Lovers and Gamblers (38 page)

‘What did he say?’ asked Al, sudden anger coursing through him.

‘You know Bernie, but I told him.’

Sure. Al could just imagine. Fat Bernie had probably shrugged and said ‘What the fuck.’ After all it was no skin off his nose if Al got torn to pieces by his fans. Think of the publicity…

* * *

Evan, Plum and Glory were near the front when it happened.

‘Jest fall with the crowd, man,’ Plum yelled with excitement, ‘and hold on!’

Panic swept over Evan as pressure from the crowds behind propelled him forward. Hold on to what?

Glory was laughing and scrambling towards the stage. Plum grinned solidly. Neither girl seemed in the least put out by the sudden chaos.

Evan saw people swarming over the fallen security guards, using them as footrests to get a hoist up towards the stage. It didn’t seem to matter that Al was no longer on the stage.

‘Hang on in there, man,’ trilled Glory, ‘just keep on movin’.’

He could hardly do anything else. And then from behind he could hear pain-filled screams as more security guards moved in, wielding heavy truncheons in all directions.

He wanted to get out of there. But there was nowhere to go, nowhere to turn. Then suddenly he felt himself falling, knees buckling. And he knew if the mob behind him didn’t stop, he would be trampled to death.

* * *

Edna didn’t like New York. And – momentous decision – after all those years she finally admitted to herself that she didn’t like Melanie. She had always known in the back of her mind that her sister-in-law was a pain – but suddenly she found that she could come right out and think it, maybe even say it – only to Al, of course, she wouldn’t want to be disloyal to the family. The thing was that Paul was so nice. She had always been fond of him. Like her, he only had Al’s best interests at heart. Together they had supported Al on his climb to fame, and together they were still the only two people really close to him.

To see Melanie at work was a shock. Edna had always suspected that she played around, but to see her blatantly flirt with every man who crossed her path was disgusting.

Melanie had arrived in New York armed with a book of telephone numbers. People she had met, friends and business acquaintances of Al’s and Paul’s. She didn’t care who she called. ‘I’m not sitting in a hotel room for two days,’ she had told Edna when she objected. ‘I’m going out to have fun!’

Edna sat in the hotel room by herself whilst Melanie did just that. The first night she didn’t arrive home until four a.m. The second she didn’t bother to appear at all and breezed in with room service delivering breakfast. ‘Do you honestly think that Al and Paul aren’t out having themselves a good time?’ she demanded of Edna.

‘I’m sure they’re working very hard,’ Edna insisted.

‘Oh sure! And the rest. Don’t you know these tours have girls following them across the country? Girls who will do anything. A man would have to be the Pope to resist that kind of temptation. Paul and I have an understanding.’

Edna tightened her lips and didn’t pursue the conversation. Melanie was just not a nice person. It was quite obvious she had used and manipulated her to get her to agree to the trip. Now that they were almost there – she didn’t care any more. Edna was no longer useful.

The flight to New Orleans from Kennedy Airport was delayed by three hours. Melanie was furious, and bounced around the airport trying to cause a fuss. She finally caught the attention of an airline official who settled them in a private lounge and plied Melanie with vodka.

Edna leafed through magazines and willed the plane to be ready to take off soon. She didn’t want to miss Al’s birthday. After all, that was the whole point of the trip.

* * *

‘Thank Christ you weren’t there.’ Paul took Linda’s face in his hands and kissed her.

She wriggled free. ‘I miss all the good things. When I think of the pictures I could have gotten…’

‘You could have been crushed to death. I’ve never seen anything like it, it was frightening. Christ knows how many injuries we’re going to have with this one.’

‘Is Al all right?’

‘A little frantic. We’re still trying to locate Evan. No one seems to know whether he was there or not. Since he’s been hanging around with those weirdos he does his own thing.’

‘I saw him earlier with them in the lobby, but that was long before the concert.’

‘Bernie’s at the theatre. I’m going to take a ride over to the hospital. Now what I want you to do is to put a time stop on all the party arrangements – just a postponement – I hope we can go ahead later. Meanwhile, do me a favour and go and sit with Al – and if Evan turns up, contact Bernie.’ He kissed her. ‘I’ll be back soon, sweetheart.’

Linda did as she was told. What a wonderful secretary I would have made some lucky executive, she thought, as she darted around the hotel issuing instructions.

Wife – no. Secretary – yes.

