Fly With Fire (21 page)

“Went into the city? He
didn’t tell me he was taking the day off. No offence Ms. Ben-Ghury, but this
comes as surprise.”

“It’s just a few hours, Momo.
Zack got things to take care of. He got a life on hold. He arrange for more
security to help starting tomorrow. He will be back for the show tonight. Ms.
Ben-Ghury, I thank you, you help us on the short notice.” Roddy turned to
soothe the fuming Mo. “Zack, will be back for the show. He make sure you have
protection. He work seven days a week, twenty four hours all day. He need a
break. To take care of some things.”

“Ms. Whitman, I will stay
with you every moment.” Mo eyed Ben-Ghury. Mo had heard from Zack she was
former FBI who had switched jobs to settle down. After two kids the husband had
run off with a grad student and she took every bit of extra work she could to
make ends meet. But it was on hotel security’s watch Ling had been murdered.
What a comfort.

“Thank you, Ms. Ben-Ghury. I
appreciate you helping us out on your day off.” Her anger burned beneath the
surface. But she maintained her polite demeanor. “I’ve got to get back to
practice.” How dare he? Was this to teach her some sort of a lesson or did he
really think so much less of her? Had she frightened him? Had she created a
situation too awkward for him to deal with? What if he quit? Would he be so
petty? Had she so misjudged his looks and the way he’d been with her? Had he
gotten called back to work? He would have said so. Zack wouldn’t just bale on
her without a word. She was certain of it. Wasn’t she?

Oh, what a fool she was.
She’d completely thrown him with her impulsive behavior. Not only ruined their
professional relationship, but also a growing friendship. He must think she jumps
into bed with every man she’s just met. How could she be so stupid? Wait. Who
was he to judge her?

Well if he was such a
judgmental fool, such an old fashioned guy who was scared off so easily, to
hell with him. In just a few days they’d be on their way. Washington D. C. was
the next stop with a brief respite while everything was moved. She’d fly up to
Montreal for a few days and just enjoy quiet in her condo. Get to know her
chosen home a little better. Zack Burnham would be history. She IS stupid. What
was she thinking trying to jump the bones of a man she’d known such a short
time? He had his own problems after all and what was this but a gig to fill in
until his real life got sorted out. He was grieving for a friend as well,
wasn’t he? The fact that his partner was corrupt didn’t relieve him of that
grief. It had surely deepened it. And what was he to think after all? She’d be
gone soon and this whole thing would be all over. Let’s fuck, see you around.
Would suit most men. Not Detective Burnham apparently. What was it about him?
He wasn’t even her type. At least not until lately. How could he spring this on
her? Oh, what did she care? When would he be back? He would be back.

“Got your mind somewhere
else?” Deb was warming up. She’d been working hard on perfecting her
skills.  She had been practicing rigorously. She even announced she had
quit smoking. Her performance was getting better and better. But she was in the
background. Mo noticed and admired Deb’s efforts. Deb had a well proportioned
body. She had an attractive face that was really be striking with the stage
makeup. Her balance was excellent. Attitude was her primary problem as far as
Mo could see.

Mo had lost her understudy to
a contraception failure. Deb thought she was ready to understudy but Roddy said
no, not yet. She frowned. She sure could use the billing on the Sunday double
now that a matinee was going to be on the schedule permanently. The money.

“Just wondering how Claude
is.” Mo looked at Deb. She and Deb had never really warmed to each other for
the reasons Mo had considered the night before. Mo wondered briefly if she
herself felt threatened. She dismissed that idea.  She was secure in her
abilities. It was too early in her career for that. She thought of Luciana’s
reaction when Mo became her understudy. How Mo had tried to please her. Luciana
had been the classic diva. She enslaved Mo and made her pay and pay for being
the winding sheet of her own career. Only because of Roddy had life been
tolerable. Only because of him had she had the shot. Then she’d been
triumphant, and the company decided enough was enough. She had been triumphant
and Roddy had made the call. Luciana was out and would never forgive her. She
may have forgiven the man who had retired her. She even married him. But she
never forgave Mo for being the new star.

