Those fur-storage notes: Dudley knew I knew/Dudley knew where I lived.
Calls:
Glenda said she was safe in Fresno.
Pete said he had Chick V. stashed, with Fred Turentine guarding him. Safe: _my_
slum building, dummy signers, untraceable. “When he heals up a little, I’m gonna lean on him. He’s got money tucked away someplace, I can tell.”
Implied: rob him, kill him.
Welles Noonan had Kafesjian news:
Per our bargain: all Fed tails were lifted today only. TV misinformation was planted: “Probe surveillance quashed by court injunction.”
“I’m hoping our friends will think that an LAPD fix is in, and resume their outside life. Godspeed in this mission of yours, Brother Klein–and tune in Channel 4 or KMPC at two-forty-five this afternoon. Really, you’ll be in for quite a treat.”
Lying treacherous hump.
Tail men walked in and sat down. Mixed bag: suits and ties, loafer types. Twelve men–eyes on me.
“Gentlemen, I’m Dave Klein. I’m commanding the Herrick homicide job, and per Chief Exley’s order, you are to keep a twenty-four rolling surveillance on J.C., Tommy, Lucille and Madge Kafesjian. We are hoping that one of them will lead us to Richard Herrick, who Chief Exley and I want to question as a material witness in the Herrick 187s.”
Little nods–Exley pre-briefed them.
“Gentlemen, those folders on your desks contain Intelligence Division photos of the four Kafesjians, along with State Records Bureau mugs of Richard Herrick, and a more recent artist’s sketch of him. Know those faces. Memorize them.
You’ll be stringing three-man tails on each family member, both mobile and on foot, and I don’t want you losing them.”
Folders open, pix out–pros.
“You’re all skilled tail men, or Chief Exley wouldn’t have chosen you. You’ve got radio-equipped civilian cars, and Communications Division has got you hooked up on band 7, which is absolutely Fed-listening-proof. You’re hooked up car to car, so you can talk among yourselves or contact me here at the base. You all know how to leapfrog suspects, and there are boom mikes outside the Kafesjian house. There’s a man in a point car listening, and once you assume your perimeter posts, he’ll tell you when to roll. Questions so far?”
No hands up.
“Gentlemen, if you see Richard Herrick, apprehend him alive. He’s a peeper at worst, and both Chief Exley and I believe that a man peeping on him is in fact Side 203
Ellroy – White Jazz
the Herrick family killer. If approached, I doubt that he’ll react violently or resist arrest. He might try to flee, in which case you should pursue him and take him alive by any means necessary. _Should you spot one of the Kafesjians, specifically Tommy or J.C., trying to kill or in any way harm Richard Herrick, kill them_. If Tommy himself spots your tail and attempts to flee, chase him. If he makes any aggressive moves toward you, _kill him_.”
Whistles, smiles.
“Go–you’re dismissed.”
* * *
Bugs in my walls, bugs on my phone. Bugs snooping on Glenda, snooping on Meg.
Fred Turentine–the “Bug King”–guarding Chick.
Bugs in my buildings–three hundred units plus. Tenants overheard: fix the roof, kill the rats. Bugs blasting bop–niggers tearing up my slum pads.
“Sir? Lieutenant Klein?”
I woke up aiming–trigger happy.
A bluesuit–scared. “S-s-sir, the point man broadcast in. He said the two Kafesjian guys are mobile, and he said he heard them talking up Richie Herrick.”
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Tail reports–band 7, continuous squawk:
11:14: Madge and Lucille at home. J.C. and Tommy driving eastbound–separate cars.
11:43: J.C. at the downtown Public Library. Tail men in foot pursuit–
walkie-talkie talkback:
The music room–J.C. rousting winos. “Hey! You know Richie Herrick, he used to read books here! Hey, you seen Richie, you tell me!”
No Richie confirmations.
12:06: J.C. mobile, eastbound.
12:11: Madge and Lucille at home.
Earaches–my headset fit tight.
12:24: J.C. at a skid-row movie house.
“He’s shining a flashlight at all these bums sleeping. He’s getting nowhere, and he’s getting mad.”
12:34: J.C. walking–Q&A at the Jesus Saves Mission.
12:49: Tommy walking–skid row.
12:56: Tommy at a skin-book arcade.
12:58: Tommy talking to a clerk.
Linkage?:
_Transom_ magazine–Richie Herrick, author.
1:01: Tommy muscling the clerk. Unit 3-B67, walkie-talkie: “The guy’s pleading with Tommy. If Tommy pulls a weapon, I’ll go in.”