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I knew I had hit her from the way she spoke。 I smiled。 〃I can wait。〃
〃So can I；〃 she replied。 〃Forever； if I have to。〃
Just then the telephone rang。 〃Get it；〃 I said。
Rina picked it up and I heard a voice crackle for a moment； then she handed the phone to me。 〃Your wife。〃
〃Hello； Monica。〃
Her voice was filled with anger。 〃Business！〃 she shrieked。 〃And when I call you up； some cheap whore answers。 I suppose you're going to tell me it's your stepmother！〃
〃That's right！〃
There was an angry click and the phone went dead in my hands。 I looked down at it for a moment； then began to laugh。 Everything was so right。
And so wrong。
7
I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AT THE FIELD。 There were several planes warming up on the line； the red； white and blue ICA gleaming in the circle along their sides and under their wings。 I looked down at the planning board； then up at the designer。
Morrissey was young； even younger than I。 He had graduated from M。I。T。； where he'd majored in aeronautical engineering and design。 He wasn't a flier； he was of a new generation that walked on the sky。 What he proposed was radical。 A single…wing； two…motor plane that would outlift anything in the air。
He set his glasses lower on his nose。 〃The way I see it； Mr。 Cord；〃 he said in his precise manner； 〃is that by deepening the wings； we get all the lift we need and also increase our fuel capacity。 Plus which； we have the added advantage of keeping our pilot in direct visual control。〃
〃What I'm interested in is the payload and speed；〃 I said。
〃If my calculations are correct；〃 Morrissey said； 〃we should be able to carry twenty passengers in addition to the pilot and copilot at a cruising speed of about two fifty。 It should fly for about six hours before refueling。〃
〃You mean we could fly from here to New York with only one stopover in Chicago？〃 Buzz asked skeptically。 〃I don't believe it！〃
〃That's what my calculations show； Mr。 Dalton；〃 Morrissey said politely。
Buzz looked at me。 〃You can throw away your money on fool schemes like this；〃 he said； 〃but not me。 I've been through too many of these pipe dreams。〃
〃About how much would it take to build the first one？〃 I asked Morrissey。
〃Four hundred； maybe five hundred thousand。 After we get rid of the bugs； we can produce them for about a quarter of a million。〃
Dalton laughed raucously。 〃A half million bucks for one airplane？ That's crazy。 We'll never get our money out。〃
First…class passage coast to coast by train was over four hundred dollars。 It took almost four full days。 Plus meals； it came to more than five hundred bucks per passenger。 A plane like this would have a payload of seven grand a trip； plus the mail franchise； which would bring it up to about eighty…five hundred dollars。 Flying five trips a week； in less than twenty weeks we could get all our costs back； plus operating expenses。 From there on in； it would be gravy。 Why； we could even afford to throw in free meals on the flight。
I looked down at my watch。 It was almost nine o'clock。 I got to my feet。 〃I have to get down to the studio。 They're shooting the first scene today。〃
Dalton's face turned red with anger。 〃e off it； Jonas。 Get down to business。 For the past month and a half； all you been doin' is spending time at that goddam studio。 While you're jerkin' off with that lousy picture； we got to find ourselves a plane to build。 If we don't； the whole industry will get ahead of us。〃
I stared at him； unsmiling。 〃As far as I'm concerned；〃 I said； 〃we have one。〃
〃You're not… 〃 he said incredulously； 〃you don't mean you're goin' to take a chance with this？〃
I nodded； then turned to Morrissey。 〃You can start building the plane right away。〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 Dalton snapped。 〃If you think ICA is going to foot the bill； you're crazy。 Don't forget I own half of the stock。〃
〃And Cord Explosives owns the other half；〃 I said。 〃Cord Explosives also holds over half a million dollars of mortgages on ICA planes； most of which are past due right now。 If I foreclosed on them； I'd wind up owning all of Inter…Continental Airlines。〃
He stared at me angrily for a moment； then his face relaxed into a grin。 〃I shoulda known better； Jonas。 I shoulda learned my lesson when I lost that Waco to you in the poker game。〃
I smiled back。 〃You're a great flier； Buzz。 You stick to flying and leave the business end to me。 I'll make a rich man out of you yet。〃
He reached for a cigarette。 〃O。K。；〃 he said easily。 〃But I still think you're nuts to build this plane。 We could lose our shirt on it。〃
