The Amorous Attorney (A Nick Williams Mystery Book 2)

by Frank W. Butterfield

  As I walked towards the door, I hoped that the poker game wasn't strip poker. I opened the door to a hallway that was dim. There was a door at the end that looked promising. I walked down and, this time, didn't give a damn about who or what I walked into.

  And, there was no surprise. The captain, Carter, Mike, and one of the Mexican fellows were sitting around a game table. There were stacks of chips in front of each man and a game was in progress. But, I was still not happy. Really not happy.

  I was greeted cheerily by all and sundry. Carter asked, "Where were you? Nacho said he couldn't find you."

  "I was at the party. Didn't you know I'm the guest of honor?"

  Carter winked at me. I looked at him. I was now angry. This seemed to confuse him.

  The captain, who was looking at his cards, said, "My friend! Have a seat over there, if you like." He pointed to a long leather sofa off in a darkened corner. "Help yourself to brandy and cigars."

  I looked over at Mike, who was reading me right. His face told me he realized that the captain was playing more than just five-card stud.

  "Who's your friend, Mike?"

  "This is Pablo."

  The man, who was probably 25, looked up at me and smiled. I don't think he spoke any English. The captain said something to him and his face began to close.

  Carter threw in his cards. "I'm out." He stood up and stretched out his right leg. The captain looked up at him. With interest.

  I walked over to the little bar and poured myself a small brandy. I sprayed in more than a little soda. I didn't want to get drunk, but I wanted a little something to take the edge off of all the old haunting memories that were walking around this room with me, threatening to divorce me from my friend and my lover.

  Carter walked over and asked, in a very low voice, "Where were you?"

  I turned around and looked up at him. "Where were you?"

  "I've been in here playing poker for the last thirty minutes. Nacho went out to find you--"

  "And, conveniently couldn't. Except for the five minutes before the lights went out, I was in that big room. All alone. Although I'm the guest of honor, no one was talking to me."

  I was trying to keep my voice low and trying, as hard as I could, to keep from socking Carter hard in the gut.

  He looked at me and sighed. "I guess this is what we get when we play with fire."

  "Is that the royal 'we,' your highness? Because I haven't been playing with fire. I didn't know who this man was before I met him. You, on the other hand, knew exactly who he was. And, yet, you let him play you. I may have been the violin, but you are the whole orchestra."

  Carter looked at me for a long moment. He turned around. "Sorry, Nacho. Nick isn't feeling well. We should probably head back to the hotel."

  Mike threw done his cards. He actually looked relieved. I didn't know if he was losing, feeling crowded by his new friend, or just ready to go. He said, "That sounds like a good idea."

  "Gentlemen! But we aren't finished with our game."

  Carter said, "Yes, captain. We are."

  This got the man's attention. He stood up and walked over to us. I was feeling less edgy about Carter but more clear about this guy by the second.

  "I see." He shrugged. "Well, all good things must come to an end, no?"

  He reached up and ran his hand across Carter's face. It was only with the greatest of restraint that I didn't decked him. He was the law in these parts, and that was the only reason he wasn't laying flat on his back in need of serious traction.

  Carter stuck out his hand and said, "Thanks for a swell party, captain." The man automatically shook. "My pleasure, Mr. Jones."

  He said something to the Mexican fellow, who, in reaction to the words, looked like he'd just lost his puppy. He looked back at Mike with undisguised longing and then walked out the door.

  "If you will follow me, I will find Oscar and he will take you back to the hotel."

  He opened the door back to the large room and we followed. When we emerged, the room was still full. Some of the guests were looking through the large windows and commenting on the rain.

  The captain disappeared into the kitchen. We moved over to the entry hallway. After about five minutes, the captain found us and said, "Oscar is bringing the car around in a moment. I will say my goodbye to you here as I must attend to my other guests." He turned to me and, without any affection or warmth, said, "I hope you feel better soon, Mr. Williams." He offered his hand and I shook it. The feeling of attraction was still there, but it was dull and flat now.

