Lovers and Gamblers (31 page)

‘I’ve got a fitting at the studio at two thirty,’ Dallas was saying. ‘Maybe after, we could drive down to the beach. If I didn’t start work tomorrow I would really show you around. Perhaps when the tour finishes, you could come back, spend a couple of weeks – a month – as long as you like. That’s if sleeping on the couch isn’t too awful.’

‘It’s very comfortable. I might take you up on that. Somehow I don’t think I see Paul whisking me back to London with him. Did I remember to tell you never to get involved with a married man?’

‘Hang on there – I’m all booked out to a male hooker!’

Dialling Cody’s number Dallas felt bad about the line she would have to feed him. Lies. God how she wished that she didn’t have to lie to Cody. But it was for his own protection – for their mutual protection.

He answered on the fourth ring. ‘Cody Hills.’

‘Dallas,’ she replied, copying his businesslike tone.

‘Oh, you’re back,’ his voice was flat.

‘Such enthusiasm! This is your star, don’t I get more than an “Oh, you’re back”?’

He hesitated then, ‘Sorry, been on business calls all morning. Was everything all right?’

‘Perfection. I sorted it all out. Hey – do I merit a lunch at least? My girlfriend, Linda, is with me and I want you to meet her.’

‘I’m supposed to be viewing office premises…’

‘Terrific. We’ll come with you. Where shall we meet?’

Aggravated, he gave her the address. He hung up the phone, went in the bathroom, took a handful of stomach pills. An incipient ulcer had been lurking for years.

He was mad at himself for not being able to conceal his annoyance with her. But annoyance wasn’t even the right word. Jealousy would be more like it. And Christ, you really had to be a schmuck to be jealous of a client.

If he wasn’t careful he would give himself away. ‘What was that orgy at your house last night?’

‘That was no orgy, that was my idea of fun.’ Shit! Her personal life was none of his business. If he was smart he would keep it that way.

He had a sudden idea, and glancing at his watch, he quickly picked up the phone.

* * *

After securing the negatives in a safe deposit box, there was time to do a little shopping. They wandered down Rodeo Drive peering in shop windows. Linda bought an Indian ivory choker and matching bangle.

‘Looks amazing with your hair,’ Dallas assured her. ‘If only we had time we could drive down to Palm Springs and go to the Indian reservation, they have a shop right at the top of a mountain where they sell all silver and turquoise stuff they make themselves. Cody told me about it. I’d love to go.’

‘So would I. I really don’t know why I cheated myself out of a trip here before. I’m an American who has never seen America!’

‘You’re seeing it now with the tour.’

‘Hotel suites. Limousines. Concert halls. Sports stadiums. Boring parties where everyone hangs around Al. Oh, and did I tell you his son has joined us now?’

Dallas looked surprised. ‘His son?’

‘Poor kid, I feel sorry for him. A spotty teenager who is obviously petrified of his father – and Al in his stylish way keeps on throwing grotesque whores in his direction.’

‘What about his wife?’

‘What about her? I don’t think she’s allowed out. Who knows if she even exists. Al is the supreme chauvinist. An egotistical son of a bitch.’

‘You really like him, don’t you?’

‘I see right through him.’

‘A man like that must have tremendous problems.’

‘The only thing tremendous about Al is his dick! And boy, is he spreading the news – as well as the legs of every female who crosses his path.’

‘He hasn’t changed then?’

Linda laughed. ‘Al, changed? You must be kidding!’

Dallas launched into another subject of conversation, but her thoughts lingered with Al. His timing on the phone call had been bad. What else could she have said to him with Lew Margolis standing right there? Anyway, what was there to say? Hello. How are you. Goodbye.

She remembered his arms around her the night they had danced together in Regines in Monte Carlo.

She remembered the sudden warm excitement when he looked at her. When his black eyes travelled down her body.

She remembered the way they had joked together. The conversations loaded with sexual innuendo.

As she thought about him her body responded, and suddenly, walking down Rodeo Drive, she was seized with a strong sexual longing. A feeling so powerful she could hardly believe it. It was a feeling she had experienced so little in life. One time with Burt at the zoo. A couple of times with Bobbie. And now.

Maybe Linda was right. Maybe a man who would think only of her pleasure was what she needed. Or Cody, if only she could will this feeling in Cody’s direction.

They had reached the car. Thankfully Dallas slid behind the wheel. She banished Al from her thoughts and tried to concentrate on what Linda was saying. Al King was bad news. Even
she
knew that.

