Star (47 page)

She had all but given up two weeks later, and she was aching for Zeb, as the phone rang in her stifling hotel room. It was late July, and she was ready to give up and go home. There was no point staying there through August. But when she answered the phone, it was Lou ' Got a pencil, Crystal? Write this down. He gave her two names, one was a director, and the other a very well-known producer. They made the kind of films that won Academy Awards and she almost laughed at him for suggesting that she call them. Look, I talked to both of them, they're great guys. The director wasn't sure how much he could do for you, but he wants to try. But Brian Ford told me to be sure to have you call him.

I don't know, Lou. I think I've given up, but thanks. Look, he sounded annoyed, if you don't call them, you'll embarrass me. I told them you really want to work again. Now do you or don't you? I do ' but ' do they know about the trial? Are you kidding? He laughed ruefully. Sixteen people had told him to tell her to go to hell. They knew. They all did. Just give it a whirl. What have you got to lose except empty pockets? He was right, and she called both the next morning. Frank Williams was honest with her, he said it would be nearly impossible for her to find work, but he offered to give her a fresh screen test, and if it was worth anything, she could use it. She decided to do that first, and once they had it, she'd call the producer. The first screen test they did was weak, she was nervous and felt as though she'd forgotten everything she once knew. But Frank insisted they try again, and this one was better. He stood watching it critically with her and told her what she'd done wrong. She knew she needed a coach again, but she couldn't afford one. She wondered if it was even worthwhile calling Brian Ford. The screen test wasn't great, she was tired and hot, and she had an ugly past behind her. But again for Lou's sake, she called, so that his efforts wouldn't have been for nothing. And at least this way she could tell him that she tried before she went home to her ranch and her baby. She was almost glad it hadn't worked. She couldn't stand being away from him any longer.

Brian Ford's secretary gave her an appointment for the following afternoon, and seemed to know who she was. And the next day, Crystal took a taxi to his office. It was in North Hollywood and she watched the meter nervously. She had forgotten that taxis were that expensive. She'd been in town for exactly five weeks, and her meager funds were dwindling quickly. She was almost afraid to eat some days, and with the heat and missing Zeb, she was never hungry.

The secretary asked her to wait, and it seemed to take forever, and finally she ushered her in. Crystal was wearing a white dress with a long slit in a narrow skirt, and she had brushed her platinum hair until it shone, and for once she had worn it hanging straight down her back as she had done long ago as a child in the summer. She was wearing high-heeled white sandals and she carried gloves, but she wore almost no makeup. She was tired of dressing up, of pretending she was something she wasn't. She wanted to go home and put on her jeans, and this was the last stop. She just wanted to get it over with and go home, and there was some of that in her eyes as the secretary ushered her into Ford's office. It was a huge, beautifully decorated room, with Oscars lined up on a shelf along one wall, a fireplace, a huge glass desk, and a thick gray carpet. As he watched her cross the room, she was aware of a powerful man with snow-white hair, sharp blue eyes, and when he stood up, she saw that he was a giant. He stood six feet five, and he had a deep melodious voice. A long time in the past, he had been an actor. But he had decided early on that other things intrigued him more than learning lines. He had been a director at twenty-five, and ten years later he was producing major movies. And now at fifty-five, he had two decades of film history behind him. He had been making fine films for years, and was respected by everyone. Crystal was sharply aware of what an honor it was that he was even seeing her, which showed only how much respect and affection he had for Lou.

He smiled at her easily, invited her to sit down, offered her a cigarette which she refused, and lighted one himself, narrowing his eyes as he watched her. He looked as though he should have been riding a horse, or walking through the fields as her father had, instead of sitting behind a desk, producing movies. He had none of the glib, shiny ways of the late Ernesto Salvatore. This man was both dignified and important.

Lou tells me you've had a rough time since you got back. She nodded, she didn't even feel nervous with him. He seemed almost like a father.

I guess I expected it. And they both knew why, but he was polite enough not to mention it.

