“I’m really happy you could make it tonight. I’ve heard so much about you, James. Or do you prefer Sandman Slim?” “Stark. Just Stark.” Lucifer says, “James, this is Simon Ritchie, the head of the studio doing my little movie.” “Have you cast him yet?” “Cast who?” asks Ritchie. I nod at Lucifer. “Him. Your star. Do you have a Lucifer yet?” “Not yet. You can probably imagine he’s a hard part to cast.” “No shit.” I look at Lucifer. “You must have a lot of actors Downtown, Mr. Macheath. How about Fatty Arbuckle? Maybe you can put him on work release for a few weeks.” “What an interesting idea. I’m going to give it no thought whatsoever.” Ritchie laughs and shoots me a glance, measuring me up, probably wondering if I’m really the monster he’s heard about. Ten to one he was LAPD before burrowing his way into the movie biz. He has those eyes that see everyone as guilty until proven otherwise. He wants to know if I’m for real or more Hollywood window dressing. Great. That ups the chances of something stupid happening while Lucifer is in town. “Would you like something to eat? I can assure you that unlike the waiters, our chefs are very much alive and the best in town.” “We’re fine, thanks,” says Lucifer. “I think we’re just going to stroll around and say hello to a few people. Care to join us?” “I need to put out a small fire first. Our new imported starlet has gone rogue. You can’t let Czechs wander around without a minder. They’ll organize the workers and start a revolution.” “Do you know where Jan and Koralin are?” “In the big ballroom straight through there,” says Ritchie, pointing a couple of bridges away. “Why don’t you go in and I’ll catch up?” “Excellent,” says Lucifer. “We’ll see you there.” Ritchie puts his hand out to me. “Nice meeting you, too. I’d love to pick your brain sometime about your experiences in the underworld. There might be a story in it.” “Uh. Okay.” After he’s gone I say, “If he calls, I don’t really have to talk to him, do I?” Lucifer shrugs and starts walking. “You might as well. If you don’t, someone else will and they’ll get it all wrong. Trust me. I know about these things.” “Think they’d make me into a toy? I’d like to be a toy.” “Only if it talks a lot and doesn’t have an off switch.” As we go over one of the stone bridges, I see something funny.
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