Dying For LA

by Ian Jones

  ‘What did she say?’

  ‘About a month ago she told me her troubles were over. They needed some cash and now they had it.’

  ‘We know all about Madeline, did you know her well?’

  ‘Oh yeah, she would often drop in here. I liked her too. She was tough, for sure, but the money was so Maddie could make a home for her daughter. They used to talk about that all the time.’

  ‘Did Deanna tell you about the wedding?’

  Johnson frowned.

  ‘Yeah, she did. Not much, but she told me about it.’

  At last. Someone knew something.

  ‘What did she say?’

  ‘She told me that Maddie had been approached at Caesars, a while back. Marry this guy and get paid for it. But Maddie had some problems at Caesars, there were a couple of guys or something, some shit happened I guess and she didn’t want to be around there no more. Whoever was setting this up was always there. Anyway, she took Deanna with her and she said that she would do it.’

  ‘Caesars? What’s the connection?’ Reed asked.

  Johnson shrugged.

  ‘That’s where Maddie was approached about doing it in the first place. She’s a great looking woman, shit, was, been around a while, and a lot of people know her. But she needed to get away from the hotel, or someone there most likely, I don’t know why. There was some trouble I guess. But it was cool for Deanna, so she took it on.’

  ‘Any idea how much we’re talking about?’ John asked

  Johnson stared back at him.

  ‘Forty.’

  Reed whistled slowly. Johnson nodded.

  ‘Yeah, it was a lot.’

  ‘Do you know the guy who put all this together? Did you ever see him, or maybe her?’

  ‘It was a him, and no I never met him. But it took Deanna longer than she promised. A lot longer. The guy turned up at their apartment. Deanna called me, I said get the cops. I’m not superman, I was worried.’

  John and Reed looked at each other. At last things were clicking into place.

  ‘Any idea why they went to LA?’ Reed asked.

  ‘No, well, not really. They went a couple of times recently, Maddie had been told about somebody there, who was going to help with her daughter. Some attorney I think. But Deanna didn’t really say much about it.’

  Johnson looked at them levelly.

  ‘Listen, I got no idea who you are, but you ain’t cops. You ain’t carrying neither. So I’m gonna take a chance, I could be really fucking up here. Go see Paul Faber at the MGM.’

  ‘Who’s he?’

  ‘Security manager. He’s a good guy, drops in here after work. Real friendly. He knew Maddie pretty good, looked out for her, he might have some idea about who you’re looking for. He’s another one who’s been around a long time, knows everybody. If you’re straight with him, he won’t have a problem talking to you.’

  ‘OK, thanks,’ John told him, and raised his bottle. Reed did too.

  Johnson stood up, and the three men shook hands.

  ‘Good luck boys. If you need anything, I’ll be here. I meant it; I liked Deanna. And Maddie. And if someone got to pay for what happened, then I hope they get what they deserve.’

  ***

  Sammy had felt like she was running on empty most of the day and after stifling yet another yawn she bailed out, reasoning that with an early night and a good night’s sleep she could be back working one hundred and ten percent in the morning.

  After a nice Thai meal.

  So she was home by six, and in the bath by six-thirty. Luxuriating with lots of bubbles and thinking about everything that was going on. Really, this could make her career, she just needed a little bit of luck. The nationals were showing an interest, and her name would definitely have come up, so she had to make sure she did everything she could to take advantage of it.

  Her mobile phone chirped insistently, and she cursed. She ignored it, and it stopped. She sighed and sank back, whoever it was, they would call back.

  Her phone rang again.

  Shit.

  She levered herself up, reached over the side and picked up the phone, then sat back looking at the display.

  Jimmy Frost.

  Instinctively she shrank back down under the water, making sure the bubbles covered herself and then answered.

  ‘Hi Jimmy.’

  ‘Hi babe.’ His voice was so thick she could smell the rancid beer and tobacco stink from his filthy teeth. She shuddered making the water splash.

  ‘Say you in the bath sweetheart?’ Frost was positively oozing down the phone, she felt very sick.

  ‘No Jimmy, somebody is washing their car,’ Sammy lied.

