“I’m shocked,” Susan said. “Shocked, I tell you.”
“Let’s go eat,” I said.
32
I called a cop I knew in L.A. named Samuelson.
“Calling to see how it’s going with a Boston guy as chief,” I said.
“Best cop I ever worked for,” Samuelson said. “Whaddya want?”
“I’m calling to inquire as to your well-being, and you’re giving me ‘Whaddya want’?”
“Correct,” Samuelson said.
“Ever make captain?” I said.
“Yes.”
“Makes me proud,” I said, “just to know you.”
“Will you get to the favor you want me to do you,” Samuelson said.
“You think I’d only call because I needed a favor?” I said.
“Correct.”
“That’s cynical,” I said.
“You think being a cop for thirty years is going to make me idealistic?” Samuelson said.
“Didn’t you join the force in order to protect and serve?” I said.
“Sanitation department wasn’t hiring,” Samuelson said. “Whaddya want?”
“I’m interested in finding out whatever I can about a woman named Alice DeLauria,” I said. “Jumbo Nelson’s agent.”
“Has her own agency,” Samuelson said. “Alice DeLauria Inc.”
“Ah, you know her.”
“Her old man is to the Anglo Mob in L.A. what your pal del Rio is to the Latino Mob.”
“His name DeLauria?”
“No,” Samuelson said. “His name is Nicky Fellscroft. She’s married to one of his associates, guy named Stephano DeLauria.”
“He a hood?”
“Stephano? You bet. He’s Nicky’s enforcer.”
“Any good?” I said.
“World-class,” Samuelson said.
“And Alice DeLauria?”
“Close family,” Samuelson said.
“She’s in the business.”
“Sure is. We’ve never been able to get anything that’ll stand in court.”
“One reason being that no one will testify against DeLauria’s wife,” I said.
“Or Nicky’s daughter,” Samuelson said.
“So how come she works as an actors’ agent?”
“How many actors you figure she represents,” Samuelson said.
“One?” I said.
“Correct.”
“Jumbo?” I said.
“Correct,” Samuelson said.
“She’s his keeper,” I said.
“That’s right.”
“You know why?” I said.
“Mob money is invested in him.”
“I know,” I said. “Can you prove it?”
“No,” Samuelson said.
“I can’t prove it, either,” I said.
“But you know about the Mob money,” Samuelson said.
“They invest in Jumbo’s films,” I said. “Wash dirty money, and make a profit, too.”
“And you know that how?”
“You’re not my only friend in Los Angeles,” I said.
“Lucky for you,” Samuelson said. “You working the Jumbo Nelson thing in Boston.”
“I am,” I said.
“Who you working for?”
“I’m sort of pro bono at the moment,” I said.
“He kill her?” Samuelson said.
“I don’t know,” I said. “Homicide commander in Boston has his doubts.”
“I’ll pay attention,” Samuelson said. “Anything passes me, might be useful, I’ll let you know.”
“Back at you,” I said.
“Good,” Samuelson said. “Be nice to arrest somebody.”
“Always is,” I said.
33
The big windows in Rita Fiore’s top-floor corner office gave a grand overlook of everyone who worked at lower altitudes.
“Above it all,” I said.
Rita smiled.
“And yet still a woman of the people,” she said.
“I’ve heard that,” I said.
“For an okay time, call Rita?”
“I read it somewhere,” I said. “I want to talk with Jumbo Nelson alone.”
“Most people don’t,” Rita said.
“I know,” I said. “But I do. And I don’t want to have to fight with his bodyguard, or outwit his agent, or work around his lawyer.”
“And you want me to help with that?” Rita said.
“Yes,” I said. “Do you think, despite your recent estrangement, that you could get Jumbo to come see you alone.”
Rita began to smile.
“We both know how to get Jumbo here alone,” she said.
“Could you stand it?”
“I believe I could,” she said. “As long as I don’t actually have to be alone with him.”
“That would be your choice,” I said.
“I’m friendly,” Rita said. “But not desperate.”
“Jumbo would be a good working definition,” I said, “of desperate.”
“Maybe hopeless,” Rita said. “Can you fill me in?”
“Seems fair,” I said. “Since you’re prepared to sacrifice your virginity for me.”
“A,” Rita said, “I am not letting Jumbo Nelson within ten feet of my virginity, and B, I sacrificed it long ago, for two piña coladas and a half-hour of fun in the backseat of a Buick.”
“Girls gone wild,” I said.
“And the tradition lives on,” Rita said. “Fill me in.”
I told her what I knew about Jumbo’s Mob connections, about Silver and Ratoff, Alex and Augie, AABeau Film Partners, Alice DeLauria, Nicky Fellscroft, and Stephano DeLauria.
“Wow,” Rita said.
“Yeah,” I said.
“You’ve been a busy beaver...” Rita paused and smiled. “If I may use the term.”
“No one better qualified,” I said.
“You know a lot,” she said. “About this whole business.”
“I do.”
“And how is it helping your case?”
“Gives me more people to talk with,” I said.
“And what does it tell you about Jumbo?” Rita said. “Did he? Or didn’t he?”
“No idea,” I said.
“So you’re going to try and get him alone and sandbag him with all you know and hope it shakes something loose,” Rita said.
“I am.”
“Mind if I sit in?”
“No, maybe you can help,” I said.
“Maybe,” Rita said, and leaned forward and spoke into her intercom.
“Margie,” she said. “Get me Jumbo Nelson on the phone, please.”
Then she sat back and smiled.
“You expect to get him just like that?” I said.
“Watch,” Rita said.
In about five minutes, Margie’s voice over the intercom said, “Mr. Nelson on line one.”
“Thanks, Margie,” Rita said, and picked up.
“Jumbo,” she said. “Thank you so much for taking my call.”
She sounded like one of those women in an erectile dysfunction commercial.
“No, no, you’re very sweet... Listen, you know, you and I got off to a terrible start, but dammit, I don’t know why we can’t be friends...”
She giggled.
“Well, actually, yes, that is the kind of friendship I mean... No, me either... But you are one of the biggest stars in Hollywood...”
She giggled again.
“Define big any way you want to,” she said. “Really?... What I was thinking was maybe we could spend an afternoon together that I’d remember all my life, you know? My afternoon with Jumbo Nelson... right here in my office... We have all that’s required, a large couch, a private bar, a private bath, a lock on the door... No, I’m serious. How many chances are there to make love with a movie star... Yes, a lot of people tell me that... Oh, wonderful,” she said. “How soon... Oh, perfect. Time for me to take a shower and shake us some martinis... Yes... Come right to my office. My secretary will be expecting you... Not to worry, she knows the score... Wonderful, I can’t wait... You, too.”