Glamour Puss

by R. J. Kaiser

  “What are you doing here, anyway?”

  “Visiting a sick friend, all right? And I’m going inside.”

  She could see Boots was beginning to lose patience.

  “I’ll walk you in, if you don’t mind.”

  “Do I look like I need a nursemaid, for crissakes?”

  He rolled up the window, opened the door and struggled to get out. Jade thought of offering him a hand, but was afraid it would wound his pride. After Boots locked his car door, they slowly walked toward the entrance to the hospital.

  “Look, toots,” he said, “I can guarantee you that you aren’t interested in what I’m doing. I’m sort of mediating a pissing match between a bunch of foreigners. Those kids you asked about aren’t involved. They’re just friends of the Hampton kid.”

  “Hampton kid?”

  “Oh, shit.” Boots said it like he’d just stepped in doggie-do.

  “Boots, you mean Troy Hampton?”

  He groaned.

  “I have a feeling our cases overlap, even if they are different,” Jade said.

  “Fine, so let’s leave it at that.”

  They walked for a while without talking, then Jade decided to try another ploy. “Your job a big one or a little one?”

  “What do you care?”

  “Mine’s a big one. Lots of dough involved. My client, Mr. McGowan, spends liberally. I’m sure he’d pay handsomely just to know who all was in that house and what they’re up to.”

  The suggestion got his attention. “What kind of figure are we talking?”

  “A grand.”

  Boots scoffed. “That’d barely cover my bar bill.”

  She knew he was faking disdain. Boots, according to Harry, was small potatoes in every respect save mass. “All I need is names and a capsule summary of what’s going on. How many drinks will that cost me?”

  “Two grand.”

  “Twelve hundred.”

  “Eighteen.”

  “Boots, we’re headed for fifteen, so let’s just do it. Will you take my personal check?”

  “Okay, but satisfy my curiosity. What’s the inside scoop on you and Harry?”

  “That’s none of your fucking business.”

  “All right already. I was just wondering, okay?”

  They’d come to the hospital entrance. Boots was puffing, but the air-conditioning inside was obviously a great relief. They sat in the lobby. The big guy searched for his inner chin again. “Let’s see now, where should I begin?”

  Jade waited patiently for the tale to begin, watching poor Boots’s rivulet rise to flood stage.

  Pacific Palisades

  With Jugnu standing behind her, Venita sat at the umbrella table watching Troy dancing with his friends to the music from the “boom box.” He had an open bottle of champagne in his hand, which the three of them had been passing back and forth. They were children basically and, much to Venita’s amazement and dismay, they held her professional life in their hands. That’s what it had come down to.

  The detective, Boots Conroy, had described the state of her affairs pretty succinctly when he’d said, “Mr. Gaylord will give you Hollywood if you give him Ramda Bol.” And that was the bargain she’d made. She would disclose the entire Ramda Bol story, and in the process make herself a persona non grata in her own country. That meant Hollywood would be her life now—Hollywood with its unpredictability, its vicissitudes, its pretense and its deceptions. But also its glory. The question was, would Hollywood have her?

  Venita understood the answer depended on the moxie and balls of a twenty-year-old boy-man, who, coincidentally, was lobbying to become her husband. Venita could only imagine what her father and her husband, Ranjit Govind, would think of that. And yet, here she was, hanging on by a thread. The queen, though very nearly having lost her head, was not yet dead.

  Arjay came out of the house just then, joining her at the table. He observed the trio for several moments. “My, my,” he said over the blare of the music. “Bacchanalia, American style.”

  “Yes,” she replied. “Children at play.”

  He leaned toward her and, in a confidential tone, said, “But they’re so good at making money, these Americans. This experience has convinced me, Venita, that I should like to have my own little company of spielers, as they say Down Under. I suspect I should do quite well as Fagin with a merry little band of ruffians such as these.”

  “You’re gainfully employed at present, Arjay, lest you forget.”

  “Indeed. Fear not, my dear, I’m perfectly aware of my obligations.” He watched Hernan in particular. “Oh, by the way, there was news from India on the telly just now that should be of considerable interest.”

