The Cold Six Thousand: Underworld USA 2

by James Ellroy

  7 - Per TRASH COVERS. To date, assigned agents have collected and logged large quantities of discarded left-wing periodicals and risqué magazines with photographs of nude white women, along with innocuous and non-itemized trash. (See Addendum List #C for inventory.) (Note: An Addendum List #B inventory log will soon be compiled & stored per Stage-1 Covert guidelines. It will be used to facilitate, should you so direct, an SCLC BANK ACCOUNT COVER, to determine if the above-noted contributions were banked legally, which should help us gauge the viability of an IRS cross-check of the SCLC’s federal and state tax returns.)

  In conclusion:

  All COVERS to proceed as directed. A summary report on the WHITE-HATE arm of OPERATION BLACK RABBIT to follow.

  Respectfully,

  BLUE RABBIT

  DOCUMENT INSERT: 2/20/65. Internal memorandum. Topic: WHITE-HATE/OPERATION BLACK RABBIT. To: DIRECTOR. From: BLUE RABBIT. Marked: “Stage-1 Covert”/“Eyes Only”/“Read and Burn.”

  Sir,

  My first summary report on the WHITE-HATE arm of OBR.

  1 - I have compiled, with the help of FATHER RABBIT’s aides, a list of potentially dissident Klansmen now at loose ends since FATHER RABBIT dissolved his previously funded informant Klan groups in 12/64. (See Addendum #A for list of said Klansmen.) (Note: Per Stage-1 guidelines, please read and burn said addendum. I have retained an original copy, per guidelines.)

  Also, FATHER RABBIT has supplied (see Addendum #B/read & burn) a 14,000 name list of white male hate-pamphlet subscribers in Louisiana and Mississippi, all devotees of specific segregationist/anti-Negro tract series distributed by FATHER RABBIT’s organization. A criminal records cross-check of these subscribers has yielded the names of 921 men with misdemeanor and felony arrests and memberships in extreme right-wing organizations.

  2 - My plan would be to have FATHER RABBIT solicit these men by mail, under an “anonymous patriot” letterhead, and refer them by mail to WILD RABBIT, upon his (5/65) release from the U.S. Army. WILD RABBIT would assess the mail he has received, contact the most promising prospects and build the nucleus of his new Klan group on that basis. He will establish boundaries as to what and what not his recruits can do, and gather information on their previous hate-group associations. WILD RABBIT will also define their future informant duties.

  3 - CRUSADER RABBIT and WHITE RABBIT have mentioned the proposed “Second Freedom Summer” agitation campaign in Mississippi and planned (6/65) agitation in and around Bogalusa, Louisiana. WILD RABBIT wants to exploit these situations, and I believe that if he delivers a properly restrained but somehow flamboyant show of force in that region at that time, he will be able to mobilize a sizable number of recruits resultant. To further induce subservience in his recruits, WILD RABBIT will supply them with low-quality rifles and sidearms purchased by his friend CHARLES “CHUCK” ROGERS (white male/age 43), a covert CIA contract employee currently serving with WILD RABBIT in Vietnam. ROGERS has extensive gun connections among rightist Cuban exile groups in the Gulf Coast region.

  4 - WILD RABBIT has also established a “Hate-Leaflet Mail Ministry” among convicts and ex-convicts he knew while working as a Missouri state prison guard, and plans to recruit from the “eager beaver” parolees who contact him upon their release. I believe that this is also a viable recruiting approach.

  In conclusion:

  I believe that we are theoretically operational as of this (2/20/65) date. Please respond as your schedule allows.

  Respectfully,

  BLUE RABBIT

  DOCUMENT INSERT: 3/1/65. Internal memorandum. Topic: OPERATION BLACK RABBIT/2/20/65 MEMO. To: BLUE RABBIT. From: DIRECTOR. Marked: “Stage-1 Covert”/“Eyes Only”/“Read and Burn.”

  BLUE RABBIT,

  Consider the proposed measures described in your 2/20/65 memo approved in full. Cold funds to follow. You may share information on a need-to-know basis with FATHER RABBIT and WHITE RABBIT. Given his suspect ideology, do not share any WHITE-HATE information or in any way contact CRUSADER RABBIT, unless so directed.

  DOCUMENT INSERT: 3/8/65. Pouch communiqué. To: John Stanton. From: Pete Bondurant. Marked: “Hand Pouch Deliver Only”/ “Destroy Upon Reading.”

  J.S.,

  We’re operational on both ends now. Here’s the summary you asked for.

  It’s all running smooth. A) - Milt Chargin greased cops working the Records Divisions of the Vegas PD & Clark County Sheriff’s & got a list of all the previously busted colored junkies in West Vegas.

