Hollywood Moon (2009)

by Wambaugh, Joseph - Hollywood Station 03

  I ain't gonna be locked in that room, Jerzy said, and that's final.

  Lemme see that, Tristan said, indicating the padlock.

  Tristan hung the padlock over the metal door staple and closed the door and folded the hasp over it. There, he said. In the dark it'll look okay. Make sure your old lady's standin' behind you when you pretend to be unlockin' it.

  Then he opened the storage-room door and said to Jerzy, Come on, dawg, let's get inside and figure how we're gonna pull our ambush on this here victim and his woman.

  This isn't starting out right, Dewey said. This is a bad omen.

  Fuck your omens, Jerzy said. Just do what we say.

  So now Dewey could no longer even pretend that he was in charge. These thugs had taken over. Dewey looked at Jerzy and nodded, forcing himself to think only of the money and of driving away from Hollywood forever. He imagined how he'd be laughing out loud every time he thought of this fat pig being left in Frogtown with nothing but his frustrated partner, his boiling rage, and Eunice Gleason.

  There wasn't a soul at Hollywood Station that day who did not know about the assault on Officer R. T. Dibney the night before. When he came to work, everyone greeted him with a grin, a chuckle, or a wiseass remark. He even saw two Mexican janitors jabbering in Spanish, and one of them waved his arms in a swimming motion while the other cackled hysterically. The Mexican stopped swimming when he saw R. T. Dibney glaring at him.

  R. T. Dibney was expecting more of the same after he changed into his uniform, but walking to the roll call room, he got stopped momentarily by the surfer cops, and they didn't make any wisecracks or swimming jokes.

  Dude, we're into cruising those westside reporting districts until we catch that prowler, Flotsam said gravely.

  Thanks, R. T. Dibney said with some suspicion.

  We're gonna get him before this deployment period ends, bro, Jetsam said.

  Now R. T. Dibney was even more suspicious. It was one minute from the start of roll call. Why were they out in the hallway, offering this moral support?

  Both surfer cops patted him on the shoulder in yet another show of solidarity and slowly made their way into the roll call room, where everyone was already seated in attentive poses, faces to the front. Both Sergeant Lee Murillo and Sergeant Miriam Hermann looked as serious as the troops. He couldn't figure that out either.

  The surfer cops sat quickly and nobody paid the least attention to R. T. Dibney, who was the last man in, and he made his way to his usual seat.

  But as he prepared to sit, Sergeant Murillo said, Today, roll call training is aboutf_U swimming pool safety.

  And there on R. T. Dibney's chair was a child-size, plastic life preserver with a little toy whistle attached to it, and a tag that said, Next time, just whistle.

  After the dozen cops and two supervisors got their laughter under control, R. T. Dibney, with mustache twitching, said to all, I'm gonna find that guy. And when I do, I just might not be taking prisoners.

  You're a knockout! Dewey Gleason said to Eunice when she emerged from her bedroom in a knee-length, wraparound, black-and-white flower-print dress from Macy's. Her strawberry-blonde hair was dyed and highlighted, making her more of a taffy blonde this time, and cut in a chin-length bob. Her nails were coated in clear polish, with the tips whitened for the more natural look, and she wore black, strappy heels that he figured must have set her back a few Franklins.

  I love your new shoes, Dewey said.

  Eunice said, Yeah, well, if I bought shoes to fit the occasion, Musso's would deserve old leather bedroom slippers.

  Anyway, you look terrific, Dewey said with less enthusiasm.

  Eunice hadn't had a compliment from Dewey in so long, she didn't know how to respond. She removed the cigarette protruding from the left side of her freshly glossed lips and said, A girl has to get gussied up once in a while to feel like a girl.

  Waxing theatrical, Dewey said with a flourish, Her flesh is luminous in velvet shadows. A figure from Rembrandt, who will turn all heads in Musso and Frank!

  Eunice looked at him and said, Don't overact and go all burbly. When your chirp level gets elevated, you make me think you have ulterior motives, Dewey.

