You Make Me Feel So Dead

by Robert Randisi

  At one point in the show Elvis took the time to point out and introduce Frank and Dino to the crowd. They both stood momentarily and graciously waved, and then saluted the young entertainer.

  After the show Jerry and I were able to ride Frank and Dean’s coat-tails and with no problem got backstage to see Elvis. Ann-Margret was gone by that time but there was still a crush of people back there trying to get to Elvis, comprised of friends, fans and press.

  Since we were with Vegas royalty, we were ushered into Elvis’ dressing room. He had already changed from his glittery stage suit into a robe, and had a towel around his neck. His black hair was wet and unruly.

  ‘Kid,’ Dean said, extending his hand, ‘that was amazing.’

  ‘Thank you, sir,’ he said with his customary humility, ‘comin’ from you, that’s a great compliment.’

  ‘Yeah, Elvis,’ Frank chimed in, ‘you had the crowd in the palm of your hand – including us.’

  They shook hands and Elvis said, ‘I really appreciate that, sir.’

  ‘Frank,’ Frank said, ‘just call me Frank.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  Elvis shook hands with me and Jerry, and when Frank and Dean said they had to go he asked us to stay behind.

  ‘What’s goin’ on with the case?’ he asked. I was surprised that he seemed more excited about that than his triumph on stage. Maybe he was just used to the adoration and success, but not to a murder investigation.

  We told him what we’d been doing and he asked questions here and there. I didn’t tell him about my meeting with Giancana. In fact, I hadn’t even told Jerry.

  ‘What made you look in the cereal boxes?’ he asked Jerry.

  ‘I knew a guy once who hid his drugs there,’ Jerry said.

  ‘And the freezer?’ he asked me.

  I shrugged and said, ‘We’d looked everywhere else.’

  ‘Sure wish I’d met that sheriff’s deputy,’ he said. ‘He sounds like a good guy.’

  ‘He is.’

  ‘What about your friend, Danny?’ he asked. ‘Is he gettin’ out on bail?’

  ‘I talked with Kaminsky just before we came here,’ I said. ‘Danny walks out tomorrow morning. We’ll be there to pick him up.’

  ‘That’s good,’ he said. ‘Mind if I tag along?’

  ‘No, not at all,’ I said, ‘if you really want to.’

  ‘I wanna meet your private eye buddy.’

  ‘What about your boys?’ I asked. ‘And Red?’

  ‘The boys are havin’ a great time,’ Elvis said. ‘Red’s a little pissed off, but I’ll handle him. He just thinks it’s his job to keep me safe.’

  ‘Ain’t it?’ Jerry asked.

  ‘It’s not his job,’ Elvis said, ‘more like his … calling, I guess.’

  ‘He loves you,’ I said.

  ‘Yeah, he’s my buddy,’ Elvis said. ‘I love him, too.’

  ‘Bring him along,’ Jerry said, and I looked at him, quickly.

  I was relieved when Elvis said, ‘Naw, that’s OK. He can hang around the hotel and relax.’

  ‘Well, OK,’ I said. ‘How about we pick you up tomorrow morning at eight?’

  ‘In the back,’ he said, as we all remembered the crowds in front of the hotel ever since his arrival.

  ‘In the back,’ I agreed.

  ‘We’ll have to make it quick, though,’ Elvis said. ‘There’s probably gonna be some fans and press there, too.’

  ‘I’ll just slow down,’ Jerry said, ‘and you can jump in.’

  Elvis and I both looked at Jerry to see if he was actually joking.

  ‘I could do that,’ Elvis finally said.

  ‘OK, we’ll let you get some rest,’ I said.

  ‘You gonna be doin’ anythin’ tonight?’ he asked. ‘I don’t wanna miss anymore good stuff.’

  ‘You won’t miss a thing,’ I said. ‘I’m goin’ home and Jerry’s goin’ to his room.’

  ‘I’ll see you boys in the mornin’, then.’

  ‘Thanks for the tickets, Mr Presley,’ Jerry said.

  ‘My pleasure, son,’ Elvis said.

  Jerry and I left the room, made our way through the crowd until we were outside.

  ‘Do I really gotta go to my room?’ Jerry asked. ‘I was kinda thinkin’ I’d try some blackjack.’

  ‘Pal,’ I said, ‘you can do anythin’ you want.’

