Stars in the Night

by Cara C. Putman

  A smattering of applause met Robert.

  “Now, folks, let’s give them the applause they deserve for the great work they do raising and maintaining the morale of our troops. We’re here tonight to do more than applaud their efforts. We’ll all be digging deep—” He made a show of searching through his pockets, pulling out one and then another until his monkey suit had lost its stiff formality. “—Some of us deeper than others, to help them with a few dollars to continue their good work. So let’s start with the easy part. If you have served at one of the local USOs, please stand so we can thank you.”

  Men and women stood, a few reluctantly, and others bounding to their feet to receive their recognition. Robert led the crowd in applauding them then took a moment to stuff his pockets back inside.

  “Before we get to the part where we eat and then separate you from your hard-earned moolah, please welcome Miss Janice Lucille to sing ‘The Star Spangled Banner.’”

  A lovely redhead joined him at the podium. With a quick peck on her cheek, Robert backed from the podium as the United States flag with its field of forty-eight stars was marched into the middle of the ballroom. Miss Lucille’s tremulous voice soared impressively over the gathering. As soon as she finished, Robert strode back to the podium, trying to portray the image of an urbane gentleman.

  “Many thanks to Miss Lucille for that stirring performance. In a moment, the waiters will come with our meals. Before they do, let’s take a moment to thank God for His many blessings and ask His protection on our men fighting around the globe. If you’ll bow your heads… Heavenly Father, we ask that Your sheltering hand would be on our troops as they train and fight around the world. Give our leaders wisdom. And guide us tonight. Bless this food and be honored. Amen.

  “You may enjoy your meal.”

  Robert eased to his seat. It could be a long evening if he had to sit at the front alone.

  “Excuse me, is this seat taken?”

  He looked up into the beautiful face of his traveling companion from the plane. Her hair tumbled in loose waves around her face, a face that looked even whiter than it had when they landed. The rich color of her navy gown did nothing to heighten her color. A slight tremor coursed through her body.

  What was she doing here without Rosemary?

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  __________

  Her room in the Roosevelt Hotel struck an opulent note compared to Rosemary’s flat. Audra stood in the middle of the room dressed in only her foundation items, feeling torn. Should she go downstairs and pray Rosemary had shown up at the fundraiser? Or should she call the detective and see if the apartment had been cleared? See if he’d learned who that poor woman was and who had killed her?

  Her stomach tightened and a rush of panic coursed through her.

  Never one to wait for others to tell her what to do, Audra marched over to the closet and pulled out Rosemary’s gown. She might not belong in Hollywood, but she had to do everything she could to locate Rosie—before it was too late. A wave of nausea burned up her throat. She rushed to the bathroom and leaned over the toilet.

  A moment later her stomach was emptied again.

  Lord, I can’t do this. But I can’t sit here either.

  Her pale image stared back at her from the ornate mirror. She felt like a phony, spending a chunk of her precious reserves on this room. It had made sense when she needed to go somewhere. She didn’t know the hotels in Hollywood, but figured if the fundraiser was here then it should be a nice hotel. She’d been right. Almost too right.

  The hint of the sapphire gown behind her shimmered in the mirror. She could sit here, or she could go downstairs and do something.

  She splashed cold water on her face and braced. Time to act. She applied her cosmetics as if she preparing for an audience with the president himself. First, the pancake layer, then the rouge, followed by a hint of color on her eyes and a swipe of lipstick. Then she shimmied into the dress. She twisted her hair into a knot but decided that looked too formal. Letting her hair fall around her shoulders, she felt like she’d slipped into a role. Almost as if she played Rosemary. If she found Rosie, it would be worth it. She glanced at her watch and jumped. The fundraiser had started forty minutes earlier. How could she slip in now without being noticed?

  As she studied the mirror, she imagined everything she’d seen in Rosemary’s bathroom. A shiver coursed through her. That poor woman!

