Karen tried to take the phone; she grabbed it back.
“No! I’m going to let it ring till he answers.”
“Listen to me, it’s two a.m. here, that means it’s only eleven on the coast. He’s probably out to dinner. Please, put the phone down and we’ll try again later.”
“The coast, the fucking coast, the glorious coast! How I hate the fucking coast! I’ve never seen the damn coast and I hate it. I hate everything.”
She let Karen take the phone. Quiet sobs shook her entire body.
“Here, sweetie, take this. You’ll feel better.”
Val looked up. Karen stood over her holding a glass of water and a big red pill.
“Come on, Val, this is a Darvon. It’ll help you relax and make you sleep for a while.”
“There she is, Florence Nightingale. Don’t you have something to make the whole fucking mess go away? Come on, Florence, there must be something in that treasure chest of colored goodies.”
Karen ignored the sarcasm waiting patiently. Any strength Val had mustered suddenly left. She took the glass and the pill and obediently swallowed.
“That’s better. Now just get under the covers, and when you wake up I promise things won’t seem half as bad.”
It became difficult for Val to speak. She was slurring.
“How? Can you, … be…sure?”
She wanted to tell Karen that the big red pill was very strong, but couldn’t be bothered. The satin sheets were soft, and a warm feeling flowed through her body. She couldn’t keep her eyes open.
“Karen?”
“Yes, honey, I’m here.”
“Don’t go.”
As Val drifted off she saw images of people. Before she could recognize them, they evaporated. She tried to sneak up on them, but they kept getting away. She was alone on a sandy beach. She liked it. It was warm. A distant phone was ringing. She wondered how a phone could be on the beach. She couldn’t see a phone anywhere. She decided to let that go and just enjoy the beach.
CHAPTER 6
Long Distance?
Val had heard a phone. Karen ran to answer it, knowing Val was going to be out of it for a while. The line that lit up was her newest unlisted number. Only a precious few had it . She picked up, curious to find out who it was.
“Hello.”
“Hi Karen, it’s Nicky. Is Val there?”
“Well well, so it’s Nicky is it? Long time. Hang on a minute.”
She put him on hold and turned to Zaria.
“Be a darling and put the earphones on for a few minutes. This is private.”
Zaria found them, plopped them on without a word, and sank back in the armchair.
“Sorry, Nicky, what were you saying?”
“I was saying I want to speak to Val. I’ve got The Tonight Show on. Do you mind?”
“Yes. I’m afraid I do mind. First, how did you get this number?”
“Val gave it to me. What’s the big deal?”
“Okay, no big deal. Now what were you saying?”
“Karen cut the crap and put Val on the phone.”
“Val happens to be sleeping. I have to say, I’m glad you called. We have to talk. Something happened tonight.”
“Don’t be such a drama queen, Karen. Cut the bullshit.”
“Right. I’ll do that. I invited a few people over to watch the show, and of course it mushroomed into a cast of thousands. Anyway, everything was fine until an old friend of yours had a little too much of something and voiced a few opinions that would have been, shall we say, better left unsaid.”
“You’re still doing it. Okay, I’ll play. What old friend of mine?”
“Does the name Peter Angus ring a bell?”
“Jesus, what the fuck happened?”
“Well, he said something bitchy, and I went for him hoping to shut him up. But your charming ex-lover had other ideas. He proceeded to tell Val about the two of you. Then he threatened to bring lawyers into it because I lost it and scratched his face.”
“What happened?”
“To say the least, Val was upset, and now I think she’s in shock. Listen, I still don’t know where your head was getting involved with someone like her in the first place. Now we’re going to work out exactly what you have to do.”
Nicky was stunned.
“Hold it. Where do you come off telling me what to do?”
“Right down to the bottom line, Mr. Venuti. You know what that means.”
Nicky knew it had been her money that was instrumental in getting him the film in Italy. He had to tiptoe gently. He still hoped to get nominated and didn’t want to make waves.