Any luck at all? He narrowed his eyes in the smoke of his own cigarette, as she shook her head.

None. I'm going home tomorrow.

That's too bad. I came Up with an idea for you. But she wasn't even sure she cared. Anything she did here would keep her from Zeb, and she had decided that wasn't what she wanted. We're putting together a new film right now. I'd like to write in a small part for you. Just to get your feet wet again. Nothing big. But it might give us a chance to see what kind of reaction you get.

Is it a studio film? She knew by then they wouldn't let her work, no matter how small the part, but he shook his head as he looked at her. Frank Williams had already shown him her test and he liked it.

No, I'm making it as an independent. They'll handle the distribution for us of course. But they can't say anything about who's in the picture. He had even thought about suggesting a new name for her, but he didn't really want to. No matter what else she'd done, Crystal Wyatt had begun to be known as a very fine actress. Do you want to give it some thought? We're not starting till September.

Would you want me to sign a contract with you?

He smiled and shook his head again. Only for this picture. I'm not in the business of owning slaves. She knew then that he knew her history with Ernie, and he was willing to let her work anyway. She felt a wave of gratitude wash over her, and she was tempted to try it.

Can I think about it for a few days? But they both knew it was the only chance she'd get. She wasn't being coy with him, she just wanted to decide if leaving Zeb again was worth it.

He shook her hand again, and walked her out, and she felt strangely comfortable with him. Lou had been right. Brian Ford was a nice man and he was opening the door to her to get back into pictures. She lay awake and thought about it all that night, and then she called him back the next morning and accepted his offer. He sounded pleased with the news, and told her he'd send her the contract and the script.

Have a lawyer check the contract out for you. Again, a far cry from Ernie. You don't have to be on the set till September fifteenth. Which was the best news she'd heard all week. She could go home to Zeb for August and half of September. She called Lou and thanked him and got the name of his lawyer who took care of the contract. Then she flew home that afternoon after giving the Ford office her address. And that night she was on the bus back to the valley. She was still touched by how kind Brian Ford had been to her, and as she sat in her kitchen holding her baby in her arms that night, she smiled to herself. It had worked! She'd done it! But the best part was being home with him. For six weeks she ran and played with him, never leaving him for more than a few moments.

Boyd and Hiroko were excited for her, and six weeks later she flew south again. The part was small, but Ford had seen to it that it was a good one. He wanted her to do well. He thought she had talent, and he liked her.

There was an honesty about her that appealed to him, an openness, a warmth, and a quiet courage born of the hard times she'd had. It was a rich addition to her beauty and it gave substance to her acting. And as usual, when he saw the rushes every day, he knew he'd been right. She was good. Very good. He offered her another film after that, and by Christmas, when she went home to Zeb, she had enough money to buy them all decent presents. She had to fly right back again, and she worked hard for him until March, but the second picture was good, and when it came out, the critics loved her. And the past was suddenly forgotten. She was their sweetheart again, only for the right reasons this time. She was a fine actress performing in fine films, made by one of Hollywood's most prestigious producers. There was no sleaze, no pressure, no slimy deals, no underworld. The ghost of Ernie Salvatore had been laid to rest, and Crystal Wyatt had not only survived but triumphed.

Spencer saw her second film alone in Washington one night, and he was stunned to see her in films again. He hadn't called her in months, and he had known nothing of her revived career. He only sat staring at the screen, feeling a dull ache in his heart as he watched her. And the next morning he tried to call her. But the phone at the ranch didn't answer, and he had no idea how to find her in Hollywood. And there was no point calling anyway. She had made herself clear the last time he talked to her. She didn't want him to call her. His won life was full. He was now the senator's most important aide, and he had decided not to run for Congress.

