Sirens, p.39
Sirens, page 39
don'tneedmeto tellyou.' 339 'No,' he said. ' just would be less ...
frightening that way., He smiled at her, one of those patented Chris
Kerr smiles smiles that melted hearts and dampened crotches around the
world. '', I thought learnin' was all over.' But he sobered immediately.
' is it?' ' else I found out. There's been no time to bring it up before
now and ... well, to tell you the truth, I'm not sure how I feel about
it. One minute I could throttle you and the next ...' 4YOU ever gonna
get around t'tellin'me?' ' was on it, Chris ... horse. How'd it happen?'
' it was came in an' killed her, is that right?' ' the bullshit. I
know.' ' what?' ''t you lie to me V She saw the tremor at the side of
his mouth. He hardly seemed to be breathing. ' you blame me, right?
Well, it's convenient.
I'm here and she's -2 ''t,'she warned,'you go onp ' th' hell makes you
so righteous all of a sudden? You such a princess? You never did
anything you were sorry for later?' ' didn't answer my question," she
said, unperturbed. ', I fuckin'well didn'tp ' right. Forget it.' She
turned away. The wind whistled through the low shrubbery, across the
wide concrete wall, down towards the lapping water. To the west, the sky
was clear, as pristine as an untouched canvas. ' don't want t'know,' he
said after a time, so low that she asked him to repeat it. ' if it's
another lie. I mean what's the purpose of our being together if we lie
to each other.' She gave him a swift look. ' the "Pavane" a lie, too?'
She knew she had hurt him and she was glad. ' lie, Dain.' ' don't lie to
me now.' He nodded. ' right.' He picked up @ffie hard, dry shell of a
reed, tapped it on the ground between his legs as he spoke. ' o' th'
things about her was always that kinda. innocence not th' dumb blankness
of th' groupies ... nothin' But ... I'd been through it all an' she
hadn't. I I could protect her from all that shit, y'know?' His re
pleading now. ' ... I didn't let her know anything what I took, much as
I could. I didn't want her t' know, tempted.' He laughed, an abrupt,
harsh sound and, in its way, infinitely sad. ' one day I come home an' I
find right out there on th' kitchen counter ... One of her ... I didn't
even know ', turned Maggie on.' He the reed away from him but the wind
coming off the merely blew it back into his face. He peeled it off his
threw it behind them.
"An' there it was, so bloody Some little whore ...' He sighed. ' know
how low d get. Nothin' was happenin' with her career an' I had e .
..' He put his fists, white as snow, up against his face, his features
out of line. ', oh, she was weak, ... she was so weak. She couldn't
stand on her own ... ded me an' you an' a lotta others I reckon neither
of us She couldn't ... she never would've made it. She't stand alone ...
y y didn't you stop her, Chris?' She said it so softly yet sation had a
stinging blow. I thought about it of course. But then, look what I do.
could I? I'd've felt like a pissant, tellin' her t' pack it Mi I was
still doin'-@ o you just let her go on. You selfish bastard." "What
d'you think I coulda done?' he said miserably. ' beat that once.
Ych, that's right. I was so bloody angry, I saw Just did it before I
knew ... Christ! It was me I was ed at as well as her. But I knew she'd
do it no matter what I ... especially if I told her not to ' then she'd
have one g t' hang over my head, t' gloat about when th' goin' got h an'
she hated herself just Pr wakin' up in the mornin'.' ' is it I knew
nothing about this?' ' she loved you too much. She knew if you found
you'd think of a way t' stop her an' ... Dain, she didn't t t' be
stopped.' ow can you say that?' ecause,' he said with his face close to
hers, ' know.' 340 341 The flight back to LA was filled with dry, state
air and the microscopic grit under the eyelids one acquires only on
Planes. First class was still a far cry from the Heartbeats' own Learjet
Longhorn 50 that had brought her to San Francisco. While she watched Los
Angeles International Airport tremble through the vapours beyond the
burnished silver wing, the colours of the palm trees dulled and oilyshe
thought of the widebody Longhorn with the band's star-guitar logo
emblazoned across its gleaming sides and in the middle of its vertical
tail fin. Of course it was monstrously expensive to maintain but that
was more than made up for by dissipating the fatigue and boredom of the
long mainly one-nighter tours. With the Longhorn, the band would set up
shop in New York, for instance, while they played dates in the
northeast, in Atlanta for the south and the southeast, and San Francisco
for the west because they all insisted, Chris included, on getting out
of LA while they were on the road. Daina sat back and closed her eyes.
She thought about the long, gruelling session they had had with the
police. She found it odd that the incident at Loveisaliquid had been
pushed to the background by Nile's death. It isn't really news unless
someone is hurt or killed; then the vultures flock around - as they had
at Maggie's funeral. She shuddered, the image of that smiling man bright
in her mind. Silka had turned him over to the police and that had been
the end of it. And Chris? Though he had been momentarily shaken, he had
wiped the incident from his mind. ' goes with the territory,' he had
told her that morning out at Sausalito. She opened her eyes, looked out
the window. She did not like to see LA like this, so close to the ground
as if skimming the rooftops; its flat houses, row upon row, reminded her
of a giant Levittown spreading itself like a disease, wiping out the
green of the trees, the brown of dirt roads.