“We’re going to get your little ass into town, pronto.”
Nicky found his voice.
“Wait a minute Karen; take it easy. I was calling Val to let her know I have to come into the city anyway. I’m doing location shots for my new series. I planned on coming next week . I’m more worried about the Peter thing. He can be a real mother fucker in his quiet way and always threatened to get back at me when we split.”
Karen interrupted him.
“Don’t worry about him. I’m taking care of that end. You just be on a plane in the morning, not next week. Got it?”
“Loud and clear.”
Karen didn’t say anything else. He broke the silence. “You’re being more of a friend than I ever thought you would be. That kinda worries me.”
“Not to worry, Nicky. You mean a lot of bread to me, and if there’s one love that’s constant in my life, it’s bread.”
Nicky shook his head. That bitch had more money than God. It blew him away. Still, whatever it took, if it meant she’d work with him, amen.
“I’ll be there tomorrow. You’re okay.” Like hell, he thought.
“Good night, Nicky. Sleep well.”
Karen had a big smile on her face when she hung up. What timing! She couldn’t have planned it better herself. He was doing exactly what he was told. She liked that. He needed her. She liked that too.
The feeling of power was always a turn on for her. She walked over to Zaria, removed her earphones, took her by the hands, and pulled her to her feet. They kissed.
“All aboard the spaceship, my love. Tonight we’re going to Mars.”
She led the way into the mirrored dressing room she called her playroom.
“It’s time for the pause that refreshes. Things do go better with coke.”
“My love, you go down easy, mit nossing.”
She took a plastic bag full of white powder from the drawer and put out four neat lines on the glass-topped dresser. The mirrored walls reflected them, like a scene from a nineteen-thirties Busby Berkeley movie. Karen watched as a hundred Zarias took off their shirts, then pants, and stood there in only a wisp of psychedelic Pucci print underwear that covered their many behinds to perfection.
“I have never seen anyone do so much for a pair of panties. We are going to Bonwit’s tomorrow to buy every pair of size four Pucci’s they have in stock. Then we’ll go to Saks, Bergdorf, and Bloomies and any other store that sells Pucci. We’ll buy them all out. Right now though, I can’t wait for you to take them off.”
They both laughed as they snorted the coke. The beautiful princess of the Pucci panties stood before Karen promising the ultimate ending to a day even she could never have imagined.
Val was taken care of. Nicky was taken care of. Peter was taken care of. Now, she was going to be taken care of. Life was not so bad.
“Fasten your seatbelt, my beautiful Zaria. It’s takeoff time.”
CHAPTER 7
Coming and Going
“Karen, where are you?”
Val’s voice seeped through Karen’s unconscious. She looked at Zaria who turned over and went on sleeping. She would have liked to stay and go to Mars again, but she just smiled and whispered, “Duty calls.”
She walked out into the hall and found Val wandering around, and her heart went out to her. The poor baby really looked like shit. Her eye
s were swollen, and she was still wearing the same clothes from the night before.
“Hello, love. How do you feel?”
“I looked in the mirror and I can honestly tell you I feel even worse than I look. So you can imagine.”
“At least you sound better. That was on the verge of being funny.”
They both only managed a smile.
“Now Florence, as you so sweetly called me last night, will attempt to make coffee. I knew as soon as I let the maid go for a couple of days I’d be sorry.”
She led the way to the kitchen. Val sat at the small wrought-iron table with the red-checkered tablecloth and watched as Karen explored the unfamiliar cupboards.
“Will you settle for instant? I don’t understand all these marvelous gadgets the help insists on having.”
“Anything, as long as it’s hot and strong.”
“I used to date someone like that.”
“I’m sorry, I’m not a very good audience this morning. Things don’t look that different to me, although I must say I slept like the dead. I woke up and didn’t know if all that shit actually happened.”
