G'Day USA (5 page)

B
art woke to insistent hammering on his front door. He threw on the now too large bathrobe and padded barefoot to the front door and peered through the side glass. He grunted and pulled open the door. ‘Saul. What’s the fucking emergency?’

‘
Okay. You’re alive.’ The short balding middle-aged man, perpetually sweating, wiped his brow with a handkerchief.

‘
Why in the hell wouldn’t I be?’

‘
The cleaning guys were by here at 9:00 and nobody answered the door. I thought - I was afraid, maybe something happened to you.’ The lawyer pushed into the house and wrinkled his nose. ‘I’ll call them and tell them to come back.’

‘
9:00? What time is it?’

‘
A bit after 11:00. You sleep well?’

‘
First time in fourteen months I wasn’t worried about getting corn-holed. I slept like a baby. You have money for me?’

Saul pulled an envelope from his inside suit pocket. ‘Two grand, as promised. I’ll add it to my bill.’

Bart opened the envelope and fanned the bills. ‘You’re a lifesaver. I’m running out of J&B.’ He looked at Saul. ‘And food, of course. And I need a haircut and a new set of clothes. I can actually see my dick now.’

‘
Lucky you. Have you called them?’

‘
Who?’ Bart peeled five hundred off the pile and slid it into his wallet. The remaining was placed inside an unread copy of Keith Richard’s “My Life”.

‘
The backers for the indie. I talked to them last night and told them you were interested, but they’d like to talk to you directly.’

‘
I need a haircut and some clothes. Like I said. You drive me to Northridge Plaza and I can be ready by 2:00, at the latest. Call them and confirm while I shower.’

Saul watched his client walk to the bathroom, wondering when he became his manager. ‘Prison didn’t change him. He’s still a motherfucking dick.’

T
he man the media would soon be calling ‘The Killer’ smiled to himself. His heart pounded with the excitement. Years of plans not brought to fruition and today the puzzle pieces all fell into place. Well and truly fell. It couldn’t get any better. It was the perfect vengeance storm. Means and opportunity were handed to him. Motive was years old. And a fall guy dropped in his lap. A firm believer in the adage that the more prepared you are, the luckier you get, the Killer silently thanked himself for his obsessive preparation.

It was time. It started today.

M
arty dialed Ellie’s number again. ‘Come on, girl. I need to talk to you.’ He looked at the desk phone while the speaker
burred
the ringtone of an unanswered phone. Then to voicemail.
‘This is Ellie. The beep is your cue.’

Marty punched a button and lifted the handset. ‘Ell, it’s Marty, your ever faithful and extremely concerned manager. You’re not trying to duck me are you? I want to talk to you. I know Sweeney’s release has freaked you out. Don’t let it. You’ve got a huge day tomorrow. Your success, if I may be frank, is of huge interest for me, since fifteen percent of your success ends up in my bank account. Call me. It’s really, really important.’

He dropped the handset in the cradle and leaned back in his chair. ‘Chloe?’

His PA stuck her head in his office. ‘What’s up, boss?’

‘
Try and track Ellie down will you? I can’t reach her. Make sure she’s okay.’

K
ent and Charlie spent three hours killing time along the Venice boardwalk.

Charlie’s stomach rumbled. ‘Need food, mate. And I’m on rationed cash. Any ideas?’

‘
I do. Follow me.’ Kent led them back to the breakfast cafe. ‘Go with whatever I say, okay?’ He stepped up to the counter. ‘Emily, right?’

She looked at the two. The cafe was empty, the lunch hour finished. ‘Ellie’s friends, right?’

‘
Exactly. I’m Kent and this is Charlie. We are Ellie’s good friends. Haven’t seen her in a long time. It was great catching up with her this morning. Do you have anything left to eat?’

‘
Ellie must be the smart one of you three musketeers. Why wouldn’t we have food? Do they regularly run out of food in Australia? What would you like?’

‘
I’ll have a BLT on toasted wheat. What would you like Charlie?’

‘
Chicken Caesar salad?’

Emily raised an eyebrow. ‘Are you asking if we have any, or are you asking for a bowl for lunch?’