  That wiped the smile off his face and gave him a jolt of alarm. The goddamn woman had a sixth sense! He'd have to watch every word he said tonight if he was to get her to that storage room in Reseda. The booze would help if he could entice her to swill it while she was busy flirting with the kid. Suddenly, the whole elaborate plan seemed half-baked, and he felt the confidence leaking out of him. But then he only had to think of that meth demon and his sly little partner and remember that they owned him now. That was enough to give him the resolve to get through this gag and hope that he really was the actor he'd always believed he was.

  Malcolm Rojas was showered and shaved and wearing a lemon-yellow, long-sleeve shirt that his mother had ironed. He arrived early and was standing nervously in the parking lot behind Musso & Frank when Dewey drove the Honda in. Malcolm wondered why someone as successful as Bernie Graham didn't have a better car, but he figured it must be part of doing what the man always referred to as a gag, and not wanting to draw attention in any way. Malcolm couldn't understand the relationship that Bernie Graham had with his secretary, Ethel, and wondered if it was romantic. All Malcolm knew for sure was that he didn't like the way Ethel looked at him and smiled at him, as though she wanted to put her hands in his hair the way his mother had done until he'd put a stop to it. And then, when they got out of the Honda, there was something about Ethel, all dressed up with her hair really blonde now, something that made him think of his mother.

  What's wrong, kid? Dewey said as he and Eunice approached Malcolm.

  When they shook hands, Malcolm's palm was wet and clammy. Oh, nothing, Malcolm said, and the image vanished.

  Eunice smiled coquettishly and said, Are you hungry, Clark?

  Not real hungry, Malcolm said, but I'm sure it'll happen when I smell the food in there.

  Five minutes after they cleared from roll call, Dana Vaughn had a surprise for Hollywood Nate.

  What was it that the Oracle always told you about police work? she said.

  He said that doing good police work was the most fun we'd ever have in our entire lives. He was nearly sixty-nine years old when he died, so I think he knew a few things about the Job.

  How would you like to do some pretty good police work tonight?

  Like what?

  Popping the guy who pushed R. T. Dibney into the swimming pool.

  What're you talking about?

  The kid, Naomi Teller? She called me. I think she wants to give up the person who tossed the rock. I'm betting it's some little jerkoff from school that she doesn't want her mom to know about.

  You haven't told anyone about the phone call?

  No, I thought it'd be cool to bust the kid ourselves and let you come up with something funny when R. T. Dibney finds out about it.

  Yeah! Hollywood Nate said eagerly. Maybe I'll text him and offer to trade the kid for the keys to his new Acura. Something like that.

  I thought you'd enjoy it, honey, Dana said.

  Naomi Teller was standing on the west side of Ogden Drive just south of Sunset Boulevard at 6:10 P. M., as promised. She looked especially young in low-rise jeans, a cutoff Pink jersey, and tennis shoes, especially since she was still a year or more from acquiring the womanly curves that the style required.

  Dana pulled to the curb and said to Nate, You better take a short walk and let us girls talk it over.

  Roger that, he said, getting out of the car and holding the passenger door open for the girl to get in.

  When Naomi was in the passenger seat next to Dana, she said, I was wondering if pushing the officer into the swimming pool is real serious?

  It's an assault on a police officer, Dana said. People don't do it every day, that's for sure. Are you worried about what'll happen to the rock thrower?

  No, I'm kinda scared about what might happ
en to me if I snitch. 'Cause I'm pretty scared of him. I think he's not quite right up here. She tapped her temple with a fingernail decorated by a little Walk of Fame star.

  Tell me about him, Dana said.

  I met him when I was walking home last week, and I gave him my number. And I went and had a burger with him yesterday when he called me after he got off work. That's all I did with the guy, but he's, like, nineteen years old. My mom'd have a fit if she knew I got in a car with a guy his age that I didn't even know.

  Did he say where he worked?

  No.

  What kind of car?

  A red Mustang. A real old one.

  What's his name, Naomi?

  Clark. He says it's Clark Jones, but I don't believe he's a Jones. He looks like a Gomez maybe. He's real cute with great teeth and big dimples.

  Dana smiled at that and said, Why'd he throw the rock through the window?

