Night Show (20 page)

‘You
are
her, aren’t you?’

‘Huh?’

Shaking his head in disbelief, he reached into a side pocket of a sports jacket too small for his girth and pulled out a Gary Brandner paperback. ‘I’m a great admirer of your work, Miss Larson. I wonder if I might trouble you for your autograph.’

‘Sure.’ She glanced back. The man was pulling Tony out of the seat.

The boy ripped out a page and gave it to her along with the book and a pen.

‘Make it to Milton,’ he said.

She started to write. Her hand trembled.

‘Come on, sister,’ the man called from behind.

She continued to write, burning with embarrassment. She’d never been asked for an autograph before. She wished it hadn’t happened now.

‘I’m really into makeup, myself,’ Milton said.

‘I’m glad to hear it,’ she managed. She gave back the
page
, the book and pen, then held out her hand. Looking surprised, he shook it. ‘Good luck to you, Milton.’

He nodded and blinked and turned red. ‘I hope you’re not in any trouble,’ he said.

‘Thanks. I’ll survive, I guess.’ Then she turned away and hurried up the row.

By the time they reached the lobby, Tony was walking under his own power.

‘I’m awfully sorry about this,’ she told the man.

‘Just keep your boy friend away from here.’

‘He’s not . . .’ Why bother? ‘Yes sir,’ she said.

He held the door open, and she hurried outside ahead of Tony. Near the curb, she waited for him to catch up.

‘Geez, Tony.’

‘You mad at me?’ His words were fuzzy and distorted as if he had a bad cold.

‘Oh, why should I be mad? I haven’t had such fun in ages. It’s great sport getting pounded, humiliated, and thrown out.’

Tony frowned and winced. ‘Did he hurt you?’

‘Not as much as he hurt you, obviously.’

They started walking. Tony moved slowly and stiffly, as if careful not to jostle himself.

‘We’d better take you to emergency,’ Dani said.

‘No. I’m all right.’

‘You look all right.’

He touched his face with both hands, exploring the damage. ‘He got me pretty good. Think I’ll have scars?’

‘More than likely.’

‘I hope so,’ he said, and walked into a parking meter. He bounced off, crying out and staggering sideways. Dani braced herself against his impact. His shoulder bumped her chest and knocked her backwards a few steps. She threw her arms around him, holding him up.

‘God, Tony.’

He moaned.

‘Come on.’ Hugging his arm, she helped him straighten up. They started walking. His upper arm was pressed tight against her breast. She suspected that he was very aware of it, in spite of his condition. She eased away just enough to get his arm off her breast, but continued to grip him with both hands until they reached the car. He leaned against it while she opened the rear door. Then she helped him in. He lay on his back and drew his knees up.

As she drove, Dani considered taking him to an emergency room. He didn’t want that, though, and his injuries did seem superficial. Besides, she couldn’t just drop him off and leave. He would need transportation back to her house.

Give him the taxi fare.

No, she couldn’t do that. She’d have to wait with him, and she hated hospitals.

‘Boy,’ he said from the back seat. ‘Did you hear that gal scream?’

‘I heard.’

‘She probably wet her pants.’

‘Tony.’

‘I really got her, huh?’

‘I hope it was worth it.’

‘It was great.’

‘Don’t you ever worry about the consequences of your little escapades?’

‘Huh?’

‘You not only got us both hurt and kicked out, you probably frightened that poor girl half to death.’

‘Yeah,’ he said, sounding pleased.

‘It’s nothing to be proud of. Besides, you ruined the end of the movie for everyone in the theater.’

‘It was a crummy movie.’

‘The people still . . .’

‘And even if it wasn’t, I mean, I gave everyone there a thrill they’ll never forget. You know? I gave ’em more than a movie. Something to tell their friends about. Boy, every time they go to a movie, they’ll remember what I did tonight.’

‘Hooray for you.’

‘I’m sorry
you
got hurt.’

‘You should’ve thought of that before you attacked that poor girl.’

‘Yeah. I’m sorry. Honest, I wouldn’t have done it if I’d known.’

Dani said nothing.

Tony was silent for a long time. Then he said, ‘I’m sorry’ again, this time in a shaky voice. She heard him sniff.

He’s crying again.

Dani sighed, feeling sorry for him in spite of everything. Christ, he’d lost his mother today, his romantic advances had met a rebuff, he’d been pounded into a bloody mess, even crashed into the damn parking meter. Matters couldn’t go much worse for a kid.

He’d brought much of it on himself, but Dani had contributed to his misery.

He lay quiet, sniffing occasionally, until they were on Laurel Canyon. ‘Are we . . . almost there?’

‘Just about.’

‘I guess you don’t want to see me again.’

Here’s your chance, Dani thought. Say ‘That’s right,’ and it’s over. Maybe. But she couldn’t do it to him. ‘If you think you can behave, you’re welcome to come back next Saturday like we planned.’

‘Honest?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Why . . . how come you’re so nice to me?’

‘’Cause you’re so sweet.’

He laughed, but it sounded close to a sob.

Approaching her house, Dani saw the hearse parked in front. She hoped to find Jack’s Mustang in her driveway, but wasn’t surprised when it wasn’t there. Only about nine o’clock. He and his Margot were probably right in the middle of their main course.

She parked to the side, leaving room for Jack’s car, and climbed out. She opened the rear door for Tony. He stood up, hanging onto it for support.

‘Are you all right?’

‘I guess.’

‘You think you can drive okay?’

He shrugged, grimacing as if the movement hurt. ‘I . . . I’m awfully thirsty. Maybe . . . could I use your garden hose?’

