“Ah-ha,” Liebler said, relieved. “That explains why you didn’t want to postpone this conversation. If you’re worried about me, don’t be. Painter? He doesn’t impress me. Definitely bush.”
“Can we count on-you know who I mean, I always forget his name-”
“Fitz?” That would be Fitzhugh, the racing secretary. “He’s all right. He did say something about grabbing the next plane for Costa Rica”-Liebler laughed-“but I talked him out of it.”
Shayne finished his cognac, and went for more. As he passed the couch, he picked up Liebler’s envelope. The tax man stabbed after it, but Shayne moved it out of reach.
“What’s so important it had to come with you?”
“Hell, Mike. You know-it’s understandable.”
Shayne opened the envelope at the bar. It contained a diagram of the wiring in the auditorium and the control deck, and three minute-to-minute timetables, each starting at 7:30, when the betting machines opened. “Seven- thirty, restaurant. Seven-fifty, john. Seven-fifty-three, PR. Eight-o-six, phone, main level. Eight-ten, bar. Eight- sixteen, TV lounge, moving about. Eight-thirty-six, control room, outgoing phone call, monitor switches. Eight- forty-one, own office. Eight-forty-three, Fitz’s.”
“Do you blame me?” Liebler said. “Every day that goes by, we’re losing money. Max probably thought he was justified to keep it to himself, but damn it, there are times when you need a little mutual trust. I’m not trying to move in and take over. Don’t get that idea. It just occurred to me there was one weakness in the setup. A beautiful thing otherwise, but if anything happened to Max, the cash flow would dry up overnight. And he was drunk most of the time at the end. Drunks get careless.”
Shayne returned the papers to the envelope and tossed it back to Liebler. “What happened to the Tuesday money?”
“He had it in his dispatch case, six thousand, thereabouts. Burned up, more than likely.”
Shayne brought the cognac back. “Now I’m going to ask you to be patient a little longer, Lou. Let the dust settle.”
“I’m in agreement, but… Fitz is worried about the widow. If she sells, that’s it, and what’s to keep her from selling?”
“Selling what, the track?”
“Haven’t you heard that Harry Zell wants to put a hotel here?”
“That deal’s been hanging fire for years.”
“Because Max kept turning it down, and he can’t turn it down when he’s dead. All right, it wouldn’t be finalized until the end of the meeting. Twenty-one racing days left. We ought to be taking advantage. I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking in terms of my old age. Twenty-one days. Put that in utility bonds, and it’d be a nice thing to tack onto the pension.”
“I want to enjoy my old age as much as you do, Lou. I don’t want to be in jail or dead.”
Liebler started. “In jail-well, that’s a chance you take, but where does dead come into it?”
“Lou, you’re naive.”
“Keeping just to me, personally, I’m essential. It can’t be worked without me.”
Shayne laughed. “All over the state they’re reading that story, and everybody’s going to get the same idea. If the Surfside pad is that big, I want to get on it. You can’t really think there’s nobody else in the civil service who would like this assignment. I’m not trying to lean on you. Maybe you really are as trustworthy as you say you are.”
“Geary investigated me thoroughly. Did he ever have any complaints?”
“He considered you a replaceable part. When I said we were going to make reallocations, I didn’t mean you’d be cut. But don’t get any ideas about taking more than your share.”
“I’m satisfied,” Liebler assured him. “But the point I’m making, who can be satisfied with zero? I just want to get functioning again.”
“I’m hesitating,” Shayne said, “and I’ll tell you why. Painter didn’t announce the full list. Tony Castle is on it.”
“Who?”
“Castle. That shows you’re new in Miami. He used to consider this his town, and people who disagreed with him sometimes ended up with their heads and their bodies in different canals. If Castle is in on this, it’s smart to go slow.”
“I don’t see what you mean. What role would he play?”
“That’s what I’m hoping to find out. He has a casino in Nassau, and he gets along so well with the authorities there that he likes to stay put. He wouldn’t be part of a Miami deal unless the money was very good.”
“Nassau?” Liebler said thoughtfully. “I heard that’s where the money came from for the renovations.”
“The theater?”
“The whole thing. They stripped everything out and started with the shell.” He looked more closely at the TV monitor. “That guy up there now, waving his arms. He’s one of the ones wouldn’t loan Max a dime. A mortgage? Don’t be stupid. Surfside’s not making any money, so how would you pay it back?”
“I don’t like surprises,” Shayne said. “I didn’t know Castle was getting these payments, and I don’t know how he’s likely to react now that they’ve stopped. He doesn’t know his name was in the book. He may think it’s safe to come back with a few friends. With guns. You want to get back to normal. So do I. The sooner I get a clear picture, the sooner it’s going to happen. So work on it, Lou. Don’t stick your neck out, but ask around. I want everything you can get on his financing. Will Wolf talk to you?”
“He may be too scared.”
“Try him. One other thing. The beating that put Geary in the hospital. I can’t ignore that. The nurse sounded a little too goddamn believable. Check the dates. Anything you can give me about what was going on at the time, so I can have at least a half-assed alternative.”
Liebler was nodding. “I’ll get on it. I wouldn’t be feeling this pressure if I didn’t have a horrible hunch that the track’s going to be sold out from under us any minute. Mike-the daughter, Linda. She’s the one who’s been pushing the sale. Charlotte, the widow, I get the impression she’ll go with the strongest wind. Here’s what I was thinking. Strictly from the point of view of a return on invested capital, keeping the track open doesn’t make sense. But if you went to Linda and said, ‘Look, there’s more money here than shows on the books, and it’s the best kind, the kind you don’t pay taxes on.’ I couldn’t do it, but maybe you could, you don’t have that much to lose. And if you want to get started right away, you’ll find her in the clubhouse bar, unless I’m mistaken. She wouldn’t take part in the ceremony, but she wouldn’t stay home and miss it. She’s a character. Doesn’t have many dates, if you know what I mean.”
Shayne looked at him, and he said hurriedly, “Don’t get sore. Just trying to contribute. All I’m saying, she might listen to you. I didn’t say you had to go to bed with her. When she starts talking about money, which she’s sure to, tell her there are other kinds of money besides Harry Zell’s. Those big sums in her Daddy’s book-where did they come from? Not out of general admissions, that’s for damn sure.”
On the TV monitor, the speakers were changing. Liebler kept touching his empty glass, then quickly withdrawing his hand, as though it had burned him. He had apparently decided not to allow himself any more whiskey.
Chapter 6
It cost more to get into the clubhouse than the grandstand, but compared to competing forms of entertainment, the price was still low. Drinks were a dime more, and the seats were more comfortable. There was a window selling $100 wheels and boxes.
When the bartender brought Shayne the drink he had ordered, Shayne said, “Linda Geary. Can you point her out to me?”
“Bound to be here somewhere.” He looked around. “Down there in the corner box. Aren’t you Mike Shayne?”
“I’ll have a statement on that after I talk to my lawyer.”
“Smart man. You got the only way to beat the house odds, that’s own a piece of the wheel.”