  Because after he bought me the burger, he thought I was his girlfriend or something. There was stuff kinda weird about him, and I got scared and wished I'd never got in his car. When he called me later, I told him he was too old for me. I did it, like, real nice and all, but he got way mad. He called me a bitch, and I hung up on him.

  Do you know where he lives?

  No, he never said.

  When he called you at home, was it on your home phone?

  No, Naomi said, on my cell.

  Bingo! Dana said. You've got his cell number in your phone, then?

  Oh, yeah, Naomi said. In fact, I put it in the list the first time he called. She pulled her phone from the pocket of her jeans, scrolled to Clark, and said, Here. You can write it down.

  Dana pulled out her notebook and did just that, and then she said, Now I'd like the best description of him that you can give me. You think he might be Hispanic, and he's nineteen years old, right? How tall is he?

  Not tall, Naomi said. I'm five foot six, and he's only a couple inches taller.

  How much does he weigh? Take a guess.

  He's thin. So how much would that be?

  About a hundred and forty or so. Any tattoos?

  Not that I could see.

  How about the color of his hair and eyes?

  Real pretty brown eyes with long lashes, Naomi said. And real dark curly hair, almost black.

  Dana made notes and then said, Long hair, short hair?

  Just a regular guy's haircut, Naomi said, except it was thick and curly. It curled over his ears. Most girls would die for hair like that.

  And then Dana Vaughn's demeanor changed, and Naomi thought her questions seemed a bit more urgent.

  Dana looked at her notes and back at Naomi and said, When was the first time you saw Clark?

  Last week, Naomi said. I forget what day. Maybe Friday?

  What was he wearing then?

  He wore a T-shirt and jeans and tennis shoes, Naomi said.

  What color was the T-shirt?

  Blue. Light blue.

  And now Naomi saw even more of a change in the officer when she leaned forward and said, When you were having your burger yesterday, where were you?

  At Mel's Drive-In on the Strip, Naomi said. It was pretty expensive, I think.

  Did you notice anything different about him yesterday? Anything about his face or other parts of his body?

  Like what?

  Any fresh scratches or bruises anywhere?

  Just skinned-up knuckles on both hands. And a little bruise under his eye. He said he beat up a couple of guys at his job that were bullies. I didn't really believe that either.

  And now there was no question in Naomi's mind: This police officer was super-interested in Clark Jones. In fact, the officer looked as though she wanted to call out something to her partner, who was waiting twenty yards away on the sidewalk.

  Anything else? Dana asked.

  Naomi said, I think Clark is kind of a bragger who makes up things. Like about his Persian mother and his French father. I didn't believe that either. We talked about guys like him in class. They have a mental problem, maybe because of drugs or something. It makes them behavef_U grandy-something.

  Grandiose?

  Yeah, that's it, Naomi said. He talks, like, way grandiose.

  If Clark phones you again, I want you to call me immediately, Dana said. I'm not sure yet, but he may be involved in some very serious crimes against women.

  Now I'm really scared, Naomi said.

  Don't be afraid, Dana said. I'm taking your information straight to my station and phoning detectives with it. I think Clark will be behind bars very soon. Would you like us to drop you at your house now?

  I think you better, Naomi said. I don't wanna walk alone. But I'd like to tell my mom about it myself. She might phone you later.

  That's fine, Dana said. I'll be available.

  After they dropped off Naomi at her house on Ogden Drive, Dana said to Hollywood Nate, who as yet knew nothing about Naomi's information, Well, if the Oracle was right about doing good police work, we're about to have ourselves lots of fun, honey.

  When Malcolm finished his steak, he said it was the tastiest he'd ever had. Eunice smiled tenderly and said, Would you like another soda?

  I don't think so. Thanks, anyways.

  Did you save room for dessert? she asked.

  Sure, Malcolm said with his high-wattage smile.

  That smile of yours could light up the Vegas Strip, Eunice said, making Malcolm drop his eyes in discomfort.

  Dewey, who hadn't eaten more than a few bites of his swordfish, signaled to a waiter for a recitation of the desserts. The waiter nodded but continued with other customers. It didn't faze Dewey, who especially liked the waiters at Musso & Frank, most of whom were aging brusque Mexicans dressed formally in black tie. They knew their stuff and didn't waste time or words stroking customers, unless the customers were Hollywood relics, those faded stars and almost-stars who still came to the old places for the fantasy of retaining continuity with a Hollywood that was no more.

