The thought settled on Robert.
What he did was of no consequence compared to that. Truly his efforts as emcee looked insignificant and so worthless in light of the sacrifices of life and health.
Maybe he should hop off the train at the next station and find the nearest enlistment office.
“There you are.” Lana’s voice pulled him from his thoughts with a start.
“Lana.”
She looked stunning in a blue dress that matched her icy eyes. Her stylist must have told her to only wear blue gowns that fit her like a glove, advice she seemed determined to follow. The eyes of every man on the car locked on her as if she were the only woman there.
“You mind?” Without waiting she settled onto the bench, squishing so close he could feel the heat from her body. Robert sucked in a breath and waited. “I need a protector.”
He looked at her and laughed. “You might start by changing into something less revealing. That would help quite a bit.”
She stuck out her lower lip in what he used to find a charming pout. “Robert.”
“Look, Lana. I’m not your husband anymore. You made that decision. You are no longer my responsibility.”
“You’re a horrible man.” She started to slide away from him then stopped. Robert followed her gaze as a soft look came over her face and she snuggled close. Royce stared at them, arms crossed and a deep frown etched on his face.
“Oh, no.” Robert stood, and Lana lurched forward. “I will not be part of your games. If you want him, go get him. But don’t use me as a pawn in your game.”
He slid past her into the aisle. Where could he go to get away from her? He was trapped on this train until it arrived in D.C. in two days.
Suddenly that seemed like an eternity rather than a mere forty-eight hours.
“Robert.” Lana pulled on his arm. “Please don’t go.”
He stared at her hand on his sleeve then shook her off. He held his head high as he strode to the dining car, ignoring all the eyes focused on him.
* * * * *
Audra tried to shrink behind the piano as Robert passed. Everyone had witnessed the scene with Lana. What a conniving woman. But even as she thought that, Audra wondered if her thoughts were fair.
Maybe something really bothered her.
Audra couldn’t imagine what problems a star had. Decked out as Lana was, Audra could envision all kinds of man troubles. The pawing-hands kind. But those were easily resolved.
Then again, she doubted Lana would agree.
“Miss Schaeffer?” Frank Crosby sang her name in his signature smooth, sweet style.
She laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard my name quite like that.”
“Then stick around, kid. I’ll do it every day, all day if you like.” He waggled his eyebrows.
The Lester twins wolf-whistled. “You tell her, Frank.”
“That’s quite all right.” The whistles continued, and Audra put on the face she imagined she’d use in court someday. “If you don’t need me for something serious, I’ll move along.”
Frank struck a pose, hand clutched over his heart. “You slay me, love.”
“Oh, give the girl a break. Seriously, Frank.” Constance Smythe shook her head and shrugged. “I’d apologize for him except he’s not sorry.”
“Not a solitary repentant bone in my body.”
“Exactly what I was afraid of.” Constance sighed. “Seriously, we need an opinion. We thought Frank could croon ‘I’ll Never Smile Again.’ Get everyone in a melancholy mood, thinking about their love fighting overseas. But we’re not sure what to do with me.”
This was far outside her training. Audra thought a moment then she snapped her fingers. “I’ve got the perfect song. How about ‘I’ll be Seeing You.’”
Constance stared at her, a blank look in her eyes.
“You know. The song from Broadway.” Audra hummed a few bars. “I bet you could cover it well with your emotional singing. And we could put you in a beautiful gown. A single spotlight on you. Oh, it will be perfect.”
“I need someone to play it for me.”
Jim Collins hurried to the piano. “This the song you’re thinking of, Audra?” He plinked a few keys then swung into the sweeping lyrical part of the song. Audra hummed along then sang, “I’ll be seeing you, in all the old familiar places…”
She stopped abruptly. “Surely you remember it now.”
Constance nodded. “I’m sure someone can help me if I don’t.”
