Shane and the president of IATSE switched cars for the ride back from Devil's Gate Dam. Lee Postil looked terrified as he squeezed in with the American buffaloes, while Shane walked down the rutted dirt road with Dennis Valentine. He had another Rolls-Royce convertible parked on a slab of poured concrete by the spill-gates. This one was midnight blue with a tan interior.
'I see you got a new parade float,' Shane observed.
'I lease these things. Can't drive a car full of bullet holes.'
They got into the Corniche convertible and Shane inhaled the rich smell of English leather. Dennis drove out of the arroyo and found his way back onto the westbound 210.
'What's the story with Lee Postil?' Shane finally asked. 'He was so scared, I thought he was about to jump.'
'I used to think Postil was a democratic visionary, but it turned out he was just another slimeball extortionist. Guy takes our help to get elected-our money, our muscle-then after he wins the I. A. presidency, he starts halfsteppin'. All of a sudden, it's like, 'Who's Dennis Valentine?' I had to give him a little flashlight therapy to put him back in line.'
Shane touched the cell phone on his belt to make sure it was still warm and transmitting.
'You hear all that shit about film and TV exporting American culture to the world?' Dennis continued, shaking his head in disbelief. 'He actually told me that when I was trying to line him up a year ago. That shitbird thinks Hunter is changing the course of democracy in China. I hear stuff like that, I know I'm gonna be huge out here, 'cause nobody is thinking straight.'
'Probably all the carbs we're getting.'
'You laugh, but that ain't far off.'
By the time Dennis pulled up in front of North Chalon Road, it was already one A. M. He turned off the engine, then fixed Shane with a businesslike stare.
'Now that I'm a full-fledged partner and getting my percentage against cost, I think we need to rein in this out-ofcontrol director you hired.'
'And how do you think we can do that without scaring off Rajindi Singh and Michael Fallon?'
'I was thinkin' maybe we pull him out of the office some night, find a quiet spot, give him a Louisville adjustment.'
'You wanna beat Paul Lubick with a bat?'
Valentine shrugged. 'Listen, Dennis, I admit he's a jerk, but if you beat him up, you better either kill him or take off running, 'cause he thinks he's invincible and he'll go right to the cops.'
'Then how do we fireproof this asshole?' Dennis asked. 'You see the way he's spending money and I can't even get a copy of the script!'
'Let me and Nicky handle it.'
'Nicky? That little liar can't handle shit.'
'He's good with Hollywood types. Let us deal with it.' Dennis frowned but finally nodded.
Shane got out of the car, walked around the back, then stopped at the driver's side and looked in at Valentine. 'Tell Silvio I want my piece back. Tell him to put it in the mail slot over there. If it's not here in the morning, I'm gonna have Alexa write some paper on him.'
'Jesus, calm down. I'll take care of it.' Champagne Dennis Valentine started the Rolls. 'Don't forget, we're flying to Jersey, eight A. M. on Saturday. Plane is leaving out of Burbank, hangar twenty-six. Don't be late.'
Shane watched as the midnight-blue convertible drove up the street, then turned right at the end of the block.
Once Shane walked inside some sixth sense told him he wasn't alone. Somebody was in the house. Shane was unarmed, so he froze in the entry. Then he heard Chooch's voice.
'Dad, it's me.'
Relief flooded through him. He hurried into the living room and found Chooch sitting in the beige club chair holding Franco on his lap. The cat jumped down as Chooch stood. Then Shane reached out and gave his son a hug.
'My God, I've been so worried.'
'Dad, I need your help.'
'Where were you? Why didn't you call?'
'I left messages-'
'That's a buncha bullshit.' Anger swept in and took the place of fear. 'I couldn't talk to a message machine and you knew it.'
'Dad, I'm in trouble. Please, I came here to get help, not a lecture.'
Shane stood in the room a few feet from Chooch, trying to push two days' worth of tension and emotion out of the way. 'Okay. Okay, sure. Whatta you need?' he finally said, but his voice was trembling.
'Dad, I never told you about my girlfriend-'
'Wait a minute, not yet.' Shane's eyes flicked toward the bug hidden in the lamp. 'Follow me, I wanna show you something first.' He turned and walked out of the house onto the pool deck.
Chooch followed him as Franco trailed behind, slipping out through the sliding glass door just before Chooch closed it.
Shane led the way around the pool. There were still a few ribbons and scraps of wrapping paper on the glass-topped table from Nora's shower. Shane and Chooch sat across from one another at the table.
'Why are we out here?' Chooch asked.
'The house is bugged. It's a long story. A lot's happened since you left. Go on…'
'Dad, I have a girlfriend. I met her when I was fourteen, on the streets.'
'I know all about her, son. Delfina Delgado. Amac's second cousin.' Chooch looked surprised. 'After you left, I got in touch with American. He told me she was your jiana, and that she'd disappeared. He told me he didn't think she'd been kidnapped.'
'Dad, he's lying. She was kidnapped by the black gangs, and he knows it. While he's been trying to arrange to buy her back, I think I found out where she is, but I can't go to Amac, because he'll try and take her by force. That's why I came to you.'
'Where is she?'
'Before I tell you, I need your promise that you won't call LAPD and tell them. You can't even tell Mom.'
'Both things I'm not going to agree to in the blind.' 'Dad, this is really important to me. I love her. I love her as much as you love Mom.'
'Then you're very lucky, but I can't make promises until I know what I'm agreeing to.'
Chooch looked troubled, then spread his hands in some kind of gesture of defeat. 'Can you at least promise me you'll listen to all my arguments?'
'I can do that.'
They sat looking at each other across a no-man's-land of clear glass and torn wrapping paper. Finally Shane leaned forward in his chair. 'Go on,' he said. 'Let's hear what you've got.'
'Delfina was kidnapped by Crip gangsters. Guys from Kevin Cordell's set. Hardcore Hayes is in charge now but they're hooked up with the Compton Bloods on some huge drug deal.'
'Where is she?'
'I think they're holding her out at Stone's old house in Westlake. It's a mansion on more than six acres. Three years ago Stone moved out of South Central into a millionaire's neighborhood. After the cops finished their murder investigation there, they padlocked the gate to his mansion. The place is supposed to be empty, but there's a guesthouse down by the artificial lake, and I think some G's slipped back in there with her. I saw one of their work cars parked nearby.'
'And…?'
'And I think I know how to rescue her, but I can't do it alone. I need your help.'
Shane sat still for a long time, thinking, before finally shaking his head.
'Dad…'
'Whatta you take me for, huh?' Shane asked. 'I'm your father. I have a responsibility to your dead mother,
