‘You sure could, pal,’ Louie said. ‘But I got a much better place for ya.’
‘Where?’
‘Come straight here.’
‘To your garage?’
‘Sure, why not? Ain’t no place else got more Horizon cabs then here.’
I wasn’t all that sure I should get Louie and his drivers involved. Not after what had happened to Larry.
‘Look, Louie. . I don’t know exactly what these people want,’ I explained. ‘I don’t know if they’re dangerous. I mean, Larry ended up in the hospital, but I don’t really know what’s goin’ on.’
‘You think they got guns?’ he asked.
‘Maybe.’
‘Don’t worry,’ he said. ‘We got guns. And if these are the guys who put Larry in the hospital, we wanna piece of ’em.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Whataya say, guys?’ he asked the other drivers. Suddenly, there was a cacophony of voices shouting their agreement.
‘See that, Mr Vegas? So you come on ahead, I’ll give you the address. You ain’t even gotta lose your cab. You can drive in the front and out the back. They’ll never see ya.’
That sounded like a good idea.
THIRTY-ONE
Following Louie’s directions I drove directly to the garage of The Horizon Cab Company. There were several doors opened in front as I arrived. Apparently, Louie had somebody watching for me, because a man appeared in the center doorway, waving me in. I drove in, up a ramp, and stopped where I saw several men standing. For a moment I wondered if I’d made a mistake. Maybe these drivers were out to get revenge for Larry. . against me? But I was committed, so I stopped the cab and got out.
‘Hey, Mr Vegas.’
I turned, saw a dark, swarthy guy about forty approaching with a big smile on his face. He had heavy black stubble that didn’t make up for the thinning hair on top.
‘I’m Louie,’ he said, putting his hand out. ‘Those guys follow you here?’
‘They did. They’re out front.’
‘Willy, go take a look!’
‘Sure, boss,’ a small, wiry man said.
‘We’re gonna get you gassed up and out the back door in a minute, Mr Vegas,’ Louie said. ‘But I gotta ask ya somethin’.’
‘What’s that?’
‘Ain’t you curious about who these guys are?’
‘I’m real curious,’ I said. If I’d had Jerry with me I would have played it differently, stopped the cab, surprised those guys and found out who sent them. But alone I didn’t have a chance especially if they were armed.
I even thought about leading them back to the Beverly Hills Hotel so Jerry and I could grill them, but I didn’t want to take a chance with Ava’s safety.
‘So why don’t I have some of the boys go out and drag them outta their car, bring ’em in here so we can find out?’
‘Louie, I don’t want anybody else getting’ hurt-’
‘I toldja, we got guns.’
‘I know, but they probably do, too. You go out there and somebody’s going to get hurt. Now, I appreciate your help, but all I want is the gas and the back way out.’
Willy ran back in.
‘Two guys in a black Plymouth, Boss, Just sittin’ there.’
Louie looked at me and I shook my head.
‘OK, boys,’ he said. ‘Gas ’im up and let’s get ’im outta here.’
With a full tank of gas I pulled out the back exit of the garage and proceeded to the Beverly Hills Hotel with no tail in sight.
‘By the time they suspect anythin’,’ Louie the dispatcher had said, ‘and come in to check, nobody here’ll know nothin’.’
‘If I give you a call in a few hours,’ I said, ‘you can let me know if they let anything slip about who they’re working for.’
‘Sure thing,’ Louie had said. ‘In fact, when they come in lookin’ for you I’ll have one of my drivers check out their car.’
‘That’d be great,’ I said.
Before I drove out Louie asked, ‘You want a better car than this one, Mr Vegas?’
‘No, this’ll do,’ I said. ‘I’ll leave it at the hotel after I rent another one.’
‘You need to rent a car? Here.’ He dug a business card out of his pocket. ‘My brother’s got a car lot. No questions asked. It’s a cash business, though. I can get you a discount, but-’
‘That’s OK, Louie,’ I said. ‘I’m willing to pay.’
‘OK, then,’ he said, and we shook hands. ‘Looks like we’re in business.’
I pulled up in front of the hotel and grabbed the bag out of the back seat.
‘They’re cold,’ I said, as I entered the bungalow.
‘I can’t eat cold hotdogs,’ Ava complained.
‘I can,’ Jerry said, grabbing the bag.
‘Then you can have them all, sweetie,’ Ava told him, with a smile.
‘Sweetie?’ I said.
‘Hey, you left us alone,’ Ava said, ‘so we got acquainted.’
I looked at Jerry. He blushed, bit into a hotdog and said, ‘We played cards — like I told ya.’
‘He owes me big,’ Ava said from the sofa.
I walked over to her. She was smiling, and looked refreshed. I didn’t think she had been drinking.
‘What happened at the studio?’ she asked.
‘They’re making cartoons and TV shows, now,’ I said. ‘They’re not happy.’
‘Fuck ’em,’ she said.
‘Nobody’s been there looking for you.’
‘Who told you that?’
‘A man named Vargas.’
‘Don’t know him,’ she said. ‘What are we going to do now?’
‘We’re going to Vegas.’
‘When?’
‘Tomorrow.’
‘Can’t we go today?’ she asked. ‘I’m going stir crazy here.’
‘Tomorrow,’ I said, ‘Jerry and I still have some things to do today.’
‘Like what?’ Ava asked. ‘Something interesting, I hope?’
‘Well, we have to rent a car.’
‘That’s not interesting,’ she said, disappointed.
‘We’re not gonna rent it from a rental agency,’ I said. I took out Louie’s brother’s card. ‘We’re gonna rent it from this guy.’
‘That’s interesting,’ Jerry said, with — I think — the entire second hotdog in his mouth. He had mustard in the right corner of his mouth, and I didn’t know how to tell him.
‘Jerry, sweetie. .’ Ava said, and wiped at the corner of her mouth with her thumb.
Jerry did the same to his and said, ‘Thanks, Miss Ava.’
‘And after you rent a car?’ she asked.
‘Well, actually, probably before we rent a car we have to find out who the rat is in the hotel; the clerk or the manager.’
‘And how will you do that?’
‘Jerry’s gonna ask them, because that’s kinda what Jerry does.’
She looked at Jerry.
‘This big sweet man?’
‘I ask people questions they don’t wanna answer,’ he said. ‘I can be real persuasive. . if ya get my drift.’
I said. ‘That’s how it works.’
She looked at Jerry and said again, ‘This big sweet man?’
Jerry blushed again, and ate the third and final hotdog.
‘How were they?’
‘You’re right,’ he said. ‘Not Brooklyn.’
‘So, when you go and rough up the manager, can I come?’ she asked. ‘I can’t stand that little pipsqueak.’
THIRTY-TWO
We started with the clerk. Ava stayed in the bungalow.
‘Keep the door locked,’ I told her. ‘We’ll be right back.’
‘Ya want this?’ Jerry asked, holding out his forty-five.
‘Ooh, yes!’ she said, eyes wide.
‘Oh, no,’ I said. ‘Put that away, Jerry.’ I looked at Ava. ‘Just lock the door. We won’t be long.’
She pouted as we went out the door.
‘Let’s go to the lobby. Hopefully, the clerk is on duty.’
He was. He saw us coming, and looked like he wanted to run. The fact that he didn’t had me thinking he might not be the guilty party.
‘Jerry, don’t hurt him, just scare him a little.’
‘You don’t think it’s him?’
I shook my head. ‘Maybe he’ll give up the manager though.’
We approached the desk.
‘Can I help you, sir?’
‘Do you know my name?’ I asked.