  Audra felt the tears gather in her eyes at the thought of what the dead woman’s family would experience when they learned she’d been killed. So brutally. So callously. So cruelly.

  How could she pretend to have a good time with that image locked in her mind?

  Rosemary.

  Audra grabbed her handbag, tossed her room key and a tube of lipstick in it, and hurried from the room before her courage fled.

  Minutes later, she stood at the entrance to the ballroom, the invitation in hand.

  “Do you need assistance, ma’am?” One of the hotel staff standing in front of the door eyed her curiously.

  She pulled from her reverie. “No, I’m fine.” She would be fine. She had no choice.

  The strains of the swing band pulled her into the crowded room. All she saw was a sea of unfamiliar faces. She slowly gazed around the room but in the half-darkness couldn’t see features and distinctions well enough to determine whether Rosie was there. Her gaze reached the front of the room and the other person in town she knew. Robert Garfield sat at the head table, looking debonair in a tuxedo, the picture of the next Cary Grant.

  Her feet carried her toward him, his kindness from the morning drawing her. Maybe he could help find Rosemary. And if she were here, the invitation had indicated she should be with him. “Excuse me, is this seat taken?”

  Robert hurried to his feet. “Well, hello again.” He gestured to the table. “There’s plenty of room if you’d like to join me.” He pulled back a chair, and Audra eased onto its edge. A smile stretched his face as he sat down next to her. “Is Rosemary with you? She’s running late.”

  Audra felt her face slacken. “I’d hoped you would tell me she was here.”

  Robert frowned. “She didn’t show for the event. I’m emceeing alone, but we can wander around the room later. See if she’s hiding.”

  “I suppose, though I doubt she’d do that when she had the option to sit up here.”

  “True, but other than calling for her from the podium, I’m not sure how else to search.” Robert eyed her. “Anything you want to tell me that might help?”

  Audra bit her lower lip and considered the situation. Rosemary would be furious if she learned her own sister had gossiped about what happened. Audra should talk to her first and then, together, decide what to say about the body. She shook her head. “I can’t say anything now. Maybe after we find Rosie.” She squared her shoulders and glanced around the ballroom. “What an impressive place.”

  “Yes, I suppose it is. You go to enough of these, it’s easy to miss the grandeur.”

  “I guess it’s a nice side benefit of making the trip.” She fanned her face as if on the edge of swooning. “I’m just sorry I made such a fool of myself this morning.”

  “You didn’t.” His warm smile settled on her. “So where is Rosemary? Artie’s annoyed by her tardiness.”

  “Artie?” Audra wrinkled her nose and rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know who he is or where Rosemary is. She wasn’t at her apartment.” A waiter placed a plate of food in front of each of them. Audra pushed the plate away and covered it with a napkin, her appetite abandoning her.

  Robert picked up his knife and fork and cut into his steak. “After the meal, we’ll walk around. It’s a long shot, but we might find her.”

  “Thank you for offering. It can’t hurt.” Audra tried to smile, but the aroma of the fish and steak on the plate wound around her. She swallowed hard against the urge to gag. She should eat. She hadn’t had anything since the plane. But the thought of eating when she didn’t know where Rosemar
y was—or what had happened to her—or who the body in her apartment was. She couldn’t do it.

  Robert must think she’d gone crazy. Between her strange behavior on the plane and now, she certainly hadn’t put her best foot forward.

  She played with her bracelet then stood. “I’m sorry. I should leave you alone.”

  Robert shot to his feet, steadying his chair behind him where it rocked. “Please stay.” He shrugged, a strangely endearing gesture. “It’s kind of quiet and lonely up here.” He leaned closer. “Shh, don’t tell anyone. The life of a second-tier star isn’t everything it’s billed.”

  “All right.” He really had looked lonely up here by himself. “I guess we’ll give the columnists something to write about in the papers.”

  “Who was that mystery woman seen with the darkly handsome Robert Garfield?”