“Misha has been working out.
He knows he needs to try harder. He told me it affects his confidence when
Claude treats him an idiot. He doesn’t even hang out with us anymore. I think
he’s depressed. Maybe if you said something, you know, positive like.” Deb gave
her an uncertain half smile. A little defensive. A little ingratiating. Mo
realized Deb tiptoed around her. Resentfully. Could she blame her? If she
hadn’t made it more difficult, she probably had been too wrapped up in her own
career to help make it any easier. Who’s the diva now? Is that what they all
think? Her cute little egalitarian gestures. Oh no private dressing room for
me. I’m just one of you. Except I’m making a million a year. How they must
laugh at her.

“Deb, we can encourage Misha,
but he’s not going to understudy Claude. This has been explained to him. Misha
has a good paying job he’s lucky to have. He is very high on the billing as
Zeus but he’s not good enough if Claude can’t perform. He shouldn’t pay
attention to Claude but it doesn’t matter. Roddy has interviews set up with
some top people.”

Deb nodded, but her look said
she also took it that she would not understudy either. There was a mixture of
unspoken disappointment and anxiety in her face.

“Deb, I want you to make an
effort to think more positively. Try to relax behind the moves. I feel like
you’re stressed. Tell me what I can do to help you with that. Once we achieve
that confidence we’ll work on the fire exercises. I know you can do this, Deb.
I’ll do everything I can to help you. Hey, I want those Sundays off!” Mo
focused on the young woman whose expression became upbeat immediately. She only
thought of Zack every few minutes.

Luciana waved the cigar smoke
with a look of disgust. “Extending the run? Here? Three more weeks? Put that
thing out for God’s sake, Roddy.”

The financing for “Music on a
Summer Night” had fallen through. Greendale Coliseum’s next big draw had fallen
off the map while the current show had people pounding down the doors for
tickets. The D.C. arena had been damaged by a small earthquake. It would be
weeks before it would be ready and all other venues were booked. Greendale
Coliseum had leapt on the capitol’s misfortune. The money from the constantly
sold out shows was like a river the owners wanted to keep flowing. It was an
impossibly long run for the show. But he knew his people could handle it. Now
he had an understudy for Claude. Suddenly Deb was really coming along. His
stars might get Sundays off. That could only help with morale. “Two more at
least, maybe three. But we will have few days off, before second run. Sunday
through Thursday. What difference we here or the Washington D.C.? We will be
together my love.”

Luciana paced the room. “I’m
sick of hotel rooms, Roddy. I want to go to New York awhile. Come up on the
break. I have nothing to do I might as well go home for a visit. I haven’t seen
Ma and Pa in six months.” 

“But you shop. You go to
lunch with Mrs. Whitney. Mayor Tyler’s wife has invited you.” Roddy dashed the
cigar out absently.

“I’m sick of those
pretentious snots. They invite me because their husbands told them to, but I
know what they think of me.” She pursed her lips and glared. I can’t perform
and you work fourteen hours a day babysitting Monica Whitman.”

“Luciana, she is star!” Roddy
shrugged with impatience then softened his tone. “This has been terrible time
for her. You should have more sympathetic.”

“Sympathy. What about me? Do
you ever think about what I need? You only think about her. And the show. What
am I here for?” She started to tear up. Roddy flew from behind his desk.

“Mi amore! You know what I
try to build here. The best show ever. I cannot do it without you. You need
break?  Si. We take break. As soon as extended run over we go to Padua for
a few days.” This seemed entirely logical to Roddy.

“Visiting your mother is not
what I had in mind, Rodrigo.” She only called him that when she was really
upset. “I’m going to New York to spend some time with my friends. You can have
your precious show but you remember that you’re the one who fired me. Now I
have nothing to do and I have to look at that woman every day. The one you
chose to replace me.” She slammed out the door as Zack was about to enter. She
saw him and readjusted her demeanor giving him a flirtatious look. “Detective
Burnham. It looks like your job is going to be extended. Why don’t we have
lunch some time? You seem to have become a permanent fixture. I’d like to get
to know you better.” She put a hand on his forearm. “He’s inside.” She looked
over her shoulder as she strode off.

