THE MASTER OF MURDER : The New Town

by James Tayler

  “Are you visiting, or are you from out of town?” he asked.

  She blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

  “Just curious. You don’t look like….most of them.” Adam gestured toward the slip of paper, which she read. It simply said, “To a gorgeous girl. Best wishes, Clint Adam.” Judy shook her head with confusion. “What’s this?”

  “My autograph. What did you expect me to write, ‘Clint Eastwood’?”

  Suddenly she realized what had happened and laughed. “I’m afraid you’re mistaken, Mr. Adam. I’m not here for an autograph.”

  He pushed his glasses up to his hair, exposing his eyes. They had an ironic twinkle….and not the remotest trace of embarrassment. “You mean you’re not an autograph hunter?”

  She shook her head.

  “What, may I ask, do you want, then? No, let me guess,” he said, lifting his hand. “You’re a summons server. My ex and her lawyer are at it again.” He surveyed her body again. “The short skirt, the legs, the enticing butt and mouth are to lure me into range.”

  Judy shook her head once more then took off her sunglasses. “If that were my purpose, you’d already have the summons in your hand.”

  Adam rubbed his chin. A good point there.”

  They looked at each other for quite a while. He noticed that Judy’s eyes were indeed beautiful, so were her face and her kissable mouth. He assessed her. “You’re not a robber or a hit lady. I’d already be dead.”

  She smiled, reluctant to end the game. “True.”

  He put his hands on his hips. “All right, who or what are you?” he asked.

  Judy reached into her purse and removed her nickel-plated 9mm automatic. She had the presence of mind not to point it at him, but he backed off anyway.

  “I’m Judy Garret, Mr. Adam,” she said. “And if you’d already hired me to provide security for you and your family, I wouldn’t have allowed you to walk out here to talk to a perfect stranger at the gate.”

  Adam swallowed hard, but he didn’t flinch. “You’re Judy Garret?”

  “Yes, I believe, we had an appointment….” She checked her watch “….thirty-five minutes ago.”

  He managed to pull himself together and regain his composure. “I apologize for being late, Miss. Garret, and I hope you’ll forgive me for thinking you were a fan. I didn’t realize who you were because, frankly, I was expecting a man.”

  “In a way I could be a fan.” She said, “It happens often,” she smiled, still enjoying her advantage.

  Her directness seemed to amuse him. “Well,” he said pointing at the gun, “If you’ll put that thing away maybe we can have our meeting.”

  Judy slid the pistol back into her purse, glancing at him with more than a little self-satisfaction. Adam seemed to notice, but refrained from making any comment. The autographed scrap of paper was still in her hand so, unable to resist the urge, she pushed it through the bars at him.

  He took the paper, then, seeing the expression on his face, Judy immediately realized she had gone too far.

  After crumpling the paper and stuffing it into his pocket, he said, “One thing I’ve learned early in life, never argue with a woman packing a gun.”

  He dropped his sunglasses back down on his nose and Judy put hers on, as well. Adam went to the security panel where he punched in the code, the gate swung open. When it closed, they slowly walked up the driveway together.

  “So, you’re a personal aid and you are going to protect my little daughter?” he asked.

  “That’s what I had in mind.”

  “Security has become a thing that haunts me day and night, I have to tell you. The last thing I want is for something to happen to my little girl, Tina, because of the unsavory life I lead.”

  “Identifying the danger is the first step,” she said, taking extra-long steps to keep up with him.

  Adam suddenly stopped and turned to her. There was a slight edge in his voice, to let her know how serious he was. “I might be a scoundrel, but I might as well be honest with you up front, Miss. Garret. I may not be very particular about whom I take to bed with me, but I’m very particular about who I hire for this job. It’s not going to be automatic, simply because you are a good looker. Very likely, it’ll be someone else.

  Judy felt her stomach drop, but refused to give up. She tried to sound self-confident. “I know you haven’t offered me the job, but then, I haven’t exactly agreed to take it, either, have I?”

