“You two go on home. I have to see a couple of people.”
“Let me come with you.”
“No, baby. I’ve got to be alone.”
Before she could say another word, Nicky took off down Second Avenue.
CHAPTER 12
Mummy Revealed
Anne was fit to be tied. “He could at least have said good night. Really, Valerie that young man of yours leaves a lot to be desired in the manners department.”
“You’ll have to forgive him tonight. The news about his friend was a terrible shock. Come on, this is silly standing here in the cold. Let’s go up.”
Val dreaded the thought of being alone with her mother. She had to get to a phone and speak to Karen. If anyone would know anything, she would. After all, Nicky’s friend said the news had already been on the telly. They crossed the street. The doorman tipped his hat.
“Good evening, Madame.”
This display of manners brought a smile back to Anne’s face as they stepped into the elevator.
“He has more breeding than that fiancé of yours. I really think you could do better, Valerie. The whole evening was so distasteful. With your background, you could have the best, and look what you’re ending up with: a greasy little Italian hoodlum.”
“Mother, that’s a dreadful thing to say! He may be Italian, but that doesn’t make him a hoodlum. Just because you’ve never been in love, please don’t try to destroy the way I feel.”
“Love? You silly girl. What do you know about love?”
They took off their coats in silence. Val went to the den intent on calling Karen. Anne suddenly appeared at the door.
“My dear daughter, so you actually think your mother was never in love. I have news for you, Valerie Rhodes. I was in love once.”
She surprised Val speaking in a tone of voice she had never heard before about a subject they had never spoken of.
“Yes my girl, at one time in my life I was in love. I married the man I was in love with—your father—and he turned into a weak piece of flesh with no guts and no ambition. He was content to be the son of rich parents who kept us on a string with just enough money to live on but not enough for the luxuries of life. Well, I wasn’t content with that. We had the chance to do so many things on our own. But of course, he was always too scared to take a chance. That’s when he started to drink. I got tired of making excuses for his drinking, tired of the fighting, tired of the visits to his mother. She always looked down her nose at me from the very first day we met. I only knew one thing. I didn’t need any of them. We’re going to show them. You are going to be the biggest star, and I, the proudest mother.”
Anne finally took a breath, then continued on the verge of tears.
“You tell me you’re in love? I see what love did for me. Men are no good. I don’t want to see you get hurt like I did. I don’t want you to ruin the career we’ve both worked so hard for. You are so young. If only you knew how young you are. We’ve made it so far, and I swear I will not let you make the same mistakes I did.”
“Mummy, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I only want the best for you. Don’t you understand that?”
“Yes, Mummy I know that; but please try to see that right now Nicky is best for me. He may not be all you dreamt of for me, but he makes my world.”
“But he’s so uncouth.”
Val shook her head smiling. Only her mother would think that something like being uncouth was the worst crime in the world. She watched her mother dab her eyes gingerly. Her full attention was now being given to saving her false eyelashes.
“Stop crying, Mummy. Come on. You’ll ruin your lashes.”
“You’re absolutely right. This pair cost me twelve-fifty. I really have to write to Aunt Liz and have her send my regular ones from England. I think this price is astronomical.”
With that the subject had been changed. She went off to repair her eyelash damage and Val sank back on the couch, drained. How sad it was to see her parents now, separated and lonely. She found it hard to believe they had ever been in love.
And, what a crazy end to Nicky’s first night in town.
CHAPTER 13
When Fact Meets Fiction
She picked up the phone and started to dial Karen’s number. Peter Angus, that name rang a bell.
“Karen, its Val.”
“Darling, I have some terrible news. That stupid Peter went and killed himself.”
That was it. She put two and two together. He had been the fellow at the party. The one Karen had the fight with.
“That’s why I’m calling. The three of us went to dinner. We were having a terrific time, when a man came over to Nicky and told him about it. Oh Karen, it was terrible. Nicky was so upset.”
“I can imagine. Let me speak to him.”
“He’s not here. When we left the restaurant, he took off. He said he had to be alone. Before I could say anything, he was gone. I don’t know where he went and I’m worried. He said he couldn’t believe Peter would do such a thing. He insisted he never did drugs. It just dawned on me a few minutes ago who Peter was—that fellow you had the fight with last night, right?”
“Yes, and whether Nicky wants to believe it or not, that’s what he did. Sometimes people do crazy things. I wonder where Nicky went?”
They both sat at opposite ends of the phone line not saying a word.
“Val, are you okay?”
“Yes, kind of.”
“You poor baby. The last couple of days have been a bitch haven’t they?”
“I didn’t know such things could happen in real life. Honestly. If someone showed me a script like this I’d say it was too far-fetched. What did they say on the TV?”
“They just said something about prominent interior designer found dead in his East-Side brownstone. They believe the cause of death to be an overdose of barbiturates. Nothing else. They said they would have more details at eleven. It’s about that time right now.”
“Hang on, I’ll put the tele on.”
Val jumped up and switched on the TV as her mother came into the room.
