Unforgettable (18 page)

“
Alright, but I want my
people following her,” Jack said.

Silverman sighed.

“
If
they blend in and they stay out of sight. If we spook Welsh
he’ll bolt for sure.”

At one o’clock I was dressed in my
swimsuit and a wrap. Luis, dressed as a homeless man, brought
around the Porsche for us. It was quite a juxtaposition. The car
was black and looked every inch like sex on wheels. Roger was back
but walking with a cane so he could only coordinate. As promised
the paparazzi were lined up at the end of the driveway.

“
Where are you headed
today?” one of them screamed at me.

“
The beach. Malibu. Ta!” I
told them and waved. “This is so…not real.”

“
What?”

“
This car, going to Malibu.
The whole thing.”

“
I assure you it’s real.
Would you like a car? I’ll get you one tomorrow.”

Fritz drove to the spot he had been
before, and just as hoped, the paparazzi were in full
force.

“
Must be a slow news day,” I
said.

“
No, anything with Jack’s
name on it is gold. Now give me a kiss, this is a great angle for
them.”

We kissed.

“
We have to get out and walk
now,” I said.

“
Right, easy for you to
say.”

We climbed down to the sand and walked
to the water, arm in arm.

“
Good angle again. Kiss
me.”

He pulled me up, my feet barely
touching the warm sand.

“
Turn so they can get your
face. I’m very pleased you didn’t have sex with Jack.”

“
But…it was close. It would
have happened if Silverman…”

“
Would it? Weren’t you
starting to feel your usual panic?”

“
No. Not at all.”

He turned and rested his arms on my
shoulders.

“
Look me in the eye and tell
me that.”

“
Oooooh! Damn you. How can
you tell I’m lying? How do you know me so well?”

“
I know it still bugs the
crap out of you that he’s your boss. Big kiss for the
cameras.”

He hugged me so tight I could barely
breathe.

“
I love you, I will always
love you,” he whispered. “Let me take you away from this monster,
take you somewhere safe. Today. Now.”

“
I don’t want to feel this
way. When I’m with you I’m in love with you, and when I’m with
Jack…” I turned and walked away from him.

“
Did you notice we’re the
only ones on the beach?” I asked.

“
Don’t look around. Luis is
on the pier sorting through trash, there are two undercover
officers at the restaurant having lunch, and Gloria is collecting
sea shells under the pier.”

“
How did you know that?
You’re brilliant.”

“
I know,” he
smiled.

A waiter came down from Sunnie’s
carrying a tray of food. He sat the tray on the sand and nodded to
us. Fritz handed him a tip.

“
I guess Silverman sent it,”
Fritz said.

“
Looks yummy. Their
guacamole is fantastic.”

I picked up my drink and there was a
white envelope stuck to the bottom. It had ‘Sam’ on it.

Fritz held it by the sides and turned
it over. A large thumbprint was on the back like a seal. It looked
like blood.

Fritz pulled out his phone but
Silverman was there before he could punch the button.

Silverman picked up the envelope, and
slit the top open with his knife. A small note was
enclosed.

Lilith, did you think I
would try something stupid with so many of your friends around?
Looking forward to tasting you again. I know you have missed me,
too. R.

Silverman put the note and envelope in
a large plastic bag.

I watched the reporters shoving and
pushing to get down the pier. Uniformed police officers stopped
them.

“
He was here, wasn’t he?” I
asked.

Silverman nodded.

“
In that sense today was a
success. We’ll get him, Princess. You just have to keep working
with us. You did a great job out there. Very believable. Maybe you
should go into acting.”

We both nodded sheepishly and then he
looked at us again.

“
Oh, I see. My, my, my. Mmm,
mmm, mmm. Does Mr. Hollywood know?”

“
Sort of…” I
said.

“
It’s a friendly rivalry.”
Fritz put his arm around me.

“
I hope it stays friendly,”
he smiled and walked away. “People get shot over such friendly
rivalries.” He grinned, his dimples showing.

The next day Robert took
pictures of the kids in the pool, marking the one he’d seen Sam
with. The kid with the frog. The littlest one.

Oscar was walking behind,
wanting to get away.

“
He looks sweet, juicy,
don’t he? I wonder how four year old blood tastes.”

Oscar ran to the car,
stopping to vomit along the way.

Friday

I had survived a week of shooting and I
felt like an old pro. When I awoke Friday morning instead of my
usual wakeup call from Fritz I woke to find him sitting beside me
grinning.

“
I brought you coffee. And I
put your paycheck in your account, as requested. Here’s your pay
slip.”

“
You’re sitting on the
blankets and I can’t get up.” I was snippy.

“
Sorry.” He put his coffee
down and leapt over me, curling up next to me.

“
Pay day. Wow.
Awesome.”

I opened the envelope and
gasped.

“
No way. This is
wrong.”

“
Nope. Jack thinks very
highly of you.” He rested his chin on my shoulder.

I sat on the side of the bed staring at
the piece of paper.

“
Now don’t get morose. Get
dressed. We’re going to the studio. Jack wants us traveling as a
pack. Unfortunately, I will have to be gone part of the day but
Roger will be limping along. He has a doctor’s appointment and then
he’ll join you at the studio. I have to go sign some papers for a
real estate deal.”

“
What’s on
today?”

“
The love scene.”

“
Good. Should be good for
his foot.” For some reason I was mad at the world.

“
Are you alright,
dearie?”

