The Case of the Rising Star

by Zavo

  After he left I finished my brandy. “Good night, Nathan. I’m too tired to talk anymore. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Good night, Derrick.”

  I went to my room, undressed, and slid under the covers. I was asleep immediately.

  It was still dark outside when there was a knock on my bedroom door the next morning.

  “It’s Nathan, Derrick.”

  “Come in,” I said, groggily.

  He entered my room and turned on the lamp. “I just got a call from Gordon’s assistant, Donald. An intruder broke into Gordon’s house early this morning. He’s been beaten up pretty badly. He’s at the hospital. I told Donald we’d be there as soon as possible.”

  “Oh my God!”

  I leapt out of bed, dressed, and followed Nathan downstairs. Without asking we took Dad’s Cadillac, and Nathan drove to the hospital. When we arrived and made our way to Gordon’s room, we encountered a flurry of reporters and uniformed policemen. Two officers were stationed outside the door to his room. We had to wait while one officer secured permission for us to enter. When we did, Harry Simms and Stuart Douglas were standing in the far corner, their faces ashen. I had to contain my dismay when I got my first look at Gordon. His left eye was swollen shut, and fully black and blue. His lips were bruised and purple; he had a large lump on his right temple and a small laceration on his right cheek. He managed a wan smile when he saw us.

  “It’s good to see you, Derrick. You too, Nathan. Fortunately, my body took the brunt of the beating. I have a few bruised ribs, but everything else is intact. While my face indeed looks bad, it will heal quickly. With the magic of makeup, I should be back on the set in no time. What do you think, should my next picture be a horror film?”

  Even his weak attempt at humor brought a smile to my lips.

  “I think you should always accentuate your good looks, Gordon.”

  He smiled and his cheeks turned a bright red. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Nathan staring at me.

  “Flattery will get you everywhere, Derrick! Stuart and Harry, would you mind leaving the three of us alone for a few minutes? I’d like to speak to Derrick and Nathan in private.”

  The two men left the room without a word, but each clapped me on the shoulder as they passed. When they were gone I closed the door.

  “Why was it necessary for them to leave, Gordon?”

  “After the attack, I’m not trusting anyone but you two, and also Daniel.”

  “Can you give me a description of the man who attacked you?”

  “I certainly can, Derrick, which is what I told Lieutenant Grogan.”

  “Michael was here?”

  “Yes, he questioned me at length. He told me to tell you he’d be back later today. Regarding the intruder, I surprised him when I came home early this morning from my run. It was obvious by his reaction when he saw me that he wasn’t expecting me—which leads me to believe he is privy to my schedule. He jumped me as soon as I entered my house. He was wearing a mask, so I never got to see his face. I do know he was very good-sized. Not fat, but just big. He’s around my height, but I would estimate he has thirty pounds on me.

  “He’s a young man, around my age, I would say. He had black hair, but I couldn’t see if he had any facial hair due to his mask. I’m no slouch when it comes to the fisticuffs, as you witnessed, Derrick, but he easily overpowered me and pinned me to the ground. Here’s the funny thing; I felt as if he could have done much more harm to me than he did. He was definitely pulling his punches and seemed to be trying to stay away from my face. However, as you can tell, he failed in that regard. He couldn’t seem to control his temper. After he tied my hands behind my back and tied my legs together, he knelt at my crotch, pulled out my cock, and began sucking on it. He quickly brought me to a climax. I’m almost positive this was not our first interlude, albeit without the physicality. But I can’t say for sure.”

  “So, your attacker was wearing a disguise because you know who he is, or at least you would recognize him again. Is that what you’re thinking? Thus, your distrust of Stuart and Harry?”

  “Exactly, Derrick. It could be anybody from my past who I’ve had relations with. After I was spent, we made eye contact. I know for a fact I’ve seen those eyes before. I’m positive of it. It’s someone I know here in Hollywood.”

