Sonny said, "Let's go to L.A. We'll find Wendell Durfee and shoot his black ass."

Wayne laughed. Wayne chewed his nails. Wayne tore hangnails back.

Sonny said, "Let's kill some street nigger and say it's Wendell. It'll put the fucking quietus on all that shit you carrying around."

Wayne smiled. The door jiggled-whazzat?

The door stuck. The door popped. A doofus walked in. A young guy/all swarthy/thick rat's-nest hair.

He saw them. He trembled. He crap-your-pants cringed.

Sonny said, "Ahab the A-rab. Where's your camel, motherfucker?"

Wayne shut the door. "You owe the Golden Cavern eleven-sixty. Fork up or Brother Liston will hurt you."

The doofus cringed. _Don't hurt me_. His shirttail hiked up. Wayne saw a belt piece. Wayne snatched it fast. Wayne dumped the clip.

Sonny said, "How come you got two last names?"

Sirhan gestured. His hands moved mile-a-minute. He made geek semaphore.

"Forgive me… I take falls… race horses… many headaches… I forget I lose money if I don't take medicine."

Sonny said, "I don't like you. You starting to look like Cassius Clay."

Sirhan spieled some Arab shit. Sirhan spieled singsong. Sonny threw a left. Sonny hit the wall. Sonny tore plaster.

Wayne twirled the gun. "Brother Liston knocked out Floyd Patterson and Cleveland 'Big Cat' Williams."

Sonny threw a right. Sonny hit the wall. Sonny tore plaster. Sirhan moaned. Sirhan exhorted Allah. Sirhan dumped his pockets fast.

Booty: ChapStick/pen/car keys. C-notes/fives/dimes.

Wayne grabbed the money. Sonny said, "What you got against the kikes?"

o o o

Wayne hit the Cavern. Wayne unlocked his room. Wayne saw a letter on the dresser.

He opened the envelope. He smelled Barb straight off.

Wayne,

I'm sorry for that night I hope it didn't cause any trouble between you Pete. I told him you were justified, but he didn't get it. I should have told him that I tried to stab you, which might have told him how far down I'd sunk how much sense you made.

I'm a coward for not writing directly to Pete, but I'm going to invite him to Sparta for Christmas, to see if we can work things out. I hate his business I hate his war I'd be an even bigger coward if I didn't say so.

I miss Pete, I miss the cat I miss you. I'm working at my sister's Bob's Big Boy avoiding the bad habits I picked up in Vegas. I'm starting to wonder what a 35-year-old ex-shakedown girllounge bunny does with the rest of her life.

Barb

Wayne reread the letter. Wayne caught subscents. There's the Ponds and lavender soap. He kissed the letter. He locked up his room. He walked to the lounge.

There's Pete.

He's drinking. He's smoking. The cat's on his lap. He's watching the Bondsmen-Barb's combo sans Barb.

Wayne shagged a waiter. Wayne passed him the letter. Wayne tipped him five bucks. Wayne pointed to Pete. The guy understood.

The guy walked over. The guy dropped the letter. Pete tore at the envelope.

He read the letter. He wiped his eyes. The cat clawed his shirt.

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/6/66. Las Vegas _Sun_ headline and subhead:

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/7/66. Las Vegas _Sun_ headline and subhead:

NO CLUES IN DISAPPEARANCE OF DANCER-CAB DRIVER

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/8/66. Las Vegas _Sun_ headiine and subhead:

HUGHES SPOKESMAN SAYS:

BILLIONAIRE HERMIT TO "NURTURE"-NOT "MONOPOLIZE" HOTEL SCENE

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/10/66. Las Vegas _Sun_ headiine and subhead:

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/11/66. Chicago _Tribune_ headline and subhead:

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/14/66. Chicago _Sun-Times_ headline and subhead:

"KLAN TERROR-NOT MAIL-FRAUD-SHOULD BE PRIORITY"

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/15/66. Los Angeles _Times_ subhead:

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12 / 18/66. Denver _Post-Dispatch_ subhead:

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/20/66. Boston _Globe_ headline:

NIXON NON-COMMITTAL ON '68 WHITE HOUSE PLANS

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/21/66. Washington _Post_ headline and subhead:

SCATHING INDICTMENT:

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/22/66. San Francisco _Chronicle_ headline and subhead:

HOOVER ATTACKS KING IN CONGRESSIONAL RECORD

CALLS CIVIL-RIGHTS LEADER "DANGEROUS TYRANT"

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/23/66. Las Vegas _Sun_ headline and subhead:

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 12/26/66. Washington _Post_ headline and subhead:

DOMESTIC STUDY GROUP VOICES OPINION:

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 1/2/67. Los Angeles _Examiner_ subhead:

_DOCUMENT INSERT_: 1/3/67. Dallas _Morning News_ headline:

(Beverly Hills, 1/3/6 7)

Signs:

Mau-Mau shit. Peace doves. Nigger hands clasped.

Said signs blitzed walls. Said walls ran high. The ballroom soared up. Said ballroom welcomed oreos-race-mixer deelites.

There's celebs and pols. There's spook matrons. There's Marty the K. There's Burl Ives. There's Banana Boat Belafonte.

Pete watched. Pete smoked. His tux fit tight. Otash watched. Otash smoked. His tux fit right.

Ballroom accoutrements-dais and lectern. Ballroom seats and ballroom fare. Steam trays leaking steam-chicken a Ia coon deelite.

Cops mingled. Their cheap suits stood out. Waiters roamed. Waiters schlepped trays. Waiters flogged deelites.