  B) - I recruited 4 expendable colored pushers to work the bottom-rung distribution in West LV. They’ve got menial casino jobs & were happy to get the gigs. I gave them copies of the prev. ment’d junkie list & had them supply the junkies with free pops taken from our 1st stateside shipment of 1/9/65. The “free samples” got them anxious for more. I told my 4 guys to push “free tastes” on anybody who asked, colored only. They got a lot of takers & we got a lot of steady “Clients” (Milt C.’s word, not mine).

  C) - I lean on the 4 guys periodically & up to now I’m convinced that they (1) haven’t stolen kadre merchandise; (2) haven’t sold to non-Negro clients; (3) haven’t snitched off kadre or Tiger Kab personnel; (4) haven’t bragged to their lowlife pals & implicated kadre or Tiger Kab personnel & will not (5) do so if they get popped, which is unlikely, because (6) Milt has greased the LVPD & Sheriff’s Narco squads & has secured a hands-off policy, & if any 1 of the 4 is popped, the plan is to bail them out & clip them before they talk too much.

  So, (7), everything is buffered. Tiger drivers deliver the merchandise to drop points & the pushers pick it up, distribute it & funnel the money back the same way. The drivers are all solid pros & will not talk if busted. On his one stateside run, Wayne periodically spot-tailed the pushers & determined that they weren’t skimming or fucking up other ways. Wayne’s got an evil reputation on the west side & it keeps the pushers on a tight leash.

  D) - As you know, Wayne’s made one rotation from Saigon & sent the 2nd shipment (4 lbs) stateside on 3/2/65. Rogers, Relyea, Mesplede, Guery & Elorde remain in Laos & oversee the M-base production at Tiger Kamp (while you & the other guys who concocted this whole thing roam around S.E. Asia pulling your clandestine shit). The production level at Tiger Kamp remains high & the January-February harvest beat the chemists’ estimates. Tran’s methedrine ran out (mixed blessing—it killed 3 slaves) & we had a slow week (late Feb.) while the slaves smoked heavy amounts of “O” & rode out withdrawals. We’ve got to burn the fields in April to prepare the soil for the fall planting, but we’ve got enough backstock of M-base to see us through to the next harvest, because the 3 refineries were overstocked when we raided & consolidated last November. So far, my rubber-bullet policy is working, because the ex-ARVNs & ex-Congs continue to feud. Mesplede is staging weekly Cong-ARVN boxing matches (slave cornermen & referees) which helps blow off steam & boosts morale.

  E) - You were right about the “cleanup.” The Can Lao took out the den below the lab (& supposedly 600 others) but now that the initial troop arrival bullshit is over, things are back to normal. None of Chuck’s Saravan-to-Saigon merchandise flights have been messed with at either end & Customs has not checked any of his cargoes. The den below the lab & the Go-Go have reopened & Wayne still tests dosage levels on the resident heads. Tran said Khanh’s stopped making anti-dope statements & everyone in Saigon seems distracted by the troops coming in & the way the war is flaring up. You were right, it feels like the buildup is giving us added operational cover.

  F) - The pipeline’s running A-OK. So far, no Customs checks & glitches flying out of Tan Son Nhut & no trouble at Nellis. My friend Littell surveilled the 1/9/65 shipment from Nellis to the Agency drop-off point thru to the final “donation” point at the Nevada Guard Armory. Milt C. has been transporting the merchandise from the drop-point to Tiger Kab. It’s a foolproof system & the Guard is thrilled with Mr. Hughes’ “donations.”

  G) - Some unexpected expenses came up on Milt’s end, but aside from that, we’re $
182,000 up from our Vegas profits on the 1/9 batch & 3/2 batch so far. I’m ready to rotate Chuck, Laurent & Flash stateside & have them scout exile camps, assess the troops & get going on an arms conduit to the ones they choose. Bob Relyea leaves the Army to work for the Feds in May, & he’ll be situated near the Gulf. He’ll utilize his gun connections & assist Chuck, Laurent & Flash in funneling to the exiles.

  That’s it. I’m anxious to move on the Cuban end. Let’s put all this caution & budgetary constraint shit aside & get going.

  Viva la Causa!

  P.B.

  68

  (Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, D.C.

  Chicago, Selma, 3/21/65–6/15/65)

  Penance. Tithe. Counterthrust.

  He obeyed Mr. Hoover. He taped Bayard Rustin. He rab-bitized. He performed new betrayals—RABBIT ops—Mr. Hoover’s counter tithes.