  “You’ve got your lines down pretty well,” he remarked, a sly grin playing at the edge of his mouth. “How do you prepare for these interviews? Read a little James Bond?”

  Judy felt herself turn red. Perhaps she’d come across more cheeky than self-assured. “Mr. Adam, I only meant to say I’ve got to feel good about a job or there’s no point in taking it.”

  She saw the skepticism on his face, but he didn’t comment, much to her relief. As they continued walking, she reminded herself that she needed this man’s job, badly. A week working for Clint Adam would probably pay the house rent outstanding for two or three months…. Not to mention the fact that his name would do wonders for her resume. She couldn’t afford to let the opportunity slip by.

  “If I sounded rude, I apologize,” she said, when he didn’t respond to her last comment. “In my line of work, a person tends to get a little hard-bitten.”

  He gave a slight laugh. “You don’t look hard-bitten to me, at all. In fact, if you want to know the truth, I’d say you were a bit of a misfit. Except when you pulled that pistol out of your purse, you haven’t struck me as frightening at all.” He gave her thick braid a playful tug.

  Judy fumed silently. Familiarity and his patronizing tone annoyed her. But it was important that she find a way to make him take her seriously.

  They were at the foot of the steps leading up to the front door. “I know you assume I’m some kind of movie scoundrel, Miss. Garret. And frankly, I don’t care what you think about me personally. But if you’re serious about this job, there’s one thing you might as well know up front. I take security for my little girl, Tina to be a deadly serious matter. At the moment it’s the number one priority in my life.”

  Judy looked directly at him. “I understand. And I’m glad to hear it.”

  “And, to be fair, you might as well know I really had somebody else in mind for the job. I’M talking to you because, in effect, you came here from the agency. But I don’t want you to get your hopes up.”

  The Informal Interview.

  Judy took off her glasses again so that he could see the sincerity in her eyes. “It doesn’t matter who I’m up against,” she said. “I’m confident I can do the job. I know my ability.”

  Adam’s mouth twisted with amusement, like a man who knew he was up against a wall. “You’ve been saying all the right things, so I’ll give you honest consideration. But I won’t promise more.”

  “All I ask is that you have an open mind.”

  Wanting to show some sincerity of his own, Adam pushed his glasses back up into his hair again. His eyes were moving back and forth between her, the way they surely did every time it called him to be seductive. Then he rested his arm on her shoulder, as a person would talking to their very best friend.

  “What do your friends call you, Miss. Garret?”

  She was taken aback by the sudden cordiality that she could only sputter, “Judy, mostly.”

  “Mind if I call you that?”

  She shook her head.

  “Listen, Judy, I don’t know what instructions you got at the agency, but I want one thing clear. When my kid is at issue, all the movie stuff goes out the window. I don’t care if you’re a man or a woman, if you’re the best one for the job, you get it. By the same token, a plunging neckline and dynamite butt don’t count for much. Believe it or not, I may not be capable of keeping my pants zipped, when I see a sexy specimen but I try my best to control my desires. I don’t know how all this sounds to you, but I don’t want there to be any misunderstandings.�
� His gaze skittered to her lower lip, seemingly to sink his words.

  It took a moment, but Judy regained her composure. “Frankly, Mr. Adam, I couldn’t be more pleased.” Smiling sweetly, she took his arm and gently removed it from her shoulder. “And in case you’re wondering, I’m not a Carmelite Nun, I too may not be capable of keeping my skirt going up, when I come across a hunky male, but I too can see that it stays down as far as possible.

  Clint Adam’s wide mouth spread into a self-satisfied grin. “Judy, I think it’s time to go inside and meet my little girl, Tina.”

  He opened the door. Judy stepped inside and was nearly bowled over by a little girl coming toward them at full speed through the entry hall. The child, about four, was practically naked. She had on the bottom of a swimsuit, but not the top.

  “Pappa, Pa….” Her shriek died mid-word as she skidded to a halt a few feet from Judy. Her expression was startled, but she immediately slipped past the unexpected visitor to her father.

