The Love Machine (73 page)

“I might be able to help. But why not take the television series? It would be great exposure for you, good money, and Alfie won’t be doing the picture until next year.”

She looked at him slowly. “And then you’ll pop out here every few months and we’ll meet, fuck and talk about my career?”

“I’ll be out here a lot-”

“That means we’ll fuck a lot and talk a lot.” She got out of bed.

“What
do
you want, Maggie?”

She stood in the center of the room. The bathroom light spilled on her body. He could see the anger in her eyes. “I want
you!
Tonight was marvelous, but as always, I’ll hate myself in the morning. I’ll feel like an accommodation—your West Coast lay!”

He was out of bed in an instant and took her in his arms. “Dammit, you know that’s not true. I could get any girl in this town just because I have jobs to give out.”

“And you’ve just offered me the plum—the big job, a lead in a series. And for that I’m supposed to be ready to jump at a phone call! God, it sounds like a plot for a B picture. Tell me, who is the New York girl you’ve got stashed away, ready to rush to the Lancer Bar at a moment’s notice? And is there one in Chicago? There would have to be—you have to stop and refuel the Flying Couch.”

He broke away from her and put on his shorts. She reached for a robe and lit a cigarette. She watched him as he dressed.

Suddenly he smiled. “The Flying Couch—is that what they call my plane?”

“Didn’t you read
Undercover
last month?”

“What the hell is that?”

“A scandal sheet. You were on the cover. You don’t only make
Newsweek
and
Timel
You make a lot of magazines. And according to
Undercover
you don’t care
what’s
on that Flying Couch with you, man or woman, just as long as you can hump!”

He slapped her hard. She went limp and burst into tears. Then she fell into his arms. “Oh God, Robin, why do we try to destroy one another?” she sobbed.

“I care for you, Maggie, and I want you to take this job.”

“I don’t want a payoff!” The tears ran down her face. “Can’t you understand? The only thing I want in this world is
you!”

“You
have
me! More than any woman in the world has ever had me. I still wear your goddam faggy little ankh ring.”

When she didn’t answer, he said, “Does a wedding ring make all the difference?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

“Okay, what?” she asked.

“Okay, we’ll get married.” He looked at his watch. It was nine fifteen—he had to get to Judith but he wanted to settle it with Maggie. “It will mean you’re Mrs. Robin Stone. But I have to be free to come and go. Like right now, I have to leave.”

She stared at him. “You
what?”

“I have to take a lady to a party.”

For a moment she stared at him in disbelief. She backed away from him as if he had struck her. “You mean you came here, knowing you had a late date, knowing you were going to jump out of bed and go to another woman?”

“It’s nothing like that. The lady is Mrs. Austin.”

“That makes everything legal. She’s not exactly Dame May Whitty.”

“Maggie, let’s not get Mrs. Austin involved with us.”

“Oh, she’s
above
all that!” She laughed. “You want to be free, yet you have to jump when Mrs. Austin snaps her fingers. Is that how you got to be head of IBC?”

“I’m going to leave, Maggie. I don’t want you to say things you really don’t mean. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“There is no tomorrow for us.” Her eyes blazed.

“You don’t mean that, Maggie.”

She turned away and he knew she was sobbing. He went to her and took her in his arms. “Maggie, I
care
for you. Good God, how else can I prove it? I’m asking you to
marry
me. If you want me for what I am, fine. I want you.”

“I want you to
need me
, Robin,” she sobbed. “I was married to a man who didn’t need me, except for one thing—an heir. Robin, don’t you understand? I love you so much that it scares me. I was hurt when Hudson cheated on me even though I never loved him. But I’d never survive if you let me down. Don’t you think I’ve tried to forget you? With Andy, Adam, all my leading men. But it didn’t work. I don’t want you to marry me because you feel you’re doing me a favor. I want you to marry me because you
want
me, because you want to share everything with me—your thoughts, your love, your problems. Not just your body. Can’t you understand, Robin?
I want you to need me.”

“Looks like we can’t close the deal,” he said slowly. Then he smiled oddly. “You see, baby, I don’t need anyone.”

She nodded slowly in defeat. “Dan Miller once said that about you.”

“Then Dan is brighter than I thought.” He started for the door. “Do you want the job?”

“No.”

“Do you want marriage?”

She shook her head. “Not on your terms.”

He opened the door. “I’ll be here for four or five days. If you change your mind on either count …”

She stared at him, her eyes heavy with tears. “Don’t call me anymore, Robin. Please. Never!”

“You really mean that?”

She nodded. “Not unless you can call and say you
need
me.”

She waited until she heard the elevator close behind him before she fell on the bed and sobbed.

Robin entered the lobby of the Beverly Hills Hotel at one minute before ten. Five minutes later Judith swept down looking like shimmering gold. She had never looked better and she had never stirred more compassion within him. He thought of Maggie
with her ponytail and the purple shadows under her eyes. And he knew that no matter how hard he tried, he could never make love to Judith again.

He managed a bright smile as he walked toward her. “You’re going to put all the movie stars to shame,” he said.

“It’s the only thing that didn’t wrinkle. And I’ve worn it to death at all the parties in New York.”

“I only have a rented Rambler. It’s not elegant enough for you,” he said as he led her to his car.

She snuggled against him in the front seat. “I like this better than a limousine.” She watched his profile as he drove up the sloping hills. “Robin, I’ve missed you,” she said softly.

