‘Ex-wife.’
‘That, either.’
‘Well,’ she said, looking at me with those big green eyes and nibbling on a pastry, ‘if it’s any consolation, I practically raped you.’
‘Yeah, you did,’ I said, ‘but I think I got into it, eventually.’
‘Yeah, you did,’ she said, with a deep-throated giggle.
I laughed, too, and then the tension seemed to break.
‘What are your plans for today?’ she asked.
‘Well, I was going to go over to MGM.’
‘And you’ve changed your mind?’
‘I’m worried about leaving you alone, here,’ I said. ‘If I knew you’d be safe-’
‘And how can you know that?’ she asked.
‘By having somebody watch you.’
‘Like who?’
‘That’s the problem.’
I thought about Fred Otash again, the Hollywood P.I., but he lived for publicity. Bodyguarding Ava Gardner would be too tempting not to talk about it.
‘I’ll have to try to think of somebody,’ I said.
At that point there was a knock at the door. In fact it was a pounding. I got up and walked over, gathering the robe around me.
‘I’ll have to make some calls, see if I can come up with-’ I was saying to her as I opened the door. I stopped short when I saw who was standing on the doorstep.
‘Hey, Mr G.,’ Jerry Epstein said. He looked me up and down. ‘How’s it hangin’?’
TWENTY-FIVE
‘Jerry, what the hell-’ I said, shocked.
‘Mr S. called me and said you need help,’ the big man said. ‘He got me on a red eye and told me to come here. So here I am.’
‘Come on in, Jerry. It’s good to see you, big guy.’
‘Good to see you, too, Mr G.,’ he said, pumping my hand. ‘I was surprised when Mr S. said I had to come out to L.A. I thought you’d had enough of this place since Miss Monroe died.’
‘Yeah, I did,’ I said, ‘but something came up. Did Frank tell you what’s going on?’
‘Nope. Just told me to get here. Said you was staying here with some broad named Lucy Johnson.’
‘Well, Jerry,’ I said, walking him to the table where Ava was sitting in her silk robe, ‘meet Lucy Johnson.’
‘Pleased ta meet ya, Miss Johnson. Jeez, you sure look a lot like that broad who was in that movie — the one in the jungle with Clark Gable?’
‘Mogambo,’ I said.
‘Yeah, right,’ Jerry said. ‘That’s it. Ya look like. . Ava Gardner!’
‘Really?’ Ava asked, playfully. ‘Don’t you think I’m prettier than her?’
‘Uh, well. .’ Jerry looked at me for help. He wasn’t very good talking to women, unless they were waitresses or whores. ‘. . sure, sure, you are. . Mr G.?’
‘Jerry,’ I said, ‘this is Ava Gardner.’
Jerry gaped at me, then at her.
‘You was playin’ games with me,’ he said to her, finally.
‘Yes, I was,’ she said, ‘and I’m sorry, Jerry.’ She stood up and Jerry averted his eyes because the flimsy robe was clinging to her. ‘Eddie, I’ll go get dressed and you can talk to Jerry.’
‘OK, Ava.’
We both watched her walk to the bedroom door, closing it behind her.
‘Jesus, Mr G.,’ Jerry said, ‘are you nuts? You shackin’ up with Mr S.’s wife?’
‘Ex-wife,’ I said, ‘and it’s not what you think. Frank sent me here. Frank sent me to help Ava. She’s in some kind of trouble.’
‘Mr S. knows you’re here with her?’
‘Well, he sent you here, didn’t he?’
‘Uh, yeah, I guess he did.’
‘Sit down, Jerry,’ I said. ‘Let me fill you in. .’
TWENTY-SIX
If I’d had my pick of somebody to watch over Ava I would have picked Jerry Epstein, my big leg-breaker buddy from Brooklyn. He’d had my back in most of the things I’ve done for Frank, Dean and Sammy. It just didn’t occur to me to call him out to L.A. for this. I was glad Frank had thought of it. At least now I knew Ava would be safe when I went to the studio.
‘So, jeez, she can’t remember forty hours?’ Jerry said when I was done.
‘It might come back to her,’ I said, ‘but meanwhile I’d like to find out what happened during that time. She’s afraid she might have hurt somebody.’
