Free You Make Me Feel So Dead by Robert Randisi Page A

did you?’ Jerry asked.
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜So are you surprised that somebody killed him?’ I asked.
    â€˜Kind of,’ she said. ‘Everything he’s ever been into has been petty, nothing to get killed over.’
    â€˜Well,’ I said, ‘somebody thought it was bad enough to kill him.’
    â€˜How do we find out who?’ she asked.
    â€˜Why do we have to?’ I asked. ‘I mean, it’s up to the cops, and unless they decide that you’re a suspect, we can just sit tight. If we start asking questions now we might attract attention.’
    â€˜Mr G.,’ Jerry said, ‘they’re gonna find her name in this guy’s known associates file.’
    â€˜You’re probably right, Jerry,’ I said, ‘but I still say let’s wait and see. There’s always the possibility that Penny won’t have to deal with the police.’
    Jerry gave me a look that clearly asked what I was smoking, but I figured Penny deserved the chance to stay out of the whole thing.
    â€˜What about Danny?’ Penny asked.
    â€˜What about him?’ I asked.
    â€˜Does he have to know?’
    â€˜I think that’s up to you, Penny.’
    â€˜But … what will you tell him?’
    She still didn’t know that Danny had asked me to check up on her,
and
she still hadn’t asked why Jerry was where he was when she ran into him. That was good, because I hadn’t had time to think up an answer for her. But she was going to come up with that question sooner or later.
    â€˜I’m not gonna tell him anything,’ I said. ‘Like I said, it’s up to you.’

TWENTY-ONE
    B ut I had to tell Danny something, didn’t I?
    Jerry and I left Penny’s apartment, assured by her that she was not leaving.
    â€˜But I’ll be at work tomorrow,’ she added.
    â€˜That’s fine,’ I said.
    â€˜If you talk to Danny will you let me know, Eddie? I don’t want any surprises.’
    â€˜I will,’ I promised.
    Outside Jerry asked, ‘What are you gonna tell the Dick?’
    â€˜I don’t know yet.’
    â€˜You gotta tell him the truth, right?’ Jerry asked. ‘I mean, he’s your friend and he asked you to check up on his girl.’
    We reached the Caddy and he got behind the wheel. I walked around and got in.
    â€˜Penny’s my friend, too.’
    â€˜Yeah, but,’ Jerry said, ‘he’s really your friend, right? From when you was kids in Brooklyn? That’s gotta mean more, right?’
    â€˜Why? Because we were kids? Or because it was in Brooklyn?’
    â€˜Well … both.’ He started the car. ‘Where to?’
    â€˜The Sands,’ I said. ‘Time to get you settled in your suite. Give you a chance to breathe. Know the way?’
    â€˜I think so.’
    We pulled away from the curb and he handled the big Caddy with a sure hand.
    â€˜She’s right, ain’t she?’ Jerry asked.
    â€˜About what?’
    â€˜The Dick,’ he said. ‘He woulda killed the guy.’
    â€˜Probably.’
    â€˜Maybe …’ he started, then stopped.
    â€˜Maybe what?’
    â€˜I was thinkin’,’ he said, ‘maybe he did find out, and maybe he did kill ’im.’
    â€˜If I thought that,’ I said, ‘then I’d have to look into it, wouldn’t I?’
    â€˜Well, Mr G.,’ he said. ‘We’d have to look into it. I’m in this, too. After all, I was there.’
    â€˜Right, you were.’
    We drove in silence and then he asked the other question that was on his mind.
    â€˜Mr G.?’
    â€˜Yeah?’
    â€˜What if she
did
do it?’
    â€˜Just keep drivin’.’

TWENTY-TWO
    I t was late when we got to the Sands – late, that is, for anyplace but Vegas. I took Jerry directly up to his suite.
    â€˜Your suitcase is in the bedroom,’ I said. ‘Do you want to turn in?’
    â€˜No,’ he