Wayne twirled the gun. "Brother Liston knocked out Floyd Patterson and Cleveland 'Big Cat' Williams."
Sonny threw a right. Sonny hit the wall. Sonny tore plaster. Sirhan moaned. Sirhan exhorted Allah. Sirhan dumped his pockets fast.
Booty: ChapStick/pen/car keys. C-notes/fives/dimes.
Wayne grabbed the money. Sonny said, "What you got against the kikes?"
o o o
Wayne hit the Cavern. Wayne unlocked his room. Wayne saw a letter on the dresser.
He opened the envelope. He smelled Barb straight off.
Wayne,
I'm sorry for that night I hope it didn't cause any trouble between you Pete. I told him you were justified, but he didn't get it. I should have told him that I tried to stab you, which might have told him how far down I'd sunk how much sense you made.
I'm a coward for not writing directly to Pete, but I'm going to invite him to Sparta for Christmas, to see if we can work things out. I hate his business I hate his war I'd be an even bigger coward if I didn't say so.
I miss Pete, I miss the cat I miss you. I'm working at my sister's Bob's Big Boy avoiding the bad habits I picked up in Vegas. I'm starting to wonder what a 35-year-old ex-shakedown girllounge bunny does with the rest of her life.
Barb
Wayne reread the letter. Wayne caught subscents. There's the Ponds and lavender soap. He kissed the letter. He locked up his room. He walked to the lounge.
There's Pete.
He's drinking. He's smoking. The cat's on his lap. He's watching the Bondsmen-Barb's combo sans Barb.
Wayne shagged a waiter. Wayne passed him the letter. Wayne tipped him five bucks. Wayne pointed to Pete. The guy understood.
The guy walked over. The guy dropped the letter. Pete tore at the envelope.
He read the letter. He wiped his eyes. The cat clawed his shirt.
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/6/66. Las Vegas _Sun_ headline and subhead:
HOWARD HUGHES IN VEGAS!
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/7/66. Las Vegas _Sun_ headline and subhead:
NO CLUES IN DISAPPEARANCE OF DANCER-CAB DRIVER
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/8/66. Las Vegas _Sun_ headiine and subhead:
HUGHES SPOKESMAN SAYS:
BILLIONAIRE HERMIT TO "NURTURE"-NOT "MONOPOLIZE" HOTEL SCENE
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/10/66. Las Vegas _Sun_ headiine and subhead:
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/11/66. Chicago _Tribune_ headline and subhead:
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/14/66. Chicago _Sun-Times_ headline and subhead:
"KLAN TERROR-NOT MAIL-FRAUD-SHOULD BE PRIORITY"
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/15/66. Los Angeles _Times_ subhead:
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12 / 18/66. Denver _Post-Dispatch_ subhead:
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/20/66. Boston _Globe_ headline:
NIXON NON-COMMITTAL ON '68 WHITE HOUSE PLANS
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/21/66. Washington _Post_ headline and subhead:
SCATHING INDICTMENT:
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/22/66. San Francisco _Chronicle_ headline and subhead:
HOOVER ATTACKS KING IN CONGRESSIONAL RECORD
CALLS CIVIL-RIGHTS LEADER "DANGEROUS TYRANT"
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/23/66. Las Vegas _Sun_ headline and subhead:
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/26/66. Washington _Post_ headline and subhead:
DOMESTIC STUDY GROUP VOICES OPINION:
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 1/2/67. Los Angeles _Examiner_ subhead:
_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 1/3/67. Dallas _Morning News_ headline:
(Beverly Hills, 1/3/6 7)
Signs:
Mau-Mau shit. Peace doves. Nigger hands clasped.
Said signs blitzed walls. Said walls ran high. The ballroom soared up. Said ballroom welcomed oreos-race-mixer deelites.
There's celebs and pols. There's spook matrons. There's Marty the K. There's Burl Ives. There's Banana Boat Belafonte.
Pete watched. Pete smoked. His tux fit tight. Otash watched. Otash smoked. His tux fit right.
Ballroom accoutrements-dais and lectern. Ballroom seats and ballroom fare. Steam trays leaking steam-chicken a Ia coon deelite.
Cops mingled. Their cheap suits stood out. Waiters roamed. Waiters schlepped trays. Waiters flogged deelites.
Pete worked the Fuck-lt Diet. Pete noshed meatballs. Pete noshed pвtй. Pete noshed pygmy deelites.
There's Mayor Sam Yorty. There's Governor Pat Brown. There's Bayard Rustin-he's tall and thin-dig that tartan tux. There's Sal Mineo-he's hovering-dig that swish lollapalooza.
There's Rita Hayworth. Who let _her_ in? She vibes dipsomaniac.
Otash said, "Has it occurred to you that we stand out here?"
Pete lit a cigarette. "Once or twice."
"Rita looks soused. I had a two-second thing with her, about ten years ago. Redheads tend to age bad, Barb excepted."
Pete watched Rita. Rita saw Otash. Rita went ugh and stepped back.
He flew to Sparta. He spent Christmas. He shacked up with his wife. They made love. They fought. Barb ragged his "war enterprise."
Barb quit sniffing "H." Barb quit popping pills. Barb glowed non-Rita-like. Barb goosed his pulse. Barb wrung him out. Barb told him straight: I hate dope. I hate lounge work. I hate Vegas. I won't back down. I won't go back.
He regrouped. He compromised. He punted. He said I'll work in Milwaukee. I'll push white horse there. We'll live in Sparta full-time.
Barb howled. Barb said never.
They talked. They fought. They made love. He regrouped. He repunted. He recompromised. He said I'll split Vietnam. I'll dump Tiger Kamp on John Stanton. John to run it/Wayne to rotate/Mesplиde to assist.
Barb tweaked him. Barb said you _love_ Wayne. Barb said he hit me. Okay-he _knows_ you-you win.
They talked truce. They notched points. They nailed details. He said I'll stay in Vegas. I'll run Tiger Kab and the Cavern. I won't touch the dope. I'll just surveille shipments in.
I have to-the heat's up-Drac brought publicity. I'll work in Vegas and rotate to you in Sparta.
Barb bought the plan. Said plan stressed Vietnam. Said plan stressed his exclusion.
They made love. They sealed the pact. They fucking snowmobiled. Fucking Sparta, Wisconsin-Lutherans and trees.
Pete scoped the ballroom. Pete watched the floor. Sal M. looked over. Sal M. looked away.
Dom's bun boy filed missing-persons. LVPD worked the case. It got some ink. Cops checked out the Cavern. Pete bribed them. They dumped the case resultant.