by Pamela Prim
“Uh, er… yeah, it’s real old.” The man nodded and licked his lips again in snakelike fashion. “How much will you pay for it?”
“Well, I’ve got to get a better look… the owner of this place will be here in an hour, he can…”
“I ain’t got an hour, lady.” He cut her off agitatedly. “Look, just gimme a grand for it, I know its worth more… ten times maybe… but I need the money and I have to go…”
The siren wail of a distant squad car came from outside, making the man jerk up.
“I can’t do that, Mister.” Geri’s suspicions went a notch higher. “I don’t even know your name…”
“It doesn’t matter…” He said and looked nervously over his shoulder. “Look, you keep it for now… I’ll be back for the money tomorrow.”
“What? No, wait… we don’t work that way.” She tried to grab his arm, but he was already rushing to the door. “Wait. Hey! Wait… is this stolen…? You can’t just…”
Geri ran after the man but he was already rushing down the street. She watched him run a while before he turned a corner and was gone. She looked at the silver object in her hand. It was some kind of decorative piece, probably a ceremonial item from some ancient civilization. Her uncle would know more about it she was sure. She reached for the shop phone, pausing over the receiver and wondering if she should give him a call. He would be there in an hour anyway, she could wait. She considered if she should call the police instead. What if this thing was indeed stolen and having it in their possession could implicate the pawn shop.
* * * * *
“Yes, this exact item was reported as stolen late last night… from the private collection of a Donald A. Kilminster.”
“Donald Kilminster?” Geri couldn’t stifle her gasp. “The Donald Kilminster.”
“You know the guy, Miss… Rogan.” The gray haired officer looked up at her from the report he was making.
“Yes… I mean, who doesn’t know Donny Kilminster…” She laughed nervously. “He’s only the most renowned filmmaker on natural history this side of the Atlantic.”
“Yeah?” The office rubbed his chin. “Never heard of him. Anyway, his lawyer’s on his way to identify the piece and meet you.”
“His lawyer?” She sat upright, feeling a little agitated. “How long do I have to be here?”
“Not too long… in fact she’s parking right now.”
She. Well, it would feel good to speak with a woman for a change. Ever since she decided to call the police about the item the stranger dropped on her lap, she’d been accosted by men in uniform and without. It was the most harrowing three hours of her life and she wished she had just thrown the thing out into the street after the fleeing man. Her uncle and aunt agreed for her to turn in it, and also assist the cops in every way including using the pawn shop as a stake out for the robber to return, if he ever did.
“Miss Rogan.” The officer broke into her thoughts. “This is Miss Leslie Lane, Mister Kilminster’s lawyer…”
“And business partner.” The dark haired woman stepping into the room said with a tight smile. “We are extremely grateful that you opted to do the right thing.”
“There’s nothing different than that I would do, Miss… Lane.” Geri replied, looking the other woman over. She could have been anywhere between thirty five and forty five. The expensive business suit she wore was a European cut and her short dark hair elegantly framed her hard angular face. Her eyes, blue and sharp, bore deep into Geri’s and she could get the feeling that this woman had worked her way to the top and intended to stay there.
“Leslie, please.” The lawyer smiled and offered her hand. “And could you please describe the man who brought the artifact to your shop.”
“Yes, sure… Leslie.” Geri nodded and shook the other woman’s hand. She had already detailed the man’s appearance to the police artist, but decided to do it all over again for this imposing woman. “The guy was tall, and reed thin… he looked like he was desperate, almost like a character from a Tim Burton animated movie…”
“Ah, yes.” Leslie smiled and leaned back. “That’s Stanley Elgin alright… hired two weeks ago to assist our curator. Didn’t take him for a thief, though I had my reservations… ah, Donny can be so trusting sometimes.”
“Does he collect a lot of these kinds of things?”
“Who?” The lawyer looked at her momentarily bemused. “Oh, you mean Donny… yes, he does, from all over… especially when he’s out on location shooting for his films.”
“Oh, I’m a fan of his work… why, I’ve often wondered if I could ever get to work in…”
“Oh, are you an anthropologist or archeologist?”
“No, I’m just an act…” Geri began excitedly, but a shadow fell across them as the large officer on duty stood up.
“Miss Lane, if you could sign these papers,” The gray haired man pushed a pile of documents on the desk between them. “…we can hand the item over and once we make our arrest you can press charges.”
“Oh, excellent.” Leslie nodded and grabbed a pen. And after a few minutes of vigorous scribbling and signing, the smartly dressed lawyer stood up and accepted the stolen object from the police officer. “Thank you so much, Officer… Daley.”
“Pleasure, ma’am.” Daley touched a forefinger to his brow and made as if to leave the desk. “Take care now.”
“And can I leave now.” Geri looked at the man as the other woman hurried out of the office. “Or do I need assist you all at the pawn shop with the stake out.”