It was early 1959 by then, and Crystal was starting work on a new picture. She had her own apartment and for the first time she felt secure in her work. The studios all wanted her now, but she liked working independently for Brian Ford. It limited her a little bit, but she loved the quality of the films he made, and he had taught her a lot. And she was making plenty of money. He took her out to dinner now and then, and they were good friends, but he never wanted more from her than she cared to offer. She lived only for her child. She talked to Zeb on the phone every night, and lived to go home to him during the interludes between her pictures.

She was having dinner with Brian at Chasen's one night when he turned to her, and smiled quietly. Just exactly what is it that you run back to up north all the time? He had assumed it was a man, because she never got involved with anyone, but she smiled and hesitated before answering. She knew she could trust him though, and feeling unusually expansive, she told him.

My ranch, and my son. He lives there with old friends of mine while I'm working. Brian Ford frowned as he glanced at her, and then lowered his voice when he spoke again.

Crystal, were you ever married? She shook her head, he hadn't thought she was. Don't ever tell anyone that. Remember what they did to Ingrid Bergman. They'll run you out of this town so fast, you won't know what hit you.

I know. She sighed. That's why I leave him there. Murder they could tolerate, apparently, but not illegitimate children.

How old is he? He was curious now, about whose child it was. Maybe that was why she had murdered Ernie, maybe it was something to do with the child. He never asked her about it, and he wouldn't now, but the thought crossed his mind as she answered.

He's two and a half. Ernie had been dead for three and a half years, and that told him what he wanted to know.

He's not Ernie's then.

God, no! She laughed. I would have killed myself rather than have his child.

He smiled too. I can't say I disagree with you. I always felt sorry about your getting involved with him. Someone should have killed him a long time before you did.

I didn't kill him, she spoke quietly, looking deep into his eyes. But the only defense we had was to make it look like self-defense. There were no witnesses who saw me leave the house in Malibu, or get home. And the police said I had the motive and the opportunity. But we took the only road open to us at the time. And we won. I guess that's all that matters now. Except that people still thought she'd killed a man, and it still hurt that that was what they thought. In their eyes, she was a murderess. As she thought of it, she realized again that it was remarkable she was working at all. She looked up at him with a gentle smile, her eyes full of the respect she had for him. Thank you for trusting me. You've taught me an awful lot.

Those things always work both ways. And then he wondered about the man again. Does the boy's father live with you on the ranch? He assumed that that was why she always went back right after a film, not only for the child, but for his father.

But she shook her head quietly. She had made her peace with it. She had been right to let him go. And it always pleased her to hear that Spencer was doing well. He was gone from her life now but she had Zeb for the rest of her life. It was a special gift ' her little gift from God. His father left before he was born. He doesn't know about his son.

Brian looked at her long and hard, fresh respect growing for her. You've had a hell of a hard time. She smiled. Some things she regretted in her life, but never her baby. They talked about her new movie then, and he had other plans, and then he smiled easily as he paid the check. We're going to get you an Oscar one of these days. But she wasn't dying for that. She was a star again, a big one now. People recognized her everywhere, and people asked for autographs frequently when she went out. They even recognized her now when she went back to the ranch, but she kept a low profile there. She didn't want anyone to discover Zeb and leak it to the press.

Brian took her out again several times after that, and when the film ended, he gave a huge party for the wrap. He asked a few friends to stay and Crystal found herself among them. As they all watched the sun come up there was a Mexican breakfast served to them on his patio, and he talked quietly to her about his sons. Both of them had died in the war, and his marriage had never recovered from it. Eventually he and his wife had divorced and she had gone back to New York. He told Crystal it had changed his life irreparably. He had no desire to marry again, and now she understood why, when she had once invited him to the ranch, he had declined. He knew about Zeb so she had nothing to hide from him, and she wasn't involved with him, she had just wanted to show a kindness to a friend. But seeing her son would have hurt too much. He explained that he didn't even like to be around children anymore, they reminded him too much of his sons. They had both paid a high price for the lives they had, and yet it gave them both greater depth. It showed in the quality of the movies he made, and the way Crystal played her parts.