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〃I like the exercise；〃 she said。 〃It helps me keep in shape。 You know by now that sometimes I put in some pretty long hours。〃
〃I see what you mean。 Have you ever thought about doing anything else？〃
〃What do you mean？〃 she asked。 〃I told you I studied nursing。〃
〃I don't mean that。 How e you never tried the movies？〃
She laughed merrily。 〃I'm a native Californian； Mr。 Bonner。 I've seen what happens to the kids that e out here。 Better…looking than I ever was。 They wind up as car hops； hustling hamburgers； or five…dollar whores working the Strip。 I know better。〃
〃I mean it；〃 he said earnestly。 〃Do you know who I am？〃
〃Of course； Mr。 Bonner。 I read the papers。 You're one of the biggest producers in Hollywood。〃
〃So maybe I know what I'm talking about； eh？〃
〃Maybe you do。〃 She smiled。 〃But I know myself and I'm no actress。〃
〃That wasn't what you said last night。〃
〃That's something else；〃 she said。 〃That's my business。 Besides； you see the way I live。 It would be a long time before I could earn a grand a week in pictures。〃
〃How do you know？ We've had a script around for five years that we haven't been able to find a lead for。 It was written for Rina Marlowe。 I think you could do it。〃
〃You're crazy！〃 She laughed。 〃Rina Marlowe was one of the most beautiful women on the screen。 I couldn't hold a candle to her。〃
He was suddenly serious。 〃There are things about you that remind me of her。〃
〃Could be；〃 she said。 〃I hear she was pretty wild。〃
〃That； too；〃 he said； leaning toward her。 〃But that isn't what I'm talking about。 e down to the studio tomorrow and I'll set up a screen test。 If it doesn't work； we forget about it。 If it does … well； there's just one man's approval I need and you're good for two grand a week。〃
〃Two grand？〃 She stared at him。 〃You're joking。〃
He shook his head。 〃I don't joke about money。〃
〃Neither do I；〃 she said seriously。 〃Who is this man whose approval you'd need？〃
〃Jonas Cord。〃
〃We might as well forget about it；〃 she said。 〃From all I heard around town from some of the girls； he's a real nut。〃
15
IRVING FOLLOWED DAVID INTO THE LIVING ROOM AS ROSA BEGAN TO CLEAR THE DISHES。 〃I never saw her looking so good；〃 he said； stretching out in a chair in front of the fire。
David nodded absently。 〃Yeah。〃
Irving looked at him。 〃You got something on your mind； Davy？〃
〃The usual things；〃 David said evasively。
〃That ain't the way I hear it。〃
Something in his voice made David tense。 〃What do you hear？〃
〃The word is out they're giving your boy the squeeze；〃 Irving said in a low voice。
〃What else do you hear？〃
〃The new crowd wants to make you top dog if you throw in with them；〃 Irving said。 〃They're also saying that Bonner has sold out to them already。〃
David was silent。 He couldn't believe that Jonas didn't know about what was happening。 But it was possible。
〃You ain't talking； Davy；〃 Irving said quietly。 〃You didn't bring me out here for nothing。〃
〃How did you find out？〃
Irving shrugged his shoulders。 〃We got stock；〃 he said casually。 〃Some of the boys called up and told me that their brokers were contacted。 They want to know what we should do。〃
〃How much stock？〃
〃Oh； eighty； ninety thousand shares around the country。 We figured it would be a good deal the way you were running things。〃
〃Have you… 〃 David corrected himself。 〃Have the boys made up their minds yet which way they're going？〃 That stock could be important。 It was over three per cent of the two and a half million shares outstanding。
〃No； we're pretty conservative；〃 Irving said。 〃We like to go where the money is。 And they been making it sound real pretty。 plete financing； doubling the profits； maybe even splitting the stock in a couple of years。〃
David nodded。 He reached for a cigarette thoughtfully。 It hung in his lips unlit。 Why hadn't Jonas replied to his messages？ Three times he'd tried to locate him and each time there had been no reply。 Surely he must know by now。 The last place he checked had sent word that Jonas was out of the country。 If that was true； the whole thing would be a fait acpli by the time he returned。
〃What are you going to do； Davy？〃 Irving asked softly。
〃I don't know；〃 he said。 〃I don't know what to do。〃
〃You can't ride the fence much longer； chum；〃 Irving said。 〃There's no way on earth to live with the loser。〃
