Angie went on. "They have criminal records, and
the State of Nevada would lift the casino license if it were known
that they own shares. So they come out here and play the tables, go
home with 'winnings,' and no one's the wiser ... so they think."
"It's a stupid risk to take with businesses that could make a
hell of a lot of money without skimming," said Jonas.
"There are partners they don't dare shove out," said Angie.
"You know a lot about this for a gal who's just a secretary,"
said Nevada.
"If you're around here awhile and watch, you see a lot of
things," she said.
"I want to talk to Chandler," said Jonas.
2
Morris Chandler came up for lunch the next day. Angie was not asked
to join Jonas and Nevada.
Chandler stood at the window for a while, looking down at the
swimming pool. He put his eye to the telescope and peered at
something, probably an exceptionally bare girl. Then he swept the
telescope up and began to look at something else. "You figured
this out yet?" he asked Jonas. "Well, I've looked at some
of the bathing beauties, but —" Chandler turned toward him
and grinned slyly.
"You're looking in the wrong direction. Take a look through it
now."
Jonas put his eye to the tripod-mounted telescope and looked at what
Chandler had focused on. He saw naked girls.
The penthouse atop the newest hotel had a terrace surrounded by
potted shrubbery that shielded the girls from the view of everyone
below. The top floor of The Seven Voyages had the only windows within
a mile that were high enough to afford a view of the sunbathers.
Several hundred yards separated the two hotels, and apparently the
owners of the penthouse and their girls thought the distance was
great enough to protect the girls' privacy. Morris Chandler had
bought the astronomy-class telescope to give his fifth-floor high
rollers a little something extra for their money. "The girls
work there," said Chandler. "That's their job: to sit
around naked."
"Tricks of the trade," said Jonas. He returned to the table
and their lunch. He sat down. "The first night I was here, you
started to give me some basic lessons in the casino business. Nevada
says you'd be willing to give me more."
"What do you want to know?" asked Chandler.
"How much do you skim?" asked Jonas.
Chandler's face stiffened. He hesitated for a moment, then asked,
"What if I say we don't?"
"Say it."
Chandler glanced at Nevada, who was watching him
gravely, interested in his answer. He took a deep breath and blew it
out. "I give you lessons," he said. "You should
give me. You know too much already."
"Well, I'm hardly a government spy," said Jonas. "Hardly
an informer."
"What was strictly illegal a hundred years ago is absolutely
legal now," said Chandler. "What was immoral fifty years
ago is acceptable now. And some things that used to be legal and
moral are illegal and immoral now. Some big American families built
their fortunes doing things the keepers of the public morality don't
tolerate today. Like importing slaves. Like keeping whorehouses. It's
just a matter of time. What goes around, comes around. Now we got
these crap politicians, like Kefauver, making hysterical accusations
for whatever political profit they can get. It's — "
"Who owns The Seven Voyages, Morris?" Jonas interrupted.
"I own eighteen points," said Chandler. "On the record
I own sixty-one points, but all except the eighteen I hold for men
who don't want their names associated."
"Men whose names you can't afford to have associated with the
operation," said Jonas.
"Have it your way. A point, you understand, is one percent."
"Does Lucky Luciano own any points, directly or indirectly?"
"Are you kidding ? Luciano? No way."
"Frank Costello? Jimmy Blue Eyes?" Jonas asked.
Chandler shook his head emphatically.
"Meyer Lansky?"
"No. Meyer doesn't own any points. But he has a consulting
contract with us."
"What's he consult about?"
"The contract is in writing and has been
looked at by Justice Department snoops. It
the State of Nevada would lift the casino license if it were known
that they own shares. So they come out here and play the tables, go
home with 'winnings,' and no one's the wiser ... so they think."
"It's a stupid risk to take with businesses that could make a
hell of a lot of money without skimming," said Jonas.
"There are partners they don't dare shove out," said Angie.
"You know a lot about this for a gal who's just a secretary,"
said Nevada.
"If you're around here awhile and watch, you see a lot of
things," she said.
"I want to talk to Chandler," said Jonas.
2
Morris Chandler came up for lunch the next day. Angie was not asked
to join Jonas and Nevada.
Chandler stood at the window for a while, looking down at the
swimming pool. He put his eye to the telescope and peered at
something, probably an exceptionally bare girl. Then he swept the
telescope up and began to look at something else. "You figured
this out yet?" he asked Jonas. "Well, I've looked at some
of the bathing beauties, but —" Chandler turned toward him
and grinned slyly.
"You're looking in the wrong direction. Take a look through it
now."
Jonas put his eye to the tripod-mounted telescope and looked at what
Chandler had focused on. He saw naked girls.
The penthouse atop the newest hotel had a terrace surrounded by
potted shrubbery that shielded the girls from the view of everyone
below. The top floor of The Seven Voyages had the only windows within
a mile that were high enough to afford a view of the sunbathers.
Several hundred yards separated the two hotels, and apparently the
owners of the penthouse and their girls thought the distance was
great enough to protect the girls' privacy. Morris Chandler had
bought the astronomy-class telescope to give his fifth-floor high
rollers a little something extra for their money. "The girls
work there," said Chandler. "That's their job: to sit
around naked."
"Tricks of the trade," said Jonas. He returned to the table
and their lunch. He sat down. "The first night I was here, you
started to give me some basic lessons in the casino business. Nevada
says you'd be willing to give me more."
"What do you want to know?" asked Chandler.
"How much do you skim?" asked Jonas.
Chandler's face stiffened. He hesitated for a moment, then asked,
"What if I say we don't?"
"Say it."
Chandler glanced at Nevada, who was watching him
gravely, interested in his answer. He took a deep breath and blew it
out. "I give you lessons," he said. "You should
give me. You know too much already."
"Well, I'm hardly a government spy," said Jonas. "Hardly
an informer."
"What was strictly illegal a hundred years ago is absolutely
legal now," said Chandler. "What was immoral fifty years
ago is acceptable now. And some things that used to be legal and
moral are illegal and immoral now. Some big American families built
their fortunes doing things the keepers of the public morality don't
tolerate today. Like importing slaves. Like keeping whorehouses. It's
just a matter of time. What goes around, comes around. Now we got
these crap politicians, like Kefauver, making hysterical accusations
for whatever political profit they can get. It's — "
"Who owns The Seven Voyages, Morris?" Jonas interrupted.
"I own eighteen points," said Chandler. "On the record
I own sixty-one points, but all except the eighteen I hold for men
who don't want their names associated."
"Men whose names you can't afford to have associated with the
operation," said Jonas.
"Have it your way. A point, you understand, is one percent."
"Does Lucky Luciano own any points, directly or indirectly?"
"Are you kidding ? Luciano? No way."
"Frank Costello? Jimmy Blue Eyes?" Jonas asked.
Chandler shook his head emphatically.
"Meyer Lansky?"
"No. Meyer doesn't own any points. But he has a consulting
contract with us."
"What's he consult about?"
"The contract is in writing and has been
looked at by Justice Department snoops. It
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