‘
Lunch.’

‘
Anything to drink?’

‘
Ice lemon tea for me.’

‘
Me too,’ chimed Charlie.

‘
Sitting in here or outside?’

‘
Outside. We need to talk business.’ Kent nudged Charlie to the door. ‘You’ll bring it out?’

‘
I’ll bring it out. Go sit, Ellie’s friends.’

Charlie swung the chair around backwards and straddled it, leaning his chin on the back. ‘So that’s the super plan? Ordering food?’

‘
You got it. Brilliant, right? I miss craft services.’

‘
What? Yeah.’ Charlie scratched his chin. ‘To tell the truth, I miss most of the movie business. The money was pretty good, and it didn’t seem like work. Most times.’ He tilted his head. ‘Why are we hooking up with Sweeney when he so royally screwed us over?’

Kent looked over his shoulder and leaned in close so no one could overhear. ‘I’m going to use him to get better opportunities. No loyalties with that ass. Just go along with it. We can have some fun, make a few bucks and network a bit. I’ve hardly had any work this year and it’s March already.’

‘
Maybe we go along with him and sabotage him from within. While pretending to be his best pals.’

Kent laughed. ‘You’re a devious little fucker.’

Charlie scowled. ‘Except he should be in jail.’

‘
Or dead.’

Charlie nodded. ‘That would be justice.’

Emily came out with a tray bearing food and drinks. ‘BLT for the tall and dark one and chicken Caesar for surfer boy.’ She gave them their drinks. ‘That’ll be $35.00 for the pair of you.’

Kent winked at Charlie. ‘Ellie told us to tell you she would take care of it.’ He beamed a big smile up at her. ‘She’s great, isn’t she?’

Emily shook her head. ‘She would have mentioned that. I better give her a call.’ She took a cordless phone from her apron pocket and dialed a number. She held it to her ear for a few minutes before dropping it back into her pocket. ‘She’s not answering. You two worry me. I haven’t seen you before and you were not being nice this morning. I think you should pay. I’ll apologize to Ellie if I’m wrong.’

Kent shrugged. ‘So you don’t believe us. Doesn’t make it less true.’ He recited Ellie’s number and address. ‘She’s doing a dress fitting this afternoon for her premiere tomorrow night. Hair and makeup tomorrow morning, then the world gets to see who she really is. Trust me when I tell you we are close like this.’ He held up crossed fingers. ‘I think she’ll be offended if you make us pay. We’re her best friends from Australia, and her guests. You of all people should know how generous she is.’

Emily looked at the two of them. ‘I don’t believe you. But I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt. If I find out you’re pulling a swift one on me it’ll be the last time you ever eat here.’

Kent smiled. ‘Yeah, sure. Whatever. Give her a call later and see that we’re right. Thanks for the food, Em.’ He turned to Charlie. ‘So, mate, how’s the salad?’

Emily shook her head and walked back to the cafe muttering about freeloading assholes and too generous
ingénues
.

Charlie watched her leave. ‘Well done, mate. Would have ordered cake if I knew what was up.’

‘
There’s a lot more of that coming.’

B
art looked at himself in the change room mirror. JC Penney’s would have to do for now. He stepped out into the store where Saul waited like an impatient husband. ‘Full wardrobe for under three hundred smackers. Not bad stuff, too.’

‘
Are you fucking finished? Or do you want your nails done too?’

Bart looked at his fingers. ‘Nah, they’ll do. Just one thing left, and you’re going to have to help me with that one.’

‘
Bart, we’ve got to be in Reseda in thirty minutes. Quit fucking around here.’

‘
I need a phone. I can’t get anything on contract right now so I need a prepay. I don’t have a valid driver’s license for ID. It expired six months ago. I’ll give you the money, but you’ve got to set it up, okay?’

‘
I don’t think they ask for identification, but we’ll grab one on the way. I don’t want you to be late, since I’m now apparently your manager.’

M
arty’s PA intercepted him as he came back into the office from a late lunch. ‘I talked to her, boss. She’s fine. Surfing at Huntington. Not easy taking a call when you’re on a board, she said.’

