Unforgettable (16 page)

“
Okay. I miss
you.”

“
I’ll call you if I can. Go
slow, Sam. Call if you need me.”

Fritz had moved out by the tree. I felt
like a kid sister following him around.

“
So what did Dr. David
say?”

“
Go slow. I’m not ready,” I
sighed and walked toward the road. “Perhaps I should just become
celibate. Join a nunnery.”

He held me by the shoulders and kissed
me, pulling me close. I wanted to be back in bed…no clothes,
bunches of sex.

“
That was a test and you
failed miserably. I don’t think you’d last a day in a nunnery. Or
celibate.”

“
I’ve been celibate for more
than two years.”

He stared at me.

“
I guess I knew that, but…I
hadn’t put a time frame to it.”

“
Yes.”

“
We must do something to
correct that. I think there’s a secluded little motel up the
road…”

I walked away from him.

He followed.

We climbed a hill and sat in a big
patch of grass, watching a line of ants working on a bit of
biscuit.

Jack finally came out of the costume
tent. He was incredible, dressed like a gladiator with gauntlets,
leather leggings, and a silver and gold cuirass. They helped him
over to his filming area.

Two other actors, dressed the same with
large shields, followed him.

At ten Shandi showed up. Her long black
hair was a tussled mess as if she had literally rolled out of bed.
She reminded me of a haughty aristocrat, brows arched up high,
heart shaped face, glare that would melt metal off a Humvee. Kelly
hustled her to the costume tent.

At noon they called lunch. I had a
place set up for Jack so that he could get his foot up. I felt like
I was getting paid to do nothing. But watch.

He came hobbling out looking ashen. I
wrapped his knee in ice. He didn’t speak and I assumed he was
either in pain or tired. Or still pissed. Or all of the
above.

Fritz brought food and Jack livened up
a bit.

“
Hey Jack,” one of the
Gladiators walked by and winked at me. “Saw the three of you on the
Hollywood Gossip this morning. They were wondering who your lovely
lady was. Good picture of her. You’re mean lookin’ as always.” He
laughed. He extended his hand to me. “I’m Fred little lady.” I
shook his hand.

“
Did they mention Sam’s
name?” Fritz asked.

“
No, don’t think so.” He
walked to the food tent.

“
Damn,” I
whispered.

“
Better call Roger…” Jack
said but Fritz was already on the phone.

He walked away and talked in a hushed
voice.

“
No more trips to the beach
or dinner,” I said in a sad, small voice.

Jack nodded.

“
They’ll catch him. He’ll
screw up. You’ll see.” He held my hand like he always did. I pulled
it away. I was still pissed.

“
How’s the pain?”

“
Very, very annoying. And
tiring.”

“
Jostling it around this
terrain is not helping. You should be in your easy chair listening
to Bach or Mozart.”

“
Or Fur Elise. Or Yo-Yo Ma.
That sounds wonderful. Eventually this foot will heal and this
movie will be over.”

“
Eventually.”

He leaned back in the deck chair and
closed his eyes. It was getting cloudy and people were walking
around talking about the lighting.

“
Tell best boy we’re going
to need large bounce boards. We’re losing light too damn fast.
Storm’s comin’. Be ready, we can film it, use it for sure.” Kelly
was walking and talking into her head piece.

Shandi came out of the costume tent in
a very tight harness and black leggings, the very top edge of her
nipples peaking out. She was sexy hot.

“
Now you’re going to see
Shandi fly,” Fritz said.

I walked to the tree and I suddenly
realized what the riggings on the huge cranes were for. Two crew
members were weaving and hooking the wiring into the harness. A
woman from costume came out and wrapped a purple cape around her.
Her hair was double braided with silver cord
intertwined.

A muscular gray-haired man in a blue
shirt began instructing Shandi and before long she was jumping,
flipping and flying.

“
Shandi is a gymnast,” Fritz
told me. “They’ve been rehearsing these few seconds for
months.”

“
I’m impressed.”

“
I’m supposing her husband
is as well.”

John walked on the set and watched.
Kelly stood next to him and they talked in subdued
tones.

Finally Kelly waved for Jack to come
over.

I unwrapped him.

We didn’t speak.

Shandi did her flying right into Jack’s
arms.

“
They’re coming from the
east. At least four battalions from what I could see. We are sorely
outmanned, my love.”

Jack held her and looked in the distant
mountains.

“
I have something yet to
bring to this battle.”

They shot it three times with crew
holding bright white boards around them trying to catch the fading
light.

As if on cue lightening began in the
mountains. Thunder surrounded them.

Cameras swiveled to the natural drama
and the scene was over.

Kelly yelled “Rain!” And people dashed
around covering the equipment.

“
You have to get under
cover,” I told Jack. “You can’t get that cast wet.”

Jack shook his head.

“
We have two more scenes
here. I’ve got to stay.”

I saw the crew using large rolls of
stretch wrap. I approached a curly headed blonde woman and asked if
I could have some. The woman grumbled and told me to bring it
back.

Fritz and I lowered Jack to the muddy
ground and wrapped his cast around and around with the
plastic.

I took it back to the woman and thanked
her.

“
Hey, no problem. I didn’t
know it was for Jack. What’s your name?”

“
Sandra. Sandra
Levenson.”

“
I thought I heard Fritz
calling you Sam.”

“
Just a nickname he has for
me.”

I did not like this woman. I could see
her on the phone to the tabloids.