  “Oh?”

  “There’s been a drastic shake-up in the Congress Party. The old guard is out and a group led by Gian Mohindra has taken power.”

  “Mohindra?” She pondered the news, her excitement growing. “He hated Ramda. They were sworn enemies. Ramda always told me if Mohindra were to take power he would probably leave the country.”

  “I should think Mohindra would gladly see him to the airport.”

  “Interesting,” Venita said, a lilt in her voice as she contemplated the possibilities.

  If Ramda was no longer a factor in Indian politics, she was no longer a threat to him. It could mean that in a blink of the eye she’d gone from persona non grata to martyred heroine and was free to return to India and her adoring fans. How delicious to think she could retake her place in the firmament of Indian stardom. Of course, her heart’s desire was to direct in Hollywood—a fading beauty had only so many years to look forward to, but a brilliant director could go on and on. Could she somehow manage both?

  To some degree her hand was being forced by Percy Gaylord, but at least her options were multiplying. Ah, but the gods were being good to her. Only hours ago she stood in jeopardy of becoming a condemned murderess, and now she once more had the opportunity to become a goddess on two continents! What joy!

  “What will you do?” Arjay asked.

  “I shall see if my young lover is the man he pretends to be.”

  At that moment Cala came trotting out from the house and whispered something in her ear. Venita sent the woman away and told Jugnu to turn down the music.

  “Troy,” Venita said, “your mother has rung you up. It sounds as though it may be urgent.”

  “Thank heavens,” Stella said. “I’ve been trying to reach you everywhere. I thought perhaps Amal would know where you were.”

  “Yeah, Mom, I’m visiting him and Venita. So, what’s up?”

  “You’ve heard about Mac…”

  “The shootout? Yeah, I heard.”

  “I don’t know if that brought it about or what, but I think I’ve convinced him to support our efforts.”

  “Huh?”

  “Mac’s given in, Troy.”

  “He’s going to invest in the film?”

  “I think so. He wants us both at his house at five. He said he’s got good news that will make your day.”

  Troy was incredulous. “He said he was going to give us the money?”

  “Not in so many words, but—”

  “Ma, you’re jumping to conclusions, then.”

  “No, Troy, I don’t believe so. Mac and I have been in an extended negotiation for several days. He knows what I want and he’s told me he’ll accommodate me. And he specifically said he wants you there.”

  “I smell a rat.”

  “Believe me, he has every reason to capitulate.”

  “Is that all he said? He didn’t mention anything else?”

  “Mac has his problems, but this is what he’s focused on. Don’t you see, Troy? This is what we’ve been dreaming about.”

  Troy didn’t know what to think. Mac had made his deal with Ginger and now he’d agreed to give him and Stella money, too? Surely he wasn’t planning to pay off everybody. Somebody was mistaken. Or was Mac setting them all up?

  “Troy, aren’t you pleased?�
�

  “Yeah, Mom, that’s great. I’m having trouble believing it’s actually happening.”

  “I think Mac wanted to do it all along, dear,” she said. “He just needed to be nudged.”

  “That I can believe.”

  “Five o’clock, Mac’s place,” his mother said. “And, Troy, please don’t do anything to provoke him. He’s under tremendous pressure. Trust me, this hasn’t been easy for him. And for God’s sake, don’t forget, the man still believes he’s your father.”

  Troy groaned inwardly at that. “I can’t tell you how that gets me…really makes me sick.”

  “Well, it will all be over soon, dear. Once we’re busy making movies and Mac sees our success, he’ll lighten up.”

  “Do you think the sonovabitch is really going to leave me his money? I hate the thought of kissing his butt for years only to find out he disinherited me.”

  “Don’t borrow trouble. But I can’t talk now, I’ve got to run. I’ll see you at Mac’s at five.”

  Troy hung up the phone, but sat there a moment longer, pondering his mother’s news. Something was wrong, though he couldn’t say what. Surely Ginger hadn’t misread the situation. Or had Mac simply outfoxed them? Maybe his mother had been duped, as well.

