The Piranhas (24 page)

I waited until he had left my office and then called Uncle Rocco again. “It’s all finished,” I said. “Now what do we do?”

“I still want you to think about my earlier proposition. We have a very big investment corporation and you could do very well with it.”

“Is that company invested in EuroSky?” I asked.

“Of course,” Uncle Rocco said. “We own it all. We have some of the most important motion-picture and broadcasting people in Europe to operate EuroSky.”

“How much did that cost you?” I asked him.

“Not that much,” Uncle Rocco said. “Maybe eleven billion dollars, but we will get more than fifty percent of that amount back in the first five years because we are leasing space on our satellites in Europe to telephone and other communication companies. They should give us about a billion a year of income.”

I laughed. “I don’t know what you need me for. You’re doing very well on your own.”

*   *   *

THEY WERE STANDING
six deep at the bar at the Palms at 8
P.M.
I was glad I had asked Kim to call and make a reservation for us. We found Da Vinci at the bar, holding a drink, and with a worried expression on his face.

“Have you spoken to Mr. Di Stefano in the last hour?” he asked.

“No,” I said. “I spoke to him earlier this afternoon after we had completed our business. But not since.”

“I am a little concerned. I tried to telephone him a few times and there is no answer at his apartment,” Da Vinci said.

“That is strange,” I said. “There is always someone at his apartment.”

“There’s been no answer,” he said quietly.

“Let me try to get him,” I suggested. At the same time, my beeper went off. I looked on the tiny screen and saw a number that was unfamiliar to me.

I turned to Kim. “Have a drink at the bar with Mr. Da Vinci, and I will return this call and then try to locate Uncle Rocco. I’ll only be a minute. I’ll use the car phone.”

I was lucky. The nice thing about having a Corniche is the valet always parks the car in front of the restaurant. I slipped the valet a fiver as he unlocked the door. I got into the car and picked up the telephone. First I called Uncle Rocco’s number. The phone rang six times, but there was no answer. Then I dialed the other number. To my surprise, Uncle Rocco answered.

“What took you so long?” he asked gruffly.

“What’s happening? Where the hell are you?”

“I’m in the Air France first-class lounge at JFK.”

“What the hell are you doing there?” I asked.

“I got word there’s a contract out on me,” he said.

“Do you know who ordered it?” I asked him.

“I have an idea. But I’ll have to clear it in Europe. Meanwhile I’ve got to stay undercover. So I’m renting a yacht in the South of France. I’ll stay on the boat until I get everything straightened out.”

“How do I get in touch with you?” I asked.

“I’ll let you know where I am and you arrange to meet me there as soon as I call,” he said.

“I thought you said you were out of this business.”

“I am out of the business,” Uncle Rocco said. “The trouble is there’s some assholes that won’t accept it. That’s why I want you to straighten them all out.”

I groaned into the telephone. “Okay, Uncle Rocco. Call me. I’ll be there. Meanwhile, you take care of yourself.”

“I will,” Uncle Rocco said.

The phone went dead in my hand and I put it back into its cradle. Then I returned to the restaurant.

Da Vinci looked up at me. “Did you try to reach Di Stefano?”

“I got no answer from him either.” I shrugged. “Let’s have dinner now. We probably won’t hear from him until tomorrow.”

“Where do you think he is?”

I began to hear warning bells echoing in my head. “Mr. Di Stefano loves opera. He probably went into Manhattan to the Metropolitan Opera. He must have let his staff off for a couple of hours until he returns home.”

Gigi, the manager of the Palms, led us to a table. We sat down and ordered drinks. “I thought you were bringing a date?”

“I had invited Mrs. Jarvis, but I was stood up,” he answered. “I couldn’t reach her by telephone either.”

7

THE GREAT THING
about the Palms is that you can really eat if you have an appetite. The potbellied waiter arrived with our drinks and announced, “We have a special tonight. Loch Ness Monsters. Six-pound lobsters!”

Kim shook her head, smiling. “No way we could ever finish one of those.”

I said, “How about splitting a four-pounder and then splitting a rare New York steak, a loaf of fried onion rings, and cottage fries?”

Kim cut in quickly. “We’ll start with one of Gigi’s salads.”

I turned to Da Vinci. “What are you going to have?”

“I’ll have a New York steak, medium rare,” he said. “And a side of spinach and a baked potato.”

