Chapter 4
1799 Words
4
"Geez, there's a lot of ugly girls out tonight," Al commented.
Al and Paul sat in Paul's short limo. It was just after five o'clock that Friday evening, and the streets along the commercial district were lit by the lampposts. People walked to and fro, getting to work or a dinner date. The limo drove in circles of figure-eights around the blocks. Al's window was rolled down and he surveyed the scene with his usual tact.
Paul leaned into the dark corner opposite Al. His arms were crossed over his chest and one leg was crossed over the other. In the dim light his eyes appeared to glow. "You're not going to find her."
Al scowled at him. "How would you know? You're not even looking for her." Paul's illuminated eyes flickered up to Al and narrowed. The manager held up his hands in front of him. "All right, all right, I know when I've gone too far." He glanced back out the window and cringed. "Wow. We've got a couple of ugly girls coming now. Looks like their mothers dropped them at birth."
Paul, curiosity getting the better of him, sat up and looked out the window. The limo drove down a street with small shops. One of them was a bakery. A pair of women, one long haired and the other bobbed, walked arm-in-arm down the block. His gaze fell on the one with the long hair. A strange weight pressed against his chest.
Paul pressed the button on the door to his left. "Origa, park the car."
"Yes, sir," came the reply from a thickly accented Spaniard.
Al glanced at his window and furrowed his brow. "What's the idea?"
The limo parked on the sidewalk close to the two women. Paul slid across the seat to sit opposite Al. He nodded at the two women as they passed by the car. "The one with the long hair. She'll do."
Al followed his boss' gaze and wrinkled his nose. "I know I said a plain girl, but isn't she overdoing it?"
Paul frowned. He retreated into his corner and crossed his arms over his chest. "Then find a girl yourself so we can get out of here."
Al held up his hands. "Wait a sec, I didn't say nothing about leaving. Let's go talk to her."
Paul turned his face away. "You go talk to her."
Al dropped his hands and pursed his lips. "Fine, I'll go talk to her."
He opened the door and stepped out. A slam of the door told his boss what he thought about this mission. The cool fall evening bit at him as he tucked the overcoat close to his scrawny neck. The pair of women were a half a block down. He meandered through the crowd and reached them just as they came up to an intersection.
Al tapped the shoulder of the woman with the long hair. "Excuse me," he spoke up.
The two women turned around, and both furrowed their brows as they inspected the man in the long coat. "Yes?" the long-haired woman asked him.
He stuck his hands in his pockets. "I was just wondering if I can offer you a chance of a lifetime, Miss-?"
The woman with the short hair pulled her friend behind her and glared at the man. "What the hell are you trying to pull here, mister? My friend doesn't go into that sort of stuff."
He scowled back at her. "I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to the other one."
She pulled back her arm and balled her hand into a fist. "Get outta here or you'll be having dinner early with my knuckle sandwich as the main course."
Her friend grabbed her arm and pulled it down. "We haven't even heard what he has to say, Una."
Al smirked at the short-haired woman. "Una. What a name."
Her eyes narrowed and she looked him over. "What's yours?"
He puffed up. "Al List."
Una snorted. "You can't spell 'alley' without an 'al.'"
Al frowned and stuck his finger under her nose. "Listen here, sister-"
"If I was your sister I'd tell everyone I was an only child," she quipped.
The other woman stepped between them and pushed the squabbling pair apart. "Please, Una. Don't start another fight. Not with so many people around." A small crowd had congregated around them.
Una loosened her shoulders and stepped back. "All right, Lilly, but I still don't trust this rat."
Al sniffed. "The feeling's mutual, but I'm here to talk to your friend. My boss wants to-" Una leaned close to him with a face that bespoke suspicion and a threat of physical violence, Lilly's pleas be damned. He cleared his throat. "I'm the manager for a very famous actor who wants to meet you. He saw you walking along and thought he'd never seen a lovelier young woman."
Lilly started back. "Your boss wants to meet me?"
He shrugged. "Sometimes you just get lucky, and that's why he wants to meet you and take you out on a date."
Lilly blinked at him. "I... I don't think I quite understand."
Al glanced around at the crowd. He grabbed the tall collar of his overcoat and pulled it closer to his face before he jerked his head towards a nearby alley. "Let's just step into my office and have a quick chat. If you don't like the offer, then you're free to go."
Una looped her arms around one that belonged to Liz. "I'm going as her manager."
Al scowled, but he let them both step into his 'office.' The crowd eyed the dark confines of the alley and dispersed. The two women stopped five yards into the darkness and faced Al.
