring in enough food for an army. He invited Dean and Joey (Sammy was away doing a show) and all the FBI agents and cops who had worked on getting Frankie back. Also there when we arrived were Jimmy Van Heusen, Gloria and Mike Romanoff and a man I knew was his neighbor in Palm Springs, Abe Lipsey.

Van Heusen was a hugely successful songwriter who had written many of Frank's hits.

Gloria and Mike Romanoff owned one of the most popular restaurants in Hollywood, Romanoff's.

Lipsey was simply a rich neighbor who had no connections to Hollywood, except that he enjoyed hosting parties to which he invited both movie and television stars, mostly at his Sunset Boulevard mansion. The parties became so famous that invitations were much sought after.

The party was as much for Frankie as it was for Frank's birthday, but Nancy kept her son close to her during the entire proceedings, and she couldn't be blamed for that.

Frank was a cheerful host, telling anyone who would listen that getting Frankie back was the biggest and best birthday present he could ever have gotten.

At one point he cornered Entratter and me and started telling us how much he appreciated the police and the FBI.

‘I'm gonna send each and every one of them somethin' special,' he said, ‘as soon as I figure out what it should be. And you.' He grabbed me, put his arm around my neck and hugged me to him. ‘You're gonna get the most special gift of all!'

‘I don't need a gift, Frank,' I said. ‘I'm just glad Frankie's home.'

‘That's what I love about this guy,' he said to Jack, tightening his arm around my neck, ‘he's modest. He's done more than anyone over the past few years to keep us bums out of trouble. Now he not only saves my son, but supplies the information that the cops used to catch the kidnappers – and he don't want nothin'.' He looked around. ‘I need another drink.'

He went off to get one, got waylaid by Mike and Gloria Romanoff, kissed Gloria soundly before continuing on.

‘Whatever he gives you,' Jack said, ‘just say thank you, Eddie.'

‘Jack—'

‘He's comin' to Vegas tonight. Tomorrow we celebrate the Sands' eleventh anniversary, and he wants to be there. He's gonna bring Juliet Prowse with him.'

I'd forgotten about the anniversary party.

‘But this will go on for a while,' Jack said, putting his hand on my shoulder. ‘And you had a big part in bringin' Frankie home, and finding the kidnappers. So enjoy the celebration.'

I nodded, and Jack moved off to join Jilly Rizzo and Mickey Rudin in a corner.

Sometime later I found myself standing off to one side talking with Nancy and Tina Sinatra. Or maybe we were flirting. We'd all had a lot to drink and were relieved that Frankie was safe.

Nancy was hanging on to one of my arms and Tina the other when Frank came stalking over and stood in front of us.

‘I love ya, Eddie . . .' he said.

‘I love you, too, Frank.'

‘. . . but stay away from my daughters!'

Both girls laughed as Frank grabbed me by the front of my shirt and pulled me away from them.

‘Eddie, those girls ain't ready for you. You're Eddie G., slick, fast—'

‘Slick?'

‘Trustworthy and loyal.'

Like a boy scout? I thought.

‘I love ya, pally,' he said again, slapping me lightly on the cheek, ‘but those are my babies, ya know?'

‘I know, Frank.'

He threw his arm around me again and said, ‘Now if you want a broad, I can get ya a broad.'

‘No, I'm good, Frank,' I said. ‘Really.'

‘OK.'

He walked away and I decided not to go back to the Sinatra girls. Besides, when I turned around they had latched on to a handsome young FBI agent, who was looking mortified.

Later I came face to face with Jimmy Van Heusen and found myself gushing to him about how much I enjoyed his work with Frank, including ‘All the Way' and ‘High Hopes', both of which won Oscars. He told me one of his favorite songs was ‘Call Me Irresponsible' from that year's film
Papa's Delicate Condition.
I hadn't seen the film yet, but I heard the song on the radio by Jack Jones. He then told me something I didn't know, that he originally wrote the song for Fred Astaire to sing in the movie, but Astaire had to pull out because of other obligations, so Jackie Gleason stepped in and did the film.

‘It's on Frank's new album, though, “Sinatra's Sinatra”,' he finished.

Somebody came and grabbed his arm, so I moved away after wishing him luck with the song at the next Oscar ceremony.

I looked around, saw Jerry standing off to one side eating a huge sandwich. He had a lot of room around him, like people were giving him space. I walked over and joined him. The table there was laden with food, both hot and cold.

‘How you doin', big guy?'

‘Good, Mr G. The food's real good. That Chasen's place must be OK.'

‘I think so.'

Even though the food on the table was delicious I found I wasn't that hungry.

‘
Manga
,' Jerry said.

‘Maybe later. I'm gonna get another drink.'

I looked around and saw Evans walking up to me. He was holding two drinks.

‘You look thirsty,' he said, handing me one.

‘Thanks. You're a mind reader.' I sipped it. It was bourbon.