  Adam swept the child into his arms.

  “Jeeesus!” The voice was coming from the inner sanctum of the house.

  Judy looked back to see a short plumb, woman coming at a half-run, her heels clicking on the tile floor. The top of the child’s swimsuit was dangling from her hand.

  “Jeeesus!” she repeated, distraught. “I’m so sorry, sir. She was out of my arms in a flash.”

  Adam was hugging the child, rocking her back and forth, their cheeks pressed together. “That’s all right, Jean. You knew it was Pappa, didn’t you angel?”

  The woman looked at Judy, her face filling with embarrassment. She shrugged helplessly.

  “Jean,” he said, “this is Judy Garret, the personal aid I told you about.”

  The housekeeper looked confused. “But sir, you said it was a man coming, not a beautiful young lady.”

  Adam laughed. “I was surprised at first, too, but believe me, she’s tough as nails.” He gave Judy a wink, which she pointedly ignored. “This is my housekeeper, Jean,” he said, continuing the introductions. “Of late she’s been doubling as Tina’s bodyguard.” He stroked the little girl’s head. “And I don’t have to tell you who this little imp is.”

  The little girl who had hair much the same color as her father’s, turned suddenly shy, resting her head on his shoulder.

  Judy touched her cheek. “Hi, Tina,” she said brightly. “It looks to me like you’re getting ready for a swim.”

  She nodded, then turned her face away to hug her father.

  She has been itching to swim for an hour, ma’am,” Jean moaned. “She thinks she is French….” The woman dangled the top of the child’s swimsuit from her finger “….and doesn’t like this one.”

  “It’s my fault,” Adam explained. “I promised she could go swimming as soon as I got home.” He turned to Judy. “I don’t like her in the pool unless I’m there.” He closed the front door and put Tina down. “You run along and finish getting ready, okay, angel face?” he said to the child. “Pappa will meet you out by the pool in a few minutes.” He watched Tina run off down the hallway.

  She could see that the agency man had been right about Adam’s devotion to his daughter, but somehow she hadn’t expected it to be as sincere as it appeared. In fact the man was constantly surprising her and catching her off guard.

  People in the movie business usually weren’t famous for their wonderful marriages or happy family lives. Judy had heard from her mother the details about Adam’s divorce.

  Apparently Millie Parson had married Adam for his money, an aspiring actress herself, she hadn’t been able to cope up with the strain of him.

  After Tina was born, the marriage went from bad to worse. The couple fought over values and priorities, and Millie ended up suing for divorce. This led to his scandalous bad boy behavior. He felt that women were there for fun and treated them as his play things, but Adam became the primary parent, as Millie neglected her parental role.

  “Well,” he asked, turning his attention back to Judy, “What do you think of my bundle of mischief?”

  She couldn’t help smiling. He seemed so typically the proud father. “She’s a lovely child.”

  Adam observed her for a moment, noting her bemused expression. He decided that she was really a very attractive woman….. And in more ways than just a physical sense. Her behavior was appealingly different from the women he normally encountered.

  Most of the women he bedded with tended to be money hungry and star gazers who liked to live in Adam’s shadow. But Judy struck him as almost disdainful of his status, and in a rather intriguing way.

  She was not intimidated by Adam or his status, which, if nothing else, was a refreshing change. He for a moment did not feel the situation so compelling.

  Adam nodded toward her purse. “I don’t suppose you pack a bikini along with a pistol in that thing, do you.” He questioned.

  She looked perplexed. “No. Why do you ask?”

  “You seem so well prepared; I thought you might have one around for whatever occasion arises. To be more precise, I thought you might wish to come swimming with Tina and me.”

  The prospect didn’t seem to please her, because her expression turned misty. “I don’t make a habit of interviewing in a swimsuit,” she replied.

  His gaze drifted down to her cleavage and back up again. Her blue eyes were waiting for him…..darts and daggers under a veil of cool restraint. “I see,” he said.