  Do you like this place, Clark? Eunice asked, tapping on the table with one of her newly lacquered nails, and Dewey knew she was dying to run outside for a smoke.

  Yeah, it's really nice, Malcolm said.

  Eunice looked around, trying to see the place as the boy saw it. Musso & Frank was one of the old restaurants that didn't so much resist changes in style and decor. They simply ignored them.

  Have you ever been to a nice restaurant before? she asked.

  No, not really, he said. But like I was telling you, my dad was a French chef. He told me about the restaurants he worked at in New York and Paris, France, and London, England. He's dead now.

  A French chef? Eunice said. How about that. Is your mom still alive?

  No, she passed away too. She was a Persian who was a distant relative of the royal family over there. I was raised by my dad's cousin, who was married to a man in East L. A. I didn't belong there, but there was nothing I could do about it. Now I live alone in Hollywood in an apartment. It's pretty expensive. That's why I'm so anxious to go to work for you and make some real money.

  Dewey glanced at Eunice and knew that she didn't believe this kid's bullshit any more than he did, but by the way she smiled at the boyf_"and it wasn't maternallyf_"he knew she didn't give a damn what he said. Eunice was utterly taken. Thank God for midlife crises, Dewey Gleason thought, and he looked at his watch.

  Jerzy Szarpowicz, sweating in the oppressive darkness of the metal-and-concrete storage room, turned on his flashlight and also looked at his watch.

  It don't make the time pass no faster by lookin' at your watch every two minutes, Tristan said. They were sitting on top of cardboard crates containing large plasma TV sets that they fully intended to take away and sell when this was over.

  I'm burnin' up in here! Jerzy said. I wish I had a quarter of Go Fast. I even wish I had a dime bag of smoke.

  Get on the floor, Tristan said. Heat rises.

  It's jist as hot down there, Jerzy grumbled. This gag ain'
t gonna work. That motherfucker's gamin' us like he games everybody else.

  It might work, it might not work, Tristan said. If they don't show up, we'll load all his merchandise in the van and take it outta here and sell it. Then we'll have more negotiations to conduct with Mr. Bernie Graham.

  If he ain't already outta Dodge, Jerzy said.

  He ain't, Tristan said. He's locked into this gag. You can see it all in the man's eyes.

  See what?

  Greed, Tristan said. Like I see in your eyes.

  And how 'bout you? You ain't greedy?

  Oh, yeah, dawg, Tristan said. But somehow I don't think I'm desperate greedy like you and Bernie. I got my limits.

  You think too much, Jerzy said.

  Tristan looked at his partner and said, Wood, it jist occurred to me that I ain't never seen you in anything but a black T-shirt, jeans, and boots. Don't you have no other threads?

  I got duplicates of these, Jerzy said testily.

  Your bitch must find you very easy to buy for, Tristan observed.

  All pout, Jerzy looked at his wristwatch again.

  Six-X-Seventy-six was back in the officers' report room at Hollywood Station. Dana had called to leave information for the sex crimes detectives, a job that had recently been taken away from Hollywood Detectives and given to West Bureau. She made a request that when the detectives got the warrant the next day, she be kept in the loop as to their arrest plans.

  And while she was doing that, Hollywood Nate was apprising the acting watch commander, Sergeant Murillo, on what they'd learned from Naomi Teller. His supervisor was not just interested but very impressed.

  When Nate was finished, Sergeant Murillo said, Damn, I think you've nailed it. Clark Jones, or whatever he's called, has gotta be the rapist too.

  Dana nailed it, Hollywood Nate said. A lotta coppers woulda just taken the original report for the busted window and turned it in and been done with it. Not her. She's gonna be one hell of a sergeant.

  No doubt about that, Sergeant Murillo said. And though we're one day early for our full moon over Hollywood, this piece of police work deserves a large pizza with the works for you two.

  Which you'll help us eat, Nate said.

  Of course, said Sergeant Murillo. And I think I'll call Miriam in to join us at the feast.