The Midnight Tour (2 page)

I must’ve locked it.

No sound came from the other side of the door.

Sandy heard her heart pounding hard. And she heard the quiet suck and slurp of Eric at her breast.

The intruder knocked on the door.

Sandy flinched and Eric nipped her.

“Who is it?”

“Marlon Slade.” The voice was rich and deep like Darth Vader. “We met this morning.”

“I know that.”

“I’d like to speak with you for a moment, Miss Blume.”

“What about?”

“May I please come in?”

“I don’t think so. My dad’ll be getting home from work any minute. He doesn’t like me to have company when he isn’t here.”

“Miss Blume, the mosquitos are eating me alive. Please let me in.”

“Can’t. I can hear you just fine through the door.”

The knob rattled. The sound sent a cold wash of panic through Sandy. “Hey!” she shouted, springing to her feet. “Don’t do that!”

The door stayed shut.

She
had
locked it.

“I’d rather not discuss this through a door.”

“There’s nothing to discuss.”

“If you don’t think so, I’ll wait out here and speak with your father. I’m sure he’ll be interested in the offer, even if you’re not.”

Standing in the middle of the room with Eric clutched in her arms, she shook her head and said, “I
told
you I don’t want to be in your movie.”

“Of
course
you want to be in it. Now, please be a dear and open the door.”

“No, thank you.”

Something thumped hard against it, making it jump.

Making Sandy jump.

Eric turned his head to look at the door.

“Stop that!” Sandy shouted.

Silence.

But no sound of retreat. Marlon Slade was still standing on the top stair in front of her door.

“We can talk about it tomorrow,” Sandy suggested. “I’ll come down to town, and...”

“No,” he said, just as if he knew she was lying. “Let’s talk about it now. I came all the way up from the road to this godforsaken... trailer. I will not go all the way
down
until we’ve spoken face to face about the situation.”

“There isn’t any situation.”

“You’re refusing to be in my film. I do not accept your refusal. That, young lady, is a
situation.
I’d like to discuss it with you face to face, like civilized people. Please! The mosquitos are horrendous out here!”

“Then go away. It’s simple.”

“I tell you what. I’ll give you a hundred dollars if you let me in. Cash. You get it whether or not you agree to be in
The Horror.
How does that sound?”

“I don’t need your money. I do all right.”

“I’m surprised Miss Kutch pays you anything.”

“I get generous tips.”

“I’m sure you do. You’re a very beautiful young lady.”

Scowling at the door, she said, “I’m a good guide.”

“Five hundred. I’ll give you five hundred dollars in cash if you let me in.”

That
was a lot of money, too much to turn down without a very good reason. If all she had to do was let him in and listen to his offer...

What’ve I got to lose?

“Okay. Just wait a minute. I’ll be right back.”

She hurried up the hall to Eric’s small bedroom. Leaning over the bars of his crib, she eased him onto the mattress. Then she lowered the lid, fastened the hasp and padlocked it.

“Now keep still, honey,” she whispered.

On her way out, she slid the door shut.

“I’ll be right there,” she called. She rushed into her own room. The tan shorts and shirt of her guide uniform still lay rumpled on her bed where she’d thrown them. Her underwear and socks had already gone into the clothes hamper, but she hadn’t figured out what to do about her uniform—there would be no more tours of Beast House for weeks, maybe not for a couple of months—so she’d left her uniform on the bed.

She grabbed the shorts, hopped into them, pulled them up, and fastened them. The moment her belt was buckled, she snatched her shirt off the bed and raced down the hall. As she hurried along, she worked her arms into the sleeves. When she reached the door, she turned her back to it and scanned the room while she fastened her shirt buttons.

Except for the rumpled old towel on the sofa, there was no evidence of the baby.

There was evidence of Sandy’s father, though: an ashtray on the lamp table; an open pack of Camel cigarettes; copies of
Field and Stream
magazine,
The American Rifleman
and
Hustler
scattered about; and a nearly full bottle of Jim Beam bourbon on the kitchen counter. They were all positioned in plain sight.