“No need for that…” Daley called back over his shoulder. “We have an APB out for the guy, since Miss Lane identified the perp. You are free to go, Miss Rogan, have a nice day.”
“Sure, thanks.” She nodded and walked out of the station.
“Miss Rogan.” Leslie Lane was waiting for her outside. “Mister Kilminster would be pleased to meet you, if you’d like to come with me.”
“Huh?” She was taken aback. Her belly was rumbling, she hadn’t eaten a thing since that piece of toast in the morning. “You mean, right now… but I need to get back…”
“Not a problem. I’ll just cancel that lunch reservation.” The lawyer flipped out her phone. “How does tomorrow morning sound?”
“Um, you know what… my uncle and aunt can take care of things. Let’s go.”
She stepped into the sleek white Volkswagen e-golf electric and sat beside the lawyer. The smooth hum of the eco-friendly electric car was something Geri had never experienced before and it felt great to ride in something that cared for the environment.
“So you were saying you are a fan of Donny’s work?” Leslie asked as she sped down the street.
“Well, yes… I mean, of some of the films…” Geri felt breathless, meeting the man was something she would never have had imagined even in her wildest dreams. “I love the ones where nature is described as a treasure that fell into our laps and it is our privilege to protect it.”
“Well, we see it more as we fell into nature’s lap, and yes… it is indeed a privilege that we must protect.”
“Yeah.” She nodded excitedly. “So where are we going?”
“We are going to Donny’s private rooftop suite at the Hyatt.” The lawyer smiled. “He was quite excited to know that the piece was recovered… it’s an important part of his next project and he wanted to meet you in person to express his gratitude. Ah, here we are.”
Leslie drove through the gates of the star hotel and parked in front of the imposing main doors. She pressed a button and the door of the car opened for Geri. She looked out and then back at the lawyer.
“Aren’t you coming?”
“I’ve a few more meetings around town.” Leslie replied as she signaled to the young man waiting outside. “Don’t worry; the concierge will take you to Donny.”
Geri nodded at the woman and stepped out of the car. The young man waiting for her outside stepped up to her and smiled, beckoning her to follow him. She walked beside him
as he escorted her through the lavish lobby of the hotel and to the elevators. She noticed him tap on the gilded button marked as private and inhaled deeply. Never had she been in such a place of affluence before. Little Goosebumps began to tingle all over her arms and legs as the elevator came to a stop and the doors smoothly parted.
“Miss Geraldine Rogan.” The concierge announced and ushered her out, before stepping back inside the elevator.
She watched the elevator doors close and turned back toward the expansive terrace garden before her. To her left she could see the entire western skyline of the city and to the right was a canopied private enclosure with a table set for two people. A dark haired man sat on one of the two chairs while beside him waited a handsome younger man and a lovely young woman in the uniform of the hotel staff.
“Ah, finally… welcome, welcome.” The dark haired man stood up and walked toward her. “Miss Rogan, you have saved us… saved us over a year’s worth of hard work. Please, join me… I do hope you like seafood.”
Seafood. She absolutely loved it. But more than the food, she was transfixed by the presence of the man. She had only seen his likeness in his brief appearances in the documentary films he made, and in the pages of magazines. Those images hardly did justice to the handsome and debonair gentleman that stood before her. Everything about him was elegant, and she felt like this was another one of her many dreams.
“Miss Rogan, please.” He smiled at her, holding out one hand to her and gesturing at the laid table with the other.
“Uh… I… yes, thank you… Mister Kilminster.” She managed to stutter as she gingerly took his hand. Her fingers lightly touched his and she felt a strange sensation all over her body, and when his large hand entirely engulfed hers, she felt her knees wobble.
“Ah, Donny, please…” His confident smile made her swoon. “And come, sit with me…”
She nodded dumbly and followed him to the table. He held out her chair and pushed it in for her to sit. Never had anyone done that for her, least of all a millionaire filmmaker. She shivered as the lovely waitress poured champagne for her. Before her on a dish was a preparation of lobster and cracked crab on ice. Everything overwhelmed her, and she had to close her eyes and take a few deep breaths to compose herself. If all this was some dream, she wished she’d remain asleep.
“You are going to love this lobster and crab dish… it is so delicate, the best money can buy, my absolute favorite.” She heard Kilminster’s voice floating around her, as if he was inside a deep cavern.
She took a sip of the champagne; savoring the dry freshness and resisting the urge to have it all in one go. It cleared her head and she looked right at the handsome man seated smiling before her.
“Mister Kilm… Donny.” She said wonderingly. “This could be the best day of my life…”
“Really?” He laughed. “I’m sure you’ve had better… and will have more in the future.”
“Yes, let’s hope for that.” She nodded, staring at the exorbitant spread.
“So you work at the museum.” Kilminster leaned in close.
“No, it’s a pawnshop… my uncle Rand’s…”
“Ah, then you must be an expert with antiques and their history.”
