Crazy Ellens

partying and get a job. Mike didn't listen, so old Joel Devine stopped giving 
him money.' 
'So where does Mike Devine get his money now?' I asked. 
'He's been borrowing lots of money - from banks, from people he knows, 
from everywhere. That's what people are saying. Now he's head over heels in 
debt,' Toni replied. 'Now, do you want to hear about Gail Lane next?'
'Yes, please,' I said as the waiter brought our food. Toni had seafood and 
rice, and I had lobster.
Toni ate her lunch and told me Gail's story.
'Gail's interesting,' she said. 'You know about her friendship with Mike 
Devine, of course. I think that he's been borrowing money from her too. That's 
one thing. You'd think that it would be easy for me to find out lots of other 
things about a movie star. But it wasn't easy! Nobody knows much about her.
Gail became a star quite recently. Before that, she certainly spent time with 
gangsters. I'll tell you more about that in a minute. But some people say that 
recently she's also been involved with a US Senator - Senator Theo Z. 
Democrates.'
I knew about Senator Democrates. He was from a Greek family. He was 
single - he had never married. And he was one of the most powerful men in the 
government. He was the chairman of an important government committee. He 
was also multimillionaire.
'Mmm, that's interesting,' I said. 'Democrates is an honest man, but he has a 
reputation for ruthlessness. And a lot of ruthless people work for him.'
I ate my lobster thoughtfully. Some things were beginning to become clear.
'Vincent Calab was the third name,' Toni said, 'and I expect you know a lot 
about him already. He's a ruthless man too! He's a gangster from Chicago who 
moved here ten years ago and got involved with the movie industry. People say 
that he has been laundering money. They say he invests illegal money - stolen 
money - in movies. When the movies make a profit, he gets his money back, 
and then the money is legal. Lots of criminals do that kind of thing. Hollywood 
could be a good place to do money-laundering. Making movies takes a lot of 
money.'
'Yeah, I see what you mean,' I said.
'Calab's an unpleasant man,' Toni went on. 'He's a madman. He's very 

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L. A. Movie by Philip Prowse
38
violent. He kills anyone who works against him. But the police have never been 
able to charge him with any crime. He's really very dangerous, because he isn't 
quite sane. Some people call him Mad Vince. I hope you're not getting involved 
with him, Lenny.'
'No,' I replied. 'But I think Gail Lane was innocently involved with him some 
years ago.'
'Yes,' Toni said. 'I heard about that too. Stay away from Calab, Lenny. He's a 
very bad guy.'
I didn't reply. I was thinking about the 'visitors' who had searched my office. 
I thought they were the two heavies that Costas had told me about. And I also 
thought they might be Calab's men. Perhaps I was involved with him, whether I 
liked it or not.
We finished eating. I thanked Toni for her help and asked if I could borrow 
her mobile phone. I dialled Mike Devine's number and this time I got a reply.
'Come to the apartment, will you!" Mike said. 'I need your help.'
Toni and I sat and talked for a little while longer. Then, as usual, we argued 
over who was going to pay for the meal. As usual, Toni won the argument. She 
was still sitting at the table when I left Pastroudi's. She was lovely. Perhaps I 
had made a mistake when I chose boxing, I thought. A big mistake!

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L. A. Movie by Philip Prowse
39