Everything done, she made her way up to Al’s suite. He slouched morosely on the couch watching a late newscast of the event on television.

‘Some birthday!’ he said bitterly.

‘It’s not over yet,’ she replied briskly. ‘Any word on Evan?’

‘Nothing. I should never have let him go wandering off all over the place with those two freaks.’

‘You didn’t know this was going to happen.’

Al made a face. ‘This, that. I should know where the fuck he is. I was just so goddamn relieved he had found some friends that I let him do what he wanted.’

‘Can I fix you a drink?’ Linda asked, going over to the bar and sorting through the bottles.

‘Bourbon and coke. Heavy on the bourbon.’

‘Coming right up.’ As she was mixing his drink the phone rang. ‘Shall I get it?’ she inquired.

‘Yeah. I don’t want to talk to anyone unless it’s about Evan.’

She picked up the phone.

‘Got him!’ announced Paul triumphantly. ‘A little worse for wear, but still in the land of the living.’

‘Wonderful!’ exclaimed Linda. She handed the phone – to Al. ‘Paul’s found Evan, he’s all right.’

‘Thank Christ for that,’ Al replied, relief sweeping over him.

* * *

The girl was totally naked apart from gold paint all over her voluptuous body. She emerged from the giant cake holding aloft another smaller cake with thirty-eight candles burning brightly. ‘Watch out you don’t singe your tits!’ somebody shouted, and there was much raucous laughter.

Al accepted the smaller cake from her, weaving unsteadily on his feet. ‘Gotta thank everyone,’ he slurred, ‘for makin’ this a great evening. ’Specially Paul.’ He patted the naked girl on her bottom. ‘You another present, darlin’?’

‘Yeah – go on, give ’er one!’ a musician shouted. ‘An’ if you don’t want her, send her over here!’

Al sat at the head of a long table. On one side of him was Evan, surly and bruised, with his arm in a sling. On the other side sat Paul, and all along the table were the other members of the tour.

The birthday dinner party had turned out to be a big success, with everyone getting good and drunk to relieve the tension of what had happened earlier.

Al had loved his presents. A solid gold digital watch from Paul. Cufflinks shaped like a nude woman from Bernie. A leather-bound book of the best photos of the tour from Linda, and numerous sweaters, shirts and novelty gifts from everyone else.

Evan had not given him anything; and Nellie had embarrassed him with a thick chunky gold identity bracelet inscribed ‘Love from Nellie always’.

‘Cut the cake,’ Linda enthused. ‘It looks delicious.’

‘Sure,’ agreed Al, ‘you want to get off the table, darlin’?’

The naked Golden Lady allowed herself to be helped down to an accompaniment of lewd remarks.

‘Get her a chair,’ demanded Al. ‘Sit down next to me, darlin’ – have some champagne.’ He offered her a glass, but moved it out of reach when she went to take it. He did this three times, and she went along with the joke. Then – wham – he threw the glass of champagne all over her, and the rivulets of liquid mixed in psychedelic patterns with her gold body make-up.

She laughed along with the rest of them and sat down.

‘Want some cake?’ Al asked, warming to his audience.

‘Oh, no…’ she began, but too late. Al had picked up the cake and aimed it directly at her chest. Chocolate sponge, soft cream, and icing squelched its way across her bosoms.

‘Anyone for dessert?’ Al laughed.

Further down the table Nellie got up and hurried from the room.

Evan watched her go and wished that he could follow her. His arm hurt, his body ached, and he wished he knew where Glory and Plum had vanished to.

‘Hey, Evan, boyo.’ Al was nudging him, handing him a spoon. ‘Have some cake, help yourself. Go on, son, have yourself a time!’

‘If a day in Palm Springs will turn you into the Mack girl, why won’t you go?’ Cody persisted.

‘I don’t understand you,’ raged Dallas. ‘Are you dumb or something? The guy wants to get laid – LAID. Is that what you want me to do to become the Mack girl? Because if it is just tell me and then we’ll both know where we stand.’

‘You can handle him.’

‘Ha! I can handle him. Sweet. Lovely. But I don’t want to handle him. Are you with me? I
don’t want
to.’

‘Not physically, stupid.’

‘Don’t you call
me
stupid. I have had a tough life – and if I was stupid I wouldn’t be here today.’

‘What sort of a tough life have you had? A girl with your looks.’

