‘I remember Jerry shooting the shit out of those two bastards,’ she said. ‘Did you fire my gun?’
‘I didn’t have time,’ I said. ‘Jerry was too fast.’
I had the distinct feeling that she was happy her gun hadn’t killed anybody.
‘Don’t look at me,’ she said, suddenly. ‘I must look like shit.’ She leaped from the bed, ran to the bathroom and slammed the door.
I walked to the door and said, ‘Jerry went for some food.’
‘Good,’ her muffled voice said, ‘I’m starving.’
That, at least, was a good sign.
‘I’ll see you in the kitchen.’
No answer, so I left the room.
When she came into the kitchen she had applied her make-up and combed her hair, was still wearing the sweater and jeans from that afternoon but was barefoot. I couldn’t help thinking, the Barefoot Contessa is barefoot in my kitchen.
But I had to put aside all my feelings for Ava — lust, affection, awe — and be kind of tough with her, because I needed to know.
‘Ava, some coffee?’
‘Sure. Where’s Jerry with that food?’
‘Any minute.’ I poured a cup of coffee and she sat at the kitchen table.
As I slid it over to her I said, ‘I have to ask you a question.’
‘Go ahead.’
‘You told me this morning you wanted to call your sister,’ I said. No comment. I went on. ‘I have a feeling you already called her.’
She stared at me, then lifted her chin and asked haughtily, ‘What if I did?’
‘Then you may have almost got us killed today.’
She tried to hold my eyes, but in the end she looked away and bit her lip. I gave her a minute. Yeah, I know. Real tough guy.
‘OK,’ she said, looking at me, ‘OK, I called her yesterday.’
‘Did you tell her where you were?’
She hesitated, then said, ‘I didn’t tell her I was in your house.’
‘But you did mention Vegas.’
‘Yes.’
I shook my head.
‘She wouldn’t have told anyone,’ she said. ‘I swear!’
‘She might not have to, Ava. If someone is lookin’ for you bad enough, they may have bugged her phone, or her house.’
‘Jesus,’ she said, as that realization set in. ‘So it might be my fault those two men are dead?’
I was afraid she might get upset again. If she went into shock this time we might have to take her to the hospital.
‘Ava, those men got themselves killed,’ I said. ‘Anybody who pulls a gun on Jerry is an idiot.’
‘Eddie. . I’m sorry,’ she said, sincerely.
‘I know, Ava.’
‘So now what?’ she asked.
‘Tomorrow we’ll find someplace else for you.’ At that moment I heard Jerry come in the front door. ‘Right now, we eat.’
FIFTY-FOUR
‘Should we warn Bappie?’ Ava asked while we were eating.
‘I don’t think so, Ava,’ I said. ‘She’s probably not in any danger. If they bugged her, they know everything she knows, and they realize she doesn’t know much.’
Ava looked at Jerry for reinforcement. He looked at me for permission. I nodded.
‘Mr G. is right,’ he said. ‘She’s OK. Just don’t call her again.’
‘I won’t,’ Ava said. ‘I just. . I didn’t want her to worry.’
‘It’s OK,’ I said.
Ava bit into her club sandwich and said to Jerry, ‘This is perfect, Jerry. Thanks for thinking of it.’
Jerry gave me a self-satisfied look as I bit into my burger.
I decided to stay in the house that night, so I got some blankets and a pillow and made myself a bed on the living room floor. Me and Jerry were roomies.
‘I think she’s unhappy,’ Jerry said, keeping his voice low.
It was dark, but we each knew the other was still awake.
‘You’re right about that,’ I said.
‘But why?’ he asked, ‘I mean. . she’s freakin’ Ava Gardner. Everybody loves her.’
‘Not everybody, Jerry,’ I said. ‘And she doesn’t love herself. She keeps talkin’ about how she looks.’
‘She looks amazin’,’ Jerry said.