  “Gordon, I think it’s best you come and stay at my parents’ estate till we catch your blackmailer turned attacker. I won’t take no for an answer. This situation has gone too far. Whoever he is, he’s growing desperate. He definitely doesn’t want you to finish this picture. I thought for sure it was Jerome, but before Daniel left for New York, he was tailing him and we learned nothing suspicious.”

  “Is Daniel still in New York?”

  “He is. He’ll be back tomorrow night.”

  “Good, I’ll have you all to myself for a whole day.”

  “Slow down there, Romeo. You need to take it easy and get lots of rest so you can finish your picture.”

  The frown on his face made me smile. I was beginning to wonder if the young man had developed more than a crush on me.

  “I’ll be back to see you later today. Hopefully by then, the doctor will say it’s okay for you to be released. We already have extra guards patrolling the grounds of the estate around the clock, due to some trouble we had a few weeks ago. We can post guards in the house as well till this has been resolved.

  “You have the number at the house, and the office. Don’t hesitate to call me if you remember anything else, or if you need me to bring anything when I return.”

  “I appreciate your generosity, Derrick, and I think I will take you up on your offer. I certainly will need a few days for these bruises to heal before I can appear on the set again.”

  “Okay, Gordon. Let’s keep the list of folks who know you’re here to a minimum. Harry, Stuart, Jerome, Donald, and Jonathan, and that’s it. No fellow actors or personal friends, and certainly no fans.”

  I kissed Gordon on the forehead and left his room. I sat in the hospital lobby with Nathan for several minutes.

  “You really care about him, don’t you, Derrick?”

  “More than I realized, Nathan.”

  “Where does this leave you and Daniel?”

  “I don’t know. I need some time alone to think. I’ll catch up with you later.”

  I went to the hospital chapel. Thankfully, it was empty.

  First the shooting at the house, then the break-in and beating. The culprit seemed to know where Gordon was at all times, and when he was the most vulnerable. I once more ran the events of the recent altercation through my mind. As I did so, a new thought popped into my head. What if we had been looking in the wrong direction? What if Gordon’s blackmailer / attacker was not involved in the motion pictures industry at all? What if he was from Gordon’s past, before he had even come to Hollywood? A name suddenly popped into my head: Russell Grant. It was the only name from Gordon’s past I was aware of. I would need to check with Michael to see what he could find out about this Russell Grant. When I arrived home, Charles was in the kitchen, overseeing preparations for the noon and evening meals. He informed me my mother was out shopping and my father was playing golf at the club.

  I made myself some eggs and toast for breakfast and ate them in my room. Against my better judgment, I added a glass of Kentucky Capital, just to calm my nerves. When I finished eating, and after a second glass of bourbon, I retrieved the notepad on the nightstand and dialed the operator for assistance to Daniel’s hotel room in New York City. While I waited for her to connect us, I jotted down some notes to ask Gordon this evening. The operator came back on the line and informed me she was ringing the room. When I heard Daniel’s hello, the operator dropped off the call.

  “Greetings, Mr. McAllister. How are things in the big city? How is your investigation going? Do you miss me?”

  “Of course I miss you, Mr. Steele. I’ve been quite successful in tracking down a number of the Mon
tgomery Agency’s clients. Most sing their praises to the heavens. But, as we suspected, I have come across a handful who, while happy with the results the Montgomery brothers provided, would not seek out their services a second time. Seems the problem was with, guess who, oldest brother Warren. He often proved to be irascible, and not very easy to work with.”

  “Good work, Detective McAllister. It sounds like we need to cut Warren loose as soon as possible after his month probation, before we have another Angus situation on our hands. When do you plan to wrap things up and return home?”

  “I have two more contacts to reach tomorrow, and then I have a flight out right after that. I’ll be arriving in Los Angeles a little after midnight tomorrow night. I’m looking forward to seeing you, Derrick.”

