La Fleur Rouge The Red Flower (9 page)

Peter was quiet for several moments before speaking. Then he leaned forward in his chair. “I believe you! Your style of composing is all through ‘The Pepper Pot!’ That’s one of the reasons I was so taken with ‘La Fleur Rouge’ - - it has the same quality!” He turned to Jenny. “You knew about this?”

“I sure did. Greg has had Hildy followed everywhere she went. He’s seen to it that she couldn’t hold down a job, he’s had her kicked out of every apartment she lived in, and she saw him at the airport just before we took off for Paris.”

“I’m sure he didn’t recognize me,” Hildy interrupted. “I’ve disguised myself pretty well, but my real name was in the computer. He knew I’d be on that plane, and he was looking for me.”

Peter’s eyes widened. “That’s why you were so anxious to keep your real name quiet! Have you reported this to the police?”

Hildy shrugged. “I have no proof.”

“Well, I think you should tell them so they can follow it up. This might give them the very lead they need.”

“Peter, we might all be in danger because of this. If Greg never gave a thought to all the innocent people on board our plane, I’m sure he wouldn’t care about anyone else that might get hurt, as long as he gets rid of me,” Hildy told him. “If you want to back out of this project, I’ll understand.”

“Certainly not!” Peter was vehement. “I’ll have guards placed around the sets and the crew. I’ll even assign a personal bodyguard for you. This is the musical I’ve been looking for. I wouldn’t think of canceling our plans because of this. I’d be cheated, too. Have you thought of that? We’d be playing right into Gregory Wilcox’s hands, wouldn’t we?”

Hildy’s eyes filled with tears of gratitude and relief. “Oh, I was hoping you’d say that, but I was afraid Greg had managed to ruin things for me again.”

“No way!”

Hildy looked pensive. “I wish Jay Stuart had believed me, but he didn’t. I was in Greg’s home when he phoned. Greg told him that my asking to be named as a collaborator was just my way of trying to break into the business. And Jay bought it.”

“You never met Jay?”

Hildy grimaced. “Oh, I met him all right!” she replied, wishing she could erase the memory. “After I left Greg, I went to the hotel where Mr. Stuart was staying and confronted him. He was very nice until I told him who I was. Then he said we had nothing further to talk about.”

Peter was surprised. “That doesn’t sound like him. He’s really a nice guy. I guess he’s worked with Greg for so many years that he found it hard to believe, coming from a stranger.”

“Jay told me that new writers are constantly trying to get their foot in the door by claiming well known writers have stolen from them. He said maybe I was one of them. It made me wonder if Greg had stolen from others.”

Peter frowned, then turned to her. “Someone else came to me months ago claiming that Gregory Wilcox stole a musical from him. I didn’t know whether to believe him or not, but now that you’ve told me this - well, he may have been telling the truth. As soon as this film is finished I’m going to help you prove what you just told me. And we’ll have this film as concrete evidence.”

Hildy dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “Thank you for believing me.”

Peter reached out and patted her hand. “We’ll make ‘La Fleur Rouge’ the best film ever, and prove that you’re the real author and composer of ‘The Pepper Pot!’”

“I’ll second that!” Jenny cheered.

Suddenly Paris seemed filled with joy. The waiter stood by their table ready to take their orders, and Hildy realized that her appetite had returned as she hastily scanned the menu.

They were halfway through dinner when Hildy noticed that Peter and Jenny had their heads together, laughing and talking as though they had known each other for years. Maybe Jenny has found someone at last, she mused. He really is a super guy, and Jenny deserves the best after all she’s been through. Hildy had read about Peter’s unhappy marriage and divorce, and she couldn’t think of a nicer working out for both of them.

As soon as they finished dinner, Peter motioned to the waiter to bring him the check. After signing the tab he smiled. “And now I propose the perfect way to top off a perfect evening,” he said. “Come with me.”

They walked to the elevator and descended to the street level. As they exited the building, Peter hailed a cab that would take them to the boats at the water’s edge. “I think this calls for a cruise down the Seine. It’s a perfect night for it.”