Too, she did not like takeoffs and landings ... She felt her ears
clogging and, abruptly, the plane throttled back, a high metallic
screaming and then, bump-bump, they were down and rolling. She felt a
presence hovering over her and, grateful, turned towards it. A pert
young flight attendant with shining brown hair and glossy pink lips
smiled at her. ' you'll just keep 342 Miss. Whitney, we will be taxiing
over to the terminal where your people have set up the press r luggage
will be taken directly to your car.' d again. ' you for flying with us.'
was the only one to debark when the plane stopped.. she knew, return to
the main arrivals building. resplendent in the kind of pale green
chiffon number could wear successfully, grabbed Daina by the hand.
so glad you agreed to do the press thing,' she said ', I didn't know
what to expect when I She pulled Daina along with her down a concrete
filled with airline personnel and uniformed policee first reports were
quite sketchy, as you can imagine! d into Daina's face. ' must've been
awful.' Daina thought. It was awful, all right. But in more an you'll
ever know. may seem a trifle ghoulish,' Beryl was saying to her t when
you think of it, tragedy occurs every day all us. And if you really
think about it, we're all guilty in or another of capitalizing on it.
Why not? It's a I human desire. We're not any of us angels, after all.'
of the tunnel was in sight and, beyond, was a blaze ts, a welter of
human voices all seeming to talk at once. e we are.' And Beryl escorted
Daina into the press where, immediately, bristling cameras
snick-snickthrough their rolls of film, catching her in split-second the
network TV cameras rolling, while concernedg newscasters gave hurried
sotto voce commentaries. thought about writing you a prepared text,"
Beryl ered. ' Rubens said no, you'd know what to point of facr, Daina
had not the slightest idea of what to and, as she went up the makeshift
wooden steps to the um, her mind was a blank. t immediately the media
crowd settled down, she knew uld be all right. She saw Loma Dieter from
KNXT in the commentator's eye was something Daina had not before. And,
as her gaze moved from one reporter to her, she saw it there again and
again, replicated, mirrored, ding until she felt an odd sensation skewer
her. A melody 343 began to play in her mind. A heat built inside her.
The melody had lyrics. And she felt the power surge through her as she
beard her mind singing to her: All the eyes you've hypnotizedlare
dancing tolyour American heartbeat. She knew what to say and why she had
to say it. She thought of Baba lying in his own blood while the
indifferent cats stood guard in the hallway outside; she thought of
Meyer with his face pressed to the death-camp barbed wire, dreaming of
the day he would be free; and she thought of the dungeon, sunk deeper
down into the foul-smelling earth than she ever wanted to g . She began
to speak. ' I was young,' she said, ' learned the value of human life. I
can't claim to know Nile Valentine well or for a long period of time. In
fact, he was introduced to me over the weekend by Chris Kerr.
But as one comes to know another person on an all-night flight from one
destination to another, Nile Valentine perhaps told me things he would
have exposed to no one else. ' all knew him as a musician with a fierce
talent and an insatiable appetite for living and in the end it was that
same appetite that destroyed him. ' I got to know another part of him
that I think he tried to hide from all of you. It was a very human side
and that is the part I'll miss most.' '. Whitney,' someone called, ''t
it true that Nile Valentine died of a self-inflicted drug overdose?' '
think,' Daina said carefully, ''ll have the answer to that when the San
Francisco Medical Examiner makes his report public." "But isn't it
true,' the same voice persisted, ' the various members of the Heartbeats
have been constantly involved in drug busts of a very serious nature?' '
all read the same papers,' Daina said easily. She smiled. ' those of us
who are addicted to TV.' There was a general round of laughter. ' about
you? What kind of drugs do you take?" Daina leaned towards them, the
smile widening. ' when my doctor orders it; otherwise vitamins and
iron.' Laughter again. '. Whitney, since there is a studio blackout on
the perhaps you'd care to comment yourself on the of Heather Duell?'
This was a different voice. * film is an actress's dream,' she said. '
with * Clarke is like being in heaven.' More laughter. ' @sly, the
reason there's been very little given to you on y-to-day progress is
that it's all going so spectacularly, e wants to jinx it.' She waited a
beat, ' all know how studio executives come to rely on their Ouija
boards' ter - ' voodoo dolls.' She smiled as they continued ing. e time
she had been away, a new billboard had gone up site the one advertising
Redford's new film.
Beryl took -drive along, Sunset as slowly as she could to give Daina ch
time with it as possible. was not a typical billboard. There was, for
instance, no The thing consisted of two gigantic heads. On the left a
beautiful woman with long honey-coloured hair and -apart violet eyes.
