The Love Machine (63 page)

She lay there and stared at the ceiling. Age changed everything. One couldn’t spend a night locked in a man’s arms because of night sweats and snoring. And if she fell asleep at a bad angle her breasts would hang. Suddenly she looked down at the maroon robe she still wore. He hadn’t even bothered to take it off. He hadn’t even seen her body or touched her—just entered her and pleased himself.

She slipped out of bed and went to the bathroom and dressed quietly. When she came back into the bedroom, Robin was sitting up. He seemed to have sobered completely.

“Judith, did I conk out that fast? What time is it?”

“Midnight.” Back in the Chanel suit she felt poised and assured.

“Why are you all dressed?”

“I feel I should be home, in case the hospital calls.”

He jumped out of bed and threw on his shorts. “Of course. I’ll get dressed and take you home. It won’t take a second.”

“No, Robin.” She went to him and put her arms around him. It was only midnight; if he was up and dressed he might still call Ingrid. Besides, he’d hate her if he had to dress and go out. “Robin, I can catch a cab. Please, go back to bed. You have a hard day ahead.”

He put his arm around her waist and walked her to the door.

“Will I see you tomorrow?” she asked.

“No, I’m going to Philadelphia for a few days. I want to tape Diana Williams doing her show.”

“When will you be back?”

“Two or three days—all depends.”

She put her arms around him. “Robin, you’ve never kissed me.”

He kissed the top of her head obediently.

“I mean
really
kiss me.”

He smiled. “Not in a drafty doorway.” He stared at her curiously, then he said, “Come here.” He took her in his arms and kissed her deeply. “There,” he said, as he released her. “I can’t let you go home unfulfilled, not with the risk you took.”

After he closed the door, she walked to the elevator wondering why she felt so let down. She had been with Robin, and she would be with him again. Only next time she wouldn’t let him drink so much.

But in the two weeks that followed, the rapid deterioration of Gregory’s morale precluded any thought of next time. He was recovering physically, but his emotional state frightened her. Robin dropped by but Gregory refused to talk about plans for IBC. He sat huddled in his bathrobe, staring vacantly out of the window.

When he was discharged from the hospital, he took to his bed at home and lay staring at the ceiling. He refused to believe the laboratory reports. He claimed he felt pains in his neck, in his hips. “It’s all through me, I know it,” he moaned.

And one morning he awoke and found himself completely paralyzed from the waist down. He couldn’t move his legs or sit up. Dr. Lesgarn was summoned immediately. He stuck a pin in Gregory’s leg, and when there was no reaction, he sent for an ambulance. Gregory was put through extensive tests. It was not a stroke, as Judith had feared: every test proved negative. A neurologist was called in.

Dr. Chase, a leading psychiatrist, talked to Gregory. Another internist was summoned. Their opinion was unanimous. There was no physical cause for Gregory’s paralysis.

They met with Judith and explained their findings. She was terrified. She sat staring at them, mutely pleading for an explanation.

“I suggest hospitalization,” the psychiatrist said.

“You mean he stays here?” Judith asked.

The psychiatrist shook his head. “No, I’m speaking of a psychiatric hospital. The New York branch of Payne Whitney or the Hartford Institute-”

Judith covered her face. “No, no, not Greg—he couldn’t sit around with a bunch of idiots!”

The psychiatrist stiffened. “Mrs. Austin, most of the patients are men of high intelligence and sensitivity. An insensitive person rarely suffers a breakdown.”

“I don’t care. Gregory wouldn’t want to live if word got out that he was there. It would ruin his life. And the IBC stockholders would panic—no, we can’t risk that.”

Dr. Lesgarn looked thoughtful. He turned to Dr. Chase. “What about that place in Switzerland? Gregory could go there under an assumed name. They also have bungalows where the wives can live with their husbands while the husband undergoes treatment. Gregory would receive excellent psychiatric care, and no one would know. Judith could release word to the newspapers that they were going on an extended trip to Europe.”

He looked at her and managed a smile. “And you could even run over to Paris or London and send cards to your friends to keep up the pretense.”

“This is ridiculous,” Dr. Chase snorted. “There is nothing disgraceful about a man needing psychiatric care. There are wonderful places here in the States. And I seen no need for this ridiculous secrecy.”

Dr. Lesgarn shook his head. “I understand Mrs. Austin’s point. The publicity would not be good for the network. IBC is known as a one-man operation; if that man doesn’t function, the stockholders might panic. Switzerland is the best bet.” He turned to Judith. “But it might mean six months to a year or even longer.”

“I’ll chance it,” she said firmly. She told Dr. Lesgarn to make immediate arrangements. Then she went home and made two calls. One to Cliff Dome, the other to Robin Stone. She asked both men to come to see her immediately.

They arrived at six o’clock. Judith didn’t offer them a drink. She received them in Gregory’s den and told them the entire story. Then she said, “If one word of this gets out, I shall deny it, and
as his wife, I will dismiss you both. Since he is unable to make any decisions, I have his power of attorney.”

“No one is arguing that,” Cliff said quietly. “I think your decision is right. The stock would drop ten points in one day if word got out. And in a very minor way, I am also a stockholder.”

“Then we’re in full accord.” When both men nodded, she went on. “I want Robin Stone to be given full command. Cliff, I want Dan informed of this tomorrow. He is to be told that Gregory will be vacationing for an indefinite time, and that he is to report to Robin. Robin’s decisions will be final.”

She refused to meet the expression of disbelief in Cliff’s eyes. She stood up as a signal that the meeting had ended.

“Robin, if you can stay, I’d like to talk to you,” she said.