Sandy fastened her last button, then tossed the towel behind the sofa.

She scanned the area once more.

That’ll do it.

She went to the door, unlocked it, and swung it open.

Marlon Slade started to enter. She blocked his way. “That’ll be five hundred bucks,” she said, putting out her hand.

“Ah, yes. It nearly slipped my mind.” Smiling but looking miffed, he dug into the back pocket of his slacks. They were the same tan color as Sandy’s uniform, and their legs were tucked into the tops of black leather riding boots. Marlon’s shirt was black silk. Around his neck, he wore a green ascot. Sandy supposed he was trying to look the way he thought a film director
ought
to look.

To her, he seemed like a pudgy kid playing dress-up.

He brought out his wallet and opened it. The bill compartment was fat with money.

“You’re loaded,” Sandy said.

“I’ll be considerably less loaded after I’ve paid the extortion.”

“It was your idea,” she reminded him.

He counted out hundreds and fifties into her waiting hand.

When she had the promised amount, she said, “Thank you,” and stepped away from the door. Marlon entered. He shut the door.

Sandy folded the money. As she stuffed it into a pocket of her shorts, she saw that she’d buttoned her shirt crooked.

She met Marlon’s eyes. He’d noticed, too.

“I had to put it on in a hurry,” she muttered, blushing.

He grinned. “Sorry if I came at a bad time.”

“It’s all right.” She almost told him that she’d just finished taking a shower. But she stopped herself in time. Better to leave him wondering than to get caught in a lie.

“Could I get you a drink?” she asked.

“That would be spiffy.”

Spiffy?

“My dad drinks bourbon,” she said, and nodded toward the botde.

“Perfect. I’ll have mine straight up.” He eased himself down on the sofa.

On her way to the counter, Sandy smiled over her shoulder and asked, “Are you old enough to drink? I wouldn’t want to corrupt you.”

He chortled. “I’m older than I look.”

“That’s good, because you look like you’re ten.”

“Aren’t we amusing?”

“Yep.” She took down a jelly glass and poured bourbon into it. Then she picked up the glass and started toward him.

“Won’t you be joining me?” he asked.

“I’m a minor.”

“At the very least. How old are you?”

“A lady never tells her age.”

“Fourteen, fifteen?”

“I’m older than I look.”

“Is that so?”

“Sure is.”

“I’m twenty-four,” Marlon said.

“Congratulations.”

“And how old are you?”

“None of your business.” She handed the glass to him, then stepped back, crossed her arms and shifted her weight so she was standing mainly on her left leg with her hip shoved out.

Marlon took a sip of his drink, then sighed and said, “Sit down. Please.” He patted the sofa cushion beside him.

“I’m okay right here.”

“Suit yourself.”

“How did you find my place?” she asked.

His eyes dipped, sneaking a look at her chest, then hurried up to her face. “Agnes Kutch gave me directions,” he said.

“Is that so?”

“Of course.”

“She wouldn’t do that. She doesn’t tell
anyone.”

“She told me.”

“No, she didn’t. And nobody else
knows
where I live. What did you do, follow me?”

“Of course not. I was otherwise occupied at the time you ran off.”

She scowled at him. “You had someone else follow me?”

He tried to look innocent, but the answer showed on his face.

“Well,” Sandy said, “that stinks.”

“I needed to know where to find you.”

“Who did you sic on me?”

“One of my assistants.”

“Who?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It sure does! He’ll blab it around and pretty soon
everybody
will be coming up here.”

“She won’t blab. I promise you that. You have my word of honor.”

“Oh, well...Your word of honor. Whoop-de-doo.”

“My word is gold.”

“Sure.” Keeping her arms crossed, she shifted her weight to her other foot. “This is just dandy. Just peachy.”

“I want you in my film, Margaret.”

“I already turned you down. Didn’t you believe me? You had to send a
spy
after me?”

“I want you as my Janice.”

“What?”

“I want you to play Janice Crogan.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Not at all.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“I never kid about such things.”

“I thought you wanted me as a...an extra, or something.”

