Date: Thu, 28 May 1998 02:45:46 GMT From: Robyn Harris Subject: [WRITERS] INT: Goldman Pictures Continued Some more J. Hall,jhall@LEMOORENET.COM,Internet writes: > Niven had the same damn cab waiting, the engine ticking over in the >heat. >I opened the door and Reine slid in. > > "Ya ever see that Errol Flynn picture, lady, the one with Custer?" he >drawled as we pulled away into the studio gates. > Behind us a long black Lincoln slid out from behind a Spanish Colonial >office building. "Jesus," I whispered. Blue-eye was driving, his head >stuck out the window like a dog. "Can you lose that guy?" I asked. > "What's it worth, buddy?" he answered, suddenly sharp. > Reine took the roll of money that had fallen out of my suit and threw >it >at him. I shook my head. > "Just drive, Mister," she said. I didn't like the look in her eye. I >wondered which DeLauro was more deadly. > And he floored it on Olive, heading up into the hills for Mulholland. Lareine pulled her hand and neatly threw a slap across Jeff's face. "Yo u insulted me back there. Casting couches? In case you didn't realize it I have other things to recommend me." He looked at her. "I bet you are wondering how I got back in after leaving." Lareine said . "You came in after Uncle Tony put the hit on Goldman. I knew he was lying about not hurting him, but I know Uncle Tony. He's had a hit on Phil Marlowe for at least 5 years and they are pretty ineffectual. As long as Phil stays out of his way. Anyway I recognized you from the parking lot with Bogie. Uncle Tony Recognized you too." ::::Flashback:::: Tony hung up the phone and turned to the man. "You must be Marlowe's f riend, Jake? John? Jack?" "Jeff." "Welcome, Jeff. Now how in the hell did you get down here?" Every gun in the room suddenly sighted onto the newcomer. "Reine, you get the hell out of her. There's an extra car waiting out the back way." "Yes, sir." ::::::: "I hurried through the back access tunnel and got into one of Uncle Tony's waiting cars. I was about to give directions to my walk-up when I realized I didn't want Tony knowing where I was living. He has a bad habit of coming over late at night drunk, thinking I'm my mother. SO I got out of the car and decided to find out why you had been following me. I came in through the side, Tony's secret private entrance. You and he were discussing me." :::FLASHBACK::: > "You think Goldman touched her?" he said, his face casual > > " >I doubt it, she wasn't up there >very long." >"She said no too." > "You were late," > "Cabs in this town, what are you gonna do?" > "She is my blood, you know that. My brother had no taste in anything >except women. Reine is the image of her mother, god rest her soul. Why >she married that bum.." >"Goldman didn't. End of story, cut and print, Tony. But you know what >this town is like." :::::: "But he had." Lareine wiped the mascara off of her cheeks and pulled ou t a compact. "I knew Goldman was a dirty old man, but I thought he had a thing for blondes. Not being blonde, I figured I was ok. Boy was I wrong. But I told Tony that. I heard the conversation and I knew he was setting you up. It's how he works. Win your confidence, get a smile, plug you. He likes the smile on the corpse." Jeff gulped and Niven just looked at her. "It's not like I've never been touched before, I've been known to welcom e them once in a while, but --- you don't want to know. So, when the fire alarms went off I knew I would be able to get you out of there." She handed Jeff a matchbook. "Meet me here tomorrow afternoon. One o'c lock. Don't be late. Whatever Tony paid you I'll double." She leaned to the driver, "Slow down and pull over. When I get out, tak e off." He did what she said and she fell out of the car, winking at Jeff and Ni ven. The car sped off. Bruno's car came to a screeching halt at Lareine. She looked up, tears in her eyes. "Bruno! Thank God! He tried to kidnap me and use me for a shield. I w as so scared! Take me back to Uncle Tony." Bruno helped her into the car. "We have to get him." ""Why not let him go? Tony knows where he works. Help me get back. I have to explain why I did what I did back there." "It's your thing about death." "You know me well," she smiled. "Let's go back?" Bruno nodded and the car turned around. Reine said a quick prayer of th anks. If Tony DeLauro was calm before, he was steely now. Lareine looked at h im, her big brown eyes all dewy innocence. "I told you to get lost." "But I knew you would kill him, Tony. I couldn't let that happen. You know how Mother felt about that." Lareine smiled at him. "I saved your soul, Tony. You should thank me. Besides, part of the contract for getting this place is that no blood should spill on these premises." "You know too much about me." "You raised me like your daughter. You did it so I could take on the fa mily business. Isn't that what you want?" Lareine walked over and kneeled by his chair. "Remember when I used to sit at your feet and you would tell me stories of how you became one of the biggest bosses in this town?" Tony melted. "You minx. Ok, I won't kill him, yet. He still owes me." "He did his job. He followed me, he knows where I live. Something you haven't managed in a year." Tony took her chin and squeezed it gently. "don't anger me right now, I 'm thinking." She pulled free. "I need to go home. Thank you for everything." She stood, straightening her drying skirt. "And you leave, right out of my life again." He stood and walked over, touching her cheek. "Oh, Uncle Tony. You are bad for my reputation," she placed a chaste ki ss on his nose and turned and left. "Should we follow?" "No. Let her go. She'll be back soon enough. She won't be able to mak e it without my connections." "'Kay boss." Lareine had slept fitfully the night before. She woke up at 12:30, know ing she had 30 minutes to get to the cafe. She threw on a red dress and pulled her hair up. Putting on a hat and locking her door, she quickly walked to the cafe', hoping Jeff would be there at one. TO BE CONTINUED..... ************************************************** Robyn Alyson tHe OnLy DiFfErEnCe BeTwEeN FaNtAsY aNd ReAlItY iS pErCePtIoN