  SIXTY-FIVE

  When we got back to the Sands I stopped Jerry from getting out of the Caddy right away.

  ‘I’ve got something to tell you.’ He sat quiet while I relayed to him my late night visit with Sam Giancana. I wasn’t sure whether or not he’d get mad I hadn’t told him before, but there had never seemed to be time.

  When I was done he asked, ‘He really said that? “Don’t

  kill ’im”?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Why would he think you’d kill Scaffazza – or anyone? You ain’t a killer, Mr G.’

  ‘I know it,’ I said. ‘I was thinkin’ the same thing.’

  ‘I just realized Mr S. didn’t say anythin’ about a call from Johnny Roselli,’ Jerry said. ‘I wonder what’s holdin’ him up.’

  ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘Look, Mr G.,’ Jerry said, ‘don’t let what Mr Giancana said get to you. He just don’t know who you really are.’

  ‘Thanks, Jerry.’

  ‘As far as Scaffazza goes,’ Jerry said, ‘I’ll be along with you, so don’t worry, we’ll find out what we wanna know.’

  ‘Do you know him?’ I asked. I didn’t remember if I’d asked him that before.

  ‘Never met ’im, never heard of ’im,’ Jerry said. ‘He’s just another Giancana soldier, I guess.’

  ‘Jerry,’ I said, ‘I don’t want to kill Scaffazza – I mean, I don’t want him killed.’

  ‘I know that,’ Jerry said. ‘Don’t worry, Mr G. I ain’t plannin’ on killin’ him.’

  ‘OK.’

  ‘I don’t kill easy, Mr G. I mean, it don’t come easy to me.’

  ‘I know it, Jerry.’

  He nodded.

  ‘You comin’ in?’ he asked.

  ‘No, I’m goin’ home to get some sleep. I didn’t get much last night after Giancana’s boys brought me back home.’

  ‘Then I’ll see ya in the mornin’.’

  When I opened my front door the phone was ringing. I’m not one of those people who falls all over themselves trying to get to the phone before it can stop, but it could have had something to do with Danny’s case, so I got to it before the third ring.

  ‘Eddie? It’s Frank.’

  ‘Hey, Frank. Great show tonight, huh?’

  ‘He called.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Roselli,’ Frank said. ‘He called.’

  ‘Are we set?’

  ‘We are,’ Frank said.

  ‘Where?’

  ‘A strip club called Star Shine.’

  I knew the place. It was not a highly ranked strip club, as Vegas goes. But it was probably mob owned.

  ‘When?’

  ‘Tomorrow night – well, I guess it’s tonight – at ten pm.’

  ‘But where? In the parking lot? Behind the club? Inside?’

  ‘I’m thinkin’ inside,’ Frank said. ‘It’s probably Scaffazza’s idea, thinkin’ he can’t be whacked in a public place.’

  ‘Why does everybody think I want to whack this guy? I don’t whack people, Frank!’

  ‘I know that, Eddie,’ he said. ‘Don’t yell at me.’

  ‘Sorry, sorry,’ I said. ‘Hey, I didn’t tell you tonight that Danny’s gettin’ out tomorrow morning. We’re gonna pick him up.’

  ‘Good news,’ he said. ‘Who’s we?’

  ‘Me, Jerry and Elvis,’ I said. ‘The kid wants to come along.’

  ‘That’s fine,’ Frank said. ‘You can continue to keep him out of trouble, then. I mean, the kind of trouble the Colonel was thinking about.’

  ‘I’m just hopin’ he’s not gonna want to come with us tomorrow nig
ht.’

  ‘That’s easy,’ Frank said. ‘Don’t tell ’im.’

  ‘Yeah, I guess.’

  ‘OK,’ Frank said, ‘get some rest. You got a big day tomorrow.’

  ‘Yeah, thanks. ’night. Frank.’

  ‘’night, Pally.’

  I hung up. I had a big morning and a big night tomorrow. What was I going to do with the rest of the day?

  SIXTY-SIX

  I slept without interruption and awoke feeling good. After a shower I dressed casually and drove the Caddy to the Sands to pick up Jerry. He was wearing a sports jacket and already sweating as he got in on the passenger side.

  ‘You heeled?’ I asked.

  He looked at me and said, ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Forty-five?’

  He nodded. I knew he had somebody in Vegas who would leave a forty-five in a locker at the airport for him when he flew in. As far as I knew, though, he hadn’t worn it up to now.