  He traveled for work. He worked for Drac and Jimmy. He worked for Drac and the Boys. He flew D.C. to Miami. He flew Chicago to L.A.

  He cruised banks. He set up new accounts. He used fake ID. He dumped cash. He cut checks. He tithed the SCLC.

  Counter ops:

  Skim fees. Embezzlement. Let’s declaw BLACK RABBIT.

  He drained Drac. He took small bites—little rabbit nips. It worked. The skim plan worked. Counter cash accrued.

  He worked.

  He worked for Jimmy Hoffa. He filed briefs. He fought two convictions. He dunned the Boys. He bagged two mill for Jimmy’s Hope Chest.

  New hope. Nonhope. No hope. There were no bribable jurors. There were no bribable courts.

  Mr. Hoover had pull. Mr. Hoover liked Jimmy. Mr. Hoover could help. Don’t brace him or beg him. Don’t incur more indebtedness—yet.

  He worked for Drac. He filed briefs. He bought time. He needed twelve months—sixteen tops.

  Let Drac dump his stock then. Let Drac get his stash. Let Drac inject Las Vegas.

  Fred Otash worked.

  Fred Otash culled. Fred Otash sifted. Fred Otash scandalized. Let’s raid files. Let’s find dirt. Let’s utilize.

  The files existed: Confidential/Rave/Whisper/Lowdown and Hush-Hush. The files existed. The files eluded. The files dirtified.

  Bugs dirtified.

  Littell hung Vegas bugs. Fred Turentine assisted. They bugged hotel rooms. They trapped dirt. They trapped legislators.

  Three so far—three cheaters/three whorehounds/three drunks.

  Feds manned the bug posts—two agents for three months. Mr. Hoover got bored. It was dirt insufficient. Call it a dirt deficit.

  Mr. Hoover pulled the Feds. Fred filled in for them. Fred dirtified. Fred stored dirt. Fred aged dirt. Fred saved dirt for Pete.

  Three legislators and one Pete. Compliance guaranteed. We’ve got the board votes. We’ve got YOU now. Pledge your support.

  Watch us abridge antitrust laws. Watch our Vegas spree. Watch hotel profits plunge. Watch skim ops soar. Watch Littell invest skim money.

  We’ve got the “real” books. We’ve got the goods. We’ve got the buyout stats. We co-opt businesses. We funnel cash. We build foreign casinos.

  The Boys hoard. The Boys divert. The Boys avoid obstructions—usually.

  Sam G. was obstructed now. It was recent news. Sam was in jail in Chicago. A grand jury subpoenaed him. Bobby paneled it. Bobby was AG then.

  Sam refused to testify. Sam took the Fifth. The judge cited him.

  Contempt of Court—Cook County Jail—for the grand-jury term. One year—jail to spring ’66.

  The judge ragged on Sam. The judge aped Bobby. Bobby ragged Sam in ’57. Bobby was Senate counsel then. Bobby was a senator now.

  He played his Bobby tapes. He toured the Senate. He prowled the gallery. He watched Bobby. He read the Senate Record. He tracked Bobby’s words through.

  Bobby debunks bills. Bobby lauds bills. Bobby never mentions the Boys. Bobby presses for civil rights. Bobby lauds Dr. King.

  Littell taped Bayard Rustin. Bayard praised King. Littell met Bayard sans tape. Bayard waxed sad that day. Bayard showed him the letter.

  “King, look into your heart.”

  “King, like all frauds, your end is approaching.”

  “You are a colossal fraud, and an evil, vicious one at that.”

  “King, there is only one thing left for you to do.”

  They met in Lafayette Park. Bayard showed him the letter. He read it. He went queasy. He walked.

  He met Bayard one more time. Lafayette Park again. They talked sans tape. It sparked him. It scared him.

  Tails.

  Dwight Holly had him tailed. Mr. Hoover said so. Vegas tails—pre-RABBIT.

  Holly was BLUE RABBIT. Holly ran BLACK RABBIT. Holly hated him. Spot tails meant checks. Spot tails meant notes. Spot tails meant data accrued.

  He met Jane in Vegas—that one bad time—potential tails were out. He met Janice—their first time—potential tails were out.

  Holly pulled the tails. Holly pulled them pre-RABBIT. Mr. Hoover said so. Holly ran RABBIT. Holly had juice. Holly could tail-reinstate.

  He met Bayard. They had two meets sans tape. He ran tail checks. None were visible. None were obvious. None were probable or certified.

  Bayard said, “Come to Selma. You’ll see history.”

  He did it.

  He flew down. He used fake ID. He forged a press card. He ducked the marchers. He ducked the cops. He joined a press crew.

