The Cold Six Thousand - James Ellroy [106]
Forewarned is forearmed, Ward. You’ve convinced me that our Las Vegas approach will take time, and I think this casino consultant plan is a winner. I look forward to receiving your first report.
All best,
H.H.
52
(Las Vegas, 9/12/64)
Wayne Senior said, “I know what my men are transporting.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, ‘Oh.’ They’ve explained the entire procedure.”
They sat poolside. Janice stood close. Janice sunned and putted golf balls.
“You knew at our first meeting. It was quite evident.”
“An instinct doesn’t equal a certainty.”
Littell raised one brow. “You’re being disingenuous. You knew then, you know now, and you’ve known at all points in between.”
Wayne Senior coughed. “Don’t mimic my gestures. You don’t have my flair.”
Littell grabbed his prop stick. Littell twirled it. Fuck Wayne Senior sideways.
“Tell me what you want. Be direct, and feel free to use the word ‘skim.’ ”
Wayne Senior coughed. “My men have quit the union. They refuse to pay me the percentage I requested.”
Littell twirled the stick. “How much do you want?”
“I’d be satisfied with 5%.”
Littell twirled the stick. Littell twirled figure-eights. Littell did all Wayne Senior’s tricks.
“No.”
“No?”
“No.”
“Categorically?”
“Yes.”
Wayne Senior smiled. “I have to assume that Mr. Hughes doesn’t know what his planes are transporting.”
Littell studied Janice. She flexed. She putted. She stretched.
“I would advise you not to tell him.”
“Why? Because your Italian friends will hurt me?”
“Because I’ll tell your son that you sent him to Dallas.”
DOCUMENT INSERT: 9/12/64. Dallas Morning News article.
REPORTER WRITING JFK BOOK; SAYS HE’LL “BLOW
CONSPIRACY WIDE OPEN”
Dallas Times-Herald reporter Jim Koethe has a tale to tell, and he’ll tell it to anyone who’ll listen.
On Sunday evening, November 24, 1963, Koethe, along with Times-Herald editor Robert Cuthbert and reporter Bill Hunter of the Long Beach (California) Press-Telegram, visited the apartment of Jack Ruby, the convicted killer of presidential assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. The three men spent “two or three hours” talking to Ruby’s roommate, novelty salesman George Senator. “I can’t reveal what Mr. Senator said,” Koethe told this reporter. “But believe you me it was an eye-opener, and it sure got me thinking about some things.”
Koethe went on to say that he’s done quite a bit of digging into the assassination and is writing a book on the subject. “It’s a conspiracy, sure as shooting,” he said. “And my book is going to blow it wide open.”
Koethe refused to name the people he believes are responsible for the death of President John F. Kennedy and refused to reveal the basic motive and details of the conspiracy. “You’ll have to wait for the book,” Koethe said. “And believe me, the book will be well worth the wait.”
Koethe’s friend, reporter Bill Hunter, died in April. Editor Robert Cuthbert declined to be interviewed in depth for this article. “Jim’s extracurricular activities are his business,” Cuthbert said. “I wish him well with his book, though, because I love a good potboiler. Personally, I think Oswald was the lone assassin, and the Warren Report sure backs me up. Still, I’ve got to say that Jim Koethe exemplifies the bulldog reporter, so maybe he’s on to something.”
Koethe, 37, is a colorful local scribe, known for his persistence, assertive behavior and connections within the Dallas Police Department. He is reputed to be a close friend of DPD Officer Maynard D. Moore, who disappeared around the time of the assassination. Asked to comment on Officer Moore’s missing status, Koethe said, “Mum’s the word. A good reporter doesn’t reveal his sources and a good book writer doesn’t reveal anything.”
I guess we’ll have