Janet Elizabeth Lynn Interviews a Mobster's Daughter

Life of a Mobster's Daughter 
by Janet Elizabeth Lynn

        While researching 1955 Las Vegas for our book DESERT ICE, 

I had the opportunity to interview the daughter of a mob king who grew up in 1950s Vegas. "Amy" is a charming lady, 75 years old now, but looks closer to late 50s.

          As we spoke, I couldn't help but compare her life with mine, we are about the same age but I grew up in rural Long Island, New York. She rode her bike to school, to the post office, parks etc. as I did. Her mother was very involved with her and her sister even having matching summer dresses made for the three of them.

I remember our mother daughter dresses had blue flowers on them with blue lace around the neck. She said theirs were yellow with white lace.

My father left for work every morning, hers left for the casino every morning. Neither one of us knew or cared at the time what our fathers did, they just came home every night. Amy remembers ordering her first pair of high heels at Sears, I bought mine at Penny's.

         

She then talked about her house:  a kitchen, small dining room and a large dining room for parties. That's where we differed.

          
"You see, every night we had famous people over for dinner and afterward they entertained us." 


She was talking about Sammy Davis, Jr., Pearl Bailey and her brother Bill, Frank Sinatra, etc. Hence the rule of the house was everyone had to dress for dinner. 



Amy called her evening wear "After 5 Dresses". Her mother made sure her was hair done perfectly for dinner, every night.

          She explained that 1955 Las Vegas was heavily segregated. People of color were not allowed to use the main entrance of the hotels, stay in hotels, or frequent casinos or shows. This included performers. So they were allowed to perform, but not leave through the main entrance.

           "My dad felt badly about this so he built several small bungalows around our pool area and let them stay there and dine with our family. Otherwise they would have to stay in rooming houses."     

          I asked her if she knew her father was a mob king and if there were any precautions taken for her or her family's security.

          She smiled, "You have to understand, Las Vegas was a sleepily little town. Everyone knew we were his family yet I went to school with the locals, played with the local kids at the playground and went to their birthday parties. I just knew he was my dad and he came home every night."

          "It wasn't until I got older that I noticed the attention dad and mom were getting, and the press hounding our house and us. That's how I knew something was different. Then my sister and I were sent to college in the north."

          We ended the 20 minute interview with a promise of a signed copy of our book.

          On the way back to our hotel my husband and I talked and realized that the mobsters owned illegal businesses and were considered criminals, but the minute they set foot in Las Vegas, they were legitimate businessmen. And very successful ones at that.

          This interview gave me a real feel for 1955 Las Vegas and most important, where to dump bodies, car chases and most of all, where my character would eat. After all it was Las Vegas.

For more, here's a link to Janet and her husband, 
Will's book, Desert Ice, set in Las Vegas in the 50s - http://didrake.blogspot.com/

Janet's Website  http://www.janetlynnauthor.com/

Will's Website  http://www.willzeilingerauthor.com/

Please leave a comment about Janet's fascinating interview.

Writing Team Janet Elizabeth Lynn & Will Zeilinger Share Their New Book, Desert Ice

ABOUT JANET ELIZABETH LYNN & WILL ZEILINGER

Published authors Janet Elizabeth Lynn and Will Zeilinger had been writing individually until they got together and wrote the SKYLAR DRAKE MURDER MYSTERY Series. These hard-boiled tales are based in old Hollywood of 1955.  Janet has published seven mystery novels and Will has three plus two short stories. Their world travels have sparked ideas for murder and crime stories. This creative couple is married and live in Southern California.

Janet was born in Queens, New York and raised in Long Island, until she was 12 years old. Her family escaped the freezing winters and hurricanes for the warmth and casual lifestyle of So. California. She has traveled to the far reach of the planet ending with new found friends and a basket of hotel shampoo and conditioner samples.

Will is from Omaha, Nebraska, living in Turkey for 10 years before returning to the states with his family ending up in So. California on their way to Samoa. Go figure.

      

ABOUT THEIR LATEST BOOK, DESERT ICE

In 1955, a missing Marine and stolen diamonds lead Private Eye Skylar Drake to Sin City, where the women are beautiful and almost everything is legal—except murder.

            The FBI and a Las Vegas crime boss force him to choose between the right and wrong side of the law. All the while, government secrets, sordid lies and trickery block his efforts to solve the case.

            Common sense tells him to go back to L.A. but is gut tells him to find his fellow Marine.

EXCERPT:

This was the first Veteran’s Day Parade I’d attended since I got back from Korea. Seems like a lifetime ago. Claire wanted to go every year, even offered to make it a family affair... I never took her up on it.

Standing at attention, I saluted as the color guard passed. Next came the tanks and trucks and I was transported back to my time in the Corps. A pretty young girl dressed in red, white, and blue approached me with a basket full of tin American flag lapel pins. She held one out to me. The paper tag attached to it read Veteran’s Day, November 1955, but my hands wouldn’t come out of my pockets.

“Here sir, take one, they’re free.”

I reluctantly pulled out my hand. She placed one in my palm, and smiled and turned away. The cadence of the drums sounded like artillery as a formation of jet fighters passed overhead. I was back in Korea on Jeju Island, snow, guns, bombs... I shut my eyes and clenched my fists.

A woman wearing a big hat bumped into me. “Oh, excuse me sir.”

Slowly I opened my hand. The sharp edges of the flag pin were stained with my blood but I didn’t feel a thing.

“You should get something for that hand,” she said.

I couldn’t move.

“Come.” She led me to a hot dog stand and handed me a couple of paper napkins.

I leaned against a chain link fence, wrapped the tin flag in a napkin and dropped it in my pocket. I looked down at my blood smeared hand, the one that took shrapnel at Jeju. My head spun. I leaned forward until my head rested on the fence. “Keep breathing,” I told myself.

“So you’re a vet,” the lady with the hat said. “Korea?”

 I nodded.

She lit a cigarette. “Here.”

I shook my head. “No thanks.”

“Suit yourself.” She hung the cigarette in her mouth and took my hand. After she wiped the blood, she wrapped another napkin around my palm.

“Just a minute.” She disappeared into the crowd. I stepped back and rested against the chain-link, staring at the tops of the trees. She returned and handed me a cup of coffee. I don’t know why, but my hand shook when I reached for the cup.

“It was pretty tough over there.” Her large hat covered most of her face.

I nodded, “How would you know?”

“47th M.A.S.H., Ouijonbu.” She joined me against the chain link fence and sipped her coffee. There wasn’t much more to say. After a few moments I looked at her. “Jeju Island, 1948. We got caught up in the rebellion.”

She held out her gloved hand. “I’m Nancy.” Still hidden under her hat she said,, “Pleasure to see you again, Mr. Drake.”

I studied her. “Have we met before?”

“We have a mutual association with an Officer Graves of the LAPD.”

I spit out the coffee and threw the cup in the trash. “Did that ass send you to...?”

Nancy shook her head. “No, he didn’t.” She took out a jeweled compact, held it at an angle and looked behind her with the mirror. “I didn’t say I knew him. I said you and I had a mutual association.”

Still checking behind her, she whispered, “Meet me at Hollenbeck Park in Boyle Heights." (568 words)

BUY LINK:  http://didrake.blogspot.com/

For More, Check Out Their Websites:

  Janet Elizabeth Lynn http://www.janetlynnauthor.com/

   Will Zeilinger http://www.willzeilingerauthor.com/

Janet and Will would appreciate any comments you might leave.