“Great. I—I need to go—see the costumer.” Audra hurried down the aisle. How could she do something so embarrassing? They must all think she’s crazy. Why else would she sing in front of two of the country’s most famous crooners?
She’d clearly lost her mind. She needed to find Rosemary’s killer and get back home to Indianapolis where she didn’t do insane things like that. Audra passed her berth and considered going in and hiding for a while.
No. They needed full sets of costumes for a two-hour program that didn’t yet have a rundown. As the program came together, Dalia could work her magic. Mark had assured her the costumer was a miracle worker. Audra hoped he was right since she couldn’t do much more than sew on a button anymore. It had been a long time since she crafted costumes for Rosemary’s plays. Even that she’d never done to her grandmother’s exacting standards. Now Audra was glad to buy her clothes readymade.
Dalia’s berth was at the end of the last car before the baggage car and caboose. What a lonely place—cars away from the action, excitement, and good-natured bickering that filled the dining and lounge cars.
Audra rapped on Dalia’s door. “Ma’am?”
“Who is it?” The rich lyrical voice wafted through the door.
“It’s Audra Schaeffer.”
“Of course you is.” The door opened. “Come on in, child.” Audra found herself clasped against the large bosom of the black woman. “How’d you sense I was a mite lonely back here?”
“I didn’t.” Audra bit her lip, wishing she’d been more creative with her answer. “Do you have time to look at the clothing?”
“Course I does. What else I gonna do but sit here readin’ the Good Book?” Dalia plopped a hat on her head and hurried Audra back into the small hallway. “Right this way. You’ll see what we have to work our needle magic on.”
“You don’t think I’m helping?” Dread filled Audra. She could imagine all the blood she would shed on beautiful gowns in her efforts to improve them. “I’m truly dreadful with a needle.”
Dalia studied her. “Ain’t nothin’ a little time and trainin’ can’t fix. Too bad we ain’t got the time.” Dalia led her to the baggage car. “This here’s where all the props and costumes are.” She pulled a key from her bosom and unlocked the door. “Welcome to Oz.”
Audra stepped into the room and understood immediately why Dalia had nicknamed the car Oz. It held a riot of color, with little organization.
“Don’t you worry none about the looks of things in here. I’ll fix some order tomorrow. What I needs to know now is what we needs for the White House.”
How should she know? Audra was an attorney, not a Hollywood director. She must be nuts to think she could do this job. She could imagine her mother’s reaction. She had tried to make Audra interested in domestic skills like sewing and event planning, and Audra had successfully resisted. Now she’d have to chase up every piece of advice she’d ignored.
“Honestly? Mark hasn’t mentioned we’re going to the White House on this trip.” Audra bit her lower lip and walked along the first rack of gowns. She could imagine Rosemary looking lovely in any of them. “If we are, you have years more experience than I ever want to have.” She pulled an emerald gown out to examine. “This one would be perfect for a number that Constance will sing. Will it fit her?”
Dalia eyed the garment then took it from Audra. Examining the tag and then the seams, she nodded. “Yes, ma’am. We can have it lookin’ like it was sewn just for her.”
>
“We’ll have a trio of the girls singing popular tunes like the Andrews Sisters.” Audra pivoted, taking in everything that was crammed into the space. “Do we have matching outfits?”
“Sure we does. You want gowns or more uniform lookin’ get-ups?”
“Uniforms. For variety.”
“Sure thing. Missy, you tell me whats you need, and I’ll make it happen.”
“If only I knew. They’re still arguing over who will do what. And we arrive in two days.”
“Then we’ll have to ask the Good Lord to stretch time. He did it for Joshua. Maybe He’ll see fit to do it for us.”
Audra giggled. “I don’t know if this is as serious as that battle, but I hope He answers your prayer. We’ll need every moment.”
“At least we don’t have to worry about Mizz Garfield’s dresses. The studio sent everything she could possibly need.” Dalia gestured to a long rack filled with rich blue gowns. “The woman needs some variety in her life. That’s all I’m sayin’. Um-hmm.”