‘Or killed ’em?’
‘Yeah, that, too.’
‘So whataya want me to do, Mr G.?’
‘Stay with Ava, keep her safe.’
‘From who?’
‘From anybody,’ I said. ‘I don’t want anyone in here, Jerry. Not even hotel personnel.’ I added to what I had already told him that I didn’t think we could trust the manager or the desk clerk.
‘One of them gave me up,’ I said, ‘and the cab driver caught my beatin’.’
‘So nobody in?’ he asked. ‘And nobody out?’
‘Out? Ava won’t go out. You don’t have to worry about that.’
‘Can I-’ he started, then stopped.
‘What?’
‘Can I order something from room service?’ he asked. ‘I’m pretty hungry.’
‘Sure, Jerry,’ I said. ‘Order anything you want. All the pancakes you want.’
‘Thanks, Mr G. Food any good here?’
‘Not great, but I’ve only tried the steak and hamburger platter.’
‘OK, then,’ he said. ‘I’ll get some pancakes, maybe some bacon. And coffee. Think Miss Gardner would want anything?’
‘Ask her,’ I said.
‘I can. . talk to her?’
‘Sure, Jerry,’ I said. ‘She talks.’
‘Mr G., this ain’t gonna be like Miss Monroe, is it?’ he asked.
‘What do you mean?’
‘You know, how she got to be like. . a sister? You pretty much ruined her for me, ya know?’
‘That’s not gonna be a problem this time, Jerry,’ I said. ‘Trust me. Ava Gardner’s not your little sister.’
‘Good,’ he said.
‘What’s going on?’ Ava asked, coming out of the bedroom. She was wearing a tight skirt and a chunky sweater. The combination sort of said ‘look, but don’t look’.
‘Ava, Jerry’s gonna stay with you. You can trust him like you’d trust me.’
‘I just met you yesterday, Eddie,’ she reminded me.
‘I know,’ I said, ‘but Frank vouched for me, and I vouch for Jerry. He’s got a big appetite, though. You gotta feed him to keep him happy.’
‘He looks like he’d take some feeding.’
‘Just a couple of dozen pancakes,’ I said.
‘Are you kidding?’
‘Watch him,’ I said. ‘Meanwhile, I’m gonna go over to the studio and find out if anyone’s lookin’ for you.’
‘And if they’re not?’
‘That’ll be good news.’
‘Will it?’ she asked.
‘It’s always good news if the cops ain’t lookin’ for ya, Miss Gardner.’
‘Just call me Ava, Jerry,’ she said.
Jerry looked away and said, ‘I can’t do that, Miss Gardner. Mr G.’ll tell ya that.’
‘Mr G?’ Ava said, looking at me. ‘Is he for fuckin’ real?’
‘Can’t get him to call me Eddie,’ I said. ‘Been trying for a couple of years. Yep, Jerry’s for real. What you see is what you get, pretty much.’
‘OK,’ she said, ‘then call me Miss G. . no, you call Eddie Mr G.. It would get confusing. Call me. . Miss Ava. OK, Jerry?’
‘I could do that, Miss Gar — Miss Ava.’ He smiled like a lovesick kid.
A big kid.
Jerry walked me out to Larry’s cab. I had Ava’s bloody clothes wrapped in the towel under my arm.
‘Not as good as your Caddy, Mr G,’ Jerry said, looking disappointed.
‘No, but it’ll get me where I want to go. I’ll give it back to Larry when he gets out.’
‘When’ll that be?’
‘Probably a week or so. But I’ll probably give it back to him sooner. I want to get Ava to Vegas.’
‘Gonna fly?’
‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘Maybe we’ll rent a car and drive.’
‘I liked that drive last time,’ he said.
‘Yup, but that was in the Caddy,’ I reminded him.
I opened the door to the cab to get in.
‘Can I ask ya a question, Mr G.?’
‘Sure, Jerry.’
‘You said the cabbie got beat up because he picked up a call for you?’
‘Right.’
‘Well, somebody musta been watchin’, and heard him pick up the call, figured he was you, right? Which meant they was lookin’ for ya?’