“How about a bottle of Chianti?” the waiter suggested.

“Good enough,” I said.

The waiter took off, and we sipped at our drinks. “How did you meet Mrs. Jarvis?” I asked Da Vinci.

“I was her account manager at her bank in Paris,” he said.

“Was she married to Jarvis at that time?” I asked.

“No,” he answered. “About the time she was married, I went to work for EuroSky, and we lost touch.”

“How did you tie up with EuroSky?” I asked.

He laughed. “They needed a banker who knew computers. At that time there weren’t many of us working in Europe that had a knowledge of computers.”

“Didn’t EuroSky advance money to Jarvis for Millennium Films?” I questioned.

He looked at me with a completely open expression. “If they did,” he said, “I knew nothing about it, because I was just assigned to this project a couple of weeks ago.”

The waiter had just brought out our salads when a small group of people passed us on the way to their own table. I recognized Thyme, the exotic black singer whom I had seen at Bradley’s party. One of the men with the group paused at our table and spoke to Da Vinci. “I didn’t expect you in town this soon.”

“I had some special business,” Da Vinci said. “But I was planning to get in touch with you first thing in the morning.”

The man, who was well-dressed, good-looking, and middle-aged, nodded. “You can reach me at the hotel tomorrow morning; I’m returning to Las Vegas in the afternoon.”

Da Vinci said, “I’ll be in touch.” And the group moved on to their table. I thought it was curious that Da Vinci hadn’t introduced us to his friend.

Kim said, “That black girl is Thyme. She has the number one hit on the charts right now. And I’ve heard that her boyfriend is a Las Vegas gangster.”

Da Vinci smiled and continued eating his salad.

Service at the Palms was efficient. Our entrees came through in short order. By 9:30
P.M.
we had finished. When the waiter brought the bill, Da Vinci reached for the check. I put up my hand. “No way,” I said. “This is my town.” And I paid the bill.

We walked outside. Da Vinci asked the valet to call him a cab.

“Don’t bother,” I said. “I’ll drop you off. Where are you staying?”

“I’m at the Beverly Rodeo,” he said.

“Jump in,” I said, as the valet opened the car door for Kim.

I dropped Da Vinci at the Beverly Rodeo Hotel. His jacket swung open as he stepped out of the car.

“We’ll be in touch tomorrow,” Da Vinci said.

“Okay,” I answered, and watched him as he went into the lobby of the hotel. Then I moved the car away from the curb and into the traffic.

I looked at Kim. “He’s got a gun in a shoulder holster.”

“How do you know?” she asked.

“I saw it when he got out of the car. It doesn’t make sense to me. Why does a computer banker need a piece?” I shook my head. “Nothing makes sense.”

“You’re tired,” Kim said. “Let’s go back to the hotel bungalow and you can relax. Maybe you need a bath in the Jacuzzi. It’s been a rough day.”

I nodded. I still hadn’t told her about Uncle Rocco’s leaving the country.

“But first, I need to speak to Alma,” I said. “Call her at the hotel, tell her I’m coming over to talk to her.”

Kim picked up the car phone and dialed Alma’s hotel. She asked for Mrs. Jarvis.

The desk clerk spoke into the phone. Kim hung up the receiver and looked at me. “She’s checked out.”

“Okay,” I said. “I guess there’s nothing I can do. Let’s go home.”

*   *   *

IT WAS ABOUT 11:30 P.M.
, and Kim and I were sitting in the Jacuzzi. I leaned back into the bubbling water.

Kim looked at me. “I’ve come to a decision, Jed. I’m quitting my job.”

“What the hell for?” I asked her. “You have a great job.”

“I don’t need a job,” she said angrily. “I need a relationship. I thought we had one, but all we have is a fuck every now and then.”

“I have many problems,” I answered.

“You had more problems when we first started this business,” she said. “But you still had time for us.”

“We’ll have it yet,” I said. “I just need a little more time to get through all of this.”

“I don’t know,” she said. “In another year I’ll be thirty years old, and my mother always says that if you’re not married by the time you’re thirty, you’re an old maid.”

“Oh, Jesus,” I said. “You’re still a kid.”

“You’re not that young either,” she said. “I think we’d better decide what our future is going to be.”

“I know what our future is,” I said. “We’ll get married, just like everybody else.”

“Do you mean that?”

