The Cold Six Thousand - James Ellroy [252]
A speaker popped. Flight 49—nonstop to Milwaukee.
“Do you think he means it?”
“Yes. They want to clean this thing up and move on.”
Pete checked the gate. The flight crew stood there. Baggage carts rolled.
“Call Barb. Tell her I almost came home.”
Ward nodded. Ward crumpled the ticket.
“There’s one more thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Carlos wants you to scalp them.”
110
(Memphis, 4/3/68)
Rabbits:
WILD RABBIT. RED RABBIT. DEAD RABBIT soon.
Wayne pulled curbside. Wayne parked. Wayne watched the New Rebel Motel.
The Mustang pulled up. Fred O. walked over. The shooter got out. There’s skinny Fred O. He’s starved to look different. There’s skinny Jim Ray. He’s starved off crystal meth.
They laughed. They huddled. Fred O. passed the box. It was long and bulky. It contained a 30.06.
Hi-end scope. Geared for soft-point bullets. Contact spread/blunt impact/bad for ballistic IDs.
Jimmy had his rifle. Bob had the same one. Fred O. had rifle 3. It was one-shot test-fired. It was print-smeared by Jimmy.
D-day was tomorrow. Jimmy might shoot. Jimmy might punk out. Bob will shoot instead.
Fred O. ran Jimmy. Fred O. said he’d shoot. Fred O. was sure.
The Plan:
There’s a rooming house. It’s a wino pad. It’s across from the Lorraine Motel. King’s at the Lorraine. He’s in room 306. It’s off a balcony. There’s a wino pad vacancy. Fred O. made sure. Fred O. held said flop for a week.
He “checked in.” He stayed away. He’ll “check out” tomorrow. Jimmy will check in. He’ll get that room. It’s near a bathroom perch-site.
He might shoot. He might punk out. Thus Bob shoots instead.
There’s a brush patch by the wino pad. It supplies cover. It supplies trajectory. The wino pad runs back to Main Street. The Lorraine’s on Mulberry.
Jimmy shoots. Jimmy exits—way off Mulberry. He wipes his rifle. He drops the rifle. He drops it in a doorway.
Fred O. lurks near. Fred O. grabs the rifle. Fred O. drops rifle 3. It’s print-smeared. It’s smeared by Jimmy. It’s smeared by transparency.
Jimmy splits. Jimmy drives to the safe house. Wayne’s waiting there. It’s a cheap apartment. It’s furnished.
With booze empties/dope baggies/needles. With white powder/dope fits/crystal meth.
With a suicide note—forged by Fred Otash.
I flew on meth. I killed Nigger King. I’m scared now. I escaped Jeff City. I refuse to go back. I’m a hero. I’m a martyr. Hey, World, take that.
Wayne waits. Wayne geezes Jimmy up. Wayne shoots Jimmy then. Jimmy dies on a speed rush.
Panic. Suicide. Your stock “lone assassin”—gone on crystal meth.
Wayne watched the New Rebel. Fred O. stood outside. Jimmy walked in. Fred O. looked over. Fred O. saw Wayne and winked.
Wayne winked back. Wayne shoved off. Wayne drove to the Lorraine Motel.
He parked close in. He checked the lot. He checked the balcony. He checked the wino pad. He checked the brush patch. He checked the street.
The patch was thick. It flanked a cement wall. A passageway led to Main Street. They perch in the patch. They shoot or don’t shoot. They walk to Main Street.
Wayne watched the motel. Negro men hobnobbed. They stood on that balcony.
No cops attendant. Dwight Holly confirmed said. Dwight Holly tapped cop frequencies. Memphis was uptight. They had riots and marches. They had cops alert on Code 3. More shit was planned. One more march boded. It was set for April 5th.
He’d be dead. Memphis would burn. Wayne knew it. Jimmy would shoot. Fred O. said so. Fred knew it.
Fred O. ran Jimmy. Jimmy ran L.A. to Memphis. Jimmy made stops in between. Jimmy was wacked. Jimmy took hypnosis courses. Jimmy went to bartender’s school. Jimmy shot meth. Jimmy bought skin mags. Jimmy jacked off and read porno books.
Jimmy joined the Friends of Rhodesia. Jimmy placed swinger ads. Jimmy got rhinoplasty. Jimmy stalked Dr. King in L.A. Jimmy stalked March 16/17.
Fred O. surveilled