Cliff hesitated at the door. “I’ll wait outside, then. There are certains things I want to discuss with you, Mrs. Austin.”

“Can’t they wait until tomorrow? I’m very tired.”

“I’m afraid they can’t. You’re leaving tomorrow at midnight, and there are some urgent matters that need your attention now.”

Robin walked to the door. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Mrs. Austin. How about lunch?”

“Yes. Will you come here? I’ll be terribly busy packing.”

“One o’clock all right?” When she nodded, he left the room.

The moment the door closed, she turned on Cliff. She didn’t try to hide her antagonism. “What’s so urgent?”

“Does Gregory know about this move?”

“Gregory scarcely knows his own name! Can’t you understand? He’s lying there paralyzed. He’s a vegetable!”

“Mrs. Austin, do you realize what you are doing?”

“I’m doing what Gregory would do.”

“I don’t agree. He put Robin in to control Danton’s power. Now you are not only giving all the power to one man, but you are making him autonomous.”

“If I divided the power, the network would crumble. Danton is jealous of Robin—he would fight any ideas Robin might have, then nothing would be decided. There has to be one head.”

“Then why not Danton?”

“Because Gregory doesn’t trust him.”

“What makes you think he can trust Robin?”

“I had a D & B on him. Robin is a millionaire in his own right. That means he can’t be gotten to.”

Cliff shook his head. “Power is an acquired taste. Once you get it, you find you like it. Also, I happen to think Dan is better qualified for the job.”

“Dan’s a lush.”

“But not on the job. He’s brought some good shows to IBC. He also knows how to run a network. And how do you think Dan will take the idea of Robin being put over him?”

She shrugged. “That’s his problem.”

“His position will be intolerable,” Cliff said. “He’ll have to quit to save face.”

“Will it be easier for him to face the loss of a job?” she asked.

“When someone makes an emotional decision, they rarely take time to logicize. Anger often breeds false courage.”

“Well, that’s his problem,” she said with finality.

Cliff Dome made the announcement at a full-scale meeting the following morning at nine. At nine thirty Danton Miller handed in his resignation. Cliff tried to talk him out of it: “Stick it out, Dan. This will blow over. Gregory will return. I thought you were the one man who was born with a built-in survival kit.”

Dan managed a faint imitation of his normal smile. “Sometimes to survive, one must retreat. Don’t worry about me, Cliff. Meanwhile, who are you planning to put in my place?”

Cliff shrugged. “George Anderson is the logical choice, but Robin has already sent for Sammy Tebet.”

“Fight
him on it!” Dan stated. “Sammy is a good man, but he’s cut from the same cloth as Robin. Harvard, a society background—he’ll go along with all of Robin’s thinking.”

Cliff smiled. “I have to survive too. And my idea of survival is being on the scene, keeping an eye on the store. At the moment I can’t fight Robin. I can only watch him.”

Robin was aware of Cliff Dome’s hostility. But he wasn’t out to win any popularity contests. He worked well with Sammy Tebet, and after a few weeks most of the personnel at IBC had
forgotten there had ever been a man named Danton Miller. Vice-presidents put their black suits and black ties in storage and began to emulate Robin’s Oxford gray.

Robin worked hard. He watched television every night, and made only rare appearances at the Lancer Bar. Gradually he lost all contact with the world. Nothing existed but IBC and the competitive shows. He read every program idea and had a dozen new pilots lined up to view on the Coast.

He was just leaving for the airport when Dip called. He had forgotten about Dip in the frenetic activity of the past few weeks.

“How’s my buddy, the big executive?” Dip’s cheerful voice blasted through the wire. “I was going to call and congratulate you, but I’ve been so busy helping Pauli.”

Robin smiled. “Seems the last time we spoke you were on your way to kill her.”

“You know me, pal—I burn fast, then cool off. Besides, she can’t get along without me. I cue her, work with her. It’s a cinch that the way Diana Williams is hitting the sauce, Pauli will get a chance to play the part after it opens on Broadway. How’s about coming to Philly with me tonight and catching the show?”

“I’m on my way to the Coast, Dip. I have to look at some pilots for next February’s dropouts.”

“Okay, and while you’re out there, drop the word around that I’m up for something big.”

“Are you?”

“Nah, but say it anyhow. They believe anything out there.”

The flight to the Coast was tedious. He found himself thinking about Judith Austin. Their last lunch together had been all business, until the very end. Then she had looked into his eyes and said,
“Ciao
—for now.” His first inclination had been to ignore the intimate urgency in her eyes, but she had seemed so helpless and vulnerable in that large house. For some crazy reason she had made him think of Kitty, and he had pressed her hand, forced an easy smile and said, “Yes,
ciao
for now.”

Well, Gregory would be away for a long time, and Judith would probably find plenty of European companions. He pushed her from his mind and tried to watch the movie. And when it ended, he studied the presentations for the pilots he was going to view.

He was eager for the goddam plane to land, eager to stretch his legs, but most of all, he was eager to see Maggie Stewart.

He called her when he checked into the Beverly Hills Hotel. She was surprised to hear his voice and agreed to meet him at six o’clock at the Polo Lounge.

When she walked into the bar he realized he had forgotten how beautiful she was. She smiled as she slid into the booth. “I thought you’d never talk to me again, after that fire.”

He reached out and squeezed her hand. “Are you kidding? I thought it was very funny.”

“How is Diana’s show doing?” she asked.

“I wouldn’t know. I haven’t seen the lady except on business-it seems someone turned our budding romance into ashes. How is your new picture, by the way?”

She grimaced. “I saw a rough cut of it last week.” She drained her Scotch and ordered another.

He looked at her curiously. “Is it really that bad?”