Al's attention fell on Lilly. "My boss is surrounded by a lot of frauds, if you know what I mean."
"I think we're looking at one," Una quipped.
He glared at her. "Mind butting out of this for a few seconds? I'm trying to tell her my guy is legit."
"It's not him I'm worried about," Una quipped.
Al pursed his lips and held up his hands. "All right, you ladies want some reassurance this isn't a scam?"
Una nodded. "That'd be nice."
Al rolled his eyes. "What if I told you my boss was Paul Lupe? Huh? What then?"
Lilly's eyes widened. "That actor?"
Una wrinkled her nose. "Never heard of him."
Al looked her over. "I don't think you're part of his audience. Horror movies would be better for you."
Una narrowed her eyes and ground her teeth together. She balled a hand into a fist and leapt at him. "You wanna-" Lilly grabbed her upper arms from behind and pulled her back.
The shy young woman turned her attention to Al. "Is it really Mr. Lupe who wants to see me?"
Al snapped his fingers and dug into his overcoat. He pulled out a card and handed it to Liz. "If that ain't proof for you then nothing is."
Una leaned against her friend's arm and the pair browsed the contents of the card.
Al List
Manager to Paul Lupe
There was an address and a phone number beneath the job title. The women glanced at each other. Al studied their faces. A sly smile curled onto his lips. "Well? Proof enough for ya?" he asked them.
Una glared at him and tapped the card. "Anybody can make up one of these."
Al shrugged. "I'm in the phone book, and so's my address."
"That still don't say much about you," Una argued.
The pair stuck their faces into that of the other. Lilly tucked the card into her coat pocket and made to separate them, but movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She paused and glanced at the street. A short limo was parked on the curb. The rear window was rolled down. She had an angled view of the interior, but it was enough to see the shadowed figure seated in the far corner. Their eyes met. She felt a strange weight fall on her chest.
Al's shrill voice interrupted the moment. "That's my ride. You coming or aren't you?"
She started back and whipped her head to him. "What? Oh, um, could I have a little while to think this over?"
Al shrugged. "Fine, but don't wait too long. Mr. Lupe's a busy man and he might find a girl he likes better."
"Then that'll be his loss," Una snapped.
Al gave her one last glare before he turned away and strode over to the limo. He slipped inside and slammed the door shut behind him. Al leaned against the seat and rolled up the window with one finger as he drew out his flask with his other hand. "Get us out of here."
Paul arched an eyebrow but pressed the button close at hand. "Home, Origa."
The limo pulled into traffic. Paul studied his disheveled manager as Al ran a hand through his hair. "Well?"
Al downed a mouthful and swallowed hard. "She's got a pain-in-the-ass friend."
Paul frowned. "But what about her?"
Al shrugged as he tucked away his comfort drink. "Nice enough, I suppose. Kind of quiet, but I suppose that means she won't spill anything to the press without us knowing beforehand."
Paul turned away and cupped his chin in his hand as he watched the tinted scenery pass by.
Al leaned forward and eyed his employer with a curious gaze. "Mind telling me why you picked that girl?"
"Yes," came the reply.
Al threw up his arms and slouched in his seat. "Fine. Keep me out in the cold. See what happens when trouble comes and you're-"
"What's her name?"
Al blinked at him. "Huh?"
Paul straightened and turned to Al. "What is the woman's name?"
Al's face fell. "Um, Lilly something."
Paul arched an eyebrow. "Lilly Something?"
Al shrugged. "Okay, so I didn't get her last name or even where she lived. That damn friend of hers wouldn't let me get in any questions between the ones she was asking."
Paul pursed his lips and pressed the button. "Park the car in the nearest alley."
Al narrowed his eyes as the limo turned onto a side street. "What are you planning?"
The car stopped and Paul opened his door. Al's eyes widened. He leapt across the limo and grabbed Paul's arm. "Paul, whatever you're thinking you'd better not-" He started back when Paul glanced over his shoulder at him. There was an unmistakable yellow tint in the depths of his eyes. Al drew back his hand but shook his head. "Come on, Paul. Whatever you're gonna do it ain't worth it."
Paul turned to face the car and held the door. "I'll see you back at the house."
Al held out his hand. "Whatever ya do just don't make a dent in something more than your career, and-" Paul slammed the door shut and Al winced.
Paul's shadow passed over the window and disappeared into the night.
Al leaned back against the seat. He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. His hand settled on his coat over where the inside pocket, and a bottle of liquor, was located. "I need a good, hard drink."
- Writer
