Dangerous Kiss (14 page)

Losing Mary Lou is bad enough, but if I'd lost you… I wouldn't have been able to go on.'

'Yes, you would,' he said. 'You're a survivor. You've survived a lot of shit in your life.'

'So have you, Lennie, and believe me, we'll survive this together. It's like being robbed - somebody breaks in your house, takes your things and runs off into the night. If you caught 'em, you'd feel a hell of a lot better.'

A few days later she contacted Detective Johnson. 'I've been thinking,' she said.

'How about if we hire our own detective agency to help you with this investigation? I'm sure you're short on manpower.'

'I'd have no objections.'

'Would you co-operate?'

'Of course.'

'Then I'll do it. Oh, yes, and I want to post a reward for information.'

'Sometimes that can be helpful. Sometimes not.'

'Let's try it,' Lucky said.

Fuck the system, she thought. One way or another, they were going to catch the killers.

And a reward of one hundred thousand dollars might be the answer.

Chapter Twenty-six

Brigette had been back from LA for a month when she announced, 'I'm taking off for a few weeks.'

'And where are you goin'?' Lina asked, sitting cross-legged on the floor of her apartment, painting her toenails in complicated zebra stripes.

They were having a girl's night in, with Alanis Morissette on the stereo, and a large, half-eaten pepperoni pizza on the table.

'I promised Lucky I'd go to Europe with her,' Brigette said vaguely, not wanting to get too specific.

'Sounds good t' me,' Lina said. ' 'Ow's Lucky doing?'

'She's okay. Steven's a wreck.'

'It must be awful,' Lina said, taking a swig from a can of Diet Coke.

'It is. You should see him, it's like he's in a permanent daze. And Lennie isn't doing much better 'cause he blames himself. Thinks he could've done something to stop it.'

'Could he?' Lina asked, still painting.

'Not according to Lucky. They had this crazy girl waving a gun in their faces. Can you imagine what it must've been like? They were totally trapped.'

'I'd freak if I 'ad a gun in my face,' Lina said. 'I'd, like, lose it big time.'

'So would I,' Brigette agreed.

'An' especially it bein' a girl an' all,' Lina added. 'That's like a double whammy - y'

know, it's really messin' with his machismo.'

'I know,' Brigette agreed.

'They got any leads on who did it?'

'Lennie doesn't remember much.'

'Talk about fate,' Lina said, picking up the remote and clicking on the TV sans sound. 'One moment you're sitting in your car, the next you're lying there - dead.'

'Mary Lou was such a sweetheart,' Brigette said. 'Kind and thoughtful. Always nice to everyone. You should've seen the turnout at her funeral.'

'I used to watch her on that sitcom she did years ago,' Lina said, flipping channels.

'The saddest thing of all is that Steven and Mary Lou were so happy together.'

Brigette sighed. 'And then there's little Carioca, she's only eight, and now she's got no mother. It's a tragedy.'

'Terrible,' Lina said. ' 'Ow old were you when your mum died?'

'Fifteen,' Brigette answered flatly. 'I was better off than Lucky - she was five when she found her mother floating in the family swimming-pool, murdered.'

'My mum drives me insane,' Lina said, holding out her foot and admiring her freshly painted toenails. 'Although I 's'pose I shouldn't complain.'

'I'd have liked nothing better than to have known my mother properly,' Brigette said wistfully, remembering the few good times. 'You should make the most of yours.'

'Fifteen's not that young,' Lina remarked. 'At least you got to spend time with her.'

'Not really,' Brigette said pensively. 'Olympia was never around when I needed her.'

'Where was she?'

'Where was she?' Brigette repeated, recalling the blonde bombshell who'd never wanted to miss a thing. 'Good question. London, Paris, Rome, Buenos Aires.

Olympia was the original jet-setter - always flying somewhere for a happening party or a new lover. She had boyfriends, husbands and too much money. I was shunted away to a boarding school in Connecticut which I hated.'

'Quelle drag.'

'It certainly was.'

'You can 'ave my mum if you like,' Lina joked. 'The old bag keeps on threatenin'

to visit.'

'What's wrong with that?'

'She's a colossal pain in the butt.'

'I don't understand. How can you have a problem with her when she doesn't even live here?'

'She 'ad me when she was fifteen,' Lina explained. 'She's forty now, an' still a looker.'