“Who’s on the phone?”
“Karen.”
“Say hello for me.”
Anne was completely back to her old self once more.
“Mother says hello.”
“How is the Mother? Happy to have her baby home?”
Karen was laughing.
“Tell her she had better be good to you. If she gives you a hard time, she’ll have me to deal with.”
Val laughed.
“I’ll do that. Karen sends her regards to you, Mummy.”
“Chicken. Valerie Rhodes you are chicken!”
A picture of Peter Angus suddenly appeared on the TV screen.
“This morning the body of Peter Angus was found in his East-Side brownstone.”
“Isn’t that the fellow Nicky knew?”
Val didn’t answer.
“Police believe the death to be a suicide. But we here at Channel 4, believe otherwise. We have questioned several of his friends and they all seem shocked at the cause of his death. It seems none of his acquaintances were aware of his apparent use of drugs. We will stay on top of this story.”
The station went to a commercial.
“What do they mean by that?”
“Who knows? They’re just trying to make their news sensational. The stupid asses. Why can’t they leave well enough alone? The man is dead. I for one can’t say I’m sorry. The most important thing right now is to find Nicky. I just hope he doesn’t go to Peters’ place. Let me get off the phone. Call me if you hear anything. I’ll get back to you if I get any news.”
Val put down the receiver. She looked pale and tired.
“I wish I knew where Nicky was.”
“I just hope he’s not connected with this in any way. We certainly do not need any kind of scandal in our lives. I just knew he’d know people like that. You may have to break off your engagement if
he is involved. I don’t want you mentioned in any sordid news stories.”
“Mother, please. I have no intention of breaking off my engagement. If Nicky is involved, and I don’t see how he could be since he was in California, but if he is, I won’t desert him in his time of need.”
“Bravo, my dear. Honestly Valerie, I know you love drama and intrigue but I won’t have you connected with the wrong types.”
“I refuse to argue with you about this. I mean really, neither of us knows what the whole story is. Let’s not discuss it anymore. Okay?”
Val felt helpless. Part of her wished she was still at Karen’s. At least there she would be on top of everything. She went into the den, quietly opened her purse, and found the yellow pills. She looked at them and wondered if they would kill her if she took them all at once. She wondered if she would have the guts. Did it take guts? She put one in her mouth and swallowed. She couldn’t help thinking that when Peter had left Karen’s, he hadn’t sounded like a man who was going home to kill himself. In fact, he had sounded more like he had serious plans to cause a lot of trouble.
Where was Nicky? That was more important to her at the moment. She went back to the living room where her mother was still watching TV and sat down beside her.
“I know you’re upset. Now it’s my job to make my little girl happy again. Why don’t we have a good stiff brandy? I know you like that. Then we can talk about your schedule for next week. We can’t put it off any longer. Rehearsals start on Monday. This is a very big show, and you know how demanding these people can be. I want you to be at your best. That’s not asking for much, now is it? I mean, it’s for your own good.”
“Okay, let’s have a brandy. It will be good to over my schedule. At least my mind will busy,”
“That’s my girl.”
Her mother poured her a brandy, then went to the desk and came back with Val’s script and her appointment book.
“They plan on a month’s rehearsal in New York, then you try out for three weeks in Boston, then preview for a week back here, and then if everything goes as planned…”
Anne crossed her fingers.
“If everything goes as planned, you open here just before New Year’s Eve.”
“I’m really worried about all the singing I have to do.”
“Don’t be silly dear. On Broadway, you don’t have to be a fabulous singer if you’re the star. Look at Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady. He couldn’t sing at all.”
“You are so funny sometimes. I’m not exactly in the same class as Rex Harrison, am I?”
“You are to me. I know you’ll do extremely well, and anyway your dancing will make up for your singing.”
Val agreed. She knew she was a marvelous dancer. “That’s true. I suppose it will be all right.”
“Of course it will, my love. Look at this, you have to be on the West side at nine-thirty Monday morning. They have early calls here, don’t they?”
“Ye Gods, Monday. It will be here before I look round. I’d better get to work.”
Val opened the script.
“How long will Nicky be here?”
Val was already thumbing through her script.
“I’m not sure. A couple of weeks I think.”
Anne smiled to herself and crept away. She had her baby back. Seeing Val there, involved in her work, she was sure she was in control of things once again. She looked back at her beautiful creation and knew her baby could, and would have it all. After all, Valerie loved the business as much as she did. Sometimes she had to admit she was the worst kind of stage mother, but it was only because she knew what was best for baby. The world would love her! Not just one man who would no doubt disappoint her.
Val was engrossed in the script. She liked her role: a singer in a nightclub in Lisbon just before the war. She gets dumped by her rich boyfriend, looks for a new one, has an affair with the owner of a nightclub, and gets a job there as a singer. The sleazy nightclub owner plays both sides of the political spectrum and makes extra money selling exit visas. It’s just what she needs, but he insists she has to pay for it and she has no money. She meets a nice guy at her rooming house who wants to help her get away. Much to her delight, he feels sorry for her and gives her his savings, enough to buy a visa out of the country. Things get complicated when she finds out she’s pregnant. She uses her new friend’s money to get an abortion and dies during the procedure. The show was being touted as a dramatic musical, very controversial and timely with suggestive lyrics and risqué costumes. Fun!