  He said goodbye to Carter and Mike and then walked back into the large room. We stood there looking at the rain. None of us spoke.

  A few moments went by and Rosa appeared from a room at the end of the hallway. "You are leaving us?" She was all smiles. Her hair was just a fraction out of place, which made me smile. I hoped she and her friend were having fun.

  "Yes, Rosa. Thank you for a lovely party. I appreciate it very much. The caviar was excellent."

  She smiled. "I meant to tell you that it's Russian. One of the benefits of living in Mexico." I had no idea what she meant. I guessed it had something to do with the Cold War. In this house, down was up, so it could really have meant anything.

  She said her goodbyes to Carter and Mike and disappeared into the party. I said, "Let's go outside."

  The rain was beginning to lessen. We stood on the big porch looking into the gloom for the Deusenberg. After a couple of minutes, its headlamps appeared. I was ready to leave, so I marched down the steps and let myself in the back door without waiting for Oscar.

  We drove back in silence. Carter put his hand on my thigh and began to rub it. That did feel better. I was so torn. I wanted to scream at both him and Mike. But, on the other hand, they had been played, just like me. But I couldn't see the point other than just maybe it was the game of a man who was bored. Or who simply wanted everyone. I couldn't tell. It had been a long day and all I wanted was to be in bed next to Carter. And to sleep.

  . . .

  We left Mike in the lobby with a promise for breakfast at 8. Even at nearly 11, there was a lot of activity. I wondered how Marge was coping and then decided I didn't give a damn. I followed Carter as he walked towards the suite. The lights were on in Rhonda's suite. They were dark at the Bobbsey Twins' place and dark at Taylor's. However, they were on at ours.

  It was raining softly as we slowly crept forward. The crash of the waves at the beach was louder than earlier. I pushed Carter back and stepped up at the door. Neither of us had our guns, since they were both inside. I listened. I couldn't hear anything.

  The window was open, but the screen was on. I looked in through the crack between the thin curtains and saw who it was. He was sitting on the sofa, his head fallen over, and his chest was rising and falling in sleep.

  I turned to Carter and said very softly, "Jeffery."

  Chapter 21

  Hotel Riviera del Pacifico

  Tuesday, May 26, 1953

  Just past 11 in the evening

  I opened the door slowly. I figured that, wherever he'd been, he should sleep.

  I looked around the room. No luggage. Just Jeffery. And he looked worse for the wear of spending the day out wherever he had been.

  Carter whispered, "Should we let him sleep?"

  That was all it took to awaken the sleeping attorney. He raised his head and opened his eyes.

  When he saw me, his eyes filled with tears. "I didn't do it, Nick."

  I nodded and said, "I know. Unless you somehow moved all your luggage without anyone seeing it and then came back and shot him with a stolen gun, it couldn't be you. But, Jeffery, tell us what happened."

  Carter took off his coat and kicked off his shoes. I followed his example. We both sat down on chairs.

  Jeffery wiped his face with the back of his dirty sleeve.

  "I woke up at around 4, for some reason. I felt awful, of course. I think it was the dryness in my mouth that woke me up. I drank the wate
r in the bottle that someone had opened."

  Carter said, "That was me. I was trying to get you to take some aspirin."

  Jeffery smiled weakly. "So that wasn't a dream about you threatening to deck me?"

  Carter smiled back and said, "No."

  "Thanks." He sat there for a moment.

  I prompted, "What happened next?"

  "Oh, Nick. I feel real awful for those things I said."

  Carter said, "Wiggle is the right word."

  I looked over and said, "I will remember you said that. You promised."

  He laughed and held up his hands. "Sorry, Nick."

  "You'll be sorry all right." I was still miffed at what had happened out at the captain's house.

  Jeffery looked at me. "Well, I am sorry, Nick."

  "Don't sweat it. What happened after you drank some water?"

  "I looked around the room and realized I needed to go home. I could live here but I don't want to. I've always wanted to be a lawyer. It's in my blood, somehow. You know..." He looked at me, reminding me of the first days when we were seeing each other after I was discharged from the Navy.

