“Apparently Tin Lee panicked when you didn’t show up for your date last night. She waited at your apartment three hours, then called Dominique. Now they’ve bonded. They imagined you’d been kidnapped, murdered—something like that.”
“I got sidetracked.”
“By a bottle of Scotch?”
“Not your business, Lili.”
There was a twist of venom in her voice. “Well, Alex, if you expect me to run your production company and make excuses for you, I’d appreciate it if you’d let me in on your secrets.”
He hated it when Lili got pissy. “I had to go to Palm Springs to see Gino Santangelo about the script,” he explained.
“You could have told me.”
“You’re beginning to sound like a wife, Lili, and I don’t even get to fuck you!”
She was unamused. “May I remind you, Alex, that you’ve missed two meetings this morning? And Venus Maria will be here at noon. Also, you’re due to go on a location scout to Vegas this afternoon. Your plane leaves at three.”
“What’s Venus coming in for?”
“She’s reading for Lola. You promised Freddie you’d see her.”
“Does she have to?” He groaned, not looking forward to it.
“You made an appointment. It’s unprofessional to cancel at this late hour.”
“Fine, Lili, stop worrying, I’ll be there.”
“What shall I tell your mother?”
“Exactly nothing.”
25
LUCKY DID A LOT OF THINKING ON THE DRIVE back from Palm Springs. In a way, she felt as if she were emerging from a dense fog—Lennie was gone, and hard as it was, she had to learn to accept it.
She drove directly to her house, where she spent time with her children. She picked up baby Gino, holding him close, allowing herself to be enveloped by his soothing warmth and helplessness. The realization that her children needed her swept over her. One thing she knew for sure—she would always be there for them.
Maria was racing around the house as usual. She had more energy than her mother—which was really saying something. She jumped up and down with delight when Lucky told her they’d spend the morning together. “Mommy, Mommy, read me story…I wanna story…Pleeease!” she begged.
“Okay,” Lucky said, and sat down and read to Maria from a colorful book about Larry the Lamb and Petey the Petunia.
Maria collapsed with mirth as she listened to her mother assume the various voices. “Now we go swimming, Mommy. Now! Now!” she shrieked when Lucky finished reading.
Instead of swimming, Lucky took her daughter for a long walk along the beach, then promised that over the weekend they’d go out and choose her a puppy. Maria was ecstatic.
Cee Cee informed her that Venus had called. Lucky was well aware she’d been neglecting her friends, and she resolved to do something about it.
Arriving at Panther after twelve, she drove across the lot, parking in her usual spot.
Kyoko was at his desk in the outer office.
“I’m sorry about yesterday, Ky,” she said on her way into her private domain. “I had to get out of here or go totally insane. Did you reschedule the appointments I missed?”
“Everything’s taken care of,” he replied, following her in. “I thought you might be late, so I canceled all your morning meetings, too.”
“Why?” she said wryly. “Was I that out of control yesterday?”
“It seemed like you were about to be.”
“Very astute, Ky. I had an interesting trip, and now I’m back.”
“You probably needed the break,” Kyoko said sympathetically.
“I did. Only today I’m being punished big time. I have a major hangover—any aspirin around here?”
He fetched her aspirin, a mug of strong black coffee, and a large glass of fresh orange juice. Then he placed her phone list in front of her.
She scanned the names, noting that Alex Woods had called twice. She had no intention of calling him—it was probably better to give him time to cool off, then, when they met again, it would be merely business.
For a moment she allowed her mind to wander, remembering Alex in bed…hot, fast sex…
No! Alex was a one-night revenge fuck. It would never happen again.
“Uh, Ky…” she said, trying to sound as casual as possible. “If Alex Woods phones back, find out what it’s in reference to. I don’t want to speak to him unless it has something to do with Gangsters. Take care of it, okay?”
“Yes, Lucky,” Kyoko said. It was not for him to ask questions that were obviously none of his business.