  “Precisely.” Audra eased back onto her chair. She peeked at the food under the napkin then pushed a hand against her stomach. She had to get her mind on something else. “Tell me why Hollywood.”

  Robert repositioned his napkin on his lap and settled in. He sliced a piece of meat and popped it in his mouth. After swallowing, he pointed at hers. “You really should try it. Hollywood? What can I say? It was in the blood. Mom and Pop had a vaudeville act. Grew up in it. Saw pictures and knew I had to try. Starve or not, see if I could make it.” He shrugged. “There’s nothing like breathing life into a role. Then watching the crowd interact with the characters.” He leaned closer. “I like to go to the theatre and watch the crowds. When they get the performance, it’s wonderful. But let’s keep that our little secret.” Though he whispered the words, Robert smiled at her in a way that made it seem they were alone in the room rather than surrounded by several hundred people.

  Audra felt heat travel up her neck. What must this man be like when he really wanted to impress someone?

  Robert scanned the ballroom. “People have worked their way through the course. Time for me to get back to work. Would you like to fill in for Rosemary?”

  “No, thank you.” Audra waved him off. “The only audience I’d like is a judge.”

  He winked at her, and her heart stopped. Get ahold of yourself, Audra. He is a movie star. He flirts with all the women. Comes with the job.

  While he entertained the crowd and got them relaxed, Audra nibbled at her food. Once she slathered a roll with rich butter, she could force it down. She poked at the baby potatoes but left the meat. She could imagine any number of her friends who would envy her this moment. Dinner with a movie star in Hollywood. Being seen by those who mattered in the business. But she couldn’t think of that. Not when Rosemary hadn’t shown. All that was left was for Audra to wander among the tables until she’d checked each one for her sister. Where was she?

  Audra shivered in the gown she’d borrowed from her sister’s wardrobe. She felt exposed. As if everyone could look at her and see at a glance that she was a pretender.

  She knew she didn’t belong here.

  She didn’t want to.

  But that didn’t mean she wanted everyone to identify her feelings with a glance.

  “Feel free to make your way to the dance floor as the Johnny Richards Band takes to the bandstand again.” Polite applause followed Robert as he made his way back to his seat. “There. Duty is done for a while.”

  Audra tried to relax. Smile. But the image of that body—she couldn’t make the switch.

  “Hey, how’d you like to skirt the room with me? See and be seen?”

  “Don’t you have a date?” She chewed her lower lip, wondering how he’d respond.

  “I am free as the proverbial bird. Someone else is handling the money talk.” He smiled at her in a way that probably made most women melt. “Besides, we can look for Rosemary without raising suspicion.”

  She nodded and stood. Even if Rosemary had decided to shirk her emcee duties, Audra would at least know she’d shown up. Though it was a remote possibility, finding her here would be better than the fear.

  And the body…

  A shudder overcame her. Robert studied her, concern etched on his brow.

  “You okay?”

  “Yes.” Audra licked her lips and tried to smile. “Let’s wander. It’s not every day a girl like me gets an opportunity like this.”

  Robert shook his head and laughed. “I know you don’t really mean that, but let’s promenade anyway. You’re different from the other women here. I like that.” He extended his hand to her and waited while she slipped her hand into his. The strains of Harry James’s “Music Makers” flowed from the band as she and Robert stepped around the table and down onto the floor. “Besides, it’s my job to make sure you head home with plenty of stories to turn your friends’ heads.”

  “You have no idea.” Audra followed Robert as he whisked her between tables, stopping here and there to introduce her to someone. Nowhere did Rosemary make an appearance. Audra strained her eyes, trying to search the corners of the large room. And once people began circulating among the tables and dance floor as the band switched from Tommy Dorsey to Glenn Miller, the task of locating her sister became impossible. Eventually, Robert swung her by a beverage table and obtained glasses of punch for them. Audra sipped hers, enjoying the coolness as it slid down her throat.

  “Any idea how long you’ll be in town?”

  “No. It all depends on Rosemary. As soon as I know she’s safe, I can go home.”

