Читать книгу Hollywood Heat - Arlette Lees - Страница 11

CHAPTER SIX

WHEN MIDNIGHT COMES

The phone rang and Amanda rushed to answer it.

“Gavin?” she said.

“No dear, this is Julia Kravitz. It’s eleven-thirty and everyone is wondering where you are.”

“Gavin ran an errand and he’s not back yet. I’m starting to worry.”

“An errand at this hour? There’s another name for that, honey, and she’s probably blonde and built.”

“You know Gavin’s not like that, Julia.”

“Neither were my three exes until I caught them with their pants down. I wouldn’t put my money on George here, either.” She giggled. ”George, stop that! You’ll make me drop the phone. Amanda dear, if you can’t make the party, call me tomorrow.”

When the clock struck midnight Amanda, stepped out of her new shoes. She removed the rhinestone clip and let her hair tumble around her shoulders. Cheers went up from the party in the apartment two doors down, and plastic whistles cut through the stillness.

Amanda walked to the window and looked into the darkness. Confetti floated over the second story railing like silver snowflakes, and a trio of balloons blew away in the wind. Where in the world was Gavin?

* * * * * * *

Rusty was sweeping up the broken glass in the den when the phone rang.

“I’ve been trying to reach you all night,” said Dorothy.

“I went to a movie.”

“Oh please, I can smell the beer on your breath from here.”

“It’s late and I’m tired. What do you want?”

“I’m coming by in the morning. There are some papers I need you to sign.”

“Looks like you’ve already been here.”

“Oh that. I bumped the commendation off the wall and didn’t have time to clean up the mess. It shouldn’t be hard to find another frame.”

“Get to the point, Dorothy. What kind of papers are you talking about?”

“It’s too complicated to go into on the phone.”

“You broke into my desk. You left a nasty gouge in the wood.”

“I needed copies of last year’s IRS filing,” she said.

“The next time, call before you come. I don’t need my house ransacked.”

“I am calling.”

“I’m sleeping in tomorrow, so I don’t want you showing up before ten. And Dorothy, I want my dog back.”

“If I leave Beezer with you, he’s alone all day. I bring him on the set where he gets a lot of attention.”

“I want my dog.”

“And people in hell want ice water. Besides, what makes him yours?”

“You gave him to me for my forty-third birthday, remember?”

“I have no recollection of that event.”

A loaded silence followed as Hallinan took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“When are you coming home, Dorothy?”

“Please don’t do this, Rusty.”

“Haven’t I always been good to you? I don’t understand where all this hostility is coming from.”

“Of course, you don’t,” she said, and hung up.

By two A.M. Rusty had showered and hit the sack. He had one more day of vacation before he was back on the roster, and he planned to make the most of it by turning on the TV, putting his feet up, and eating a half gallon of chocolate ice cream.

By three A.M., his grand plan was off the table.