'I ain't got all day,' he said.
'Nicky Fellscroft in L.A. has a great deal of ill-gotten cash that he needs to launder,' I said. 'So he takes the cash and invests it in AABeau Film Partners, which is run by Alex and Augie Beauregard, and retains Carson Ratoff as counsel, and Elliott Silver as a security consultant. AABeau invests the money in your pictures. They always make money. They are an ongoing franchise, and you can be reasonably expected to continue the franchise for a number of years.'
Jumbo looked sort of pleased that I recognized his value.
'I do okay,' he said.
'All of which makes you valuable, as long as the franchise keeps its nose clean. So somebody, probably Nicky Fellscroft, decides to give you a keeper, and his daughter becomes your agent.'
'She's a good agent,' Jumbo said.
He ate the last piece of candy and dropped the box on the floor.
'Sure she is,' I said. 'She's got style, she seems smart, she's got her daddy's clout behind her, and Nicky trusts her.'
'You my agent,' Jumbo said, 'that's all the clout you need.'
'How's my theory of the case sound to you so far?' I said.
'It sounds like bullshit,' Jumbo said.
'I have a lot of facts, and I've only been at this a month or so. This case keeps cooking, and the cops will be all over AABeau and all their investors. How long you think it'll be before Alex and Augie and Nicky and friends decide to, ah, sever all ties.'
'Whaddya mean?' Jumbo said.
'You think they want the cops questioning you and re-questioning you? You think it won't be a very appealing option to have someone simply make you go away?'
'Away?'
'You know what Alice DeLauria's husband does?' I said.
'No, what?'
'He's an enforcer for his father-in-law,' I said.
'What are you telling me?'
'They'll kill you,' I said.
'Nicky ain't gonna kill me,' Jumbo said. 'You're the one he'll kill. Both of you, and anybody else needs to be killed. He's not gonna kill me. Kill Jumbo Nelson? I make people laugh. I'm funny.'
'You're not funny,' I said. 'You haven't said a funny thing since I met you. You must have a knack of saying funny things other people wrote, but you're not funny. They'll be able to find another fat man.'
'I'm getting out of here,' Jumbo said. 'You try and stop me and I'll . . . I'll sue your ass.'
He stood.
'I'm trying to help you,' I said.
He was moving his vast self toward the door.
'What happened to Dawn Lopata?' I said.
'I'm outta here,' he said.
'What happened to her, Jumbo? You don't tell me, I can't help you.'
'You're as good as dead already,' Jumbo said. 'You can't help jack shit.'
'What happened to her?' I said.
'I don't know,' he said.
Jumbo's voice was shaky, and had gone up an octave.
'I don't fucking know!'
He reached the door. I let him go. When he was gone, I looked at Rita.
'Maybe he doesn't,' I said.
35
SUSAN AND I WERE HAVING martinis in my living room, looking out over Marlborough Street at the blue evening.
'Your session with Jumbo doesn't sound very productive,' Susan said.
'Hard to tell,' I said. 'I didn't learn much I didn't already know. But I might have scared him enough to make something else happen.'
'You still haven't talked with Z about the death.'
'No,' I said. 'Not yet.'