Dallas laughed bitterly. ‘Oh boy! You’re not even interested in my background. What do you care? Here I am – all ready for you to promote. What does my
past
matter.
You
don’t give a shit.’ She paused, stared at him wearily. ‘Why don’t you just go on home, Cody?’

They stood outside her house arguing. She was tired and angry. She had hated the party. Hated the bullshit. And hated Cody for even suggesting she go along with it.

‘Aarron Mack is calling me first thing,’ Cody said. ‘I promised him I’d talk to you.’

‘Why don’t
you
go to Palm Springs with him?’ Dallas suggested sweetly. ‘He liked you, he’s old, almost senile, I’m sure he won’t notice whether it’s you or me pulling on his rocks.’

‘You really can be disgusting.’

‘Almost as disgusting as you and your suggestions.’

‘I am not suggesting anything,’ argued Cody desperately. ‘I’m just saying that if you went to Palm Springs with him, the Mack girl contract would be ours. You could fly back the same day. He just wants to be seen with you – that’s all. I’ll come too if you like.’

‘God, you’re naive! How can anybody live in this city, work in the film business, and still be naive!’

‘Trust me, Dallas. I got you
Man Made Woman
, didn’t I? I got you an unbelievable deal didn’t I? Well, I’ll get you a million-dollar contract to be the Mack girl. You want it? Come to Palm Springs and I will not leave your side – I promise.’

‘You promise?’ She was starting to weaken.

‘Naive agent’s honour!’

‘Oh God! You really are a hustler!’

‘I know. Will you come?’

She sighed, smiled. ‘I guess a million dollars is tempting. But you must not—’

‘Leave your side,’ he finished for her. ‘I’ll call you first thing and give you the schedule.’

* * *

Palm Springs was gloriously hot. Aarron kept a small house there. Six bedrooms with bathrooms en suite, a gigantic living area, Olympic-size pool, and modest golf course.

‘Nice little place,’ Dallas observed drily.

‘I don’t use it much,’ Aarron explained, ‘two or three times a year. If you would ever care to avail yourself of the facilities, please feel free to be my guest. Do you play golf, Cody?’

‘Sorry, no.’

‘Don’t be sorry. I don’t play myself. I just have it for my guests.’

‘I’d like to sunbathe,’ Dallas decided.

‘Of course,’ Aarron agreed, ‘and then I have arranged a small luncheon party for you.’

‘For me?’

‘As it was such short notice I was not able to contact many people. But twenty-five should suffice.’

‘Oh yes,’ nodded Dallas, winking at Cody. ‘Small but nice!’

She changed into a white crochet bikini, and lay out on a yellow-striped chaise longue.

Aarron sat on a chair, clad in a bathrobe, and sheltered by an umbrella. He never took his small beady eyes off her.

Cody reluctantly climbed into his swimming shorts. He wasn’t athletic, never had the patience for exercise and keeping fit. He was decidedly flabby around the middle – and embarrassingly white for a person who had lived all his life in California. He was ashamed for Dallas to see him, but with the clever use of a towel he managed to negotiate a spot somewhere between her and Aarron without revealing too much of himself.

After regarding Dallas intently for some length of time Aarron finally said, ‘You’ve changed.’

She shielded her eyes from the sun and glanced up at him. ‘I have?’

‘Very much so. In New York you were different.’

‘I was?’

‘I felt there that you were a girl who would go out with a man simply for his money.’

She yawned. ‘It didn’t get you anywhere though, did it?’

‘I apologize if I insulted you in any way. I see now that you are not that sort of a girl at all.’

‘Thanks,’ she replied sarcastically.

Cody tried to get up unobtrusively, tripped, and fell in the pool. He wasn’t fond of the fact that Aarron Mack was conducting a conversation over his head as if he didn’t exist. If it wasn’t for me, Aarron, old sport, she wouldn’t even be here today.

He decided to swim the length of the pool ten times. Get rid of some of his flab and give them a chance to talk.

‘Would you like to be the Mack girl?’ Aarron asked.

‘Would you expect any personal favours in return?’ Dallas replied coolly.

Aarron shrugged. ‘I am an old man. I am not demanding.’

‘That’s not an answer.’

‘I could offer you more than you’ve ever dreamed of…’

‘And wonderful presents.’

‘What?’

She laughed softly, ‘Just remembering, Aarron.’

‘Will you think about it?’

‘Nope.’