“A beautiful woman like you shouldn’t miss anyone,” he said easily. “Judith, watch for the signs on your side. Alfie’s house is on Swallow Drive—all these damn streets have birds’ names.”

“We’re on Doheny now,” she said.

“That’s where we’re supposed to be. Somewhere near here we take a sharp turn.”

She concentrated on the street signs.

“I acted like a child,” she said slowly.

“When?”

“Flying to meet you in Chicago.”

“I thought it was a bit reckless, but charming.”

“I’ve done a lot of thinking, Robin. I can’t hurt Gregory, he needs me.”

“Good girl. And I think you need him, too.”

“No, I need you.”

“Ah—here’s Swallow Drive. And that must be the house, where all the Rollses and Bentleys are parked.”

A prowl car was just pulling up as Robin parked. “You going in there, mister?” the officer asked.

Robin nodded. “I believe there’s a party.”

The officer laughed. “This is the third time I’ve been sent here. Look, tell Alfie Knight I’m a fan and he’s entitled to have some fun, but the lady down the street has a baby that’s teething.”

“I’ll do my best,” Robin promised. He helped Judith out of the car.

The officer stared at her, dismissed her as a civilian and then turned his attention back to Robin. “Say, don’t I know you? You
look familiar. Of course! I used to watch the
In Depth
show when you were on it. Robin Stone,
right?”

“Right.”

“Almost every celebrity in town is at that party. Say, you should be back doing that show. I liked you—you’re almost as good as Huntley and Brinkley.”

“He has the Happening show now,” Judith said with a hint of possessive pride.

“No kidding. Well, I’m on night duty lately so I don’t get to see much TV.” He waited until Robin started up the path. Then in a low voice he called, “Mr. Stone, could I see you a second—alone?”

Robin hesitated. Judith smiled and nodded. He left her and returned to the prowl car.

“Listen, Mr. Stone. I know that broad with you isn’t your wife. She’s got too much mileage for that.”

Robin’s gaze was cold. He waited for the officer to go on.

“Look, I’m not butting in. I just want to tip you off—in case she’s someone else’s wife… .”

“I don’t think I understand,” Robin said.

“I don’t miss anything, see. And while I was talking to you, I noticed a tail.”

“A
what?”

“A tail. I think you got a tail. Are you in any trouble or something?”

“Not any more than usual.”

“Well, while we were talking a guy was driving around this street. He made a U-turn and went down, then came back, then went down again, and now he’s parked down the road a piece. I just recognized him last time around. He’s a private investigator.”

“Maybe he’s tailing someone inside. The lady I’m with is with me at her husband’s request.”

The officer shrugged. “Maybe he’s eyeing one of the other big homes, waiting for someone’s husband to come out. But he’s a tail.”

“Well, he’s not mine,” Robin said, “but thanks all the same!” Then he hurried up the path after Judith.

When they entered the house, the surprise and delight on Sergio’s face made him almost happy that he had come. He recognized
several top directors, a few big stars, and the usual assortment of starlets. Someone grabbed him and planted a wet kiss on his neck. It was Tina St. Claire. He introduced Judith to Sergio, Alfie and Tina. Then he got two drinks and steered Judith toward a couch. A large Siamese cat sauntered through the room and eyed him. It let out a low growl and leaped into his arms.

Alfie almost dropped his drink.

“God, have you got sex appeal! Slugger hates everyone.”

“Slugger!” At the sound of Robin’s voice the cat purred. Robin scratched its ear. “Where did you get it?”

“Ike Ryan gave it to me. It belonged to his wife. Ike travels so much that half the time the poor cat was in a kennel and I adore cats. He hates strangers but you’re the exception.”

“No, we’re old friends, Slugger and I.” He rubbed the cat’s neck and noticed it still wore the little silver tag on its collar.

Tina St. Claire stood before the combo and began to gyrate suggestively, staring meaningfully at Robin.

“Better cut the drums,” Robin said to Alfie. “I just headed off the prowl car.”

“Oh, that divine officer. I think he just used the neighbors as an excuse to come here. Personally, I think he’s gay,” Alfie said.

Judith smiled at Robin. “We really don’t have to stay,” she whispered.

“Bored already?” he asked. “Or is this crowd too much for you?”

“Any crowd is too much when I’m with you. I’d rather have a nightcap in your suite.”

“I thought you wanted to go to this party.”

“I’ve been. Now I want to be with you.”

“That would be rude to Alfie, and to Sergio. He’s an old friend.”

He drank slowly and steadily, talking to Sergio and Alfie while Judith was trapped in conversation with a group of actors. He was determined to make it a late night—too late to take her back to his suite for a nightcap.

It was close to midnight when the party began to thin out. Judith extricated herself and joined him at he bar. Her smile was
forced. “Well, I’ve let you spend all your time with the two boys. Now it’s my turn. How about that nightcap?”

“What are you drinking?”

“Whatever you have.”

“Alfie has a well-stocked bar. Name it.”

“I don’t want a nightcap here,” she said angrily.

Alfie ambled over. “What’s the trouble, luv?”

Robin suppressed a grin. Alfie was one of the few holdouts on television. Mrs. Gregory Austin meant nothing to him.

She smiled. “No trouble. I was just telling Robin that it was high time we got home.”

“If you’re tired, mate, I can always have someone drop you off at your digs.”

She ignored him and turned to Robin. This time her voice was firm. “Robin, I want to go home.”