  He watched. He fretted tails. He saw Bloody Sunday.

  Highway 80. The Edmund Pettus Bridge. Sheriff Clark’s posse—horses and patrol cars with rebel bumper-flags.

  Clark braced the marchers. Clark said disperse in two minutes. The posse charged one minute in. They charged with tear gas and billy clubs. They charged with bullwhips and barbed-wire saps.

  The posse hit the marchers. The posse cut through them. The posse mowed them down. He watched. He hid behind cameras. He saw saps rip noses. He saw whips sever ears.

  He hid. Meek CRUSADER RABBIT. Unworthy of brave RED and PINK.

  He flew back to Vegas. He thought about tails. He thought about Mr. Hoover. Mr. Hoover pledged memos—RABBIT details—Mr. Hoover sent none.

  Let’s extrapolate. Let’s grow some fear.

  Mr. Hoover is busy. He’s deep in BLACK RABBIT. BLUE RABBIT counsels him. BLUE hates CRUSADER. BLUE hoards memorandums. BLUE restricts their flow.

  Or:

  Mr. Hoover has plans. They’re draconian. They supersede suicide letters. Why disturb CRUSADER? Why risk his specious reproach?

  Don’t tweak him with knowledge. Don’t risk his betrayal. Don’t test his silly ideals.

  Or:

  BLUE has a puppet—WILD RABBIT on strings—WILD RABBIT works alone. WILD runs Klansmen. WILD might run autonomous. WILD might run outright rogue.

  Mr. Hoover knows it. BLUE knows it—so why tell CRUSADER that?

  Need-to-know. Read-and-burn. Compartments. Sealed access. Love-and-hide.

  He had Jane. Jane survived her Vegas trip. Jane never went back. They went back to their rules. They resealed their compartments. They hid in L.A.

  They ignored their fight. They revived their game. He lied. She lied. They codified. Their code said we aired it. Their code said it hurt. Their code said we survived Dallas.

  Jane knew he taped Bobby. Jane knew he bilked Howard Hughes. Jane knew the Boys. Jane knew the Life. Jane feared the Teamsters for real.

  Compartments. Sealed access. Love-and-lie. The love worked. The lies hurt. The seal cracked.

  He traveled. He sealed off Vegas. He compartmentalized. He met Barb. He joined her fan club. He sat ringside.

  They were prom dates. Admiration and earnest chats. Chaste drinks and her show.

  Pete rotated through—Vietnam to Vegas—they all socialized. Barb rotated with him. Her eyes went from pinholed to bright.

  Pills. Her secret. Her Pete’s-gone-rotation delight.

  All men loved her. He told Pete. Pete said he knew that. Barb grew. Barb changed while he watched her. Ba
rb changed her ridiculous lounge act.

  She put out more knock-knees. She put out more ad-libs and goofs. I’m six feet tall. I can’t sing. I know terrible things.

  He loved her. He loved her more than Janice and Jane.

  Janice was Vegas. Jane was L.A. He rotated through. Compartments: candor and lies/separate disclosures.

  Janice spilled her secrets. Janice never lied. She bragged about sex. She proved her points. She flaunted her prowess.

  She talked too much. She enticed men. She lived for the thrill. She thought she controlled men. Her stories disproved it. She confused prowess with heart.

  She divorced Wayne Senior. She ditched his name. She went back to “Lukens.” She earned her two million. She paid with cramps. She paid with a limp.

  She fought back. She played golf. She broke par as a gimp. She never cried. She never whined. She never complained.

  They met at her cottage. They made love. They talked.

  Janice talked. He listened.

  She fucked a Negro man. Wayne Senior found out and killed him. She fucked Clark Kinman. Wayne Senior watched. She fucked bellboys on dares and bets.

  She fucked Wayne Junior. She paid.

  She talked too much. She drank too much. She limped through A-club tennis. She was pure will unconsidered. She was inimical to Jane.

  Janice talked. Janice digressed. Janice discussed Wayne Senior. He was bad. He was cruel. He’d do ANYTHING.

  Janice talked. Janice scared him. Wayne Senior was FATHER RABBIT.

  69

  (Las Vegas, Miami, Port Sulphur, Saigon,

  Saravan, Dac To, Dak Sut, Muang Kao,

  3/21–6/15/65)

  Rotation:

  East to west—V to V—Vietnam to Vegas.

  He flew west—rotation 1—Barb met his plane. She sparkled. She beamed. She refuted that letter.

  The letter bugged him. Jerky words and the lines “up & down.” He thought about pills—lounge-popcorn uppers and reds to come down.