〃I know。〃 David nodded。 He finally struck a match and held it to his cigarette。 〃But it's like this。 I know Cord doesn't pay much attention to us； maybe sometimes he even holds us back a little。 But I also know he can make a picture； he's got a real feel for this business。 That's why he bought in。 It's not just all cold ass like it is with Sheffield and the others。 Plain banker…and…broker arithmetic and to hell with everything except the profit…and…loss statement and balance sheet。〃
〃But the bankers and brokers hold all the cards；〃 Irving said。 〃Only a fool bucks the house。〃
〃Yeah；〃 David said almost savagely； grinding out his cigarette。
Irving was silent for a moment； then he smiled。 〃Tell you what； Davy。 I'll get all our proxies together and deliver 'em to you。 When you decide what's best； vote 'em for us。〃
David stared at him。 〃You'd do that？〃
Irving laughed。 〃The way I see it； I got no choice。 Didn't you haul that alky for us from Shocky's garage？〃
〃Here es the coffee；〃 Rosa announced； carrying in a tray。 〃Jesus！〃 Irving exclaimed。 〃Lookit that choc'late layer cake。〃
Rosa laughed in a pleased voice。 〃I baked it myself。〃
Irving leaned back against the couch。 〃Oh； Doctor！〃 he said； looking at Rosa and rolling his eyes。
〃Another piece？〃
〃I had three already。 Another and you'll have to do a plastic job on my stomach to get me back in shape。〃
〃Better have some more coffee； then；〃 she said； refilling his cup。 She began to gather up the cake plates。
〃I meant to ask you； Davy；〃 Irving said。 〃You ever hear of a broad named Jennie Denton？〃
〃Jennie Denton？〃 David shook his head。 〃No。〃
〃I forgot；〃 Irving said； glancing up at Rosa。 〃You been out of circulation。〃
〃What about her？〃 Rosa asked。 〃I knew a Jennie Denton。〃
〃You did？ Where did you know her； Doc？〃
〃At the hospital。 Four years ago there was a nurse there by that name。〃
〃About five six； dark eyes； long； light…brown hair； good figure and an interesting way of walking？〃
Rosa laughed。 〃Sexy； you mean？〃
Irving nodded。 〃Yeah； that's what I mean。〃
〃Sounds like the same girl；〃 Rosa said。
〃What about her？〃 David asked。
〃Well； Jennie is probably the most expensive hooker in L。A。 She has her own six…room house in the hills and you want to see her； it's by appointment only and you go there。 She won't walk into a hotel room。 She's got a real exclusive list and you want a date； you got to wait maybe two； three weeks。 She only works a five…day week。〃
〃If you're remending her to my husband；〃 Rosa interrupted； smiling； 〃you'd better stop right there。〃
Irving smiled。 〃Well； it seems one night； earlier this week； Maurice Bonner went there and she gave him the full treatment。 So； nothing will do the next day but he has Jennie down to the studio for a screen test。 He shoots her in color； some scenes from some old script he's got laying around。 While he's at it； he decides to make it real good。 He dresses her in a white silk sheet。 It's supposed to be a baptism scene and when she es up out of the water in the big tank on Stage Twelve； you can see everything she's got。 In two days； that test bees the biggest picture on the home circuit。 Bonner's got more requests for it than Selznick's got for Gone With the Wind！〃
There was only one script David remembered that had a baptism scene。 〃You wouldn't remember the name of the script？〃 he asked。 〃Was it The Sinner？〃
〃Could be。〃
〃If it was； that's the script Cord had written especially for Rina Marlowe before she died。〃
〃I don't care who it was written for。〃 Irving smiled。 〃You gotta see that test。 You'll flip。 I sat through it twice。 And so did everybody else in the projection room。〃
〃I'll look at it tomorrow；〃 David said。
〃I'd like to see it； too。〃
David looked at Rosa。 He smiled。 It was the first time she'd ever expressed any interest in a picture。 〃e down to the studio at ten o'clock；〃 he said。 〃We'll both look at it。〃
〃If I didn't have an important meeting；〃 Irving said； 〃I'd be down there myself。〃
David tied the sash of his pajamas and sat down in the chair near the window； looking out at the ocean。
He could hear the water running in the bathroom basin and the faint sound of Rosa's voice； humming as she rinsed her face。 He sighed。 At least； she could be happy in her work。 A doctor didn't have to survive a war of nerves in order to practice medicine。
The door clicked open behind him and he turned around。 She looked at him； a musing expression on her face； as she stood in the doorway。
〃You had something to tell me？〃 He smiled。 〃Go ahead。〃
〃No； David；〃 she replied； her eyes warm。 〃It's a wife's duty to listen when her lord and master speaks。〃
〃I don't feel much like a lord and master。〃
〃Is anything wrong； David？〃
〃I don't know；〃 he said and began to tell her the story； beginning with his meeting with Sheffield the nig