Sirens, page 4
"You love that stuff don't you?' Rubens said. ' mean rock or the
Heartbeats?' '. I keep hearing that goddarrined song wherever I go.' ''s
because it's number one all over.' ' don't understand it," he said,
making a left. ' guys've been around for a hell of a long time, haven't
they?' ' years or thereabouts.' He braked into a right-hand turn,
ignored the red light, plunging onward like an undaunted explorer into a
night illuminated, it seemed, only *by the twin swath of the big car's
wide headlights. ', you'd think they'd have blown themselves to bits by
now or, at the very least, gone their separate ways like the Beatles.'
''re one of the last remnants of the first British musical invasion,'
she said. ' knows how they've stayed together this long.' ' of bread
there, no doubt. That'sa good incentive.' She turned her head. '
wouldn't be interested in moving into that -? ' God, no.' He laughed.
''d sooner slit my wrists than have to depend on a bunch of drugged-out
musicians who've never outgrown adolescence.' He glanced in the rearview
mirror. ' I don't like what they play. Never have.' ''t you like music
at all?' ' I have the time to listen, yes. jazz, a bit of classical if
it's not too heavy.' 36 me to turn it off F She reached for the dial.
it. You like it.' nearing the flats of Beverly Hills now, the houses r,
more ornate.
your friend Maggie? Doesn't she live with one of the s Kerr, the lead
singer. She's fine. She's been with e the band's in the studio working
on their new s still looking for the role to break her.' grunted. ''ll
bet she'd give the caps off her front your role in Heather Duell.' it
meant I wouldn't have it. She's happy for me.' -his look. '. She's my
closest friend out here. through a lot of bad times together during the
last more reason,' he said, turning into a long sweeping lit on either
side by Japanese stone lanterns. ''s they separate the girls from the
women.' she lost him in the first burst of glittery light, wild swirl of
perfumery scents. He stuck in the comer of as he was led away by an
eamest-faced Bob Lunt of Morris. And soon they had their heads together
like res in a football huddle. music blared, Linda Ronstadt alternating
with Donna giving the party an odd schizophrenic atmosphere.
ognized people from all the'major studios, along iprinkling of
independent producers and directors, all outnumbered the actors. Daina
Whitney.' Martin was a large woman with a face that most resembled a
parrot's. Her beaklike nose would have e dominant feature in a
flat-planed, oval face the colour had it not been for the remarkable
green eyes, set like s within pouches of flesh. o, Beryl.' older woman
whirled her great bulk around in a bly lithe spin. ', how do you like
me? In the flesh, 37 mea0' She laughed, not expecting a response.
She to0i Is arm, led her to the crowded bar where she got drinkst, Daina
for them both. 9 11 must tell me,' she said warmly, ' you manage to be
Yo such good friends with Chris Kerr. I mean he ... well, all of@, those
rock people, really, are such freakish figures. Or' - she@ cocke, J an
eyebrow speculatively - ' that the secret?' She' -1@ gled.
"They're so outrg.' She hugged Daina. ' deli.,`2 919 cious sthat's not
it at all,' Daina. said, halfway between fascination,@, and annoyance. '
don't understand why you find musiciam,", so incomprehensible. I think
most people in our communitv invite them to their parties because they
feel both excited and superior to thern." ,musicians ...' Beryl rolled
the word around in her mouti. d as if it were a morsel of food. ', no.
Musicians are peopi., who play in symphony orchestras or jazz combos.
Rock and' roll is played by, oh, what should I call them? Outlaws!
Shc,,: shrugged her meaty shoulders.
"I don't know, they all sccml@, so stupid." 2 ', Chris isn't,' Daina
said, a bit put out that she needed? - defend him. ' don't understand
him because he comeo to fron, a totally different background. He's an
alien here. imagine he still feels uncomfortable around you; he M-` n hi
ot rig for so long.' ,1,11 tell you a secret about me,' Beryl said
lightly. '; first came out here I had fifty cents in my pocketbook.
weighed one-fifteen and could've been a model.' She turn her face into
the light. ', I've got the bone sstnnicturre.. BB so could ten thousand
other girls far more pretty than 1. So of them did, eventually. ', on
the other hand, was obliged to get down on my ne and Put my mouth in a
number of increasingly influential la i order to raise myself up, so to
speak.' She shrugged agai n ,Sogietimes that worked and sometimes I got
thrown out an! way. This is a very callous town.' She laughed, spraying
t; air with a fine mist of liquor and saliva. Her skin was war and dry;
she smelled of Chanel No.
5. ,,fhen one day I got a thought. Right in the middle of tt 38 excited
I almost bit it off.' She guffawed. ' was blicist while he was on the
phone with a client. t away who she was and that his pitch was all had
no angle. moment, the bastard puts the heel of his hand back of my head,
pushing me further down on him. it dawned on me. What am I doing here
sucking I can be out getting this actress print space? So I, led a
little on his trousers, and, when he went to Wroqm* I stole a look at
his classified Rolodex to get 5 address. inute I left his office, I
drove over to the Times and Epstein my angle to the story. He bought it.
