Thrill! (57 page)

She cut connection and began biting her nails - a bad habit she reverted to in times of extreme stress.

"He's such a cold sorw> bitch,"

she said.

"All he cares about is seeing Lara."

"Why'd you marry him, Nik? And why'd you marry Shel

"Yes, I know,"

she said sarcastically.

"I would have been bett off with a druggie like you, right?"

"That's not very nice,"

he said, shaking his head as if he coul^, believe she was being so nasty. Tm getting it back together. I ^ kind of hoping you'd help me."

"I can't help anybody right now. I'm too upset."

"Calm down,"

he said soothingly.

"Summer's probably sitting,, the house waiting for you."

ft ft ft

Nikki's call annoyed Richard. He did not appreciate her attitude telling him that he wasn't going to see Lara. Showed how much ^ knew. Not only was he going to see her, he was going to divor^ Nikki, and get back together with Lara the way it should be.

He knew Lara better than anyone. With Joey out of the picture she'd be lonely and vulnerable. And he, Richard Barry, would \% right there to console her.

Before anyone knew it, they'd remarry.

Yes. That's exactly what was going to happen, whether Nil^ iiked it or not.

ft ft ft

1 hope he still likes me,"

Summer said. She'd taken a quick shower and put on one of Tina's skimpy dresses. Now they were standing

111 the elevator taking them up to Norman Barton's hotel suite where he resided permanently.

403 "Of course he'll still like you,"

Tina said, adjusting her stretchy tank top to show even more cleavage.

"According to Darlene, he asks about you all the time."

"At least that's good news,"

Summer said, shivering slightly, not sure if it was from nerves, the air-conditioned elevator, or the stupid pill Tina had forced her to take.

"I'm totally psyched about seeing him again."

"Little Miss Romantic,"

Tina teased.

"It must be true love!"

"I think it is,"

Summer giggled.

Norman did not open the door of his suite himself. This time a girl did - a stunning black girl with a provocative smile and sinewy body.

Tina quickly nudged Summer.

"OhmiGod!"

she whispered.

"It's that bigtime model, Cluny."

"Hi, girls,"

Cluny said with a shimmering smile.

"Come in, join the party."

Summer had no intention of joining any party, she was only interested in seeing Norman.

"Absolutely!"

Tina said.

"This is Summer - I'm Tina, and you're Cluny. I recognized you, you're so beautiful."

Cluny had huge quivering lips and seductive cat eyes.

"Why thank you, darling,"

she said, clutching Tina's arm.

"You can be my new best friend."

They entered the room. There were girls everywhere and no Norman in sight.

"Sir is in the bedroom,"

Cluny said with a throaty chuckle.

"He'll be out shortly. In the meantime, take off your clothes, get comfortable."

Most of the girls lounging around on the couches and floor were half naked. Summer was horrified, this wasn't what she'd expected at all.

"What's going on?"

she whispered to Tina.

"Looks like an orgy to me,"

Tina said, not too put out.

"I thought he wanted to see me,"

Summer said mournfully.

"Apparently along with dozens of others."

"I'm going home,"

Summer said, deeply disappointed.

"Don't be such a baby,"

Tina scolded.

"What did you think he

404

T&W

THRILL!

was doing while you were in Chicago - sitting around pining for you? We're here now, let's get with the action."

"I'm not staying,"

Summer said stubbornly.

"At least see what he has to say,"

Tina said.

"We showed up, he's gotta pay us."

"I'm not taking off anything,"

Summer said, close to tears.

"You don't have to,"

Tina answered, guiding her over to one of the couches where they squeezed on the end, next to a short, busty redhead who was snorting cocaine from the glass-topped coffee table.

"Want some?"

the redhead asked with a friendly smile.

"It's free."

"Sure,"

Tina said agreeably.

"What are you doingr Summer hissed, as Tina picked up a small straw and began imbibing the white powder.

"Takin"

a little snort,"

Tina whispered back.

"Why don't you do the same? You're so uptight."

"I don't want to be here,"

Summer moaned.

"I like really don't."

"Oh, for God's sake - stop whining,"

Tina snapped.

"You said you couldn't wait to see him."

"Not this way."

A few minutes later Norman emerged from the bedroom, clad in nothing but a pair of red candy-striped shorts. He had a big shiteating grin on his face and a girl on each arm, both of them totally naked.

"Cluny!"

he yelled.

"I need more money!"

"Honey,"

Cluny replied, digging into her shoulder purse and pulling out a stack of hundred-dollar bills,

"you are wailin"

tonight. No stoppin"

you."

Summer jumped to her feet.

"That's it,"

she said.

"This sucks. I'm out of here."

"Don't be such a pain,"

Tina retorted.

"Give me the key."

"WZwfkey?"

"To your apartment. I'm going home."

"If you're baling on me - then you can forget about going to my place."

"Thanks a lot."

405 "Hey, Norman,"

Cluny said,

"before you vanish again - take a peek at dessert. Two juicy little pieces of fresh. I bag me the baby blond. Can I have her? Please? Pretty please?"

"She's all yours, babe,"

Norman said, not even glancing in Summer's direction, too stoned to concentrate on anything.

Summer stood up.

"I'm gone,"

she said, furiously heading for the door.

"Then you're on your own,"

Tina shouted after her.

"Fine,"

Summer said, tears pricking her eyelids. Til pick up my things tomorrow."

She rushed from the room. To her chagrin, Norman didn't even notice.

