Gallaudet–we want to counter Noonan’s charge that we let colored 187s lie doggo. And finally, I think it’s safe to say that the Feds might raid the slot and vending-machine locations controlled by Mickey Cohen. We will let them do this, and we will let Cohen take the fall. Central Vice has destroyed all the coin-hardware complaints that we’ve ignored, and we can always say that we didn’t know those machines existed.”
Implied: Mickey didn’t yank his Southside coin. Warn him–again– tell Jack Woods to pull his Niggertown book.
Parker walked out; Exley coughed–crypto-embarrassed. “The chief has never liked white women fraternizing with Negroes, and he’s hardnosed the club owners down there who encourage it. Sergeant Breuning, Sergeant Carlisle–you men make sure that those club owners don’t talk to the Feds.”
Smirks–Dudley’s boys loved strongarm. Exley: “That’s all for now. Gentlemen, please wait outside my office, I’ll be down to brief you individually.
Lieutenant Klein, please remain seated.”
Gavel bangs–meeting adjourned. A big exit; Gallaudet slipped me a note.
Exley walked over. Brusque: “I want you to stay on the Kafesjian burglary. I’m thinking of stepping it up, and I want a detailed report on the trick sweep.”
“Why wasn’t Narco represented at this meeting?”
“Don’t question my measures.”
“One last time: the Kafesjians are prime Fed meat. They’re twenty years dirty with the Department. Rattling their cage is suicidal.”
“One last time: don’t question my motives. One last time: you and Sergeant Stemmons stay on the case full priority.”
“Was there any specific reason why you wanted Stemmons on this job?”
“No, he just seemed like the logical choice.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning he works closely with you at Ad Vice, and he had excellent ratings as an evidence teacher.”
Deadpan–a tough read. “I can’t believe this personal-involvement routine. Not from you.”
“Make it personal yourself.”
Tight reins-don’t laugh. “It’s getting there.”
“Good. Now what about the family’s known associates?”
Side 86
Ellroy – White Jazz
“I’ve got my best snitch looking into it. I spoke to a man named Abe Voldrich, but I don’t think he knows anything about the burglary.”
“He’s a longtime Kafesjlan KA. Maybe he has some family background information.”
“Yeah, but what do you want–a burglary suspect or family dirt?”
No retort–he walked. I checked Gallaudet’s note: Dave–
I understand your need to protect certain friends of yours who have Southside business dealings, and I think Chief Exley’s fix on the Kafesjians is a bit untoward. Please do what you can to protect the LAPD’s Southside interests, especially in light of this damn Fed probe. And please, without telling Chief Exley, periodically update me on the Kafesjian investigation.
——–
Four days–chase evidence, get chased back. Sprint, get chased harder– pictures I couldn’t outrun.
I told Mickey to pull his machines–he shrugged the whole Fed business off Shit-for-brains Mickey–Jack Woods yanked his biz in record time. Chase Exley with paper: Kafesjian 459 PC, record detail. Covered: the peeper tape and Q&A–those two Lucille tricks.
Exley said keep going Small talk: how’s Stemmons handling the job?
I said just fine. Mental pictures: beefcake Johnny Duhamel, lipstick on cigarette butts.
Exley said keep going; I fed Bob Gallaudet information on the sly. Politics: he didn’t want Welles Noonan reaping juice off the Kafesjians.
Chase, watch for chasers. No tails–near-crack-ups making sure. Exley/
Hughes/Narco/the Feds: potential chasers, big resources.
Chasing evidence:
I staked the Red Arrow Inn–no Lucille, no peeper suspects. I checked 77th: no peeper FI cards found. Tn-State MO checks: zero. Lester Lake said scoop soon–“maybe.” Chasing secrets, chasing pictures–
Solo trick rousts–no new Lucille kickers confirmed. Western and Adams, points south–pressing for stories–I stayed high-octane juiced on that family.
Like Exley.
Call it lawyer style:
Disturbing the Kafesjians with a Federal narcotics probe in progress is certifiably insane. Edmund Exley is a certifiably brilliant detective with nationally recognized leadership skills. Narco was not present at Exley’s Fed probe briefing. Narco is the most autonomous LAPD division. Narco and the Kafesjian family go back autonomously twenty-odd years. Exley knows that the Fed probe will succeed. Exley wants the probe diverted from the rankand-file LAPD.
Exley knows that heads must roll. Exley has convinced Chief Parker that the least damaging most judicious move is to sacrifice Narco to the Feds–they can be portrayed as rogue cops autonomously run amok without severely damaging the overall prestige of the Department.