‘Look, can we talk? Privately?'

‘I'll see you later, Jerry,' I said.

He nodded, raised his sandwich, and chewed.

E
vans and I found a corner where we could talk.

‘I wanted to thank you again for the information you called me with,' Evans said. ‘It really accelerated the capture of those kidnappers.'

‘Accelerated?' I asked.

‘Well, yes,' Evans said. He was impeccably decked out in an expensive brown suit with creases in his trousers that could carve a turkey and a burgundy pocket handkerchief. He wore gold cuff links, a couple of gold rings, but nothing on his wedding ring finger. I bet myself that he was always in the society pages, one of LA's most eligible bachelors. ‘We were going to catch them, anyway. But you helped speed up the process.'

‘I see.'

‘So I don't think I should be reading anything in the newspapers about you being the one who caught the kidnappers.'

‘Is that what you're worried about, Mr DA?' I asked. ‘That I'm gonna try and take credit for bringin' Frankie home? And findin' the kidnappers?'

‘Well, aren't you?'

‘I don't care about the credit, Evans,' I said. ‘You can have it.'

‘You getting paid that much that you don't need to be the hero?'

‘I'm not gettin' paid anythin'.'

He took a step back regarded me, puzzled.

‘So you did this – all of this – for nothin'? For . . . what? Friendship?'

‘That's right, friendship,' I said. ‘Frank called and asked me to help, and I said yes.'

‘And you put your life on the line?'

I shrugged.

‘I don't understand that,' he said.

‘What? The concept of someone doin' somethin' for a reason other than profit?'

‘I'm a politician, Eddie,' he said. ‘Altruism is not something I see every day. It's not something I even understand.'

I wasn't sure I knew what ‘altruism' meant back then, but I pretty much figured it out.

‘Some people just do the right thing, Mr Evans,' I said. ‘And I guess that's somethin' I wouldn't expect a politician to get.'

For some reason he decided to take offense at that moment.

‘Oh, look here,' he said, ‘don't go getting so high and mighty on me. According to Mr Raggio you're nothin' but another hood. You work for the mob in one of their casinos, and you work to keep their friends out of trouble.'

‘I think I'm done talking to you, Mr Evans,' I said. ‘I see a lot more interesting people in the room.'

‘Yeah, you listen—'

‘Dino!' I yelled.

Dean Martin had just walked in. He spotted me and came walking over.

‘Hey, Eddie!' He gave me a big hug. ‘Who do we have here?'

‘This is Mr Evans, the District Attorney around here. He worked with the cops and the FBI on gettin' Frankie back.'

‘Well,' Dino said to Evans, ‘let me shake your hand, fella. You did a helluva job.'

Evans shook hands with Dean but studied me. I guess he was waiting for me to play hero.

‘Thank you, Mr Martin,' he said. ‘I was just . . . just doing my job.'

Dino looked at me, a smile on his handsome face. He was wearing a blue suit that made the DA's look cheap.

‘I wanted to come over while everything was going on, but Frank said no. He said it would attract too much attention.'

‘He was quite right,' Evans said. ‘We had enough media attention to deal with.'

‘Well,' Dean said, ‘it's a pleasure to meet you. Eddie, I'll see you later. I'm gonna go and find Frank and Frankie, so I can give the kid a big hug. Excuse me boys.'

‘Yes, sir,' Evans said.

I nodded and Dean moved away into the room crowded with Sinatra well wishers.

I caught Evans looking at me.

‘Maybe I misjudged you, Eddie,' he said, finally.

‘You know what, Evans?' I said. ‘It really doesn't matter whether you did or didn't because we probably won't ever see each other again after this.'

‘You're right,' Evans said. ‘We probably won't.'

He turned and followed in Dino's wake into the crowded room.

W
e got off Frank's plane the next morning in Vegas and found the cops waiting for us.

‘What's this about?' Entratter said aloud as we came down the airstairs.

Frank had Juliet Prowse on his arm, put himself between her and the advancing quartet of uniformed cops.

‘Take it easy, baby,' he told her.

‘Eddie Gianelli?' one of them asked as they reached us.

‘That's me.'

‘You're comin' with us,' he said.

‘Am I?'

‘Under your own power or by force, but yeah, you're comin',' he said.

‘Why?'

‘Detective Hargrove wants to see you.'

‘Uh-oh,' Entratter said.

I knew what he meant. Hargrove had heard about the capture of the kidnappers and he knew that I gave him the information second, not first.

Mickey Rudin came out of the plane and asked, ‘What's going on?'

‘I think Eddie needs a lawyer, Mickey,' Frank said. ‘These officers are taking him in. I want you to go with him.'

‘What's this about?' Rudin asked anybody who would answer.

‘It has to do with a murder investigation,' the cops said. ‘That's all I can say right now, sir.'

‘I'm Mr Gianelli's lawyer.'

‘Then you might as well come with us,' the cop said.