Frank, Jerry and I marched out to the car. I used the key to open the trunk for Jerry.
‘You got your piece, Jerry?’ Frank asked.
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Good,’ Frank said, ‘so do I.’ He was wearing a wrinkled grey suit, as if he’d slept in it, a white shirt, no tie. He opened the jacket and showed us the revolver in his belt. Jerry and I were similarly clad in wrinkled jackets. We all needed a shave. All we needed was some booze on us to complete the look of winos.
‘Frank,’ I said, ‘is that a good idea?’
‘If they hurt Frankie, Eddie,’ he said. ‘Or. . or worse, I’ll kill ’em.’ He gave me a hard look. ‘And don’t get in my way.’
‘I won’t, Frank.’
His look softened, then he touched my arm and said, ‘You’re a good friend — both of you are.’
‘Anything for you, Mr S.,’ Jerry said.
‘Good, big guy. Now get in the trunk.’
After we got away from the house and the reporters, Frank told me where we were going.
‘Phone booths,’ he said. ‘If I’m any good at guessing, there’ll be a coupla stops.’
‘Again?’
‘I’m sure once they’re satisfied that we’re not being watched they’ll tell me where to deliver the money.’
‘OK.’
‘But pull over here, first,’ he said. We were on a stretch of deserted highway. ‘We’ll let Jerry out before he suffocates. He can crouch down in back and I’ll sit up front with you.’
‘Gotcha.’
I pulled over and let Frank out. He released Jerry from the trunk. They both got situated and I started driving again.
‘This is it, guys,’ Frank said. ‘This is where we either get Frankie back, or I’m gonna end up killin’ somebody.’
I hoped with all my heart that the first part was true, and the last part would never happen.
FIFTY-ONE
The kidnappers ran us around LA until finally, at the last phone booth, Frank got excitedly back into the car.
‘OK, we got it,’ he said. ‘Sunset Boulevard.’
‘What?’
‘That’s what they said. “Leave the money between two school buses parked at a gas station on Sunset Boulevard.”’
‘Where on Sunset?’
‘Just drive,’ Frank said, ‘I’ll tell you where.’
He directed me, and we finally arrived at the site. I parked across the street. We sat there for a few moments.
‘OK,’ he said. ‘Gimme the money.’
The bag was on the back seat with Jerry. He picked it up and passed it to Frank.
‘Frank,’ I said, ‘do you want me to-’
‘No,’ he said. ‘If they’re watchin’ I want them to see me deliver it. Just sit tight, boys.’
He got out of the car, crossed the street, walking quickly. I had the feeling it was all he could do not to break into a run. Frank Jr. might have been just feet away from him.
Frank looked around, set the package down, and hurried back to the car.
‘I couldn’t see anything,’ he said, getting in.
‘Neither did we,’ I said.
‘What now?’ Jerry asked.
‘Back to the house.’
‘Mr S.,’ Jerry said, ‘Mr G. can pull around the block, and I can come back on foot to watch-’
‘No, Jerry,’ Frank said. ‘We’ll go home to wait for a call, or for Frankie to come home.’
‘Whatever you say, Frank.’
I started the car and headed to Bel-Air.
Once again we worked our way through the reporters to get to the house. Afterward, we just sat around and waited, as Frank asked us to. It was quite a motley crowd. Those of us who were part of Frank’s circle all looked alike: unshaven and rumpled. The policeman and FBI agents were clean and sharply dressed. We all wore the same hangdog expression.
A few hours later a policeman came into the room to whisper into DA Evans’ ear. Evans then came over to Frank and, within earshot of me, said, ‘We should go to the front door.’
‘What for?’
‘Come on, Frank.’
Evans and Frank started, I followed, Jerry followed me, and then suddenly everyone — Entratter, Jilly Rizzo, the FBI men, cops, bodyguards, Rudin — trudged to the front door.
Since I was right behind Frank I had a clear view of the driveway. A patrol car drove up and stopped in front of the house.
‘What’s goin’ on?’ Frank asked.
A lone patrolman got out of the car, walked to the back and opened the trunk. As if by magic, Frank Jr. stepped out.
‘Oh my God!’ Frank said, and ran to him. As we all watched he gave the boy a bone-crushing hug, which had Frankie grinning shyly. Or maybe he was just embarrassed by the attention. I figured he was gonna have to face a lot more from his mother and sisters.
Frank dragged the boy into the house as we all added back slaps and applause.
The prodigal son was home.
FIFTY-TWO
After about seventy-four hours of panic, the mood in the house lifted sky high.
Bobby Kennedy called to tell Frank how glad he was Frank Jr. was home. Frank was very polite and thanked him for his concern, and again for his offer of help.
Frank called his mother, Dolly, to tell her that her grandson was home and safe.
Frank Jr. had to sit with the DA and the FBI, who subjected him to some rigorous questioning, in an attempt to get enough facts to catch the kidnappers. I was listening to the interview, as most of us were, when Frankie mentioned that he was held in a house in Canoga Park. He also said the kidnappers referred to each other by their first names: Joe, Barry, and Johnny.
It hit me then like a clap of thunder.
I pulled Jerry aside.
‘What?’ he asked.
‘That piece of paper I found in Barney Irwin’s desk had those names on it.’
‘What names?’
‘Barry. Johnny. And Canoga Park.’
‘Do you have it on you?’
‘No, damn it,’ I said, ‘it’s at my place.’
‘Whataya think it means?’
‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘There was some other stuff on it, too, but I can’t remember.’
‘You wanna tell the FBI? And the DA?’
‘If I tell them, it’ll get back to that ass, Raggio,’ I said. ‘I don’t wanna help him, at all.’
‘So what do we do?’ Jerry wanted to know.
I rubbed my jaw, gave it some thought.
‘Frankie’s home,’ I said. ‘There’s nothin’ we can do here about findin’ the kidnappers. So we head back to Vegas, check out that note, and find Barney Irwin. Figure out what his involvement is, if any. And maybe we can also find out who killed Wayne. If I can I’d like to hand that killer to Hargrove on a platter. And, hopefully, Irwin’s right in the middle of it all. Including the attacks on us.’
‘OK, so when do we leave?’
‘Now,’ I said. ‘I’ll talk to Frank about his plane.’
‘OK,’ Jerry said, ‘I’m with you, Mr G.’
‘Thanks, Jerry.’
I went to find Frank.
Frank agreed to have his plane take us back to Vegas. He was so happy about having Frankie home, he didn’t even ask why.
‘You did a great job, pally,’ he said, hugging me, ‘A great job. I owe you, big time.’
I stopped by Entratter’s side and told him what we were doing.
‘Good idea,’ he said. ‘I’ll come with you.’
‘We’re leavin’ now,’ I said.
‘What’s the hurry?’
‘I’ll tell you when we’re on the plane.’
‘OK, lemme say goodbye to Frank.’
Frank gave us a limo and a driver to run us out to the airport. In an hour and a half we were back at the Sands.
During the plane ride I had given Entratter all the facts. Or so I thought.
‘But you don’t have any facts, Eddie,’ Jack said. ‘Where’s that piece of paper?’
‘At home,’ I said, ‘somewhere.’
‘It better have more on it than you remember,’ he said. ‘Just some names are not gonna connect the dots for the cops. Why didn’t you just give your info to the FBI?’
‘Raggio,’ I said. ‘That asshole pissed me off. I don’t wanna see him get any credit.’