‘To you and me,’ I said, ‘and maybe to most men, but to herself she doesn’t look the way she did at twenty-five, or even thirty-five.’
‘Oooh,’ Jerry said, getting it, ‘she’s afraid of gettin’ old.’ He lowered his voice even more when he said it.
‘Like most movie stars, I guess.’
‘But. . she can’t even be forty yet. She’s got lots of time.’
‘There maybe more to it than that, Jerry,’ I said. ‘There’s the break up with Frank, the drinkin’, she mentioned somethin’ about Papa dyin’.’
‘Her dad?’
‘No, I think she meant Ernest Hemingway,’ I said. I folded my arms, stared up at the ceiling. ‘They’ve been friends since she made The Killers. She must’ve taken it hard when he killed himself.’
‘So she’s got a lot goin’ on,’ he said.
‘Yup.’
‘And now a black out.’
We remained silent for a while, and then he said. ‘Mr G., you ever black out? I mean, lose some time like that?’
‘No,’ I said, ‘never.’
‘Me neither. Must be pretty scary.’
‘Yeah,’ I said, ‘must be.’
Ava was experiencing a lot of fear; fear of getting old, maybe fear of being alone, and now fear of what she might have done during those forty hours.
‘We have to find out for her, Jerry,’ I said. ‘We have to fix it so she at least doesn’t have to be afraid of that. She’s got enough to deal with.’
‘OK, Mr G.,’ he said. ‘I’m with ya.’
FIFTY-FIVE
It bothered me that the two gunmen Jerry had killed had come from Chicago. The next morning in the kitchen, before Ava awoke and while Jerry was making some eggs, I mentioned this to the big guy.
‘Yeah, I know, Mr G. It bugs me, too.’
‘Think you can make some calls? Maybe find out somethin’?’ I asked him.
‘I can sure try,’ he said.
‘Good. Now all we have to do is find someplace for you to do it from.’
‘Why not the Sands?’
I had thought about putting Ava in the hotel, but there were too many ways that could go wrong.
‘No, we need someplace else and I can only ask somebody I trust implicitly.’
‘The Shamus?’
‘Danny’s about the only person I trust, without question. Other than you.’
‘Not Mr Entratter?’
‘Jack would do whatever he had to do for the Sands, Jerry,’ I said. ‘If that meant givin’ up you or me, he’d do it. His loyalties are very clear.’
‘Well, we can’t call Mr S. What about Mr Martin?’
‘I don’t want to put Dean into any more uncomfortable situations,’ I said. ‘If Frank doesn’t know where Ava is, Dino wouldn’t want to know, either.’
We batted it around over coffee until Ava appeared, wearing my terry cloth robe, which was a shortie. It had been a gift.
‘You must have a lady friend who likes your legs, Eddie,’ she said. ‘I can’t see you buyin’ this for yourself.’
Both Jerry and I had to tear our eyes away from Ava’s thighs. It became easier when she sat down and the table hid her bottom half.
‘You got that right, Ava,’ I said. ‘Of course, it looks a lot better on you than it ever looked on me. . not that I wear it that much.’
‘Really? You’ll have to show me some time so I can decide.’
Jerry gave her a cup of coffee and then dished out scrambled eggs.
‘What’s the subject of conversation this morning?’ she asked. ‘I mean, besides me.’
‘We’re tryin’ to figure out where to put you and Jerry.’
‘Well, like I told you before, I could call Howard.’
Jerry frowned at me.
‘Hughes,’ I said. He raised his eyebrows. ‘I still don’t think that’s a good idea, Ava.’
‘It’s up to you,’ she said. ‘You’re the boss.’
She finished her eggs then excused herself to shower and get dressed.
‘And pack,’ I said. ‘Wherever we go, we’ll be leavin’ here.’
‘I’ll need to either do some laundry or some shopping,’ she said. ‘I think you know which one I’d prefer.’
‘OK,’ I said. ‘We’ll see.’