‘That’s not necessary. Come on.’ They walked toward the front door, Tony with his arms pressed to his body as if holding himself together. ‘You might as well fix yourself up while you’re here. Get some disinfectant on those wounds.’

‘I don’t want to be any trouble.’

‘It’s no trouble,’ she said, opening the door. Remembering her boxed-in feeling earlier, she hurried down the corridor ahead of him. She turned on the bathroom light. Tony entered as she took iodine and a canister of bandages from the medicine cabinet. She set them on the counter. She plucked a cardboard cup from a wall dispenser and gave it to him. His hand was rust-brown with drying blood.

He thanked her.

‘You go ahead and patch yourself up.’

‘Where are you going?’

‘Just in the kitchen.’

‘Do you have to go?’

‘I think you can handle this by yourself, Tony.’

He made a disappointed sigh, but Dani didn’t give in. Already, she felt nervous being in the bathroom with him. If she stayed, he would ask her to help clean him, bandage his wounds.

No way.

‘Excuse me,’ she said.

He made no attempt to stop her.

The kid’s shaping up, she told herself as she stepped into the corridor.

She poured a vodka and tonic, and swung herself onto a stool along the short side to the bar. From there, she could see the length of the corridor. The bathroom door stood open. She heard water running. She assumed he was still in there. But . . .

In her mind, she saw him sneaking out, hurrying to her bedroom while she was busy making her drink, undressing . . . Don’t be absurd.

Still, it had probably been a mistake to let him come in. The kid’s unpredictable.

The water shut off.

At least he hadn’t left the bathroom.

What if he
does
try something?

Dani took a long drink and set her glass down. Her gaze lifted to the counter across the lighted kitchen, lingered on the rack of butcher knives.

Now who’s the crazy one?

With a shake of her head, she lifted her glass and drank.

She was leaning against the bar counter about to sip her second vodka and tonic when Tony stepped out of the bathroom. ‘All fixed?’ she asked.

He nodded.

Setting down her glass, she pushed herself away from the bar and walked toward him. She felt calm, a bit
light-headed
. The double shot of vodka in the first drink had worked wonders on her nerves.

She stopped in the foyer.

He walked toward her stiffly, hunched over a bit, his head low, his arms straight at his sides.

‘Do you feel like there might be internal injuries?’ Dani asked.

‘I don’t know.’

‘There was blood in your mouth.’

‘It’s cut up inside. I bit my tongue, too.’

‘That’ll teach you to go around scaring people.’

He raised his head and appeared to smile, though his swollen lips barely moved. His face was a patch-work of bandages, puffy and discoloured. His left eye looked very bad. He seemed to be gazing at Dani through a gash in an oyster.

‘Can you see all right?’

‘Yeah.’

Reaching for the doorknob, she felt her heart speed up.

Please, she thought.

She pulled open the door. ‘Well, be real careful driving home.’

He stared at her. His right eye blinking. ‘I’m not sure I can drive.’

‘Give it a try.’

He nodded. ‘Guess you want to get rid of me, huh?’

‘It’s been a long day. I’m really tired.’

‘Yeah.’

‘Goodnight, Tony.’

He stepped into the doorway and turned to face her. ‘I’ll see you next Saturday?’

‘Right. Nine o’clock.’

He took a deep breath, and sighed. ‘I’m sorry I messed up. I . . . I like you a lot, Dani. A real lot. I don’t want you to hate me.’

‘I don’t hate you, Tony.’ Reaching out, she squeezed his forearm. ‘Take it easy, now.’

‘Yeah. You too.’ He turned away.

Dani stood with a hand on the door until he was gone. Then she swung the door shut, locked it and fastened the chain. She went into the kitchen, turning off its light as she passed. At the window, she watched Tony’s dark figure move slowly down the driveway.

She waited. The tail lights came on. Then the hearse pulled forward and vanished. The street was a dead end. She didn’t leave the window until the long, black car sped by, heading out.

Then she stepped over to the counter. Lifting the tail of her shirt, she slid the carving knife out of her rear pocket.

H
E PARKED
in the car port. Climbing out, he crouched by the open door. He reached under the seat and slipped out a towel-wrapped object. He held it against his belly with both hands, and walked carefully to the apartment house entrance.

If he stumbled, if he dropped it . . . The towel would cushion its impact, but probably not enough.

Shouldering open a swinging glass door, he entered the lighted foyer. He made his way up the stairs to the second floor. The hallway stretched before him, dark except for a ceiling light near the far end. Normally, he didn’t mind the gloom. Tonight, it worried him. If he tripped over something . . . just be careful, very careful.

At last, he reached his door. He cradled the bundle in one arm, and pushed his key into the lock. The door opened on darkness. He stepped inside, and wished he’d left some windows open. The room was stuffy and hot, almost smothering.

He found the light switch. A lamp came on, throwing its dim glow on the sofa, on movie posters tacked along
the
wall. The sofa creaked as he sat down under his
Eyes of the Maniac
poster.

He rested the bundle on his lap. With trembling hands, he folded open the towel. He stared at the white, plaster mask. The features looked only vaguely familiar. For a moment, he wondered if, in his rush, he had somehow taken the wrong mask from the workroom. He lifted it toward the lamp, studied it more closely. No, he’d made no mistake. This was Dani, all right.

His fingers caressed the cool, hard contours of her face.

Then he carried the mold to the table in his kitchen nook. He set it down carefully. Stepping around the table, he slid open a window. A slight breeze cooled the sweat on his face. He took off his shirt, stood there feeling the breeze against his skin, then turned away.