‘Has Perelli an alibi for the kidnapping?’
‘One full of holes. He says he was playing cards with Betillo in a private room in Delmonico’s Bar. We’ve talked to Joe. He says Perelli played cards with him until nine-thirty. Joe remembers the time because Perelli was winning and sud- denly said he had a date. Joe was sore because he wanted to get back some of his losses. Perelli swears he played on until ten thirty. The kidnapping, if you remember, took place at ten past ten.’
‘Anyone see Perelli leave?’
Mifflin shook his head.
‘He went out the back way.’
‘Well, who’d believe a rat like Betillo, anyway?’
‘Brandon does. He’d believe anyone as long as he gets the Feds out of town. The money worries me, Vic. Everything looks like a plant until you come to the money. A hundred grand is an awful lot of money to throw away to frame a man. A couple of grand would have been enough.’
‘That’s just the reason why it was planted. The kidnappers have still four hundred grand to keep him warm. Leaving an amount that big in Perelli’s place would make people think just what you’re thinking.’
‘It’s throwing money away. I can’t see anyone doing it.’
‘That’s because you’re badly paid. A lot of people in this city wouldn’t think anything of passing up a hundred grand.’