L.A. Confidential Part 25

Forty-five on the b.u.t.ton. Gallaudet met him in the lobby--no handshake, straight to it. "Want to hear what we've got?"

"Go."

They talked walking. "They're waiting for us, a steno included, and what we've got are Pete and Bar Englekling, age thirty-six, age thirty-two, San Bernardino--based . . . quasi-hoods, I guess you'd call them. They both did Youth Authority time for pushing maryjane back in the early '40s, and except for the bennie pushing warrants, they've stayed clean. They own a legit printshop up in San Berdoo, they're what you'd call genius fix-it guys, and their late father was a real piece of work. Get this: he was a college chemistry teacher and some kind of pioneering pharmaceuticalist who developed early antipsychotic drugs. Impressive, right? Now get this: Pops, who kicked off in the summer of '50, developed dope compounds for the old mobs-- and Mickey C. was his protector back in his bodyguard days."

"This won't be dull. But do _you_ make Cohen for the Nite Owl? He's in prison, for one thing."

"Exley, I make those colored guys in custody. Gangsters _never_ kill innocent citizens. But frankly, Loew likes the idea of a mob angle. Come on, they're waiting."

Into suite 309, the meeting in a small living room. One long table--Loew and Millard across from three men: a middle-aged lawyer, near twins in overalls--thinning hair, beady eyes, bad teeth. A steno by the bedroom door, perched with her machine set to go.

Gallaudet carried chairs over. Ed nodded around, sat by Millard. The lawyer checked papers; the brothers lit cigarettes. Loew said, "For the official record, it is 8:53 A.M., April 24, 1953. Present are myself, Ellis Loew, district attorney for the City of Los Angeles, Sergeant Bob Gallaudet of the D.A.'s Bureau, Captain Russ Millard and Sergeant Ed Exley of the Los Angeles Police Department. Jacob Kellerman represents Peter and Baxter Englekling, potential prosecution witnesses in the matter of the multiple homicides perpetrated at the Nite Owl Coffee Shop on April 14 of this year. Mr. Kellerman will read a prepared statement given to him by his clients, they will initial the stenographer's transcript. As a courtesy for this voluntary statement, the District Attorney's Office is dismissing felony warrant number 16114, dated June 8, 1951, against Peter and Barter Englekling. Should this statement result in the arrests of the perpetrators of the aforementioned multiple homicides, Peter and Baxter Englekling will be granted immunity from prosecution in all matters pertaining to the said, including accessory, conspiracy and all collateral felonies and misdemeanors. Mr. Kellerman, do your clients understand the aforesaid?"

"Yes, Mr. Loew, they do."

"Do they understand that they may be asked to submit to questioning after their statement has been read?"

"They do."

"Read the statement, Counselor."

Kellerman put on bifocals. "I've eliminated Peter and Baxter's more colorful colloquialisms and cleaned up their language and syntax, please bear that in mind."

Loew tugged at his vest. "We're capable of discerning that. Please continue."

Kellerman read: "We, Peter and Baxter Englekling, do swear that this statement is entirely true. In late March of this year, approximately three weeks before the Nite Owl killings, we were approached at our legitimate business, the Speedy King Printshop in San Bernardino. The man who approached us was one Delbert 'Duke' Cathcart, who said that he had gotten our names from 'Mr. XY,' an acquaintance from our youth camp sentence days. Mr. XY had informed Cathcart that we ran a printshop which featured a high-speed offset press of our own design, which was true. Mr. XY had also told Cathcart that we were always interested in quote turning a quick buck unquote, which was also true."

Chuckles. Ed wrote, "Vict. Susan Lefferts from S. Berdoo-- connection?" Loew said, "Continue, Mr. Kellerman. We're all capable of laughing and thinking at the same time."

Kellerman: "Cathcart showed us photographs of people engaged in explicit s.e.xual activities, some of them h.o.m.os.e.xual in nature. Some of the photographs were quote arty-farty unquote. I.E.: people in colorful costumes and animated red ink embossed on some of the snapshots. Cathcart said that he heard we could manufacture high-quality magazine-type books very fast, and we said this was true. Cathcart also stated that a number of magazine-type books had already been manufactured, using the obscene photographs, and quoted us the cost involved. We knew we could make the books at one eighth of that cost."

Ed pa.s.sed Millard a note: "Isn't Ad Vice working a p.o.r.nography job?" The brothers smirked; Loew and Gallaudet whispered. Millard pa.s.sed a note back: "Yes--no leads from a 4 man team. A cold trail tracking the ('strange costumed' per the statement) books--we're dropping it. Also, no field reports submitted so far link Cathcart to p.o.r.nography."