  “You are interested in security for your daughter, aren’t you, Mr. Adam?” Her voice was coolly professional.

  “Yes indeed.”

  “Then perhaps we should get on with the interview, and forget about socializing for a later date.”

  “I wasn’t thinking in terms of ‘socializing,’ as you put it. The fact of the matter is that I don’t want to keep Tina waiting for her swim, and at the same time I realize I’ve already kept you kicking your heels for much too long. I thought maybe we could kill two birds with one stone… talk a bit and have a swim.”

  “Oh.” She seemed momentarily embarrassed. “I misunderstood.”

  “I could get you a swimsuit from my ex’s wardrobe if you are keen, though it might not fit your trim body.”

  The truth was, he wouldn’t have minded seeing her in a bikini, even if that hadn’t been his primary consideration. “I also thought that since swimming is Tina’s favorite activity these days, it wouldn’t hurt to find out how you handled yourself in the water.”

  She listened, but didn’t appear convinced.

  “You do swim?” he asked, pressing his newfound advantage.

  “Oh, yes. Quite well. As a teenager I was a certified lifeguard.” She said. “But I don’t usually swim in somebody else’s bikini; I do it in my own.”

  “First aid, CPR, that sort of thing?”

  “Yes, considering the nature of my work.” She watched him watching her. Then she said, “I suppose I could demonstrate my skills sometime, if you really consider it important.”

  “No. I’ll take your word for it.” Adam allowed a smile to creep across his face. “Well, perhaps we’d better get on with our discussion, then.”

  He took her by the arm and they started walking back through the long entry hall. “We’re not very formal here. Please do me a favor. Call me Clint.”

  “All right. Whatever you wish.”

  Sexual Indoctrination.

  At the end of the hall an arched doorway led to a sunroom filled with cane chairs with fluffy cushions and pillows, lots of plants and primitive sculpture. They went on through to a large brick patio where Adam gestured for her to sit at a table under a turquoise umbrella. He took the chair opposite her as she gazed across the expanse of lawn toward the pool.

  Judy turned her attention back to Adam, folding her hands in front of her on the table. She was no longer sure what to expect from the man, but she decided to start the interview on her own terms, rather than wait for him. “What can I tell you about myself?”

  “Well,
I do have some questions.” He said, “But before that let me give you some sound advice on your sexuality.”

  She waited.

  “Let me enlighten you a bit more, when I invited you for a swim, I was partly interested in seeing your body and partly to test your ability in the water.” He said, “Now let me educate you further, remember, nothing that’s discreet can be erotic. The erotic woman is not unlike the chosen one: she is the one who brings about strife and scandal. What nakedness is it that hides itself in order to be naked? Your lechery makes little sense, if you draw the curtains of your bedroom on it: it won’t liberate your neighbor from his ignorance, his shame, his fear. The important thing is not that you get naked, but that you are seen naked; not that you cry out with pleasure, but that you can be heard.” His voice assumes a more urgent tone:

  “Every relapse into false shame will demoralize a multitude. Each time you start worrying about causing a scandal, think of those who secretly yearn for you to show them the way. Do not betray them. Don’t make light of the hope they put in you. No future audacity or merit would ever make up for such backsliding.”

  He pauses to draw breath, and then, with an almost imperceptible note of disdain in his voice:

  “Or is it propriety you’re thinking about? Is it that you only want to do as others do….or that you want all others to act like you?”

  “But surely I can respect the belief of my neighbors,” she defends herself. “That doesn’t mean that I share them, does it? And if they do not like my kinds of pleasure, why should I enjoy shocking them, or creating a scandal? It’s no skin off my back to let them conduct their lives according to their own lights. Is it possible to live at all, without a little discretion, tolerance, politeness? What is wrong with letting those people persuade themselves that I really do think and act like them….society is made out of such conventions, compromises?”

  “You cannot afford to have anyone match your achievement, much less allow him to transcend it. It is not enough to be exemplary; you have to be exemplary before anyone else.” He pointed out.