“
Yes. Now let me get my
shower and I’ll be down in a minute. Thanks for the
coffee.”

Jack slept on the way to the studio, as
usual. The set was quiet.

“
Going to be a closed set,
right?”

“
Right. They’ll probably let
you stay if you go off in a corner and don’t say a
peep.”

“
I promise. No
peeps.”

“
Jack is off to make-up and
costume and hopefully a mood booster. I’m off to the real estate
lawyer. Call me if you need anything. Or call Roger. He’s due in
here in a few hours.”

I sat in a small chair in a far corner.
I hoped they didn’t kick me out. I wasn’t sure where I would go and
after yesterday I had to assume Welsh could be anywhere.

Suddenly John pulled up a chair next to
me.

“
How are you? ‘Been seein’
you in the papers. ‘You and Jack on the outs?”

I tried to laugh.

“
Jack and I were never on
the in’s. I’m his therapist. I’m taking care of his poor foot.” I
didn’t trust John with any information. It was going to be hard
hats and safety vests with this joker.

“
I see, I see. But you and
Fritz…”

I shook my head.

“
So you are, as they say, a
free agent.”

“
As they say.”

His mouth was dangerously close to my
ear, his breath warm.

“
And you’re from Kansas
City.”

“
Yes.”

“
I’m from
Chicago.”

We seemed to suddenly be
intimate.

“
Mmm. I love Chicago. Only
went once. Family vacation. I loved the aquarium. Great memories.
The mind...is truly where we live. The mind is
everything.”

He shrugged. “I’d love to take you,
show you the sights, I have a lot of connections,” he leaned
closer, “when you are truly ready, Little One.” He rubbed my knee,
slowly moving his hand up and in. “I keep an apartment there.
Fantastic view of downtown, you’d love it. Large bed. And other
things you would grow to enjoy and appreciate. Maybe some weekend?
Lots of toys to play with.” He bit my earlobe.

“
Perhaps. When Jack is doing
better.”

“
Yeah, I heard he fell. Some
sort of disturbance at Leonardo’s.”

He looked at me with a smart-assed
all-knowing look.

“
Yes. He’s doing much better
now.”

His hand moved higher.

“
I don’t mean to pry…but I
heard you’re bi-sexual. I have to tell you that the thought of you
and another woman and me in Chicago…very, scalding hot, Sam. So
hot. I’d make it worth your while, like Jack does. Just name your
price. I’ll top his. I can help you, guide you, find what you truly
desire. And...you will be mine. Just name your price...”

I stared at him in disbelief. I wanted
to throw my coffee in his face but I didn’t want to get Jack in
trouble.

Smiling, I took his hand, placed it on
my chest and said:

“
John, my hot little
soldier, I couldn’t bear to share you with another woman. Or man.
Or beast. If it was going to happen it would have to be just you
and me.”

He smiled a knowing smile although I
had no clue what he knew. I gave him a long luxurious, sucking kiss
on his hand, putting his middle finger deep in my mouth.

He cleared his throat.

“
I’ll make all the
arrangements.”

“
When Jack is
better.”

“
Right.”

I felt physically sick. I had no one to
turn to with this. If I told Jack or Fritz they may have a
discussion with John. And John was the director. I had no idea how
this could play out, didn’t understand the power structures, the
politics.

I paced, ready to scream, ready to rip
John Black’s head off his shoulders.

I wanted a drink.

Jack and I had almost done it
yesterday. It was fantastic, no doubt about that, but now I saw it
in a whole different light. I was just a very expensive whore. And
when his foot was healed—or perhaps before—I would be let go.
Probably replaced. Fritz was right, I was too damn naïve. Too
stupid.

And then what?

I went back to my little chair and
watched Jack seduce Shandi. It wasn’t at all like I thought it
would be. They had to repeat parts over and over, but every time he
took her in his arms, kissing her breasts, climbing on top of her,
I felt my stomach twist.

U.S. Marshal Biggs was
standing over the grave. He touched the headstone. It was raining,
just a little, and the earth's scent wrapped around him, reminding
him that his daughter was six feet under it.

"Happy Birthday, baby." He
sang to her, choking on the last lines. He saw his ex-wife heading
for him. He turned, and strode away, never looking back.

I had to leave. I stopped one of the
crew.

“
Hi. I was wondering if
there’s a bar within walking distance of here?”

He smiled.

“
The Lone Elk is right
across the street. I can show you, if you like. I’m Blue. Willie
Blue.”

“
Thanks. Maybe next
time.”

It was easy sneaking out. I just
followed some of the crew who were bringing in boxes and taking out
props.

I felt like a rebel walking to the bar.
All the way across the street. Yeah, that was me, wild
woman.

The Lone Elk was a country bar that had
seen better days. The red front door had a broken spring dangling
down like a dead rat. The long bar ran along the right side with a
gilded mirror and a vintage nude painting.

Tables were placed randomly with three
mismatched booths on the left. The middle table held the only
customer, a very tall, older man in overalls and a plaid
shirt.

I went to the bar.

“
Boiler maker,” I said. I
figured that’s what wild women drank in the morning. Just to get
warmed up.

The bartender poured a beer and a shot.
I paid him with the last of my money and took them to a table. CNN
was on the big screen television reporting on a freak attack of
locust.

I’d never been in a bar alone or a bar
this early in the day.

The shot was fairly smooth, as smooth
as watered, cheap whiskey gets. And the beer was cold.

The overalls man turned and smiled at
me.