406

Jfe THERE WAS a Marvin Gaye tribute on the radio.

^jff^f^t^ Joey listened to the veteran soul singer all the way to the studio. The music soothed him. Marvin Gaye sure had style - not to mention an incredible voice.

He recalled that when he was growing up, his mother had often played tapes of Otis Redding and Teddy Pendergrass. She was into soul. Ah yes, Adelaide was into a lot of things.

He flashed on his mother for a moment, picturing her dancing around their living room - so strikingly pretty with her black curly hair, dark eyes and startling wide smile. He'd inherited his looks from his mother. God, she'd been a beauty.

As he pulled into a parking place outside the sound stage, he could hear the music blaring away.

"Rock Around the Clock"

by Bill Haley and the Comets. Oh, Jeez, he'd forgotten, it was a fifties party, and he was supposed to be in some kind of rock

"n"

roll outfit. Well, what did it matter? They'd probably only stay a short tune. Then he'd take Lara home, and tomorrow they'd be on their way to Tahiti and a whole new life.

He strolled into the sweaty noisy throng, stopping to greet a couple of sound guys, smiling at the hairdresser and make-up w°man. Then he began looking around for Lara.

"Seen Lara?"

he asked the continuity girl.

She shrugged.

"Haven't."

"e wandered over to one of the second assistants.

"Is Lara around?"

407 "Don't think she's here, Joey."

"How about Nikki?"

"Saw her dancing with Mick a while back."

"Thanks,"

he said, edging around the dance floor, finally managing to attract Mick's attention as he staggered off the floor with his arm around a pretty props girl.

"Hey, it's the Joey man,"

Mick said, swaying on his feet.

"How's it goin'? Where's the love of your unworthy life? You lucky bastard."

"I was just about to ask you,"

Joey said.

"Ain't spotted the lovely Lara,"

Mick said, pushing up his glasses.

"Guess she's still freaked over the photos."

"What photos?"

"Oh, man - you mean you haven't seen Truth and .Fact? Everyone's favourite weekly tabloid. Lara's pissed city. Go ask Linden, he's by the bar."

Joey went over to Linden.

"What's this about some photos?"

he asked, frowning.

"You don't know?"

Linden said.

"No, I don't fuckin"

know,"

Joey said, starting to get aggravated.

"Some ... uh ... unfortunate photographs of Lara turned up in Truth and FdctJ Linden said.

"Somebody sneaked

"em while they were shooting the rape scene. They're very explicit, and Lara's very upset."

"Jesus!"

Joey said.

"How'd it happen?"

"That's what everyone would like to know."

"So she's gone home, right?"

,-

"I would think so,"

Linden said.

"I'm positive she won't show up here tonight."

,,

"Does Nikki know about this?"

"She's upset too."

"No shit?"

Tm sorry it happened."

"I bet you are,"

Joey muttered, hurrying back to the Mercedes, where he picked up the phone and tried the house. Mrs Crensha^ answered.

"Lara back yet?"

he asked.

408

"No, Mr Joey."

"When she gets there, tell her I'm on my way."

a? a? ft

The rain was getting heavier as Cassie turned off the Pacific Coast Highway onto a deserted dirt road.

"We're almost there,"

she announced.

"Do you have the key?"

"No, you do,"

Lara replied, still in kind of a daze.

"No, /don't,"

Cassie replied, slowing down.

"Why not?"

Lara asked, exasperated.

"Because nobody ever gave me one. I assumed when you said we were coming here that you had it."

"Shit!"

Lara exclaimed.

Now Cassie knew she was really upset, because Lara rarely swore.

"Shall I turn around and go back?"

she questioned.

"No,"

Lara said sharply.

"We'll get in somehow. There's probably an unlocked door or window. After all, nobody's living there."

"If you ask me, we should stay in a hotel overnight, and have the realtor drop off the keys tomorrow."

"We're here now,"

Lara said flatly.

"Not having a key is the least of my problems."

"You're the boss,"

Cassie sighed, spooked by the heavy rain, the unlit road and the empty house ahead. She was surprised Lara had bought the place. Even when Lara was renting she'd never thought much of it - the house was too remote and quite gloomy, with none of the charm of the Hamptons house.

The Saab hit a bump in the road.

"I can't see a thing,"

Cassie complained, switching on her bright lights.

Lara wished Cassie would stop bitching. She wasn't in the frame of mind to put up with anyone's complaints. One of the advantages of being a star was that she didn't have to - if she said Jump, that's what people were supposed to do. So shut up, Cass, e're staying whether you like it or not.

She wondered if Joey had realized she was missing. It would ake a while before he understood she was not coming back. In a

409 couple of days she'd have her lawyer call to tell him to move out of her house. And that would be that.

The big iron gate leading to the property was open.

"Nice,"

Cassie said, making the turn, the wheels of her car crunching through pebbles and thick mud.

"They're really security conscious."

"It's a good sign,"

Lara said.

"Means we'll have no trouble getting in."

"Very reassuring!"

Cassie sighed, fielding off hunger pangs.

"Can't wait to spend the night."

-fr ft ft

joey pulled the Mercedes up outside a 7-Eleven store and ran inside. He picked up a copy of Truth and Fact, and stared in disbelief at the revealing photographs on the cover. Jesus! What had they done to his beautiful Lara? He knew how private she was, how closely she guarded her good reputation - these sleazy pictures were enough to drive her crazy.

Slamming down money, he stormed back to the car. It was all Nikki's fault, she'd probably set it up to get publicity for her