Kellerman sipped water. "Cathcart then told us that he heard our late father, Franz 'Doc' Englekling, was friends with Meyer Harris 'Mickey' Cohen, Los Angeles mobster currently incarcerated at McNeil Island Penitentiary. We said this was true. Cathcart then made his basic proposal. He said that distribution of the p.o.r.nographic books would have to be quote very close unquote, because the quote strange cats unquote who took the photographs and did the pasteup work seemed like they had lots to hide. He did not elaborate on this further. He said that he had access to a network of quote rich perverts unquote who would pay large sums for the books and proposed that we could also manufacture quote regular f.u.c.k-suck s.h.i.t unquote, that could be distributed in large quant.i.ties. Cathcart claimed to have access to quote pervert mailing list unquote, quote junkies and wh.o.r.es unquote to serve as models, and access to quote cla.s.sy call girls unquote, who might pose for a lark if their quote crazy sugar daddy-o unquote agreed. Again, Cathcart did not elaborate on any of his claims, nor did he mention specific names or locations."

Kellerman flipped pages. "Cathcart told us that he would be the procurer, talent scout and middleman. We would be the manufacturers of the books. We were also to visit Mickey Cohen at McNeil Island and get him to release funds to get the business started. We were also to solicit his advice on starting a distribution system. In exchange for the above Cohen would be given a quote bonaroo unquote percentage cut."

Ed pa.s.sed a note: "No follow-up names--it's too convenient." Millard whispered, "And the Nite Owl is not Mickey's style." Bar Englekling chuckled; Pete poked his ears with a pencil. Kellerman read: "We visited Mickey Cohen in his cell at McNeil, approximately two weeks before the Nite Owl killings. We proposed the idea to him. He refused to help and became very angry when we told him the idea was conceived by Duke Cathcart, whom he referred to as quote a notorious statch rape-o s.h.i.tbird unquote. In conclusion, we believe that gunmen employed by Mickey Cohen perpetrated the Nite Owl Ma.s.sacre, a kill-six-to-get-one ruse undertaken out of his hatred for Duke Cathcart. Another possibility is that Cohen talked up Cathcart's proposed scheme on the prison yard and word got out to Cohen rival Jack 'The Enforcer' Whalen, who, always looking for new rackets to crash, a.s.sa.s.sinated Cathcart and five innocent bystanders as subterfuge. We believe that if the killings were the result of p.o.r.nography intrigue, we too might become victims. We swear that this deposition is true and not rendered under physical or mental duress."

The brothers clapped. Kellerman said, "My clients welcome questions."

Loew pointed to the bedroom. "After I talk to my colleagues."

They walked in; Loew closed the door. "Conclusions. Bob, you first."

Gallaudet lit a cigarette. "Mickey Cohen, despite his many faults, does not murder people out of pique, and Jack Whalen's only interested in gambling rackets. I believe their story, but everything we've dug up on Cathcart makes him look like a pathetic chump who couldn't get something this big going. I say it's tangent stuff at best. I still make the boogies for the job."

"I agree. Captain, your opinion."

Millard said, "I like one possible scenario--with major reservations. _Maybe_ Cohen talked up the job on the yard at McNeil, word got to the outside and somebody took it from there. _But_--if this deal is s.m.u.t-connected, then the Englekling boys would either have been killed or approached by now. I've been running a stag book investigation out of Ad Vice for two weeks and my squad has heard nothing on this and hit one brick wall after another. I think Ed and Bob should talk to Whalen, then fly up to McNeil and talk to Mickey. I'll question those lowlifes in the next room, and I'll talk to my Ad Vice men. I've read every field report filed by every man on the Nite Owl, and there is not one mention of p.o.r.nography. I think Bob's right. It's a tangent we're dealing with."

"Agreed. Bob, you and Exley talk to Cohen and Whalen. Captain, did you have capable men on your job?"

Millard smiled. "Three capable men and Trashcan Jack Vincennes. No offense, Ellis. I know he's involved with your wife's sister."

Loew flushed. "Exley, do you have anything to add?"

"Bob and the captain covered my points, but there's two things I want to mention. One, Susan Lefferts was from San Berdoo. Two, if it's not the Negroes in custody or another colored gang, then the car by the Nite Owl was a plant and we are dealing with one huge conspiracy."

"I think we have our killers. And on that note, are you making progress with Miss Soto?"

"I'm working at it."

"Work harder. Good efforts are for schoolboys, results are what counts. Go to it, gentlemen."

Ed drove to his apartment--a change of clothes for the run to McNeil. He found a note on the door.