  ‘Shame, I would’ve scrubbed your back. And your front, hee hee.’

  ‘Yeah. So, have you got news?’

  She heard Jimmy taking a drag on a cigarette, there was muted background noise, a bar, somewhere, probably the same one in MacArthur Park. She wanted to shiver but managed not too, instead climbed out slowly and silently then wrapped a towel around herself.

  ‘Yeah baby, and you owe me. Remember that. You need to be real nice to Jimmy. And that is real nice. I’m expecting breakfast after, if you can still think straight.’

  She grimaced as she walked through to the living room. He would need to be put straight once this was done.

  ‘Yeah Jimmy, of course, so what news?’

  ‘Word is the British guy is in Santa Monica, with a couple of others. Sounds like they are hiding him away.’

  Sammy drew a mental picture of LA in her mind, she believed she knew at least roughly where Santa Monica was.

  ‘OK Jimmy that’s great. Where in Santa Monica?’

  ‘Now that, sweetheart, I don’t know. But it’s a start. And because you’re so cute, I’ll keep digging.’

  ‘Thanks Jimmy.’

  ‘Well just remember. This ain’t free. You owe me.’

  He hung up and Sammy stood still looking at the phone, she really didn’t want to be in debt to Jimmy Frost.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  John and Reed were back in the bar in the MGM Grand. It had got a lot busier since the afternoon, but the barman they had chatted to earlier was still working. He gave them a nod as they walked over, and Reed asked where they could find Paul Faber. The barman told them the security office was near the concierge desk, he might be there, but he was normally out and about walking around the hotel. He was certain they would be able to track him down.

  They headed off to the hotel reception, and found the concierge desk at the end. It was very busy around the area, queues of people checking in and bags piled up on trolleys everywhere. Reed collared one of the bellboys and he pointed to an unobtrusive door set into the wall next to the cashier office, so they walked over and Reed knocked loudly.

  The door was opened by a young man in an ill-fitting suit, behind him the room had a bunch of desks in the centre but they could see there was nobody else there.

  He looked at them balefully while they asked for Paul Faber, didn’t ask who they were or why they wanted him, petulantly picked up a walkie-talkie off a desk and spoke into it, then walked back to the doorway.

  ‘He’s in High Roller. He’ll wait for you,’ he told them, then closed the door in their faces.

  John and Reed looked at each other, then made their way across into the casino. They passed through lines of slot machines, into the tables, looking up at the signs. The place was massive. The found the High Roller room eventually at the back, and walked over. There was an open doorway and discrete lighting inside, just a couple of men playing. A girl walked over and invited them in but John asked about Paul Faber and she stepped outside and pointed to a man in a dark blue blazer talking to a waitress so they moved and waited next to them.

  Faber was a dapper man in his fifties, with neat hair and a tidy beard, he looked at them and finished with the waitress.

  ‘You the guys looking for me?’ he asked cheerfully.

  ‘Yeah,’ John re
plied, and dug out the photo of Madeline. ‘We’re trying to find out more about Madeline, it’s really about her partner Deanna but it seems like we would be better off trying to work it from her side.’

  Faber looked at them both, considering.

  ‘Yeah, I know Maddie. I haven’t seen her for a spell. What’s this about?’

  John glanced at Reed. Faber obviously didn’t know what had happened.

  ‘Can we sit down?’ he asked.

  ‘Yeah, sure,’ Faber guided them across to a table at the edge of the VIP bar, which was right next to the High Roller’s room.

  ‘So?’ Faber asked.

  ‘Madeline’s dead, she was at the Metro station shooting in Downtown LA,’ Reed told Faber gently. ‘I’m sorry.’

  Faber looked shocked, and rubbed a hand over his face.

  ‘Shit, I didn’t know. Jesus. Poor Maddie. Fuck.’

  ‘I’m real sorry to break it to you like this Paul, but that’s why we’re here. There’s something else going down, and it looks like Maddie and Deanna were caught up in something that got out of control. We’re just looking for some answers. We were at the Mile High Club, Rob Johnson told us you can maybe help,’ Reed explained.

