American tabloid: a novel by James Ellroy

Author:James Ellroy
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Mystery, Mystery & Detective - General, Criminals, Social Science, Corruption in government, Political corruption, American Mystery & Suspense Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Political, Violence in Society, Fiction, Political fiction, Violence, Suspense, Women Sleuths, Thrillers, General, Non-Classifiable, Espionage, Criminology
ISBN: 9780679403913
Publisher: Knopf
Published: 1995-12-14T16:00:00+00:00

o o o

Laura loved the pin.

Jack took New Hampshire and Wisconsin.

Jimmy Hoffa barnstormed both states. Jimmy mobilized Teamsters and ranted on national TV. Jimmy betrayed his essential lunacy every time he opened his mouth.

Kemper mobilized the backlash. Pro-Jack pickets scuffled with Teamster pickets. The pro-Jack boys were good shouters and good placard swingers.

Bobby’s book hit the best-seller lists. Kemper distributed free copies at union halls. The consensus four months in: Jimmy Hoffa was nullified.

Jack was spellbindingly handsome. Hoffa was bloated and harried. All his anti-Kennedy broadsides carried a footnote: “Currently under investigation for land fraud.”

People loved Jack. People wanted to touch him. Kemper let the people get non-security close.

Kemper let photographers get close. He wanted people to think Jack’s amusement was really love beaming back.

They were running unopposed in Nebraska. The West Virginia primary was six days off--Jack should knock Hubert Humphrey out of the race.

Frank Sinatra was wowing hillbilly voters. A Rat Pack stooge composed a ring-a-ding Jack Anthem. Payola got it constant airplay.

Laura called Sinatra a small penis with a big voice.

Jack’s ascent enraged her. She was blood kin and an outcast. Kemper Boyd was a stranger granted insider status.

He called her from the road every night. Laura considered the contact pro forma.

He knew that she missed Lenny Sands. She didn’t know that he’d banished him.

Lenny changed his Chicago number--there was no way that Laura could call him. Kemper put a trace on his phone bills and confirmed that he hadn’t called her.

Bobby remembered “voice coach” Lenny. Some staffers decreed a brush-up course and invited Lenny to New Hampshire.

Jack “introduced” Lenny to Kemper. Lenny played along and did not display an ounce of rancor or fear.

Lenny worked Jack’s speaking voice into top shape. Bobby put him on the Wisconsin payroll--as a crowd-building front man. Lenny built up big crowds on a small budget--Bobby was thrilled.

Claire spent most weekends with Laura. She said Jack’s halfsister was a rabid Nixon fan.

Like Mr. Hoover.

They talked in mid-February. Mr. Hoover made the call. He said, “My, it’s been a long time!” in a purely disingenuous tone.

Kemper updated his allegiances and detailed Joe Kennedy’s old suspicions. Hoover said, “I’ll build up a file to buttress your dissemblings. We’ll make it appear that all your Florida trips were solely on my behalf. I’ll anoint you the Bureau’s ace pro-Castrogroup monitor.”

Kemper supplied key Florida dates. Hoover sent him mock itineraries to memorize.

Hoover never mentioned the campaign. Kemper knew that he sensed a Kennedy victory.

Hoover did not mention Jack and women. Hoover did not suggest hot-wiring prostitutes. Hoover did not nail the reason why Kemper Boyd had stayed distant.

He didn’t want to implement another sex shakedown. He wanted to retain one strong loyalty compartment.

Pimp shakedowns?--no. Pimp service?--certainly.

He got Jack one call girl per night. He called his local vice squad contacts for referrals--and skin-searched every girl that Jack fucked.

The girls loved Jack.

So did SA Ward Littell.

They hadn’t spoken in over six months. Ward showed up at Jack’s big Milwaukee rally--the old Chicago Phantom as the new Chicago Wraith.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.