  “Before you go, Daniel, I need to bring you up to speed on Gordon’s case.”

  When I described the events that had taken place, he was shocked. “It’s obvious his blackmailer is getting desperate.”

  I braced myself for the next part, anticipating Daniel’s reaction.

  “I invited Gordon to stay at the house till he is healed or this case is solved. Whichever comes first.”

  There was a long silence on the other end.

  “Couldn’t he have simply hired extra guards at his own house? Why does he have to be near you? He already acts like you’re his boyfriend.”

  “Daniel, he’s a client and he needs our protection. This seemed the most logical move. You’ve never been insecure about our relationship before. What’s going on with you?”

  “I’m just not sure, Derrick. I feel this huge wall rising between us. It started when you took on Gordon’s case, and it’s been getting worse since Warren arrived in Los Angeles.”

  I braced myself, because I knew what was coming next.

  “Derrick, I know we have a loose relationship. We both have sex with other people. However, something has changed since you met Gordon. I hate to ask this, but I have to. Are you falling in love, or are you already in love with him?”

  When the question came, I felt no sense of relief. Truth be told, I wasn’t sure myself. Despite whatever was going on between Daniel and me, I did still love him. And I was not ready to throw away our relationship. But I had to admit to myself for the first time that I was starting to have feelings for Gordon. It was becoming more than just sex between us, at least for me. I enjoyed his company, and his case had taken on a decidedly personal note for me.

  “I can tell by your silence, Derrick, that it’s true. I don’t want to be one of two men loved by a third. I respect myself too much for that.”

  “I’m sorry, Daniel. I didn’t mean for this to happen. Part of me is angry at you because I know you’re hiding something from me.”

  A sudden thought struck me.

  “By any chance did you run into Benjamin while you were in New York?”

  His slight pause before answering beat him to the punch line.

  “I did by accident. It wasn’t pretty. As I said, he has a violent temper. He would blow up over the littlest thing.”

  I hated myself for asking, but I had to know. “Did you have sex with him?”

  “God, no. That would never happen again. Even during our lovemaking he was a brute. I only saw him briefly on the street in front of my hotel. He did try to reach me in my room, but I didn’t take his calls.”

  I felt my pulse quicken, but I also felt immense relief at having finally voiced my concerns. Daniel was silent for a full minute.

  “Derrick, for both our sakes, I’ve told you everything I can. To tell you the full story would put both our lives in danger—as well as the lives of your family. When I get home tomorrow I think it’s best that I move out. Just to give us some space while you sort out your feelings. I will, of course, continue to work for Steele Investigations. I’ll see you at the office, I’m sure.”

  I felt like I’d been kicked in the balls. But I wasn’t up for a fight just now. It might be good for Daniel and me to have some time apart.

  “Given the circumstances, Daniel, I agree with your decision. However, I won’t tell anyone tonight. Let’s wait till you get back home. Do you still want me to pick you up at the airport tomorrow night?”

  “No. I’ll just take a taxi to a hotel. I’ll stop by and grab some clothes when I get the chance. Good night, Derrick.”

  “Good night, Daniel.”

  After hanging up with Daniel, I needed some exercise to reduce my stress and take my mind off what had just happened. After a quick swim and a long, leisurely horseback ride, I showered and drove to the hospital. When I arrived at Gordon’s room, there was still quite a flurry of activity. Michael was in his room when I entered. Gordon was glad to see me, though he appeared very tired.

  “Afternoon, Derrick.”

  “Hello, Gordon. How are you feeling?”

  “Good enough to leave here, isn’t that right, Lieutenant Grogan?”

  I turned to Michael, who simply smiled at the young man’s eagerness.

  “Hello, Michael. How are you?”

  “I’m good.”

  “Do you have a minute to talk?”

  “Sure, Derrick.”

  When we stepped out into the hall, I explained to him my thinking about Russell Grant. “Can you check to see if he arrived in Los Angeles within the past several weeks? Also, if he’s working at Paramount Studios?”