Karen served the coffee. They sat looking intensely into their coffee cups like two gypsies trying to see their futures.
“Karen, I have to speak to Nicky.”
“I’m sorry precious. I’m just waking up. Surprise, surprise. You’ll be able to speak to him in person. He’ll be here this evening.”
“No. How do you know that? Did you speak to him?”
Karen filled her in on most of their conversation.
“Now, it’s up to you to decide if you can live with his past.”
“Oh I can. I know I can.” Val’s whole face lit up. “What time is he coming? He can’t see me like this. What time is it now? Oh my God, it’ll take a miracle to pull me together.”
“If he catches the nine a.m. out of L.A., that’s noon here. The flight takes roughly five hours, and getting in from Kennedy takes at least an hour, so I figure around sevenish. The clock says ten-thirty-five, so we have loads of time. Madame, more coffee?”
The phone rang. They both nearly jumped out of their skin. Karen checked the line that lit up.
“I’ll let the service pick up. I’m not ready for chat.”
“That’s probably my mother. Oh Lord, I think it’s the first time in my life I’ve ever done a show without her being there. I promised to call her when it was on. Of course I didn’t. Lord knows what I’ll say to her.”
“That’s easy. Start talking before she does. Tell her about Nicky’s arrival, and don’t let her get a word in edgewise.”
“That’s a laugh. I’m afraid you don’t know my mother. When she has something to say, you could talk from now until doomsday and she’ll still be ready with her speech at the first opportunity.”
“Has she always lived her life through you?”
“Let me say this. Since we met I’ve been free of my mother for the first time in my life. She’s always been there. I was shipped off to boarding school briefly, then when I went to drama school we had to have a flat in London. Of course that caused continuous fights with my father.” She paused, then continued. “In the end, just the two of us moved up to London. At least after we moved I didn’t have to hear them quarrel all the time. Then for three years we were in France before I did the film in Italy. I suppose, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her. The thing is, sometimes I wonder, if it had been up to me and I really honestly had a choice, would I want to be here? I’ll never know, will I? I worry about her. I mean, what’s going to happen to her when I get married?” She stopped briefly. “Listen to me. I’m talking like nothing’s happened.”
She finally sipped her coffee. “I wonder how it will be when I see Nicky for the first time.”
“Here’s all the advice to the lovelorn I’m going to give today. Don’t write the script!”
Val had to laugh.
“I’m not kidding. The way I see it, when you see him, if you don’t plan what you’re going to say, it’ll go a lot better.”
“You’re a darling. Honestly, I couldn’t have gone through this without you. I can just imagine if I’d been at home alone with my mother.”
“Your mother again. She keeps cropping up, doesn’t she? I suppose I should call the service and see if that’s who called.”
Karen pressed the numbers on the wall phone. The person at the other end must have been waiting for the call because it hardly rang once.
“This is 851. Are there any messages?”
She covered the mouthpiece.
“It was your mother.”
Then she continued with the service.
“When was that? Around five this morning? I didn’t hear the phone. That’s very decent of you to pick up so quickly on late calls. Now, what did he say? That’s strange. Yes. We all get crank calls, don’t we? I’m sorry you had to be exposed to such language. Thank you so much. You’re a gem. Let’s try and forget it, okay? Yes I will. Once more, a million thanks. Good-bye.”
“What was that all about? Did my mother swear at the lady?”
“No, that was something else. Not important. Not worth thinking about. Go ahead with your call, honey. I’m going to take a shower.”
“Well, here goes. The showdown. I feel like Gary Cooper in High Noon.”
Anne’s phone rang three or four times. Val thought maybe she’d lucked out and no one was home.
“Hello, Mrs. Rhodes here.”
“Hello. It’s me, Mummy. How are you?”
Shit that was so stupid. I wasn’t supposed to keep talking. Now it was too late.
Her mother snapped at her.