“I don’t know. She’s doing fine.”
“You is new to Hollywood, ain’t you? Don’t you be thinkin’ money and fame makes for happiness. I seen it destroy more people than it’s ever made happy. That Mizz Lana ain’t happy. You’ve noticed that. Cain’t be around her more than a couple minutes before you knows. Actress or not, she is one vitally unhappy woman. And she’ll bring you down with her. Just look at that poor husband of hers.”
“Husband?”
“Robert Garfield.”
“They aren’t married.”
“Maybe not no more. Don’t mean he don’t still bear scars of bein’ with that woman. And she gonna try to keep him tied to her on this here trip. Mark my words.” Dalia shook her head. “Fact is, Robert’s fightin’ her, which that lost little lamb don’t like.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
__________
Tuesday, June 16, 1942
The train jerked from side to side as it slowed. Audra rubbed her forehead, feeling a bone-deep weariness. They’d finally reached St. Louis. The train had only rolled across the country for two days, but she already wished the tour had ended. How would she survive another two and a half weeks?
It was like traveling with a bunch of juveniles. And she had to referee all of them. She’d love the option of banging down a gavel and sending them to their rooms. Already she’d stopped Royce Reynolds from barging into Lana’s berth. If she’d thought the star would be grateful, she’d been disappointed.
Lana had stormed into her berth without a thank you.
And that was only one incident.
The hardest part was that she couldn’t go to bed until the stars did. Leaving the performers without their babysitter seemed a clarion call for disaster. So Audra hadn’t let herself sleep longer than a couple hours at a time since boarding. She could sleep when they’d safely returned to Hollywood. Until then she’d drink black coffee by the pot.
Mark wandered about the train, keeping an eye on things, then disappearing for chunks of time. Audra wouldn’t venture through the men’s cars to find him. No need to invite trouble. Not when a lot of the men seemed to think they were entitled to pinch anyone who came along their path.
Yes, two days down, and she was thoroughly sick of all things Hollywood. She didn’t care if she ever saw these people again.
Her heart clenched at the thought. That wasn’t a complete truth.
But there was no point thinking about Robert Garfield. He’d been completely friendly and professional. Refreshing, but not fodder for dreams.
She yawned. She needed to get off the train. But that wasn’t possible, so she’d settle for leaving her berth. Maybe the coffee in the dining car would be fresh. And she could hop off the train if they actually pulled into the station. Most of the stops so far had been in the middle of train yards as the workers swapped engines. If that happened here, she wouldn’t be able to detrain and feel solid ground under her feet.
The dining car held only a few people when she reached it. A touch of solitude.
Walking to the bar where the coffeepot warmed on its coil, she examined the brew. It looked like it’d sat there for an hour or so. She took a mug and filled it. She drizzled sugar across the top. She’d love some rich cream, too, but would settle for sugar.
When she turned around, Victoria Hyde had entered the car. She approached Audra. “How are you holding up?”
Audra plastered on a smile. “Fine. What’s not to like?”
Victoria studied her as if seeing through the words. She filled a mug then gestured toward a booth. “Come sit with me. I’d like to get to know you.”
Finally, an opportunity to see what someone knew about Rosemary. Victoria was an easy person to start with. She couldn’t be involved with the murder. But she might give Audra a better idea of what Rosemary had done.
Audra eased onto the bench opposite Victoria. The rising star’s quiet beauty was as breath-taking in person as on the screen. But the glow of inner peace set her apart from so many of the other women on the train.
A friendly smile lit her face. “What do you think of our gathering?”
“It’s very different from the circles I’m used to in Indianapolis.”
“Don’t let them get to you. It’s easy to forget that we don’t have to perform all the time.” Victoria ran a finger along the rim of the mug. When she looked up, her green eyes studied Audra. “Some of them are kids who forgot to grow up. Others have learned their on-screen persona so well, they’ve forgotten who they really are.”