  "I know, Jeffery. Why do you think we're here? I could have just sent you the cash. But I know you."

  He nodded. "So, I packed up my bags."

  "Where are they, by the way?"

  "At a motel."

  This confused me. "Why do you look like you haven't changed clothes since last night?"

  "I'm getting to that."

  "Go on."

  "Well, since Taylor was paying for the room..."

  "Wait. Then what was the money for?"

  "I'm getting to that, Nick. Let me tell you the whole thing, OK?"

  I shrugged.

  "So, since Taylor was paying for the room, I figured he could settle up on his own."

  "Wait. Before I forget." Jeffery huffed. "How much cash did he have when you left?"

  "About $850. $500 in traveler's check and the rest in twenties, tens, you know."

  "Did he have it all on him?"

  "I guess. None of it was in the room when I left."

  I nodded. A light was beginning to dawn in my mind.

  "So, I sneaked out over the sand and walked to the main drag with my things until I found a motel. I checked in and just fell on the bed and slept until noon. I woke up because someone was knocking on my door."

  "Juliet," I said. Carter folded his arms and nodded.

  "How did you guys know?"

  "Tell you later. Keep going."

  "Well, like she had been doing, she wanted all the cash I could give her. She had been blackmailing me to keep her from calling Eddie Mannix."

  I nodded. This is what I'd figured.

  "Did you give it to her?"

  "No. I told her to call Eddie. I was beyond caring."

  "How did she find you?"

  "I have no idea, but she is one crafty bitch."

  I stood up and walked into the bathroom. The window was closed. I returned to the sitting room and sat back down.

  Carter asked, "Well?"

  I replied, "Closed."

  He said, "Good."

  Jeffery looked at both of us. I said, "She was spying on you and Taylor through the open window of your bathroom. Ever smell cigarette smoke when neither of you were smoking?"

  "Sure. Couple of times since Rhonda and Juliet got here. You know that I don't smoke. And Taylor only smokes... I mean smoked... outside."

  "What brand?"

  Jeffery smiled wanly. "Pall Mall."

  "So what did she do after you refused?"

  "She said, 'Fine. I'll just go to the police.'"

  "What did you say?"

  "I told her to go ahead. And she did."

  "What happened?"

  "I went back to sleep, or tried to. About an hour later, there was a knock on the door. A very nervous municipal policeman was standing there and told me in broken English that I needed to come to the police station."

  I said, "The municipal police? Not the state?"

  "Definitely. That's why I'm here."

  "How so?"

  "Well, I went with the poor guy. He was so nervous. He didn't cuff me. He didn't have a writ, which I think he was supposed to have from a prosecuting judge. I'm not sure how it works here, but I seem to remember it's like France."

  He took a deep breath. "Anyway, we drove to a rinky-dink police station on the edge of town. The captain, or whatever he was, just put me in a cell, which he never locked, and told me to stay until he came back. About the time it started to rain, he came in and said I was free to go. No questions. No nothing."

  I nodded. "I think his boss is fighting with the state police. They don't really have jurisdiction over murder. That's a state matter, from what I know. The police captain for the state police has been fighting with the local corrupt politico, by the name of Maldonado, who has the municipal police in the bag. You were just a victim in their skirmish. Maldonado doesn't want this crime investigated since he wants to expropriate the hotel and any bad publicity, or so he thinks, will queer things for him down the line."

  Jeffery looked confused. "Bad publicity? This place will be sold out for a year because of this."

  I nodded. "He's also the stupidest man I've ever come across. He's either a figurehead for someone else or he just uses threats of violence to get what he wants. He's threatened me twice because he thinks I want to buy the place."

  Carter laughed. "He doesn't know you very well, does he?"

  I smiled and said, "And I hope to keep it that way."

  I looked at Jeffery and asked, "Why didn't you go back to your motel room and change?"

  "I did but they wouldn't let me in. I still had my money... well, your money..." I waved that away. "So, I took a cab over here but I had the man drop me off so I could come in around the back."