  “Do you really think he could be the one, Derrick?”

  “I do, Michael.”

  “Okay. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. On another note, Edward has completed his analysis of the handwriting and has eliminated all suspects on the list.”

  “Thanks, Michael.”

  After Michael left, I went in and sat by Gordon’s bedside. He was already fast asleep. I watched the slow rise and fall of his chest, trying to sort out my feelings for this handsome actor. When the doctor arrived and woke Gordon to examine him a second time, he announced he could leave that night. We arranged to transport Gordon to my parents’ estate. We waited till it was well past midnight, when the hospital was relatively quiet. Nathan secured a wheelchair, and Michael played lookout in the hall as we covered Gordon’s head with a coat and wheeled him out the door to my dad’s Cadillac. My father had arranged for a private nurse to help oversee Gordon’s recovery. As we pulled away from the hospital, Gordon slumped against the side of the Cadillac and immediately dozed off. I kept an eye on him as we sped to the estate. We saw few cars at this late hour, and no one appeared to be following us. As we drove through the gates and pulled up to the front of the house, my mother came down the steps to meet us. I roused Gordon, and we walked him into the house and up to a second-floor guest room Mother had prepared. When I laid him on the bed, he murmured his thanks and fell asleep again.

  Three days passed while Gordon’s wounds slowly healed. On the fourth day I planned a nice lunch for us by the pool. After that, if Gordon was up for it, I thought we’d go for a horseback ride. After we were settled comfortably, Charles brought us thick ham sandwiches, homemade pickles, potato salad, and watermelon. While we ate, Gordon brought me up to date regarding things on the movie set. Everyone was anxious to have him back to film the final scene. A few previous scenes had been refined, and the picture was almost complete. When our doctor had examined Gordon this morning, he’d declared him fit to return to the set on Monday. Makeup would easily hide any remaining bruising the camera might pick up. After eating every dollop of food, we walked the short distance to the stables. Henry, our stable master, greeted us warmly and had our horses ready. I helped Gordon into his saddle, mounted my own horse, and we were on our way. As we rode along the trail I broached the subject I had been fearful to bring up with Gordon: Russell Grant.

  “Gordon, we’ve never spoken much about your home-town. I know from what I’ve read, in addition to what you’ve told me, that you come from a small town in Louisiana. Tell me briefly what it was like growing up there. It must have been an extreme adjustment when you
moved to Los Angeles.”

  “Indeed it was, Derrick. As the saying goes, we were dirt poor. My mother ran off with a Bible salesman when I was twelve, and I haven’t seen her since. This left my father to raise me and my four brothers on his own. Plus his current girlfriend, of which there were many—all less than desirable. All my brothers were older than me, and began marrying and building homes of their own. As they did so, more and more of the burden of running the farm fell on my shoulders. My father hired men to help out, but they were most often worthless, and didn’t stay long. They spent most of their time drinking with my father. There were one or two who were regulars, but I stayed out of their way as much as possible. They were just plain mean.”

  “Did you have many friends, Gordon?”

  He turned to me, a strange look on his face, but didn’t respond as we continued to ride along the trail. I couldn’t let this drop. Michael had called this morning, confirming Russell Grant had indeed arrived via plane in Los Angeles a little over a month ago. I had no idea how far he would go to stop Gordon. I suspected the two were more than simply lovers, but I needed to hear this from Gordon’s lips.

  “Was one of those friends named Russell, Gordon? Russell Grant?”

  When he heard the name, he pulled up quickly and turned to face me. Surprise and something else were clearly etched on his face.

  “How do you know about Russell?”

  “Gordon, I only know of him because of the picture in your dressing trailer. But I have proof he’s here in Los Angeles. I’m pretty sure he’s working on the set of your picture. I think he caused that stage light to fall in the saloon. I think he’s your blackmailer, as well as the shooter and the intruder.”