Now all do was convince the actress to take me on.' drained her glass,
smacked her lips in pleasure. ', I you, it was easier than I thought.
She'd been stuck I for so long, she'd forgotten what first gear was
like. piece sounded like overdrive to her. That was the She patted her
stomach. ' those breakfasts, dinners and there went my model's figure.
At first -t but then I thought, What did weighing a hundred en ever get
me? A hit-and-run concession in LA? a while, I learned to love the
weight. I turned it of my image. And anyway' - she winked -'now it's who
have their mouths in my lap. Ah ha!' was no other way for you?" shook
her head. ' the days I'm talking of, no. Now, different: women can
choose v@hat way to go.' laughed. '. There's more talk of liberation
every ry little else.' eavy-set woman gave her an appraising look. ' see
quite a bit more to you than even Rubens told ine.' d. ' now I can see
why he's taken such a prointerest in your career. I must say I thought
you were d in Regina Red but the press - or should I say the -it - has
been scandalous. Paramount should've hired tre certainly not being used
to the right advantage. all. I think Monty missed the boat on that one.
He e got you some guarantees. Hell, if I'd've been aboard, 39 a Regina
Red would be selling you instead of the other way around.' ' did what he
could,' Daina said. ' all, it was rrnv first starring role.' ', honey,
that's no way to think. Jeffrey Lesser was goddamned lucky to get you
for that role. Yes. All that flas,@ would've been for nothing without
good, solid acting and you provided that.' Beryl put her arm around
Daina's shoulder's. ' also hear you stood up to him pretty well.' ', you
know Jeffrey. He enjoys intimidating people. Ile broke Marcia Boyd down
within three days. He badgered h@r over one scene ... did one hundred
and fifty takes ... for no reason, really. He's just foully neurotic.
Marcia got more and more hysterical until she had to be replaced. He
loved that one.' ' what happened when he tried it with you?' Beryll.
said in a softly conspiratorial tone. ' don't look like the hysterical
type to me.' ' don't bruise that easily.' ' Beryl clapped her hands
together around her glass, ' spirit!' Her voice got even lower now so
that Daina was obliged to lean towards her in order to hear her over
thebrash noise of the party swirling around them. ' he tried, didn't
he?" Daina nodded. ', he did. But I just stood there and@ gave him back
everything he gave me.' Beryl looked astonished. ' he didn't have you
throwt, off the set?' Daina laughed. ', no. You see, I discovered early
or', that Jeffrey feels much safer if he can alienate the entire cast
because he believes it generates the kind of tension froff which the
best acting springs.' ' it true?' Daina shugged. ' knows? I do think
that he does because deep down he can function best with that tension'.
I saw what happened between him and Marcia and I Icarne6i how to handle
him.' ' clever thing!' Beryl squeezed her arm affection-" ately. 40 '
YOU two talking about?' Rubens said, coming up em from out of the clouds
of milling people. nothing you'd be interested in," Beryl said in an
offanner. ' girl talk.' She left them amid gales of t was that about?'
he asked her. ' haven't seen Beryl much in a long time.' red spirits,'
Daina said. ' think we got along.' is great.' He seemed inordinately
pleased. glancing into the midst of the party, took Rubens' ng him
around. ',' she breathed, ' think Ted on his way over here.' t's wrong
with him?' t weasel! Life's not complete for him unless he's screw- one.
You know Regina Red was originally supposed arners film.' Iit was Kessel
who balked at the last minute. And ow why?
He complained that the lead should have f a box-office name. He was
nervous because I wasn't own enough and, in his opinion, I'd be a
liability.' n er which cover-up he's using to explain your success his
bosses?' I had seen them and was, indeed, on his way over. He
ose-cropped white hair and the kind of glossily pink, haven jowls one
could only get from hot towels and a t razor. He wore tan slacks and a
safari jacket with only ttom button closed, revealing his hairless chest
and distended beer belly..a, what are you doing with this piratev he
said y. He slapped Rubens on the back while leaning d. ' this little
tete-i-tete business or pleasure? Do you -a m6nage?' Ile laughed. little
of both, actually,' Rubens said. ''re planning is next film.' eady?
Why, you're not even halfway through with this Rubens said with his arm
around the other man, you become this successful, you've got to plan
ahead.' 41 0 Kessel made no mention of Regina Red but looked, fish,
eyed, from one to the other. ''s got an option, I suppose." Y Rubens
seemed to wait a very long time before looking at, Daina. and saying, ',
they don't.' '? Well, you got a studio in mind?" Daina could@,@ almost
see him licking his chops. ' know my Positict, at Warners, Rubens. You
just say the word and I'll have deal memo messengered over to you in the
morning.' Novi that it had come this far, he was no longer speaking LO
the both of them. Rubens looked dubious. ' don't know, Ted. I mean yot
don't even know anything about the project! Kessel's fat fingers
fluttered in the air. He was on the scent and nothing was going to shake
him. ''t malter.:. We'll leave that totally up to you, Rubens. Your
name's gold.' ' Daina. Her name's like gold now, too.' ', yes. Of course
it is,' Kessel said quickly. ''ve at;@'-.. been hearing the most
remarkable things about Heather Duelr: Rubens, knowing the man was
anxious to hear more abouf ... the film, said, ' are an enormous number
of guarantea,: we'd want." 4. ', what'm I here for? They can all be
worked out, belier. me. 0 "Oh, I believe you, Ted,' Rubens said, taking
him arouno' the shoulders again. ' I'm sure that Daina believes y0g,
too. But you see .