Cody saw the car Dallas was driving approach, he managed a wave, indicated the parking lot attached to the building, and then turned to Irene who stood demurely beside him. Irene had been his brilliant idea – well, actually Evelyn, not Irene – but Evelyn had been in the midst of mother problems and unable to make lunch. Irene was second best, and she looked it. He had not seen her for several weeks and she appeared to have gained ten pounds. And why had he never noticed how hairy she was? Throughout their two-year intimate relationship he had never before noticed the fact that she had the suspicions of a moustache. She did have great legs, though – short but great.

‘It’s nice to see you again, Cody,’ Irene said. ‘I couldn’t imagine why I hadn’t heard from you.’

‘I told you what with leaving the agency and everything I’ve just been so busy. But I’m really glad you could manage lunch today.’

She squeezed his arm. ‘I have missed you. When am I going to see you…’ She paused meaningfully. ‘Properly?’

He wondered briefly if a moustache and an extra ten pounds would affect their previously quite erotic sex life. He decided it probably would.

‘I don’t know. Work, work, work – you know how it is.’

‘Oh, I know, I know. You don’t have to tell me. Why, this week my boss—’

‘Here they come,’ interrupted Cody, and as usual he was knocked out by Dallas. She really was the most unbelievably beautiful girl. She strode towards him like a graceful leopard, her long hair blowing around her face. Her body emphasized by the thin silk shirt tucked into white jeans. He hardly noticed the girl with her, every female seemed to be nonexistent next to Dallas.

‘Hi there,’ she said, presenting him with a hug and a kiss. ‘Told you I’d only be away a minute. This is Linda, she’s going to be spending a few days with me.’

He smiled at Linda, blackly wondering if she had been involved in the previous night’s orgy.

Irene stepped forward. ‘My name is Irene Newman,’ she announced formally, pumping Dallas by the hand, ‘no relation to Paul!’ giggle, giggle. ‘I’m so pleased to meet you, Cody has told me all about the wonderful contract he’s gotten you.’ She paused, squeezed Cody’s arm in an intimate fashion. ‘If there is anything I can do for you, please say. Cody tells me you’re new in town. I know he’s rented a house for you, but y’know – any girl things I can help out on – beauty parlour, gym – oh, and I have a marvie place where I get a discount on sports clothes. If you like I can…’

Cody listened in amazement. Irene the talker. Was there no end to the surprises she had in store for him?

They viewed the office space, Irene chattering throughout.

‘What do you think?’ Cody asked Dallas.

‘Wonderful!’ replied Irene. ‘You could move in tomorrow. All you need is a desk and a nice chair. I knew a place on Fairfax…’

Dallas shrugged helplessly.

On the way down in the elevator she pulled Cody to one side. ‘I think we’ll pass on the lunch. I didn’t realize you had a date, why didn’t you say?’

‘It doesn’t matter, she’s just an – er – old friend. Come on – you must have lunch.’

Dallas glanced at her watch. ‘No, really I have to be at the studio by two, I won’t have time. Linda and I will grab a hamburger somewhere.’

He nodded miserably. What a bad idea Irene had been. ‘I’ll call you later, then.’

‘Fine.’ She dazzled him with a smile. ‘Maybe we can have an early dinner.’

‘I don’t know, I might be tied up.’ He could kick himself for being so petty and stupid, but he couldn’t help it.

She looked disappointed.

‘But I’ll try,’ he added lamely.

‘Do that,’ she replied with an understanding smile.

Bernie had noticed the two girls in every city they had visited. He had seen them only as part of huge crowds of girls who hung around the hotel entrances and concert venues. They had not really registered properly until Chicago, when he had suddenly realized that they were following Al across the country. They were both quite young, but neither of them was very pretty.

He ambled over to them, and found out their names. I mean – what the fuck – these two were true fans. A little publicity wouldn’t go amiss. He could throw a few free tickets their way, some souvenir programmes, a T-shirt or two.

Plum was nineteen and fat, a little larger than Bernie himself.

Glory, on the other hand, was extremely skinny. Sixteen, with freaked-out hair and a funny pointed face.

They were ecstatic that they had finally been noticed. Plum informed Bernie that they had pooled their savings, given up their jobs, just to be close to Al. Sometimes they hitched across country, sometimes took a train. From Miami to Chicago they had invested in plane fares to get them there in time.