“Has that happened with you?” Audra bit her lower lip before she said anything else intrusive. “You don’t have to answer that.”
“It’s all right. I work hard to remember who I am. A small-town girl from Nebraska who happened to be in the right place at the right time to catch the right person’s eye. I can’t be too proud, since I had little to do with it.” She shrugged, a move that looked elegant and refined. “I’m blessed but hold it lightly. I won’t be young forever.”
Audra rolled her eyes. “Right. You’re over the hill at twenty-three.”
“Twenty-one.” Victoria’s eyes twinkled. “You’ve read the wrong articles.”
“I guess so.” Audra took a deep breath. “Did you know my sister? She wasn’t much younger than you.”
“Rosemary?”
“Yes.”
Victoria looked over Audra’s shoulder as if hunting through her memory. “I think we first ran into each other at Artie’s office. She’d signed with him and was over the moon. She looked so innocent and vulnerable. I wanted to take her under my wing, but if she was going to make it she had to stand on her own.”
Audra stiffened when she saw tears in Victoria’s eyes.
“How I regret not giving her a few tips. Maybe she’d be in Hollywood right now memorizing lines for a role. It was perfect for her. I’d read for it but knew I didn’t have the right look.”
“What role was that? I keep hearing she was close to her first real part.”
“Artie sent several of us to try out for the next big Andreson production. Rumor had it she was a favorite for the second lead.”
Rosemary had been that close? Audra’s heart constricted at the thought Rosemary hadn’t known. “What movie?”
“The working title is The Enemy Within. I was so pleased for Rosemary. Hollywood can be a rough place for someone who wants to break into movies.” Victoria lifted her coffee mug and then set it down without taking a drink. “There are many traps for those who haven’t lived here awhile and know what to beware of. And Artie can all too easily push the gullible toward dark places.”
A chill shook Audra’s frame. She looked around the car and noticed that where it had been fairly empty a few minutes ago, it had now filled.
One of the performers she didn’t know yet sat uncomfortably close to the booth she and Victoria shared. He sat there with a newspaper on the table in front of him, but she felt certain he focused on them rather
than the headlines. Why? He must have sensed her attention, because he stood, tipped his hat, and walked past her with a grim smile.
Audra leaned across the booth. “Do you know who that is?”
“Who?”
“That man who walked by. He sat at the booth behind you.”
Victoria twisted to look for the man. “From the back he looks like Dexter Snow.”
“Why is he on the train? What does he do?”
“I think he hopped on at our last stop. He’s a magician who’s played bit parts in a couple of not very good movies. Mark must have decided to add him to the mix.”
Maybe. She’d have to ask Mark the next time she ran into him. Until then, she had to get more information about Rosemary. “Did you run into Rosemary at any events? At any screen tests or auditions?”
Victoria shook her head. “Artie likes to send us to different ones. He doesn’t believe in his clients competing against each other—at least until they’re established. The Enemy Within was unique, but a great opportunity so he sent several of us.”
“I still don’t understand why Rosemary would need a warning.”
“Men come to Hollywood longing to spend time with beautiful women.”
Why did it feel like she had to pull the information from Victoria? “And?”
Victoria took a deep breath and met Audra’s gaze. “Are you sure you want to know?”
“Yes.” What could be so terrible?
“Your sister probably had begun to work for Artie. In his escort service. Many women, before they become stars, turn to this type of work.”
Victoria continued to talk, but Audra no longer heard her.
Rosemary wouldn’t do something like that. Not in a month of Sundays. She couldn’t turn her back on everything they’d been taught. Not so easily and quickly. No, if she’d needed to stoop to something as terrible as working for an escort service, surely she would have called home for help first.
“You’re wrong.”
“I hope you’re right. Truly I do. But you need to be aware it’s a possibility. A lot of girls who never thought they’d do anything like it find themselves doing exactly that.”
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