  Faber looked at him, then at John.

  ‘Sure. Maddie was never any trouble. I don’t know what you been told about her.’

  ‘Well, we know what she did, that’s kind of why we’re here,’ John said.

  Faber nodded.

  ‘Jesus. I can’t believe it. I liked Maddie. A lot. Ask away.’

  ‘We heard that she started operating over here, but she was at Caesars before. It seems like she was avoiding someone, did she say anything to you?’

  Faber gave a small laugh.

  ‘Operating. Yeah, I guess that’s as good a word as any. But Maddie wasn’t really like that, she was different. Look, I knew Maddie pretty good. She never gave anyone any problems, we never got guests climbing the walls or nothing like that. She would move around, centre on a place, then move on. She was at Caesars. She was pretty upset about something, that’s for sure. There’s a guy up there called George Scott, everyone calls him Gee-Gee. He’s front of house manager, and he really is a dick. I knew Maddie had a couple of run-ins with him, I guessed that was why she got out of there but look, I never asked ok? I liked her but it wasn’t my business.’

  ‘Why was Maddie different?’ John asked.

  Faber smiled.

  ‘Look, prostitution, it’s a real big deal round the strip. This place is full of guys all the time. They come here on bachelor parties, boy’s weekends, exhibitions, conferences, you name it. Every day of the year. And a lot of them want to party. Now most of us turn a blind eye when we know the girls, because we got an understanding. No shit on our doorstep. But there are others who come and go, and cause problem after problem. Maddie got it. She was a looker, she was expensive, and she would do two, maybe three a night at the most and never once had a problem. I don’t know what happened at Caesars, I avoid that prick Scott, but my guess is it likely wouldn’t have been her fault.

  John Looked at Reed, who nodded.

  ‘Let’s go see George Scott,’ he said.

  Faber stood up and shook their hands.

  ‘Listen guys, George Scott isn’t a popular guy, he is a real scumbag. He pulls all kinds of strokes but he’s got protection up there; he’s been at Caesars for years. My advice is lead with the big guy. That will rattle him, he thinks he’s tough. I’d like to see it for myself.’

  John patted Faber on the back.

  ‘Thanks a lot Paul, and really, we are sorry to have to tell you about Madeline.’

  Faber shrugged, and then walked off into the body of the casino.

  Reed stood up and looked lost, John rubbed his eyes and got to his feet, unsure if things weren’t just getting even more complicated.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Voorhees was in his office tapping away on his laptop keyboard while Rico and Sal were still trying to get the television to work properly in the adjoining room. Sal checked his watch.

  ‘Man, I’m starving,’ he murmured.

  ‘Yeah me too,’ Rico replied, and his stomach rumbled in agreement.

  Voorhees had adamantly declared they wait for the new guys to show up and then Rico would go and pick up the pizzas so everyone would eat together. But there hadn’t been any time given for this, Voorhees had eaten something in the afternoon, and it was after nine now. As usual Voorhees’ word was law, they hadn’t even considered not following it to the letter.

  ‘When are these guys arriving?’ Rico asked quietly.

  ‘I got no idea. Yann just said today, maybe I should ask, what do you think?’

  They both looked through the partition glass at Voorhees frowning away at the screen.

  ‘Maybe better give it half an hour.’

  They carried on messing about with the TV, which was kind of working, and just as it was becoming frustrating it suddenly flashed up clearly with an HBO movie, so they sat down to watch. As soon as they got comfortable Voorhees’ mobile trilled out suddenly, both men looked across.

  Voorhees was talking and nodding, then hung up and struggled his big frame out of the chair. He waddled out and into the room and stood directly in front of the TV.

  ‘Get down to the gates and open up, take a car, we don’t want to look like assholes. Then Rico you get your ass down the street and pick up the food, savvy?’

  Sal and Rico jumped up, left the building then jogged across the dark yard to the big storage shed opposite where they had put the cars and climbed into the Lumina, which they hadn’t really used since they picked up Weiss from the station. Sal started it up, then drove out and headed for the gates, switching on the headlights at the last minute. Rico climbed out, opened the first gate and watched Sal drive through, then closed and locked it and opened the second. Sal rolled through about halfway and stopped, Rico got back in.