“Women!” Roddy cried out as
Zack entered. He lit a cigar and puffed with desperation. He held up his cigar
case with a questioning arch of his brows. Zack shook his head. “A brandy,
Zack?” Roddy waved at his bar which was always set up with excellent wines and
liquors.

“No, thanks, Roddy. 
We’ve got everyone in place. This firm is top. Someone on Mo…Ms. Whitman twenty
four seven. In the room and watching the elevator. An investigator will be
doing backgrounds on everyone to make sure the cops didn’t miss anything. That
includes everyone. You, your wife, even me.”

“I am understanding. Whatever
you think necessary, Zack. I am behind you.” Roddy studied his cigar
thoughtfully. “Do Monica say anything to you to indicate she is no satisfied?
With the company? With me? Sorry, it not fair to ask. I know you cannot tell me
what she say to you. It just she is different this couple days. Is maybe too
much stress with the murder and thing with Claude. We have been offered to
continue run a few weeks. Here at Chicago.”

Zack’s surprise was evident.
“I thought the show was tying up after Saturday. Not that I wouldn’t be sorry
to see you go.”

“I would be sorry to lose you
Zack. If you did not already have job, I would offer you a permanent position
as security.” Zack noticed that Roddy studied his reaction. “Will you stay on
for the time being? For extended run? To be honest I talk to Senor Tyler. He
say it up to you.”

Zack looked thoughtful. The
manager had noticed the difference in his and Mo’s rapport. He felt certain
something had happened between them. “Actually, I was thinking that we should
give this firm a couple days to settle in and then I should take some time to
sort some stuff out. It might be awhile before I’m back on the job, but I need
to be more active with...things.  I have to say no, Roddy. With thanks.
I…”

“Don’t be a hasty, Zack.” He
blew out some smoke. “Firm I sure is good, because you say so. But Mo trusts
you, and I trust you. I don’t turn her over to strangers!”

“I was a stranger when you
hired me. I think Mo needs the space. She needs less obtrusive protection. The
team will work better if they don’t perceive me as sticking my nose in. This is
what you need. This is what she needs.”

“So. You know what I need do
you?” Mo leaned against the open door’s frame. Her black eyes held his. The
tone was resentful. She felt foolish but couldn’t help herself.

“This security team is top.
You won’t even know they’re there. They can offer better protection than I can
by myself.” It was difficult to keep his voice steady when his heart had jumped
into his throat and was beating double time. Get a grip, he told himself and
cleared his throat. “I’m sorry I can’t stay for the extension. It’s best to let
the new team settle in and do their jobs. It’s been a pleasure Ms. Whitman and
I have complete confidence you’ll be happier, happy with the new arrangements.”

“Well, I’m sure your right,
Detective Burnham. How long before you…before you will be leaving?” Mo pasted a
bland expression on her face trying to keep her tone disinterested.

“A couple days should do it.
They just need time to get the lay of the land.” Zack explained working hard at
a professional tone.

“Then I can rely on you for
at least two more days. Thank you so much for arranging everything for the
least inconvenience. When we’re in Chicago again, I hope you’ll get in touch.”
Mo tried to swallow away the tightness in her throat.

“Thank you, I appreciate
that. Roddy, Ms. Whitman wanted to see you and I guess that’s all. I’ll go
check on things.” Zack made his departure with a polite nod to Mo.

“I just wanted to clarify the
schedule. And I want Deb to perform Sunday Matinees when we get back from our
holiday. Let’s get her out there, I need the break.” Mo had her arms braced and
fists clenched in preparation for battle.

“She has no rehearsed with
Haaken yet.” Roddy referred to the new aerial talent just hired. And he no have
it down. D.C. When we are in D.C.”

“Then let her do it with
Claude. She can do it. She’s nervous but she can do it.” She pressed her lips
tight in irritation. Roddy started to give her one of his more withering looks
then wondered what the irritation was really about.