Exley-- I still think you're everything I said you were, but I called the house and talked to my sister and she said you came by and were obviously concerned about my welfare, so I'm thawing a little bit. You've been nice to me (when you weren't covering angles or beating up people) and maybe I'm an opportunist myself and I'm just using you for shelter until I get better and can accept Mr. Dieterling's offer, so since I live in a gla.s.s house I shouldn't throw stones at you. That's as close to an apology as I'm going to give you and I will continue to refuse to cooperate. Get the picture? Is Mr. Dieterling for real about a job at Dream-a-Dreamland? I'm going shopping today with the rest of the money you gave me. Keeping busy makes me think about it less. I'll come by tonight. Leave a light burning.

Inez

Ed changed and taped his spare key to the door. He left a light burning.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Jack in his car, waiting to tail Bud White. Mangled hands, fruit-caked clothes--a shift breaking down garage doors, high-spirited darkies j.a.pping the search teams--rooftop hit-and-runs. No luck on Coates' Merc; Millard's bomb still exploding, lucky he heard by phone--he would have s.h.i.t his pants otherwise.

"Vincennes, two witnesses have contacted Ellis Loew. They said Duke Cathcart was involved in some kind of unrealized scheme to push that s.m.u.t we've been chasing. My guess is that it doesn't connect to the Nite Owl, but have you come up with anything?"

He said, "No." He asked if the other guys on the squad hit pay dirt. Millard said, "No."

He didn't tell him his reports were all bulls.h.i.t. He didn't tell him he didn't care if the s.m.u.t gig and the Nite Owl were doubled up from here to Mars. He didn't tell him he wouldn't rest easy until he had Sid Hudgens' file in his hand and the n.i.g.g.e.rs sucked gas--guilty or not.

Eyes on the bullpen back door: blues hauling in s.e.x geeks. Bud White inside--rubber hose work. He blew his tail last night--Dudley was p.i.s.sed. Tonight he'd stick close, then hit Hudgens: get the Malibu Rendezvous wiped.

White walked out. Good light: Jack saw blood on his shirt. He hit the ignition, waited.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

No colored lights--white light behind closed curtains. Bud pushed the buzzer.

The door opened--backlight on Lynn Bracken. "Yes? Are you the policeman Pierce told me about?"

"That's right. Did Patchett tell you what it was about?"

She held the door open. "He said you weren't quite sure yourself, and he said I should be candid and cooperate with you."

"You do everything he tells you?"

"Yes, I do."

Bud walked in. Lynn said, "The paintings are real and I'm a prost.i.tute. I've never heard of Kathy what's-her-name, and Dwight Gilette would never s.e.xually abuse a female. If he were going to kill one, he would have used a knife. I have heard of that man Duke Cathcart, essentially that he was a loser with a soft spot for his girls. And that's all the news that's fit to print."

"You finished?"

"No. I have no information on Dwight's other girls, and all I know about that Nite Owl thing is what I read in the papers. Satisfied?"

Bud almost laughed. "You and Patchett had _some_ talk. Did he call you last night?"

"No, this morning. Why?"

"Never mind."

"It's Officer White, isn't it?"

"It's Bud."

Lynn laughed. "_Bud_, do you believe what Pierce and I have told you?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"And you know why we're humoring you."

"You use words like that, you might make me mad."

"Yes. But you know."

"Yeah, I know. Patchett's running wh.o.r.es, maybe other stuff on the side. You don't want me to report you on it."

"That's right. Our motives are selfish, so we're cooperating."

"You want some advice, Miss Bracken?"

"It's Lynn."

"Miss Bracken, here's my advice. Keep cooperating and don't f.u.c.king ever try to bribe me or threaten me or I'll have you and Patchett in s.h.i.t up to your ears."

Lynn smiled. Bud caught it--Veronica Lake in some turkey he saw, Alan Ladd comes home from the war to find his b.i.t.c.h wife snuffed. "Do you want a drink, _Bud?_"

"Yeah, plain scotch."

Lynn walked to the kitchen, came back with two short ones. "Are they making progress on the girl's killing?"

Bud knocked his back. "There's three men on it. It's a s.e.x job, so they'll round up all the usual perverts. They'll give it a decent shot for a couple of weeks, then let it go."

"But you won't let it go."

"Maybe, maybe not."

"Why are you so concerned?"

"Old stuff"

"Old personal stuff?"

"Yeah."

Lynn sipped her drink. "Just asking. And what about the Nite Owl thing?"

"That's coming down to these mg--colored guys we arrested. It's a big f.u.c.king mess."

"You say 'f.u.c.k' a lot."

"You f.u.c.k for money."

"There's blood on your shirt. Is that an integral part of your job?"

"Yeah."