My Dark Places

Laney and Bob got together. They started partying and fucking. Laney rented an apartment in Beverly Hills and turned it into an orgy pad.

Evans told her The Cotton Club was big-budget stuff. He needed 50 million dollars minimum. Laney said she knew a guy named Roy Radin. He had lots of money and wanted to break into movies. Evans told her to set up a meeting. Laney set it up fast.

Radin tumbled. He told Evans he’d sell his house and tap into some filthy-rich investors. Evans promised Laney a $50,000 finder’s fee.

Radin contacted a banker friend down in Puerto Rico. The banker was close to the territorial governor. He got the governor hot for the Cotton Club deal. He hit him up for 50 million dollars in government money. The governor said he’d pop for 35 only. Radin accepted his terms. He flew to New York to discuss the deal with Bob Evans.

They met at Evans’ apartment. Laney showed up. She told Radin she was getting 5% of the Cotton Club profits for putting the deal together. Radin objected to her percentage. Evans sided with Laney. Radin threw a tantrum and stormed out.

Laney flew back to L.A. She got into another ruckus straight off.

Tally Rogers wanted more money. He was driving dope up and down the coast and making relative chump change. Laney refused to up his wages.

Tally’s wife, Betty Lou, showed up. She flew in from Tennessee unannounced. Laney showed her some L.A. hotspots. Tally convinced Laney to take her to Vegas.

Laney and Betty Lou split. Tally raided Laney’s garage. He stole 12 kilos and $250,000 in cash.

The maid called Laney. She said she saw Tally poking around in her garage. Tally called Betty Lou and told her to disappear. Betty Lou caught a cab to the Vegas airport.

Laney flew back to L.A. She called Milan Bellachaises, He told her to get the dope and money back.

Laney knew this guy Bill Mentzer. He’d allegedly do anything for money. Laney called Mentzer and hired him to find Tally Rogers.

Mentzer rounded up Alex Marti and Bob Lowe. They flew to Memphis and kidnapped Tally’s best friend. He showed them Tally’s known haunts. They didn’t spot Tally. They released his friend and flew to Miami. They discussed the Tally problem with Milan Bellachaises. Nobody came up with anything constructive.

Mentzer called Mike Pascal. He gave him the names of Laney’s tight friends and told him to check their toll-call records. They might get a lead on Tally that way.

Pascal called Mentzer back two days later. He knew Mentzer wanted results. He knew Laney hated Roy Radin. He knew Radin parried with Tally Rogers.

Pascal lied to Mentzer. He said Tally called Radin right after he stole the money and dope. Radin was calling the Bahamas a lot. Tally was probably hiding out there.

Mentzer flew back to L.A. Laney was in L.A. Milan Bella-chaises told her to obey Mentzer’s orders. Radin was in L.A. Laney called him. She accused him of stealing her dope and money. She said he was trying to fuck her out of her Cotton Club percentage.

Radin denied the theft. He said he didn’t know where Tally Rogers was. He was telling the truth.

Mentzer told Laney his plan.

She lures Radin into a limousine. Bob Lowe is driving. She tells Lowe to stop for cigarettes. A car is tailing them. Mentzer and Marti jump out and jump in the limo. Laney gets lost. The boys take Radin somewhere and torture the shit out of him. He talks when the pain gets bad.

The Cotton Club story was ridiculous and petty. The killers were clowns. The victim was a greedy piece of shit. The supporting players were parasitic slime.

Stoner kept reaching for Bunny Krauch and Tracy Stewart.

Mentzer and Marti were in L.A. Lowe was in Maryland. Laney was in Okeechobee, Florida, with Larry Greenberger. Stoner and Avila turned up the heat.

Bill Rider called Mentzer and told him he was in L.A. He invited him over to the Holiday Inn. Rider’s room was bugged. Stoner and Avila were stationed next door.

Rider talked up his lawsuit against Larry Flynt. Mentzer talked up the Radin snatch.

Three black & whites pulled up behind the limo. Mentzer thought they were cooked. Marti stuck his gun in Radin’s crotch. Mentzer stuck his gun in Radin’s mouth. The black & whites sped past them—ha, ha, ha!

Mentzer segued to other topics. Stoner and Avila needed more incriminating talk. They had to bug Rider and Mentzer again.

They decided to stage a dope buy. They called in Sheriffs Narco and worked out a plan.

They wired up a room at the Long Beach Holiday Inn. Rider called Mentzer. He said he was making a dope buy and needed a bodyguard. He offered Mentzer $200. Mentzer took the job.

They staged the buy in a parking lot near the hotel. They used real dope. Sheriff’s deputies portrayed coke dealers. Rider brought Mentzer up to his room after the buy. Stoner and Avila were hooked up to headphones next door.

Mentzer ran his mouth nonstop.

He had a load of guns and C-4 explosive stashed in a public storage locker. They shot Roy Radin with soft-point .22s. The stupid cops thought he was shotgunned.

C-4 was pure combustion. Public storage was a public health hazard. Stoner wanted the shit contained. He gave Rider an old safe and told him to call Mentzer. Rider called Mentzer and offered him the safe. Mentzer accepted the gift. Rider and Mentzer hauled the safe to the storage shack and put the guns and C-4 in it. Rider was wearing a body wire.