“And get Venus for me,” Lucky added, gulping down two aspirin with the orange juice.
Kyoko connected with Venus’s house and spoke to Anthony. “She’s not home,” he said. “Shall I try her on her car phone?”
“Please.”
A few seconds later Venus was on the line, sounding delighted. “This is like thought telepathy,” she said. “Did Cee Cee tell you I tried to reach you at home last night?”
“I’d really like to see you,” Lucky said. “It’s been too long since we got together. You don’t happen to be free for lunch?”
“Unfortunately, no,” Venus said, sounding disappointed. “How about dinner tonight?”
“Works for me. I’ll have Kyoko make a reservation at Morton’s.”
“Great! We can trash every guy in town, I love doing that!” Venus paused for a moment before continuing. “Uh…I wasn’t going to mention this, ’cause I know it’s your movie, but I’m on my way to see Alex Woods. I’m reading for Lola in Gangsters.”
“Lola?” Lucky said, surprised that Venus would consider such a small part. “That’s not a starring role.”
“I know, but your friend and my agent, Freddie, assures me I should do it, ’cause it’ll showcase me in a different light.”
“Trust Freddie to come up with a good idea.”
“I’ve been studying the script, which I love. Now I know why you wanted to make this movie.”
“Are you seeing Alex today?”
“In about ten minutes. So…if he should ask you about me…”
“Alex has the final say on who he casts. If it were my decision, you’d be Lola—although you’d bust the budget. Last week Alex signed Johnny Romano.”
“According to Freddie, he had to fight to get me in to see the great Mr. Woods, which—as you can imagine—does not thrill me.”
“I’m sure it doesn’t.”
“You’ve been working with him, what’s he like?”
Lucky reached for a cigarette, her addiction worsening every day. “I thought you were the one who knew all about him,” she said in a noncommittal tone.
“Only the stuff one of his ex-girlfriends couldn’t wait to tell me.”
“What was it she said again?”
“Hmm…let me see…oh, yeah—only screws Asians and doesn’t give head.”
“Sounds like a great guy,” Lucky said dryly.
“You should know.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“C’mon, Lucky,” Venus pleaded. “Give me the goods. Is he the pain in the ass everyone says he is?”
“Alex seems to be an okay guy,” Lucky said, choosing her words carefully. “He’s gotten a bad rap in the press. I’m sure you’ll get along with him.”
“If you happen to speak to him later, find out what he thought of me.”
“Sure,” Lucky said casually. “Maybe I will.”
And then again, maybe I won’t.
By the time Venus finished talking to Lucky, she was pulling up to Alex’s production offices.
A guard waved her into the parking lot with a welcoming beam and an enthusiastic, “Can I have your autograph for my sister? She’s your biggest fan.”
How many times had she heard that line.
She got out of her car, smoothing down the skirt of her clinging silk dress. The guard’s eyes were all over her, inspecting every available inch as she scr
awled her signature on the grubby slip of paper he thrust her way. Her security advisors had warned her never to drive around L.A. by herself. Too bad—she enjoyed being alone in her car, listening to the latest CDs, thinking about things, generally relaxing. If she used a driver, it was a whole different trip. Although since she and Cooper had broken up, she never went anywhere unaccompanied at night.
Marriage to Cooper had been fun while it lasted; she’d been comfortable being faithful to one man.
A pity he hadn’t felt the same way.
An exquisite Asian girl met her at the entrance to Alex’s building. “Hi, I’m France,” the girl said, extending a small, well-manicured hand. “Welcome to Woodsan Productions. We are honored to have you here. Please follow me.”
Hmm…nice greeting. Perhaps Alex Woods was anxious to see her after all.
France led her into a large reception area with framed posters of all of Alex’s movies on the walls. An impressive collection.
“Alex is running a few minutes late,” France said apologetically. “May I get you something? Tea? Coffee? Spring water?”
Venus settled for an Evian and the latest issue of Rolling Stone. This was a new experience—she hadn’t been kept waiting in years. Was he testing her? Seeing if she was a prima donna?
