“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.”
His grin was loose. “Alfie, you heard what the lady said. Who’s got a car going toward the Beverly Hills Hotel?”
“Johnny there lives on North Canyon—hey, Johnny, when are you packing it in?”
The young man across the room signaled that he was on his way. “There’s your ride, luv,” Alfie said.
“How dare you!” She turned her back on Alfie. “Robin, take me home.”
“Sure, but not this moment. I want to finish my drink.”
Alfie went behind the bar and handed him the bottle of vodka. “Looks like it needs freshening.”
Judith watched him refill his glass. “Robin, I want to leave—with you.”
“Look, luv,” Alfie said, “we all can’t have just what we want. Now I’d like to marry Sergio and have babies. Unfortunately, it just can’t work out.”
Her eyes blazed as she stared at Robin. “You like being here with all these degenerates!”
“I like being with my friends.” He left her and walked over to the couch. Alfie and Sergio followed.
Judith stood against the bar. Nothing like this had ever happened to her. Alfie’s easy scorn … they treated her as if she was a common girl on the town. She was Mrs. Gregory Austin, but she had been pushed around and ignored. She poured herself a large Scotch. The clock hanging over the bar ticked loudly in the silence. Suddenly she was aware that almost everyone had gone. Only Robin and those two queers remained, huddled together on the couch. He was doing this to her intentionally, to make her feel cheap. She got off the bar stool and something on the floor caught her eye. It was a gold bracelet. She read the inscription and a slow smile came to her lips. She held it gingerly as if it would soil her fingers and approached the men on the couch.
“Now I see why I was told to leave. The three of you really do want to be alone, don’t you?”
The men looked at her curiously. Alfie saw the bracelet and leaped to his feet. His hand automatically reached for his wrist. He lunged for her but she backed away. “You bitch—I had it on tonight. Where did you get it?”
“I found it on the floor behind the bar.” She dangled it before him. “The catch must have broken. It’s really a very interesting bracelet.”
Sergio jumped up and headed toward her. “Give him back that bracelet.”
With a quick motion she dropped it into her bra. Then she brushed her hands together. “Now it’s where neither of you fairies have the nerve to go.”
Robin got up slowly. “Maybe you forgot about me. I’m not afraid of tits.”
“You’re a fairy too.” But she backed away from him. “The Love Machine—with you it’s girls for your name, but men are your game. The bracelet proves it.”
“What’s Alfie’s bracelet got to do with me?”
“You tell me,” she said lightly. “It has Sergio’s name on the front, and on the back it says From Robin Stone, Christmas, Roma, 1962. But Alfie was wearing it. Is that why you wanted to stay, Robin? So you could have it out with Alfie for taking your real lover away from you?”
Sergio turned to Robin pleadingly. “It’s the bracelet I asked from you in Rome. Remember you said that I could have anything I wanted engraved on it? So I had your name put on the back. I wore it always. It was and is my dearest possession. But Alfie gave me his.” He held out his arm showing a similar gold bracelet. “Alfie’s mother gave him this. It was the closest possession he owned. So we exchanged bracelets.”
Alfie nodded. “It was something I treasured, Robin.”
Judith threw back her head and laughed. “This is the most touching scene I’ve ever witnessed. Well, I guess I’ll be on my way. I think Gregory will be delighted with this bracelet. I think all the scandal sheets will
enjoy it too. We might make it in time for the board of directors meeting on Tuesday. After all, Robin, we’ve got to see that you are—what’s the word—oh yes, totally unemployable.”
“Judith, I don’t give a damn about the network. If you have a gripe against me—fine. But don’t get Sergio or Alfie involved. You could hurt their careers.”
She looked at him and laughed. “You’re making it sound better and better.” She turned to Alfie. “I think the scandal sheets would adore knowing about you, luv!” Her eyes blazed in anger. She started for the door.
Sergio lunged for her. Alfie grabbed her and pulled her to the center of the room. Robin started toward them to break it up, but Sergio was closing in. He had her trapped behind the bar. She looked around wildly, like a cornered animal. Suddenly she saw the gleaming Oscar. She picked it up, and as Sergio moved toward her, she brought it down on his head. He fell to the floor immediately.
“You bitch!” Alfie screamed. “He’s unconscious—you’ve killed him! Oh God, Sergio… .” He was on his knees sobbing over the unconscious man.
Judith raced toward the door but Alfie leaped up and caught her. “Oh no you don’t!” His hand lashed across her face. Robin picked up Sergio and placed him on the couch. He heard Judith scream. He knew Alfie was slapping her, but he was sure that nothing more than her dignity would be hurt. His main concern was for Sergio. He got some ice and put it to his head. “Be careful!” Alfie shouted. “His skull might be fractured.”
Robin turned, took one look at Judith and rushed across the room. Her lip was cut, blood was streaming from her nose. Her hairpiece was askew and looked oddly comical against her battered face. Robin tried to intercede, but Alfie dragged her from his reach by the hair. Miraculously, it remained on. She screamed at the top of her lungs. Robin grabbed Alfie’s arm and forced him to release her. Judith’s pajamas were torn at the neckline, revealing part of her wired bra. The bracelet slipped out and clattered to the floor. Alfie grabbed it. Then, for good measure, he gave Judith another blinding slap across the face.
Robin grabbed her and she clung to him, sobbing. “I’m sorry, Judith,” he whispered. “But when you play like an alley cat, sometimes you get treated like one.”
They all froze when they heard the chimes and the pounding at the door. “Open up! It’s the police,” a loud voice called.
The Love Machine Page 53