“Of course I mean it,” I said. “But don’t push me.”

She got out of the Jacuzzi.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“I’m going to shave my pussy,” she said. “I want to feel young again.”

I stepped out of the Jacuzzi and put on my terry-cloth robe. “Come on to bed,” I said. “We’ll practice a little.”

She looked at me. “Don’t you want me to shave my pussy?” she asked.

“It doesn’t bother me,” I said.

“Then you better shave your beard, or you’ll scratch my clit.”

“Oh, balls,” I said. “Let’s go to bed.”

The telephone began ringing. She reached for it, listened, and then turned to me, a look of disgust on her face. “There’s a limo in front of the hotel,” she said. “Your niece, Angela, is waiting to come up.”

Kim slipped into a jumpsuit and I changed into jeans and a T-shirt. The doorbell rang and I opened the door. Angela was standing there, and a bellboy stood behind her with a valise.

“Uncle Jed,” she said in a small voice.

“Yes, sweetie.”

“My mother told me to stay with you for a few days.” She looked apprehensively up at me. “Is that okay?” Obviously she didn’t know if she was welcome.

“Come on in, honey,” I said, taking her hand. “Where is your mother?”

“She had to go on a business trip.”

“Where?” I asked.

Angela looked at me. “I think she’s going to France.” She turned and saw Kim. “Is she your wife?”

I smiled at her. “She’s my fiancée,” I answered. “We’re getting married very soon.”

Angela was smart. “She’s a very pretty lady,” she said.

I introduced them to each other. Kim smiled at Angela. “Have you had dinner?” she asked.

“I haven’t had much,” she answered.

“C’mon, let’s have something to eat,” Kim said, and they walked together into the kitchen.”

*   *   *

I CALLED PEACHTREE
on the telephone while Kim was showing Angela to the guest room. It was near midnight, and I apologized for calling that late.

“I need some information,” I said. “I remember that you escorted Thyme to Brad’s party.”

“That’s right,” Peachtree answered.

“I also heard somewhere that her boyfriend was a Mafia gangster out of Las Vegas.”

“That’s right,” Daniel said, “although I’m not sure ‘boyfriend’ is the right term—he’s more her protector. His name is Jimmy Pelleggi, and he used to be Sam Giancanna’s representative in Las Vegas.”

“Does he still have anything to do with the casinos?” I asked.

“I don’t think so,” Daniel said, “because the gaming commission got all the Mafia out of the gambling operations.”

“Then what do you think he’s doing in Vegas?” I asked.

“What I hear is that he runs drugs and prostitution. He’s a tough man,” Daniel added. “They call him Jimmy Blue Eyes because his eyes are blue like ice.”

“What does he have to do with Thyme?” I asked.

Daniel laughed. “He follows Giancanna. After all, Giancanna had a singer under his wing for a long time.”

“Do you know anything about a man called Leonardo Da Vinci?”

“The artist?” Daniel asked.

“No,” I said. “He’s a European banker, and I know that he knows Jimmy Pelleggi.”

“I don’t know anything about that,” Daniel answered.

I thanked Daniel and put down the telephone. For the first time I felt frustrated that I couldn’t get in touch with Uncle Rocco. There was a peculiar setup going on. I knew now that Jimmy Blue Eyes was in the drug trade. And I remembered that Alma had also been in the drug trade. And I knew that Da Vinci had contact with both of them. Something was going on, but I didn’t have the answers.

Kim came into the living room. “Angela has gone to bed.”

“Good,” I said. “I think that we should do the same. It’s been a long day.”

Kim looked at me. “Why do you think Alma took off for France in such a hurry?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “But I have a feeling it has something to do with Uncle Rocco. He’s also taken off for France tonight. He may be in real trouble.”

8

KIM AND I
were having coffee and Danish for breakfast.

Kim said, “We have to get someone to take care of Angela when we go to the office. We can’t leave her alone.”

“I didn’t think about that. Do you know anyone that could do it?” I asked.

“My sister has three kids. She’ll know someone who can help.”

“Get in touch with her,” I said. “We need someone right away.”

The telephone rang. Kim answered it. “It’s Da Vinci.” She handed me the phone.

“Good morning,” I said.

“Good morning,” he answered. “Have you heard anything from Alma?”

“Not a word,” I said.

“Well, I have,” he said. “I heard that she left her child with you.”