Her pink lips were half open as if she about to whisper an endearment to
her lover. There was t her expression a kind of innocence that was
almost ant. he sweep of her neck merged with that of the face on the t.
This woman was tight-lipped and grim-visaged. Her seemed to pierce the
Hollywood haze as if she could see er and with more clarity than anyone
else. She had about a strong-willed, determined air that was
unmistakable. th these women were Daina.. Or, more accurately, er Duell.
y God!' Daina said. ' idea was that?' -ryl frowned as she honked at a
young blonde in cir6 s who was roller-skating across Sunset.
"What's the er? Don't you like it?' love it!' Daina craned her neck out
the car's window. t I didn't think anyone at the studio would have that
much ination.' hey didn't. Rubens got Sam Einshwciler to do it. He7s
independent hotshot ... designs million-dollar ad cam- s for print
media.' She stepped on the gas, going through ght on the edge of red.
"He's the genius who got Rubens' 344 345 rear end out of trouble by
launching Moby Dick so spec. tacularly.' ' remember it well. It was
incredible.' Beryl nodded. ' unconventional. Rubens had to tear into
Beillmann before he'd authorize the studio to put up heir share. They
get very nervous when everything's not SOP2 ''d he do?' Beryl could not
help but grin, she glanced at Daina. Ilie told Beillmann he'd thought
he'd misplaced the first two reels of the film. Of course Beillmann
didn't believe him, so he called Marion, and Marion, who has really had
it with Beillmann anyway, told him it was perfectly true.
"Beillmann went as white as a sheet because under Rubens' contract with
the studio, they're liable for the replacement footage.' Daina wondered
whether it had been Schuyler r Rubens who had been responsible for that
clause. ' any case, it got straightened out that afternoon. We didn't
want to tell you because it would've spoiled the surprise.' Beryl turned
off Sunset into Bel Air, slowing as she did. ' was right. You did a hell
of a job back there.' There was so much respect in her voice that Daina
turned to look at the other woman. Beryl would never win any beauty
contest but she had other qualities that were much more valuable than a
perfect face. At least to me, Daina thought. She laughed. ''t you have
faith in me, Beryl?' ',' the other woman said, ' absolutely no place
this town.' Daina found it remarkable how adroitly Beryl had avoided the
trap. Had she answered yes, she would have branded herself a liar; a no
would have been offensive. ' I know Rubens,' she was telling Daina now,
' trust his judgment.' ''t he ever been wrong?' ' in the matter of his
wife,' Beryl said sharply as she turned into the long driveway. Maria
opened the door at their approach and Daina gave her the keys to the car
trunk. ''d better wash all the clothes, Maria, or send them to the
cleaners.' ' talked to you about Dory Spengler,' Beryl said as they went
down the hall towards the living room. Daina Beryl sighed. ' know, ied
be a whole lot easier -if you'd just let Monty go. Then we could n
through all this with Rubens.' Daina's voice had dge to it. ''ve no
intention of rehashing it another you.' recoiled a bit. ' only meant
you've put us in a rather position, bringing Dory in while you're still
paying understand it, that's one of the things you get paid to Daina
said. She waited to see if the other woman come back at her. Since she
did not, Daina went on, the only way I'll work it.' Id send him away now
if you don't a waved her hand. '? just give me a couple of s to put on a
suit, then take him out to the pool. P in for a swim and we can talk out
there. Oh, and Beryl, Maria comes back inside, ask her to make us lunch.
ing cold and light, okay?' Spengler was younger than she had expected.
He had tan that woul@ six or seven years from now, score lines across
his face.
There were already tiny sprays of feet at the outer comers of his bright
brown eyes. He practised way of looking at you, cool and level, that
made you forget the work he had put into it. He had putation around town
of a super deal-maker; as long as ere hot, he was your friend, but once
you came down e top, it was said, his memory was short indeed. was
dressed in a light-coloured linen suit and a white open at the collar.
He wore one narrow gold chain close d the base of his throat,
half-hidden in hair. ina Whitney,' Beryl said, ' is Dory Spengler." s
mouth cracked open in a smile. ' pleasure, Miss. ney.' Ile held his
hands behind his back. ''m a big fan urs. I can't imagine why we haven't
met before. rtunatclv I was out of town for Beryl's party.' ina said
nothing, thinking of Monty. ,'s eyes darted from one face to the other.
She cleared at, uncomfortable in the silence. ''m sorry, Dory -" ngler
waved her to silence. He was staring at Daina y. ' understand this
situation is somewhat, uhm, unique. 346 347 It may take some time for
Miss. Whitney to accept me, certainly to get to know me.' His hand
lifted, fell, returned behind his back. ''s perfectly all right.' He
moved towards the -poolside. ' can talk while you swim. Is that all
right?, Diana gave him an appraising look before bounding two steps
across the brickwork. She hit the water in a flat dive. Spengler waited
until she had completed six laps bef ore he said something. Daina lifted
