“No. It’s better it should dawn on them slowly.”
Ricca nodded his ball-like head.
“Much better.” He pointed a short, fat finger at me. “And who’s this?”
“That’s Johnny. For convenience he’s, known here as Johnny Ricca.”
Ricca continued to smile. He nodded to me.
“That’s very smart. Of course Nick was under the impression this young man was me.”
We didn’t say anything.
“You’re a smart guy to get yourself on board this gravy train,” he went on.
“And I’m smart enough to keep other people off it,” I said. Even then his smile didn’t fade.
Della sat on the edge of the desk. She lit a cigarette.
“Look, Jack. Let’s put our cards on the table,” she said. “Paul’s dead. That leaves you,
Levinsky, Johnny and me. Levinsky has the Paris set-up. You have Los Angeles. We have
Lincoln Beach. There’s no reason why any of us should get in each other’s way. It’s a natural
carve-up. What do you say?”
“I think you’ve worked it out pretty well.” Ricca said. “Are you sure this guy can handle
the job?”
I edged my hand towards the drawer. This could be the curtain-raiser to trouble.
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“I’m sure of that, Jack. He has a flair for the job. He’s like Paul.”
That startled me, because she sounded as if she meant it.
Ricca nodded, his eyes on my hand.
I guess that fixes it, then. I’m not complaining. I like smart people, and I guess you two are
pretty smart.”
Della relaxed a little, but I didn’t.
“Mind if I stick around for a couple of days?” Ricca went on. “I’d like to look the joint
over.”
“Why, sure, Jack, we’d love to have you,” Della said, before I could chip in. “Come on
outside and have a drink. Coming, Johnny?”
“Right now I’m busy,” I said. “Suppose we get together for lunch around half-past one?”
“Right.”
Ricca got to his feet. Before I could shut the drawer he leaned forward and peered in.
“Smart fella,” he said, beaming on me. “I like a guy who knows how to take care of
himself. Be seeing you.”
He held the door open for Della. I sat still watching him. It wasn’t until he had shut the
door that I slammed the drawer to. I found I was sweating a little, and my heart was bearing
faster than normal.
I trusted that guy like I’d trust a tiger. He was too smooth. That stuff about having no
complaint was so much eye-wash. No one, especially his kind, was going to be gypped out of
a joint like this without some come-back.
I sat thinking for some minutes, then I got up and went over to the window. From there I
could see part of the terrace. They were out there. He was still smiling, but he was talking,
too. He was talking fast and waving his fat hands, and Della was listening; her eyes on his
face and her expression tense. I wondered what they were talking about.
Around half-past one I went into the restaurant. Most times I had meals in the office,
otherwise as soon as I was seen I was pestered. It was surprising the number of people who
wanted w buy me a drink or to yap about their winnings or groan about their losses.
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Della and Ricca were already at a table in a corner, away from the rest of the tables. Louis
was taking their orders himself.