After a twenty-minute wait, by which time she was getting more than a little impatient, another Asian woman appeared. This one was older and strikingly attractive.
“I’m Lili, Alex Woods’s executive assistant,” the woman said, introducing herself with a warm smile. “Alex had to go out of town unexpectedly last night. He extends his heartfelt apologies for being late, he should be here momentarily.”
“How momentarily?” Venus asked. She was not inclined to wait much longer, it wasn’t good for her image.
“Very soon,” Lili assured her, adding a convincing, “He’s so looking forward to meeting you.”
I bet, Venus thought, her confidence level sinking fast. Freddie forced me on him. He’s never heard of me, and if he has, he hates everything about me.
Why was she putting herself in this vulnerable position when she didn’t have to? She was a star, for crissakes, it wasn’t necessary to wait around for anyone—especially Alex Woods with his chauvinist reputation.
“Another Evian?” Lili inquired.
Venus stood up. “You know what,” she said pleasantly. “I can’t wait any longer. Please tell Mr. Woods, it was uh…a pleasure almost meeting him.”
What she really wanted to say was I’m pissed off, I’m out of here, and tell your rude, fucking boss to shove it.
Lili looked visibly distressed as she tried to think of a way to stop Venus from leaving. “He’ll be right here,” she said soothingly. “I spoke to him on his car phone minutes ago and he was almost downstairs.”
“That’s all right,” Venus said graciously. “We’ll reschedule.”
Freddie Leon’s image flashed before her eyes. “No Oscar,” he said sternly. “Forget about your pride and stay.”
Sorry, Freddie, not even for you.
She was at the door, with Lili trailing her, when Alex made his entrance. Unshaven and harassed, he brushed past Venus, not even noticing her. “Shit!” he said to Lili. “The goddamn traffic. Don’t blame me.”
“Alex,” Lili said evenly, but with an underlying edge of steel, “this is Venus Maria. She was just about to leave; however, I am sure you can persuade her to stay.”
He took a look at the platinum blond superstar. Not bad. She’d dressed as her interpretation of Lola and it almost worked.
“Sorry, honey,” he said, flashing the little-boy killer smile that had gotten him out of a million predicaments. “Why’n’t you come back in, an’ we’ll talk.”
The “honey” didn’t please her. Too patronizing.
The smile was cute. Calculated though; he probably used it on women purely to get his own way.
He was not perfectly handsome like Cooper. He was bigger, rougher, more masculine. In fact, he was quite attractive in an overpowering, macho way.
Bet you love getting blow jobs, she thought. Wonder why you don’t return the compliment.
“Five minutes,” she said boldly. “I’m sure that’s long enough to convince you I’m your Lola.”
26
A CHANEL SUIT SEEMED APPROPRIATE. NAVY blue with white braid trim and neat gold buttons. Daytime diamonds. Her hair styled to reflect the life of an extremely successful businesswoman.
Donna Landsman, née Donatella Bonnatti, stood back from the full-length mirror, admiring her reflection.
Yes, she looked the part—no vestige of Donatella visible. There was no way Lucky Santangelo would ever know. And Donna was not about to tell her. Not yet.
Donna often wondered what her late husband’s reaction would be if he could see her now. So cool and sophisticated, So worldly. In her new role, she wouldn’t look twice at an uncouth lout like Santino, with his disgusting bathroom habits and foul mouth. In spite of his faults, she’d willed herself to never forget that Santino was her children’s father, and as such he deserved the respect of having his death properly avenged.
So far, she was doing an excellent job. First Lennie Golden—and today Lucky’s precious Panther Studios. She’d even discovered where Brigette Stanislopoulos was, and she had a plan in mind to deal with her, too.
Yesterday she’d spoken to her brother, Bruno, in Sicily. He’d assured her everything was under control. Lennie was their prisoner, and nobody except he and Furio knew. Just as she’d thought, the caves were the perfect hiding place.