“Well finally. Thank God, you’re alive. This is not going to continue, my girl. I feel as if you have been purposely avoiding me. Last night, you humiliated me. My own daughter on a major television show, and you were told by your agent’s secretary to come here immediately after the taping. I had planned a cocktail party. For you! You didn’t come and you didn’t even bother to ring.”
She took a deep breath before continuing her tirade. “I refuse to be put in the position of having to give you messages through a third party. I can see I made a dreadful mistake when I agreed to your staying with that Karen whatever her name is. I have not seen you for more than a week. True, I have been busy trying to make a home for you. And what thanks do I get for it? None. None whatsoever. I’m here to tell you your room is ready and I want you home now! In case you have forgotten you are still under twenty-one, my girl. I am still responsible for you.”
Val wished she could tune her out, but her disciplined childhood wouldn’t allow for it.
“Also, I would like to remind you about the rehearsals that start next week. This is the most important thing you have ever done. You have not been to one dance class or voice lesson, and I’m sure you haven’t been eating properly or getting enough rest. I have always tried to instill the idea that you must think of yourself as an athlete in training. Valerie Rhodes, you will come here today. We are going on a crash course. You, my girl are not going to throw away this opportunity. Even if it kills me, you will be brilliant. And ready!”
Val felt as if a weight had been put around her neck and was dragging her down.
“Valerie did you hear me? Valerie answer me.”
“Yes, I heard you.”
She always found it difficult to speak to her mother. Mummy had no time for simple things, and major things were too much for her. Val had learnt over the years to say things as casually as possible, hardly showing any emotion. That seemed to work. She swallowed hard and continued on.
“I have something to tell you. Nicky is coming here tonight. I plan on staying at Karen’s till he gets here. He should be in around eight. He’s expecting me to be here. I want to be here.”
She couldn’t go on. She was on the verge of tears, but at least her voice hadn’t cracked.
“I didn’t think he’d be coming here so soon. Oh well, I suppose since you are
still engaged to him you should be there when he arrives.”
Val’s engagement ring still had a place in her mother’s heart. She’d had it valued and put it in their safety deposit box immediately, “for Valerie’s own good.”
“I have an idea, why don’t you both come here? I mean this is your home after all. Valerie come on. Let’s not argue.”
Val gave in. It was the easiest thing to do.
“Okay. I’ll call you after he arrives.”
“That’s right dear, and plan on coming home.”
Val felt like screaming, but after what she’d put Karen through, it wasn’t an option. She wanted to smash everything in the kitchen, but it wasn’t hers to smash. She went to find Karen and was taken aback when she saw Zaria sitting up in bed smiling. She’d totally forgotten about her.
“Gute morning Wal. How are you my lovely von?”
“Not too bad.”
“I sleep like zee dead vons. Karen is von voman, but she has zee energy for ten.”
“Did I hear my name?”
Karen walked out of her dressing room looking Connecticut chic. Her thick streaked hair, cut to move by Joe’s magic scissors, fell about her face. Her crepe shirt fit her like a second skin. She never wore a bra, and her décolleté was full of thin gold chains with little stars scattered here and there that twinkled when the light hit them. An Hermes scarf was casually thrown around her shoulders. Her bell-bottom pants fell to a perfect length over her Gucci loafers. She did more with mascara, blush, and a slight trace of eyeliner, than someone who had just spent hours with Max Factor himself.
“Okay, kiddies let’s get it together. How did the call go, Val?”
“Let’s just say it was up to expectations and then a little more. Dear Mother suggested Nicky and I go there this evening. She’s being quite insistent on my living at the flat now. My real home, as she put it. I’d hoped it would take a lot longer to fix up the damn place.”
“That was wishful thinking. But you know that’s not such a bad idea. It might be better for you both. You know. A new space. Why don’t you take a shower. Take your time and don’t think about anything! Zee can use the other bathroom, and then, as I promised, the two of us are going shopping.”
Murder! Hollywood Style Page 5