  But what could the bastard do? He’d killed Aubrey St. George. There was no way he could change that.

  Troy returned to his friends. Taking Venita aside, he walked with her out toward the pavilion.

  “Is everything all right?” she asked.

  “There’s a meeting at Mac’s at five,” he said. “I’d like you and Amal to go with me.”

  “What’s the meeting regarding?”

  “According to my mother, we’re going to get the money.”

  “For the film.”

  “Supposedly.”

  She studied him. “You aren’t sure?”

  “I’m being cautious. We’ll get it eventually, Venita. Whether it’s today or not remains to be seen.”

  “Five o’clock?”

  “Five o’clock.”

  Bel Air

  Mac watched her pacing. At the rate she was going, she’d wear out his carpet. Manuela had to be deranged. She was completely irrational. Chances were she was high on something, too, which didn’t help matters. There was no doubt about her hatred. He just couldn’t understand it, especially not her bitterness toward Jade.

  Every time he tried to engage her in conversation, she’d cut him off. “I don’t want to hear you,” she screamed at him. “I listened to you last time and look what happened!”

  “But, Manuela—”

  She shoved the gun so hard into his throat that he was certain she was about to blow his head off. “Didn’t you hear me? Shut the fuck up!”

  Mostly she’d muttered to herself, alternately cursing and crying. She blamed him for her misery. Her brother was dead, her mother was dying, she was going to spend the rest of her life in prison.

  “There’s only one thing left that will make me happy,” she told him. “That’s seeing your face when I shoot her.”

  “Manuela, Jade’s never done anything to you. She doesn’t even know you.”

  Spinning, her eyes round as saucers, Manuela pointed the gun at him and fired. The bullet smashed into the chair next to his head. Mac was stunned. Manuela began to laugh until she cried. Then for some inexplicable reason she went over to the ostrich egg on the table, pointed the gun at it and fired, shattering the egg, the stand and the top of the table.

  After another fifteen minutes of pacing, Manuela abruptly stopped and glared at him. “So, where the fuck is she?”

  “I don’t know. There’s no guarantee she’s coming here.”

  “She will.”

  Mac could see the woman was obsessed. He wasn’t going to stand idly by and let her kill Jade, but he had to pick his spot. He’d only get one chance, and so far she hadn’t given him an opportunity, keeping her distance from him as she paced.

  He didn’t know how she’d gotten here, but he could only hope she’d been foolish enough to leave her vehicle where Jade could see it. Barring that, if he could cause something else to be amiss, something that would put Jade on the alert…. Anything. But what?

  It was then he heard a vehicle in the drive. His heart sank at the thought it might be Jade. Manuela went to the window, but not without keeping one eye on him.

  “Well, guess who?” Manuela said, her joy demonic.

  Mac knew he had only seconds. Once Jade was at the door, it could be too late. There was a small bronze figure of an owl on the end table next to the sofa across from him. He’d been eyeing it, trying to figure out how he could use it as a weapon. He could fling it at her, but if he missed, or didn’t manage a telling blow, it would do no good. But then it occurred to him that by throwing it through the window Jade would know there was trouble.

  It was his best shot, but he didn’t have time to reflect. He had to do it now!

  Manuela gave him a quick glance, and the second her head was turned Mac leaped up, dashed to the table and flung the owl through the bay window, practically in one motion. Manuela, enraged, started to fire at him, but didn’t, probably realizing the gunshot would send Jade running, if the shattering glass didn’t.

  “Sonovabitch!” she snarled. It was above a stage whisper, but less than a shout.

  “Mac?” It was Jade, outside.

  “Run, Jade!” he screamed, and dived onto the floor.

  Manuela lost it. She fired at him. The bullet grazed his arm and went into the couch. The next thing he heard was her running to the front door, which she threw open. She fired another shot.

  As Mac got to his knees, grasping his bleeding arm, Manuela came running back into the sitting room and leaped onto the sofa. Mac was certain she was going to shoot him, but she didn’t. “Get up, you sonovabitch!” she shouted.