‘Well, girlies, today you just got lucky,’ Bernie announced. ‘Be back here around six and I’m gonna take you in and let you meet the big man himself. How does that grab you?’

‘I’ll faint,’ quavered Glory. ‘Man, I’ll just faint right away!’

‘Can you give us tickets for tonight?’ asked Plum shrewdly.

‘Sure,’ agreed Bernie. ‘You mean you came all this way and you don’t have tickets?’

‘Yeah, we got tickets. But like, we need the bread – so we’ll make a little green stuff on ours –
use
yours.’

Bernie shrugged. ‘Whatever turns you on.’

Glory giggled. ‘Al turns me on. Like he turns my legs to jelly, man. Like when I’m not even stoned, he
turns me inside out
. Ain’t no one can do that to me less I’m out of it.’ She gripped Bernie’s arm tightly. ‘You know him, you’re tight with him – tell him if he wants a trip will blow his head off…’ She paused, scratching desperately at her frizzy hair, her eyes glazed over, she almost fell.

‘She’s just hungry,’ said Plum stoically. ‘We haven’t eaten since the plane yesterday, and the crap they expect you to eat. I wouldn’t give that crap to a cat.’

Bernie fished in his pocket, counted out five dollars, handed it to Plum. ‘Get some food and a wash or something. Fix yourselves up, I’ll have photographers here.’

‘On five bucks we’re gonna eat, wash, and fix ourselves up? Who you kiddin’?’

‘So don’t eat. You want to meet Al be back here at six.’

Plum scowled. ‘Cheap.’

Glory, revived, muttered, ‘I could blow the brains off a monkey!’ and lapsed back into a daze.

Bernie peeled off another five dollars. ‘Buy her a steak, make her human.’ He started to walk away.

‘Don’t forget our tickets,’ Plum shouted after him.

* * *

Al had slept most of the day away. Then at five he had woken, decided he needed a woman, and Paul had tracked down Rita of the pneumatic boobs for him.

‘Don’t tell Van I’m here,’ she had pleaded, ‘he wouldn’t allow it. I’m supposed to work exclusively for him.’

‘Are you a pro?’ Al asked.

‘Of course not. I’m a model. Van pays me – very generously, so sometimes I do him little favours.’

‘Open your legs,’ Al said crudely. ‘I want to see if you’ve got a camera hidden up there!’

She did not appreciate the joke. But she did service him expertly, and left him with a strong feeling of disgust.

He did not take kindly to Bernie’s suggestion of a photo session with two fans who were trailing him across the country. But Bernie insisted. It was a story bound to make all the newspapers, and a nice human interest story for either
Time
or
People
.

Glory and Plum turned up promptly at six in full battle-dress. Bernie would have bet that Plum had used the money to get Glory a shot of whatever she was hooked on. From a quiet little zombie she had turned into Miss Personality.

Plum looked even fatter in blue jeans and a satin jacket. Glory even thinner in red stockings on stick legs, and a voluminous sweater.

They pawed at Al like a couple of agitated puppies whilst the cameras clicked away. He smiled, joked, put his arms around them, presented them with signed photos.

The cameras kept flashing.

Glory whispered in his ear, ‘I’d like to swallow your cock all down in one piece, right into my stomach.’

Al pushed her pleasantly away, extracted himself from Plum. ‘Enough, boys,’ he said to the photographers.

‘Dynamite!’ wheezed Bernie. ‘World-wide coverage tomorrow.’

‘Get ’em out of here,’ hissed Al, ‘I’ve got a show to think about.’

* * *

When he strode on stage, nothing else mattered. The disgust, the problems with Evan, the boredom, Edna, Dallas. Everything was obliterated as his music came crashing protectively round him.

He opened up with ‘Blue Funk Rock’, followed it with ‘Keep It’ – both his own compositions. Then he launched into a medley of songs made famous by some of his favourite artists. Al Green’s ‘Let’s Stay Together’, Bobby Womack’s ‘I Can Understand It’, Wilson Pickett’s ‘Midnight Hour’, Stevie Wonder’s ‘You Are the Sunshine of My Life’. And to finish, Isaac Hayes’s ‘Never Can Say Goodbye’.

The audience loved it. They would love it if he stood on his head and whistled ‘Dixie’!

He was halfway through ‘Random Love’ when it happened. An explosion so muffled that only the people in the immediate vicinity were affected. But as some of those people were blown to bits, the panic and chaos spread within seconds.