Kid. Kid took it and shoved it into his pocket.
Kid said, “I read it. My brother a murderer. The government has impounded Billy’s millions.”
The mark said, “You have my sympathy, Jimmy, but I’ve got big troubles, too!”
Kid put his arm around Stilwell’s shoulder. He said, “Of course you have, Cecil.”
Kid led the mark to a seat on the sofa. Folks followed and sat down with them.
Kid said, “The troubled must protect and comfort one another. Now, Cecil, in a calm way tell me how I can help you?”
The mark babbled, “I’m . . . a . . . respectable father and husband back home. I’m a thirty-third degree Mason. I’m the biggest, mostrespected citizen there is in Muncie, Indiana. I can’t afford to wreck my image, my family, with notoriety or scandal! My connection with murder through our deal . . . I . . . ah, well, oh Jimmy!”
Kid said, “Cecil, I can protect you. After all, I am at this moment the legal owner of record of the ghost town. I was interviewed by two treasury agents for hours. I had to come to you as immediately as I safely could to relieve your mind.”
The mark said, “Jimmy, you mean you didn’t mention my name to them?”
Kid said, “Certainly not, Cecil!”
Tears brimmed in the mark’s eyes. “Oh thank you so much, Jimmy. Now, about our ghost town deal . . . I . . . uh . . .”
Kid patted his shoulder and said, “Your worries are over, Cecil.”
Kid extracted the mark’s seventy-five thousand dollar instrument from his shirt pocket. He waved it, face up, before the mark’s eyes to verify authenticity. Kid turned and leaned forward toward the coffee table, his back momentarily blocked the mark’s field of vision. Kid palmed the real check and slipped it into his jacket breast pocket. He slipped out, from the same pocket, a replica of the mark’s check. Then Kid leaned back on the sofa to unobstruct the sucker’s field of vision. He tore the prop check to confetti that fell into a large ashtray. The mark flung himself across the sofa to embrace the Kid like an amorous elephant while Kid massaged the mark’s shoulders.
Kid said, “Cecil, I gave my lawyer your address in Muncie and instructed him to send your confiscated fifteen thousand in cash within thirty days. He has assured me that the government can’t keep it.”
The mark said, “Jimmy, you’re a beautiful friend!”
Kid disengaged himself. He said, “Now Cecil, our final ceremony. My deed and bill of sale.”
The mark reached into his coat pocket and extracted the battered deed and bill of sale. He extended them to Kid, who took them and shredded them into the ashtray.
Folks stood up, bags in hand. He said, “Well, gentlemen, good-bye and good luck.”
Folks shook hands with them.
The sucker nodded toward the ashtray and said, “My boy, I’ve just had good luck to remember a lifetime!”
Folks left to supervise a grifter crew to dismantle the ghost town and truck it into the mob’s warehouse until they caught the next mark to play.
SUCKER BRAINSTORM
F olks went straight home after the crew had disappeared the ghost town. Pearl was delighted to see him back from the L.A. trip so soon. Folks thought, she owes her delight, of course, to the Kid’s tear up in the blow-off. It made it unnecessary to keep Stilwell tied up in town until his score instrument cleared.
That early evening he undelighted Pearl. Speedy and Janie were in for whist. Pearl and he were beating squawking hell out of them for the first time in a month. Then Folks’ apprehension about Pappy Kid soured their fortunes. Folks played several successive hands like a novice. He wasn’t, and Pearl knew it. They started yapping at each other. Janie and Speedy, of course, started having fun by skunking them soundly.
Folks thought, Pappy is booked to put Stilwell on an eight-thirty plane for the Midwest. I’m worried. He remembered the fatal propensities of Mister Stilwell and decided he had to be present. Not really present,
Kid said, “I read it. My brother a murderer. The government has impounded Billy’s millions.”
The mark said, “You have my sympathy, Jimmy, but I’ve got big troubles, too!”
Kid put his arm around Stilwell’s shoulder. He said, “Of course you have, Cecil.”
Kid led the mark to a seat on the sofa. Folks followed and sat down with them.
Kid said, “The troubled must protect and comfort one another. Now, Cecil, in a calm way tell me how I can help you?”
The mark babbled, “I’m . . . a . . . respectable father and husband back home. I’m a thirty-third degree Mason. I’m the biggest, mostrespected citizen there is in Muncie, Indiana. I can’t afford to wreck my image, my family, with notoriety or scandal! My connection with murder through our deal . . . I . . . ah, well, oh Jimmy!”
Kid said, “Cecil, I can protect you. After all, I am at this moment the legal owner of record of the ghost town. I was interviewed by two treasury agents for hours. I had to come to you as immediately as I safely could to relieve your mind.”
The mark said, “Jimmy, you mean you didn’t mention my name to them?”
Kid said, “Certainly not, Cecil!”
Tears brimmed in the mark’s eyes. “Oh thank you so much, Jimmy. Now, about our ghost town deal . . . I . . . uh . . .”
Kid patted his shoulder and said, “Your worries are over, Cecil.”
Kid extracted the mark’s seventy-five thousand dollar instrument from his shirt pocket. He waved it, face up, before the mark’s eyes to verify authenticity. Kid turned and leaned forward toward the coffee table, his back momentarily blocked the mark’s field of vision. Kid palmed the real check and slipped it into his jacket breast pocket. He slipped out, from the same pocket, a replica of the mark’s check. Then Kid leaned back on the sofa to unobstruct the sucker’s field of vision. He tore the prop check to confetti that fell into a large ashtray. The mark flung himself across the sofa to embrace the Kid like an amorous elephant while Kid massaged the mark’s shoulders.
Kid said, “Cecil, I gave my lawyer your address in Muncie and instructed him to send your confiscated fifteen thousand in cash within thirty days. He has assured me that the government can’t keep it.”
The mark said, “Jimmy, you’re a beautiful friend!”
Kid disengaged himself. He said, “Now Cecil, our final ceremony. My deed and bill of sale.”
The mark reached into his coat pocket and extracted the battered deed and bill of sale. He extended them to Kid, who took them and shredded them into the ashtray.
Folks stood up, bags in hand. He said, “Well, gentlemen, good-bye and good luck.”
Folks shook hands with them.
The sucker nodded toward the ashtray and said, “My boy, I’ve just had good luck to remember a lifetime!”
Folks left to supervise a grifter crew to dismantle the ghost town and truck it into the mob’s warehouse until they caught the next mark to play.
SUCKER BRAINSTORM
F olks went straight home after the crew had disappeared the ghost town. Pearl was delighted to see him back from the L.A. trip so soon. Folks thought, she owes her delight, of course, to the Kid’s tear up in the blow-off. It made it unnecessary to keep Stilwell tied up in town until his score instrument cleared.
That early evening he undelighted Pearl. Speedy and Janie were in for whist. Pearl and he were beating squawking hell out of them for the first time in a month. Then Folks’ apprehension about Pappy Kid soured their fortunes. Folks played several successive hands like a novice. He wasn’t, and Pearl knew it. They started yapping at each other. Janie and Speedy, of course, started having fun by skunking them soundly.
Folks thought, Pappy is booked to put Stilwell on an eight-thirty plane for the Midwest. I’m worried. He remembered the fatal propensities of Mister Stilwell and decided he had to be present. Not really present,
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