At four-thirty the rain hit full force.
They tried to continue filming but it was useless. Everyone ran for
tents or cars.

Jack bellowed at Kelly.

“
Going home!”

She nodded.

He climbed into the SUV with full
costume, pulling off the heavy pieces with Fritz’ help.

“
Get as much of your wet
clothes off as you can,” Fritz told me, pulling his shirt over his
head.

“
No, I’m okay. I’m sure I’ll
dry soon.” I couldn’t stop shivering.

“
Sam, do I have to come back
there and strip you naked?” Fritz asked getting the car and the
heater going.

“
Oh, alright.” I slipped my
shirt off but refused to remove anything else.

The back door flew open. A very wet man
in a suit jumped in.

“
Detective Silverman?” I
stared at him still shivering. “What on earth are you doing
here?”

“
Man you people are hard to
find. ‘Must be ducks.” He pulled a tabloid newspaper from under his
coat and showed it to me. There I was, with my name, on the beach
at Malibu.

“
Oh, Shit.” Fritz
said.

“
Dammit all to hell!” Jack
yelled.

“
I’m afraid I’m here to take
you into protective custody. I’m talking to witness protection.
You’ll be re-located. Maybe up north. Montana. You’ll love
it.”

“
No,” Fritz said
flatly.

“
No way,” Jack turned and
looked at him. “You’re not taking her. We’ll keep her in the
compound and increase security but you’re not taking
her.”

“
Don’t I have anything to
say?”

“
Not really. I could lock
you up for 48 hours—but I don’t want to do that. Miss Rose you are
not only endangering yourself but all of those around
you.”

“
We’ve got a weapon and I
was in the Queen’s services you know!” Fritz was puffing
up.

“
He’s got
explosives—theoretically. He will not stop until he has her. Don’t
you people understand that?”

“
I’ve got it!” Fritz argued.
“This is bloody Hollywood for Christ’s sakes. We’ll stage
something.”

I smiled. “I like that.”

Silverman fell back in the seat. “I
know I’m talking. I can feel my lips move.”

“
We could plant a story
about Sam going back to St Louis. We’ll make it juicy—she’s
pregnant or I beat her or something. Or she’s pregnant
and
I beat her.” Jack
mumbled, rubbing his arms, trying to get warm.

“
Jack, you don’t want to
destroy your reputation,” I said.

“
How about she discovers
she’s a lesbian and leaves you broken hearted?” Fritz
suggested.

We nodded, smiling.

“
We’ll increase security.
Add some dogs. Lots of dogs. Whatever you want.” Jack had his stern
face on, which worked really well with his long hair and
beard.

“
I’m going to get my ass
fired because of you people.”

Jack smiled.

“
No you won’t. I know the
Commissioner very well. And his wife. Especially his wife.” He
chuckled.

“
I’m giving you one chance.
If your plan doesn’t work that’s it. She’s going in protective
custody. He’s not going to stop until he catches you. Rape and
torture are a sexual high that he can’t get anyway else. I’m sorry
but that’s it. Call me and let me know how things are
going.”

He dashed back out in the
rain.

On the way home they talked about how
they could stage the whole thing.

“
Lisa,” Fritz
said.

Jack smiled. “Lisa.”

Friday

That night their friend Lisa, a sexy
full lipped, full breasted actress, came over dressed in a very
short, very tight blue satin dress. It plunged to the waist and
practically had no back. She brought a beautiful red silk kimono
for me.

“
Thanks for doing this for
me,” I told her.

“
Not a problem.” She hugged
me and Jack and kissed Fritz on the mouth.

“
Silverman called, wanted to
know where we were going. I told him Leonardo’s.” Fritz
said.

“
Leonardo’s. Always a lot of
stars and a lot of cameras.” Lisa nodded. “Great choice. Let’s
go.”

Biggs was hanging back.
There were three law enforcement agencies working together on this
little tea party and his office was supposed to be coordinating. At
the Governor's request.

DEA was technically in
charge and had the most manpower assigned. They were going to hit
at two thirty in the morning, fifty spots at once. But there was
more than drugs, prostitution, and money laundering going on. There
were hints of Hollywood types, big names involved. And there was
some evidence of terrorists involvement with an arms
shipment.

The room was thick with
smoke and the rancid smell of too much fast food.

Until Anne walked
in.

Biggs stood and walked to
her.

"Good evening."

"Marshal Biggs."

He nodded.

"I suppose you want to
speak to the group."

She nodded.

"Listen up,
people!"

The room got
quiet.

"I would like to introduce
US Prosecuting Attorney, Anne Darrow. She has a few words for
you."

She smiled at
him.

And he hadn't felt that
kind of warmth in many winters.

Cameras and paparazzi were everywhere
in front of the chic nightclub. The gatekeepers had a list and Jack
apparently was always on the list.

Jack made a point of kissing me in
front of the cameras as we strolled in.

Leonardo’s was an elegant, windowless
cave, removed from the sound and light of the un-chic outside
world. A wide central corridor served as the dance floor, a floor
to ceiling aquarium glowed at the end where creatures watched as
much as were watched, and golden, ornate gothic pillars lined the
grand hall. Music was playing softly in the background and people
stood and talked, or sat and talked, as much as they
danced.

“
Dance with me,” Jack
whispered in my ear.

“
How are you going to dance
on crutches?”

“
Not well,” he
laughed.

“
Still mad?” I
asked.