  ‘Why now?’ I asked, as I pulled out of the parking lot.

  ‘I want to have it with me tonight,’ he said, ‘and I didn’t know if we’d be getting back to the hotel between now and then. Don’t worry, I’ll put it in the glove compartment before we go to the police station.’

  That didn’t thrill me, either. There was no reason for the police to search my car, but if they did and found the gun, I’d go down for it.

  When we got to the Riv the front was again jammed with a mob of Elvis lovers. I wheeled around to the back, where there was a lesser, but no less enthusiastic, crowd.

  I saw him come out the door with his ‘Buzz’ hat and shades. It fooled most of the crowd, but then somebody recognized him and pointed. Elvis sprinted for the car and it happened pretty much like Jerry said it would, only I was driving. I hadn’t even come to a stop when Elvis vaulted into the back seat and shouted, ‘Go, son, go!’

  I hit the gas and peeled rubber in the parking lot, leaving behind a lot of disgruntled Elvis fans.

  ‘Whoeee!’ Elvis shouted, taking the hat and glasses off. ‘That was somethin’.’ He ran his hands through his hair.

  ‘Yeah,’ Jerry said, ‘I’m all shook up.’

  There was a moment of stunned silence, then we realized that, of course, Jerry was joking.

  We all started to laugh.

  By the time we pulled up in front of the police station Elvis had his hat and shades back on. I stopped the car and put the gear shift in park.

  ‘Stay here, guys,’ I said. ‘Let’s not crowd around the door.’

  ‘OK, Mr G.’

  Elvis sat back and waved his agreement.

  I got out of the car and walked up to the front door. Kaminsky came out first, followed by Danny. The best you could say about him was that he looked as if he’d been run over by a car.

  ‘I told you—’ Kaminsky said to me, about to proudly proclaim himself a great lawyer, when there was a loud sound, and Danny went down. A blossom of red appearing in front of him.

  It took me a moment to realize that Danny had been shot, and that blossom of red was an explosion of blood from his chest as the bullet hit him.

  ‘Jesus Christ!’ I yelled.

  I could hear footsteps from behind me – undoubtedly Jerry and Elvis running up the sidewalk. I stood stunned as police came pouring out the front door with guns drawn, some looking around for the shooter, others crowded around Danny. Somebody was on a radio, calling for an ambulance.

  I didn’t know if Danny was alive or dead.

  SIXTY-SEVEN

  Danny was alive.

  They had an ambulance there in moments and whisked him off to the hospital. By the time we got there – Jerry driving because I was still stunned – Danny was already in the operating room.

  The quick reactions of the police and the doctors saved his life.

  My reaction didn’t do anybody a damned bit of good, at all!

  ‘All I did was stand there,’ I said, as we sat in the waiting room.

  ‘There wasn’t nothin’ else you could do, Mr G.,’ Jerry said.

  ‘Jerry’s right, son,’ Elvis said. ‘What else could ya’ll have done?’

  ‘I could’ve helped him,’ I said, ‘that’s what I could’ve done.’

  ‘You’re bein’ too hard on yourself,’ Jerry said.

  ‘You gotta relax,’ Elvis said. ‘The good news is he’s alive.’

  ‘The bad news is I’ve got to tell Penny,’ I said.

  ‘At least she wasn’t there when it happened,’ Jerry pointed out.

  ‘Yeah, that’s somethin’, I guess.’ I stood up. ‘I guess I better call her.’

  ‘Shouldn’t you wait until you know more?’ Elvis asked.

  ‘No,’ I said, ‘as it is she’s gonna be pissed at me for waitin’ this long.’

  ‘You want me to do it, Mr G.?’ Jerry asked. ‘In case the doctor comes out?’

  ‘No, I have to do it,’ I said. ‘But come and get me if there’s any need.’

  ‘OK.’

  I walked to the pay phones, dreading the call I had to make. As I expected she flipped out. I offered to have Jerry pick her up, but she said no, she’d get a cab and be right there.

  I hung up, was about to head back to the waiting room when I decided to call Frank and Dean.

  ‘You take it easy, pally,’ Dean said. ‘Let the doctors do their job and he should be fine.’

  Frank said, ‘Thank God he’s alive, kid. I wonder if this has anythin’ to do with Scaffazza bein’ in town?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ I said, ‘but I’ll find out tonight.’