“I want you as my
lead.
I would’ve explained that to you this morning if you hadn’t been so quick to run off.”

“But what about...whoever she is? The one you
bired
to play Janice.”

He took another sip of bourbon. “Tricia Talbot. She threw in the towel.”

“What?”

“Quit. Last night.”

Sandy found herself smiling. “You’re kidding. Why’d she quit?”

“We had...creative differences.”

“What do you mean?”

“She wanted to do things her way, not mine. I refused to give in, so she walked.” He grinned. “Not only did she walk, but she
drove.
She packed up and hightailed it back to San Francisco last night, leaving us
sans
a Janice. And we start filming tomorrow. I need
you
tomorrow, bright and early.”

“Can’t you just make a phone call, or something, and get yourself a real actress?”

“Why would I want to do that, when
you’re
here?”

“I’m not going to be in your movie, that’s why.”

“You
must
be.”

“No, I mustn’t.”

“You’ll be perfect. You’ll
be
Janice Crogan.”

“Why don’t you get Janice? She’s right here in town.”

“She won’t be in the movie.”

“Well, that makes two of us.”

“Twenty-five thousand dollars.”

Sandy stared at him, shocked.

“
Twenty-five thousand?
” she asked, barely able to speak, her voice a whisper.

“For just ten or twelve weeks of work.”

She murmured, “Can’t.”

“And why can’t you?”

“Just can’t. I’m not any actress.”

“You don’t
need
to be an actress. I’ll make you a
star.”

She smirked. “Oh, yeah. A star. Every day and twice on Sundays.”

“You’ve got the
look,
Margaret.”

“I don’t look much like Janice.”

“There’s no reason why you should. We’ll color your hair, of course. You’ll be spectacular as a blonde.”

“Think so?”

“I know so.”

She grinned.

“And what’s
that
about?” Marlon asked.

She imagined herself saying, “I’ve got a little secret for you, buddy. Underneath this ugly brown dye job, I
am
a blonde.”

That’d sure open a can of worms.

“Is something amusing?” he asked.

“I wouldn’t want to turn into a dumb blonde.”

“It would only be for the role.”

“I don’t want the role.”

“I think you do, Margaret. I
know
you do. Everybody wants to be a star. And you have what it takes.”

“No, I don’t.”

“The
look.”

“Bull.”

Marlon took another sip of bourbon, then leaned sideways and set his glass on. the lamp table. “Let me show you something,” he said, getting to his feet. “Do you have a mirror?”

“What kind of mirror?”

“The largest you have.”

“What do you want to do?”

“Come, come, come.” He swept toward Sandy, reaching for her.

She put out a hand to signal him back.

He took hold of it and drew her after him, striding toward the hallway.

“Hey, what’re you doing?”

“We’re off to see the mirror!”

“My dad’ll be home!”

“I doubt it. I’m a director. I know stage props when I see them. A smoker doesn’t live in this trailer.”

“He does, too.”

“My nose tells me otherwise. And it’s a wise nose.”

He pulled her into the bathroom and halted in front of the medicine cabinet mirror. “Surely we can do better than this!”

He barged past her and towed her along.

“You live here alone,” he said. “Admit it.”

“I do not.”

“Just like
The Little Girl Who Lived Down the Lane.
Jody Foster. Did you see the movie?”

“No.”

“Bet you did.”

He stopped in front of Eric’s room.

He reached for the door.

Sandy gave his hand a hard jerk, tugging him away from it. “Not in there,” she gasped. “It’s my dad’s room.”

“Ah, Dad.”

“I’ve got a big mirror in
my
room,” she blurted.

“Splendid!”

This time, Sandy led the way, rushing onward, pulling Marlon through the doorway of her bedroom. She stepped around the end of the bed and drew him to her side. They both faced her dresser.

And the mirror above it.

“Fabulous,
” Marlon whispered. “But we need light. It’s
far
too dark in here. We must have
light
for the star to shine.” He let go of her hand and said, “Stay. Observe the mirror. Observe
yourself
in the mirror.”