I didn't answer as we walked out to my car。 There was no use explaining to Buzz the simple rules of credit。 ICA would order twenty of these planes from Cord Aircraft。 The two panies would then give chattel mortgages on them to Cord Explosives。 And Cord Explosives would discount those mortgages at the banks； even before the planes were built。 The worst that could happen； if the plane was no good； was that Cord Explosives would end up with a whopping tax deduction。
I got into the car。 〃Good luck with the picture！〃 Buzz yelled after me as I pulled away。
I turned into the main gate at the Norman studios。 The guard looked out and waved me on。 〃Good morning； Mr。 Cord；〃 he called。 〃Good luck； sir。〃
I smiled and drove toward the parking lot。 There was a small marker with my name on it。 MR。 CORD。 They didn't miss a trick when it came to sucking ass。 There was a reserved table with my name on it in the executive dining room。 I also had a private bungalow with a suite of offices and two secretaries； a liquor cabinet stocked to the brim； an electric refrigerator； a private can and shower； a dressing room； a conference room and two secretarial offices in addition to my own。
I went through the back door of my bungalow and directly into my office。 I wasn't at the desk more than a moment when one of the secretaries came in。 She stood in front of the desk； looking very efficient with her notebook and pencil。 〃Good morning； Mr。 Cord；〃 she said brightly。 〃Any dictation？〃
I shook my head。 You'd think by this time she'd know better。 For the past five weeks； this had been going on every morning。 I never write anything … messages； memos； instructions。 If I want anything written； I call McAllister。 That's what lawyers are for。
The telephone on my desk buzzed。 She picked it up。 〃Mr。 Cord's office。〃 She listened a moment； then turned to me。 〃They've pleted rehearsal on Stage Nine。 And they're ready for their first take。 They want to know if you'd like to e down。〃
I got up。 〃Tell them I'm on my way。〃
Stage Nine was at the far end of the lot。 We built the New Orleans set there because we figured it was quieter and there wouldn't be any interfering sounds ing across from the other stages。 I began to hurry along the brick paths； cursing the distance； until I saw a messenger's bicycle leaning against one of the executive bungalows。 A moment later； I was pedaling like mad down the path。 I heard the messenger start yelling behind me。
I pulled around to front of Stage Nine and almost clashed into a man opening the door。 He stood there and looked at me in shocked surprise。 It was Bernie Norman。 〃Why； Mr。 Cord；〃 he said。 〃You didn't have to do that。 You could have called for a car to bring you down here。〃
I leaned the bike against the wall。 〃I didn't have time； Mr。 Norman；〃 I said。 〃They said they were ready to start。 It's my money and my time they're spending in there。〃
They were ready to play the first scene； the one where Max； as a young man； is having his first interview with the madam of the fancy house。 That wasn't the opening of the picture； but that's the way they shoot them。 They make all the interior scenes first； then the exteriors。 When it's all finished； an editor splices it together in its proper sequence。
The actress playing the madam was Cynthia Randall； Norman's biggest female star。 She was supposed to be the sexiest thing in the movies。 Personally； she didn't do a thing for me。 I like my women with tits。 Two make…up men and a hairdresser were hovering over her as she sat in front of the dressing table that was part of the set。
Nevada was standing over in the other corner； his back to me； talking to Rina。 He turned around as I came up and a chill ran through me as memory dragged up a picture of him from my childhood。 He looked even younger than he did when I first saw him。 I don't know how he did it； even his eyes were the eyes of a young man。
He smiled slowly。 〃Well； Junior。 Here we go。〃
I nodded； still staring at him。 〃Yeah；〃 I said。 〃Here we go。〃
Somebody yelled； 〃Places； everybody！〃
〃I guess that means me；〃 Nevada said。
Rina's face was turned toward the set； a rapt expression in her eyes。 A man pushed past carrying a cable。 I turned away from him and almost bumped into another man。 I decided to get out of the way before I did any damage。
I wound up near the sound booth。 From there I could see and hear everything。 Now I knew why pictures cost so much money。 We were on our eleventh take of that same scene when I noticed the sound man in the booth。 He was bent over the control board； his earphones tight to his head； twisting the dials crazily。 Every other moment； I could see