  "Have you read the papers?"

  "Just seen the headlines from an L.A. paper that they had at the police station. Juliet was the one who told me that Taylor was dead."

  With that he fell apart, probably for the first time.

  . . .

  We got him into the shower and puzzled out what to do next.

  "Do you think we could go and buy his luggage back from the motel?"

  "Wouldn't hurt to try. I just don't want anyone to know that he's here. In a way, he's a trump card."

  "A trump card?"

  "Oh, yes, my husband." He smiled. I smiled back.

  He asked, "Am I forgiven?"

  I nodded and said, "But I will find a way to take the 'wiggle' word out of your hide."

  He smiled his sweet Georgia smile. "I can think of a few ways you could."

  I shook my head. "No, this dish will be served cold." I put on my stone face while he looked a little nervous. Finally, I couldn't hold it any longer and bust out laughing.

  He pulled me in for some serious necking. I didn't complain. Not at all.

  . . .

  A few minutes later, Carter asked, "Why a trump card?"

  I looked up and said, "Oh, right. We got interrupted, didn't we?" He nodded. "The way I see it is that the only person more furious than a woman scorned is a Nacho scorned. I suspect there will be hell to pay in some way. And holding onto Jeffery may help."

  Carter looked down at me and said, "He really did play me, didn't he?"

  "He got you to eat fish eggs, Carter. Caviar! That was the big clue. You hate anything fishy!"

  Carter smiled. "You were watching us. Why didn't you step in and stop it?"

  "Because the two of you were mighty sexy. I will admit I was storing mental photographs for future reference."

  Carter tried to look serious, but wasn't able to really do it. "I hope you never call me captain at the wrong time."

  "Are you kidding? If we're going to play those kinds of games, you already have a name."

  "Oh really? What is it?"

  "Chief. As in Fire Chief Carter Jones, leader of the fearless San Francisco Fire Department. Slayer of fir
es and layer of men."

  Now it was Carter's turn to bust out laughing.

  . . .

  We put Jeffery in a pair of Carter's BVDs and a t-shirt. He was shorter and leaner than Carter and he looked like a kid who was wearing his father's clothes.

  He slept on the sofa in the sitting room. We went to bed, but with company just on the other side of a flimsy door, we didn't engage in the kind of activity that would have helped me sleep.

  After about twenty minutes, I could hear Carter snoozing. I listened to him sleeping for about ten more minutes, hoping that would put me to sleep, since it usually did, but it didn't. I decided to go for a walk.

  I waited another ten to make sure I wouldn't wake him up. I got up very slowly and then quietly dressed in the same getup as I'd had on during the party, minus the coat. I checked for cigarettes in Carter's pile and found a pack of Camels and his Zippo lighter, just in case.

  I walked quietly through the sitting room and stole out the front door without waking up Jeffery.

  It had stopped raining, but was still very wet everywhere, including the air. The sea was still as noisy as before. I stood there, looking at the clearing sky and watching the stars. It was dark enough that the sky was full of them where there weren't any clouds.

  As I stood there, I heard a small crash. It sounded like it was coming from Taylor's room. I walked quietly down the walkway and saw the flicker of a flashlight through a slit in the thin curtains of the sitting room window. I was feeling more curious than anything else, so I found a place where I could stand and see who walked out without them seeing me. Whoever it was spent about ten more minutes in the suite and then emerged.

  It was Rhonda. She walked down the walkway, head down, past her suite, and towards the lobby. I followed her until she turned the corner around her suite. I came up to that corner slowly, just in case she had seen me. As I did, I felt a sharp pain on the back of my head, saw stars not in the sky, and felt myself fall on the cement walkway before it all went quiet.

  . . .

  When I opened my eyes, Carter was bent over me with a concerned look in his eyes. I also noticed he only had his BVDs on. I tried to laugh, but that hurt too much. I tried to smile, but that was painful, too. So, I just said, "Nice outfit." That didn't hurt too much.