“Not really, I mean, no…” She shook her head. “My uncle is, but I’m just moonlighting it there…”
“Ah, so what is it that you really do, or would like to do.” His smile was infectious.
“Oh, er… I’m… an actor…” She stammered, if he kept looking at her like that she knew she couldn’t stop herself from falling in love with him. “I’m looking for that big break.”
“An actor!” His face seemed to light up. “How fascinating! And I am a filmmaker. What are the odds…? Tell me about your best work.”
“Oh, I haven’t any… I mean, I haven’t done anything noteworthy.”
“As yet.” His smile widened. “Have you considered doing non-commercial work, like documentaries…?”
“You mean, like what you do…?”
“Yes, sort of.” Kilminster nodded his head as he tucked into his lobster.
“Oh, I’d love to.” She gushed, unable to contain the rush of excitement at the possibility.
“Splendid!” He clapped his hands. “I was in need of a fresh face to host this new series on ancient archeology I have in the pipeline. You’d be perfect for it.”
“I would?” She couldn’t believe her ears. “…oh, I must be dreaming.”
“It’s not going to get you the fame and glamour of a commercial movie…”
“Oh, I don’t care…” She looked right into his amused eyes. “I’m a fan of your films… and I… it’s a dream come true…”
“Yes, yes, my dear… it is fate indeed.” He sounded as thrilled as she was. “My artifact had to be stolen, and it brought you to me.”
Geri had never been this excited in her adult life. She felt like a giddy little girl on her first trip to Disneyland. Her hands shook and she had to hold on to the armrests of her chair to stop herself from sliding off. She was going to work for the great Donny Kilminster, be a host for his new show, to be the face of his latest historical endeavor. This was the big break she was looking for. And if it wasn’t, she was going to have some fun doing it anyway.
* * * * *
“And cut!” Kilminster’s voice rang out. “Perfect take.”
Geri was all smiles as she stepped out of the shot. The green screen all around her would later be superimposed with some stock footage of the theme of the show. For a whole week now she had been filming with the great Donny Kilminster. All of it in his great big studio in the heart of the city, and he even had a suite rented for her in the posh hotel next to the studio. Geri loved every minute of it. Nine more weeks of shooting before post production, and then six months after that, the show would be aired on three major global natural history and science channels. She was finally going to be a household name, at least as the host of an educational endeavor. Her uncle and aunt couldn’t have been happier for her.
“Hey, Geri.” Kilminster stepped up and put his arm around her. She felt a pleasant throb in her belly. “You were phenomenal as usual.”
“With you to guide me, Donny… I couldn’t be anything less.” She gushed, pressing herself closer to him.
“True, true.” He laughed and pulled his arm away. “So on Monday we do our first on-location shoot, in the gulf… are you ready for an adventure?”
Was she ever? The Gulf of Mexico was the prime focus of this documentary, along with other such similar natural formations. She couldn’t wait to get there. Her excitement knew no bounds. And yet, she couldn’t help feeling confused with her situation. She couldn’t clearly read Donny Kilminster. He almost always sounded so exhilarated by her, to be with her, to work with her… and whenever he touched her, it was only a casual touch, an encouraging pat, an affectionate hug, and though his touch left her breathless and wanting more, Geri couldn’t really tell if there as any intent behind them. There was a lot of fondness there from him, but she was at a loss if any of it was sensual or suggestive in nature. She couldn’t perceive any kind of desire or lust in his flattering gaze, his doting touches and his loving pats. The years of attention she got from men had her accustomed to knowing what they all wanted. This was the first time she was coming up short to read into a man’s intentions.
Donny was not gay, she was sure of it, from the interest he showed in her and other women working with him. But he didn’t make her believe that he wanted her either. She understood that she wanted him, possibly more than any man she had known. He was attractive and celebrated, he had loads of talent and money, and all the women he wanted could be his in a blink. She wanted him more than anything, but she wasn’t sure if he wanted the same. And she sure as hell was not going to risk losing out on this once in a lifetime break she had, just to find out about that. But it did keep nagging her every now and then.
The weekend back on her home turf was fun, it felt great to
be with family again and see the old pawn shop where her wonderful journey had begun. She wondered if the cops had arrested that crook. She didn’t need to identify the man, or at least the cops felt Leslie Lane’s testimony was all they needed. The weekend flew by quickly, regaling her aunt and uncle about the great time she was having in her new found career. As usual, Millicent Rogan encouraged her to make more of the situation. ‘Get your hooks into that millionaire moviemaker, kid; before those perfect titties begin to sag.’ The quirky older woman had hooted at her.
Geri smiled at that memory as the private chopper banked sharply making a tight curve in the airspace above the Gulf of Mexico. The sky was quite over cast and it lent a sense of gothic appeal to the strange ruins that were the feature of this on-location shoot. Kilminster was already on the site, with Leslie Lane and another person, a local official, and they looked up at the descending helicopter.