The air was still warm and the sky was clear. The moon and stars were so bright it seemed almost like daylight. Hildy breathed deeply, thoroughly enjoying the evening. This was her father’s Paris. She was elated! Greg will never find me here! A new day was unfolding in her life and she saw nothing but hope and fulfillment ahead.

CHAPTER XI
 

The next morning in his New York apartment, Jay had the television on listening to the news. Greg joined him in the breakfast room just in time to hear the tail end of a special news report. A look of dismay came over his face as he realized that his carefully planned scheme to get rid of Hilary had failed.

“This just in,” he heard the newscaster say. “A Parisian Airlines plane, Flight #867, with four hundred fifty-three passengers on board landed safely at Orly Airport in Paris around eleven-thirty this morning, Paris time, in spite of a bomb that was found in a piece of luggage. No one was hurt, as the plane arrived forty minutes early, and all the passengers had disembarked. The bomb went off in an overhead luggage rack and the plane was completely destroyed. If the plane had not been early the bomb would have exploded while the plane was still in flight. It would have been one of the worst disasters in all of aviation history. Investigators are looking into it as a possible act of terrorism. So far no one has claimed responsibility. More on this later.”

Jay looked at Greg. “Who would do such a hideous thing?”

Greg quickly regained his composure. “Yes. Yes, it’s - - terrible. We’re living in a dangerous world.”

What do I do now? he wondered. Somehow I’ve got to stop her. All kinds of thoughts darted through his head. “Jay,” he said, “I think I know someone who might have been on that plane. I’ll call him from my room if you don’t mind.”

“Sure thing,” Jay answered. “Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes. Take all the time you need.”

Greg went into the bedroom and sat down to think. Then he picked up the phone and dialed the detective’s number in Los Angeles. After three rings, Dan answered. “Dan’s Detective Agency.”

“I’m glad you’re there,” Greg said. “I have another assignment for you. This one’s in Paris. I’ll call Parisian Airlines and have a ticket waiting for you at the counter. It will be charged to my credit card. Listen carefully. Wait half an hour. Then check the airline and find out what flight I’ve booked you on. Be packed and ready to leave. I want you in Paris as soon as possible. Find out where Hilary Simone is staying, and what she’s doing there. It’s very important. Parisian Airlines must have a record of her hotel in their computer, listed under Flight #867.”

“That’s the plane that had the bomb, isn’t it?” Dan asked him. “I just heard it on the news.”

“Yes,” Greg answered. “Who would do such a thing? Thank God she wasn’t hurt. No matter what she’s done I wouldn’t wish her any harm.” He paused, waiting for this to sink in, then continued. “When you find out where she’s staying, leave a message on my answering machine in Boston and let me know. I’ll be in Paris. I’m flying there with a friend this evening.”

“Where will you be staying?” Dan asked.

“At the Saint Germaine Hotel. We’ll be there for a week, then on to Nuits. I’ll contact you as soon as you leave the message on my machine. I may need you to stay in Paris for a while. It all depends on how well things go. I know you have other clients, but I’ll pay you whatever you ask. This is extremely important.”

“My assistant can take over. I’ll be in touch,” Dan said, and hung up.

Greg called Parisian Airlines to make the reservation for Dan, and returned to the breakfast room.

Jay looked up as he entered. “Is everything okay with your friend? Was he on that plane?”

“No. I was able to reach him at his office in Los Angeles. Everything is fine. He’s not going to Paris till tonight.”

“Maybe we’ll see him there.”

“Oh, yes,” Greg said smugly. “I’m sure we will.”

I’ll find another way to silence Hilary, Greg promised himself. Dan will find her. That’s why I hired him.

Jay rose from his chair. “Let’s get to work,” he said. “We’re leaving for Paris in a few hours, and I want to have everything ready for our trip.”

They went into Jay’s home office where they could work more efficiently. They spent all morning making contacts on the phone for the upcoming production of the new musical, “Sunny Days.”