‘
Surfing? Shit, I hope she doesn’t kill herself. Did you tell her we needed to talk?’

‘
She said you could catch up tomorrow. Said she was going to be out of touch for the rest of the day.’

‘
Doing what? She’s a hot commodity. I can’t have one of my top clients out of touch for a whole day.’

‘
She turned off her phone just after she told me, so yes you can.’

Marty grumbled under his breath. ‘Okay. I can’t control her. Double confirm the limo I arranged for tomorrow and make damn sure there’s flowers in the back this time, okay?’

Chloe smiled. ‘You’re stressing over the premiere, aren’t you?’

‘
No, that’s bull.’ He paused. ‘Well, maybe a little. Her first big movie and she asked me to go with her.’

‘
Rumors abound.’

‘
We’re not a thing. I’m her manager, and ten years older than her.’

‘
Just the right age difference.’ Chloe’s eye’s twinkled. ‘And I think she likes you.’

‘
How about you squash that rumor like a bug, okay? If you talk to her again today, remind her the limo picks her up at three. I’ll be with it. She better not be late.’

‘
Consider it done. Now go take a Xanax.’

K
ent and Charlie pulled up outside Bart’s house just as Bart and Saul arrived from their movie meeting.

Charlie hopped out of car. ‘Perfect timing.’

Kent stretched. ‘You going to move away from this place Bart? It’s got a lot of history. I know I’d certainly get out of here.’

Saul and Bart walked down the drive toward the visitors. ‘Boys, you came back. Did you bring pizza and beer again?’

‘
Sorry, not this time, boss. Can we call you boss?
Should
we call you boss?
’

Bart looked at Kent and cocked an eyebrow. ‘Eager, aren’t you?’

Kent and Charlie walked up the drive to meet them. ‘We had some fun on
Beast
, didn’t we? Mostly. Except for the breaking my foot bit, and you demeaning Charlie every time you opened your mouth, it was a laugh a minute.’

Saul looked at Bart. ‘What the fuck’s he talking about?’

‘
History. Ancient history. Right boys? All behind us. I’m a changed man.’ He looked closely at Kent. ‘How long have you known?’

‘
As long as Ellie has.’

Bart’s face darkened. ‘Let’s not mention her name. She’s not taking my calls, did you know that? It’s because of her I lost the last year of my life.’

‘
I thought it was because of what you - ’ Charlie trailed off. ‘Never mind. Like you said. Ancient history. What’s the deal with the movie? What’s it about?’

‘
You, in a minute.’ He turned to Kent. ‘What do you mean you knew as long as Ellie has? She knew?’

‘
You said we weren’t talking about her.’

‘
When did she know? When did she tell you?’

‘
Right after it happened. She didn’t tell me until yesterday. I think she was afraid of you. I
know
she’s really pissed at you now.’

‘
Why are you even talking with her? If you sign up for this deal you have to exclude her from your life. Come in. I’ve got something cold to drink.’

Charlie followed him up the steps. ‘You’re all over the place about her, mate. Let’s just drop it. You haven’t told us about this alleged deal, and what roles you may have for us in it.’

‘
You kids have no sense of timing. Patience, ass.’ He opened the fridge and pulled a beer out for each of them. ‘Back deck. Too hot in here.’ He looked around. ‘But at least it’s clean now.’

Saul opened his attaché case and pulled out some legal documents. ‘You probably should hear what the project is before you commit to anything.’

‘
Does it pay well?’ Charlie sat back in his chair.

‘“
Well” is relative. It’s an independent movie. Bart has negotiated, with the help of his manager, his deal up by 50% with a smaller cut on the back end, so we know the money is there.’ He leaned forward and pointed at Kent with his pen. ‘There’s a part in the movie not yet filled and on Bart’s recommendation they’re willing to give it to you.’ He shifted is gaze. ‘And AD and Second Unit is yours if you want it. The pay is scale with a cut of the profits, but the backers are well known and well connected. Impress here and there’s plenty of work in the pipeline.’