  Frank said he and Dean would probably stop at the hospital in a little while. I hung up thinking about Joey Scaffazza. I’d been so pissed at people thinking I wanted to kill him. I was now convinced that if I found out he was involved in shooting Danny, I would kill him in a minute.

  When Penny arrived she was like a rock. Instead of dissolving into tears in my arms as I had expected, she punched me in the stomach in front of Jerry and Elvis. Penny hits hard.

  ‘How dare you not call me right away, Eddie Gianelli!’ she said.

  ‘Penny … I …’

  She took my face in her hands and said, ‘I know … how is he?’

  ‘Alive,’ I said. ‘They’re still working on him.’

  ‘How bad?’

  ‘He was shot once in the chest, near the heart.’

  ‘Oh, no problem, then,’ she said.

  ‘What?’

  She put her hand over my heart and said, ‘Danny’s got a heart of stone. We both know that.’

  By the time the doctor came out Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin were there, and Elvis had taken off the hat and shades. The doctor, a smooth-faced young man in his thirties, did a double take.

  ‘Who … is there family here?’

  Penny pushed me forward.

  ‘I’m afraid I’m the closest thing to family, doc,’ I said.

  ‘I mean real family,’ the doctor said, ‘blood relatives?’

  ‘There are none,’ I said. ‘His family has all passed. You’re gonna have to settle for me, doc. Danny and I grew up together.’

  He studied me, then the other people in the waiting room. There were a couple of new fathers there who had forgotten about their babies when they saw Frank, Dean and Elvis.

  ‘And the rest?’ he asked.

  ‘Friends,’ I said, ‘all friends.’

  ‘Come on, doc,’ Frank said. ‘Be a pal.’

  The doctor had removed his surgical hat but still had the mask around his neck. He pulled that off now and said, ‘Oh, all right. It was touch and go for a while. The bullet nicked the left ventricle. We didn’t see the damage at first, but once we did we repaired it. Removing it did some other damage which is simply going to hurt like hell while it’s healing. The bullet went in, and did not come out, so we removed it. He’s going to hurt from that for a while, too.’

  ‘But he will heal?’ Penny asked.

  ‘Yes, ma’am,’ the doctor said. ‘He’ll heal. It will take a w
hile, but he’ll heal. As long as nobody shoots him again.’ He looked at me. ‘My name is Dr Markinson. We’ll talk again.’

  He put his hand out and I shook it. He had a good grip, held on when I tried to let go.

  ‘I’m going to want show tickets,’ he said.

  ‘No problem, doc,’ I said, pumping his hand. ‘Any show you want.’

  Markinson nodded, released my hand, turned and walked away.

  I turned to Penny. This time she did collapse into my arms.

  SIXTY-EIGHT

  We all sat around a while longer. Dr Markinson came out again and said that Danny wouldn’t wake up until morning.

  ‘Can we go in for a minute?’ Penny asked him. ‘Just to see him?’

  Markinson looked at me.

  ‘She just wants to see him breathing.’

  ‘Sure,’ he said, ‘for a minute – but just the two of you.’

  I turned to the others. ‘You guys should get goin’. I really appreciate you being here.’

  ‘I’ll stay,’ Frank said. ‘We got an appointment soon, Eddie.’

  I looked at my watch. I hadn’t realized that we’d been there all day, and it was nine p.m. We were supposed to meet with Scaffazza at ten.

  ‘Right.’

  ‘Me and Jerry will stay, too,’ Elvis said.

  ‘Well, I gotta get back to the hotel,’ Dean said. ‘I’m supposed to call Jeannie.’ He looked at Frank. ‘I’ll take the limo.’

  ‘No problem, Dag,’ Frank said. ‘Dag’ was Frank’s nickname for Dino. It was short for Dago.

  ‘Eddie …’ Penny said, grabbing my arm.

  ‘OK, let’s go.’

  The doctor took us into the room where Danny was laid out, hooked up to beeping, blinking machines.

  ‘Two minutes,’ he said, and left.

  Danny was pale and seemed shrunken. But the important thing was, he was breathing, his chest rising and falling steadily.

  Penny moved close to the bed and put her hand on his chest.

  ‘We’re here, Danny,’ she said. ‘Eddie and I are here. And I’ll be here until you wake up.’