Greg was quite proficient when it came to the mechanics of production. Very technical and analytical, but far from creative. He depended on others for that. As long as budding young writers keep coming to me for help, he smirked, I’ll be okay. But his thoughts kept wandering back to Boston. The picture of Roger Fielding sitting in the car outside his town house kept flashing through his mind, haunting him. And having seen him at the airport in Los Angeles almost did him in.

But why should this bother me? he asked himself. He didn’t see me board the plane for New York. And he certainly doesn’t know I’m going to Paris tonight.

“Is something bothering you?” Jay asked. “You seem awfully fidgety. Do you want to talk about it?”

Greg made a valiant effort to hide his feelings. “Oh - I’m not completely satisfied with some of the script,” he lied. “I’ll think about it some more, and maybe do some rewriting on the plane. Or maybe after we get to France. You know what a perfectionist I am. It will come to me what I have to do.” But it wasn’t the musical that he referred to.

Jay seemed satisfied with his explanation. “Should we hold up on rehearsals while we’re away?” he asked.

“Oh, no,” Greg quickly replied. “The changes will be minor. How long do you think we’ll be gone?”

“I think three or four weeks will do it,” Jay replied.

“Good!” Greg smiled. “That should give me plenty of time to finish whatever I have to do.”

He was sure that in three or four weeks either he or Dan would have found Hilary. Once she’s erased from the face of the earth my reputation and way of life will be safe!

CHAPTER XII
 

Hildy’s lovely soprano voice carried next door and woke Jenny, who smiled when she heard her friend so happy.

Jenny, also, felt lighthearted this morning. She tingled all over, just thinking about Peter. Don’t be foolish, she warned herself. You’ve only just met him. You don’t know anything about him. But her heart refused to let go of the joy.

She finally gave in to it, and joined Hildy with her singing. The two voices blended in harmony, singing one of the tunes they sang together in a college show.

A ring on Jenny’s telephone brought the duet to a halt. “Hello,” she said. Her voice was light and happy as she answered.

“Hi,” Peter greeted her. “Don’t you sound chipper this morning!”

“Oh! Peter! Hi!” Jenny waited, wondering why he called her instead of Hildy. She held her breath, and hoped she wasn’t misinterpreting the reason behind it.

“How about some breakfast? You and Hildy? I hope you’re hungry.”

“Starved!” Jenny replied. “What do you have in mind?”

“There’s a cafe just around the corner from the hotel. It’s typically French. Tables and chairs on the sidewalk, that sort of thing. It’s sunny and warm. Just the kind of day for breakfast outdoors.”

“Sounds wonderful!” she exclaimed.

“Great! Will you tell Hildy?”

Jenny’s heart stood still for a moment. Why doesn’t he call her? she wondered. She didn’t dare hope - or did she? - that she was reading him correctly. The fact that he called her, not Hildy, must mean something.

“I’ll be glad to, Peter,” she assured him. “What time?”

“Is fifteen minutes too early?”

“That’s just fine, Peter. I know Hildy’s up. I heard her singing. See you in the lobby at eight.” She hung up and dialed Hildy.

* * *

Hildy had been awake since six o’clock. She jumped out of bed and danced around the room, barely able to contain herself. With a song in her heart and on her lips she celebrated the first day of filming her new musical as she joined Jenny in a duet. She could hardly wait to get on the set and see her dream start to take shape. She turned on the shower, still singing. When her phone rang, she grabbed a towel and hurried to answer it.

It was Jenny. “Peter just called,” she said. “He wants to meet us for breakfast. Can you be ready by quarter of eight?”

Hildy was surprised. “Oh - sure, I’ll be ready. So he called you, did he?” she teased. “What’s going on? Is it what I think it is?”

“Oh, Hildy, I hope so! I never believed in love at first sight, but I think I’m in love.”

Hildy cheered. “Jenny, that’s great! I have a sneaking suspicion he feels the same way. Oh, Jenny, I’m so glad. It’s about time someone nice like Peter came into your life.”