  “You’ve no interest in trying the city?” Robert looked at her, a question clear in his eyes.

  “I’m not much of a West Coast or desert girl.”

  “It’s not so bad. And Hollywood itself is pretty small. There might be some good opportunities here for a woman with a legal background.”

  Audra let the idea roll around a minute. “No, I need to focus on finding Rosemary and then head home.”

  The music started again, this time with a swinging waltz. Robert took her cup and handed it to a passing waiter. “Then enjoy tonight.” He swept her toward the floor, and soon they danced cheek to cheek. He hummed along with the band, his voice a smooth baritone that tickled her ear. “Are you sure you can’t stay?”

  Audra sighed and tried to push a bit of space between them. “You say that to all the women.”

  “No. I assure you my ex-wife has spoiled me to all women save you.” He pulled her next to him again and swept her back into the fray with a smooth hum.

  Audra stepped back and eyed him. Even if she were looking for a man, she wasn’t sure how she felt about one who’d been divorced. That didn’t bode well for future relationships. He must have seen something in her face.

  “Next time I marry, I’ll decide who my spouse is rather than letting the studio dictate that decision to me. Hollywood isn’t Middle America. The rules are different in ways you might not understand.”

  A couple bumped into them, and Audra realized she and Robert had halted in the middle of the floor. Robert must have realized it, too, because he lightly eased her back into the dancing couples.

  Audra closed her eyes, longing for one instant to get lost in the moment. To pretend she was young and carefree and could enjoy the undivided attention of the star holding her. To pretend that she didn’t need to find her sister. She blocked the thought and focused on the moment. One moment. That’s all she asked.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  __________

  Robert enjoyed the sensation of the woman in his arms. Somehow he doubted she’d believe him if he told her how rarely he let himself enjoy the company of a woman like he enjoyed being with her tonight—that words of wooing didn’t naturally trip off his tongue.

  His status as a star left most women acting strange around him. They swooned and made fools of themselves because of his job. Add in Lana and any trust he had in the fairer sex had disappeared. Living with her had left him undercut. The thought of spending more than a passing moment with a woman didn’t hold much appeal.

  But this one—the one in his arms—she already s
eemed different. While at first flustered, Audra had quickly recovered and seemed to ignore the fact he acted for a living. A welcome change.

  He tucked her closer to his side, enjoying the moment as long as it lasted.

  Audra sighed, and some of the tension evaporated from her shoulders. Whatever had happened since she’d arrived in Hollywood, it hadn’t meant finding her sister.

  Should he be concerned? Press Audra for details? A woman alone in a strange city. Why would she let him close? He would share the burden if she’d let him, but he didn’t really know Rosemary—just her reputation as a woman who did whatever it took to make it. She’d taken all of Artie’s instructions. One dinner with her before tonight didn’t give him much insight. Even then Artie had insisted they be seen together.

  Robert tucked Audra closer. He’d shield her as long as possible from the truth he knew about Rosemary. She likely didn’t know the sordid underside of Hollywood or understand that it had affected her sister. That would be unwelcome news. The kind that added to the worry that had driven Audra here.

  The saxophone wailed a last, piercing note. He dipped Audra then spun her.

  When she opened her eyes, a dreamy look had cloaked her face.

  “Hello, doll.”

  “Oh.” Her mouth formed the perfect rosebud, and he must have stared because she jerked back a step. “Thank you for a delightful distraction.”

  Distraction? Did all women know instinctively how to hit a guy’s ego where it hurt? “The night doesn’t have to be over.”

  “Yes, I think it does. It’s late, and I’m ready to get back to my hotel room. Maybe Rosemary’s left word there.” The flash of a shadow hid her face, as if she really didn’t expect to hear from Rosemary.

  Robert hoped he kept his face schooled from the disappointment. “Rosemary’s a grown woman. Surely she can take care of herself while you stay for another dance.” He grinned, the smile that made his fans swoon. “Please.”