'You should be proud of her then.'

'No, no, you don't get it,' Lina said excitedly. 'The thing that pisses me off most is that sometimes she bloody imagines she's me.'

'What does that mean?'

'Well, she does all these modelling jobs for magazines an' the English papers.

An' the copy always reads Lina's mum this an' Lina's mum that, an' isn't she lovely - just like her famous daughter. That kind of crap drives me bonkers.'

'You shouldn't begrudge her,' Brigette said, wishing that she still had a mother, someone she could trust and confide in. 'She's only trying to emulate you. It's flattering.'

'It is?' Lina said.

'Anyway,' Brigette said, reaching for a second slice of pizza, 'I called the agency and got out of the Milan shows.'

'You did what?' Lina wailed. 'Milan's such an adventure. All those horny Italians with their dicks 'anging out!'

'It's more important that I spend time with Lucky.'

'You mean she's taking off and leaving Lennie behind?' Lina said, standing up and stretching.

'He's not exactly in a travelling mood.'

'Poor bastard.'

'So,' Brigette said, 'I'll fly to Europe with Lucky, then probably head back to LA for a while.'

'I'm learning to shoot when I get to LA,' Lina announced. 'Which might be sooner than you think, 'cause I got an audition for a role in the new Charlie Dollar flick.'

'You have?'

'Not that I usually audition,' Lina said quickly. ' 'Owever, according to my agent, the studio is after a name actress, an' Charlie wants me.' So, if it comes off, I'll fly out to LA for a couple of days an' meet the man 'imself.'

'I saw him at Lucky's while I was there,' Brigette said. 'He's kind of a weird and wonderful character.'

'Oooh!' Lina said, licking her lips. 'I get off on weird!'

'You can't possibly sleep with him,' Brigette admonished. 'He's almost sixty.'

'So?' Lina said with a mischievous grin. 'I've 'ad older.'

Brigette couldn't help laughing. 'You're incorrigible,' she said.

'I'll take that as a compliment,' Lina replied.

'Well,' Brigette said, jumping up, 'I guess this is a wrap.'

' When are you leaving?' Lina asked, following her to the door.

'Tomorrow.'

'I can't believe it!' Lina exclaimed. 'You almost sneaked off without telling me.'

'I just told you.'

'Hmm…' Lina said, considering it. 'Maybe I should come with you.'

'Maybe you shouldn't,' Brigette said, grabbing her purse from the hall table.

'You're expected in Milan.'

'I don't havta, go,' Lina said. 'I can tell 'em to go fuck 'emselves if I want. Then I'll go see Charlie early.'

'The thing is,' Brigette said, 'much as I love your company, I should spend time with Lucky by myself.'

'Okay, okay,' Lina said huffily. 'You don't havta draw me a picture.'

They hugged each other, making fervent promises to keep in touch. Both of them knew they wouldn't. Life in the modelling world was always frenetic, they'd meet again soon enough.

Brigette returned to her apartment, put on the Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream CD, then began packing, throwing clothes into a suitcase without much thought because her mind was elsewhere.

She was not telling Lina the truth. The truth was painful and very private.

Lucky had no plans to travel to Europe, but she did.

She was going to London.

She was confronting Carlo.

And maybe - just maybe - she'd tell him she was pregnant.

Chapter Twenty-seven

Lucky's friends rallied. Venus was particularly concerned. 'Are you sure you know what you're doing?' she said, while they were having lunch at Le Dome one day.

'Absolutely sure,' Lucky replied, munching a Chinese chicken salad.

'But you've given away your power base in this town,' Venus said, dazzling in a skin-tight snakeskin dress.

Lucky stared at her platinum blonde friend with a quizzical expression. 'Who needs a power base? I certainly don't.'

'Yes, you do,' Venus said excitedly. 'You have to realize, you were like Superwoman in this town. You could get anybody you wanted to come to a party, meet anyone in the world. Owning a Hollywood studio is like being the fucking President, for Chrissakes.'

'Not quite the same,' Lucky said, with a wan smile. 'However, I get the analogy.

Besides, you're forgetting, I still own the place.'

Venus downed a quick shot of vodka. She never drank when she was with Cooper, because since the birth of their child he had liked to view her as virginal.