  They both peered out through the side windows and the windscreen. Both directions from where they were sitting were clear, a few cars moving on the main road ahead but that was it.

  ‘Do you think Yann meant they were here already?’ Sal asked.

  ‘I got no idea, I thought that’s what he meant.’

  ‘Yeah me too.’

  Frustrated Rico slammed his hand down on the dashboard in front of him.

  ‘Fuck this man. All the fucking time it’s the same old shit. Nothing gets organised properly.’

  Both men were uneasy, they were out here, in the open, waiting for people they didn’t know who could have another Karl Weiss with them, and also had no idea who might be watching, they were completely exposed.

  ‘Man, I wish I bought that Glock, this sucks,’ Sal spoke gloomily, as the minutes ticked by.

  ‘Fuck it, back it up, there ain’t nobody here, right? We’ll tell Yann then go get the food, we can’t get the blame for this bullshit.’

  Sal put the car into reverse and started to roll backwards, there was a loud thump on the driver’s side of the roof. Sal slammed on the brakes, and then a man with a bushy beard stared in through the window at them.

  ‘Fuck it,’ Sal said, buzzing the window down, believing it to be a tramp.

  ‘Give us some room pal,’ he said, and continued rolling backwards then stopped as another man appeared leaning on the boot, peering in through the rear window.

  Rico got out the car and leaned on the roof, wishing again that Sal had brought the Glock. Fist fights weren’t his thing.

  ‘What do you want guys?’

  A third man appeared out of nowhere, this one big, with a shaved head. As he got closer Rico could see a mess of scars on the side of his face that gleamed dully in the streetlights. He stood right in front of the car, Rico couldn’t stop staring at him.

  ‘I think you been expecting us,’ he announced, with a thick accent.

  ‘Er, yeah, we have,’ Rico replied, thinking fast.

  The man at the back of the car held up a
big bag, and Sal hit the switch that opened the boot. Looking over his shoulder Rico watched as the bag was dropped in, the boot slammed shut hard and then the men started to get in the car. The big man looked at Rico.

  ‘I ride in front.’

  ‘Fine.’

  With a loud sigh Rico watched as the car reversed in and he locked up the gate, then jogged across and opened the second set. He climbed into the rear once it was all secure and they drove back across to the building, nobody speaking. Sal stopped, popped the boot open and he and Rico got out the car. The two men from the rear seat emerged first, and stood still looking around. Both were very similar looking; bearded and thickset. The big man stayed sitting in the car, eventually swinging his legs out, staying like that for a few seconds and then standing.

  Sal gestured toward the office building door.

  ‘This way.’

  They followed him into the building and everyone filed up the stairs, emerging into the common area. Voorhees was sitting in the office watching then came out of the office, his eyes never leaving the big man. He stopped and stood very still, then licked his lips.

  ‘Leo,’ he stated, still staring.

  The big man, who had been casting an eye over everything glanced across indifferently.

  ‘Yann. So, still with us then.’

  End of conversation as the big man disappeared to walk up the stairs.

  Voorhees angrily shook his head and turned to the other men.

  ‘I’m Yann, I’m running the show. This is Sal, and that’s Rico. Who are you guys?’

  The two men were standing side by side, the left one spoke.

  ‘I’m Gregor, Greg, and this is Rolf.’

  ‘Pleased to meet you,’ Sal spoke up and shook hands, Rico followed, and finally, reluctantly Yann.

  ‘OK, show them where they sleep, we will do a briefing later. Rico, where the fuck is the food?’ Yann was not a happy man.

  ‘Sure Yann, I’ll go right now,’ Rico replied, and scurried out, just glad to be out the way, however temporary that was.

  ***

  John was getting frustrated. They had been wandering around Caesars Palace for nearly forty-five minutes asking for George Scott, and getting the run around. It didn’t help that every employee they asked would immediately look like they wanted to run away, and then give some vague idea of where the man might be. The place was vast, with a huge casino that spread out in all directions, and they had been sent literally from one corner to the next.