It gave her a great sense of exhilaration to know that she had Lucky Santangelo’s husband captive in a place where nobody could find him. In fact, even better, everyone thought he was dead. What a masterful piece of planning that was.
Of course, eventually, Lucky would find out, Donna would make sure of that. But not until Lucky was involved with another man—maybe even planning marriage. That’s the time Donna would arrange to have Lennie set free and returned to his wife. That would be Lucky’s real punishment.
In the meantime, after taking over Panther she would give the order to deal with Lucky’s father, the infamous Gino. He was an old man now, he’d be easy to take care of.
It made her proud that she was going to be responsible for the downfall of the Santangelo family. Bad blood had existed for so many years, and the Santangelos had always come out on top.
Well, she, Donna Landsman, was finally changing all that.
With that thought foremost in her mind, she set off for Panther Studios and retribution.
“See if Charlie Dollar’s on the lot, and ask him if he’d like to lunch with me,” Lucky said, thinking that she wouldn’t mind a dose of Charlie’s light relief.
Kyoko did as Lucky asked, and informed her that Charlie was on the lot and would be delighted to see her.
They met in the private dining area in the commissary—Charlie as dapper and as mismatched as ever in baggy corduroy pants, a flapping Hawaiian shirt, and blacker than black shades. Lucky, cool in a white Armani suit.
Charlie grinned his maniacal grin. “Hi’ya, gorgeous,” he said. “It’s about time you came up for food an’ conversation.”
“It’s great to see you, Charlie. How was Europe?”
He gestured expansively. “The old movie star slayed ’em. My film’s doin’ boffo biz—a direct quote from Variety.”
Lucky nodded. “I know, I’m excited with the figures.”
Charlie pressed his stubby, nicotine-stained fingers together. “I’ll tell you what it is. Give the great unwashed something they wanna see, and they’ll fight their way into the theater.”
“You underestimate yourself, Charlie. It’s you and your special magic that pulls them in.”
“No, babe,” he quipped. “It’s that scene in the shower where they get an eyeful of my bare butt. Nobody’s seen an ass like that in years!”
“Same old Charlie,” she said, reaching over and squeezing
his hand affectionately.
“’S’good t’see you, too, Lady Boss.”
“Hey,” she objected, “how come you’ve always got some crazy title for me?”
He raised his extravagant eyebrows. “Maybe you prefer Mafia Princess?”
“Let’s not start with that again,” she said sternly.
He threw up his hands in mock dismay. “Okay, okay, don’t shoot!”
“Very amusing.”
“I always like t’go for the laugh.”
“Don’t you just.”
He raised his black shades, peering over them.
“So what’s happenin’?”
“I saw Gino this morning.”
“Is the big man in town?”
“No, I drove down to Palm Springs last night.”
“How come you didn’t call? I’m the best on a car ride. I sing, give directions, eat crackers, make twenty-five pit stops.”
“You’re always good company, Charlie.”
He chuckled. “That’s what my proctologist says!”
She smiled. “Was the European trip fun? Did you finally meet the girl?”
“My love life sucks,” he drawled. “They only wanna fuck me ’cause I’m a movie star. An’ they wanna do it fast, so they can run off an’ boast about it to their friends. That’s their whole deal.”
“I’m sure there’s a nice girl out there for you somewhere.”
He laughed sardonically. “A nice girl? In Hollywood? Baby, what planet are you from? They’re all hookers or actresses. Take your pick—there ain’t much difference.”
“Mr. Cynicism.”
“Hey,” he said, waving at a couple of producers. “Here’s your task. Find me a nice girl, and you can be best man at my wedding.”
“How about Venus?”
“How about checking your sanity?”
“She and Cooper are split.”
“Big freakin’ surprise.”
They were in the middle of lunch when Kyoko rushed over to their table in an extremely agitated state. “Lucky, you’d better come to your office right away,” he said.