'Have you spoken to Alex?' she asked, picking up her sunglasses.

'No,' Lucky said slowly. 'Should I have?'

'I thought you two were best friends.'

'You and I are best friends,' Lucky said patiently, knowing exactly where Venus was going. 'Alex is just, you know… someone Lennie and I pal around with.'

'Ha!' Venus exclaimed. 'Don't give me that crap. You like him, I know you do.'

'I'm married to Lennie,' Lucky said evenly. 'There's no other man that even remotely interests me.'

'God, you're good,' Venus said admiringly. 'You've even got yourself convinced.'

'What are you talking about?'

Venus nodded knowingly. 'Everyone sees the chemistry between you and Alex.'

'The only people Alex has chemistry with are his never-ending supply of Asian beauties,' Lucky said, wishing Venus would get off the subject. 'He doesn't like American women. Haven't you noticed?'

'That's true,' Venus agreed. 'Only you're the exception.'

'Can we drop it?' Lucky said, starting to get irritated. 'I haven't heard from him.

He's probably feeling left out that I didn't discuss this whole studio thing with him.

But, hey, since when do I have to do things by committee?'

'You don't. Although usually with friends you tell them stuff. Especially before they read it in the newspapers, or hear about it at an intimate dinner for five hundred people.'

'So you think he's pissed with me?'

'As a matter of fact, I do.'

'You're wrong, Venus. He's been to see Lennie a couple of times.'

'And?'

'And what?' she said, exasperated. 'Will you stop making a meal out of this.'

'Speaking of food,' Venus said, knowing when to move on, 'Cooper and I are planning an anniversary party. We'd like you and Lennie to come.'

'When is it?'

'Next week.'

'We might be in New York.'

'What are you doing there?'

'I thought a change of scenery would be good for Lennie. He's still depressed.

It's difficult - how would you feel?'

'Like shit.'

'Right. And there's nothing I can do,' Lucky said, shrugging helplessly. 'He's in the same mood he was in after the kidnapping - moody and withdrawn. It took me months to get him to communicate last time. Now this.'

'How is he with the kids?'

'Quiet. They don't get it. I have to keep telling them Daddy's got a headache.

Christ! You'd think it was him who'd lost his wife.'

'What are you going to do?'

'I'd like to get him to a shrink. Not that I believe in them, but somebody's got to help him.'

'I have a great shrink,' Venus said, her face brightening.

'Of course you do.'

'She got me through that whole stalker drama a few years ago. I'll give you her number.'

Lucky nodded. 'Sounds like a plan.'

Venus waved at John Paul Dejoria and his exquisite wife, Eloise, as they entered the restaurant. 'He owns all those Paul Mitchell hair products,' Venus said. 'Love their stuff.'

'I've got to go,' Lucky said. 'I'm meeting the kids.'

Venus nodded. 'Think I'll join Eloise and John Paul.'

Later that day Lucky collected Maria, Carioca and little Gino from school, then took them to the Hard Rock, where she ordered them double chocolate milkshakes and burgers with everything on. The kids were totally excited, chattering to each other as they stuffed their mouths.

Lucky watched them. Playing mom full-time was a whole new experience, and although she adored her children, she wasn't sure family outings were a permanent staple for her. She needed action and excitement. She needed to be doing something creative. And for the first time she had doubts about leaving Panther.

She sat in the restaurant observing the passing crowd. Somewhere out there is the person who shot Mary Lou and Lennie, she thought. And one day soon they'll be found and punished. That's for sure.

She was determined they'd be caught. And when they were, she expected to see justice.

And if she didn't…

Well, there was always Santangelo justice.

And Santangelo justice was something Lucky would not hesitate to use.

Chapter Twenty-eight

Brigette sat in a first-class seat on a British Airways flight to London. She could have watched a movie, or read a magazine, but she chose to do neither, because all she could think about was confronting Carlo.

The fact that she was pregnant had confirmed her worst fears. If she and Carlo had made love and she'd been a willing participant, she would have remembered it. But she didn't. And that was proof enough that he'd drugged her.

Brigette did not believe in abortion. Once, when she and her mother were having a fight, Olympia had told her that she'd tried to get rid of her before she was born. Brigette knew she could never do that to her unborn baby. It wasn't right, and she wished her mother had never shared that story with her.