The Cold Six Thousand - James Ellroy [226]
FR: Gave what up?
BR: His Cuban gun-running gig is nothing but a shuck. Carlos Marcello and that CIA guy John Stanton cooked it up. The guns have been going to Castro sources inside Cuba, with Marcello’s best wishes. The Outfit’s been sucking up to Castro, so he’ll help them implement some plan they’ve got to plant casinos in Latin American countries. Castro’s got juice with leftist insurgents in the countries the Outfit’s looking at, and he’s sending them the guns that Bob and the other guys smuggle in. That way, if the lefties implement takeovers in their countries, they’ll let the Outfit in. If they don’t take over, the Outfit will grease the right-wing guys still in power.
FR: I’m seeing visions, Dwight. I’m seeing all the Latter-day Saints.
BR: It gets better.
FR: It couldn’t. And you don’t need to warn me not to tell Wayne, because we both know this would drive the boy insane.
BR: The Outfit’s covered on both ends. Castro’s sacrificed X-number of Militia troops to the venture, because Bondurant, Wayne and their guys have been boating in and taking scalps with impunity. Castro’s making money, it’s worth a few Soldiers of the Revolution in the long run, it all goes to fuel the Commie agenda in Latin America.
FR: Dwight, I’m flabber—
BR: Stanton and the other CIA guys involved have been kicking back Bondurant’s dope profits to an Agency source. He’s been supplying Bob with CIA disbursement weaponry, which fucking Bob has been passing off as ordnance stolen from armory heists and Army pilferings. Stanton and Marcello have diverted millions in profit overflow, and they’ve paid Bob and these guys Laurent Guery and Flash Elorde percentage cuts to work the scam from the beginning. Only Bondurant, your son, and some guy named Mesplede think the whole thing is for real. They’re the stupes and the true believers.
FR: My lord. All the Saints and the Angel Moroni.
BR: Bob’s socked away a hundred cold. He’ll kick it into our operation, if we let him shoot or play back-up to our fall guy.
FR: I wouldn’t deny him. Not after a story like that.
BR: He’s in, then. He kept all that covert for years, so I think we can trust him.
FR: We’ve got to keep this quiet. If Bondurant or my son find out, it all hits the—
BR: I’ve got Bob’s balls. He won’t talk to anyone else.
FR: Dwight, I should …
BR: Yeah, go. Have a drink and talk to your saints.
FR: Visions, Dwight. I mean it.
BR: I almost went into civil law. Can you believe it?
DOCUMENT INSERT: 8/12/67. Pouch communiqué. To: FATHER RABBIT. From: BLUE RABBIT. Marked: “Eyes Only”/“Read and Burn.”
FATHER,
Here’s Bob’s memo. His facts & observations are based on his personal relationship with the PROSPECT & on files he stole from the Missouri State Prison System. I cleaned up his grammar & spelling & included some perceptions. READ, BURN & pouch me your response.
The PROSPECT:
Ray, James Earl/white male/5’10”/160/DOB 3-16-28/Alton, Illinois/1 of 10 children.
PROSPECT grew up in rural Illinois & Missouri. Father was career petty larcenist. PROSPECT first arrested (1942) at age 14 (theft). Became frequenter of traveling carnivals & houses of prostitution. Became friendly with older man (German immigrant) who was pro-Hitler & member of German-American Bund. PROSPECT began to develop anti-Negro attitude at this time.
PROSPECT enlisted in U.S. Army (2/19/46) & requested Germany as duty station. Attended basic training at Camp Crowder, Missouri & assigned (as truck driver) to Q.M. Corps in occupied Germany (7/46). Later assigned as driver to MP battalion in Bremerhaven. Trafficked in black market cigarettes, frequented prostitutes & was treated for syphilis & gonorrhea. Began drinking heavily & taking Benzedrine. Transferred to Infantry Battalion, Frankfurt (4/48) & requested immediate discharge.
Request was denied. PROSPECT charged with being drunk in quarters (10/48) & held in post stockade. PROSPECT escaped, was recaptured & sentenced to 3 months hard labor. Returned to the U.S. (12/48) & given “general discharge.” Spent time at family’s