She hoped the director was going to be strong. She needed that. If they didn’t demand, she didn’t give as much as she could. Actually, it was more like she didn’t really know how much she had to give. Doing theater was going to be a lot different, especially just coming off the movie. Both disciplines were so demanding in such different ways. Her biggest worry with theater was repeating the same thing every night and being able to keep it fresh.
Broadway! Val hadn’t thought about it. She’d wanted to stay in New York and the show had made it possible. Her excitement began to build as she read her lines.
Anne walked proudly through the apartment to her bedroom. Her room and all her possessions still thrilled her. She was the queen there. She draped herself on the bed and saw her reflection in the mirror. She touched her stomach and liked how flat and firm it still felt. Her legs were great too. She was still very attractive. Most men turned and looked whenever she entered a room.
A man. Ye Gods, it had been a long time since she had been with a man. She stopped touching herself, denying herself those thoughts. In all honesty, she had to admit she had never enjoyed sex. She had never been sure if she became pregnant before she was married or right after she said “I do.” All she knew was Valerie was pronounced premature, weighing in at 6 pounds a month before her due date—another reason her mother-in-law treated her with disdain. At present the thought of sex made her cringe. A hairy body next to hers, all smelly and sweaty…the whole idea made her nauseous.
She did like to flirt though, but never had any intention of taking things further. There was one nice fellow she’d met: Roy the stockbroker. She found him attractive and would definitely consider going out to dinner with him. She needed some advice on a few investments anyway. Yes, Roy could be useful.
She closed her eyes, happy with the satisfactory ending to a very complicated day.
CHAPTER 14
New York Memories
Nicky wandered aimlessly along Second Avenue, not wanting to go where he would be recognized. He had to think. His plan back in Italy had been so simple. The whole thing with Val should have gone smoothly. It would have, if she hadn’t become involved with Karen and her crowd. He didn’t know what it was lately. Luck just wasn’t going his way.
True, the publicity thing with Val had worked, and his new series was in the bag. Even his love life couldn’t have been better. Steve was everything he wanted. He walked along picturing both of them in bed. They had something special there, that was for sure. He thought of the last time they’d been together. Nicky had handcuffed Steve to the bed and dripped hot candle wax on him. He had never been able to stay so hard for so long. No one had ever satisfied him like Steve.
His mind drifted to the numerous men who had shared his bed. The bodies. Most of them didn’t have names. Just bodies. Nicky remembered a couple of the older men he’d known. Would he get where they were? Paying young boys enormous amounts of money, taking chances by picking them up in public johns and bus stations? No. He vowed he would never get there. With his looks, he’d always been able to choose who he went with and what they did together. So far.
At one time he’d been one of those boys being picked up. Shit, that was a long time ago. Even then, he had always tried to be choosy. One old faggot had made him quite sick. But at that time in his life he would have sucked anybody for a break. Why not? After that, hadn’t he moved to a high-rise apartment uptown, not that far from where he was standing at that moment
?
The circle of people he’d been lucky enough to meet had turned out to be an important theater crowd: writers, producers, and their close friends. They regularly gathered at the apartment he’d called home for a while. He got his start through Marty Cushman, a sweet old queen who’d taken him under his wing. He’d helped him get rid of his Brooklyn accent and had enrolled him in an acting class. He set up auditions for him, and even helped him get his equity card. Last he’d heard, Marty was still getting young boys and still getting it up.
Nicky had moved on to other conquests and eventually a screen test. The outcome of that had prompted his move to California. He must have fucked every piece of ass in Hollywood when he first arrived. He was super stud. The bodies, the drugs, the sensations. How many ways could he do it? How many times could he come? He had tried to answer those questions. Not once had love entered into it. He’d led that bicoastal existence for a few years.
His first love, in fact his only love ever, had been Peter Angus. Old Peter. Well he wasn’t exactly old. When they’d met, he was five years Nicky’s senior. From the very beginning he’d been something extra special. They’d had a lot of firsts together. Back then, for the first time in Nicky’s life he had felt sure about himself and his career. It was the first time he chose to be with someone without wanting anything from them. It was the first time he’d ever mentioned the word love to anyone.
Peter, one of the most popular and talented, young interior designers in New York, hadn’t needed anything from him either. He became well known in L.A. during their time together, and that made it possible for them to have a place on both coasts and spend as much time as they could together. From day one, there hadn’t been any role-playing between them. Peter had fucked his brains out. Until then, no one had ever touched Nicky. That first eighteen months together was the happiest time of Nicky’s life. When their door closed they laughed a lot, had wonderful dinner parties, and loved having friends over. All the simple pleasures of life had been enough as long as they were together.
Murder! Hollywood Style Page 8