  Mac stood and Manuela moved around behind him, ignoring his wound. She pressed the muzzle of her gun against the base of his skull.

  “Get going,” she said, giving him a shove in the back.

  They went to the French doors accessing the patio. Mac realized Jade had escaped, probably having run around the house. Manuela was going to use him as a shield and maybe for bait. They went out onto the patio.

  “Here’s your boyfriend!” she shouted. “Unless you want to see me kill him right now, come out of the bushes.”

  Mac hoped Jade had the sense to get the hell away. The last thing he wanted was for her to play hero. But she’d already shown herself to be a warrior. Manuela pushed him up the slope toward the pool, probably to get a better perspective of the grounds.

  Though his arm stung, Mac realized he’d only been grazed, the bullet barely having torn his skin.

  “Come out, you cunt!” Manuela screamed at Jade. “You afraid?”

  They reached the deck of the pool. Manuela pressed the muzzle of her gun hard against the base of his skull.

  “I’m giving you thirty seconds,” she called.

  Mac knew she was crazy enough to shoot him dead. But if she did, she’d have no bargaining chip, nobody to hide behind. Was she smart enough to realize that? The woman was obviously over the edge.

  “Fifteen seconds!”

  Mac prepared himself. He wasn’t going to let fate decide, in any case. When the countdown got to zero, he’d go for the gun.

  “Five seconds!”

  “All right!” Jade yelled from the shrubs at the far side of the yard. “You win, I’m coming out.”

  “No!” he roared.

  Manuela brought the butt of the pistol down sharply on his shoulder. Mac’s knees buckled, but he managed to keep his feet. Then to his horror, Jade emerged from the bushes.

  “What do you want, Manuela?” she called.

  “I want you up here.”

  “Fine, but why don’t you explain the problem.”

  “The problem is, if it wasn’t for your candy ass and this jerk-off, I’d be happy instead of doing this shit. Come on up here
.”

  Mac groaned when he saw Jade slowly moving in their direction. She had come four or five steps when there was a cacophony of chirping and cawing in the trees. Dogs up and down the canyon began barking. Then a sudden rumble welled up out of the bowels of the earth and the ground began shaking.

  “What the fuck?” Manuela said.

  The ground rolled under them and they swayed like drunken sailors. The water in the pool sloshed and the rumble grew louder and louder, as though a giant train were racing up the canyon.

  “Jesus Christ.”

  Mac, realizing Manuela was momentarily distracted, spun around violently. His elbow hit her gun hand, causing her to fire the pistol errantly into the air. He then gave her a shove. Manuela screamed as she went flying into the pool.

  The ground still shaking under him, Mac turned and loped down the slope toward Jade, who’d come several steps in his direction. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her back toward the shrubs. When they were well into the vegetation, he stopped.

  “What in the hell were you doing?” he said angrily. “Don’t you know she was going to shoot you?” He glanced up toward the pool to see if Manuela had emerged, but she hadn’t.

  The ground had stopped shaking, but the birds and dogs weren’t yet finished. Jade put her hands on her hips. “I was trying to save your butt, McGowan,” she said indignantly.

  “Well, I was trying to save yours. You’re the one she wanted to shoot.”

  “That’s not the way it sounded from where I was sitting.” Then she noticed his arm. “Mac, you’ve been wounded.”

  “Just a nick.”

  She pulled back the frayed cloth of his shirt. “You sure?”

  “Mostly blood.”

  They both glanced up toward the pool, but there was still no sign of Manuela, though they heard a feeble, choking cry.

  “Do you suppose she can’t swim?” he asked.

  “She could be faking it. I’ll go check.”

  “No, I’ll go check.”

  They both started briskly up the slope. By the time they got to the pool, Manuela was floating facedown in the water.

  “Jesus,” Mac said.

  He took his wallet out of his pocket, handed it to Jade and dived into the water. Coming up behind the drowning woman, he flopped her over and pulled her to the side of the pool. Jade took her arms. By the time he’d climbed out of the water, Jade pretty much had her on the deck. Manuela appeared to be unconscious.