He looked around. ', I'm going to, tell you something in the strictest
of confidence .. '?' There was a sheen on his cheeks as he strained f6
the titbit. ' studio it's going to be,' Rubens said, ''ll ncve'i be
Warners.' His laugh exploded as Kessel angrily icrkd., himself away from
the fraudulent embrace and, his face ati.:: neck flushed red, stalked
out of the room. ' see you're not headed back to my house, she said
cvnic! v . '. i@ ally. She could not help it still; it seemed her only
defency now. 42 red him he was careful not to let it show. He ,,ber
seriously. '. I know you love the sea." precise moment, as if he had
magically managed greatest of prestidigitators, they broke past the
isades, winding down the quiet road into Malibu. touched a stud, rolled
down her window all the way ed off the radio. In the silence she could
discern w and hiss of the surf as steady and comforting as a t. But as
they drew closer, the sight of the sluggish made her ache for a glimpse
of the harsh deep-blue pummelling sharp bleak rocks, covering them with
white spume, the water so cold it turned your skin your lips blue. long
Lincoln thrummed quietly along Old Malibu past silent dark houses set
one against the other so that d only catch intermittent flashes of the
sea. getting late,' she said in reflex. ''m on call.' Is all right.'
slid to a smooth stop before a bare stretch of sand. ly, there was no
house there.
are we?' e on,' he said, climbing out of the car. got out, took a deep
breath. At least this is the same, ght, inhaling the rich scents of the
sea, salt and s and something more, the amalgam of living floating,
swimming, undulating in one long conchain. oked at Rubens over the
shining car top. He had taken suit jacket and now, putting one foot
behind the other, off his shoes. ached out a hand and, coming around to
his side, she trembling, letting him lead her over the road, out on to .
They half ran, half stumbled, sinking in, passing a lights to their
right as if it were the verge of civilization..!:'they were in territory
new and unexplored. to the water's edge they went and he urged her d
still. She bent, slipped off her shoes and, not knowing e walked with
him into the water. Jirst their clothes billowed out with trapped air,
making 43 it easier to float, but all too soon the pockets belched up
their contents and then their clothes clung to their skin, heavy as A
lead. They launched themselves, swimming out from the shore, Rubens
slightly in front leading the way, and it was not until they were almost
upon it that Daina realized that their desti. nation was a boat. It was
a thirty-three-foot sloop moored through a buov and then an anchor. At
its curving side, Rubens reached upward, his long muscular arms over his
head. His fino oers apparently caught in something for he hung suspended
in midair for some seconds before splashing back down into the water
with a rope ladder. It was slippery with seaweed. ' up?' With a start
she turned her head upward. The boat loomed darkly above her left
shoulder. A dripping hand was held out, to her. Rubens had already
climbed aboard. She lifted one lea, in the water, almost but not quite
reluctant to leave its low.,. gravity embrace. On sudden impulse she
dipped her head under the water and opened her eyes as if that might
make hearing here easier. She listened for what seemed a long time,
until her burninzlungs made it imperative that she surface. But she had
heard nothing save the tide in her ears, a kind of muted roaring..
shapeless, almost soundless, as if it were the fierce, inchoatel,;
bellow of entropy lapping at the universe - a land beyond tht' , grip of
time, where all things lived and died simultaneousirf! were recognizable
and anarchic in the same instant. She breached the surface, shaking her
head to free her eyer and nose of water, blowing her breath through her
mouthf She felt vaguely defeated and sad. She took a deep bread'!, of
the night and reached for Rubens' proffered hand. i ' you fish?' he
asked her, handing her a fluffy deep blig,", towel. ' do a lot of
deep-sea fishing with this boat. It's ideii 11 for it.' ',' she said. '
don't like it much.' She dipped her heac so she could dry her hair.
''t,' he said. He put a hand on the towel until sbt. lowered it. His
eyes seemed to shine in the dim moonligh: 44 and glittery as stars. '.'
She paused, looking at thick towel draped across her slim wrists as if
in on for some ceremony. ' like the way your hair Like a mermaid's.' He
seemed faintly embarrassed he had said. He turned partly away. ' do you
@,her?'His arm spread wide. looked around the craft. It was a one-masted
sailboat. *ck was flat, a midnight-blue ribbed composition perfectly
flat aft. Forward, she could just make out t sleek rise of the white
cabin. beautiful,' she said. ' what happens when you hit a calm
weather?' s smiled. ' the deck is an inboard diesel. ing bulges out from
the line of the keel. It gives her draught but she's infinitely more
